Michael Ullrich of York Co., Pa.

Life and Family of
Michael Ullrich
of York Co., Pa.

Among the Sep. 24, 1737 arrivals on the Virtuous Grace, of Rotterdam disembarking at Philadelphia, were �Michael Ulerich�, aged 37, and �Hans Michael Ulerich�, aged 30. Typically, two men of the same name appearing on the same ship suggest relatives immigrating together, but in this instance it does not appear to be the case. In all three available lists, the order is consistent, and with only a few exceptions, those with the same surname are listed together, indicating that families were usually grouped. The �Ulerich� entries were one of these exceptions. More importantly, while the transcript of the list of immigrants calls both �Ulerich�, the lists preserving signatures shows one of them not to be an Ulrich at all, but instead he spelled his name �Ulbricht�. The other passenger, who signs his name �Michell Ullrich�, would seem to be the more likely candidate for the later York County settler. However, this identification remains tentative, since his age (he matches the 37 year old Michael Ulerich) is somewhat old for a man who had only just become a father of his first child. It would appear that one of these men (and if the difference in the name is significant, it would be the older of the two, since the name in these records appears as Michael Ullrich, just as in the Philadelphia signature) emigrated from Allsheim, Rheinland, with America as his destination.1 While the passenger lists only name adult males, Michael would have been accompanied by wife Anna Maria and daughter Catharine.

Following their arrival, their whereabouts are uncertain for the next fifteen years. In 1752, Michael reappears. In that year, George Son of York County drafted a letter in response to the accusation that he was opperating a public house, and among those signing in support was Michel Ullrich. Two years later, in 1754, six children of Michael and Anna Maria, ranging in age from 13 to 2, were baptized by Rev. Jacob Lischy, (recorded as Vlrich) which suggests that the couple had not been associated with an organized congregation prior to this time, while the son born after this date was baptized immediately following his birth. In 1760, on 26 Jul., Michael and Anna Maria served as baptismal sponsors for Michael, son of Johann Peter and Sussanna Engels by Rev. Lischy. In the tax assessment records of 1762, Michael appears in Codorus Township, along with son-in-law John Heritter. This is the last record that has been discovered of Michael Ulrich, although the first document relating to his estate bears a much later date, 26 Jan. 1774, when an appraisement of his property was performed. His estate was valued at just over �154, and mostly consisted of ordinary household goods, but also loans due from sons Michael, Lorrence, John, son-in-law John Hereter, and several unrelated neighbors. Son Michael was appointed administrator of the estate, following petition by Michael, John Hereter, and John Bayer (who owed the estate �90). In the account which he prepared, out of the estate came �28.6.5 for various small debts and fees, leaving just under �126 to be distributed among his widow and children, �42 going to the widow, �17.13.6 to Michael, as oldest son, and �9.6.9 to the remaining children.

Michael�s widow, Anna Maria, survived him by at least until Nov. 1776, when she sponsored the baptism of a granddaughter, but nothing further has been found. The Ullrich family can be found in the area at least as late as 1783, also appearing in tax records as Ulrich, Wuldrich, Wulrich, Olrich, Olerich and Ulric.

Michael Ullrich married Anna Maria about 1735, and had by her the following children:

