A major source of information on the Wenger family is:
Wenger, Samuel S. The Wenger Book: A Foundation Book of American Wengers. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania German Heritage History, Inc., 1978.
The notes I have from this book are several decades old, and during this pandemic I am not able to get to a library to review my notes in the light of the original. In many cases I did not note the page number, only the place in the genealogy expressed in letters and numbers.
This is a direct line only genealogy.
CHRISTIANA WENGER was born on 1596. He married about 1624 CATHRINA TSCHANTS, who was born about 1610.[1]
Christian and Cathrina came from Schellenberg, near Röthenbach, canton of Bern, Switzerland. They were Mennonites, facing persecution for their religion in Bern. By 1 January 1672 they had fled to Ibersheim, in the Palatinate (Pfalz) (now part of Germany).
BENEDICTB WENGER
(ChristianA) was born on 11 June 1624 a son of Christian Wenger and his wife Cathrina Tschantz. He married before 1667 ANNE BLOSSER, who was born about 1635.[2]Benedict appears to have remained in Switzerland.
ULRICH CHRISTIANC WENGER (BenedictB, ChristianA) was born at Röthenbach on 4 July 1667, a son of Benedict Wenger andf his wife Anne Blosser. He married there on 9 December 1692 CHRISTIANA ENGEL. She was born about 1670.[3]
Born and married at Röthenbach, Ulrich Wenger, his wife and children, migrated to the Palatinate about 1705.
CHRISTIAN1 WENGER (UlrichC, BenedictB, ChristianA ) was born at Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland, on 1 May 1698, a son of Ulrich Christian Wenger and his wife Christiana Engel. He died at Pennsylvania on 9 February 1772. He married between 1727 and 1729 EVA GRAYBILL. She was born at Europe about 1700, and died at Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on 21 June 1790.[4]
Samuel Wenger, in The Wenger Book, said of ther origins of this family:[5]
The Wengers were Bernese Swiss, origionally from Upper Emmenthal, about 25 miles northeast of Jungfrau mountain peak. Originally (13th cent.) probably from the village of Wengen (or Wengern) closer to the peak. The Wengers were farmers--German-speaking--Anabaptists. They lived in the Palatinate for a generation. They moved there because they were persecuted in Switzerland as conscientious objectors. . . . After the Thirty Years War the Palatinate needed farmers, and welcomed the Swiss. . . . William Penn offered land at 12 cents an acre. The Dutch Mennonites, who had become wealthy, financially helped the Swiss Mennonites to come over.
Christian Wenger was baptized at the Reformed Church in Eggiwil, Bern canton, Switzerland, on 8 May 1698.[6] It was not unusual for Mennonites to be baptized in the state church, because of legal and social pressure. As a child, he moved with his parents to the Palatinate.
Christian Wenger arrived at Philadelphia on 30 September 1727 on the ship Molly, part of a group of about 300 Paletines. The Molly, of London, had picked up her passengers at Rotterdam, and stopped at Deal, Kent, England, to clear customs.[7]
Christian Wenger's name appears on a list of Mennonite preachers in 1749; he was probaly ordained in the Palatinate. It is reported that although he favored the views of Jakob Ammann he did not become Amish.[8]
It is not clear if Christian and Eva were married in the Palatinate or in Pennsylvania. All eleven of their children were born in Lancaster County.
CHRISTIAN GRAYBILL2 WENGER (Christian1) was born at East Earl Township. Lancaster County, on 23 March 1733, a son of Christian Wenger and his wife Eva Graybill . He died there on 10 May 1817. He married at Bushongs Mill, Upper Leacock Township, Lancaster County, MARIA ZIMMERMAN. She was born at Lancaster County on 11 August 1741, a daughter of Peter and Ann Zimmerman. She died at Lancaster County on 11 February 1825.[9]
Christian and Maria were both born in Lancaster county, and lived there all their lives. Christian was the third of eleven children, Maria was the fifth of six. In addition to farming, Christian was also in the milling business, in partnership with his brother-in-law Henry Sheibly. Their mill was known as Bushongs of Zooks Mill, near Oregon, Manheim Township, Lancaster County.
CHRISTIAN ZIMMERMAN3 WENGER (Christian2-1) was born at Lancaster County on 4 November 1774 a son of Christian Graybill Wenger and his wife Maria Zimmerman . He died at Lancaster County on 26 February 1857. He married ESTHER STONER. She was born at Lancaster County on 3 October 1781, a daughter of Jacob Stoner and his wife Elizabeth Resh. She died at Lancaster County on 23 April 1852.[10]
Christian and Esther were both born, died, and lived their lives in Lancaster County. Christian was the seventh of nine children, Esther the eighth of eight. They affiliated with the Church of the Brethren.
