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VERSIONS OF RINKENBACH'S LENHART MANUSCRIPTS
GKBopp (Rev. 1 Oct 2001)

There were no word processors or photocopiers when Rinkenbach compiled his genealogy. Hence, he typed many copies and some have slight differences. Except for one undated version, all are dated 1937. Some sources refer to a 1957 version but they are confused by a "fuzzy" 1937. I think I've determined which version is the final version. However, all versions are essentially the same except for some confusion about the spouse/s of two half-sisters. The versions I reviewed are discussed below in deadly detail.

This is a discussion of various versions of THE LENHART FAMILY OF GREENWICH AND ALBANY TWPS., BERKS COUNTY, AND YORK COUNTY, PA., by Wm. H. Rinkenbach, A.B., M.S. 1937 (unpublished; approx. 20 pages).

Rinkenbach's manuscript is a partial genealogy/history of the family of Johan Peter Lenhart (1708-1774) and wife, Maria Margaretha (1713-1777). Johan Peter and Maria Margaretha arrived in Philadelphia in 1748 on the ship "Two Brothers." Most of the approximately 190 names in the manuscript are of descendants, and their spouses, of Heinrich Lenhart (1773-1837), grandson of Johan Peter and Maria Margaretha. Heinrich Lenhart (the son of Jacob Lenhart, 1736-1793) is considered to be the founder of Lenhartsville, PA.

The manuscript appears to be a carefully researched document and contains references. There are several known versions of the manuscript. However, the content, names, numbering system, and references are essentially the same in all versions. Except for differences concerning one spouse, the variations are minor: line and page breaks vary, there are a few wording and/or spelling changes, and a more polished presentation of the references appears in the final version. (See SUMMARY OF DIFFERENCES for details.)

All versions I have reviewed are dated 1937 (except for one with no date). However, Rinkenbach gave a manuscript (dated 1937) to the Library of Congress in 1956, and I believe this is the final version. There is an exact copy of this version at the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania; therefore, I refer to it below as the LC/GSP version. (It is possible the GSP has more than one version; MANUSCRIPT REVIEW TIPS explains how to identify the final version.)

The following abbreviations refer to manuscripts from:

1. LV [Lenhartsville] - Baver Memorial Library, Lenhartsville, PA [now extinct]
2. HSYC-1 - Historical Society of York County, PA [now The York Heritage Trust]
3. HSYC-2 - Historical Society of York County, PA [now The York Heritage Trust]
4. LC/GSP (identical) - Library of Congress, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
5. LDS GSP - Film # 0482074; filmed at the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania;
6. LDS DAR - Film # 0877534; filmed at the National Library of the Daughters of
the American Revolution, Washington, D.C.

LDS - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church (film available through their Family History Library).

He is probably identical to man in this entry in the Social Security Death Index: WILLIAM RINKENBACH, SSN 142-20-4767, Born 17 Mar 1894, SSN issued in NJ, died Jun 1965. The LDS library listing for William H. Rinkenbach (William Henry), includes material for several other families, many in PA. It is not known if Rinkenbach is a descendant of Johan Peter Lenhart (if so, it would likely be through Heinrich Lenhart, the Lenhartsville founder).

I compared the LV, GSP, and LC versions word for word. I received the HSYC versions later; once I determined they were earlier than the LC/GSP version I did not compare them word for word (thus, there may be other difference not mentioned below). The LC and GSP copies are identical; even the typographical errors, are exactly the same; e.g., "sone" for the word "some", "herhusband," and various type overs, etc. Therefore, one of these two copies was made with carbon paper or is a photocopy of the other.

Later I spot checked films of the Rinkenbach manuscript listed in the LDS Family History Library Catalog: LDS-DAR is an earlier version (catalog date should read 1937 not 1957); LDS-GSP appears to be identical to the LC/GSP but the film I reviewed is flawed.

