Abraham Wotring Jr. ^{1 2 3 4}

   Other names for Abraham were Abraham Vautrin,⁷ Abraham Voiturin,⁸ Abraham Wautrin ² and Abraham Wudring.⁶

   FamilySearch ID: LZKG-5L2.

  General Notes:

He had sixteen children, of whom eight were living at the time of his death on Nov. 28, 1752, namely Peter, Anna Margaretha, Anna Barbara, Magdalena, Elisabeth, William, Abraham and Eva.

Abraham left France in 1733 and came to America, via Rotterdam on the "Richard & Elizabeth." He, his wife Anna Margaret Mertz and five of their children landed at the Port of Philadelphia on September 28, 1773. They settled in the Lehigh County area of Pennsylvania, at that time, Northampton County. Abraham's father was also Abraham, a miller, married to Catherine Brodt. Catherine's father, Simon Brodt, was Burgomaster of Lixheim. The Brodt family was Swiss. Abraham's grandfather, John Peter, was an Elder of the Reformed Church in Saarwarden. Later generations would change the name and some would migrate into Virginia, in the area that is now West Virginia.

  Christening Notes:

Records in the Deidendorf Reformed Kirchebuch:
Abraham Wautrin, son of Hans Peter Wautrin, and wife Catharina Brot [Brodt] of Lixin [Lixheim] had a son: Abraham bp. 11 July 1700.

Note: His borther, Samuel Wotring bp. 3 Feb. 1707 also emigrated.

  Death Notes:

The church record of his death: Abraham Wutring died 28 Nov 1752. He was born 11 July 1700; lived in marriage 27 1/2 years and had 16 children, of whom 8 still live as long as God wills. His age was somewhat over 52 years.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He immigrated on 28 Sep 1733 to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ² Richard and Elizabeth, 1733, Abraham Wotring, age 33, with Anna Margaretha Wootring, age 32; Hans Peter, age 9; Anna Margaretha, age 7; Maria Magdalena, age 4 1/2; Anna Louisa, age 2 [probably should read Anna Lisa = Anna Elisabetha].

2. He immigrated from Lorraine with his wife and four children on 28 Sep 1733 to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ^{5 9} Traveling together on the ship were friends and families who later intermarried after arriving in Pennsylvania, including the Wootring (Wotring) and Mertz families.

Passenger List
The Ship Richard and Elizabeth - Captain Christopher Clymer
Arriving from Rotterdam via Plymouth, England
September 28, 1733

Men

Francis Schuler 44
Jacob Gripe 21
David Mertz 44
Johan Nicholas Mertz 18
George Leap 56
Johan Conrad Leap 20
Philip Jacob Edelman 25
Matthes Bouser 63
Matthes Bewser 22
Christian Bewser 18
Philip Mire 36
David Edelman 49
Adam Spoon 34
Jacob Hainel 20
Ludwig Rigerd, sick 28
Michael Wise 29
George Shuffard 44
Yoost Heck 35
Jacob Hunsinger 30
Hance Jacob Liebegood 39
Jacob Harmon 40
Hans Jacob Uts 27
Hans Georg Uts 50
Hance Peter Sowmy 59
Hance Jacob Sowmy 22
Hance Peter Sowmy 20
Otto Frederick Sowmy 15
Joseph Shumaker 25
Ulrich Burghalter 40
Johan Nicholas Sager 39
Georg Schenemansgruber 35
Matthes Peck 39
Johannes Wollet 38
Henry Winterberger 26
Hans Sherer 30
Jacob Christ 54
Marcus Christ 17
George Angsted 37
Marcus Beegler 28
Philip Tadigman 36
Johannes Weaver 22
Johannes Rosensteel 19
Abraham Wootring 33
Matthias Rehsh 29

Women

Maria Schuler 47
Veronica Mertz 40
Catherina Leap 50
Anna Christina Leap 24
Margaretha Edelman 26
Esther Bouser 49
Anna Margaretha Mire 40
Anna Barbara Stammin 26
Anna Maria Edelman 54
Anna Elisabeth Bewser 20
Anna Margaretha Spoon 23
Gertrud Shuffard 32
Sophia Glass 28
Eva Maria Heck 35
Margaretha Liebegood 40
Catherina Harmon 33
Maria Catherina Uts 24
Barbara Holler 77
Maria Magdalena 58
Maria Shoemacher 24
Barbara Burghalter 34
Anna Barbara Sager28
Margaretha Schenemansgruber 28
Engelina Peck 37
Anna Margaretha Wollet 24
Maria Magdalena Winterberger 24
Maria Magdalena Sherer 22
Magdalena Christ 44
Eva Catherina --- 31
Maria Barbara Tadigsman 35
Anna Maria Tadigsman 25
Margaretha Weaver 17
Anna Margaretha Wootring 32
Magdalena Wisen 25
Barbara Kossely 25

Boys

Johan Peter Mertz 13 3/4
Baltasar Edelman 4
Daniel Bewser 11 1/2
Jacob Bewser 9 1/2
Johan Henrich Spoon 4
Johannes Shuffard 10
Johan Jacob Heck 6
Johan Jacob Liehegood 10
Dewald Harmon 13
Jacob Harmon 6
Hance Harmon 3 1/2
Hance Peter Harmon 9 mo.
Hance Michael Sowmy 10
Johannes Sowmy 5
Hance Peter Burghalter 1 3/4
Johan Henrich Sager 8
Samuel Sager 2
Johan Christian Sager 2
Antony Peck 12
Johan Henrich Peck 7
George Angsted 6
Johannes Angsted 1
Philip Tarrisman 6
Hance Peter Wootring 9

