Adams/McCutchen - Bair/Mehrer Genealogy

as presented by Michelle Adams


Newkirk, Neukirch, Neukirchand, Van Nieuwkirk Family History

Origins of Newkirk
As a note, I have not personally confirmed any of the names farther back than Jacob Newkirk born 1758. A book available on www.heritagequestonline.com about the Newkirk families that came to America is The Van Nieuwkirk Nieukirk Newkirk Family by The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania 1934. This book has a small amount about my family line which I have transcribed below.

There are a variety of spelling for this surname.  Often name spelling changed once the people came to America so it is no wonder that a name like Van Nieuwkirk changed. And with illiteracy being so prevalent back then that new immigrant couldn't say how his name was spelt. There are many family lines that came to America with various spelling of this name.

The family line that I am following is that of Johann Hendrick Neukirch (1708-1785) whose father was Johannes Heinrich Neukirchand and mother was Elizabeth Oel Wohlfertz. (I didn't decide on the spelling of these names. I copied them from other people. As I get official document verification, I will be making corrections in the spellings.) Johann married Anne Margaret Arndtin around 1731 in Germany. I don't know much about them except they did have at least one son name Johann Hendrick Neukirch born 1732 in Germany. Here is a account of at least Johann Sr. coming to America.

From The Van Nieuwkirk Nieukirk Newkirk Family page 1: "In 1738 a German named Hendrick Nikerick arrived at Philadelphia and settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. His descendants are numerous. Those remaining about Reading, Pennsylvania, assumed the name Newkirk, while those in Washington County, Maryland, took that of Niekirk. Hendrick Nikerick, aged thirty-two in ship Nancy, William Wallace, master, qualified September 20, 1738. (Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, vol. xvii, 164.)"

Johann Hendrick Neukirch Jr. married Nancy Forman in 1750 in Maryland and they had five children that I know of. Johann died in Sep 1808 in Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland. Some people say he was a weaver but I have no proof. He reportedly left a will. I am uncertain of where Nancy died in 1777. They had a son named Jacob Newkirk.

Jacob Newkirk (1758-1815)
I have Jacob as being born in 1758 in Reading, Berks Co, PA. There is discrepancy in this date as can be seen in this excerpt
from Clues for Revolutionary War Soldiers with Connections to Louisville and Jefferson County, Kentucky. This provides a great overview of his life.

Jacob Newkirk was born in Pennsylvania in 1760, probably in Washington County. He was a descendant of early Dutch settlers in Ulster County, New York. He served in the Revolutionary War as a sergeant of Berks County, Penn militia. When he came to Jefferson County is not clear; he purchased 85 acres in Jefferson County in 1796. He was married to Margaret Ann Stumph and they were the parents of nine children. Son Daniel married Matilda B. Elston; son Samuel married Eliza Young. He died February 11, 1815 and is buried in the German Reformed/Presbyterian Cemetery located in Jeffersontown, Kentucky. The estate settlement is recorded in Jefferson County Calendar of Division Book 1, 1797-1850, p 79 (1820). Reference is made to Jacob Newkirk and Jacob Newkirk Sr.

I haven't tracked down any Revolutionary War Records on him as of yet. If I find any, I will add to what I have posted here. It is pretty clear that he was in the American Revolution. The first clue I had of this was the following cemetery record. This then led me to look in the above mentioned book. He is also listed with the DAR.

Cemetery Records of Kentucky Vol 1 Jefferson County, Part 1: German Reformed/Presbyterian Cemetery (located on the northeast corner of Shelby and Main St in Jeffersontown) Jacob Newkirk Sr. d. 11 Feb 1815 Ed. Jacob b. 1760; m. Margaret Ann Stumph; Sgt Rev. War.

Margaret Ann Stumpf/Stumph (1760-1853)
Margaret Stumpf is the daughter of Matthias Stumpf born in 1760 in Berks Co, PA. Margaret married Jacob Newkirk in 1786 in Berks Co, PA. They had ten children of which I know. All of these children most likely being born in Berks Co, PA but certainly in PA.

The following is from Early Kentucky Settlers The Records of Jefferson County, Kentucky 1988. This is real interesting stuff. Margaret inherited her husband's estate after his death but it seems there was a dispute with the neighbor over whose land the house was built on. It seems the door to the house was not on her property and had to get a court order allowing her to use the door.

On page 435, it says: Jacob Newkirk, Sr. estate. At June Court, 1820, Peter Yenowine, Sr., Samuel Blankenbaker, Sr., Robert Tompkins and Jacob Hoke appointed to settle the accounts of Jacob Newkirk, administrator of Jacob Newkirk, deceased, and to allot to Margaret Newkirk, widow of Jacob Newkirk, her dower in the real estate. On July 3, 1820, the above commissioners qualified before John Miller, J.P.J.C. Commissioners made report, July 22, dividing the 28 1/2 acres of land adjoining Thomas Blankenbaker, calling for one line to cross the springs and one to pass through the entry of the dwelling house, giving to the widow that part of the house built by Jacob Newkirk with "full privilege of free ingress and regress threw the passage doors of the house adjoining, without molestation, disturbance or hindrance of any person or persons whatsoever occupying the other part of the house built in addition thereto. Recorded August 14, 1820. [B1,p79.]

I have that she died 18 Oct 1853 in Indiana. I haven't tracked down where exactly in Indiana she was when she died. She had children in Jefferson Co, IN and Sullivan Co, IN so it is probably either of these counties.

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