4. Virginia

There had been a German settlement in northern Loudoun County for several years before Conrad arrived. As early as 1733 there were at least 70 families in the area around present day Lovettsville, which in those days was called The German Settlement. Among the names gathered from that period by author Briscoe Goodhart was Hickman, a tantalizing bit of information about which further research has shed no light whatsoever. It is alleged that Goodhart�s brother married one of our Conrad�s 2^nd great-granddaughters.

In the early days, there were muddy roads or trails and few bridges. Streams were forded by raft, and ferries were used for the larger rivers such as the Potomac. Today, the southern part of the county extends down to meet the burgeoning Washington, D. C. metropolis, just 25 miles from Lovettsville. In fact, Dulles International Airport is just within the Loudoun County border. The rolling countryside has homes, estates, bed-and-breakfasts, and farms, of which more than a few are for saddle horses.

The last of Conrad�s children for which we have a record was Appolonia, born in 1765. The name seems strange, but there was an early Christian Saint by that name. Conrad�s name started to appear in that year in the Loudoun County tithables lists, but his ties with Frederick County, Maryland continued. In both March and April of 1767 he continues to be shown as receiving pay for service in Captain Stephen Rensburgers Muster Roll. In March he received 1 pound 14 shillings for 75 days and the same amount in April for 86 days. And in those days ministers were hard to come by. The Reformed Church was established in Loudoun County as was the Lutheran but they had to rely on regular visits from the Reformed pastor in Frederick to conduct services, baptisms, confirmations and communion. In the Frederick church book the pastor wrote, �On 2 Aug 1767, the following were present at the Holy Communion Across the Potomac at Georg Schumacher�s, the Ref. Deac.� � and Conrad Heckmann�s name is listed along with several others, including Frantz Ritchie, his long-time friend and neighbor. Pastor Lange also wrote in his diary of this visit that his host was �a pious deacon, George Shumaker, who resided near the Potomac in Loudoun County, Va.�.

The time of paying taxes, tending the farm and blacksmithing continued. In two different years, the tithables lists showed that Conrad paid his taxes in the form of 5 squirrel scalps. Not much has been written about this, but apparently squirrels were a nuisance and a bounty was paid, so they could also be used to pay the tithes.

The means of tilling the soil and raising livestock were primitive by today�s standards. After all, it was just in 1769 that James Watt, a Scottish engineer, invented the steam engine, which helped launch the Industrial Revolution. The German farmers of this era were often criticized by the English colonists as keeping to themselves and being rather plain and simple. Their log houses tended to be comfortable and practical but rather crude. Ornamentation was of no apparent interest to them. The housewives worked in the fields along with their husbands, which was unheard of �til then. But as time passed, their simple practicality, industriousness, and intelligence won them grudging praise from their more genteel neighbors as they gradually assimilated into early American society.

These must have been interesting times leading up to and during the Revolution. Not all colonists were in favor of revolting against the English crown, in fact a majority were not. But there was no question about where most all German immigrants stood. When the time came, they were very much for fighting for independence.

Conrad�s wife Christiana died in about 1772, just in her 40s. The mystery remains as to her maiden name. Again, church records do not help us. Funerals were begun at the home of the deceased, continued at the graveside and only sometimes concluded inside the church. They were followed by a large meal, again at the home. But there was a document found in a small, obscure genealogy library in Illinois that simply said at the top, HICKMAN & SOUDER. No source was given but the text was intriguing:

 

�Little is known of the couple but from the best we can gather they were originally from Germany coming to the United States about 1765 and settled in Loudoun County, Virginia. When and where Mr. Hickman died the writer has been unable to learn but the death probably occurred in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Mrs. Hickman was a rather fleshy woman and died of dropsy in her home in Loudoun County, Virgina. It is said that a short time before her death, her brothers and sisters were sent for and came on horseback. After staying several days, the time came for them to go to their homes. This was a touching scene as they all gathered around her bed and with eyes filled with tears and each lead in prayer beginning with the oldest and all praying. The brothers and sisters had not been gone many days till Mrs. Hickman passed to her reward.�

 

The author is not known, but the account has a ring of truth to it, particularly as to time and location. More than once in Loudoun County there is a reference to a Souder in connection with our Hickmans (see the estate inventories for Conrad and Peter), so it well may be that Christiana was, indeed, a Souder.

