Jost Schwab
© February 2005
Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
22937 Long Branch Road, Rush, KY 41168
Family Chart #1522
Jost Schwab was born about 1656 in Sinsheim, state of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.
He was the son of Georg Schwab and Margaretha Zimmerman. He is known to have at least one brother Georg [Jorg] Albrecht Schwab born about 1659.He grew up in Sinsheim Germany amidst the turmoil of the "Thirty Year War." As the war was winding down many of the Sinsheim Parish records were destroyed. Jost married Anna Katharina Wolfhardt 27 May 1681 in Duehren near Heidelberg, Germany. The family settled in Duehren where he was a baker. His father-in-law
Hans Jorg Wolfhardt, [born in Steinsberg Fort near Duehren] was the Burgermeister or Mayor of Duehren. Anna’s grandfather Jorg Johann Wolfhardt/Wohlfahrt was a Minister of Lutheran Church in Duehren during Thirty Year War."
Jost and Anna had at least six of their children while residing in Duehren. Jost Schwab moved from Duehren to Leimen and enrolled as a citizen in April 1702. At that time he provided the names and ages of seven children. The seventh child Anna Katharina was only 6 months old and could have been born in either Duehren or Leimen. Our ancestor, Anna Margaretha is listed as 7 years old. Jost provided his age as 46 stating that he was born in Sinsheim on the Elsez River and was a member of the Reform Church. While living in Duehren Jost’s mother, Margaretha died in Sinsheim 27 March 1695. By calculating the age of Jost’s daughter Anna Margaretha she would have been born about the time her grandmother died and most likely why she was given her name.
The family would have four more children in Leimen where their father supported them as he had done in Duehren as a baker. Several researchers give varied reports about the children born in Leimen. Anna Catherine is stated born in 1701 by the early Swope 1889 publication while the 1970's publication states she was the last child born and was stillborn. While in Leimen their eldest son Hans Jorg married Anna Eva Schaeffner and their first grandchild was born there in 1706.
Daughter Ann Eliss or Elizabeth married Johann Eberhard Reihm in 1712 and presented Jost and Anna with two additional grandchildren while residing in Leimen. The Reihms would migrate to America in 1717. Jost and Anna also left Leimen for America probably after the marriage of daughter Anna Maria to Andreas Meixel in September 1719. At least one researcher places the date of departure as May 1720.
Many people from the Sinsheim area emigrated to the United States. From 1820 to 1890 over four million German people represented the largest group of emigrants in the USA. The family settled settled in what was then Conestoga Township, Chester County where they appear on the assessment rolls for 1724 and 25. Researchers place Jost’s death as about 1727 while still a portion of Chester County. Lampeter Township, Lancaster County was formed in 1729.
The death date for his wife is unknown.
Children of Jost Schwab and Anna Wolfhardt are:
i. Hans Jorg Schwab, born 1683 in Sinscheim,Heidelberg, Baden, Germany; married Anna Eva Schaeffner in Leimen, Germany.
ii. Jost Conrad Schwab, born 1689 in Sinscheim, Heidelberg, Baden, Germany.
iii. Anna Margaretha Schwab, born about 1695 Sinscheim, Heidelberg, Baden, Germany; died 25 January 1773 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; married Christophel Ludwig Franciscus.
iv. Anna Eliss' Schwab, born 1691 in Sinscheim, Germany; married Johann Eberhard Riehm 05 April 1712 in Leimen, Germany. American name Ream.
v. Anna Magdalena Schwab, born 1697 in Sinscheim, Heidelberg, Baden, Germany.
vi. Anna Maria Schwab, born 1699 in Sinscheim, Germany; married Andreas Meixel 19 September 1719 in Leimen, Germany.
vii. Anna Katharina Schwab, born 1701 in Sinscheim, Germany.
viii. Johannes Schwab, born 26 May 1704 in Leimen, Germany.
ix. Hans Ulrich Schwab, born 1707 in Leimen, Germany.
x. infant Schwab, born 1709 in Leimen, Germany; died in Stillborn.