1. LV - Copy obtained (1992) from the Baver Memorial Library, Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Culture Society, Lenhartsville, PA. A note on the title page "Supplied to us by Norman Smith, Lenhartsville, Pa." indicates this was not provided by Rinkenbach (Florence Baver told me she had no idea who Norman Smith is/was.)

a. Title page
LENHART FAMILY of Greenwich & Albany Twps., Berks Co., Pa.
By William H. Rinkenbach [undated].
b. Lucinda Lenhart (12513) - spouse Willoughby Lutz.
Catherine Lenhart (12575) - spouse Willoughby Lutz.
c. Earlier style reference list; see REFERENCES
d. See MISC. WORDING, ETC.
e. Other: see MATERIAL ADDED BY UNKNOWN PERSONS

2. HSYC-1 - copy obtained from the HSYC in 1998.

a. Final title page: York Co. added to title, Wm. replaces William; academic title abbreviations added after author's name; date added. I refer to it here, and below, as the "Final title" because the wording of the title page remains the same in all subsequent versions (see LC/GSP below for exact wording).
b. Lucinda Lenhart (12513) m. Willoughby Lutz
Catherine Lenhart (12575) "She married ______Dietrich."
c. Earlier style reference list; see REFERENCES
d. See MISC. WORDING, ETC.
e. Other: see MATERIAL ADDED BY UNKNOWN PERSONS

3. HSYC-2 - Nancy Lenhart Thomas obtained this from the HSYC twenty or thirty years ago [it may have come from an Easton, PA, library]. Until recently she thought her version was dated 1957; however, closer examination has revealed that the date is 1937. I do not have a copy of this version; however, I have reviewed a retyping of this version by James R. Lenhart (the retyping contains several numeric errors similar to the 1957 vs. 1937 error).

a. Final title page (see LC/GSP below)
b. Lucinda Lenhart (12513) m. Willoughby Lutz
Catherine Lenhart (12575) m. Willoughby Lutz
c. Earlier style reference list; see REFERENCES
d. See MISC. WORDING, ETC.

4. LC/GSP - Identical copies of this manuscript are in the collections of the Library of Congress (LC) and the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania (GSP). "Gift Author Oct 16, 1956" is noted on the LC copy. (I obtained the GSP version in 1993, the LC in 1998.)

a. Final title page: THE LENHART FAMILY OF GREENWICH AND ALBANY TWPS.,
BERKS COUNTY, AND YORK COUNTY, PA. By Wm. H. Rinkenbach, A.B.,M.S. 1937
b. Lucinda Lenhart (12513) "has been stated to have married Willoughby Lutz, but it was her half-sister Catharine who did so."
Catharine Lenhart (12575) "[buried] beside her husband Willoughby Lutz"
c. Final style reference list; see REFERENCES.
d. Final style wording; see MISC. WORDING, ETC.

5. LDS GSP - Film # 0482074; filmed at the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. This appears to be identical to the LC/GSP version (the final version). Unfortunately the film I reviewed is faulty; the top portion of every document filmed is unreadable.

6. LDS DAR - Film # 0877534; filmed at the National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D.C. This is yet another earlier version of the manuscript. Unfortunately, the Notes in the Family History Library Catalog entry contain the erroneous 1957. The cataloger apparently misread the fuzzy 1937 and did not notice that "From the compiler Rec'd 8/3/39" is written by hand on the top of manuscript's Foreword page (hence it could not have been written in 1957).

In 1999 I discussed this with a volunteer at the LDS Family History Center (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and requested (1) a correction to the catalog date of the LDS DAR version and (2) confirmation that their original LDS GSP film is flawed (perhaps only the copy I received was flawed). I did not hear back from her and did not follow up on this.

All versions essentially have the same footnotes and references; however, the final version is more polished; for example:

Examples:

Under Heinrich Lenhart (125):
LV version - "the maiden name of his wife Christina has not been learned."
All other versions - "the maiden name of Christina, wife of Heinrich, has not been learned."

Under Jacob Lenhart (12521):
A couple of lines are printed by hand in the LV and HSYC-2 versions, absent in HSYC-1 version, and included in the LC/GSP version.

Minor spelling changes such as Dunkle's (all earlier versions) vs. Dunkel's (LC/GSP version); Catharine or Catharina instead of Catherine (e.g., Chart I, number 162 - Catharina on LC/GSP but Catherine on the earlier versions).

Here are some items to check to determine if a copy you have (or find later) is identical to the LC/GSP version. If your copy has ALL of the following "features" you are safe in assuming it is the LC/GSP version. If not, your version is probably an earlier one. (However, review any version you find; someone may have added a note or two that could be helpful in further research.)

