Michael Dosch Family; Late 1700s in Eastern York County
Following my talk on the Dosch Burial Grounds in Lower Windsor Township, several people asked for more details on several of the families noted in my talk. This post on the Michael Dosch Family is the second in a series of posts to provide answers those questions. Other posts in this series include:
Michael Dosch first came to York County from Lancaster County as a tenant farmer after his uncle George Dosch purchased 386 acres in 1773. It is hard to pinpoint the exact year that Michael moves to York County on a full time basis; it falls somewhere between 1773 and 1779. Michael Dosch does not show up in the tax records for either county until he shows up as a York County renter in 1779.
Michael’s first two children are baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster during 1772 and 1773. The last time that Michael and his wife show up in the communicant records of this church is in 1774. Michael’s son George is baptized later in 1774 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster; is it a coincidence that this son is named George and baptized at the same church that his uncle George Dosch attends? Nonetheless, Michael Dosch started to purchase his own York County property in 1780 and by the time he died in 1799, Michael owns 712 acres in the area.
Michael’s acreage that is contiguous with his homestead property is shown through the middle of the map at the beginning of this post. Neighboring landowners who figured significantly in the family history of Michael Dosch surround his 552 contiguous acres. These neighbors include families surnamed Gilbert, Shenberger, Ruby, Kline, Rathfon and Dritt. To draw the map, I platted property deeds for Michael Dosch and his neighbors during the late 1700s; then plotted the deeds on a 1953 Topographic Map onto which I added road names.
The Michael Dosch Family History
Michael Dosch (b. likely 19 Mar 1754 – d. 1799) married Anna Maria Klein (b. possibly 1753 – d. 1809). They were married June 1772 in Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster, PA. Both were from Manor Township, Lancaster County prior to marriage. They had eight children:
- Catherine Dosch (b. 16 Sep 1772 – d. 21 Mar 1845)
- Michael Dosch (b. 13 Nov 1773 – d. before 1799)
- George Dosch (b. 17 Nov 1774 – d. unknown)
- Elizabeth Dosch (b. 10 Feb 1776 – d. before 1799)
- Mary Dosch (b. 25 Sep 1777 – d. 27 Feb 1824)
- Frederick Dosch (b. about 1780 – d. unknown)
- Christopher Dosch (b. 29 Aug 1783 – d. 15 Mar 1825)
- Magdalena Dosch (b. 30 Aug 1788 – d. 28 Mar 1847)
Daughter Catherine Dosch was married to a neighbor Adam Shenberger (b. 4 Jan 1762 – d. 28 Sep 1822). They had nine children. In the 1798 U.S. Direct Tax Return for Michael Dosch, Adam Shenberger is living on his father-in-laws’ farm that is directly south of his father’s property. After Michael Dosch died, Adam Shenberger purchased much of Michael’s property. Several years after Catherine (Dosch) Shenberger becomes a widow, she married neighboring widower John Gilbert (b. 9 Jun 1772 – d. 15 Aug 1846).
Son Michael Dosch likely died early in life, although he definitely died before 1799.
Son George Dosch was married and had at least one son, Frederick Dosch (b. 13 Jan 1801 – d. unknown)
Daughter Elizabeth Dosch likely died early in life, although she definitely died before 1799.
Daughter Mary Dosch was married to a neighbor John Gilbert (b. 9 Jun 1772 – d. 15 Aug 1846). They had ten children. In the 1798 U.S. Direct Tax Return for Michael Dosch, John Gilbert is living on his father-in-laws’ homestead farm at the stone house. After John Gilbert became a widower, he married his sister-in-law and widow Catherine (Dosch) Shenberger.
Son Frederick Dosch married Rebecca Witman. They had at least two children: George J. Dosch (b. 13 Mar 1806 – d. 15 Mar 1848) and William Dosch (b. 14 Feb 1812 – d. unknown).
Son Christopher Dosch was married to a neighbor Magdalena Dritt (b. 8 Oct 1785 – d. 3 Jul 1838). Christopher was still a minor when his father Michael died; neighbor John Ruby was appointed Christopher’s guardian. Christopher and Magdalena married February 26, 1807 in Christ Lutheran Church in York. They had ten children.
Daughter Magdalena Dosch was a minor when her father Michael died; neighbor Christian Rathfon was appointed her guardian. Magdalena married Michael Ziegler on May 31, 1808 in First (Trinity) Reformed Church in York. They had at least one child: Elsa Ziegler (b. 28 Feb 1809 – d. unknown).
Next Friday I’ll examine the family history of Christopher Dosch; the father of the Michael Dosch of this post. And the Friday following that, I’ll examine the family history of George Dosch; the uncle of the Michael Dosch of this post.
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