Person:Johannes Schnepp (4)

Acquisition of Land in Frederick County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1742-1775, Vol. 2:

• G-371: John Snapp Sr. of Frederick County, 400 acres in said County. Surv. Mr. John Baylis. On Little North Mountain, near North Branch of Cedar Creek. 14 July 1750. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, pg. 41].

Will of Johannes Snapp

Will of John Snapp, 30 November 1761.

In the Name of God Amen Whereas I John Snap of Frederick County & Colony of Virginia being taken sick of Body but of Perfect mind & memory thanks be to God for it and knowing the uncertainty of this Human Life and Calling to mind the certainty of Death do think proper to set my worldly affairs in order.

First and principally I commit my soul to God who gave it to me nothing doubting to receive it again at the General Resurrection by the Mighty Power of God and Body I order to be buried in a Christian like manner in the burying place by my wife Barbara Deceased. As to my Worldly affairs I order and appoint in manner and form as followeth.

Item I order and Bequeath all my worldly Estate that God hath pleased to bless me with money and goods to be equally divided to each of my children John Snap, Lawrence Snap, Barbara Baker, Catherine Pitman, Christiana Beard, Margaret Mesersmith, Salomy Wisecarver. Excepting my Bible I order to my John over his equal share. Impermis I order and ordain my son Lawrence Snapp to be my whole and sole Executor, to act for me and on my behalf as if I were personally present.

I do hereby acknowledge this to be my last will and Testament revoking and disannulling all other former wills or Testaments heretofore made by me and do acknowledge this to be my last will and Testament. Published pronounced and declared before us this thirtieth day of November in the year of Our Lord 1761.

(signed) John HS Snap (Ls)

Joseph Fawcett

John Fawcett

Richard Fawcett (his mark)

At a court held for Frederick County on the 6th day of April 1762. This will was Exhibited by Lawrence Snap the Executor therein named who made oath thereto according to Law and the same being proved by the witnesses thereto is ordered to be recorded.

Teste d Arch. Wager (?) cc

[Frederick County, Virginia. Will Book 3, Page 35]

Information on Johannes Snapp

[Snapp.FBK,fbc.FTW]

Notes for JOHANNES SCHNEPP: Johannes "Hans" Snapp was a shepherd. He was confirmed in the Lutheran Church at Geiswiller on March 30, 1709. He listed as a head of household on a tax list in Muhlhausen in both 1727 & 1730. He left the Alsace region shortly after his father's estate was settled traveling to America with his family and younger brother, Lorentz arriving at Philadelphia in 1733.

See: Genealogies of American Families, by Tyler Otlay.

"In the early half of the eighteenth century, southern Germany had been scourged by war, pestilence and famine to such an extent that life there had become unbearable for many of the inhabitants. The Palatinate and the Upper Rhine State was one area from which the inhabitants moved out in great numbers. Although this migration was unquestionably joined by many thousands of Germans from other areas, there were so many from the Palatinate, that all German immigrants became known as Palatines." This was true, both in England, where many of them first took refuge, and in this country that the majority of them finally reached....

"Philadelphia was the port of entry of the great majority of German refugees. Although the Colonies welcomed immigration in general, the Palatines poured into Pennsylvania in such great numbers that the officials of the colony became alarmed; laws were passed requiring each male immigrant, whether single or the head of a family, be properly registered by name and that registration should also show the name of the vessel by which he came, the name of its captain, the name of the port from which the immigrant embarked and the date of his landing in America. He was, furthermore, required to sign an oath of adjuration of the government from which he came, and one of allegiance to the government of Pennsylvania.

"Most of these lists have been preserved and, in recent years, they have been published in good form."

Garner, Grace K, "Earliest Settlers" "List of Foreigners imported in the ship SAMUEL of London, Hugh Percy, Master, from Rotterdam but last from Deal. Qualified August 13, 1733. Some of our ancestors disembarking were: ... Johannes Snapp 37, wife Barbara 34 with children Johannes 12, Lawrence 10, and Barbara 3, and Lawrence Snapp age 21, no doubt a younger brother to Johannes Snapp." p.172.

"Most of them disembarking were of the Dutch Reformed Faith (the Schnepp/Snapp family was German Lutheran however), the families clung together, built their church and intermarried for the next 30-40 years ... Aboard the "Samuel" were these with ages given as of August 1733, and the two spellings of their names if they differed for they were evidentially listed as they stepped off the ship, and then later to move through a line of another recorder. (See: Pennsylvania Archives) .... Schnepp, Johannes age 37, Lawrence Schnepp 21, John Snapp 12, Lawrence Snapp 10, and Barbara 3 ... p.215.

