Swart, Conrad

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Birth

Conrad Schwart was born about 1742,[1] the son of Johannes Schwart and Sophia Gerdraut. While most of his Berne and Knox descendants adopted the Dutch spelling, which was prevalent in New York, Conrad was probably a Palatinate, and his name was spelled "Schwart" in most of the church records. In the same church records can be found the Dutch Swart lines, spelled as such.

Religion

Based on the marriage and baptismal records, Conrad was Lutheran.

Education

Conrad signed, by signature, his 1774, and 1789 lease.

Occupation

In the leases from Van Rensselaer, Conrad was described as a Yeoman and Husbandman, respectively. Both are essentially terms for a farmer who cultivates his own land.

Immigration

Unknown, but prior to 1765 and presumably with his father, Johannes, if he was not born in America.

Property

  • 1774 - Conrad Swart was the first recorded lessee of Lot 518, in the Switz Kill Valley, Beaverdam (Berne). His lease in 1774 from Van Rensselaer[2] is one of the few surviving leases from the Capitol Fire in 1911[3]. This lease was for twelve years, with rent due in January.
  • 1787 - The lot was surveyed in by Wm Cockburn. (1787 survey map), and shown adjacent to him are Adam Deitz, and Johannes Ecker, both families his children would marry into.
  • 1789 the land was leased "forever" by Conrad, and remained his homestead for the duration of his life.
  • 1817 his sons Peter and Frederick posted bond (West Manor Rent Ledger A, p416), each for 1/3 of the land, and the other third was posted by Mathew Reinhart.
  • 1823, Frederick sold his third and removed to Greig, Lewis County, New York along with a number of other Berne families. Peter appears to have remained on the land he posted bond for.

Military Service

Conrad Swart served as a member of the 3rd Company (Beaverdam), 3rd Regiment (1st Rensselaerwyck Battlion), Albany County, New York, Militia.[4] Between the months of April and November 1778 a stockade was erected under Capt William Dietz at Switzkill, and undoubtedly Conrad Schwart served at this Fort since he was living on the Switzkill, but no record I'm aware of lists those manning this stockade. The only record of Conrad's service is found on a 1782 Muster roll, section 3,[5] which is a list of those living in the immediate vicinity of the Switzkill as determined by maps, deeds and census records.

Section no. 3. Residents who were eligible for service: Jacobus Deitz, Adem Deitz, Adem Deitz, Jr., Hendryck Deitz, Jury Ball, Hendrick Crosspile, Counrade Swarts, William Becraft, Jr., Francis Becraft, Johannis Eker, Nicolas Eker, Johannis Cher, Jr., Peter Snyder, John Tomson, Charles Heflig, Jacob Heflig. This roster was actually taken for the 15th Rgmt, Schoharie Militia, but from Fernow, these men would have actually been assigned to the 3rd Rgmt Rensselaerwyck.

This record (Roscoe) of Revolutionary Service was approved in 2006 for descendants admission to the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution.

Marriage & Children

Conrad Swart married first, 10 Dec 1765 at the Schoharie Lutheran Church[6] to Maria Elisabeth Eckert, daughter of Nicholas Ecker and Catharina Scheid. Maria Elisabeth died about August 1773.

Their issue, all born presumably in the Switzkill Valley, were:

  • 1. Johannes Swart, b. 30 Oct 1766, bp. 1766 Schoharie Lutheran Church (#969), s/o Conrad Schwart and Maria Elisabeth. Sponsors, Johannes Schwart & wife Sophia Gerdraut (his grandparents).
  • 2. Jacob Swart, b. 15 Feb 1769, bp. Feb 1769 Schoharie Lutheran Church (#1083), s/o Conrad Schwart and Maria Elisabeth. Sponsors, Jacob Weidman and Gerdraut Eckert.
  • 3. Johann Adam Swart, b. 28 Aug 1773, bp. 1773 Schoharie Lutheran Church (#1275), s/o Conrad Schwart and Maria Elisabeth. Sponsors, Adam Zeh and wife.


Conrad Swart married second, 28 Jun 1774 at the Schoharie Lutheran Church to Maria Elisabeth Bassler, d/o Friederich Bassler and Anna Danner.

Their issue, also all born in the Switzkill Valley, were:

