The story starts in Ehrstädt, Sinsheim, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located 25 miles southeast of Heidelberg, 51 miles north of Stuttgart and 81 miles south of Frankfort.
The oldest relative I can trace to is Hans Adam Schoener, born about 1645 and died 12 January 1717. He was married to Eva Maud Urel (1647-1710). He was mayor of Ehrstädt in 1699. He is my 8th great grandfather.
He had 3 sons and 4 daughters:
Hans Matthias (1669-1728)
Anna Eva (1670-1713)
Anna Catherine (1673-1713)
Anna Brigitta (1678- )
Anna Margaretha (1683- )
Hans Daniel/Johann Daniel (25 Jan 1686 - 25 Nov 1741) 7th great grandfather
Hans Balthasar (1687- )
Hans Daniel is my direct ancestor and the first Schoener to arrive in America in 1717. Before he immigrated, he married Maria Catharina Horn (1689-1744) on 17 May 1707 and they had 5 children.
Louisa Catharina (1709-1744)
Johanna Christina (1710- )
John Adam (1712-1749)
Heinrich Daniel (1714-1767)
Mary Agatha (1716-1793)
It is believed that all 5 made the journey with their parents. I have not found any ship's log to confirm they made the voyage, but they all died in Pennsylvania (except for Johanna Christina, whose date of death is currently unknown)
After their arrival, they had 3 more sons:
Stephen (1718-1749)
Hans Jurg (Johann Georg/George) (Abt. 1720-Nov 1751) 6th great grandfather
Daniel (Abt. 1729- )
In 1723, Hans Daniel singed a petition for a road from Limerick Township to Oley, PA.
In 1734, he was taxed for 100 acres in Hanover Township, Philadelphia County
In 1735, he and his sons were naturalized.
He settled in present day Montgomery County and attended the New Hanover Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville, PA.
Hans Daniel was the only one of his immediate family to journey to America. However, his nephew John Melchoir (Johann Melcher), son of his brother Hans Balthasar, and his nephew Killian (Kilianus) Kuehnlin, son of his sister Anna Eva and her husband Georg Bernhard Kuehnlin, would eventually immigrate as well.
The majority of Schoeners in America derive from either Hans Jurg or John Melchoir. I will explore these connections through subsequent posts.
*NOTE: The spelling of the last name has taken many different forms (Shaner, Schoner, Shener, Schiner), some of which are still being used by different branches of the family today.
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