Frederick Stembel

FREDERICK STEMBEL (1748 - 1840)

On a sunny spring day in 1751, a farmer sat with his young stepson asleep in his lap while his pregnant wife took a nap.

The little boy was Frederick Stembel. The farmer was his new step-father, Adam Eberle, the only father Frederick would ever know.

The last two years had been eventful for both, but not equally happy ones. Adam Eberle had left his home in Germany, sailed to the British colonies, landed in Philadelphia, married a widow, took over the care of her farm, and became the step-father of her children. He was just 29.

During those same two years, Frederick Stembel experienced the death of his father. Now his mother was a widow. Six months later he heard her weep inconsolably as the baby she had been carrying since before his father's death, died. In just 18 months his mother had lost her mother, her husband, and now her newborn. She now had four children to raise, alone.

Evidently her dilemma was communicated throughout the German community and it reached the ears of a recent immigrant who was looking to begin a new life in the colonies. He found his way to New Hanover, where she lived. He needed a wife, she needed support. He was fine stepping into the role of step-father to her children, and they married. That's how it works sometimes.

This was how Frederick Stembel's life began.

At this time, Frederick had two older sisters (and possibly an older brother): Elizabeth, 18, Anna Maria, 9, and possibly Christoph, 5. All of the Stembel children kept the Stembel name. Now Frederick's mother was pregnant with her first child with her new husband. Soon Frederick would have a new step-brother, Peter Eberle.

In March 1752, Frederick's sister, Elizabeth, married and moved away. Soon the Stembel/Eberles would do the same.

Eberle/Stembels Move to Maryland.

As German immigrants poured into Philadelphia, others were moving away in search of land to farm. Consequently, affordable farmland surrounding Philadelphia became increasingly scarce. German settlers had to move farther and farther from the city to find suitable land. Most of the good land to the west and south of Philadelphia was already occupied. Land to the north was available, but was not as fertile as the land to the west--which seemed to stretch forever. The settlers' spread westward was impeded somewhat by the Appalachian Mountains. These mountains are actually a series of long parallel ridges that arc gently from northeast to southwest through central Pennsylvania. The ridges enclose long fertile valleys. Settlers found it was much easier to move south through the valleys than to cross the seemingly endless ridges to the west. As a consequence, much of the German migration moved down these valleys into western Maryland and Virginia.

Sometime in the spring of 1752 Ann Catherine (Stembel) and Johan Adam Eberle joined this migration, moving 125 miles from their home in Pennsylvania to Frederick County, Maryland. Frederick was three years old.

It appears that Adam's move to Frederick County was not a singular decision, for two other Eberle families, the Michael Eberles and the Leonard Eberles, also began showing up in Frederick County church registers at about the same time as Adam. I believe Michael and Leonard were brothers of Adam, but have not been able to confirm it. If not brothers, they certainly related. All three--Adam, Leonard, and Michael--appeared on Captain Peter Bainbridge's 1757-58 Muster Rolls⁽¹⁾ of the French and Indian War.⁽²⁾

To date, we do not know for sure where the Eberles settled when they moved to Frederick County, but there is evidence that they settled on land northwest of present-day Middletown. I assume the three Eberle families settled near each other. An examination of Frederick County land records and tax rolls for Eberle entries should be made to determine where they settled.

As Frederick grew older, the Eberle family continued to grow. A step-sister was born in 1752, then another in 1754. Two more step-sisters were born in 1757 and 1758 (both were baptized in May of 1758, but a few weeks apart. Their dates of birth were not recorded in the church records).

We assume Adam purchased land for a farm and began clearing the land, a few more acres each year. As Frederick and Peter grew, they would have helped Adam expand the acreage under cultivation.

As Frederick grew from boy to man, he was certainly aware of the growing discontent with England that was simmering in the colonies. The British felt the need to station a large number of military troops in the colonies to protect their borders from the French and Spanish who coveted the British territories (as the British coveted theirs). The people of Britain footed the bill for this defense, and as a result, their tax burden grew to be the highest in Europe. Parliament felt the colonists should foot part of the bill for their defense, so they passed the Stamp Act in 1765 which required a revenue (tax) stamp on all newspapers, almanacs, and legal documents in the colonies. The colonists vehemently protested that since they had no representation in the Parliament, the imposition of these taxes was grossly unfair. A Stamp Act Congress was convened in New York with representatives from nine colonies. They resolved to import no goods that required a tax stamp. The boycott was effective, and Parliament eventually repealed the act, but the Stamp Act turned out to be just the first in a series of missteps (e.g., the Townshend Acts, the Tea Act) by the British that eventually led to the War of Independence. I suspect these issues were discussed frequently as Frederick was growing up.

