What's New

Photo of the Month

Biographies

Reunions

Interconnectedness

Honor Roll

In Lasting Memory

In the News

Our Mission and Values

Annual Review 2011

Favorite Links

Contact Us

Frederick Meinert Jr., the son of Friedrich and Eva Maria (Weber) Meinert Sr., was born in the late 1730s or early 1740s in the Oley Valley of Philadelphia County, now Berks County, PA. 

Probably out of ignorance on how to spell German names, local bureaucrats wrote the name of this branch of the family “Meinder.”  Some members of this branch who moved west to Wisconsin and Iowa in the 1850s eventually dropped the "e" and spell the name “Minder.”  In addition to these two spellings, on some of the land records in Berks County the name is spelled "Miner" or "Meiner."

In 1763 Friedrich married Catherine Nein, the daughter Casper and Barbara Nein, German immigrants of the Oley Valley. (Friedrich’s brother Jacob Minerd Sr. married Catherine’s sister, Maria Nein.)  

Frederick and Catherine had six known children: Elizabeth Meinder, Burkhart Meinder, Susan Sigfried, Sarah Friedrich, Anna Maria Wertz, and Friedrich Meinert (Frederick Miner) III.

Frederick owned a farm in Rockland Township, which was created out of the larger Oley Township in 1758. On his l108-acre tract of land, he ran a grist mill and a saw mill and also worked as a "cordwainer." Tax records of 1780 show that he had two horses and no cattle.

When the Revolutionary War broke out, Frederick joined the Berks County militia.  He was in the First Battalion of Captain Focht’s company.  The militia was composed of civilians, men who could not reasonably be called upon for any prolonged tour of duty or for travel far from home.  Such men could give but limited service and were used chiefly to garrison nearby forts, guard prisoners, serve in local campaigns, or temporarily support the Continental Army.  Avoiding militia calls was not difficult. A man who failed to report for drill paid an “exercise fine.”  On the Berks County list of fines most of the men paid 20 to 60 species, the monetary unit used in the colonies during this time.  Frederick “Meinter,” as he is listed, paid only 6 species which indicates that he was a responsible man and took his civil obligations seriously.

When the Revolutionary War ended, all males had to sign the oath of allegiance to the new government. Frederick Meiner, as his name was written, is listed in the book The Names of Persons Who Took the Oath of Allegiance in Berks County Pennsylvania, and signed June 1, 1778.  Since he was illiterate, someone else signed his name for him and Frederick made an "X" near his name.

Frederick and Catherine bought land on several occasions. In 1768 they purchased 16 acres of land from neighbor John Deleplane and his wife Sophia. In 1775 they acquired more acreage. One of the contracts was written completely in German.

Frederick died in 1816 leaving no will.  Because many of his children were baptized and took communion at the Mertz Bieber Church in Rockland Township, in all probability Frederick and Catherine, and perhaps other family members, are buried there, but no grave markers exist there today. 

~ Daughter Susan Minder ~

Daughter Susan Minder ( ? - ? ) married Jacob Sigfrid (or "Sigfried"), the son of Michael and Justina Sigfrid. They were wed on Oct. 7, 1794, "the banns having been called," reported the publication Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, Vol. 8. Performing the ceremony was Rev. N. Delvaux at St. Paul's mission church at Goshenhoppen, Hereford Township, Berks County. (In the priest's old German writing, the location of the church was in "Goschenhoppen, Herefordt Daunschipp Bergs Kaunti.") Witnesses were Joseph Sigfrid and Susan's brother "Burchard Minder" (Burkhart Meinder). According to the Records book, the name of the church was changed in 1837 to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in what was now known as Bally, Berks County.