CHRISTIAN S. WENGER (Christian3-2-1) was born at Lancaster County on 24 May 1810 a son of Christian Zimmerman Wenger and his wife Esther Stoner. He died on 22 July 1885. He married on 21 November 1843 MARY ROYER. She was born at Lancaster County on 13 March 1821, a daughter of Samuel Royer and his wife Sally Kurtz Keller. She died on 25 August 1903.[11]
Christian and Mary were both born, and lived their lives, in Lancaster County. He was thirty-three years old at the time of marriage, she twenty-two. They were both the fifth of eight children in their families of origin. They farmed in West Earl Township, Lancaster County. The 1860 Census reported the family as follows:[12]
Line | Name | Age | Sex | Race | Occupation | R.E. | P.E. | Birthplace |
15. | Christian Wenger | 50 | M | W | farmer | $15,000 | $16,000 | PA |
16. | Mary Wenger | 39 | F | W | PA | |||
17. | Edward Wenger | 15 | M | W | PA | |||
18. | Mary Wenger | 13 | F | W | PA | |||
19. | Celinda Wenger | 11 | F | W | PA | |||
20. | Caroline Wenger | 11 | F | W | PA | |||
21. | Christian | 8 | M | W | PA | |||
22. | Samuel Wenger | 6 | M | W | PA | |||
23. | Abraham Wenger | 4 | M | W | PA |
All the children except Abraham were in school.
An eighth child, Elizabeth, was born in 1863; Mary and Salinda both married in 1867. The 1870 Census reported Christian Wenger farming in West Earl Township, with his wife and six children; Edward, the eldest son, worked as a miller.[13]
Edward and Caroline married in 1871, Christian in 1875, and Samuel in 1876. The 1880 Census reported Christian Wenger, 70, retired farmer, at West Earl Township, with his wife, Mary, 49 [an error, she was 59], keeping house, son Abraham, 23, at home, and daughter Lizzie, 17, at home.[14]
Christian Wenger was a Deacon in the Church of the Brethren.[15]
Christian Wenger and his wife Mary Royer had the following children:
CAROLINE5 WENGER (Christian4-3-2-1) was born at West Earl Township on 22 May 1850, a daughter of Christian S. Wenger and his wife Mary Royer. she married at West Earl Township on 6 November 1871 ADAM MICHAEL RANCK.
1Samuel S. Wenger, The Wenger Book: A Foundation Book of American Wengers (Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania German Heritage History, Inc., 1978), 159.
2Wenger, The Wenger Book, family C.
3Wenger, The Wenger Book, 159.
4Ibid.
5Wenger, The Wenger Book, family C.
6Wenger, The Wenger Book, 159.
7Ralph Beaver Strassburger, Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia From 1727 to 1808 (Norristown, Pennsylvania: n.p., 1934), vol. 1, pp. 13-14.
8Wenger, The Wenger Book, 159.
9Wenger, The Wenger Book, 169. Groffdale Mennonite Brick Church Cemetery, Leola, Upper Leacock Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 10 July 2020), Christian Wenger; Created by: Jack Runyan, Photo added by Miabeth; Maria Wenger; Created by: Miabeth.
10Wenger, The Wenger Book, 176. Groffdale Mennonite Brick Church Cemetery, Leola, Christian Wenger; Created by: Miabeth. Richard R. Weber, "Jacob Stoner and the Seven Siblings," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage, v. 21, no. 1 (January 1998): p. 28.
11Wenger, The Wenger Book, 202.
Jay Gottwals Francis, Genealogical Records of the Royer Family in America (Lebanon, Pennsylvania: n.p., 1928), 51.
12Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population, West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, p. 223, household 60, Christian Wenger family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 21 November 2020); NARA microfilm publication M653; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
13Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population, West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, roll 1359, p. 440A, household 76, Christian Wenger family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 21 November 2020); NARA microfilm publication M593, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
14Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, population, West Earl, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, enumeration district (ED) 114, roll 1140, p. 226A, household 179, Christian Wenger family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 20 February 2018); NARA microfilm publication T9; Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
15Wenger, The Wenger Book, family C357.
16Information on the family of Edward is found at: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificates, 1906–1967, certificate 111526, Edward R Wenger, 1929; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 13 June 2018); Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11, Series 11.90. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; certificate 59597, Francis W Wenger, 1927; certificate 38033, Ellsworth G Wenger, 1942; certificate 065276-61, Lillian Groff Franzen, 1961; certificate 75639, Herman Robert Franzen, 1951; certificate 026824-62, Levi G Wenger, 1962. Wenger, The Wenger Book, 314. Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population, Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, enumeration district (ED) 39, p. 10, household 219, Edward Wenger family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 22 November 2020); NARA microfilm group T623; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
17Information on the family of Mary Ann is found at: Hess Mennonite Cemetery, Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 23 November 2020), Mary R. Burkholder; Created by: Romaine Stauffer. Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificates, 1906–1967, certificate 50884, Mary R Burkholder, 1930; certificate3382, Ezra D. Burkholder, 1912; certificate 84316, John Wenger Burkholder, 1959; certificate 079108-65, Mary A Weber, 1965; certificate 823951, Samuel W Burkholder, 1955; certificate 87669, Ezra Burkholder, 1967; certificate 103487, Alice Huber, 1950. John Franklin Maginness, Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1903), 1492-93. 1870 Census, Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, roll 1359, p. 370B, household 349, Exra Burkholder family. 1880 Census, West Earl, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, ED 114, roll 1140, p. 227D, household 178(2), Ezra Burkholder family.