Events leading up to the Revolution continued. In the following year, Massachusetts patriots, some dressed as Mohawk Indians, protested the British Tea Act by dumping crates of tea into Boston Harbor. In 1775 shots were fired at Lexington and Concord. �Minute Men� forced British troops back to Boston. George Washington took command of the Continental Army. In 1776 Thomas Paine�s Common Sense became an instant best seller and pushed the colonies closer to war. Thomas Jefferson�s Declaration of Independence was ratified by Congress on July 4^th followed by British forces arriving in New York harbor. The war was on. Loudoun County, Virginia was not isolated from it. Troops of the Continental Army were in the area and Conrad gave up his horse to help in forwarding the militia to camp. It was a grey stallion 15 hands high, 5 years old, but alas he was killed in the effort. Conrad later was awarded money of 30 pounds for his patriotic service and material assistance to the Revolutionary War effort. In 1781 when Lord Cornwallis was trapped at Yorktown, Virginia about 185 miles from Conrad�s farm, the British army had to surrender, in effect ending the war although a peace treaty wasn�t signed until 1783.

During the above period Conrad appeared in court 4 other times. A writ was executed in McIntyre vs. Hickman, he served on a jury in Headon vs. Sears in which the plaintiff was awarded 10 pounds for damage and costs, a judgment was confirmed in Lane�s Executors vs. Hickman, and his account along with several others was paid by the executors of the estate of one Adam Vincell, deceased.

In 1787, Conrad was taxed on 4 horses and 9 cattle. The age at which white males were tithable at the county level was 16 years; at the state level, the age was 21. The county tax paid for the political operation of the county and for the care of the poor. The amount was determined by simply dividing the year�s expenditures by the number of tithes. Everyone paid the same amount for the state tithe, but also taxable as property were carriage wheels, ordinary licenses, billiard tables, and stud horses. Those exempt from tithes included white women, non-Virginians, political employees (from constable to state governor), a college professor, minister of the Gospel, a soldier or sailor, old or infirm, and ferrymen.

It is difficult to pin down the exact locations of farms in this period since the metes and bounds method was used in which neighbors� names, trees, stones, posts, roads and other natural and man-made objects were used to determine boundaries. It is not known exactly how a tree blown down in a storm was handled, but perhaps the stump was identifiable? An example of the method of description in 1787 Loudoun County was some 100 acres of land that Conrad�s neighbor Francis Saunders and wife Dinah sold to Henry Barb for 100 pounds. The description states that:

 

�the land begins at a red Oak sapling on the South East side of Goose Creek Ridge opposite to Hickman�s Corner and running thence North 6 degrees and 130 poles to a Hickory at the Corner of Lee�s Line, thence with Lee�s line South 33 � degrees and 174 poles to a white Oak, Hickmans beginning, thence with the said Hickman�s line to the first station ��.

 

If Conrad were to sell and move, it is supposed that the court records on subsequent sale of this property would have to be searched to prove that the current property owner name was correct!

Another example is the following lease of 103 acres by Conrad in 1789 from Henry Asley Bennett of Great Britain. In this lease it is learned that Christiana died at the young age of 42. Also, Conrad would have been 65 years old instead of 62 but it is not uncommon for ages to be mis-stated in the colonial era:

 

�Lott 1 in Payne and Summer�s Survey, Catocton Mannor, 103 acres. Beginning at several red oaks and hickorys on a knowle on the road side leading from the Dutch Mill to roaches being Corner to the patent thence along a line of the said Patent N61E 80 poles to two red oaks thence along another line of said Patent N6 � E 150 � poles to a gum supposed corner of the patent thence N37W 20 poles to a red oak corner to said Lott thence S50W 183 poles to the line of the patent thence along the said line S37E 106 poles to the beginning. For and during the natural lives of the said Conrad Hickman aged 62 years his wife Christiana (now dead aged then forty-two years) and his son Peter Hickman, aged 26 years or the longest liver of them, a yearly sum of three pounds one shilling and ten pence current money of Virginia. If any year payment is not made within 20 days then Henry Asley Bennett may repossess the property. Conrad agrees to keep up a dwelling house twenty-six feet by twenty-four and also an orchard containing one hundred good apple trees and one hundred good peach trees and maintain good fencing.�

 

Leases were often used in those days to attract settlers who had little money at very reasonable terms. Then after years passed and if the buildings and trees were maintained the property would fetch a very good price. After 7 years, Conrad bought the property outright for 128 pounds 15 shillings.

