The Hangman's Ropemaker: Return to York (Part Two)

"This suggests a coincidence concerning the Bupp family. The nine remaining descendants are divided into three groups of one brother and two sisters each. They are Capt. Waltman and his two sisters; Jacob Shive and his two sisters, and Jacob Bupp, of Pittsburg, to whom are also apportioned two sisters." 

~"An Odd Division of Relatives," The Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 18 August 1896, page 1

*This blog post is one in a series of blogs on my famous ancestor, Jacob Bupp, the Hangman's Ropemaker- click the page tab above labeled "The Hangman's Ropemaker" for more information and the blog series*

*Note here* Typically while writing genealogy blog posts I write in the third person narrative and tell the story that way.  However, this blog post, while part of the Hangman's Ropemaker Series, is almost a "Chasing the Elusive" (another set of posts that I occasionally write, though I only have one published at the moment) that writing it in the first person narrative was a bit easier.  I write in first person because there is a great deal of conjecture in those posts.  My apologies if you are a reader of the series and aren't used to this style. *end note*

In my last blog post, I shared that Jacob Bupp visited his sister in York, Pennsylvania.  While he was there, the newspaper blurb quoted above ran in the local paper.

This blurb piqued my curiosity.  After all, I knew that Jacob had visited his sister Sarah, known as Mrs. Joseph Heard in 1896, but I also knew doing research that his sisters Elizabeth, Rebecca and Eleanora had passed away before 1896.  Elizabeth Bupp Younker was deceased before 1870 (though I don't yet have a death date for her).  Rebecca Bupp Ruhl died in February 1870 from consumption (though I do not have an exact day of death for her).  Eleanora/Ellen Bupp never married, but died at her sister Sarah's home on 30 October 1895, just ten months before Jacob visited.  Her cause of death is yet unknown, as I have not yet attempted to retrieve her death record from the city of York, since it wasn't recorded by the county of York like some of the later deaths were. 

This left just one sister that was not yet found, and one on whom I had a trail run cold.... Helena Bupp, who was born 23 November 1828 and christened on 8 December 1828 in Christ Lutheran Church.  Knowing that all of Jacob's other sisters aside from Sarah had passed, I knew Helena had to be alive... and she was in 1896, which I found out by actually searching for Sarah's address in one of my newspaper subscriptions.  She had married William Watt sometime before 1850 and was living near Sarah in York under the name Lena Watt.   In 1896, she lived at 16 West Princess Avenue with her husband and son, Joseph Henry Watt.  William Watt was a broom maker in his later years, much like his brother-in-law Joseph Heard.

(Why do I research siblings of my ancestors?  So I don't make a direct-line mistake.... I find many more resources that lead me back to my ancestors when I research their siblings and aunt, uncles, etc. Plus knowing how others connect to me is helpful when some distant relative emails me to say he or she has a photograph or relic of our mutual ancestor.)

So now I knew of Jacob Bupp and his two sisters, but I didn't know who the other men mentioned in the article were.  So, I did some research. I started with Captain Waltman.

Captain Henry B. Waltman was born in Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on 25 November 1838 to Henry Waltman and Helena Bupp.  Helena, his mother, was born in 1801 and died 30 March 1875 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, probably at the home of her daughter, Sarah Waltman Kaufmann.  Her age and the fact that she seemed to originate from Mount Joy makes it likely that she is a sister of John Bupp, Jacob's father.  However, I don't have definite proof the two are related aside from the same last name, just some conjectures that can be made.  Captain Waltman's father, Henry, died in a horrible accident in February 1847 when he was crushed between two rail cars in Mount Joy.  The accident left Helena to raise her five known children alone.  Henry B. Waltman had three sisters, but sister Susanna likely died before 1896.  Sister Elizabeth married Joseph S. Kuhns and the aforementioned Sarah married Jacob Kaufmann.  His brother, Captain Jacob K. Waltman, died in 1880.  Both Captains got their titles by being captains of companies in Pennsylvania Volunteer regiments during the Civil War.

Unfortunately I had too many options for Jacob Shive in the York and Lancaster areas to do any comprehensive research on him to find out his connection to Jacob.  I didn't know which one to chase, and didn't have time to chase them all.  When I have time at a later date, I may pursue this further.  I welcome anyone else's help on the research too, if someone else has more time.  I did find a Lewis Shive, son of Sallie Bupp, in the book A Biographical History of York County, Pennsylvania, so I am wondering if there is a connection that way.... but can't seem to find anything more substantial yet.

