John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 1533

For the baptisms of the four children by his first wife, John Hoffman had only one sponsor for each, and this person was a relative.  This is not unusual in the Reformed faith.  For the twelve children by his second wife, John had three sponsors, generally.  This was probably because Maria Sabina Volck was of the Lutheran faith, where they favored multiple sponsors.  Both the Reformed and the Lutherans like to have relatives, blood or marriage, for sponsors.  Let's take a look at the sponsors for the twelve children by Maria Sabina (incidentally, all of the twelve lived).

1. For the son Nicholas:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
2. For the son Michael:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
3. For the son Jacob:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
4. For the son Baltz:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
5. For the son William:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
6. For the son George:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
7. For the son Frederick:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and "my wife's mother";
8. For the son Henry:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and Balthasar's wife;
9. For the son Tilman:  Nicholas Yager, Balthasar Blankenbaker, and Balthasar's wife;
10. For the daughter Elizabeth:  Nicholas Yager and Nicholas' wife, Susanna; and Anna Margaretha Blankenbaker (the wife of Balthasar);
11. For the daughter Anna Margaretha:  Balthasar Blankenbaker, and Balthasar' s wife; and the wife of Nicholas Yager;
12. For the daughter Maria:  Nicholas Yager, and Georgia (?) his wife; and the wife of Baltz Blankenbaker.

Only once was Nicholas Yager not chosen.  Only once was Balthasar Blankenbaker not chosen.  When Maria Sabina's mother died (we presume), she was replaced by Anna Margaretha Blankenbaker.  Susanna Yager was born a Clore, married a Weaver, married a Crigler, and then married Nicholas Yager.

Perhaps you would like to note that Balthasar Blankenbaker had land adjacent to George Utz, and George's wife, who was the mother of Maria Sabina.  Since the maiden name of Anna Margaretha Blankenbaker is unknown, many of us are led to the thought, almost to the conclusion , that she was closely related to Anna Barbara Majer Volck Utz.  Very possibly, they were sisters.  Probably, Maria Sabina, in naming a daughter Anna Margaretha, chose someone who was close to her.

But why Nicholas Yager?  His history never speaks of anyone who is related to Maria Sabina Volck Hoffman, but her first child is named after him.  I will feel very uncomfortable with Nicholas' history until I knew the answer to the question, "Why was Maria Sabina's first child named after him."
(28 Nov 02)