The Loudoun County Reformed Church records show that in 1790 �Conrath Heckmann and his wife� sponsored the birth of his son Peter�s daughter Susanna Catharina. The Reformed records are only available from 1789 so nothing has been found about this second marriage. Was her name Susanna, since a child was often given the name of her Godmother? The answer is yes, because in the following year �Conrad Heckman and wife Susanna� sponsored the birth of Susanna Elisabeth, daughter of Simeon Schober and Sharlota at that same church.

As the 18^th Century drew to a close, Napoleon was running amok in Europe, the French taking the left side of the Rhine once again including Conrad�s former home. Beethoven finished his 1^st Symphony, and the beloved George Washington died. As Conrad approached his 74^th birthday, the old German immigrant, father of our American Hickman line, died in Loudoun County, Virginia.

A will has not been found, and there may not have been one. But here, from the original document and original spelling as best could be determined, is the inventory of his goods taken on February 23^rd, 1799:

 

�1 Gray Mare Saddle bridle, 1 Cow [?] calf, 5 Head of Sheep, Six Head of Swine, 1 Waggon Jack Screw and Cloth, 1 Wind Mill, 1 Cutting box and Tub, Tubs and barrels, Churn and Sundries, 1 Tub and old Iron, Hoes and Forks, Tubs and barrels and sundries, Three swarm of Bees, Rye at [?] Bushel [?], Indian Corn at [?] bushell [?], Potatoes at [?] bushell, flax at [?], Harnis for 2 Horses and Crosscut saw, ax Mall and wedges & sundries, 1 shott gun, 1 Bedstead and Back tray, Kitchen furniture, 1 flour Chest and sundries, 1 Chest, 1 old chest, Earthen potts, 2 pair of Steelyards, 1 Wooling and little wheel, 1 Table & wooden Clock, Hammer Chairs and sundries, 1 half Bushell and onion & sundries, 1 Grindstone and sundries, 1 mole on hand, Book Accounts, 1 Shear in the fish poll.

Signed Adam Shover, Isaac Richie, and Philip Souder�

 

The inventory and appraisement were recorded at the county court on June 10^th, 1799. The settlement of the estate was a long, drawn out process. It wasn�t final until 1823 when it was recorded on September 9^th. Two children were not mentioned, one of them being Appolonia who may have died prior to Conrad�s death. The other was Peter, who didn�t die until 1820, and the two estates seemed to be legally intertwined somehow because Peter�s estate was recorded the day before Conrad�s was. The payments made in the settlement of Conrad�s estate were shown as being paid in cash to:

 

Peter Smouse for the use of Elizabeth Hickman $25.00 on June 10, 1801.

Peter Smouse for the use of Elizabeth Hickman $16.67 on April 22, 1803.

John Wolf his share in full $218.81 on December 28, 1804.

John Englebreck his share in full $218.81 on January 24, 1807.

Peter Smouse his share in full $218.81 on November 15, 1810.

Jacob Hickman his share in full $218.81 on November 12, 1816.

John Wolf was the husband of Abigail, John Englebreck the husband of Mary, and Peter Smouse the husband of Catharina. If there was no will, apparently the husbands of the daughters collected the money for them. Jacob, his wife, and the Englebrecks had moved to Colerain Township in Bedford County, Pennsylvania by 1800. The Smouses, the Wolfs, and Elizabeth had moved to Allegany County, Maryland near Cumberland and not too far from Jacob across the border.