This research didn't lead me to a conclusive ancestor for all of the Bupps, but it did get me one step closer to figuring out conclusive parentage of my hangman's ropemaker's father.

Jacob appeared to return home to Allegheny City after his visit to York in August 1896.  The 1896, 1897 and 1898 Pittsburgh area directories all have him living at 325 Shady Avenue in the Eleventh Ward of Allegheny City.  He only remained at this residence for two more years before moving to the Soldier's Home in Dayton, Ohio for his final months.  But that's a story for the next post.

Sources Used and Referenced
Ancestry.com, "1840 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 November 2019), Entry for Henry Felaughman "Waughman" household, Year: 1840, Census Place: Mount Joy, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Roll: 465, Page: 149, and Family History Library Film: 0020547; citing Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"An Odd Division of Relatives," The Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 18 August 1896, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 18 July 2019).

"Died," death notice for Helena Waltman, The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 31 March 1875, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 November 2019).

"Died," death notice for Ellen Bupp, The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 2 November 1895, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

Find A Grave, database with images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 June 2019), memorial page for Ellen Bupp, Find A Grave Memorial # 97700318, citing Prospect Hill Cemetery (York, Pennsylvania), memorial created by Corey & Douglas Marshall-Steele, photograph by Pamela Pomeroy.

"Funeral of Jennie E. Younker," The Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 26 January 1908, page 5; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 31 July 2019).

Gibson, John. editor, A Biographical History of York County, Pennsylvania (Chicago; reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1975), 52-53; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books?id=tz54aBcpZUQC : accessed 23 July 2019).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1896/1897 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1896), 207; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 17 August 2016).

J.F. Diffenbacher's directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny cities, 1897/1898 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Diffenbacher and Thurston, 1897), 208; digital image, Unversity of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 17 August 2016).

"Personals," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 22 August 1896, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

Pittsburgh and Allegheny directory, 1898 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: R.L. Polk & Co. and R.L. Dudley, 1898), 221; digital image, University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, Historic Pittsburgh (www.historicpittsburgh.org : accessed 17 August 2016).

"Shocking and fatal Accident," The Lancaster Examiner (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), 17 February 1847, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 23 July 2019).

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1894; page 200; "Watt Wm, broom mnfr, 16 w Princess"; citing a collection of directories for U.S. cities and counties in various years.

"U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for Rebecca Ruhl; National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Non-Population Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, 1850-1880: Mortality; Archive Collection: M1838; Archive Roll Number: 7; Census Year: 1870; Census Place: York Ward 4, York, Pennsylvania; Page: 1.

The Hangman's Ropemaker: Return Trip to York (Part One)

"Mr. Bupp left York 34 years ago and sees many improvements since he has been here." 

~"Personals," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 22 August 1896, page 1

*This blog post is one in a series of blogs on my famous ancestor, Jacob Bupp, the Hangman's Ropemaker- click the page tab above labeled "The Hangman's Ropemaker" for more information and the blog series*

I apologize for the tardiness of this blog.  You see, not only am I a family historian, I also am the de facto historian for my church and have been working on a history project for the 150th anniversary celebration that took place this past weekend, which took up all of my research time.  I am continuing to also work on that project, researching and writing the church history and the people who made up our early church.  That project can be found at Norwalk Disciples Musings.

Anyways, on with Jacob Bupp, who I am happy to be researching again.

Jacob lived for part of the time with his daughter Emma Bupp McClurg in Homewood, as evidenced in my last blog post about him. 

Also teased in my last blog post was a small blurb about Jacob Bupp "of Pittsburg" traveling to York, Pennsylvania for a visit in the Summer of 1896 to visit his sister, Mrs. Sarah Bupp Heard, wife of Joseph Heard.

As stated in my very first blog post about Jacob, he was the eldest son and third eldest child of John Bopp and Susan Bentz.  Sarah was one of his younger sisters.  Unfortunately, at the time I did the research on Jacob for my first blog, I had this giant brick wall that blocked the lives of the rest of his siblings.... until recently, when I found a small news item in a York paper about a trip to York, and a mention of Jacob's sister, Mrs. Joseph Heard.

