As Sally Diefendorf, daughter of Captain George Diefendorf,
and the wife of Daniel Young of Freysbush, was the grandmother of the author,
this chapter will deal with the history and genealogy of her branch of this
unusually large family in this country. Like the Lashers, the Diefendorfs
were a prolific lot and the descendants have scattered "to all lands
and climes."
Different writers who have looked up the available records of
this family agree that between 1720 and 1725 Henry, Johannes and George Diefendorf
came to this country from Switzerland. It will be noted that this was ten
or fifteen years after the great Palatine immigration of 1710. The lists of
those Germans on arrival do not contain the name of "Diefendorf",
and there is no record of them at the Camps or at Schoharie in those early
days.
Tradition has it that Johannes and Henry were brothers, and
that the third (George) was a cousin. However, it does not appear that the
latter settled with the others in the Mohawk Valley. They are no doubt the
first settlers in America bearing the name Diefendorf (all spellings included).
The family has certainly made an outstanding contribution to its adopted country,
as the generations which followed have produced leading agriculturists, ministers,
physicians, lawyers, merchants soldiers, etc.
As Johannes and John Jacob were the progenitors of the line
in question here, the Henry and Jacob line will not be traced except to note
that the latter settled at Currytown, near Canajoharie, and his descendants
still possess the original estate. That community was devastated by the Indians,
British and Tories during the Revolution and the family suffered its share
of the brutality incident to those terrible times. An historical roadside
marker has been erected at Currytown to commemorate the event.
Johannis (1700-1791) settled just out of the Mohawk Valley on
land above Sand Hill about two miles from what is now Fort Plain, in the town
of Minden, Montgomery county, N. Y. He married Elizabeth Keller in 1725. Her
birth date was not found but she died March 11, 1788. Their children were:
(Second Generation)
1. George J. Diefendorf, born January 2, 1730, died August 11,
1816, married Catherine Hendree.
2. Elisabeth, born 1733, died March 18, 1817, married Nicliolas
Spoon.
3. Jacob, born May 1, 1740, died November 17, 1818, married
Cliristina Windecker.
4. Johannes, born May 10, 1742, died July 26, 1834, married
Catherine Hess.
5. Catherine, born July 1744, died May 18, 1810, married Johannes
Windecker.
6. John Jacob, born May 12, 1747, died March 27, 1839, married
Kathrine Windecker. She was born April 15, 1755 and died January 13, 1826.
According to wills left by these early ancestors, there were
four daughters not mentioned by name and no other record has been found. While
the Windecker records are not complete, the Windecker and Diefendorf families
were neighbors in those sparsely settled areas at that early date, and it
is fair to assume that the three mentioned in the foregoing were brother and
sisters, probably children of Johannes Windecker, who was one of the sons
of Hartman Windecker, captain of Palatines in the immigration of 1710. Hartman
enlisted with Col. Nicholson in a Canadian expedition against the French in
1711, which was of short duration; Hartman was one to "spy out the land"
of Schoharie in 1711 and in 1712 led that band of Palatine wanderers to the
promised land of Schoharie. An historical marker has been placed to his memory
at what was called Hartmanns Dorf between Schoharie and Middleburg. It bears
the following inscription:
HARTMAN'S DORF
Founded 1713 by
HARTMANN WINDECKER
As a Home for Palatines
Roadside Marker near Middleburg, N. Y. Hartman Windecker was grandfather of
Kathrine (Windecker) Diefendorf
He was granted a two-thousand acre patent near Fords Bush, Montgomery
county, which it is claimed he never occupied, but went to Pennsylvania where
he is buried, in the vicinity of Tulpahocken. Hartmann Windecker and Johann
Conrad Weiser were apparently the outstanding leaders of that period among
the Palatines.
John Jacob Diefendorf (1747-1839) was born in the town of Minden
then Canajoharie. He was a justice and was familiarly known as "Esquire
Diefendorf." He was a Revolutionary soldier, having enlisted in Col.
Klock's Tryon County Regiment in 1775. He was in the battles of Oriskany,
Springfield, Herkimer, German Flatts, Cherry Valley and Johnstown. John
Jacob and wife Kathrine (so spelled on grave stone) are buried on a private
plot on his farm in Frey's Bush, which was later known as the "Eli
Casler Farm," about 2 1/2 miles south of Fort Plain on the Cherry
Valley Highway. The farm is now (1944) the property of George Weeks.