Regarding Elizabeth, a puzzling incident was recorded in the Loudoun County Reformed Church records: �Salomon born 1 May 1796 of Elizabeth Heckmann (illegitimate). She gave the father�s name as Michael Hallebart.� There was an Elizabeth in the Frederick Reformed Church in 1775 who attended Confirmation classes so it is assumed she was born about 1760. That would mean she had an illegitimate child as a single woman at the age of 36! Was that the wrong Elizabeth who was confirmed in Maryland? Was she really born much later, perhaps to Christiana as late as 1772? To Susanna even after that? At any rate, she obviously didn�t marry Hallebart as we have seen her Hickman maiden name in 1801 and 1803 when money was collected on her behalf by brother-in-law Peter Smouse. And she apparently wasn�t incompetent since on March 3, 1800 in Allegany County, Maryland she, as did the other children, signed a Power of Attorney so that Peter could sell Conrad�s 103 acres in Loudoun County to one Adam Householder.

There was a preponderance of daughters born to these first two generations of Heckmanns. Just the seven children of Conrad were found, and Peter and Jacob were the only sons. Jacob had 11 children and just 4 of them were sons. Peter wins the prize for most children with 13 but only 5 were sons, making the two-generation total 20 daughters and only 11 sons in all. Another interesting observation is that the surname of Jacob and his descendants did not evolve into the Hickman spelling, even in the Pennsylvania census for at least 4 more generations and maybe more. Perhaps it was because there were many more Germans and fewer English in Pennsylvania than in Virginia.

Peter seems to be the only one of Conrad�s children who stayed in Loudoun County, where he lived for the rest of his life. He married Regina Boger in 1784 and their children arrived regularly until the last one, Regina, was born in 1804. Both mother Regina and her daughter Regina were known as �Rachel�. We know about mother Regina and her roots, something that is not always possible when it comes to tracing our female ancestors throughout history. It seems that the women had practically no official status, other than rights of dower that was previously mentioned. They did not enter into contracts along with their husbands, such as signing deeds for property. They were mentioned in church records but that was about all. Almost everything official to be done or referred to surrounded the male name only. He was the one who bought things, sold them, sued people, prospered, failed, etc. When husbands died, through their benevolence they �allowed� their widows to have a part or all of the house and some of the furniture, but the wording in the wills left no doubt that everything flowed from the ownership and authority of the husband.

In Regina�s case, we were fortunate to find that her family came to Virginia from Pennsylvania. Records of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania show that she was born to Joseph Boger and his wife Susanna (Jensel). They had arrived in the Colonies in 1754 from Germany with their first three children, and the first to be born in America was Dorothea. Two more children followed and Regina was the baby of the family. Their village in Germany was Lomersheim, not far from Stuttgart, on the Enz River in the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg. There is an historic monastery nearby in Maulbronn, which was exactly 600 years old at the time Joseph and Susanna were married.

Up until this time, the Heckmanns had primarily attended Reformed churches although they continued to appear in Lutheran or �Union� churches also. The Boger family was Lutheran and so Peter and Regina�s family generally attended the New Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lovettsville. They were married there as recorded by pastor John Andrew Krug of Frederick, Maryland in the back of his church book, �On the Short Hill, married Peter Heckman and Regina Bogerin � in the church there.� This referred to the New Jerusalem Church and the �in� at the end of Regina�s name was an old German custom of indicating a female. They also appeared in the records for many years as the baptisms of their children were carefully recorded. Peter�s family:

 

Family of Peter Heckmann, Sr.

Peter Heckmann, Sr. born about May 1762 in Frederick Co., MD, died 17 Jul 1820 in Loudoun Co., VA, married 15 Dec 1784 in Loudoun Co. to Regina (Rachel) Boger born 28 Apr 1764 in Lancaster, PA, died 2 Sep 1816 in Loudoun Co.

Children:

1. Johannes Heckmann born 9 Sep p1785 in Lovettsville, VA, died 13 Jan 1839 in Lovettsville

married 11 Apr 1811 in Lovettsville to Catherina E. Fahle born 20 Dec 1792 in Lovettsville, died 1 Aug 1862 in Lovettsville

2. Anna Maria Heckmann born 23 Sep 1786 in Lovettsville

married 4 Apr 1811 in Lovettsville to Adam Emrich born 12 Jun 1785

3. Michael Heckman born 7 Oct 1787 in Lovettsville, died 18 Feb 1860 in Putnam Co., IN, married 18 Nov 1813 in Loudoun Co. to Catharina Schumacher born 15 Apr 1791 in Lovettsville, died

after 1862 in Putnam Co., IN

4. Peter Heckmann, Jr. born 28 Jun 1789 in Lovettsville, died 18 Jun 1820 in Lovettsville

married 17 Sep 1812 in Lovettsville to Anna Marie Slater born 18 Sep 1793 in Lovettsville, died after 14 Sep 1850