Unlike Jacob, Sarah seems to have stayed in the city of York her entire life.  She married Joseph Heard, a man six years her senior on 29 December 1848.  The couple lived in the South Ward of York in the 1850 census enumeration, where Ancestry.com has them enumerated as Joseph and Sarah Heisel (I have submitted a correction).  Joseph by 1870 had bought land in York, which is presumed to be the property the couple lived at on South Water Street, as their address in later years was 302 South Water.

The couple had no children, but they appeared to have raised Sarah's niece, Sarah Younker, after the death of Sarah and Jacob's sister Elizabeth Bupp Younker.  Joseph worked a number of jobs as a laborer.  For a time he made paper, and also made brooms but also had a stint as a watchman and a carter.  The couple resided at their home on South Water Street until Joseph's death in 1904.  Sarah continued to live in the home until 1909 and died in the home of her niece, Emma Ruhl, on the 26th of November 1909.

I am still working on research on the rest of the siblings of Jacob Bupp and chasing down their lines as far as I can research, but here is what I do know about the visit in Summer of 1896

As posted in the "Personals" section of the 22 August 1896 edition of The York Daily,

"Mr. Jacob Bupp, Mr. George Wasson, Carrie and May Wasson, of Pittsburg, are visiting Mr. Bupp's sister, Mrs. Joseph Heard, of South Water Street."

George Wishert Wasson was Jacob's son-in-law, the husband of Jacob's daughter Mary Ann, and Carrie and May were George and Mary Ann's daughters.  Carrie was Caroline Wasson, who was 13 at the time of the visit and most likely named for her maternal grandmother.  May was Mary Ann Wasson, who was 11 then.  While the newspaper gave their address as Pittsburgh, the Wassons lived in the 11th ward of Allegheny City at the time, near to Jacob and Caroline Bupp's home on Shady Lane.  Allegheny City would not become Pittsburgh until ten years after the visit.  

Another small inaccuracy in the newspaper article was the amount of time Jacob had been gone from York.  It stated he had only been removed from the city for 34 years, when in actuality it was closer to fifty years since he lived in York, as Jacob was documented as having moved to Allegheny City by 1849.

At any point, this small blurb as found in the newspaper became the hammer that was needed to break down the brick wall that surrounded the mystery of the rest of the John and Susan Bopp/Bupp family, especially since the next little item listed the party would be visiting Baltimore with Mrs. W.H. Ruhl, Master Adam and Emmie, Mrs. Robert Barrett, and Minnie Lyner, all of who were descendants of Jacob's sisters (still working out how all are connected, and will post that in part two!).   What I do know is that Baltimore is where Jacob's brother-in-law Jacob Younker relocated to, and some of the family migrated there as well.

Anyway, stay tuned for part two!

Sources Used and Referenced:
"1870 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 June 2019), Entry for Joseph Heird and family, Year: 1870, Census Place: York Ward 4 York, Pennsylvania, Roll: M593_1470, Page: 604A, and Family History Library Film: 552969; citing 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

"1900 United States Federal Census," database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for John Heard and household, Year: 1900, Census Place: York Ward 8 York, Pennsylvania, Page: 9, Enumeration District: 0195, and FHL microfilm: 1241503; citing United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

Ancestry.com, "1850 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Entry for Joseph Heard and household (indexed as Heisel), Year: 1850, Census Place: York South Ward York, Pennsylvania, Roll: M432_839, Page: 66B, and Image: 706; citing Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C..

Ancestry.com, "1860 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for Joseph Heard and family, Year: 1860, Census Place: York Division 1 York, Pennsylvania, Roll: M653_1199, Page: 1062, and Family History Library Film: 805199; citing 1860 U.S. census, population schedule. NARA microfilm publication M653, 1,438 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "1880 United States Federal Census," database online with images, Ancestry.com Operation, Inc., Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Entry for Joseph Heard and household, Year: 1880, Census Place: York York, Pennsylvania, Roll: 1207, Page: 375A, and Enumeration District: 028; citing Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

"Joseph L. Heard," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 6 May 1904, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

"Married," The York Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 14 November 1848, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 3 August 2019).

"Mrs. Sarah Heard," The Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 29 November 1909, page 5; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

"Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963," database with images, Ancestry.com, Entry for Sarah Bupp Heard, died 26 November 1909, cn 106938.

"Personals," The York Daily (York, Pennsylvania), 22 August 1896, page 1; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 25 June 2019).

