Johann Adam Wert immigrated in 1753 as a young man.1 Born in 1727 in Westerwald, Germany, he emigrated on the Two Brothers.2 He landed in Philadelphia, and moved westward to the Lebanon valley. There he married Eva Elizabeth Schnug in 1755; Her family was from the same town in Germany and had emigrated in 1740.3 Several of their children were born in the Lebanon area. Apparently he traveled back and forth to the Lykens Valley in Dauphin County, between 1763 and 1768, to claim and settle the land there, before moving his family there permanently in 1768. Johann Adam and Eva Elizabeth had eleven children. Their nine sons all had the first name of Johannes, according to the old German naming tradition of giving sons the saint’s name. Except for the second son, Johannes, all of them used their “middle” name as their customary name.

Johann Adam and his wife eventually owned 1200 acres in Lykens Valley. “One early account states that when he came to Lykens Valley, his family used the broad branches of a stately white oak tree, then monarch of the forest in the valley, for their shelter.”4  This was the frontier, even into the 1760’s. “In the early years armed members of the Church congregation stood guard outside during services to protect the preacher and congregation from Indian attacks.”5 The story is told that he became friendly with the Indians. “In the early settlement a wounded Indian was brought to his home, whom he and his family nursed back to health, and the gratitude of the Indians was shown in their every act thereafter.”6

He and his wife were benefactors of the church.

“According to records passed down through the generations on Wert history, Johann Adam Wirth (1727-1806) had claimed the land above and had constructed buildings on it prior to 1775. One of those buildings was used for a school and place of worship by both the Reformed and Evangelical Lutheran congregations from 1770-1773 with Rev. John Michael Enterline serving as a part-time preacher from 1770-1779. Johann Adam Wirth agreed not to file a claim for the land with the trustees with the understanding that they apply for a warrant and use the land for both congregations to construct their own individual churches and cemeteries. This was why Johann Adam Wirth became known as the benefactor of the churches in Killinger and particularly Wirth’s Evangelical Lutheran church.”7

Adam died in 1806; Eva Elizabeth died before him in 1800. They are buried at Wirth’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery in Upper Paxton Township, Dauphin County. This is at Killinger, in the extreme northwestern corner of Dauphin County.

The children of Adam and Eva were farmers. Most of them had large families. Most stayed close to Upper Paxton Township where they were raised. The only one to go far afield was the youngest, Joseph, who ended up in Crawford County, Ohio. As far as can be determined, they were Lutherans, like their father.

Children of Johann Adam and Eva Elizabeth:8

The first generation is well-known and documented. The lists of their children given here are taken mostly from Ancestry trees and have not been verified.

Adam, b. 1755, d. 1719, m. Mary Elizabeth Preece, widow of John Philip Nye, lived in Dauphin County, later in Snyder County.9 Had a daughter Mary Elizabeth.

Johannes, b. 1758, d. 1805, m. Anna Maria Miller, lived in Upper Paxton, Dauphin County. Children: Eva Catherine, Anna Christina, J. Adam, John, Margaret “Peggy”, Elizabeth, Anna Maria.

Christian, b. Dec 1760, d. Sept 1819, m. Catharine Bretz, buried at Grubbs Cemetery, Mt Pleasant Mills, Snyder County10. Children: Anna Maria, J. Adam, Susan Magaret, Catherine Magdalena, John Ludwig, Elizabeth, Christina, Sarah salome, Anna Eve, George, Rachel.

Catharine, b. 1762, d. 1832, m. Sebastian Metz, lived in Berrysburg, Dauphin County. Children: Anna Maria, Adam, Christian, Henry, Catherine, George Michael, Eve Maria, Christina Elizabeth.

Jacob, b. 1764, d. 1833, m. Sophia Miller, lived in Killinger, Upper Paxton Township. Children: J. Adam, Daniel, Anna Maria, Jacob, Solomon, Henry.

Peter, b. 1766, d. 1844, m. Elizabeth Sheesley, lived in Carlisle Springs, Cumberland County. Children: J. Peter, Joseph, Phiip, Martin, John, Jacob, William, Eva Barbara.

Hendrich, b. 1769, d. 1846, m. Elizabeth Enterline, lived in Lower Mahanoy Township, Northumberland County. Supposed children: J. Henry, Maria Elizabeth, John, Michael, Christiana, Catherine, J. Philip, Anna Maria, Susanna, Anna Barbara.11

George, b. 1770, d. 1845, m. Anna Catherina Miller, lived in Killinger, Upper Paxton Township. Children: Elizabeth, Anna Catherine, Lydia, J. George, John, Jacob.

Margaretta, b. 1771, d. 1824, m. George Michael Radel, lived in Berrysburg, Dauphin County. Children: Maria Elizabeth, Martha Margareta, Hannah, Catherine, Joseph, Anna Margaret, Daniel, Michael, Susanna, Salome.

Philip, b. 1773, d. 1841, m. Elizabeth Loos, moved to Mt. Pleasant Mills, Snyder County. Children: J. George, Mary Magdalena, Philip, Mary Barbara, John, Eve.

Joseph, b. 1775, d. 1855, m. Barbara Kitch, moved to Crawford County, Ohio. Children: David, Anna Margaret, Daniel, J. Joseph, William Robert, John and Martin (twins), William George, Peter, Adam, possibly two more daughters.

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