John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 68

The family of Michael Willheit is one of the most extensively researched of the Germanna families.  The genes seem to have imbued descendants with a desire to learn more about their ancestors.  The research to be reported here comes from several private individuals including Mary Mickey, Earl and Leona Willhoite, and Fred Westcott.  Their efforts have been amply rewarded as several lines of the German ancestry have been traced back for the better part of a couple of hundred years.

The immigrant Johann Michael Willheit was christened 25 Jan 1671 in Schwaigern, Württemburg.  His first marriage yielded no children who lived.  His second marriage was to Anna Maria Hengsteler who had been christened 9 Oct 1685 in Oberbaldingen, Baden.  Anna Maria was a widow with a daughter who survived and who came to America after her mother did.

These facts already tell us that Germanna Record 13 is in error in its Wilhoit history where the wife of Michael Willheit is given as Mary Margaret Blankenbaker.  Not only is there no such record to be found in the Germany records, there was no record found for the birth of Mary Margaret Blankenbaker in Germany.  How this error started is known; let it be said that it is proof of the danger of suppositions.

Letting Micheal Willheit be number 2 and letting Anna Maria Hengsteler be number 3, I continue with the conventional numbering style.

  1. Hans Michael Willheit was born ca. 1645 in Schwaigern and d. Sept 1711 in Schwaigern.  He married first on 27 Dec 1689:

  2. Anna Maria Riflin/Rüfflin, who was christened in 1647 in Schwaigern.  She d. 27 Dec 1689 in Schwaigern.

  3. Matthias Hengsteler was born 24 Feb 1654 and he married first on 7 Oct 1683 in Oberbaldingen:

  4. Maria Müller, born 27 Feb 1667 in Oberbaldingen.

  5. Johann Georg Willheit was christened 3 July 1616 (presumably in Schwaigern) and he married first on 12 July 1640:

  6. Barbara Lutz who was christened 4 Dec 1615 in Schwaigern.

  7. Martin Rüfflin, christened 8 Sept 1623, m. 4 July 1647 in Schwaigern:

  8. Barbara Bartenschlag b. ca. 1628 in Hafnerhaslach, Baden.

  9. Hans Hengsteler, b. ca. 1625, d. 20 May 1699, of Oberbaldingen married:

  10. Maria Küntzlin, christened 21 Feb 1619, d. 11 Dec 1675, of Oberbaldingen.

  11. Barthin Müller, b. ca. 1630, d. 28 Jan 1688, m. 18 Jun 1665:

  12. Sulome Metzger, b. ca 1635 in Altdorf, Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

The name Willheit is spelled in many ways but not as Willheit.  Popular ways include Wilhite, Wilhoit(e), sometimes with a doubled "l".  A similar spelling, Wilhide, originates with a cousin of Johann Michael Willhite who came to America also.

We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.