Jacob Wenger ⁸⁵⁵

   Other names for Jacob were Wingert ⁸⁵⁵ and Christian Wingard.¹⁵⁹⁶

  General Notes:

Probably came from Alsace and was alone in the 1790s

Retruned to Europe for his wife whose maiden name was So (u) mmer

1801 Died during the crossing of the Atlantic and was buried at sea

The following is taken from: "Descendants and Ancestors of Johann Martin
Borntraeger", first published in 1923. Then published again in 1979,
with additions by Marion G. Borntraeger, Hesston, KS 67062.

Family of Elizabeth Wingard Lehman, Amish and Mennonite farmers bearing
the name Wingard, also spelled Wenghart and Wingart, were instrumental in
the development of Richland Twp., (Cambria Co., PA.) as a rural
community. They raised big families and assumed large land holdings
during the township's early history (See map in chapter on Christian
Lehman, Jr.)

Our ancestor, Jakob Wingard, came to Pennsylvania alone (probably from
Alsace) some time in the 1790s. He staked out a claim on a farm and
returned to Europe for his wife whose maiden name was So(u)mmer(s) and
family. On the return voyage to America in 1801, he died and was buried
at sea. His son, Jacob Wingard II, our relative, was born in 1802
(1801). One census record says he was born in France, another record
says he was born in Germany. His older brother, Christian, was born in
France and was 14 years old when he landed in America.

Roger D. Winger makes the observation that large numbers of Mennonites
fled for their lives from Switzerland to Montbeliard Principality, Alsace, which prior to 1800 was independent from France and under a prince who permitted them to settle in his land. In that year, Montbeliard lost its freedom to France and universal military training was imposed. The result was an extensive emigration of the Mennonites and Amish to America. This area which had always been German speaking even when controlled by France, was a stronghold of the Amish. Even today (1955) there are 2,600 Amish Mennonites in Alsace. This fact would
explain the French antecedents of the Cambria County families.

The following was taken from the "Wenger Clan Notes" Number 4, First
Quarter, 1955, Page 14.

______ Wenger of Switzerland, some years before 1800, left his family in
France while he made a trip to America looking for a place to settle. He
staked off a claim in Cambria County, PA, and returned to France to get
his family. They were his wife, nee Somers and four children, - Joseph,
Cathrine, Jacob, and Christian.

According to the family tradition, while crossing the Atlantic with his
family on his return to America in 1801, he took sick and died. The
family, landing at Philadelphia, went on to Cambria County but found the
claim to occupied by someone else. Nevertheless, they settled down in
that county to make their home in the wilderness. ⁸⁵⁵

  Life Events:

1. Alt. Death, 1805, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, USA. ¹⁵⁹⁶

Jacob married Catherine Somers. (Catherine Somers was born about 1765 in Alsace, France ¹⁵⁹⁷ and died in Pennsylvania, USA ¹⁵⁹⁷.)