When Germanna ancestor Anthony Henckel left for Pennsylvania in 1717, he served in two parishes, Mönchzell and Neckargemünd. Both were close to the area from where many Second Colony people came. Neckargemünd lay along the Neckar River, about six miles upstream from Heidelberg. The Lutherans there had a real problem in that they were poor and had no church or parish house. Their first service since 1635 was held in 1698. They were entitled to use the Reformed Church under the simultaneous usage law, which allowed the building to be used the Reformed people at 7 a.m., by the Catholics at 9 a.m., and by the Lutherans at Noon. Generally, the Lutherans could not afford a pastor, so they shared pastors with adjoining towns. In 1705, Neckargemünd had 113 members of the 473 in the local association. In that year, the shared use of the Church building ended and the Lutherans had to meet in taverns or in homes.
In 1714 the Lutherans in Neckargemünd secured the services of Henckel, who was also serving the Church in Mönchzell. Henckel had his own small farm, which he and his wife had purchased a score of years earlier and maintained.
The Neckargemünd Lutherans undertook to build their own Church just before Henckel arrived. They purchased some land and made contracts with masons and carpenters. They purchased stones, lime, sand, iron, wood, and straw. They paid carpenters, slaters, masons, smiths, cabinetmakers, a locksmith, and tinsmiths. There was even beer for the workers. These records were found in the attic of the Parish House in 1961.
The family of Henckel, in 1717, consisted of himself and his wife, and eight children from 20 years down to 1 year. Neckargemünd had had a Lutheran school for sixteen years; however, they had no schoolhouse, nor parsonage, so school was held in private homes. This was the situation for several decades until a house and barn was acquired. The barn became the schoolhouse.
Conflict with the Catholics continued. When the Lutherans were building their Church, the Catholic priest demanded that the window of the Lutheran Church be walled up because he could not stand the noise of the Lutherans. The Lutherans refused and the priest got an order from the Superior Chancery requiring the window to be closed. Another complaint, from an unknown source, was made against a sermon that Henckel had preached. The complainer had taken written notes, and Henckel had to deliver up his sermon. He was absolved, but the sermon was not returned. The Lutheran Consistory complained to the government about the treatment that Lutherans were receiving in the Palatinate.
We have seen many reasons that the Henckel family might have had for
emigrating. What was the major reason?
(05 Mar 03)
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.