Frederick, as an Adult.

Frederick's first appearance in Frederick County civil or church records occurred on November 20, 1772, when he purchased Lot #8 in the fledgling town of Middletown, Maryland,⁽³⁾ 10 miles west of the county's biggest city and county seat, Frederick. He was 23. He paid £ 5. Seven months after purchasing the lot, he married Esther Leutert (Leiter).⁽⁴⁾ Esther was 22.

Esther's mother and father had moved to Frederick County from Pennsylvania at about the same time as the Eberle/Stembel family.⁽⁵⁾ In 1771, Esther's father died. In his will, he left one-third of his estate to his wife, and split the remaining two-thirds equally between his eight children.⁽⁶⁾ I assume Frederick and Esther used part of her inheritance to build a house on their lot. This house on Lot #8 was the Stembel's home for the next 17 years.

A year after they married, Esther's widowed mother (Salome Snyder) used the proceeds from her husband's estate to purchase lot #7, next to Frederick and Esther's lot.

In 1774, Esther gave birth to their first child, Ann Catherine.⁽⁷⁾ Two more children followed in quick succession: Anna Maria in 1775⁽⁸⁾ and Johann Henrich (Henry) in 1776.⁽⁹⁾

1778 was a busy year for the Stembels. The War for Independence was reaching the middle colonies, and in response, Frederick joined the local militia. He served for two years as a 1^st Lieutenant in the 5^th group, 34^th Battalion, of the Frederick County militia. I don't know if Frederick saw any action in the war.

In April, Frederick and Esther's fourth child, Catherine Elisabeth,⁽¹⁰⁾ was born. Catherine probably died as a child, for no further records of her have ever been found.

Later that year, Esther's mother remarried and sold her lot (#7) to Frederick and Esther. Two days later, Frederick purchased the lot on the other side of his lot (lot #9) so that he now owned lots #7, #8, and #9. Three months later, however, Frederick sold lots #7 and #8, leaving him with lot #9. In a strange twist, he repurchased these same two lots thirteen years later.

Between 1788 and 1798 I found that Frederick sold 17 pieces of land in Frederick County according to records found in the Maryland State Archives. Frederick's land transactions often make little sense to us today. He has been described as a land speculator by Frederick County historians. More likely, he was just a shrewd businessman who was living in a county where demand for land was growing, and a town that was benefiting greatly from the increased traffic on the busy road that ran through town, as settlers and commerce were moving west. It appears Frederick managed to keep enough assets on hand to buy properties that he considered under priced.

In 1779, Esther gave birth to their fifth child, Frederick, Jr. He was followed by Elizabeth in 1782, John in 1787, Jacob in 1789,⁽¹¹⁾ and finally Mary Margaret (whose exact date of birth is not known, but is thought to be about 1793⁽¹²⁾).

On November 3, 1791, Frederick re-purchased lot #7 and the east half of lot #8 for £ 245 5s. He then built a two-story brick house on lot #7.⁽¹³⁾ This home, with several later additions, served as the family's principal residence for the rest of Frederick's life (see photo below⁽¹⁴⁾). The house stood for 190 years before being purchased in the late 1970s by the adjacent Zion Lutheran Church (where Frederick served as an Elder 180 years earlier) who had it torn down in 1980. The land was then transformed into a landscaped buffer between the church and adjacent housing. Just before the house was torn down the Middletown Valley Historical Society of Middletown undertook a complete survey of the house and it's construction, and donated the results to the Library of Congress. The results of this detailed survey can be found here.

Frederick Stembel's house in the early 1900s. It's the dark house next to the church

Drawing of the front of Frederick Stembel's house. For a complete set of drawings, including floor plans, see the survey here

What did Frederick do for a living besides buy and sell land? He seems to have been an energetic man of many interests and occupations. At various times in his life he owned lots #7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 31, and some unnumbered odd-shaped parcels in Middletown. Also, at the time of his death he owned many parcels of land in the area surrounding Middletown. In addition to his land speculation, Frederick at one time reportedly owned one of the first stores in Middletown.⁽¹⁵⁾ In 1778, on the deed to property he had just purchased, it said he was a blacksmith.⁽¹⁶⁾ On the deed for another piece of land, purchased in 1814, it mentions that Frederick and Esther operated a tavern on Lot #9.⁽¹⁷⁾ He was part owner of a tan yard as well. In addition, at his death, Frederick's estate included a 164-acre "mansion farm" outside of town, so I assume he was also a part-time farmer.