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title:York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1877; page 50; "Heard Jos, lab, s Water nr Commons."

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1881; page 122; "Heard Joseph, watchman, h 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1894; page 96; "Heard Jos, 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1898; page 193; "Heard Joseph, lab, h 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title:York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1899; page 203; "Heard Joseph L., res 302 S Water." 

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1902; page 229; "Heard Joseph, broommkr, res 302 S Water".

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 October 2019), Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1904; page 257; "Heard Joseph, broommkr, res 302 S Water." 

"U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database online with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 June 2019), Publication Title: York, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1905; page 302; "Heard Sarah A (wid Joseph) h 302 S Water."

The Hangman’s Rope-Maker: The Story of Jacob Bupp (Part One: His Beginnings)

“A hangman's rope is made of four parts, one of which is used as the heart and the other three are twisted around it.  When it is finished it is perfectly round and smooth and is about 9-16 of an inch in thickness. These ropes are usually made from 25 to 30 feet in length. It requires 21 feet to perform the execution properly, and the surplus is always in case of accident resulting in a break. The knot is tied by the man who makes the rope, so that the executioner has nothing to do but slip the loop over the culprit’s head.”

~ Jacob Bupp, in an interview, "Making Nine Ropes," Pittsburgh Dispatch (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 31 March 1890, page 2; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 16 August 2016). This interview was syndicated and ran in multiple newspapers, sometimes with slight variations, around the country in 1890.

All men are mortals, but some become legends, even if it is only to their descendants. There are many characters in my family tree, but few have ever fascinated me as my great-great-great grandfather Jacob Bupp has.  You see, Jacob Bupp was a maker of ropes, and he was quite proud that he specialized in making ropes for hangmen.

The very idea that he was the creator of so many instruments of death has always made me wonder what kind of man what he, what kind of grit and determination did he have to be able to look so many men in the face, knowing he was the maker of their demise?

*This blog post is one in a series of blogs on my famous ancestor, Jacob Bupp, the Hangman's Ropemaker- click the page tab above labeled "The Hangman's Ropemaker" for more information and the blog series*

Beginnings

Every legend starts with a beginning, and Jacob Bupp’s beginning is no different.  He was born in York, Pennsylvania on or about 23 December 1823 and was christened 18 March 1824 at Christ Lutheran Church in York, Pennsylvania.  Because spelling of his surname often varied, he was referred to as Jacob Bopp on a number of differing documents, and on one document as Jacob Bobb.  

Jacob’s father, John Bopp, was a brickmaker by trade.  According to a deed from York County, John was from Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Because of his last name, and the fact that he spoke German, it is distinctly possible that the Bopp family was Pennsylvania German in origin, and likely Mennonite by religious affiliation.  This theory is supported by the fact that John Bopp had a few advertisements in a German language newspaper and late nineteenth century newspaper accounts of Jacob Bupp being a German.

However, since the borough of Mount Joy was founded by protestant Scots-Irish settlers before the American Revolution, there is a possibility of that heritage as well, though it may be diluted.  Research has not determined John Bopp’s parentage although there are a few possibilities to explore, as there are a few Bopp/Bobb families in the area surrounding Mount Joy around the time of his estimated birth.

Susan Pentz or Bentz, Jacob’s mother, was the daughter of Elizabeth King, though her father’s name is not known, nor is the spelling of her surname absolutely certain.  Little is known about her early life, although what is known is that she had a brother, Daniel, and a sister, Elizabeth, who later married John Crone.

Elizabeth King, Jacob’s maternal grandmother, was a sister of Dr. Adam King, a well known medical doctor and Congressman from the borough of York.  She was born 10 August 1773 and baptized 7 September 1773 at Trinity Reformed Church in York, Pennsylvania.  She was one of several children born to Phillip Jacob King and his wife Catharina. While not much is known about Elizabeth’s life, there is a great deal known about Adam King.

Family Legacy: Dr. Adam King

Dr. Adam King was the maternal grand-uncle of Jacob Bupp, and was the son of Philip Jacob King (Koenig in German) and Catharina.  He was born as Johann Adam King on 20 January 1783 and baptized 10 September 1783 at Trinity Reformed Church in York, Pennsylvania, the same church as his elder sister.  

Johann Adam King was known as Adam, as he followed the German tradition of a Rufname (everyday name) as a middle name. He grew up in York, but studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, presumably right before the War of 1812.  He took up practicing medicine in and around the borough of York.

