Person:Johann Zent (1)

Will of Jacob Zent

Last Will of Jacob Zent: (Note: some words have corrected spelling to ease understanding, some are undecipherable and are indicated with question marks)

In the name of God Amen, I Jacob Zent of West Hanover Township, County of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, yeoman, being weak in boddy, but of sound mind memory Judgement and Understanding, blessed be God for the same, do make and publish this my last will and testament, in maner and form following, Viz: Princbley and first of all I commend my immortal soul into the lands of God who gave it and my boddy to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like maner at the descretion of my Executors herin after named; and as to such wordy estate where with it hath pleased God to bless me with in his life, I give and dospose of the same in the following manner Viz:

It is my will and I order that my personal charges and to all the residue remainder of my Estate real or personal I leave and bequeth in the manner following Viz: Item to my Daughter Elizabeth Married to Valentine King I bequeth that tract of land whereon she now lives with all the appartinance situated in west Hanover Township, Dauphin County together with a ten plate stove and pipe also one milk cow, furing her natural life, and at the time of her death it is to be equally divided amond her children exce;t her daughter Susana which has a Gamehand? which is to have two shares of the same, the land cost me one hundred eleven pound, eight schillings & six pence, which is to come out of her share of my setate and all my bank accounts charged to her husband Valentine what is above three hundred pounds, and to bear interest her hildren is not to chuse? gardens, gut to be under the direction of my Executors, to be kept at school on the interest of the money which will be comeing to them our of my estate after my death but thou my Daughter affore said stand in real need of relief sum fo the interest may go after her use as far as my executors thinks practable.

Item to my son John Zents Children (them that is now born or may yet be born to him), I give and bequeth the one seventh part of all my personal estate that may be left at my death to be equally divided among them, and it is my will I do direct my executors to purchase land with the money for the use of my grand Children and that my son John shall have the use of said land during his life, but it shall not be sold nor rented for his debt nor any other Cause during his natural life. Item to my Daughter Pevey married to Christian Kish I give and bequeth the seventh part of my personal estate that may be left after my death to her and her heirs for ever.

Item to my son Jacob Zent I give and bequeth the seventh part of all my personal Estate that may be left after my death to him & his heirs for ever .

Item to my Daughter Mayry Maried to Abraham Houser I give and bequeth the seventh part of my personal Estate that may be left after my death to her and her heirs forever.

Item to my Daughter Catarena Maried to John Snyder I give and bequeth the seventh part of my personal estate that may be left after my death to her and her heirs forever.

Item to my Daughter Suzana Maried to Jacob Moyer I give and bequeth the seventh part of my personal estate that may be left after my death to her and her heirs for ever.

It is my will that the bequethments before mentioned shall be paid in the maner following Viz: the first bond that becomes due to me from John Reid, after my death, My son Jacob & Daughter Pevey shall receie the same equally divided, the second bond that becomes due as afforesaid is to be equaly divided between my Daughter Mary & my son John's Children, the third bond that comes due as afforesaid is to be equally divided between my daughters Catarena & Elizabeth's children, and so on bak and forward until all my estate is distributed according to my will.

Item to my two sons Jacob & John - I bequeth all my ???? ???? to be equally divided among them.

Item it is my will and I do allow my executors to sell at publick vendue (venue) all the rest of my personal estate (that is not here bequethed) as soon as possible after my death, the land on the mountain being an undevided part of 164 acres & allowance I allow my Executors to sell to the best advantage when ever they shall think pro;er, and the money arising there from to be equaly divided among my children & Children as before bequethed.

If any dispute shall arise concerning the meaning of my will - I do order the same to be sedled (settled) by three disinterested persons one the be chosen by each of the disputance & the third by them two and their judgement of the testaters meaning shall be paid as final as if settled the Supreme Court ---

And lastly I nominate Constitute and appoint my well beloved son Jacob Zent and son in law John Snyder to be Executor of this my last Will and testament, hereby revolking all other wills and legacies and bequeth by one here to fore made and declaring this and none other to be my last will and testament, in witness here of I have here unto set my hand and seal this first Day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hunder and eight 1808.

Signed Sealed Published pronounced and declared by the above testater Jacob Zent as and for his last will and testament

(signed) Jacob Zent

in the presence of ? Henry Bofsler? {

Dauphin County

on the 4th day of Sept. A.D. 1809 before me Henry Beadey Register for the probate of wills ? granting letters of admicon in & for said county personally dame James Dixon & Henry Bofsler? who being qualified according to law doth depose and say that they were personally present and said and heard the testator sign seal publish pronounce and declare the foregoing instrument of writing as afind? for his last will and testament and at the time of aders? he was of sound mind & memory to the best of their knowledge . For Henry Beady Reg E H Keoster? Depty.

