CATHERINE BERNITZ

Catherine Bernitz was born in Germany around 1710. At age 19, she married Johannes Wiltensinn, about 1729.  Their first child, Samuel, was born in Germany and accompanied Johannes and Catherine on their voyage to Philadelphia. Their three other children were born in Hanover in  Lancaster County, now called York County, Pennsylvania:

Samuel born  6 May 1730
Georg Carl     6 Jan 1740
Catherine B.  28 Aug 1743
John Jacob     8 Apr 1747  (our ancestor)

After Johannes died, Catherine petitioned the provincial authorities to take up land on behalf of herself and her children which her late husband had settled on and made improvements. It was determined by the authorities that the family had been settled there by March 1, 1748; a general survey of the land was made and dated April 20, 1754. On Feb 19, 1756, Catherine made a down payment of 5 pounds toward the purchase price of the desired land; permission for final land surveys and warrants was given by John Penn (lieutenant governor and a grandson of William Penn) to Catherine on June 26, 1764, for 165 acres called Meadow Land and then on Apr 30, 1765, to George Carl for 163 acres called Chestnut Hill--total acreage being 328 acres and 140 perches. Both mother and son died within a year of each one's warrant. They were buried at the Wildasin Meeting House burial ground.

Catherine Bernitz
Born: abt 1710 , , Germany
Married: abt. 1729 Germany
Died: abt. 1764 Hanover, Lancaster, PA
Buried: Wildason's Meeting House Burial Ground
Sources: Pennsylvania German Pioneers, vol. 1 by Strassburger and Hinke, pages 252, 253, and 254, Johannes Wiltensinn, age 48.;Researcher, Sally J. Widasinn-Ward re Johannes Wiltensinn, http://genforum. genealogy.com/.