It’s always good to set some of the family tree branches aside for a while and take a fresh look at other twigs and leaves, especially when they are brick walls.

I’ve decided to set aside some of my previous brick walls and bring new eyes to some others. Here they are and if you are related or have researched these people, please contact me.

1. Anna Christina Estermann, born c1684; married Benedict Wittmer. This family lived in Barbelroth, Germany. Benedict’s parents are Johannes Jacob Wittmer and Christina (MNU). I’ve wondered if the Wittmers and Estermanns first came from the German area of Switzerland before living in Barbelroth.
2. Eva Dingman, mother of Revolutionary War soldier John Stufflebean, and wife of Johannes Stoppelbeen, was born before 13 December 1730 in Kinderhook, Columbia County, New York. She is said to be the daughter of Johannes Dingman and Gertrude (Geesje) Elsie Janzen, but I have never directly researched this family myself. It’s not so much of a brick wall as just a family I’d like to investigate and prove myself.
3. Wife of Zaddock Jarvis, who was probably born c1760-1770. His wife’s name has been reported as Cynthia Valinda Frey, but I don’t think I believe that. Cynthia wasn’t a name given by Germans (or anyone else in the colonies) in the 1700s. The Jarvis family lived in Rowan County, North Carolina.
4. Elizabeth Krieger, first wife of Frederick Alberty, born c1750. It took many years to follow clues to figure out her maiden name. Her father was Nicholas Krieger. This group were Moravians living in North Carolina.
5. Wife of John Bandy, who was born c1752, probably in Botetourt County, Virginia. John died between 1816-1820, but I have never seen even a hint about her first name, never mind a maiden name.

The first five names are all in my husband’s tree. My tree is a bit harder in terms of coming up with names because my father’s side, all Slovak, ends in the early 1800s because the church register for the village begins in 1828. They were all poor peasant farmers, so there is no chance for finding probate files or land records because they didn’t own much other than the clothes on their backs.

1. Benjamin Brawn, a Pre-Loyalist living in Maugerville, New Brunswick, Canada. I recently was contacted by a Brawn descendant and it looks like some new clues have turned up. Benjamin was born c1739 and died about 7 December 1798 in Maugerville. His wife, Mary (MNU) survived him.
2. Parents of Ruth Hill, born 25 February 1743/44 in North Kingstown, Washington County, Rhode Island. She married William Boone on 21 May 1761 in North Kingstown. This family removed to Burtts Corner, York County, New Brunswick, Canada, but I am not sure if they were Pre-Loyalists, who like many others were tempted by open inexpensive land in Canada, or if they left after the Revolution. They had 11 children and I have exact dates of birth for all, but the only place of birth mentioned is for Mary, born in 1770 in North Kingstown. There might be a lot waiting to be found about this family!
3. Parents of Richard Jones, born c1758 and died 1842 in New Brunswick, Canada. He married Mary Boone, mentioned in #2 above. They married about 1786, probably in Canada. It is believed he was also from Rhode Island.
4. Finding parents or siblings for  Walter Stewart and Elizabeth Briggs, Loyalists, in property or probate files in Dutchess County, New York. It is said that Walter Stewart farmed in the area with his brothers. Walter and Elizabeth married on 3 March 1774 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, but I have not found parents for either of them.
5. Finding an estate accounting for Joseph Coleman in 1791. The Nantucket court ordered his widow, Eunice Coffin Coleman, to provide one, but she had the choice of presenting it in Nantucket or to the Orange County, New York Court, where she was living with her family. I don’t know why no administration was begun until 1791 when Joseph died in 1775, unless it was because the youngest children were coming of age. The court minutes make it appear that Eunice still owned property in Nantucket, so I need to take a look at those files again.

I am newly energized as I look over my new brick wall list. I am not sure how many can be smashed down, but I already have some good information for some of these people. Successes and failures will be shared in 2017 blog posts.