DEPPEN
From the files of Stephen M. Lawson
Note on the Deppen Family in Europe
Counting Kindred of Christian Deppen and History of Christian
Ruchty..., by E. E. and M. L. Deppen (Sinking Spring, PA
1940) names the parents of Christian DAPPEN of PA as Christian
DAPPEN and Anna BOHLEN of Thurnen Parish, Bern, Switzerland,
and lists the names and baptism dates of twelve of his parents'
children. The baptism date for the immigrant is given as Dec.
20, 1705, with the eldest sibling listed being baptized Aug.
6, 1693. This would suggest that the parents of Christian DEPPEN,
born 1705, was married about 1692 and that his mother was likely
born in the 1670s. Based on the information as given, this compiler
located two persons named Anna BOHLEN in the Boehlen Family
Temple Book, Riggisberg, Bern Switzerland, manuscript by
Julius Billeter (microfiche by Microgen, 1982), with baptism
dates of May 23, 1669 and Sep. 14, 1673. Based only on this information
and with no marriage record, it was concluded that Christian
DEPPEN and Anna BOHLEN, b. 1673, were the parents of the immigrant
Christian DEPPEN, b. 1705. The BOHLEN ancestry was extracted
from the Billeter manuscript.
It is now believed that the above conclusions were unwarranted,
and the DEPPEN and BOHLEN ancestry in Europe has been removed.
Records of the LDS, "from Billeter notes compiled from Parish
Records of Thurnen," includes the family of Christian DEPPEN,
bap. Apr. 1, 1659, who was married Mar. 15, 1688 to Anna BOHLEN,
b. abt. 1667. The names and baptism dates for their twelve youngest
children are identical to those listed in the Deppen book. In
addition, three older children (Christian, b. 1688; Melchior,
b. 1689; and Hans, b. 1691) are listed. The 12th child, son Christian
DEPPEN, baptized Dec. 20, 1705, was married to Stini (for Christina)
SULZER and died Jun. 4, 1764 in Thurnen, Bern, Switzerland. Based
on this data, the immigrant was not the son of Christian DEPPEN
and Anna BOHLEN. While it is still likely that the parents of
the immigrant were from Canton Bern, Switzerland, records that
identify them have not yet been seen.
The Deppen family in America
The primary source of information on the DEPPEN family in
America is from Counting Kindred of Christian Deppen and History
of Christian Ruchty..., by E. E. and M. L. Deppen (Sinking
Spring, PA 1940), with corrections based on the research of Ronald
D. Myers and Herbert W. Yeakley, and supplemented with material
from other email contacts and internet sources.
Christian and Veronica (Ruchty) Dappen
Christian DAPPEN - b. about 1705/6, probably Switzerland;
d. Aug. 6, 1781, Womelsdorf, Berks Co., PA; will
dated Sep. 27, 1775 and proved Aug. 24, 1782, Berks Co., PA. He
embarked from Rotterdam on Apr. 28, 1736, and arrived in Philadelphia
on Sep. 15, 1736 aboard the 'Princess Augusta,' Samuel MERCHANT,
Master. His age is recorded as 30 years on the 1736 passenger
list transcription. It should be noted that his surname is consistently
given as DEPPE in his recorded will. Probably married about 1739,
and, if so, in PA.
Veronica RUCHTY - b. about 1718, Steffisberg, Thurnen
Parish, Canton Bern, Switzerland; d. 1775, Womelsdorf, Berks Co.,
PA; bur. Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA. To Philadelphia Sep. 15, 1736
on the 'Princess Augusta' with father and future husband. Daughter
of Christian RUCHTY and Anna KAUFMAN.
Children of Christian and Veronica Ruchty
- Barbara - b. about
1740, Berks Co., PA; d. before Nov. 1816, NC. Married Peter
ZIMMERMAN/CARPENTER.
- Anna - b. 1740, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. about 1825,
Mahanoy, Northumberland Co., PA. Married George. The research
of Ronald D. Myers and Herbert W. Yeagley, including copies of
the Berks Co., PA wills of Christian DEPPEN (Will Book B, pages
39-41) and George LOUCK (Will Book B, pages 103-104), reveals
that the authors of Counting Kindred were possibly in
error when they identified the husband of Anna DEPPEN as George
YEAKLEY. The will of Christian DEPPEN appears to name his daughter
Anna DEPPEN's husband as George FEAKLEY, and the will of George
LOUCK names his daughter Anna LOUCK's husband as George JAGLEY.
