©copyright 2008 by Zelda Capehart all Rights Reserved
Martin & Zelda Capehart Genealogy Website
~~ My Immigrant Ancestors ~~
Andrew Ott
Viernheim, Hesse, Germany
Flag graphic courtesy of
Germany State Map
Andrew Ott may have been born in Viemheim, Germany, a town in the district of Kreis Bergstraße which is in the Administrative Region of Darmstadt, in the state of Hesse, Germany. The district of Kreis Bergstraße was created in 1938 with the merging of the former districts of Bensheim and Heppenheim and is located in the Odenwald mountains. Translated its name means mountain road. The Bergstraße, a tourist route which derived its name from the district, goes from Darmstadt to Wiesloch.
Viemheim, located in the Rhine valley is a town of about 35,000 people. It is located about 60 miles south of Frankfurt and a few miles northwest of Heidelberg. The approximate location of Viernheim is indicated with an .
NOTE: The Briggs Family Bible Record of Andrew Ott's birth states he was born in Vartzheim, Germany. We have not been able to locate a town by that name and feel there is a good possibility the name might have been hard to read and transcribed wrong. Since many of my ancestors came from the states of Hesse and the Rhineland-Palatinate, we checked for town names with similar spellings. Viernheim, in the state of Hesse, Germany appears to be the closest to the spelling found in the Bible. If that is not the right town it would appear likely he was born in the general area. Source: Betty Briggs http://www.wvpioneers.com/getperson.php?personID
"Maps courtesy of http://www.theodora.com/maps used with permission"
Andrew Ott
Andrew Ott was born at Vartzheim, Germany in about 1739, and came to this country with his parents at about five or six years of age. After their ship landed in Philadelphia, they stayed there about six weeks and then moved to a place in the country near the Pennypack Creek. During the Revolutionary War he enlsited in Washington's army under Captain Douglass and was in the battles of Long Island and Brandywine, and at Fort Constitution on the Hudson, where there was some skirmishing. Soon after the close of the war he married Sarah Hendricks who was born 6 Aug. 1751 in either Germany or Bavaraia. They settled in Byberry, where he resided for several years. He then bought land in Bucks County, where he spent the remainder of his days. He had no school learning and therefore could not read nor wirte, yet he transacted all his business and seldom made any mistakes. He and Sarah were the parents of 3 children; Leonard, Rachel and William.
Andrew was a plain, industrious, frugal man, a member of All Saint's church, and was much respected by his neighbors. He passed away in December 1841, aged 102 years. Source: "History of Byberry & Moreland in Philadelphia" published 1867.
Rachel, the daughter of Andrew & Sarah Ott, was born 10 Jan. 1782 in PA. She married John Capehart/Kephart on 2 Oct. 1805, probably in PA. John was born 29 Dec. 1783 in Bucks Co., PA. They were the parents of 7 children: Andrew, Maria/Mary, Sarah, William, Elizabeth, Nancy Ann & Hattie. John died 21 Jul. 1858 in either OH or PA. Rachel died 16 years later on 5 Jul. 1874 in PA.
John & Rachel Capehart/Kephart's son, Andrew, was born 10 Jul. 1807 in Phildaelphia, PA. He married Lettitia Briggs about 1833 in PA. She was born 28 Jun. 1811 in PA. They were the parents of 5 children: Mary B., George M., John Sherman, Elizabeth Ann & Henry Lewis. Andrew died 20 Nov. 1890 near Thornburg, IA and is buried in Sixteen Cemetery located near Thornburg. Lettitia died 14 months later, on 7 Jan. 1892, and is also buried in Sixteen Cemetery.
Geroge M., the son of Andrew & Lettitia Capehart was born 14 Aug. 1837 in Belmont Co., OH. On 8 Sept. 1858 in Iowa Co., Millersburg, IA he married Sara Ann McCullough. She was born 10 Jan. 1841 in Tuscarawas Co., OH. They were the parents of 8 children: Leander J., Addison E., Mary Lucreata, John Ellis, Jenny Bell, William Ross & Rosella J. (twins) and Clara Viola. George was a farmer. Sara Ann died 3 Apr. 1907 in Bear Grove Twp., Guthrie Co., IA. George died 12-1/2 years later on 20 Dec. 1920 in Guthrie Center, IA.
George & Sarah's son, John Ellis, was born 14 Sep. 1865 in Iowa Co., IA. He married Sara Elizabeth Burton on 27 Jan. 1897 in Hickory Co., Hermitage, MO. She was born 9 Sept. 1871 in Hickory Co., MO. They were the parents of 4 children: William Arval, Mabel, Retta Lorene & Ray Ellis. Sara Elizabeth died 6 Feb. 1908 and John died 7 days later on 13 Feb. 1908 in Prowers Co., Wiley, CO during the Typhoid epidemic. The children were taken to Iowa by train and raised by family members.
Ray Ellis, the son of John Ellis & Sara Elizabeth Capehart was born 2 Feb. 1908 in Prowers Co., Wiley, CO. He was only 4 days old when his mother died and 11 days old when his father died, leaving him and his siblings orphans. They were raised by family members in IA. Ray married Gladys Eilene Morgan on 18 Aug. 1930. She was born 21 Sep. 1906 near Madison Co., Earlham, IA. She was a school teacher for 6-1/2 years before their marriage. He was a farmer. They were the parents of 5 children. Gladys died 4 Jan. 1957 at only 50 years of age near Harrison, AR and is buried in Maplewood Cemetery, Harrison, AR. Ray died 38 years later on 6 Jul. 1995, near Seligman, Mo and is buried beside Gladys in Maplewood Cemetery, Harrison, AR.
Ray & Gladys are my parents.
Sources: Betty Briggs Family Bible; U.S. Federal Census Records; Birth, Marriage, Death and Cemetery Records
*
*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The information on this website has been compiled from many sources. We have tried to document and verify all information as much as possible and will continue to do so. If you find an error or have additional information please contact us.
Please sign our guestbook
Creations by Zelda
The Martin & Zelda Capehart Genealogy Website