Confer Biography
Jacob Cunfer

 

Archive Menu

Bibles

Biographies

Cemeteries

Census

Church

Court

Land & Deeds

Military

Miscellaneous

Newspaper

Obituaries

Taxes

Vital Records

Wills

Jacob is of interest to me because he may have been the father of my George. This is pure supposition based on a lot of theorizing. Because of the time frame and ages, I’m wondering if Jacob could have been another son of Henry. Suppose Michael Confer was the oldest son of Henry and Jacob the youngest? Suppose they were even of different mothers? Jacob’s wife Catherine Hoppes was born in 1748. Jacob could have been younger, the same age or much older, or the standard 2 -3 years older. Henry came over in 1748 aged 50. Suppose Jacob was born about 1744? He would have been about 4 years old, born when his father was 46 and maybe his mother 40. He wouldn’t be listed on the ship’s list because of his age. Henry & Catherine may have had several children with them when they came over.

On the 1790 census, Jacob is listed with 2 sons under 10 and 4 females in the family (1 presumably being Catherine, his wife). Our George was born 1789, suppose he was one of the sons, & maybe even the mysterious Simon who briefly shows up (1814) may have been his brother, as they were contemporaries. If there were no other males we would lose track of the sisters of George because we don’t know who they married. Jacob died in 1798 - maybe around the age of 46 or so; did his widow Catherine re-marry? To whom? No one by the name of Confer shows up as a sponsor to George’s children, but then too, neither does a Shellhammer (his wife’s name) show up either—even though it does appear her brothers Abe, Daniel & a sister Salome do appear ever so briefly in the Ben Salem Church records.

George may also have been the last son of Jacob & Catharina Cunfer. George appears in Heidelberg twp. with his wife and then in Ben Salem. He doesn’t appear to have much, but then if Jacob was his father all Jacob’s stuff had to be sold to pay his debts, so he wouldn’t have left anything to his family, which also is why Catharina Hoppes Cunfer may have had to marry again and perhaps even move away from the area.

Jacob & Catharina Hoppes Cunfer are said to have moved to Brunswick Twp after they married. Could it be they moved there because Jacob’s uncles and cousins lived there? There were a lot of Cunfers there in the late 1700s. I have yet no record of their purchasing land there. Someone sent me a record from the Lehigh County Archives: from Lehigh Church, Lower Macungie Twp., Lehigh County. Births/Bapt./Confirmations/Deaths 1750-1790. Jacob Confer & wf. Catherine Susanna Confer had a child 18 Aug. 1782; bapt. 29 Sept. 1782 with Eberhard Ohl and wf. as sponsors. Michael Ohl was one of the people Jacob owed money to at his death, and Eberhard appears in the Ben Salem records as a communicant. Catherine’s middle name was Barbara, not Susanna, but the name could have been written incorrectly in the church book. But what were Jacob & Catherine doing so far south, if they are the same as our couple? Then they evidently wind up in Penn Twp in the area of Ben Salem Church. There is no record at Ben Salem for them. However, Catherine’s sister, Eva Elizabeth and her husband John Lachleitner appear in the records, and John Lachleitner is someone else Jacob owed money to at his death. Several other people on the list of those Jacob owed money to also appear as communicants at Ben Salem. These would be: Tobias Schlosser & Geo. Simon Wehr.

Among the executors of Jacob Cunfer’s estate were Abraham Shellhammer (brother or uncle of our George Cunfer’s wife) and George Lentz of Heidelberg Twp. (and a David Lentz married one of George Cunfer’s daughters). A Conrad Wehr was also the sponsor for the first child of our George & Elizabeth in Heidelberg Twp., Lehigh Cty. Was he the son or brother of Simon? So, the point is there were lots of similar names showing up in connection with Jacob and George. But was it a father and son relationship? I don’t know. There were definitely other Confers in Brunswick Twp. -Michael, Philip, Peter, George - who could have been the father of our George as well. It’s a mystery we may never solve because of the lack of records.

I will include here what facts I have about Jacob, just in case.