- John (Hannes) - b. 1745, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Oct.
14, 1827. John Deppen took the Oath of Allegiance to the Colonies
on March 30, 1778 as number 654 before Peter Spycker, Justice
of the Peace. He was mustered into the Revolutionary service
December 13, 1777 in the vicinity of Valley Forge to Germantown,
serving in Capt. Philip Filbert's Company under Col. Jacob Weaver,
and in Spycker's Batallion. In 1780 John was a Private, 2nd class
under Capt. Filbert. Married 1773 Anna Barbara BOYER (b. Jul.
2, 1753, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Mar. 14, 1816, Heidelberg,
Berks Co., PA). Children of John and Anna DEPPEN: John married
Mary GAMBLER; Catherine did not marry; Christian married Rebecca
WORE and/or Susan KAUBEL\KOBEL; Elizabeth married John (or Jonathan)
MILLER; William married Magdaline SEILER; Peter married Catherine
SPANG; Barbara did not marry; David married Elizabeth SCHOLL;
George married Maria Magdaline GRIESE; Henry married Susan BILLMAN;
and Sarah married John BILLMAN.
- Peter - b. Jun. 28, 1747, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Oct.
31, 1823, Pine Grove, Schuylkill Co., PA. He was a Revolution
soldier, and married Barbara KOBEL on Sep. 22, 1772. They resided
in Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill Co., PA, where he was a tax
collector. Children: Elizabeth married Peter STRICKLER; Eva Magdaline
married Jonathan ZERBE; Benjamin did not marry; Salome married
Frederick SCHAFFER, Jr.; Barbara married first James JAMISON,
and second Banjamin BATDORF; Veronica; and Peter did not marry.
- David - b. about 1749, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Dec.
7, 1803, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; bur. there Dec. 9, 1803.
Married Margaret McALLISTER. Children of David and Margaret DEPPEN:
Sarah married Peter SPANG; Mary Magdaline married George FORRER;
Michael married Sallie WEISER; and Dr. Daniel married Catherine
SMITH.
- Joseph - b. about 1752, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Oct.
13, 1826, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA. A Soldier of the Revolution.
Married Elizabeth WEIGLEY (b. 1773). Children of Joseph and Elizabeth
DEPPEN: Samuel married Maria ROYER; Elizabeth; Joseph married
Elizabeth HOLSTEIN; Julian married Henry NOLL; Jacob married
Elizabeth FERNSLER; Isaac married first Susannah WENRICH, and
second Joanna NEFF; Mathilda married Lewis LIVINGOOD; Hannah
married first Oliver CLARK, and second Jonathan LOOK; Michael;
Veronica married Jonathan LOOK; Mary married John PRICE; and
Adam married Sophia PUTT.
- Jacob - b. by 1753, Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Aug. 1828.
A cripple, he never married.
- Veronica (Freanica) - b. Jan. 2, 1758, Heidelberg, Berks
Co., PA; d. Feb. 8, 1847, Spring Twp., Perry Co., PA; bur. there
Feb. 10, 1847. She and her husband were buried at St. Peter's
Reformed Church, Perry Co., PA. Married about 1777 in PA to Christian
Gottfried HECKENDORN (b. Oct. 20, 1753, Lebanon, Lancaster Co.,
PA; d. Feb. 11, 1820, Spring Tep., Perry Co., PA), son of Daniel
KECKENDORN and Susannah (KANZEL) ETTER. Children of Veronica
and Christian HECKENDORN: Mary Magdeline married first John TITZEL,
and second John David WUNDERLICH; David married Catharine WAGGONER;
Catherine married John George WAGGONER; Elizabeth married George
CARL; Mary Eve married first Mr. CARL, and second Simon MOSES;
Adam married Susannah FINICAL; Joseph married Anna Mary MILLER;
and Veronica married Christian KELL.
- Elizabeth - b. Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA. Married between
1775 and 1783 John Nicholas ZIMMERMAN and removed with the Tories
to Prince Edward Island, Canada. Elizabeth's husband's name is
also found as James ZIMMERMAN. No known children.
- Abraham - b. Heidelberg, Berks Co., PA; d. Oct. 31, 1840.
The "youngest child" in the will of his father, he
served in the Revolution, and did not marry.