Christian Henrich GREB

                   NOTE:  Birth in Germany or Switzerland. More research needed.

RESEARCH NOTE: The Groff Book, Vol II by CLyde Groff proports Johan Nathias, brother to Henry, was the son of Hans Heinrich Groff, Baptized 16 February 1690, in Rafz, Zurich, Switzerland.  This line extends to Hans Conrad Groff (poss 18:4) in Rafz Church Records.  This has not yet been proven

RESEARCH NOTE: Huffelsheim Church Records do not list Johan or Johan Mathias or Mathias that could have been proven.

RESEARCH NOTE: Haffelshein Church records had no Groff marriages 1708-1798.

FIRST A NOTE ON WHO HE ISNT : One World Tree has this as Johan M. Graef, married to Anna. This is the wrong Mathias.  IGI had a birthdate of abt 1725 in Huffelsheim, Germany. I am sure that this is the Mathius Graff of Jacob Graef and Maria Philipina Stormer, not ours.  If this was our dates, this would have made him about 18 years older than his wife, which is a possibility, but research shows there were 3 Mathias Graffs, one in Philadelphia (son of Jacob Graef and Maria Stormer), and another one in Lancaster, also not ours.

Feb 2010 - I did research at the Family History Library in SLC and there are at least 6 Johan Mathias Graffs - or some spelling similar, who emigrated to the US in the early to mid 1700s. No wives are on ships registers, nor are there any male children under 16. Only males over 16. So, it is hard to figure out who is who.

There is a death date of 1773 (floating in the literature and linked to our Mathias Graff) it is not ours. That is Johann Mathias maybe the son of Jacob Graef, 1691- 1772. That Mathias Graff came to the U.S. in 1741 on the "Molly" with his wife Maria Phillipina Stormer. They were married on 18 July 1718, in Hoffelsbein, Germany. Her parents were Herman and Susanna. This Johann Mathias' brother Jacob lived at 7th and Market Sts. in Philadelphia, and rented a room to Thomas Jefferson. That's where he wrote the Declaration of Independence. So, no we are not related.

The Groff book says that Mathias had 3 sons over 16, one under 16 and 2 daughters in 1790. I am sure that the Groff book is inaccurate, as are many Graff researchers - I think that they relied on that Groff book, which I have come to totally abhor. That book has mixed data between families, and mixed Henrys, etc. Most researchers only use it to get leads.

There is another Mathias Graff in Paradise, as he bought land after 1800, when we know that our Mathias had died. I havent gotten the land deed yet, to see if it was actually bought by a Mathias, or it was land previously owned by Mathias. A distinct possibility - as grant deeds often mentioned the genealogy of the land.

There was a Matthew Graff who was taxed in Paradise Township in 1783 (probably ours) .There is also a Valentine Graff noted.  We cannot find any connection between Valentine (connected with a Michael and a John) and our family.

NOW FOR OURS
(Johann)Matthias /Graff/ was what I originally had. I took the name off of the return of death of John Henry.
His will was H - 517, York Historical Society.

Nov 16, 2008: I have just found that Mattheus was listed as John Tais Greb, who along with Anna Gertrude Greb, had a daughter Maria Catharine Greb, born on 8 Sep 1765, the same as Mattheus and Anna Gertraut. The sponsors were Gerhard Greb and Maria Catharine Greb (Gerhard and Catharine).
I have found this John Tais a couple of times now. Interesting abbreviation or whatever.

Matthias Graef (at Wolf's) was sponsor for Magdalene Vockenroth, daughter of John Geo. and Elizabeth Vockenroth. 1781.  Matthias Graef (at Wolf's) was sponsor for John George Spiess, son of Ludwig and Barbara Spiess,1785.

Note to self:   Check the GAELIC MUSEUM COLLEGE, NOVIA SCOTIA, CAPE RETTON ISLAND
                  

                   Died intestate. Was married, was named in his brother (Matthias) will - widow also named.

Was apparently alive in 1768 when he was apparently a sponsor at his nephew Christian's baptism. (under Christian Kreb)
                  

                   Also Garret, Garet. (OCD) Johann (JOH), Joh. Gehrhardt.
At the baptism of his daughter Maria Catharina, he was listed as Joh. Gehrhardt Greff @ Strayers  (Salem) Reformed Church.
Gerhard and Maria Catharine Graff were sponsors of Michael Jacob, son of Johan Michael and Catharine Jacob in Dec 1772.

Gerhard and Maria Catharine Graff were sponsors of Jacob Stigel, son of Christophel and Eliesabetha Stigel in Jan 1771.  (Gerhard Graf, Maria Catharina Graf)

Gerhard and Maria Catharina were sponsers for Johan Heinrich Schmeisser, son of Matheus Schmeisser and Anna Englea Schmeisser  in 1765.


Some interesting tidbits I picked up along the way.
In the Groff book (which I don't put much faith in) - it said that Gerhardt was born about 1742, and that he died in 1780 in captivity; intestate; in 1752 was granted a tavern license at present Dover, York County; served as a Major and Captain during thebattle of Fort Washington.
It said that Katrina was granted a pension in 1812. (I thought she had died by then)

I picked up at the York library (I didn't  list the sources - darn) that Garrett (Gerhardt) Graff died 21 Jan 1777.  Which goes along with the information from the OCD documents that he had died well before 1780.  Something about Katrina (or Catharina) was not married in 1777.

There was an inventory of his possessions 2 Dec 1779 (he was deceased by then). There was a note that he had died by 1778.

He left 3 children and his wife Katrina remarried Casper Miller. They lived in DOver township. The land (Gerhardt's) was sold, but was not enough for the kids welfare, etc.
The oldest was not of age in 1780.

I have a note that stated that somehow John Graff was connected, but there were lots of Johan (Mathias), Johan (Heinrich), etc.