Notes for Johan Jacob KISTLER
Source of information below: Carolyn K. Buttolph, Fairfax, VA, KISTLER FAMILIES OF NORTH CAROLINA (unpublished). Letters in brackets ( ) indicate Buttolph's reference code for the individual.
Birth records have not been located, but records of the Friedens Church, Albany Twp., Berks County, PA, show that John Jacob (BC), age 18, was admitted to the congregation in 1779 (another translation of the original German text gives his age as 14). Jacob's brother, Abraham, age 17, was admitted at the same time. The Berks County Genealogical Society in PA shows Jacob's birth in 1760, and I believe this is a likely date. Sometime before 1790, Jacob moved to North Carolina. On 1/25/1790, deed books of Rowan County, NC, show that Jacob bought 200 acres of land in Rowan County next to Valentine Leonard. The 1790 Census records for Rowan County suggest that Jacob was married and had several children at the time. BCGS (PA) records show his wife's name as Catherina. I believe that Jacob's first wife died about 1795 and that Jacob then remarried to Barbara, daughter of Valentine and Catherine Leonard. North Carolina records conclusively describe his wife as Barbara Leonard, daughter of Valentine and Catherine Leonard, Jacob's neighbors. Barbara was born about 1775, as indicated by Census records (1810 Rowan County Census records and, particularly, 1820 Rowan County and 1830 Davidson County Census records which list Barbara as head of her own household).
Jacob died in 1812 in Rowan County. George Clodfelter and John Kistler (either BCA or BE or BAG) administered the estate. Records of Rowan County, Division of Estate, Book A, page 91, (12/28- 29/1813), name Jacob's wife, Barbara, and Jacob's children: John, Jacob, Christiana, Catherine, Elizabeth (these are likely the children of Jacob's first marriage and were probably born between 1781 and 1791), as well as Peter, George, Polly, Valentine, Sally and Andrew (these are likely the children of Jacob's second marriage and were probably born between 1797 and 1810). Elsewhere, there is evidence of another child, David, who may have died young. For reference, Jacob's children are identified as follows:
John BCA
Jacob BCB
Christiana BCC
Catherine BCD
Elizabeth BCE
Sally BCF
Valentine BCG
Andrew BCH
George BCI
Polly BCJ
Peter BCK
David BCL
As noted above, in 1790 Jacob Kistler purchased property next to Valentine Leonard (the property was located in that part of Rowan County which in 1822 became Davidson County). In 1797, Rowan County deed books show that Jacob sold this property to Daniel Waggoner. This is probably about the time that Jacob remarried and moved to his property near Thyatira Church in western Rowan County. The 1790 Census records for Rowan County, NC, list Jacob "Kestler" and show three males 16 years of age or older; two males under age 16; and three females. The 1800 Census records for Rowan County list Jacob "Keesler" and show: two males under 10; one male 10-16; one male 16-26; one male 26-45; two females 10-16; and one female 16-26. This entry probably covers sons George and Peter (ages about 1 and 3); son Jacob (age about 16); son John (age about 18); Jacob himself (age about 40); daughters Elizabeth and Catherine (age about 8 and 10); and wife Barbara (age about 25). One daughter -possibly, Christiana (age about 12) - cannot be accounted for. The 1810 Census records for Rowan County list Jacob "Keisler" and show two males under 10; two males 10-16; one male 45 or over; two females under 10; one female 16-26; and one female 26-45. This entry probably covers Andrew and Valentine (ages about 1 and 8); George and Peter (ages about 11 and 13); Jacob himself (age about 50); daughters Sarah and Polly (ages about 2 and 10); daughter Elizabeth or Catherine (age about 18-20) and wife Barbara (age about 35).
After Jacob's death, the Rowan County court appointed Daniel Rumple guardian for Peter, George, Polly, Valentine, Sally and Andrew (since they were not yet of age in 1812); these are all children of Jacob's second marriage. I have not found evidence of a guardian for the other children, suggesting that the children of the first marriage were already of age. There is a record in 1813 of land in Lincoln County being transferred from Valentine Leonard to Jacob Kistler. This may merely record an earlier transaction since Jacob (BC) was deceased in 1813. Alternatively, the records may refer to Jacob (BCB). Barbara, Jacob's widow, died about 1835. Beginning in 1836, Rowan county, NC, deed books show the disposition of her estate by her children. Note: Barbara's father, Valentine Leonard, died about 1815 (Book 20, page 493, 11/20/1815).
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