5. Susanna Catharina Heckmann born Aug 1790 in Loudoun Co., VA

6. Henrich Heckmann born 11 Jul 1792 in Lovettsville, died 22 Jun 1843 in Preble Co., OH, married before 1817 in Virginia to Anna Maria Sackman born 8 Oct 1789 in Philadelphia, PA, died 8 May 1876 in Edgar Co., IL

7. Christina Heckmann born 15 Jul 1795 in Loudoun Co., died 19 Jan 1851 in Loudoun Co., married Adam Sanbower born 26 Jan 1785, died 11 Nov 1846 in Lovettsville

8. Philip Heckmann born 23 Apr 1797 in Loudoun Co.

9. Elizabeth Heckmann born about 1798, married 6 Aug 1818 in Loudoun Co. to Leonard Thomas

10.Magdalena Heckmann born 5 Apr 1799 in Lovettsville

married 10 Apr 1820 in Lovettsville to Johannes Kiefer

11.Sarah Heckmann born 23 Feb 1801 in Lovettsville

married 17 Feb 1820 in Lovettsville to Adam Mink

12.Margaretha Heckmann born 2 Apr 1802 in Lovettsville

married 12 May 1822 in Lovettsville to Johannes Boger born 13 May 1791 in Loudoun Co,

13.Regina Heckmann born 28 Mar 1804 in Lovettsville

married 29 May 1828 in Lovettsville to Benjamin Mails

 

In addition, Peter and Regina appeared in church records as sponsors for baptisms of their relatives� and neighbors� children. In 1797 Peter sponsored the baptism of Catharina Frey, Regina�s niece and grandmother of Wilbur and Orville Wright.

In 1787 Peter was taxed on 3 horses and 5 cattle; in the following two years 5 horses. In 1793, Charles, Earl of Tankerville and Henry Astley Bennett, both of Great Britain, sold to Peter Hickman for 272 pounds 5 shillings current money of Virginia for land in Catoctan [next to John Shaver�s lot and Reuben Hickson�s lot and Jacob Hickman�s lot and Farling Ball�s land. In 1794 there was an indenture made between Jacob Hickman, Sarah his wife, of Loudon Co and Michael Bogar [Regina�s brother] for parcel of land conveyed and sold to the said Jacob Hickman by Charles, Earl of Tankerville and Henry Astley Bennett 13 Apr 1793, lying in Catoctan, adjoining Jacob Hickman and Peter Hickman to a stake by Reuben Hickson. We also know that Peter served in the Virginia Militia since in �Loudoun County, 14 Oct 1794, a Peter Hickman was discharged from Militia duty�.

Other records show:

1803 - Joseph Lewis, Jr. for 900 dollars lawful current money of the United States of America sells to Peter Hickman 90 acres of land which he had been leasing next to Mink and John Martin.

1804 - In Anthony Souder�s estate account, 18 shillings are paid to Peter Hickmanfor whiskey.

1804 - Cash paid Peter Hickman�s own share is $218.81 (In Conrad�s estate settlement recorded 9 Sept 1823)

1807 - Anthony Amond sells 203 acres to Peter Hickman for $4,060 current money of Virginia.

1810 - William Woolf and Susanna his wife sell 53 � acres of land to Peter Heckman for $680 lawful money.

1811 - Samuel Clapham and wife Elizabeth sell land on the west side of the Catoctin Mountains next to Jacob Slater�s property to Peter Hickman for $348.50. Since Peter, Jr. was only 22 years old in 1811, it appears that these transactions would be for Peter, Sr.

Conflict with the mother country arose again, and the United States declared war on Britain in 1812. Most of the battles occurred in the north, but two events in 1814 were within 50 miles of the Hickmans. In August the British overwhelmed a small American force in Maryland and marched on Washington, burning the Capitol and the White House. President Madison and other high officials fled into the countryside. In September the unsuccessful British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words of the �Star-Spangled Banner,� which became the national anthem of the United States. Peace was agreed to later that year and the war, which resulted in a stand-off, ended.