Middletown.

Middletown was not founded until 1767. It was situated along an unimproved wagon road west from Baltimore to Frederick which continued on toward Middletown and small towns to the west. By 1790 Baltimore was the 5th largest city in the United States (consisting of the original 13 states). Middletown was about a day's travel west from Frederick, so it was a natural place for taverns, then stores selling supplies, blacksmiths, and other travel related commerce. Every year traffic along the road increased. Goods destined for settlements in western Pennsylvania and Ohio would be shipped to Baltimore, and carried by wagon along the road through Frederick, and Middletown, to their destination.

In 1806 Maryland authorized the formation of the Baltimore and Frederick-town Turnpike Company to raise money to build an improved road from Baltimore through Frederick and Middletown to the next town to the west, Boonsboro. In May 1809, Frederick's son, Henry was made manager of a subscription effort to fund the road from Middletown to Boonsboro. In 1811 the turnpike construction reached Middletown. By 1826, the turnpike continued west and joined the Cumberland Road in Cumberland, Maryland. This then became known as the National Highway, a road from Baltimore to Vandalia, Illinois.

At a time when the vast majority of Americans lived on farms, Frederick lived in town, engaged in many different commercial endeavors. Whatever he did for a living, it appears he did it well, for at the time of his death he was a very wealthy man. When he drew up his will in 1738, the loans he had already made to his six adult children totaled nearly $24,000. I assume his estate was worth more than that when all of his land and possessions were sold at public auction after his death.⁽¹⁸⁾ That auction was held on February 23, 1841. His large house on lot #7 sold for $2,305, and his large "mansion farm" sold for $13,000. These amounts may not seem like much now, but it was a virtual fortune at the time.

A descendant of Frederick's, Dr. William McLean, spent time researching the Stembel family in the late 1940s and early 50s. He shared his findings with me in a series of letters written between 1984 and 1986. Dr. McLean interviewed many older relatives during the course of his research, and was able to put together a composite image of Frederick based on stories passed down through the generations. According to McLean, Frederick was an elegant and stylish person. He was known for his clothes--especially the large sterling silver shoe buckles he always wore. Also of note were his canes, and his short trousers worn with long silk or wool stockings. Records show he was deeply involved in the community and his church.

Frederick and Esther had nine known children. Two of the nine, Anna Maria and Catherina Elisabetha, died young. Another, Jacob, reportedly reached adulthood, but died soon thereafter. Of the six who remained, three were sons and three were daughters. All three sons married and raised their children in Frederick County, but once each son reached their middle 40's each felt the itch to move, and they all moved (individually) to Ohio: Henry in 1826 (Dayton), Frederick, Jr. in the late 1820s (Xenia), and John in 1831 (Urbana).

Their three adult daughters also married and had children. Elizabeth remained in Frederick County all her life, Ann Catherine lived in Frederick County most of her life, but as a 79-year-old widow, moved to Ohio in 1853 with her son and his family, and Mary Margaret moved to Indiana in the early 1840s with her family.

For most young families in the early 19^th century, moving west from Frederick County would have been considered a wise move. Good farmland in Frederick County was becoming scarce, the soil depleted, and expensive. Land in Ohio and Indiana, on the other hand, was plentiful and cheap. There was a tradeoff, however. Western land first had to be cleared and a dwelling built. Also, wild animals and Indians could be hazardous, but for most families it was their best opportunity to get ahead.

This was not the case for Frederick Stembel's sons, however. Their father was well off, and a reading of his will reveals a willingness to provide generous loans to help them get started in any endeavor. Why, then, did his sons move away? None of the three were nearly as successful in Ohio as their father had been in Maryland. Why did they give up the security of a wealthy and influential father and move west?

Slavery in the Family.

Frederick and his family owned enslaved persons. One can make the excuses that slavery in Middletown, 20 miles from the Pennsylvania border (and freedom for an abused, runaway slave) was much different from the slavery in the deep south; or that Frederick's family's slaves were mostly domestic slaves, living with the family; or that white laborers had the option of moving to Ohio or points west where they could own their own land instead of working for others at low wages so purchasing slaves was necessary; or that all the Stembel slaves were manumitted before the Civil War. All somewhat true, but owning an enslaved person was owning a human being, and their offspring, forever if so desired.

