Michael Seltzer1

M, #540, b. after 1758, d. between 1776 and 1781
  • Birth*: after 1758; "who enlisted in the Revolution while still a boy", interpreted as reached 18 after 1776
  • Death*: between 1776 and 1781; "died...shortly before the end of his term of service", which could have been any time during the war
Last Edited: 8 Sep 2021

Parents:

Father: Jacob Seltzer1 b. 31 Oct 1732, d. 18 Oct 1788
Mother: Maria Catharina (?)1 b. 20 Feb 1735, d. 5 Jun 1817

Notes

  • Note: Not to be confused with Michael Seltzer the POW:

    There is certain evidence of a Michael Seltzer who enlisted 1776 at Reading, was captured at the Battle of Fort Washington, and died in captivity, and further evidence that earlier he had married Magdalena Lantzer and had three sons. (For more details, see Michael Seltzer (POW) in this database.)

    But there is no reason to believe that Michael Seltzer son of Jacob and Michael Seltzer the POW are the same person.

    First, a married man with three sons is unlikely to be described as a "boy", as did Montgomery.

    Second, POW Michael Seltzer's three sons are not named as heirs in Jacob Seltzer's 1788 probate, nor are they named in the 1812 will of his wife Maria Catharine (Hiester) Seltzer. His widow Magdalena (Lantzer) (Seltzer) Walz was familiar with the probate process - she administered her husband's £4 estate in March 1788, but she and her sons do not appear to have filed in the same year for Jacob Seltzer's estate of £803 plus 45 properties. Nor did the sons file for Maria Catharine (Hiester) Seltzer's estate of £197 in 1817.

    Third, POW Michael Seltzer's three sons are not named as heirs in 1795 when Jacob Seltzer the son paid £1056 to his sisters for their interest in Jacob Seltzer senior's lands in Heidelberg Township and Middletown (Womelsdorf).

    Any sources to the contrary would be of interest, thanks.2,3,4,5
  • Note*: The only source for this person:

    Morton L Montgomery in his Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County lists the children of Jacob Seltzer, including:
    "Michael, who enlisted in the Revolution while still a boy and died of fever shortly before the end of his term of service."

    Any contemporary supporting evidence would be of interest to this compiler.1

Citations

  1. [S131] Montgomery, Morton L., Historical and Biographical Annals of Berks County In Pennsylvania (n.p.: Publ. J. H. Beers, 1909. [Sutro Lib.] [URL: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9DF-1NGP]), Vol 2 p. 824.
  2. [S156] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994. Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. County courthouses, Pennsylvania. URL: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196 Berks County, "Estates 1752-1799 Sell, George-Smith, Nicholas", Folder: Seltzer, Michael, WI, 1788 [Windsor]. image 65.
  3. [S156] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994. Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. County courthouses, Pennsylvania. URL: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196, Berks County, "Estates 1752-1799 Sell, George-Smith, Nicholas". Folder: Seltzer, Jacob HB 1788. images 42-64.
  4. [S156] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994. Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. County courthouses, Pennsylvania. URL: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999196, Berks County, "Estates 1800-1850 Seibert, Henry-Shade, Frederick", folder: Seltzer, Catharine, HB, 1817, image 1975.
  5. [S18] Berks County, Pa., Open Records, Recorder of Deeds, online https://www.countyofberks.com/departments/recorder-of-deeds, Deeds 14-538..