There was a Jacob Cumfer who served as a private 1 month and 10 das. (Nov. 1787 - Jan. 1788) in Capt. Madery’s Company of the Berks County (PA) Militia in its expedition to the Wyoming Valley (11 years after the Massacre) in connection with land disputes between New England & PA. If this was the same as the Jacob we are talking about, you may ask why would a married man with children volunteer to do this? Possibly for the money. He may have gone as a substitute for someone else. This Jacob does not seem to be a man with money & our George’s father-in-law, Philip Jacob Shellhammer went as a substitute in the militia 3 times for someone else. So, it is possible Jacob saw this as a way to a few bucks.

In the Will Book in Northampton County, the only Confer is Jacob Confer of Penn Twp. who died in 1798. In the final settlement of the estate of Jacob Confert (farmer) it mentions the Orphans Court ordered Michael Mappes (Happus or Habbus) to sell the land to P. Styerwald. Michael Happes was Jacob’s brother-in-law.

Renunciation means the person appointed to be executor backs out and someone else is appointed. Catharine Confert, widow, renounced August 11, 1798 in the presence of Tobias Wehr. Michael Hoppes, her brother, was probably court appointed. There doesn’t seem to be anyone appointed as guardian of minor children, as there usually was.

NOTE: The Hoppes family history says the oldest daughter of Johann Michael Hoppes, whose wife was Catharina Barbara Machler, was a daughter, Catharina Barbara Hoppes born in Europe Dec. 28, 1748, confirmed at Weisenberg in 1766 (Easter) married Jacob Confehr and lived in Brunswick Twp., Berks Cty. (now East Brunswick, Schuylkill Cty). Jacob Confert received about 62.00 (pounds?) from Michael Hoppes, Jr. on Nov. 27, 1785, under the will of Michael Hoppes, Sr.

The Hoppes & Steigerwald families lived in the area of Jacobs Union Church in Jacksonville, Lynn Twp. Church was organized in 1761 but lacks membership & history.

Jacob Confer’s estate lists the people to whom debts were paid:

Michael Ohl Philip Moser

Catherine Habbes (his mother-in-law ?) Jacob Herman

John Lachleitner (married to Eva Eliza. Happes - Jacob’s sister-in-law) Tobias Schlosser

Christian Henrich Geo. Simon Wehr

Rev. Shelhart (Lutheran Minister) Wm. ? Rex

Mathias Leiby Henry Brobst

It appears he owed a lot of people money. This also argues to the fact he probably died relatively young in his forties before he could pay some of them off.

The executors were: Michael Habbes of Penn Twp. (his brother-in-law)

Abraham Shellhammer of Penn Twp.

George Lentz of Heidelberg Twp.

August 13, 1798

I checked the Orphans Court Record in Easton and found:

1800 Jacob Confert Penn Twp. Michael Habbes exec.

Book 6 Orphans Court: At an Orphans Court held at Easton in and for said County of Northampton, the 26^th day of december 1800 before Hon. John Muthallon and John Cooper.

The petition of M. Habbes administrator of Jacob Confert late of Penn twp….yeoman deceased was read…the petitioner has rendered an account of his whole administration into the required office…there remains a difference of 26:6:7 � pounds which cannot be paid without making sale of a certain tract or piece of land situate in Penn Twp. aforesaid bounded by the lands of Michael Ohl, Peter Steirwald and others containing 50 acres more or less which the said died possessed of.

The petition continues to ask for an audit to see if all or part of the land need be sold.

File 20 Folder 1267 in the Archives:

It was decided by the auditors that the whole tract of land be sold after first giving due and legal notice of the time and place of sale and that Mr. Habbes make a report of the proceedings to the next Orphans Court.

On Sat. February 28, 1801 the land was sold to Peter Styerwald of Penn Twp. for 52 pounds, he being the highest bidder.

And what happened to the widow, Catherine? She trusted her brother to handle her affairs for her - did he provide for her and her children? She seems to have had nothing left. Did she remarry someone quickly and perhaps move away from the area? If our George was her son, he would have been about 12 in 1801 when the farm was sold. Was he sent out to work for another family? It would be interesting to learn more about Jacob and Catherina Hoppes Confer, esp. if they should turn out to be another link back in time.

(This information was submitted by Patricia Shirock)