18Information on the family of Salinda is found at: Wenger, The Wenger Book, 315. Maginness, Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1493. Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificates, 1906–1967, certificate 73273, A R Myer, 1917; certificate 45567, Emma W Zuck, 1961; certificate 21118, Oliver Myer, 1915; certificate 016192-64, Caroline W. Hess, 1964; certificate 86873, Mary W Nolt, 1952; certificate 005591-64, Hettie W. Myer, 1964; certificate 114950-60, Annie W Wenger, 1960; certificate 069204-65, Amanda W Bollinger, 1965; certificate 77859, Allen W Myer, 1951. 1900 Census, Upper Leacock, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, ED 111, p. 7, household 140, Oliver Myer family; East Lampeter, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, ED 32, p. 5, household 106, Elam Myer family.
19Information on the family of Christian is found at: Eastlawn Cemetery, Zimmerdale, Harvey County, Kansas, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.con : accessed 23 November 2020), Christian R. Wenger; Originally Created and photo by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History; Maintained by: Joseph Rexwinkle; Mary Wenger; Originally Created and photo by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History; Maintained by: casteelroots; Christian R. Wenger; riginally Created by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History, Maintained by: casteelroots. Wenger, The Wenger Book, 315. Greenwood Cemetery, Newton, Harvey County, Kansas,, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 23 November 2020), David P Winger, Created by: K-J Wall. 1900 Census, Emma, Harvey County, Kansas, ED 78, p. 1, household 9, Chris Wenger family. Hesston Cemetery, Hesston, Harvey County, Kansas, Find a Grave, digital images (findagrave.com : accessed 23 November 2020), Jacob-Ella Hoffman; Originally Created and photo by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History, Maintained by: casteelroots; Susie Howard; Created by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History; Wallace-Mary Stratton; Originally Created and photo by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History, Maintained by: Joseph Rexwinkle; Dearman-Sylvia Dillman; Created by: GarberEppHartzlerYoder History.
20Information on the family of Samuel is found at: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificates, 1906–1967, certificate 14470, Samuel R Wenger, 1952; certificate 57763, Catharine McCloud Wenger, 1941; certificate 24383, Callie W Hertzog, 1952; certificate 4805, Milton R Wenger, 1954; certificate 12957, John M Wenger, 1950; certificate 085906-62, Elizabeth W Eshleman, 1962; certificate 95180, Mary Snader, 1951; certificate22401, Christian M Wenger, 1950. Wenger, The Wenger Book, 315. 1880 Census, West Earl, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, ED 114, roll 1140, p. 226A, household 180, Samuel Wenger family. 1900 Census, West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, ED 118, p. 5, household 105, Samuel Wenger family.
21Information on the family of Abraham is found at: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificates, 1906–1967, certificate 48913, Abraham R Wenger, 1941; certificate 6341, Minnie H Wenger, 1960. Wenger, The Wenger Book, 316.
22Information on the family of Elizabeth is found at: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Death Certificates, 1906–1967, certificate 91307, Lizzie Gibble, 1957; certificate 106518, Cyrus R Gibbel, 1923; certificate 27407, Willis W Gibbel, 1960; certificate 24718, Christian W Gibbel, 1956; certificate 103998-61, Anna W Gibbel, 1961. Wenger, The Wenger Book, 316. 1900 Census, Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, ED 112, p. 12, household 274, Cyrus Gibbel family.
Eastlawn Cemetery, Zimmerdale, Harvey County, Kansas. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.con : 2020.
Francis, Jay Gottwals. Genealogical Records of the Royer Family in America. Lebanon, Pennsylvania: n.p., 1928.
Greenwood Cemetery, Newton, Harvey County, Kansas. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.
Groffdale Mennonite Brick Church Cemetery, Leola, Upper Leacock Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.
Hess Mennonite Cemetery, Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.
Hesston Cemetery, Hesston, Harvey County, Kansas. Find a Grave. Digital images. findagrave.com : 2020.
Maginness, John Franklin. Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1903.
Pennsylvania Department of Health. Death Certificates, 1906–1967. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.
Strassburger, Ralph Beaver. Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia From 1727 to 1808. Norristown, Pennsylvania: n.p., 1934.
United States Department of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States: 1860, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2020.
________. Ninth Census of the United States: 1870, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2020.
________. Tenth Census of the United States: 1880, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.
________. Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2020.
Weber, Richard R. "Jacob Stoner and the Seven Siblings." Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage v. 21, no. 1 (January 1998): pp. 22-35.
Wenger, Samuel S. The Wenger Book: A Foundation Book of American Wengers. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania German Heritage History, Inc., 1978.