German Relatives

For the most part, my family is from the British Isles area, with a few exceptions. Some of our family lines originated in Germany and other places, but this post will be about our German relatives.

German Heritage

Johan Jurg Meisser - b. Abt 1680, Germany, d. 1745 Scoharie Valley, New York State. First Immigrant to America of this Line is our 8x Great Grandfather according to documented ancestors. Johan Jurg Meisser translates to John George Meisser.

Johan Jurg Meiser came from the Phatz (Pflaz) region in Germany, his wife and four children (stated as vvrow & 4 kinder) were in the 6th group of the first immigrants to leave Germany through Rotterdam, Holland, 28 July 1709. In 1710, they sailed to England, then on to New York, America. Leaving Germany was believed to be due to religious persecutions and heavy taxes and the promise of freedom in America. After their long and arduous journey and over the span of several years, they settled in the well-known German immigrant area of southeast Pennsylvania.

According to histories, the religious persecutions were against Protestants and included Germans, Austrian, Swiss, Dutch and French people's arriving in America during the early 1700s by the thousands, settling in the state of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and eventually Pennsylvania. England assisted and encouraged the settling of these people's in the English Colonies in America to increase the number of people in America.

Three separate immigration records have been found to prove that Johan, his wife and four children, including son Johan Michael Meisser were those that finally arrived in New York, NY, America in 1709.

The Meiser/Meisser (and various spellings) have been well-documented from this first ancestor and the children by the Meisser Genealogy Association who compiled and wrote a book.

Zecht/Sixt Family

According to family histories, Johan Jurg Meisser's wife was Anna Elizabth Zecht/Sixt - exact last name spelling not known, but I tend toward the Zecht, as it sounds more German. Her parents were:

Johan Philip Zecht b. abt 1656, Germany and married wife Ann Gertraud in Germany before immigrating with other German's to America. Johan Philip Zecht and family arrived aboard the Ship James & Elizabeth 14 June 1710 to New York, which departed from London, England. They were Lutherans and his occupation was a husbandman and vinedresser.

Those that arrived together from his family in June 1710 were:

Johann Phillip "Sex" is how it is spelled on the immigrant records - Age 53.

Anna Gertaud

Johann Henrich (John Henry) Age 20

Anna Elizabetha, Age 16

Anna Magdalena, Age 13

Son, Age 5

Daughter, Age 1-1/2 yrs of age

Place of Origin: Marienfels, Hessen, Nassau

Family Histories state that Joahann Phillip died 1710 in the Mohawk Valley, Scholarie County, New York. Although, if their ship arrived in 1710 in the ship harbors of New York, it would be fairly impossible to travel to mid-state New York in the same year and die there. More research is needed about his life and death in America.