The burial plot was enclosed by a substantial iron fence, but
like most such burying grounds, had been allowed to become a thicket infested
with woodchucks. In 1939-40 the writer became interested in bringing this
burial place of a Revolutionary soldier and his wife out of obscurity. With
financial aid rendered by John E. Diefendorf of Mt. Vernon and Rev. Leigh
Diefendorf of Troy (John Jacob and Kathrine are the great-great-grandparents
of these two Diefendorfs as well as the writer) he directed the rejuvenation
of the plot. He also planned the placing by the State Historian of a historical
marker by the roadside, near the last resting place of this soldier and his
good wife and mother of his twelve children. The roadside marker bears the
following inscription:
Site of Home and Grave of
Sergeant John Jacob
DIEFENDORF
Born 1747 - Died 1839
Served in Revolution
Was in Battle of Oriskany
Roadside Marker, Freysbush: Sgt. John Jacob Diefendorf
The two grave stones are in good condition and bear the following
data:
The children of John Jacob Diefendorf and Kathrine Windecker
Diefendorf were as follows: (Third Generation)
Graves of John Jacob Diefendorf and wife Kathrine Windecker.
1. Elisabeth, born Sept. 33, 1772. She married John Fox (1st)
and Honest Klock (2nd). She was the mother of ten children: Nancy Fox, Betsey
Klock, Polly Wagner, Catharine Walrath, Dolly Snyder, Margaret Mover, John,
Charles, Benjamin and Alexander.
2. John, born Sept. 16, 1774, died Dec. 16, 1860, married Mariah
Failing, daughter of Henry J. Failing, Oct. 20, 1793. They had twelve children,
the sons being Warner, Dr. Abraham, Rev. Benjamin I. and Peter.
3. Nancy, born May 21, 1776, died Feb. 9, 1850, married J. S.
Timmerman, and had fourteen children.
4. George, born July 3. 1779, died March 7, 1865, married July
13, 1801, Catharine Bell, daughter of Frederick Bell.* She was born March
28, 1781 and died June 3. 1849. They had ten children.
5. Catherine, born June 27, 1781. (No further record).
6. Margaret, born April 1, 1783, married John Jenkins. They
had seven children.
7. Rev. William, born May 26, 1785, died Sept. 19, 1838, married
Catherine Failing. They had twelve children.
8. Maria, born February, 1787, married John Dunckel. No issue.
9. Magdalenah -(Lany - Lenah), born April 24, 1789 died 1838,
married Adam Young March 3, 1811. They had five children: Charles, Elijah
& Catherine Young and Eliza Swartout and Maria Wintersteen.
10. Rev. Jonas, born April 8, 1791, died Feb. 12, 1862, married
Nancy Dunckel. They had twelve children. Some were John of Brooklyn, Jonas
of Canajoharie, and Wilbur, a lawyer in Geneva.
11. Daniel, born Dec. 17, 1792, married Miss Countryman.
* Frederick Bell married Magdalena Seeber, daughter
of William Seeber. Frederick Bell was a Tory and was mortally wounded in the
Battle of Johnstown. It is an interesting fact that his daughter Catharine
married George Diefendorf whose father, John Jacob engaged in the battle of
Johnstown on the Patriot side.
12. Rev. Benjamin, born April 3, 1797, died Feb. 7, 1871, married
Betsey Hawn Feb. 4, 1816. She was a daughter of Conrad Hawn, Jr. and Catharine
Young, daughter of Jacob Young, Jr., and was born Oct. 17,h1797. They had
twelve children.
Capt. George Diefendorf
George Diefendorf (son of John Jacob) 1779-1865, lived on a farm in Frey's
Bush, just west of the cemetery and Methodist Church. He built the house and
barn on that place, the frame of the latter of massive hardwood hewn timbers.
It burned in 1941. He was one of the organizers of the Methodist Society in
Frey's Bush and before the church was erected, the society held prayer meetings
in the barn mentioned. The house is still in good state of preservation. George
willed the farm to his son William G. Diefendorf, who afterward traded farms
with Daniel Young and Sally Diefendorf Young (Sister of William G.) The Young
farm was in the Reuben Walts neighborhood, part of it adjoining the Diefendorf
farm, and was sold by William G. to John Kinery. The trade brought Daniel
Young (grandfather of the writer) into possession of the old Diefendorf farm,
and it was here that the writer of this story was reared, although born in
"The Old Yellow House" on the hill, later remodeled by Charles W.
