The Geisweid - Geschwind entanglement
Eberhard (Everad) Geisweid lived in the mid-18th century in Tulpehocken and Richmond Townships, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Calculated from his age at death, 21 FEB 1816 at age 89y., 3 mo., 4d., Eberhard was born on 17 NOV 1726. There are not many options for his ancestry, this date was not mentioned in Germany nor in Holland in the Geisweid families. This means that he was born in America, or, if in Europe, in a family that is still unknown; perhaps in the Palatinate. Beside that remains the question when he arrived in Pennsylvania.
Eberhard does not fit in the theory of immigrant Johannes Geistweit of 1751, considering the age of both of them. Remains the possibility that Eberhard arrived (with parents) before 1727, when the indexes on the passenger lists start.
There was more found on him in the Tax List of 1767 of Berks County, these two persons were mentioned:
- Eberhard Geysweid, land in Tulpehocken.
- Eberhard Gesweidt, farmer, 100 acres of land in Bern, 2 horses, 3 cattle, 4 sheep, 6 tithables.
- From 1770 all through to 1787 Eberhard Geisweid (Geiswey, Gusswech, Geiseweit, etc.) was listed as a taxpayer in HE (= Heidelberg?); in and after 1788 in Richmond Twp.
Already on 1 SEP 1766, a person named Eberhart Geswint received 50 acres in Bern, Berks Co.; and 19 MAY 1756 100 acres were surveyed for Everhard Geschwind of Berks Co. His deed of 28 FEB 1767 mentions all his children as heirs and that he received land in Bern Twp. on 25 APR 1744 and more in 1756.
This given made me aware of the fact that there were two Eberhard’s with similar surnames in the same Berks County area; but Geschwind lived all the time (his descent up to the mid 19th century) in Bern, while Geisweid removed and left from Tulpehocken in 1767 to Heidelberg 1770, and to Richmond in 1788.
Eberhard Geschwind arrived in Philadelphia on 5 OCT 1737 and took the Oath the same day. Eberhard Geisweid was only 11 years old then, so they cannot be identical. Besides, Geschwind is a family name from the Palatinate (perhaps from the a town named Heilbron); earlier the name existed in Bavaria, Switzerland and Austria.
There is an explanation for the interchange of names. It seems that it was the English clerks appointed by the Crown, who transcribed the spelling wrong although pronounciation was completely different. In the German language, the ‘ei’ in Geisweid was pronounced like the ‘i’ in ‘time’ in English; in Geschwind the ‘e’ like in ‘best’ and ‘-ind’ as the English word ‘inn’. As more and more German colonists took over (who could tell the difference), the correct spellings became more prominent.
Since it is totally inpredictable if a person in the Berks County area with the name Geschwind would appear to be a Geisweid actually (or the other way around), I have collected all data world wide I could get about Geschwind families. Much was received by a Mrs. Kathryn Drake in Ohio, with whom I lost contact about 1995 --- does anyone know this lady?
The information about the Eberhard Geschwind family is as good as completed on file, much more extensive then hat I have on Eberhard Geisweid, besides, also next generations and many many separate, untied information.
If anyone is interested in what is on file here, then just drop a line here in the forum, or to:
Geisweid Family Archives, Postbus 25056, 3001 HBRotterdam, Netherlands, e-mail: [email protected]
More Replies:
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Re: The Geisweid - Geschwind entanglement
Mary Ann 2/17/02
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Re: The Geisweid - Geschwind entanglement
Geisweid Family Archives 6/01/02
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Re: The Geisweid - Geschwind entanglement
Mary Ann 6/09/02
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Re: The Geisweid - Geschwind entanglement
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Re: The Geisweid - Geschwind entanglement