CHRISTOPHER HENRY REINHOLD AND HIS DESCENDANTS 1728-1985
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many Reinhold descendants have contributed to this history and we wish to thank them. However this history would not have been possible without the contributions of the following: Daniel Reinhold, his article in Pennsylvania German Magazine, and his personal notes. Esther Stauffer, for her booklet published in 1970. Paul B. Reinhold, of Pittsburg, for family diagram. F. Lewis Reinhold and his daughter Lucille Hood, for the booklet on their family branch. To my daughter Dawn L. Haines, for reading tombstones with me, her notes, and the calligraphy on the front cover.
C. Stanley Haines
OUR AMERICAN FAMILY ANCESTOR
CHRISTOPHER HENRY REINHOLD was born at Grossgartig, near Heilbraung, in Wurtemberg, which was a state or (schtaat) in Germany. According to unwritten family history, spoken from father to son, he sailed from Rotterdam on September 23,1752. The ship was the St. Andrew, which docked in Philadelphia with its passengers. The captain was James Abercrombie.
Christopher Reinhold settled and took up a large tract of land in the northeastern part of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The area which was later known as Reinhold's Station, on the Reading and Columbia Railroad line, and Blainsport (formerly Reinholdsville) about a mile away, were all included in his possessions of forest and swamp lands.
Christopher was a scrivener by profession. He was a leading figure in the first church erected by the Swamp Lutheran and Reformed Church, northeast of Reinholds and southeast of Blainsport. His name is found in the oldest records.
JOHN MICHAEL AMWEG arrived from Rotterdam, in Philadelphia on September 15,1729. John Amweg was one of the founders of Swamp Lutheran and Reformed Church. On September 29,1929 services for the unveiling of a tablet in memory of his arrival in Philadelphia, on the ship Allen from Rotterdam, were held at Swamp Lutheran and Reformed Church. He settled near Cocalico Creek on a tract of 150 acres, the first steps for the possession of which were taken in 1737.
SOPHIA LOUISA AMWEG, his daughter, was baptized by the Lutheran minister at Muddy Creek on April 22, 1736 when she was two months old. There was no Reformed minister at Muddy Creek at the time. John Amweg, a member of the Muddy Creek Reformed congregation, signed a call to Rev. Jacob Lischy to become pastor in 1743, and the same year signed the constitution for the congregation proposed by the new pastor.
A preaching point was established at Amweg's home about four miles distance from Muddy Creek Church, in early 1749. In 1754, Rev. John Waldschmidt, pastor at Muddy Creek Reformed Church, gave up the pastorate, probably through the successful opposition of an independent preacher, who was preaching to part of the congregation. To compensate him for his loss a new church was built in West Cocalico township on John Amweg's land. On May 22,1755 William Penn deeded a tract of land called "Swamp Church Ground" consisting of five and 3/8 acres. A log church was erected on the site of the present old cemetery. Jacob Amweg, son of John, was one of the trustees. John Michael Amweg died in 1779. John Amweg's relatives and their descendents were prominent in the city of Lancaster.
Christopher Reinhold married Sophia Louisa Amweg, the daughter of John Amweg. From this union there were four sons and two daughters. Of these children only two had descendents, John Henry and Jacob Frederick. Christopher Reinhold and his wife Sophia are buried in the old cemetery adjoining old Swamp Lutheran and Reformed Church.
INTERESTING NOTES ON EARLY REINHOLD ANCESTORS
CHRISTOPHER H. REINHOLD (1)
Was made a drummer, on April 20, 1776, in Capt. Peter Grubb's company, 2nd Battalion of the Penna. Rifle Regiment, commanded by Col. Samuel Miles, during the American Revolutionary War.
JACOB FREDERICK REINHOLD (2)
In 1781 was in the 7th class, 4th Company, 3rd Battalion of the Lancaster County
Miilitia, American Revolutionary War.
JOHN REINHOLD (3) 1st son of John Henry (2)
Was called "Eck John" because he lived at a corner of two roads.
HENRY REINHOLD (3)- 1st son of Frederick (2)
Was a tanner by trade and owned a large tannery at Reinholdsville. He was a magistrate and well versed in the law.
JESSE REINHOLD (4)oldest son of Henry (3)
Was a Colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War. He built a large hotel at what
was later known as Reinholds Station, and at the time, through his influence, the
Columbia & Reading Railroad so named the station.
JOHN REINHOLD (4)- 2nd son of Henry (3)
Was commonly called "Der Gross John", his stature distinguishing him from other Johns in the family.
CAPT. URIAH REINHOLD (5) son of "Der Gross John" (4)
Was in the Civil War and later a city official in Canton, Ohio.
CAPTAIN MARTIN REINHOLD (5) brother of Uriah
Was killed at Summers Point, Va. in battle during the Civil War, just nine days before
his twenty third birthday.
JACOB REINHOLD (4)- 3rd son of Henry (3)
For many years was a prominent minister of the German Baptist Brethren denomination, eloquent in the Gospel above many. He was a merchant in Lancaster for many years.
JOHANNES HENRICH REINHOLD (3) - 2nd son of Frederick (2)
Was known as ̉Blue Mountain or (Blo- Berger) John". In the early period of his life, he
moved, with his family, to Williams Valley, Schuykill County. This was along the Blue
Mountain Range, hence his nickname. Later he returned to his homestead, in Lancaster Co.
JACOB REINHOLD (3)- 3rd son of Frederick (2)
Was for some years a local preacher of the United Brethren Church. He published a-
pamphlet entitled "Fine Bottschaft and Christi Statt", of which he was the author.
JESSE REINHOLD (4)- wheelwright was the son of Johannes Henrich (3)
Died in the prime of manhood at the age of fourty seven.
This was unusual as these Reinhold male forefathers all seemed to live a very long life in an age when it was uncommon. In the first three generations the male gender lived from age sixty three to ninety two, with the average age of seventy four.
SAMUEL REINHOLD (5)- schoolteacher son of Daniel (4)
Lived to be 102 yrs. 7 mo. and 17 days.
A brief geneology (siblings not listed here but are available in the booklet)
1st generation
CHRISTOPHER HENRY REINHOLD b. Apr. 10, 1728, d. Mar. 3, 1793 married Sophia Louisa Amweg b. Feb. 28, 1736, d. Jan. 4, 1819
2nd generation
JACOB FREDERICK REINHOLD b. May 12, 1762, d. May 19, 1833 married Elizabeth Wenger b. Mar 3, 1759, d. Nov. 26, 1840
3rd generation
JACOB REINHOLD b. Nov. 2, 1792, d. Jun. 5, 1855 married Elizabeth Walter b. Aug. 12, 1793, d. May 13, 1870
4th generation
DANIEL REINHOLD b. Jan. 9, 1827, d. Oct. 28, 1896 married Catherine Gensemer b. Jun. 2, 1833, d. Nov. 6, 1922
5th generation
SAMUEL REINHOLD b. Oct. 24, 1870, d. Jun. 10, 1973 married Cora Wechter, b. 1874, d. 1962
6th generation
F. LEWIS REINHOLD b. Aug. 10, 1900, married Ruth B. Zimmerman