There is a  high probability that he served briefly during the War of 1812 as a corporal in Captain Michael Spangler’s regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia, as a militiaman by that name was indeed listed on the roster for that company from York County, Pennsylvania, but it is not certain if it is indeed the same Adam King, though a veteran’s burial card for him exists on Ancestry.com.

In 1818, Adam King became one of the editors of The York Gazette, a German and English newspaper in York, Pennsylvania.  For a time, he worked with a man by the name of Walsh, but in April 1829, an announcement ran in another newspaper that that editorial partnership was dissolved and Adam King went into business with George A. Barnitz.  According to several sources, he remained the editor of the paper until his death in 1835.

Because he was probably well known, and thus likely well liked in the area, he ran for United States Congress representing the district of York, Pennsylvania in October 1826 as a Jacksonian Democrat. An untitled article in The National Gazette states that he was a friend of General Andrew Jackson, although it is not known if that meant they were actual friends, or if it was meant to indicate that the two men were in the same political party.  Adam King was re-elected to his seat in 1828, and then again in October 1830 by a total of 2947 votes, defeating William McIlvain, who had 2080 votes.  In early 1832, he voted against rechartering the Bank of the United States in 1832, which cost him re-election that year, as the National Bank’s charter was a popular issue.  Charles A. Barnitz succeeded him as Congressman from York County.

Adam King returned to his home in York, Pennsylvania and resumed the practice of medicine for the remainder of his life. For reasons unknown, however, he committed suicide by hanging on 6 May 1835.  One of his obituaries read:

“'The motive of this melancholy act remains a mystery. He was rich, respected, and had before him a career of usefulness and honor. It is not alleged that he was suffering under temporary derangement, and no cause is assigned which can explain this act of fatal desperation.”

~ Source: "Suicide," The Liberator (Boston, Massachusetts), 23 May 1835, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 9 December 2017).

Because he had no heirs, his property was divided amongst his siblings and their heirs, including Elizabeth King’s surviving children, Elizabeth, Daniel and Susan Bentz.  He was buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery in York, Pennsylvania

Early Life of Jacob Bupp

John Bopp and Susan Pentz or Bentz married at Christ Lutheran Church in York on 18 January 1821.  Six children were born to the couple, according to transcribed records readily available at FamilySearch; Elizabeth, Rebecca, Jacob, William, Helena, Sarah and Elnora.  Whether or not other children were born to the family as well remains to be seen.  Jacob was born the eldest known son and the third oldest known child.

One thing known for certain is that John Bopp briefly owned a tract of land in the borough of York.  He bought the land from Eli Lewis in 1829 for $1000, or roughly $23000 in the market of 2016. At this tract of land, the family was enumerated in the 1830 census, with young Jacob being one of two free white males ages five to nine.  Jacob’s younger brother William was presumably the other one listed.

However, the land did not stay in the possession of the family for long.  John Bopp incurred an amount of debts to a number of persons, and in November of 1832 all of his properties, except those allowed to insolvent debtors, had been deeded over to Jacob Hantz (or Haus) for the price of $1 as per a judgement entered into the Court of the Common Pleas entered 1 November 1832.  Because a number of people owed John Bopp money, presumably from his brickmaking business, an advertisement was taken out in the local paper, York Gazette, which translated from German read:

The books of John Bopp, brick maker, have been given into the hands of the final officer, by Assignee Major Jacob Hantz, for collection. All those who are guilty in said books are requested to pay before the first of January, thereby saving expenses.

~ Source: “Anzeige”  announcement, York Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 29 November 1833, page 3; online archive, Newspapers.com, (www.newspapers.com: accessed 2 November 2017). German to English translation done by Ron Hochstetler.

The money that Susan Bentz Bopp inherited from her uncle Adam King’s estate was also transferred to Jacob Hantz to help pay for the debt of the family, as indicated by a deed from York County.  This injustice was due to the way Pennsylvania law was before 1848, in that it allowed that a wife’s property could be taken to settle her husband’s debts. This event had to have been devastating to the family, and to ten year old Jacob in particular, this was likely a very strong memory and turning point in his young life.

There is little information to suggest what happened to Jacob Bupp or his family after the bankruptcy of his father.  The family has not yet been located on the 1840 census, though there are some listings for Bupps in the area.

