BIOGRAPHY: An e-mail from Robert Shultz: 7/22/02
Hi Michele
...Briefly, we believe that Jacob Shultz was born in West Prussia, he and his parents lived along the Vistula River but because of the policy to "Brand" (Tax) non Roman-Catholic landowners they moved to Protestant Switzerland and lived in a small town called either Poltz or Paultz, which it is now believed was engulfed by now Berne. Jacob, Margaretha, and a brother and father, Conrad and/or George came to America on the ship "Polly" and landed in Philadelphia on 24 Aug 1765. Jacob and Margaretha were children of about 13 - 15 years of age. Some researchers believe there may be a relationship between Jacob and the Hauensteins, but this has not been proven.
Jacob and Margaretha, I believe, only had 8 or 9 children. Some web-sites have several more, but these additional names, I believe, are actually children of John Shultz, first-born child of Jacob, and his spouse, Barbara (??).
Judith was the last (4th) child born to Adam and Margaretha. After she died, Adam married Nancy Shockey, and had 14 more children. Adam is my gg grandfather.
I have the spouse of Judith as a Johann Caspar Werner, and he is out of the Diehl line from Germany, If my hunch is correct, you may have been given my name from a lady in Atlanta, who is also out of the Diehl line, and she has been a tremendous help in helping me on the Diehl line, which was changed to Deahl when they came into the Shultz line.
I hope this helps, and I am fairly confident of this data.
From website of Brian Schultz:
Jacob Shultz represents the first generation of our branch of the Shultz family that we kn ow about at the present time. It is believed that he was born in West Prussia, and he and hi s parents lived along the Vistula River, but because of the policy of the government of Wes t Prussia to "Brand" non Roman-Catholic landowners, they moved to Protestant Switzerlad, an d lived in a small town of Poltz, (Paultz) in the present area around Berne until about 1765 , when he came to America, without any siblings, or his parents, at abouit 15 years of age, he landed in Philadelphia on 24 August 1765. He came to America with Margaretha Hauenstein, with two of her brothers, or possibly a brother, her father or some other relative as a Conra d and George hauenstein were listed on the ship's passenger list. Some researchers believe th at George was the father of both margaretha and conrad. The name of the ship they came on wa s the "Polly". In a biographical sketch for Chauncy F. Shultz it indicates that Jacob settle d in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Franklin County was formed in 1784 from Cumbe rland County, which was formed in 1750 from Lancaster County, which was formed in 1729 from C hesterCounty, which was an original county. Other records indicate that Jacob settled in wha t is now Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Somerset County was formed from Bedford County in 179 5, which was fromed from Cumberland County in 1771, which was formed from Lancaster County i n 1750, Lancaster County was formed in 1729 from Chester County which was an original county . We believe that Jacob and Margaretha were married sometime between 1770-1771. We also belie ve they may have had as many as nine children, four boys and 5 girls, born between 1775 and 1794. Some birthdates are being found in researching the various church records of early Bedfo rd County, Pa.
It is believed that Jacob Shultz probably died about 1808 in Elk Lick Township, Somerset , Pa.
From website Ancestry.com, Carol Silvey:Alias: Yacob /Shultz/
REFN: 1143
MIGRATION: Native of Paultry, Switzerland and came to America in 1765 at the age of fifteen years.
EMIGRATION: Immigrant from Germany, whose ancestral family had lived in Switzerland.
BIOGRAPHY: Once in America, Jacob began to spell his name without the "c
". The Schultz family was Lutheran and had moved from farmland along the Vistula River in West Prussia (now Poland) into Protestant Switzerland because of a policy of branding Protestants, and other non-Roman Catholics landowners in West Prussia. The surname Schultz appears to be Prussian. The name, "Jacob Schultz" appears on lists of branded West Prussian property owners in 1727. The Complete Brandregister of 1727 is a list of landowners who were branded in West Prussia, and it may provide a clue as to this Schultz family history. This Brandregister lists 13 men surnamed Schultz including 3 named Jacob Schultz, one in Gross Mausforf, one in Marjeneu (Marienau), and one in Die Vorhoffsche (Tiegenhoff). Whether any of these are related as ancestors of Jacob Schultz (1750-1803) is difficult to ascertain. In the Mennonite Baptisms in Tiegenhagen, 1782-1800, shows two Jacob Shultz Baptisms: one in 1782 and one in 1788, both in Petershagen.