  1. Catherine Ulrich, b. say 1736. On 20 Aug 1753, she married John Hereter (also appears as Hereder, Herether, Herrether, Heeritter, Hoerritter, and Harader) at St. Matthew�s Lutheran Church, Hanover, York Co. (He may be the immigrant Johannes Heerreder who arrived at Philadelphia on the Ranier on 26 Sep. 1749.) By 1779, he was in Manheim Twp., where he owned 200 acres, as well as some livestock. Between 1782 and 1783, he had sold some of his land, having 153 acres, and had seven people living with him. While this number could include Anna Maria Ullrich (if still alive) or grandchildren, it suggests that they had more than the two sons whose baptisms have been found. He may be identical with the Johannes Harader who appears in Preston Co., WV in 1795. The following children of John and Catharine have been identified:
    1. Andrew Hereter, b. 29 May, bap. 30 Jun. 1754, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church.
    2. Jacob Hereter, b. 24 Mar. 1763, bap. Emanuel Reformed Church, Hanover, York Co., m. Elisabeth, who was probably the Catharina Elisabeth born 1769 to Nicholas and Catharina Elisabeth Neuman. They had (all bap. at Emanuel Reformed Church):
      1. Catharina Elisabeth Hereter, b. 19 Apr., bap. 20 May 1787, sp: Johannes and Juliana Gros.
      2. Jacob Hereter, b. 14 Dec. 1788, bap 25 Jan. 1789, sp: Nicholas and Elisabeth Schäfer, presumably d.y.
      3. Elisabeth Hereter, b. 6 May, bap. 4 Jul. 1790, sp: Barbara Neuman.
      4. Anna Maria Hereter, b. 10 Oct., bap. 16 Dec. 1792.
      5. Margaretha Hereter, b. 6, bap. 19 May 1797.
      6. Johann Jacob Hereter, b. 14 Sep., bap. 27 Nov. 1799, sp: David Neuman, single.
  2. Anna Maria Ulrich, b. 1740/1. Aged 13 on 26 May 1754 when she was baptized by Rev. Lischy, her sponsor being Susanna Vogel. She married about 1760, Johann Peter Willjard, b. 12 Jun. 1736, Lancaster Co., Pa., son of Hans Caspar and Maria Magdalena (Fischer) Williard. By 1768, the were presumably in Maryland, where they had a son born, an in 1770, John Peter his brother Frederick Williard had their property in York confiscated. Some time after 1771, they went to Westmoreland Co., Pa., where at Walthour�s Blockhouse, Johann Peter was killed in an attack by the Delawares in Apr. 1781. Anna Maria was still living in 1802, when she sponsored the baptism of a grandchild. They had:2
    1. John Peter Williard, b. Jun. 18, bap. 28 Jun. 1761, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, York. Killed along with his father.
    2. Henry Williard, b. 26 Feb., bap. 4 Apr. 1763, First German Reformed Church, York, settled in Hamilton Co., Ohio.
    3. Mary Williard, oldest daughter.
    4. Magdalena Williard, b. 26 Jun., bap. 30 Mar. 1766, First German Reformed Church, apparently the daughter kidnapped and later killed in the attack in which her brother and father were also killed.
    5. Jacob Williard, b. 12 May 1768, Maryland, settled in Kittanning Twp., Armstrong Co., Pa.
    6. Elizabeth Williard, probably b. ca. 1770.
    7. Catharine Williard, b. 12 Feb., bap.18 Aug. 1771, Zion Reformed Church, Hagerstown, Md.
    8. John Williard, b. aft. 1772, eventually settled in Dearborn Co., Ind.
    9. George Williard, b. aft. 1772.
    10. Susanna Williard, b. aft. 1772.
    11. Caspar Williard, prob. b. ca. 1779.
  3. Michael Ulrich, b. 1742/3. He was 11 in 1754 at his baptism, his sponsor being Michael Vogel. In 1775, he, as eldest son, served as administrator of his father�s estate. In 1779 and 1780, he was in Berwick Twp., York Co., but then disappears.
  4. Juliana Ulrich, b. 1744/5. She was 9 years old when baptized in 1754, her sponsored being Magdelena Haugin. She married by 1775 to John Gitting.
  5. Johannes �John� Ulrich, b. 1746/7. He was aged 7 at his baptism in 1754, sponsored by Michael Haug. He married Elizabeth _____. He owned 50 acres and some livestock in Chanceford Twp., York Co. at least from 1779 to 1783, in that year having two people in his household, suggesting that either his daughter or wife had died. Johna nd Elizabeth had:
    1. Anna Maria Ulrich, b. 23 Sep. 1776, bapt. 16 Nov. at the Emanuel Reformed Church, her sponsor being Anna Maria �Ullrich�, her grandmother.
  6. Lorentz Ulrich, b. 1748/9. Aged 5 at his baptism in 1754, his sponsor was Görg Meyer. He was called Lora in his father�s estate. He married Margareth _____. They had, bap. at Emanuel Reformed Church:
    1. Catharine Ulrich, bap. 25 Feb. 1776, sp: Johannes and Catharina Schmeltzer.
    2. Johannes Ulrich, bap. 25 Feb. 1776, sp: Johannes and Catharina Schmeltzer.
  7. Anna Margareth �Grete� Ulrich, b. 1751/2, and 2 years old at her 1754 baptism, her sponsor being Anna Maria Sprengel. By 1775, she had married Abraham Bowser. He was in Paradise Twp., York Co. in 1779 and 1780, and by 1781 had bought 100 acres in Cumberland Twp., York Co. He also, at an undetermined date, served in Capt. Zolingers Company, York Co. Militia. They had at least one child, baptized at Emanuel Lutheran Church:
    1. Anna Margaretha Bowser, b. 23 Aug., bap. 13 Oct. 1776, sp: Michael and Anna Margaretha Hauss (which may be an error for Michael and Anna Margaretha Haug, sponsors of Juliana and John Ulrich).
  8. (Johann) Heinrich �Henry� Ulrich, bap. 19 May 1755, sponsored by Heinrich and Anna Margaretta Eberhardt.
1. Werner Hacker, ed. Auswanderund aus der Rheinpfalz und dem Saarland.

2. Williard information from John D. Baldwin, III, Cleveland, OH, except order taken from Distribution of the Estate of Peter Williard, which is consistant with ages of known children.

Passenger Lists of the Virtuous Grace

Appraisement of the Estate of Michael Ulry

Petition for the Administration of the Estate of Michael Ulrich

Account of the Administration of the Estate of Michael Ulerich

Distribution of the Estate of Michael Ulerich