Bowers. At the
Early Home of George Diefendorf, where Clifford M. Young was reared, Freysbush.
Levi G. Dievendorf, son of George
death of Daniel Young, his son Marvin became the owner of the
farm in question, who sold it to Lucius Diefendorf, who in turn sold it to
Edward Copley. George Diefendorf was a Captain in the war of 1812- 1st Battalion,
5th Regiment of Artillery-George H. Nellis, Lieutenant Colonel.
The children of George Diefendorf and Catharine Bell were:
Fourth Generation
1. Rev. Abram, born Sept. 28, 1802, died January 5, 1881, married
Maria Limeback.
2. Magdalena, born May 4, 1804, died June 8, 1838, married David
Hackney.
3. Jacob, born August 12, 1806 died Dec. 28, 1882, married Mary
Overrocker.
4. Elisabeth, born June 23, 1808, died July 3, 1852, married
Philip Alpaugh.
5. David G., born July 22, 1810. died October 22. 1855, married
Mary Roof.
6. Daniel, born Dec. 19, 1812, died Oct. 16, 1897, married Eliza
Hackney, Nov. 15, 1832.
7. Sally, born January 5, 1816, died March 8, 1887, married
Daniel Young, Sept. 26, 1839.
8. William G. born February 16, 1819, died February 8, 1902,
married 1st. Sally Elwood; 2nd, Ann Decker.
9. Jonas, born April 1, 1821, died August 30, 1877, married
Almira Diefendorf.
10. Levi G. born August 6, 1823, died February 4, 1908, married,
first, Margaret Elwood, November, 1844, second, Elizabeth Schaeffer November,
1865.
Sally Diefendorf (7) (1816 - 1887) wife of Daniel Young (1814
- 1881) had the following children:
Fifth Generation
Levi Young
Marvin "
Minerva "
Katharine "
Marietta "
George Ervin "
Marvin Young (1814 - 1916) wife Irene Lasher (1838 - 1928) Had
the following children
Sixth Generation
Sarah
Samuel L.
Clifford M. See Young Genealogy.
DESCENDANTS OF REV. ABRAM DIEFENDORF
Johannes (1), John Jacob (2), George (8), Abram (1).
Rev. Abram Diefendorf, born Sept. 28, 1802, died January 5,
1881; married Mary (Maria) Limeback. Their children were:
Fifth Generation
John Wesley, born May 6, 1826, died April 26, 1910,
Almira, born February 12, 1828, died August 24. 1852.
Ezra, born Nov. 13, 1829, died December 23. 1885.
George, born July 30, 1831, died May 31, 1832.
Kate, born March 25, 1833.
Maria, born Nov. 4, 1834, died August 6, 1902.
Elisabeth, born January 8, 1837.
Lucinda, born May 29, 1839.
Belinda C., born November 25, 1842, died June 10, 1855.
Margaret Ann, born May 31, 1844.
John Wesley Diefendorf married Mrs. Cliristie A. Edwards Rowland,
July 22, 1869. She was a daughter of James Edwards and wife Catlierina and
was born January 5, 1844. Their children were:
Sixth Generation
Johannes (1), John Jacob (2), George (3), Abram (4), John Wesley
(6).
Anna L; born September 26, 1871, married Charles Button of Fort
Plain.
John E; born March 11, 1874, married Anna H. Oliphant of Oswego,
June 25, 1901. She died June 30, 1945.
Elizabeth E., born December 7, 1876, married Robert Oliphant
Apr. 12, 1911.
Charles W., born December 17, 1884, died October 2, 1918, married
Charlotte W. Wagner of Fort Plain, daughter of Clark Wagner, June 28, 1911.
They have one daughter, Shirley, born Oct. 5, 1914.
Children of John E. Diefendorf and Anna H. (Oliphant) Diefendorf:
Seventh Generation
Anna O., born September 19, 1903, married Malcom J. Black, Sept.
26, 1928.
Katherine, born Jan. 1, 1907, married Frederick F. Fletcher,
June 25, 1937.
Ruth E., born June 10, 1908, married Robert H. Custer, Mt. Vernon,
N. Y., September 4 1940.
John E., born October 11, 1910, married Janet M. Jaeger, Mt.
Vernon, N. Y., September 11, 1937.
Richard O., born December 30, 1911.