Frederick slowly increased the number of slaves he owned, from 3 in 1790 (when he was 42), to 7 in 1830 when he was 82. Frederick lived in town and engaged in commerce. I believe his slaves worked in his home and businesses. In that era, clothes and shoes were homemade and meals were cooked from scratch, and Frederick had a large family. It's important to note that not all of Frederick's slaves were adults. In 1820, three of his six slaves were under the age of 14. Frederick did own a 164-acre "mansion farm," but it is not clear he or his slaves farmed it. There is evidence that maybe his son, John, oversaw it, or possibly his son-in-law, Christopher Michael, who we believe lived on a farm about 5 miles outside of Middletown.

According to family tradition, Henry, Frederick, Jr., and John all moved to Ohio because they had an aversion to slavery,⁽¹⁹⁾ though it should be noted that the 1810 census shows both John and Henry owned enslaved persons (Henry owned three, John one). Early slave ownership does not preclude a later enmity to slavery, however.

The slavery that the Stembels encountered in Frederick County was significantly different from the slavery in the deep South. Farms were smaller, and there were no large slave markets in western Maryland like those found in the large cities of Baltimore and Annapolis. Most slave owners in Frederick County owned fewer than four slaves.⁽²⁰⁾ It appears that the people of Middletown did not support the South's stance on slavery. At a town meeting in 1861, of the 122 families living in Middletown, 105 indicated support for remaining in the Union, just 17 favored succession⁽²¹⁾.

By the 1840 census, taken just months before his death, Frederick owned just three slaves. In his will, Frederick manumitted all three of his slaves (two were a mother and her 18-year-old son). He gave the mother $40 to help them get started in their new life.

I have written more about what we know about the Stembel's enslaved persons, including their dates of birth, parentage, manumission date, and in some cases what they did after they were freed. We know 18 slaves by name. That probably represents one half of the total slaves they owned over the years. Here is a link to that discussion.

Esther and Frederick's Death.

Frederick's wife, Esther, died in 1835, at the age of 84. She was buried in the Zion Lutheran Church cemetery. Frederick was 86 years old at the time of her death. His daughter Elizabeth (Levy) lived nearby and no doubt helped look after him, but she died just two years later. At some point his granddaughter, Kittie (Ann Catherine Michael Hewitt), came to stay with him. Kittie's husband had died in 1838. After his death in Ohio, she had moved back to Middletown and stayed with her Grandfather until she remarried in 1840.

Frederick died November 16, 1840, around the time of Kittie's wedding. He was nearly 92 years old. The family claims he was buried next to his wife in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery (but maybe not)⁽²²⁾. The church later moved both graves when the church expanded, but today no one knows where they were re-interred.

After his death, Frederick's estate was liquidated, and the proceeds distributed as spelled out in his will. The proceeds may have been significantly less than expected because the country was still suffering from the Panic of 1837, a depression that lasted until the mid-1840s.

Frederick and Esther's nine children:

A. Ann Catherine Stembel (1774-1858). (Ann Catherine is the subject of a later chapter)

B. Anna Maria Stembel (1775-?). Anna Maria was born May 3, 1775, in Middletown. She was baptized on June 11.⁽²³⁾ Her birth was recorded in the Monocacy Lutheran Church baptismal records. No other record of her has been found. She probably died in childhood.

C. Johann Henrich (Henry) Stembel (1776-1829). (Henry is the subject of a later chapter)

D. Catherine Elizabeth Stembel (1778-?). Catherine was born April 9, 1778, in Middletown. She was baptized on July 6 of the same year.⁽²⁴⁾ Her baptism was sponsored by Johannes and Catherine Eberly, Frederick's mother and stepfather. This is all we know of her. It's likely she died as a child.

E. Frederick Stembel, Jr. (1779-1868). (Frederick, Jr., is the subject of a later chapter)

F. Elizabeth Stembel (1782-1837). (Elizabeth is the subject of a later chapter)

G. John Stembel (1787-1861). (John is the subject of a later chapter)

H. Jacob Stembel (1789-?). Jacob was born in 1789, in Middletown. His birth and baptism were recorded in the Middletown Lutheran Church register. This is all of the factual information I have on Jacob. Dr. McLean believes Jacob fought in the War of 1812, but I have yet to unearth any record of his service.⁽²⁵⁾ Recently I found a website that indicates that a "Jacob Stembel, born c. 1789, married Eva Easterday in 1816. Jacob passed away." The website is no longer up. I leave this here for a starting point for a record search in the future [Since writing this, I've found this was a different Jacob].

I. Mary Margaret Stembel (c.1791-?). (Mary is the subject of a later chapter).