Peter Esch

Notes:

Obit: Gospel Herald, June 1913:

" Peter, son of Christian and Anna Esch, was born in Woodford Co., Ill., Dec. 29, 1847. Thirty-two years ago he moved with his family to the home from which he passed away, two miles north of Washington, Ill. On Dec. 12, 1912, he was taken down with and attack of la grippe and rheumatism which ended in his death on the last day of the year. At the time of his death he was sixty- five years and two days of age. He leaves to mourn his departure his wife, 4 children - Mrs. Peter Springer, Mrs. Henry Schertz, Solomon Esch, and Benjamin Esch - 9 grandchildren, a brother, Joseph Esch, and a sister, Mrs. Peter Schertz. He was for many years a member of the Amish Mennonite Church at Metamora, Ill. Funeral services were conducted by the brethren, Geo. J. Lapp of India, and Valentine Strubhar of Washington. Text, Rev. 7:9-17."

Buried:
Union Cemetery

Peter married Catherine Schertz on 6 Feb 1872. Catherine (daughter of Christian Schertz and Katharina Engel) was born on 29 Oct 1848 in Peoria, Peoria Co., IL; died on 7 Apr 1924 in Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer and minister
• Religion: Mennonite
• Immigration: 1837, New Orleans, LA
• Census: 1870, Worth Twp., Woodford Co., IL

Notes:

He was orphaned in 1824 at 5 years of age, and raised by a Güngerich or Nafziger family at Bourscheid, Moselle. (Descendant Susan Esch Lees writes that Daniel had at least two siblings. Sister Katharina Esch was born in 1816. Brother Joseph Esch was born in 1822. He married Elisabeth Güngrich, a daughter of Johannes Güngrich and Elisabeth Imhoff of the Wilensteinerhof at Mittelbach near Zweibrücken. The couple had 'adopted' him and gave Joseph and Elisabeth a house as a wedding present.)

In 1837 he sailed from Le Havre on the Marengo, arriving at New Orleans Nov. 25. The Marengo was the same ship that had brought elder Christian Engel's son Joseph to New Orleans in 1836. The customs list includes these passengers from steerage: Jean Nafziger, 35; Anna [Gerber], 29; Pierre, 4; Cath, 2; Catherine Murer, 57 (Catherine Maurer, mother of Jean Nafziger); Madelaine Nafziger, 25; Catherine, 19; and Christian Esch, 18.

For several winters Christian worked at a flour mill near Pekin, returning to his home on weekends; he cultivated his own crops in summer. His household appears on the 1850 census of Woodford County as farmer Christian Ash, 30, France; Ann, 24, France; and Peter, 2, Illinois.

Christian was ordained as a minister of the Partridge Mennonite congregation in 1852. The congregation had been established by elder Christian Engel, and was later called Metamora Mennonite Church. The 1860 census of Worth has farmer Christian Esch, 41, France; Ann, 36, France; Peter, 12, Illinois; and Joseph, 8, Illinois. In 1867 Christian was ordained bishop of the Partridge congregation. His bound ledger of sermons 1849-82 is now in the archives at Goshen College.

Birth:
Dorst farm

Immigration:
On the ship Marengo, as a steerage passenger, along with his adoptive Nafziger family

Census:
Farmer Christian Esch, 62, Bavaria; Annie, 56, Bavaria; and Lena, 18, Illinois.

Buried:
Hickory Point Cemetery

Christian married Anna Gerber on 30 Aug 1846 in Woodford Co., IL. Anna (daughter of Pierre Gerber and Magdalena Güngerich) was born on 10 Aug 1827 in Gensbourg, Oberhaslach, Haut-Rhin, FR; died on 17 May 1898 in Worth Twp., Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Metamora, Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Hickory Point Cemetery

Notes:

Married:
Aug 20? source 552

Notes:

Birth:
Gendersberg property at Hanviller

Died:
Dorst farm

Christian married Magdalena Nafziger on 13 Sep 1813 in Walternbourg, Moselle, FR. Magdalena (daughter of Christian Nafziger and Katharina Maurer) was born about 1792 in Waltembourg, Moselle, FR; died on 19 Sep 1824 in Hanviller, Moselle, FR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Gendersbergerhof

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 1840

Notes:

Peter and Elizabeth are found on the 1850 census of District 56 (Woodford County) as farmer Peter Garber, 57, France; Elizabeth, 47, Germany; and Jacobina, 23, Germany.

Buried:
Hickory Point Cemetery

Pierre married Magdalena Güngerich on 19 May 1813 in Kutzenhausen, Bas-Rhin, FR. Magdalena (daughter of Chrisitan Güngerich and Katharina Wagler) was born on 29 May 1795 in Kutzenhausen, Bas-Rhin, FR; died on 2 Nov 1848; was buried in Worth Twp., Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

All of the children were born at Gensbourg, and recorded at Oberhaslach.

Buried:
Hickory Point Cemetery

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Abt 1779
• Residence: Aft 1788

Notes:

In Bern an Ösch is an ash tree, and the word occurs relatively frequently in place names. Surname variations include Oesch, Esch (found most often in France), Eash (found most often in Pennsylvania), Asche, and Ash. Two Ösch descendants became prominent in Tazewell and Woodford Counties.

Birth:
?

Residence:
Gendersbergerhof

Residence:
Dorsterhof

Died:
Wahlerhof

Josef married Magdalena SchertzLorentzen, Bas-Rhin, FR. Magdalena (daughter of Nicholas Schertz and Barbe Birki) was born in 1743; died in 1801. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Settled in Bourscheid where all his children were born, then settled in Saint-Jean Kourtzerode, where he became deputy mayor. His death certificate in Saint-Jean-Kourtzerode in 1829, at the age of 54, mentions that he was born in Waltembourg, in the Steinbacherhof, Durstel commune.

Died:
At age 54

Christian + Katharina Maurer. Katharina was born in 1780 in Waltembourg, Moselle, FR; died in 1845 in IL; was buried in Washington, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

“ She immigrated on 25 Nov 1837 to , , The Port Of Havre DE Grace, , Louisiana, ,. 25 November 1837, The Port Of Havre DE Grace On The Ship Marengo Arriving In New Orleans. [From The Nafzger Heritage News, Fall 1994] The ship list shows them bringing seven chests, three guns, and bedding. They were "steerage passengers". When Johannes' brother, Christian, and his two sisters, Jakobina and Barbara, arrived is unknown.

Buried:
Union Cemetery

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer And Dairyman
• USR1: Yellow Fever
• Immigration: 26 Jun 1840, New Orleans, LA

Notes:

Lived on Gensburg near Oberhaslach (near Schirmeck), Dept. Bas-Rhin, Lower Alsace.

Nicholas Gerber and Magdalena/Madeléne Bechler, died of yellow fever on their way to Tazewell County in 1840.

Immigration:
Arrived on ship named Marcia Cleaves

Nicholas + Madelaine Bechler (Bacher). Madelaine (daughter of Christian Bechler (Bacher) and Madeleine Oesch (Esch)) was born in 1779; died in Jul 1840 in Baton Rouge, LA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
On her families way to Tazewell Co.

Notes:

Perhaps Christian’s mother was a first wife of Peter.

Chrisitan + Katharina Wagler. Katharina (daughter of Jean Wagler and Anna Birki) was born in 1767 in Diemeringen, Drulingen, Bas-Rhin, FR; died on 23 Jan 1852 in Kutzenhausen, Bas-Rhin, FR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Neumatte estate

Died:
Witness: Pierre Gingrich (1792-1863)