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Settling in Virginia
John Henry Entsminger, Jr. left Pennsylvania around 1760 and moved to Virginia. Most if not all of the 'Entsmingers' derive from the Virginia clan and are descendents of David Entsminger who was born in Virginia in 1762. The spelling variation, 'Entsminger' with a 't' was initiated by John Henry Entsminger, Jr.
Our branch of Entsmingers (the John Henry Jr. line) is the one known line that went south to Virginia. Incidentally, and mysteriously, John Henry Sr. disappears from official records in Pennsylvania in 1744.
His son, John Henry Jr., appears ‘officially’ in VA in 1768. But it’s possible he arrived earlier. He changed the spelling of his name to ‘Entsminger.’ And his line of Entsmingers are the only ones (we know of) in the US that use this spelling. John Henry Jr. traveled to Virginia and founded our clan. He bought land, gave land to his sons, returned north, and died in 1806 in Gallia Co., Ohio.
Although perhaps not obvious from the records, it's relatively easy to detect a PA-OH-VA pattern in many of the travels of the Entsmingers.
John Henry Jr. married Mary Barbara Crantzdorf (b: March 1, 1719 in Hornbach, Z, P, Germany) on April 15, 1744 in Cocoalico Township, Providence of Pennsylvania. They had twelve children:
1. Anna Catharine—b: 1745 in Pennsylvania.
2. Anna Elizabeth—b: May 4, 1747 in York, Pennsylvania.
3. Catharine—b: June 22, 1750 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
4. Philip Henry—b: December 29, 1752.
5. John Michael—b: April 21, 1756 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
6. John—b: September 27, 1757 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
7. Joseph—b: January 31, 1760 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
8. David—b: ~1762 in Virginia.
9. Philip—b: ~1764 in Virginia.
10. Jonathan—b: ~1766 in Virginia.
11. Catharine—b: ~1768.
12. Elizabeth—b: ~1768 in Virginia.
John Henry bought land in Augusta County, Iron Gate, and Collierstown. Events of his life are well-documented:
—In 1755, he bought 50 acres of land at Brecknock Twp (PA).
—In 1756, he paid taxes on the land.
—In 1768, he signed a mortgage in Augusta County, VA in the Dickinson settlement northwest of the Cowpasture River.
—In 1772, he bought an additional 72 acres and is listed as a blacksmith.
—In 1783, he was taxed for 2 horses and 5 cows.
—In 1786, he bought 50 acres of land on Colliers Brook of Buffalo Creek (in Rockbridge County). He also bought 94 acres at the fords of the James River.
—In 1797, he went to Ohio with his son John.
—In 1802, he signed a power of attorney to his son John in Ohio.
—In 1806, he wrote his will, which was probated in 1808 (to his son Michael).
(Note that in eastern Alleghany County, the Cowpasture River is joined by Simpson Creek and soon after enters Botetourt County, where it joins the Jackson River to form the James River near the town of Iron Gate. Iron Gate remained a key place in the family history until the mid-20th century. At least several members of the Entsminger family worked in the mines near Iron Gate. In general however, all records indicate or suggest that Entsmingers made their livings by farming, blacksmithing, or related professions.)
John Henry's son, David, remained in Collierstown, on the family's 50 acres (that are now buried under Lake Robertson).
David Entsminger was born ~1762 in Virginia. He died in July 1841 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He married Mary Clark on September 9, 1790. They had ten children:
1. Rebecca—b: ~1791 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
2. John—b: May 23, 1793 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
3. Rachel—b: ~1795 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
4. Sarah—b: 1797 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
5. Mary—b: ~1799 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
6. David—b: 1801.
7. Jane—b: ~1804 in , Rockbridge County, Virginia.
8. Alexander—b: 1807 in Virginia.
9. Lewis Clark—b: ~1809 in , Rockbridge County, Virginia.
10. Ann.
Our line descends through Lewis Clark Entsminger. He married Margaret Ford b: ~1811 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. They had nine children:
1. James Frank—b: ~1832 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
2. Martha A.—b: ~1834 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
3. Rebecca—b: ~1839 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
4. Nancy E.—b: 1842 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
5. David—b: ~1844 in Collierstown, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
6. Alexander—b: ~1847 in Collierstown, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
7. Virginia E.—b: ~1850 in Collierstown, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
8. Lewis M.—b: ~1853 in Collierstown, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
9. Mary F.—b: ~1855 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
Our line descends through James Frank Entsminger who died sometime just before 1900 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He's buried in Collierstown, and we found his grave at the Presbyterian Church cemetery. He married Nancy Agnes Armintrout (b: February, 1831) ~1854. Throughout the history, the women are hard to trace, but James' wife Mary has a 'traceable' direct line of descent from Nassau, Germany, just east of the Rhine River. They had eleven children:
1. Mary E.—b: ~1855 in Collierstown, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
2. John D.—b: ~1856 in Collierstown, Rockbridge County, Virginia.
3. Charles W.—b: ~1858 in , Rockbridge County, Virginia.
4. Cornelius J.—b: ~1860 in Virginia.
5. Martha A.—b: ~1862 in Virginia.
6. Lewis Marion—b: March 29, 1864 in Virginia.
7. Elisa V.—b: ~1866 in Virginia.
8. Nancy C.—b: ~1867 in Virginia.
9. James P.—b: ~1869 in Virginia.
10. Henry J.—b: ~1872 in Virginia.
11. Theressa L.—b: ~1876 in Virginia.
Our line descends through Lewis Marion Entsminger who died on September 24, 1934. He married Mary Frances (Vest) or Vess (b: May 29, 1867). She died on February 28, 1933. We found their gravestones on the side of North Mountain, above Lake Robertson, in Rockbridge County, Virginia.
They fathered Fremont McKim Entsminger, who was born on February 15, 1891 near Iron Gate, at Longdale, Alleghany County, Virginia. He died in 1938 in Lancaster, Ohio.