Notes for Johann Jacob Zent

Information exists to surmise Jacob Zent as the son of Hans Jacob Zend. Several researchers had determined that Jacob Zent was the immigrant ancestor, but with data from "Eighteenth Century Emigrants from German-Speaking Lands to North America" by Annette K. Burgert, the immigrant ancestor is most probably Jacob's father, Hans Jacob Zend, who came to America (Philadelphia) from Adelshofen, Kraichgau, Germany on September 11, 1728 aboard the "James Goodwill". This supports "family tradition" that Jacob arrived from Germany in 1728 (according to many stories). Records in Muddy Creek Lutheran Church in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, show the birth of Johann Jacob Zint (Zent) on 24 February, 1735. This appears to be the Jacob Zent who lived in Lancaster (and later Dauphin) County, Pennsylvania and left descendents there. Jacob and his family must have stayed in the Muddy Creek area for some time, since his son, Jacob, b. 1763, was married at Swamp Reformed Church on May 3, 1785, by Rev. John Waldschmidt (Pennsylvania Archives, Sol. 6, pg. 229), who was the pastor at Muddy Creek Reformed Church (now called Peace United Church of Christ, East Cocalico Township) from 1752-1786. Rev. Waldschmidt's records are published in Pennsylvania Archives, 6th series, Vol. 6, pgs. 153+. Swamp Reformed Church was located in nearby West Cocalico Township, and Rev. Waldschmidt and many of his successor's apparently preformed ceremonies in both churches, due to their close proximity. Jacob paid Tax in West Hanover Township in Dauphin County (formed from Lancaster County in 1785) in 1786. He was listed in nearby Annville Township (this may be his son Jacob) in 1800. He was living in West Hanover at the time of his death in 1809 (according to his will). Served as Private in the Revolutionary War in the 8th Company of the 6th Battallion of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania under Captain Michael Moyer. (Pennsylvania Archives, 5th series, Volume VII, pg. 561).

Jacob was possibly related to Charles and Frederick Zent, who are shown in early records in neighboring Berks County, Pennsylvania. Charles Zent is listed as having served as a private in Captain deTurk's Company of Berks County Associators, in service July, 1776 through 1778. Frederick Zent is listed as having paid State tax of 1.5.0 in the city of Philadelphia in 1779

Jacob died June 1, 1809 in Hanover Township, Dauphin County, Penn. His will was dated 12/1/1808 and proved 7/29/1811. He named his son Jacob and son-in-law John Snyder as the executors of his will. (Will Book C, page 126; Accounting papers of estate - Dauphin County, Court House - File 40, Paper 3, Harrisburg, Penn. Also copy of will and accounting - Ref. Book R, page 505, filed in 1810)

From: A History of the German Baptist Brethren - Martin Grove Brumbaugh Brethren Publishing House, Mount Morris, Illinois, 1899, reprinted 1961.

                   List of Individuals Baptised by 
                  Elder Michael Pfautz -- 1748-1769
                       Conestoga Congregation
                      German Baptist Brethren
                            Pages 310-311
                     Submitted by Don Harlacher

The following is a list of individuals baptised by Elder Michael Pfautz (unless noted otherwise) of the Conestoga Congregation located in Lancaster County, PA. between 1748-1769. The date of the baptism is reflected at the top of each list of names. An asterisk next to a name means that additional information on that individual is provided in Brumbaugh's book (pages 310-311).

October 26, 1766: Jacob Zent and his wife, Margaret

1. ↑ Bbanta/Source (449).
2.   Annette Kunselman Burgert. Eighteenth Century Emigrants from German-Speaking Lands to North America. (The Pennsylvania German Society, Breingsville, Pennsylvania, 1983).

   Pennsylvania records:
   MUDDY CREEK LUTHERAN KB, LANCASTER CO:
   Jacob Zint, died, had:
   1. Joh. Martin, b. 15 June, 1730
   2. Joh. Michael, b. 4 Dec., 1732
   3. Joh. Jacob, b. 24 Feb., 1735, sp: Joh. Jacob Schlauch (also from Adelshofen)

3. ↑ William Henry Egle, MD - Editor. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Proprietary and State Tax Lists for the years 1771, 1772, 1773, 1779, and 1782. (State Printer of Pennsylvania - 1898)
   Cocallio Township.

   Showed Jacob as owning 100 acres, 3 horses, 4 cattle, 0 servants, and paid tax of $9.0.

4. ↑ Thomas Lynch Montgomery, editor. Pennsylvania Archives. (Harrisburg Publishing Company, State Printer, 1907).

   Fifth Series, Volume VII, page 561

5.   United States. 1790 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M637).

   Name: Jacob Zent
   Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Dauphin, Pennsylvania
   Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 2
   Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1
   Free White Persons - Females: 2
   Number of Household Members: 5

6.   Pennsylvania. General Assembly. Septennial Census Returns, 1779-1863. (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania State Archives Series #7.26).

   Name: Jacob Zent
   Residence Year: 1800
   Residence Place: Anvil, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA

7.   United States. 1800 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M32).

   Name: Jacob Zent
   Home in 1800 (City, County, State): Anvil, Dauphin, Pennsylvania
   Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
   Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 4
   Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
   Number of Household Members Under 16: 6
   Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
   Number of Household Members: 8