Person:Johann Leatherman (4)

Biography

Johann Nickel (Nicholas) Leatherman was christened on 7 Sept 1724 at the Dehlinger Lutheran Church in Dehlinger, Saverne, Bas-Rhin, Alsace.

In September 1727, Johann Nickel's family travelled from Dehlinger, Saverne, Bas-Rhin, Aslace to Philadelphia on the James Goodwill.

Marriage

Johann Nickel and Anna Maria Elizabeth Elder were married in Pennsylvania, USA about 1746.: (Note: Not to be confused with Anna Maria Engler, the mother of Johann Nickel Leatherman!)

Children

1. Anna Martha Leatherman, born 16 Nov 1749 in Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.# Christian Jacob Leatherman, born in Maryland, United States; died 24 May 1818 in Reedy Creek, Rowan, North Carolina, United States.
2. Benjamine Leatherman, born in Maryland, United States.# John Leatherman, born 1760 in Frederick, Ellerton, Maryland Colony; died 1851 in Ray, Morgan, Indiana, United States. He married (1) in 1789 in Frederick, Frederick, Maryland Catherine Zimmerman, born 7 Apr 1765 in Hagerstown, Frederick, Maryland Colony; died 22 Sep 1844 in New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas, Ohio, United States; (2) in 1844 Mary Canaday, born 1787.# Daniel Leatherman, born 15 Dec 1772 in Frederick, Ellerton, Maryland Colony; died 1820 in North Carolina, United States. He married Widow (---), born 1770; died 1840 in North Carolina, United States.
3. Laya Leah Leatherman, born in Maryland Colony.
4. Rachel Leatherman, born in Frederick, Maryland Colony. # Susanna Leatherman, born 28 Jul 1775 in Rowan, North Carolina Colony; died 1860 in Madison, Pike, Indiana, United States. She married on 9 Nov 1798 in Rowan, North Carolina Zachariah McAtee, born Mar 1760 in Charles, Maryland Colony; died 14 Feb 1838 in Madison, Pike, Indiana, United States, son of John McAtee and Nancy Wade.^[2]

Johan Nickel (Nicholas) went to North Carolina in 1762 with his older brother, Rev. Daniel Leatherman, leading a wagon train of Brethren. Rev. Daniel later returned to his family in Maryland, while Nicholas and his family stayed in NC.

Brothers Nicholas and Daniel Lederman, along with Nicholas' son Christian, were all active ministers and elders in "The Brethren", derisively called "Dunkers" by the other locals and in government records. Their religious beliefs were very much like the Amish and German Mennonites. They would not swear an oath, charge interest, own slaves, fight in war, or hire anyone to go for them. The Dunkers' anti-oath and anti-war stance caused local officials in many places to pass laws to increase their tax burdens, in part to help cover the costs of maintaining the American militia in their absence and in part to encourage them to move elsewhere.

Early Rowan County colonial records show as of Feb 12, 1780 "Ordered that Nicholas & Ztian (Christian) Leatherman, Dunkers in the same district, be released from a 12 fold tax and reduced to a 3 fold tax." Probably due to these men entering into some kind of service other than military, ie; prison guard, overseer of the road, river crossing guard, etc.

Will

Nicholas wrote and signed a will on 7 September 1782:

Will of Nicholas Leatherman

North Carolina State Archives Probated 1783:: In the name of God Amen. I, Nicholas Leatherman of the province of North Carolina and county of Rowan, being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, calling to mind the mortality of the Body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, I do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament. That is to say Principally and first of all,I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it me, and my body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a decent Christian Burial at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection, I shall receive the same by the mighty power of God.

And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First, I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Elizabeth my young Black Mare, and the big Brintel Cow, and her bed and bedding, her Spinning Wheel and the half of the Household furniture and her Satel[saddle?], the rest of my Estate to be given to my Children, my Son Christian, I give and bequeath the sum of fourteen pounds after the decease of my Wife Elizabeth. My son John Leatherman I give and bequeath the bond I had of Thomas Portlock[Porttock?] now in the hands of my Son in law Wm. Calley, and the Sorrel Fillie that goes by the name of Ionasis[?], I give and bequeath to my two Sons namely Jonas and Daniel, my plantation and the two horses and plow, and plow Tacking and my own tools belonging to the said place of my Loving Wife, is to dwell as usual to gather and keep their promises if agreeable to their mother. If not the said Jonas her son is to give to his mother fifteen bushels of wheat and fifteen bushels of Corn and six bushels of rye and a half acre of Flax to give to the mother, one hundred weight of pork and forty weight of Beef to be given yearly,the said Jonas is to winter his mothers Mare and Cow, and to let them run with his in in during her Widowhood . And if both parties agreed to sell the land for to sell it and take the money and purchase land again for the purpose, for Jonas and Daniel and their mother, and when Daniel is come of age he is to bear an equal part with his Brother Jonas’s part mentioning his mother and the said Daniel for to be under subjection under this Mother or Jonas till he comes of age.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha the sum of twenty five pounds in money to be paid in two years after this date, if not paid that they shall pay interest for the said money. Whosoever keeps the said Martha shall be Executor of her Estate after her increase. I also give and bequeath to my Daughter Rachel the sum of Twenty five pounds in money. I give and bequeath to my Daughter Laya[Leah] the sum of Twenty five pounds in money and the young Cow that goes by her name and the young Brintel Cow both to be born, and I likewise give and bequeath to my Daughter Susanna the sum of Twenty five pounds in money and two young Heifers one with a whit face and the other a Brintel Heifer.

The rest of the House furniture and Creatures are to be graised[?], And after the death of their Mother Elizabeth, to be equally divided amongst all my Children, And the three girls to have liberty to make themselves___?__while they are with their mother. And I do hereby utterly Disallow revoke and Disasemble all and ways other former Testaments, Wills, legacies and Bequests, and Executors by me in any way before named willed and bequeathed, Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.

:: In Witness wherof I have herunto set my hand and seal this 7th day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Eighty Two, Signed, sealed published and pronounced and declared by the said Nicholas Latherman as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names.

Wm Henburn:: John Earnest Nicholas Leatherman:: (signed for himself)

Sources

1.   Memorial 138622052, in Find A Grave.

   Johann Nickel Nicholas Leatherman

2. ↑ Johnan Diebold Lederman Descendants

• Brian & Tim Dowling, Dowling Family Genealogy (Rootsweb WorldConnect)* Larry Leach, contributor, Descendants of Nicholas (Theobold?) Leatherman, Genealogy.com.
• Frank Leatherman, Retracing Our Family Legacy - Hans Leatherman
• Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950, Nicolaus Ledermann in entry for Anna Martha Ledermann, 16 Nov 1749; Birth, citing Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Online database, FamilySearch (accessed 9 December 2014). FHL microfilm 21,334.
• Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950, Nicolaus Ledermann in entry for Anna Martha Ledermann, 15 Jul 1750; Christening, citing St Michaels Lutheran Church, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Online database, FamilySearch (accessed 9 December 2014). FHL microfilm 21,334.