In 1816 mother Regina died. Her stone in the old German cemetery near the Lutheran church is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, still standing. In 1820, the federal census shows that Peter resided in Waterford. A trip to Waterford today reveals a comfortable, wooded, hilly community of pleasant homes with a charmingly understated ambience. How different it must be from the rugged, rustic, pioneer environment of Peter�s days! The census also shows that Peter had one male slave in the age bracket of 26 to 45. This is very unusual. It was well known that the vast majority of farmers in German communities did not have slaves. Even though the demands of labor-intensive agriculture were a given, it was generally not something German farmers were involved in. It was most likely due to their experience in an environment of serfdom in the old country plus it could be very expensive.

Although Lovettsville, in the northern part of the county, was known as �The German Settlement� for many years, the majority of Loudoun�s residents were Irish, Scots-Irish or English and slavery was very much in vogue. When the Civil War broke out, loyalties in the county were split between the North and the South, with the majority favoring The Rebellion. But the northern part of the county was another story and most of the inhabitants there, particularly the Germans who were not about to abandon their adopted country that had provided them with the freedom and prosperity they worked so hard to obtain, cast their lot with The Union. The Loudoun Rangers was the only organized unit from the State to enter Federal service. Many of the Germans from Lovettsville joined. Their record was not particularly distinguished as they suffered several defeats, but the principals they stood for have to be admired.

That same year of the census proved to be a tragic one for the Loudoun Heckmanns. In 1820 on the Schuylkill River of Pennsylvania, what was simply known as �the fever� started and eventually spread nationwide. Peter, Jr. died in May and less than one month later, Peter, Sr. succumbed also. Was it �the fever�? We don�t really know for sure. A grave has not been found for either of them. As can be seen from the following inventory, Peter, Sr. had a thriving and diversified farm. Incredibly, two slaves are listed along with the other goods, possessions, and prices. The punctuation and spelling are as in the original:

 

�Agreeable to an order of the court of Loudoun County Virginia dated August 17^th 1820 We being duly qualified have proceeded to Inventory and appraise the personal Estate of Peter Hickman now Deceased as follows:

416.66

249.75

$2033.24

Peter Fry Peter Souder Michael Boger

The amount held for Loudoun County March 17^th 1821 this inventory and appraisement of the personal Estate of Peter Hickman now decd was returned to the court and ordered to be recorded (teste -----------)�

 

The final settlement of Peter�s estate was signed by John Hamilton, Peter Souder, Edward Marlow and John Stouseber on 28 May 1823 and was recorded on 8 Sept 1823 just one day before Conrad�s was. The final settlement of these two estates seems intertwined and complicated. Their deaths occurred over 20 years apart and it appears neither had wills. Peter�s settlement shows sons John and Henry Hickman as principals (but no Michael!?).

Peter, Jr. left five children, the last born just one month before he died. One of them was Peter III and therein, also, lies a tale. Briscoe Goodhart tells this story in his book History of the Loudoun Rangers: �On September 1, 1863, Lt. Joseph Thrasher and about twelve Loudoun Rangers were ordered near Lovettsville to look after a rebel picket post. On our arrival we found the enemy had vacated about 24 hours before. We camped for the night at Lovettsville. Here happened one of the many unfortunate incidents of the war. Charles Spring was on picket. about twelve midnight a horseman approached. Spring challenged the man, warning him to stop, but he kept on approaching. Spring then called Lt. Thrasher, who also challenged the horseman three times, but he still continued to advance. Lt. Thrasher fired his revolver. The rider fell dead. This rider who met an untimely death was Peter Hickman. Sadly enough, Peter was hard of hearing and did not realize that he was being warned.� Christian Nicewarner, a farmer about three miles west of Lovettsville, kept a diary of events that occurred around the area at the time of the Civil War and he verifies that this happened. His diary has the date as September 2, but says �Peter Hickman shot in Lovettsville by Federal soldiers.�

There are still some Hickmans who live in Loudoun County and a Hickman Reunion is held every fourth Sunday in July. Most, if not all, of them are descended from Peter Hickman, Jr. Brother John stayed in the area, too, while Philip apparently died young. As we shall see, three other siblings began to look to the West.