Anna Maria Gernhardt Williams (3)
September 17, 1786 - April 8, 1862
“Anna Maria, next to the youngest of Heinrich’s
children, was born Sept. 17, 1786, nearly three years before George Washington
became the first President of the new Republic. She married Charles Williams
Dec. 13, 1808, three years after the purchase of the Sinking Springs Farm.
When Heinrich added the codicil to his last will and testament, Feb. 28,
1820, she with her husband and four children—the eldest now eleven
and the youngest five—it appears were at that time living on his
large farm, as it will be remembered that he directed that she and her
two unmarried sisters, Elizabeth and Susanna, should remain on the place
for the space of one year after his decease clear of rent, be furnished
with firewood, hay for one cow each, ground ‘to plant potatoes on,’
besides a certain quantity of apples, beef, pork, wheat, corn and buckwheat,
and the only stipulation named was that ‘the girls must assist in
gathering the apples.’ But death in time breaks up and scatters every
family, no matter how contented, or how comfortably situated they may
be. One by one the sons and daughters of Heinrich went forth into the
wide world, until at last the family was entirely and forever dispersed.
Anna Maria was the last of the four to migrate to the State of New York,
but just where she resided with her husband and child for about fifteen
years after the homestead was sold I have not ascertained, but understand
the farm on which she lived was in the same township, and near the river.
About 1838 she moved with her family—now also including a daughter-in-law,
John’s wife, and a son-in-law, Nathan Kinman—to the neighborhood
of Pekin, Niagara County, N. Y., where some of her descendants still reside
on land she and her husband bought about sixty-five years ago. She died
April 8, 1862” (from Heinrich Gernhardt and His Descendants,
published 1904, pp. 285-286).
The children born to Anna Maria and Charles:
- John William, born June 15, 1809, died December 29, 1881;
- Rosanna Williams, born November 5, 1810, died April 4, 1887;
- David Williams, born January 22, 1812, died April 13, 1833; and
- Charles C. Williams, born March 18, 1813, died August 21, 1857.