Girls

Christina Mertz 3 3/4
Anna Maria Leap 14
Anna Margaretha Leap 12
Maria Esther ---- 14
Magdalena Bewser 7 1/2
Anna Maria ----- 4
Anna Catherina -- 1 1/2
Anna Elisabetha ---- 7
Anna Maria - 17 wks.
Anna Catherina Heck 10
Anna Gretha Liebegood 10
Anna Catherina Liebegood 3 1/2
Catherina Harmon 11
Barbara Harmon 8
Catherine Barbara ---- 6 mo.
Anna Barbara Haltin 50
Maria Magdalena Swomy 24
Elisabeth Burghalter 14
Anna Catherina Burghalter 12
Anna Magdalella - 8
Anna Barbara Burghalter 4
Margaretha Burghalter 2 1/2
Anna Maria Sager 12 1/2
Anna Barbara Sager 10
Maria Louisa ---- 3 1/2
Christina Barbara Sager 6 mo.
Anna Catherina Peck 10
Veronica Sherer 4 mo.
Ea Catherina ---- 4
Maria Catherina Tadigsman 9
Anna Maria Tadigsman 3 1/4
Maria Barbara Tadigsman 1/2
Anna Margaretha Wootring 7
Maria Magdalena Wootring 4 1/2
Anna Louisa Wootring 2.

3. 200-acre tract north of Egypt in 1738 in Whitehall Twp., Lehigh, PA. ⁵

4. He was naturalized in Apr 1742 in , Bucks, PA. ⁵

5. In 1747 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ⁴ He was a delegate to the Coetus of the Reformed Church.

6. Estate: 1752. His estate amounted to £255.

7. Book: History Of Lehigh County, Volume II, 1914. ¹⁰

Abraham Wotring was born July 11, 1700, in Lorraine, and emigrated to America, arriving Sept. 28,1733, with his wife, Anna Margaret and four children. He settled in 1738, on a 200-acre tract in Whitehall, north of Egypt. He was naturalized in 1742 and in 1747 represented Egypt in the Reformed Church Coetus at Philadelphia. He died Nov. 28, 1752.

His estate amounted to £255. He had eight children: 1. John Peter Wotring, born 1724, settled in Heidelberg township, and in 1770 lived in Towamensing township. With his wife Margaret, he had a son, Abraham, born Oct. l, 1749, died in 1828, who on May 21, 1777, was commissioned an ensign in Northampton County Militia. He removed to Maryland and married Catharine Sdinebley in 1786. His son, Abraham, born in Hagerstown, Md., in 1804, died in Washington county. Pa., in 1874 2. Anna Margaret, born in 1726, married John Schneider, and both were killed by Indians, Oct. 8, 1763. 3. Mary Magdalena, born 1727, died 1802, married Paul Balliet. 4. Anna Elizabeth, born 1731, married Martin Andreas. 5. Anna Barbara, born 1739, married Adam Ox. 6. William, settled in Heidelberg. 7. Abraham, a shoemaker, of Whitehall. 8. Eve, married David Hahn.

8. Book: The Wotring-Woodring Family of Pennsylvania, 1968. ⁷
Abraham, son of Peter (1640-1713), was a miller at Fénétrange. He married Catharine Brodt, daughter of Simon Brodt, Burgomaster of Lixheim, five miles to the southeast. The Brodt family was Swiss in origin. Abraham had sons: Abraham, Peter and Samuel. Peter may have died young. Abraham II on March 19 1723 married (Anna) Margaret, daughter of Peter Mertz of Hangviller. There were Mertzes on the ship which brought Abraham II and family to America in 1733. Abraham II moved to Hirschland about 1725, where he was a miller. His mill and house were standing in 1918, when Laux visited there. Samuel on July 18 1736 married (Mary) Elizabeth, daughter of Henry and Johanna (Buchi) Becker of Pisdorf. She was born in 1721. Samuel was a miller at Pisdorf until he went to America in 1749. This was a period of extensive migration to Pennsylvania.

Abraham Wotring (Jr.) had 3 sons (Feb 3-1770 deed): Peter, William, Abraham. There is no record of Peter after 1781, when he acknowledged a 1777 deed. In 1777 he was in Lowhill Township. He likely fled from Towamensing when the Revolution began. His children are listed in the baptismal records. William was killed in 1778 at the Wyoming massacre. The will of his widow shows that she died in Lowhill Twp in 1821. It mentions sons, Jacob and Peter. Peter's will mentions a brother William. Baptismal records name John and Daniel as sons. Daniel and William were witnesses at the baptisms of Jacob's children. Abraham Jr. moved to Hagerstown, Maryland and later to Aurora, Preston County, West Virginia, where he died in 1809. His estate lists 9 children. Some are found in Pennsylvania and Maryland baptismal records.

Abraham married Anna Margaretha Mertz, daughter of Peter Mertz and Unknown, on 19 Mar 1723 in Diedendorf: Diedendorf Reformed Church, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, FRA.^{1 2} (Anna Margaretha Mertz was born in 1701 in Hirschland, , Alsace, FRA ¹¹ and died on 20 Feb 1741 in Northampton, Northampton, PA ¹.)

  Marriage Notes:

The Diedendorf Reformed Church Kirchebuch records: "Abraham Vautrin, son of Abraham Vautrin, miller at Vinstinger [today Fénétrange, Moselle, Alsace, France] m. 19 Mar. 1723 Anna Margaretha, daughter of Peter Mertz, citizen at Hangenweiller, Lützelsteiner Herrschafft. [Hangviller = Phalsboug]. ²