1. Title page - caps and lower case letters should match the following:

2. REFERENCES - spot check numbers 43, 44, 45. They should be worded like this:

(If the words are in a different order, your copy is NOT the LC/GSP version.)

3. REFERENCES - 3. "Dunkel's" (spelled "Dunkle's" in earlier versions).

4. REFERENCES - look for these type overs (if you do not have all of these, your version is NOT the LC/GSP version):

5. FOREWORD - second line; G in Germany is typed over.

6. Chart I, skim the page for the name "Catharina" (if you have any other spelling variation, your version is NOT the LC/GSP version).

7. Chart II, 12513.Lucinda Lenhart; no marriage/spouse entered (if there is a spouse, your version is NOT the LC/GSP version).

8. Page 1 - first paragraph, third line; the o in "Two" is typed over;
same paragraph, next to last line; the r "write" is typed over.

9. Page 2 - end of second line; "sone" instead of "some".

10. Page 3 - first paragraph, last line; "is parents" instead of "his parents".

11. Page 7 - last line; "herhusband" (no space) instead of "her husband".

12. Page 18 - first line under 12573.James H. Lenhart; xx typed over "is".

There are many more examples of type overs, etc. However, if your copy has ALL of the above "features," you are safe in assuming it is the LC/GSP version. If not, your version is probably an earlier one.

If you find errors in my material please let me know. If you find errors in Rinkenbach, please give me the corrected information and the source/reference/etc.

Johan Peter Lenhart's son Wilhelm/William (1745-1819, Rinkenbach #16), of York County, PA, had several children. Rinkenbach thought one of them, Wilhelm/William (b. 1777), died young and did not assign him a number. Rinkenbach probably came to this conclusion because he thought Wilhelm/William was not mentioned in his father's will. However, William is named in the will, and appears to be identical to William Lenhart (1777-1860), of Dover Twp., York Co., PA, who married Susan Hamm (1788-1871).

In the will, William is not listed with his brothers but is mentioned later. Rinkenbach's source for the will is "Register of Wills, York, Pa." Did Rinkenbach review the will and make the same mistake others apparently have made?

According to Wright's Abstracts of York County. Pennsylvania Wills 1749-1819, "wills were abstracted under the auspices of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania [HSP] in the early 1900s. Copies were made available to various libraries in Pennsylvania and microfilm copies made by the Genealogical Society of Utah (LDS). . . . [Wright's version] re-arranged the entries in chronological order." Note: The Wright's quote was given to me by another researcher, I have not seen the actual book.

William is not included in Wright's abstract of his father's will. Does this mean William is also missing from the original HSP material? In any event, this error continues to be perpetuated on down the source chain; a reminder, once again of the importance of using original sources.

Rinkenbach states Godfrey Lenhart mentions no wife in his will. However, "beloved wife" appears in a known copy of the will (see Godfrey's Will). Was Rinkenbach's source an abstract or an erroneous recopied version?

1. Additions to HSYC-1:

(A.) Under Chart I; 167.Peter Lenhart, 1788-1868; m. Elizabeth _____, 1790-1859:

An unknown person has penned in "Stauch" or "Staugh" on the blank line after Elizabeth. [Researchers have since confirmed this was Elizabeth's maiden name.]

(B.) Under 17.Godfrey Lenhart, -1819; in the first paragraph (near the bottom of the page) is this sentence:

An unknown person has penned in the following notations to the above sentence:

[Researchers now believe this is the will of Godfrey's thrice-married mother-in-law (Leese, Harbaugh, Coppenhoeffar). The maiden name of Elizabeth, Godfrey's wife, is probably Harbaugh; however, she was also known as Holzinger, her guardian's name.]

 2. Additions LV version. In this version, an unknown person (definitely not Rinkenbach) added a list of some additional descendants of Alfred Lenhart (1837-1901); no sources are cited. [Due to formatting problems, I can not replicate the list here. However, I made a PDF file of the list - PDF file - this requires a reader which can be downloaded free from Adobe Acrobat].

There are many descendants presently working together on the line of Johan Peter Lenhart. Please join us at RootsWeb: [email protected] (put subscribe on the subject line).

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