Catherine ^{1 2}

   FamilySearch ID: GXP4-RMJ.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Evidence: For generations, researchers tracing the Eisenhuth family of the Ringtown Valley have faced a frustrating "brick wall." The legendary family home burned down in 1806, taking the family bible and early records with it. This left behind a cloud of confusion regarding the parents of the famous centenarian, Bernard Eisenhuth (1754\endash 1866).

While the younger Bernard is well-documented (having famously lived to the reported age of 111), the identity of his parents has been debated, with many assuming his father was the immigrant "Henrich" Eisenhuth.

Recent genealogical detective work in the unindexed microfilm collections of FamilySearch has uncovered a crucial piece of evidence.
Hidden within an old compilation of "Ringtown Cemetery Records 1830 to 1899" is an handwritten entry for a burial that predates the surviving stones and identifies Bernard's mother. The entry reads:
"Catherine Eisenhuth wife of Bernard died January 6, 1800 age 81-8-10."
<a href="https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D18Q-M6" target="_blank">View Record</a>
Doing the math, this places her birth date in April 1718.

Solving the Puzzle of the Father's Identity: This record reveals that the immigrant ancestor likely used Bernard (or Bernhard) as his call name. While ship manifests like the Nancy (1754) list a "Henrich" Eisenhuth, German naming customs often saw men go by their middle names. This gravestone confirms that to his wife and the Ringtown community, he was simply Bernard.

The Tale of Three Wives: To understand the history of the Eisenhuth family, one must navigate a sea of "Catherines" and "Anna Marias." This discovery helps clarify the generations:

Catherine Eisenhuth (1718\endash 1800): The subject of this memorial. She was the mother of the centenarian and wife of the elder immigrant Bernard.
Anna Maria Orwig: The first wife of the younger Bernard (the son). The Orwigs and Eisenhuths were close associates in the Brunswick/Orwigsburg area. While this cemetery is their spiritual home, their business lives were centered further south and west. Bernard Jr. partnered with George, John, and Jacob Orwig in a massive lumbering operation, even petitioning the PA Senate in 1816 to build a mill race on Penn's Creek in Union County.
Catherine (Saylor) Eisenhuth (1767\endash 1849): The younger Bernard's second wife. She is the Catherine most often cited in history books and is also buried in the Ringtown cemetery.
A Legacy in the Ringtown Valley: Though the younger Bernard's lumbering and trapping exploits took him through the wilderness of Brunswick, Union, and Centre Counties, the family returned to the Ringtown Valley to bury their dead.

This 1800 burial record is a rare survivor of the early days of the settlement. It restores the rightful place of the elder Catherine Eisenhuth\emdash the original matriarch\emdash in the family tree and provides the missing link to the first generation of Eisenhuths in America.

Summary of the family relationships for your records:

Generation 1: Bernard (Immigrant) & Catherine (1718\endash 1800)
Generation 2: Bernard (1754\endash 1866) & (1) Anna Maria Orwig, (2) Catherine Saylor (1767\endash 1849).

2. Record Book: Burial plot T-21 Eisenhuth Catherine wf. Bernard died 1-6-1800 age 81-8-10 in Ringtown, Schuylkill, PA on 6 Jan 1800. ¹

Catherine married Henrich Bernard Eisenhuth. (Henrich Bernard Eisenhuth was born in , , Lorraine, FRA and died in , Schuylkill, PA.)