Research Notes:
We seek documentation of the relationships reported here, which are mostly copied from other secondary undocumented research sources.
We are researching Catherine Nicodemus, perhaps a grand daughter of Johann Nicodemus, brother of Johann Adam Nicodemus. Robert has DNA matches with descendants of several self-reported descendants of Johann Adam Nicodemus.
1753 Adam Nicodemus, age 30, arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Edinburgh on October 2. The ship was from Rotterdam with Captain John Lion [List 211A]. [1] He was also listed as Johann Adam Nicodemus [List 211B] [2] and when they took the "usual Qualification" at the State House in Philadelphia. [List 211C] [3]
1756 Adam Nicodemus was taxed in Lebanon Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [4]
1757 Adam Nicodemus was taxed in Lebanon Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [5]
1756 A description of the McClunn House near Vaucluse, Virginia reports [6]:
The Ridings - McClunn House No. 121
Location: On State Route 636 and 709 about 3 miles southeast of Vaucluse.Standing high on a bluff overlooking West Run, this interesting old brick mansion shows evidence of having been constructed in at least two stages. … The old house is built on land which was granted to Adam Nicodemus by Thomas Lord Fairfax on June 3, 1765. (F.D.B. 18 - Page 252).
On December 1, 1766 Adam Nicodemus gave a deed of trust on the tract to George Bowman, it being described as containing 446 acres and adjoining Lawrence Snapp, Andrew Hackers, Thomas Barrow, John Larrick, and George Larrick. Personal property was also conveyed including "a still and worm tube." (F.D.B. 11 - Page 306). The mention of personal property in this deed leads us to conclude that the first house on this land had been built by this date.
On February 22, 1779 Henry Nicodemus, son of Adam Nicodemus, who had acquired the interests of the other heirs of his father, conveyed to Thomas McClunn the 447 acres on West Run which we are considering. (F.D.B. 18 - Page 252). …
1763 Valentin Nicodemus [shown here as a son of Adam] arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Chance on November 1. The ship was from Rotterdam with Captain Charles Smith [List 239C]. [7] [8]
1771 Johann "Adam" Nicodemus died on 11 Nov 1771 (aged 66) and was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Middletown, Frederick County, Virginia. Johann "Adam" Nicodemus was born on October 31, 1705. The Findagrave memorial reported that Johann "Adam" Nicodemus was born at Mettenbuch, Landkreis Deggendorf, Bavaria (Bayern), Germany. The Findagrave memorial reported that Johann "Adam" Nicodemus died at Middletown, Frederick County, Virginia. [9]
Adam's parents were Johann Heinrich Nicodemus, 1677-1715 & Anna Margaretha Herr, 1680-1716. His first wife was Anna Gutha Conrad, 1704-1753, and his second wife was Anna Catharina Kuhle.
U.S. & Canada Passenger & Immigration List Index, 1500-1900 has Adam arriving in Lancaster Co., PA in 1753. He immigrated with two of his sons, Frederick, 1733-1805; & Conrad, 1737-1805. His sons remained in PA.
The Virginia Compiled Census & Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890 Rental Role of 1764 finds him in Frederick Co., VA. The Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. II also lists him.
1776 A notice in a German newspaper named Valentin Nicodemus of Medenbach, perhaps a son of this Johan Adam Nicodemus. Valentin and two other men were perhaps required to move to a community. [10]:
Gemeinds Sachen
Umt herborn. Den 6ten Junii wurde Valentin Nicodemus von Medenbach; undDen 7ten Johann Jacob Schäfer von Ballersbach zu Vorstehern dasiger Gemeinden in Pflichteil genommen.
Den 13ten Jun. ist Philipp Keller von Anndorf zum Gemeinds Borûeber in Blichten genommen worden.
A book mentioned Henrich Nicodemus, born in Medenback Dillenburg. [11]:
Erbprinz bittet um Gratifikation XXII, S. 21 Nickel, Jost Henrich geb. in Nanzenbach/Dillenburg Soldat im 1. Regt. Oranien-Nassau bittet um Gratifikation Nicodemus, Henrich geb. in Medenbach/Dillenburg Soldat im 2. Regt. Oranien-Nassau …
A Nicodemus genealogy by Wilbur S. Johnston has the following note [12]:
Adam Nicodemus was born 31 October 1705 in Medenbach. Germany. His parents were Henry Nicodemus (1677-1715) and Anna Margaretha Herr. He married Anna Gutha Conrad (1704-1753) 25 October 1727. They had five sons. They emigrated in 1753 and settled first in Pennsylvania and later in Frederick County, Virginia. Adam died in 1771. Descendants and relatives lived mainly in Virginia and Maryland.
[1] Ralph B. Strassburger, William J. Hinke, ed., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1 (1934, Pennsylvania German Society), 577, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[2] Ralph B. Strassburger, William J. Hinke, ed., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1 (1934, Pennsylvania German Society), 578, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[3] Ralph B. Strassburger, William J. Hinke, ed., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1 (1934, Pennsylvania German Society), 580, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[4] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[5] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[6] Garland R. Quarles, Some Old Homes in Frederick County, Virginia (1971), 244, [URL].
[7] Ralph B. Strassburger, William J. Hinke, ed., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1 (1934, Pennsylvania German Society), 686, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[8] I. Daniel Rupp, A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776, 2nd ed. (1875), 354, right column, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[9] Find A Grave Memorial 191239896, No source, no photo, undocumented, [FindAGrave].
[10] Dillenburgische Intelligenz-Nachrichten des jahres, XXVI 25 Junii / 1774, [URL].
[11] Marie Luise Baum, Das Haus Oranien und seine nassauischen Soldaten (1943), 58, [URL].
[12] Wilbur S. Johnston, The Nicodemuses from Medenback to Winchester, [URL].