See: "German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrival in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808. Edited by William John Hinkle, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvanian German Society, 1934. Reprint Volumes 1 & 3 only. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1964, Johannes Schnepp (age 37), later John Snapp arrived in America on the Ship Samuel on the 17th day of August 1733, coming from the port of Rotterdam, Holland to Pennsylvania, along with his wife, Barbara (34), two sons, John (12) and Lawrence (10), and a brother Lawrence (21), and daughter Barbara (3).

Johannes Schnepp (John Snapp, Sr.) was one of the earliest settlers in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, settling near the Jost Hite group that had settled on the Opequon Creek in 1732. When Rev. Johann Casper Stoever visited the fledgling community of Viginians in the Spring of 1735, Johannes Schnepp and Barbara were among those who had a child baptized. Hans Schnepp was also one of the signers of a road petition by Shenandoah Valley settlers to the Orange County Court in July 1737. "Orange County, VA Deed Books 3 & 4, pp. 112-3.

John Snapp, Sr., John Jr. and Lawrence Snapp were naturalized in Frederick County, Virginia on May 21, 1746.

John Snapp, Sr. received a warrant for 400 acres of land 27 Feb 1749 where he lived on little North Mountain near the branches of Cedar Creek. (house on the plat). This land was adjacent John Snapp, Jr and was surveyed by John Baylis. Chain carriers were John Fewcatt & Andrew Longacre. Patent was granted for this land on 14 July 1750 from Lord Fairfax. (Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, Vol II, Book G)

The Snapp family lived in that part of Frederick County, Virginia that became the Shenandoah County in 1772. In the early days of voting in this country, each person voting was required to sign a list of names following the candidate. This meant that voting was not anonymous at all. The names of John Snap, John Snap, Jr., and Law Snap are found in the 1758 vote of Frederick County for the House of Burgesses, as having voted for then Col. George Washington. This was George Washington's first successful election to public office. He was but 26 years old at the time. Most of his support came from soldiers or mitilitamen or from farmers who knew of his work as a surveyor. Our ancestors were among the 309 citizens who voiced their vote for George Washington in this election.

For more on the Snapp family see Cartmell's History, Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants, A History of Frederick County, Virginia 1738-1908.

1733 Samuel [List 29 A,B,C] Samuel Captain: Hugh Percy From: Rotterdam By Way of: Deal Arrival: Philadelphia, 17 Aug 1733 Ninety Palatines, who with their families, making in all two hundred & ninety one persons.

Johannes Schnepp, 37

Barbara, 34

Johannes, 12

Lorentz, 10

Barbara, 3

Bur1992 Shnap, Snapp; were shepherds; Traveled with Joh.’s brother, Lorentz; Records at Frederick Co, VA

John Snapp Sr. (b. 1 Dec 1695) and his brother Lorentz/Lawrence Schnepp/Snapp arrived in Philadelphia and swore an oath of allegiance to the British Crown in August 1733. Johannes Schnepp was in Virginia by the spring 1735 when Reverend Johann Casper Stoever baptized one of his children On 23 July 1737, John Snapp signed a road petition referring to Chesters Road through the Blue Ridge Mountains John Snapp Sr. had 400 acres surveyed by John Baylis on 27 February 1749/50. John had probably lived on this land since arriving in Virginia in 1734/35. John's house was drawn on Baylis' survey plat on branches of Cedar Creek, adjacent to his son John Snapp Jr on 14 Jul 1750, John Sr. received a Fairfax grant for the 400-acre tract (Tract G-371) This land located approximately six miles southwest from U.S. Highway 11 present-day Winchester, Virginia on Frederick County Highway 622/Cedar Creek Grade. County Highway 732 is the northeast line from Highway 622 west.

John Snapp Sr.'s wife Barbara died on 20 November 1758. John sold the 400-acre tract to his son John Jr.for 50 pounds on 4 June 1759. This sale was entered in the Frederick County Deed Books again on 5 May 1761 (Frederick County, Virginia Deed Book 5, p. 320; Book 6, p. 101).

John Sr. (b. 1695) was deceased by 6 April 1762 when his will (dated 30 November 1761) was proved in Frederick County Court. He requested that his body be buried beside his wife Barbara. His will listed children: John Snap, Lawrence Snap, Barbara Baker, Catharine Pitman, Christina Beard, Margaret Mesorsmith and Solomy Wisecarver. He appointed his son Lawrence Snap as executor.

Citations

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/f/r/e/Marvin-L-French/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0217.html

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Eyler, Heckler Family, in Alsace-Lorraine-L Archives
   Message #0700, 12 Jul 2002.

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