The Very First G.R.

By Allen Viehmeyer, Associate Director of Research

The 1879 GR (Genealogical Record) was the first extensive, published genealogical record of the Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania. This project took shape in 1875 when the Annual Conference of the Schwenkfelder Society charged a committee of eight men to gather the necessary material and organize it for publication.

Title page from the first source for Schwenkfelder genealogy compiled by Rev. Heebner

Rev. Heebner Compiles Genealogical Date in 1840s

The major source of data utilized by the committee was a 150-page manuscript book created by Rev. Balthasar Heebner (1770–1848). During his entire career as pastor, Heebner single-handedly collected—through conversations and correspondence—much genealogical information from many Schwenkfelders, especially his flock. Unfortunately, a nearly 20-year gap of information between the Heebner’s death and the start of the committee’s work needed to be filled. One void was created by Heebner’s alleged bias against Schwenkfelders who married outside of the community.

There were a few other efforts to preserve information. In 1771, Melchior Scholtze put together a list of Schwenkfelder immigrants born in Silesia or Saxony and still living in Pennsylvania in 1771. For Schwenkfelders, marriage in Pennsylvania was not easy. Generally, couples had to find a justice of the peace. Pastor George Weiss (1686–1740) does not seem to have performed any marriages His successor, Balthasar Hoffmann, did perform some 13 marriages between 1740 and 1763 when he retired. Beginning in the early 1760s, marriages were normally conducted by Schwenkfelder pastors.

As a religious community, the Schwenkfelders are probably unparalleled in their 250-year effort to compile a complete genealogical record of their ancestors.

For more background on the Schwenkfelders, see An Immigration Story.