Hartman was b 27 Jan 1690 in the small village of Katzbach, loctaed in the Emmen River Valley, in the Langnau District, Canton of Bern Switzerland, a strong hold of the Mennonites at that time. He was married to Anna Stirtz? (still not proven) in abt 1712. Both seem to have been from Mennonite families. It is documented in 1728 on a list of those Mennonites in the Island Castle dungeon at Bern, were Jacob, Rudolph and Hartman HONACRE. Hartman gave his home as Katzbach. It is reported that the Swiss government, which was the Rominish Church, confiscated all Mennonite land and jailed and deported all suspected Mennonites.

We believe this to be our Hartman, as his only son Hannes "John" was born 22 May 1728 in what is now Weisbaden, Germany after the date of his release and deportation.

The only other record of Hartman that we have found in Europe to date, is documented in the Amsterdam Archives (No.2274) on a list dated 23 June 1731. His name appears on a Palatine list of prospective Pennsylvania emigrants who require help from the Mennonite Relief Committee.

Of course as most of us know the next record is his listing on the original ships lists in the Pennsylvania Archives of the arrival of the ship "Pennsylvania Merchant" on 10 Sept 1731 commanded by John Stedman, from Rotterdam, but last from Dover.

There have been European researchers hired over the years, but nothing has really been found other than the Family Crest and possible origin of the HUNSAKER name.

by William Scott Hunsaker ( whunsaker @ aol.com )

Here are some additional tidbits from Robert H. Hunsaker's book, "History of the Hunsaker Family", published by the Southern Illinois Genealogy Society. The book is in the Logan Community College Library in Carterville, Illinois. (Contributed by Alan Davis.)

In 1728 the Bern, Switzerland authorities increased their campaign to exterminate all Mennonites. Since Hartman's daughters were not baptized in the state church, Hartman was imprisoned in Bern. The Dutch Ambassador, Runckel, interceded for 50 imprisoned Anabaptists on the condition that they bind themselves to settle in America. Hartman and his family sailed down the Rhine to Mainz, where son Hannes was born. Catherine was born in Wiesbaden in 1731. Here in the Palatinate the Mennonites were barely tolerated because they refused to adhere to the Catholic, Lutheran, or Reformed churches. When William Penn offered refuge in Pennyslvania, the Mennonites went there.

The original ship list of the sailing ship Pennsylvania Merchant, Capt. John Stedman, Commander, that arrived 10 Sept 1731 with Palatine (Mennonites) at the port of Philadelphia, lists Harman Husake. All male passengers over age 16 were taken to the Philadelphia Courthouse, where Capt. Stedman presented to Lt. Governor S. Griffits a list of names of 57 male Palatines and family members totaling 175 persons imported from Rotterdam, but last with clearance from the port of Dover, England. When Hartman swore his allegiance to King George II and declared his allegiance and fideltity to the Proprietary of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English clerk wrote the name down as Hunseker.

Harman and his family probably traveled on foot from Philadelphia carrying their meager belongings up the Skippack Pike to Frederick Township, Montgomery County, about 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia, where the Mennonites had a house raising for Hartman's new log cabin. With his neighbors' help Hartman had cleared and readied for the spring 1732 crops.

The records of the late Robert Hunsaker of Joplin, Mo. were donated to the S. Ill. Gen. Soc. c/o John A. Logan College Rt. 2, Box 145 Carterville, Ill. 62918-9599

To follow the above notice... I have all of Robert Hunsakers research mentioned above on 7 rolls of microfilm. Would be happy to help anyone as my time allows. William Scott Hunsaker