This is a portion
of the documents that are known to exist, concerning the arrival of
our ancestors in the New World. We must express thanks to all those
who have labored in this research before us, yet so much is still a
mystery.
While there is a decent amount of information surrounding my great,
great, great, great grandfather (Peter Dingess Sr.), we have uncovered
very little information on the immigration of my wife's family. The
following is a portion of this information.
Ship-Francis and Elizabeth, from Rotterdam, 30 August 1743: Hans Ulrich
Dinges.
Ship-Edinburgh, from Rotterdam, last from Portsmouth, England, 15 September
1749: Philip Dinges.
Ship-Leslie, from Rotterdam, 7 October 1749: Michael Dinges.
Ship-Dragon, from Rotterdam, last from Portsmouth, England, 17 October
1749: Michael Schmit.
Ship-Osgood, from Rotterdam, 29 September 1750: Johannes Dinges; Michael
Shmit; Christoph Shmit.
Ship-Brothers, from Rotterdam, 16 September 1751: J. Peter Dingess and
sister.
Indentures: John Matthias Dingas and Anna Catherina Dingasey in Philadelphia
County, Pennsylvania 1772.
"At the courthouse at Philadelphia, Monday, 16 September 1751 present
the Worshipful, the Mayor, Thomas York, Esquire, did this day take and
subscribe the usual qualifications of J. Peter Dingess. The ship “Brothers,”
Captain William Muir, from Rotterdam." Peter Dingess signed the
document “J. Peter (X) Dingess.”
Source: Pennsylvania Pioneers - Passenger Lists, Vol. 9041, by Strosshurgeis,
page 464.
“ Peter Dingess, about twelve or thirteen years old, along with
his parents and sister, left Rotterdam and sailed for America. The parents
became ill and died, leaving the two young children orphans in a new
land. Not knowing anyone in Philadelphia (some say Baltimore), they
were left to roam the streets. Brother and sister became parted and
lost touch with one another when they were taken to live with different
families. Peter went to live with a merchant in Virginia, and his sister
went to live with another family north of her brother’s new home.
There has been no further connection with the sister.” This is
the story that has been told through the years to the descendants of
Peter Dingess. The family also told of pieces of furniture brought from
the “Fader Land”, especially a finely finished bureau which
was for a long time an heirloom in the family, and a peculiar shaped
gourd which was grown in Germany, and used by Peter's son, John, as
a powder gourd."
So it has been written of Peter Dingess Sr., and so it has been believed
for many years.
*William Ballard Sr. immigrated to Orange County, Virginia, from Larnock,
Scotland in 1746-47. It is believed that William was around six years
old when he came to America.
Several of William's sons settled in Monroe County, VA (now WV) and
at least three of them - Thomas, Philip, and Elijah - moved to Boone
County, VA (now WV) in the early 1800's.
This William Ballard is the sixth great grandfather of my wife, Darlene
(Mitchem) Dingess.
*Mathias Kessinger was born 1735. The place of his birth is unknown,
but it is certain that the name is German, some add that it is German-Jewish.
*William Griffith was born 1756 in Wales, or possibly Virginia according
to some, so we are inclined to say that both locations are speculative.
One thing that we do know, he lived on Brier Creek, in Kanawha County,
Virginia, where he died in 1830. This Brier Creek is about forty-five
miles from our home, in Lincoln County, West Virginia.
Individuals marked by an * are ancestors of my wife, Darlene (Mitchem)
Dingess.
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