In 1790, the US government conducted the very first decennial US Census. The Census was mainly aimed at assessing the military and industrial strength of the new nation, and thus, not much information can be gained from the Census. However, we can learn from it that the Schaetzlein family had already found its way to America. There are two household heads named Schaetzlein on the Census. However, it is not known whether there were Schaetzleins in other households and how many of the household members of these two Schaetzleins were relatives and not mere lodgers. Both Schaetzleins were living in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the time.
- George Schaetzlein:
- Free white Males of 16 years old, and upwards: 1
- Free white Males, under 16 years: 1
- Free white Females: 3
- All other free Persons: –
- Slaves: –
- John Schaetzlein:
- Free white Males of 16 years old, and upwards: 2
- Free white Males, under 16 years: 4
- Free white Females: 3
- All other free Persons: –
- Slaves: –
You can view or download an Excel table with all the information gathered in one place here:
With this information, I asked someone to search the book Pennsylvania Births, Philadelphia County, 1644-1765 by John T. Humphrey, and they found the following:
- Lorenz Schätzlein *10th of January 1758, parents: Bartholomaeus and Catharina
- George Schätzlein *10th of May 1759, parents: Bartholomeus and Catharina
Both of these births were sourced from the records of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Philadelphia.
After some more digging, someone found his immigration and death records.
On page 503 of Pennsylvania German Pioneers (vol. 1) by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, he is listed as “Barthel Schätzlein”. The occasion was the following:
[List 192 C] At the Court House at Philadelphia, Thursday, the Second of November 1752.
Present: Edward Shippen, Esq.
The Foreigners whose Names are underwritten, imported in the Ship called the Phoenix, John Spurrier, Commander, from Rotterdam but last from Portsmouth in England, took the usual Qualifications to the Government. – ibidem, page 501
The above burial record from Saint Michael’s and Zion church in Philadelphia, dated 11th of November 1796, tells us the following:
Bartholomäus Schätzlein, born 12th of May 1715 in Wertheim, married Catharina in 1736, had 14 children with her, of which 8 are alive, came to Philad. in 1752, lived to see 85 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren born, died on the 9th from consumption.
In two parish population registers dated 1760 and 1761, he is listed as having 10 living children.
To the best of my knowledge, this makes Bartholomäus Schätzlein and his wife Catharina the very first Schätzlein to have settled in America.