Susan is listed in the registers of Trinity United Church of Christ in York, Pennsylvania as having attended church there from Easter 1845 until 1847.  She died in May of 1850 in the South Ward of York, Pennsylvania, and on the mortality schedule for the 1850 census, on which she is listed, she is listed as being a widow, so the presumption is John Bopp died sometime before May 1850.  No death records have been located for him, however, as death certificates were not often used before the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania made them mandatory in 1906.

The next installment will discuss Jacob's life in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Sources and References:

"1830 United States Federal Census," database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 22 October 2017), entry for John Bopp and household, 1830, Census Place: York York, Pennsylvania, Series: M19, Roll: 160, Page: 369, and Family History Library Film: 0020634.

"Editorial Changes," Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), 15 April 1829, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 December 2017).

Frey, J., "Johann Adam King," Strine & Yessler Families of York County, PA, (http://jsfecmd.info/strineweb-p/p489.htm : accessed November 13, 2017)

“History” Mount Joy Borough, 2015, (http://mountjoyborough.com/about/history/ : accessed 7 November 2017)

O'Brian, Charles. "The Growth in Pennsylvania of the Property Rights of Married Women." University of Pennsylvania Law Review 49 (3). Online archive. University of Pennsylvania Law School Legal Scholarship Repository. https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/penn_law_review

“Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 Dec 2017). Entry for Elizabeth Koenig, baptized 7 September 1773, Transcribed records of Trinity Reformed Church, York, York, Pennsylvania, transcription done by Henry James Young 1935.

“Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 Dec 2017). Entry for Johann Adam Koenig, baptized 10 September 1783, Transcribed records of Trinity Reformed Church, York, York, Pennsylvania, transcription done by Henry James Young 1935

"Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-1999," database online with images, Ancestry.com, Entry for Susan Bopp in the church attendance records of Trinity United Church of Christ, 1845-1847, York, Pennsylvania; reel 700 of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's records. image 224 of 502.

"Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2J9-LXH : accessed 9 December 2014), entry for Jacob Bobb, 18 Mar 1824; Christening, citing Christ Lutheran Church, York, York, Pennsylvania; FHL microfilm Q974.841 Y1 V2Y V5-6.

"Pennsylvania Marriages, 1709-1940," database online, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 13 August 2016), Entry for John Bopp and Susan Benns Or Bentz, 1821; citing Christ Lutheran Church,York,York,Pennsylvania; FHL microfilm 1,320,516.

"Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," database online with images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 4 November 2017), York > Orphans' Court dockets 1849-1852 vol X > pages 593-594 (images 342 and 343), entry for Adam King; citing county courthouses in Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012” database online, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 December 2017), Entry for Adam King, died 7 May 1835; citing Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990; Series Number: Series 1.

"To the Editors," letter to the editor, Newbern Spectator (New Bern, North Carolina), 19 October 1832, page 3; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 December 2017).

"Untitled article, The National Gazette (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 16 October 1826, page 2, online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 10 December 2017).

"U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885," database, Ancestry.com, entry for Susan Bupp; National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Non-Population Census Schedules for Pennsylvania, 1850-1880: Mortality; Archive Collection: M1838; Archive Roll Number: 2; Census Year: 1850; Census Place: York South Ward, York, Pennsylvania; Page: 947.

"Wahl Bericht von York County," election report, York Gazette (York, Pennsylvania), 22 October 1830, page 4; online images, Newspapers.com (www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 December 2017).

“War of 1812 Service Record Index,” database online, Fold3 (www.fold3.com : accessed 06 Dec 2017), Entry for Corporal Adam King, 1st Pennsylvania Militia; citing “Indexes to the Carded Records of Soldiers Who Served in Volunteer Organizations During the War of 1812, compiled 1899 - 1927, documenting the period 1812 - 1815. Microfilm publication number M602. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.

Who Was Who in America: Historical Volume 1607-1896 (Chicago, Illinois: Marquis - Who's Who, Incorporated, 1963). 294, Entry for Adam King

York County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 3K: 279-280, Eli Lewis and Rebekah his wife to John Bopp, 6 March 1829; FHL microfilm 22122.

York County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 3M; Page 90, John Bopp to Jacob Hantz, 30 November 1832; FHL microfilm 22123.

York County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book 3N: page 413, John Bupp and Susan his wife to Jacob Hantz, 13 May 1835; FHL microfilm 22123.