  • 4. Anna Swart, b. 10 Sep 1775, bp. 1775 Schoharie Lutheran Church (#1386), d/o Conrad Schwart. Sponsors, Friedrich Basler and wife. (her grandparents)
  • 5. Peter Swart, b. 29 Nov 1777, bp. Schoharie Lutheran Church (#1483), s/o Conrath Schwart and Elisabeth. Sponsors, Peter Enter and Catharina Dietz.
  • 6. Frederick Swart, b. 06 Sep 1779, bp. Oct 1779 Schoharie Lutheran Church (#1581), s/o Conrath Schwart and Maria Elisabeth. Sponsors, Friederich Baseler & wife. (his grandparents)
  • 7. Henrich Swart, b. 23 Aug 1782, bp. Schoharie Lutheran Church (#1808), s/o Conrath Swart or Schwart. Sponsor Henrich Knieskern, Jr. and wife.
  • 8. Sophia Swart, b. 04 Feb 1787, bp. 1787, Schoharie Lutheran Church (#2139), d/o Conrath Schwardt and Elisabeth. Sponsors, John Damneck and wife.
  • 9. William Swart, b. 08 Feb 1790, bp. 18 Feb 1790 Albany (Ebenezer) Lutheran Church, s/o Conrad Schwarz Ux Elisabeth. Sponsors Will'm Ball, Ux Maria."
  • 10. Christian Swart, b. 01 Jan 1797, bp. 8 Mar 1797, Beaver Dam Dutch Reformed Church,[7] s/o Coenraat Swart and Elizabeth Bassely. Sponsors Christian Sonts and Barbary Merrecle.

Death

Conrad Swart died in 1816 or 1817, Switzkill Valley, Berne, when bond was posted[8] on his land by his sons, Peter and Frederick Swart. No record of Conrad's burial has been found, nor any for his wives.

Caveats

Henry Cady, first librarian for the Old Stone Fort, Schoharie, collected information on local families. In his notes he has made numerous errors on Conrad's family. These have also been picked up in a couple other publications,[9][10] not to mention Ancestry.com, and Ancestry.com, World Family Trees.

Cady[11] writes, Conrad Swart was born 17 Sep 1742, s/o Adam Swart. The date is reasonable, even probable, but Cady provides no source, and Adam was not his father (proven by his will), though I have found no record of his birth.

Henry Jones[12] has also addressed the family of Conrad Schwart. In 2005, Glen Swartz mailed a number of updates and additions on this family to Mr. Jones, which are reflected here.

Additional Media

Marion Parmenter donated several documents detailing early ancestors of the Truax family.

William J. Truax Ancestors and distant relatives - including Teunis Swart, a Revolutionary War soldier

  • 1774, Lease, Conrad Swart of Beaverdam
  • 1787, Wm Cockburn's Map, Lot 518, Conrad Swart
  • Signauture of Conrad Schwart, 1774, 1789
  • 1774 Lease transcription<br.>by Glen Swartz

Sources

  1. ↑ Barker, William V.H. "Families (to 1825) of Herkimer, Montgomery, & Schoharie, N.Y." Sheldon, CT: W.V.H.Barker, 1999. 5813: pr. Conrad Schwart, b. say 1744
  2. ↑ Photocopy, 1997, original in the "Van Rensselaer Manor Papers," Manuscripts & Special Collections at the New York State Library, Albany, NY
  3. ↑ Correspondance, 10 Mar 1997, between Glen Swartz, Alexandria, VA, and James Corsaro, Associate Librarian, Manuscripts and Special Collections, New York State Library, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY. We do not have many leases for the period before Stephen Van Rensselaer became the patroon in 1784... "The majority of the manuscripts from before that time were burned in the Capitol Fire of 1911."
  4. ↑ Fernow, Berthold, and Edmond B. O'Callaghan, ed. New York State Archives: “Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York, Vol XV, New York in the Revolution. Albany, NY State Library University: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1887. vol.1, pp263-264, Levies and Militia
  5. ↑ Roscoe, William E., "History of Schoharie County, New York, 1713-1882", Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., 1882. p52
  6. ↑ Kelly, Arthur C.M., "Marriage Record of Two Early Schoharie, NY Churches; St. Paul's Lutheran Church 1743-1899 and Reformed Church 1732-1892." Rhinebeck, NY: Kinship, 1978.
  7. ↑ Vosburgh, Royden W., ed. "Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of the Beaver Dam in the Town of Berne, Albany County, New York." NY, NY: New York Gen & Bio Soc., 1918.
  8. ↑ "Rensselaerwyck Manor (NY), Records 1574-1870." NY State Library, Albany NY: MA/FM 974.74 V36 99-18511. Reel 5: West Manor Rent Ledger A, p416.
  9. ↑ McConville, Howard A. (Archivist for Schenectady Co, Library), "Swart Family", Year Book, Vol.39, pp8-21. Albany, NY: Dutch Settlers Society of Albany, 1964. -- He appears to be copying Cady verbatium, no sources
  10. ↑ Taylor, Charlotte Luckhurst, "Teunis Cornellisse Swart and his Descendants", 2 vols. Albany, NY: manuscript, circa 1916-1922. vol I, p56 -- from Cady.
  11. ↑ Cady, Henry (d. 1919), "Genealogical Records of Schoharie County Families", Schoharie, NY: typescript, 1922. (transcribed by Charlotte T. Luckhurst), vol.4, p6
  12. ↑ Jones, Henry Z. FASG, "Even More Palatine Families: 18th century immigrants to American." Rockport, ME: Picton Press, 2002. Vol.1, pp26, 644.
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