History of Johann George Schimmel
updated 7/21/2010
Kathy Macias 2 May 2009
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minor spelling revisions June 19, 2013
There has always been stories in the family, that our fore-father Johann Georg Schimmel came to America as a Hessen soldier during the Revolutionary War, and that he deserted and stayed in America. While doing this research, I found that these stories were in fact true. He was 17 years old when he left Germany.
Prince Carl August Friedrick of Waldeck was eager to sell his subjects into English service for the Revolutionary War. The principality already had a draft policy of every man but students could be drafted. He found that he could make a very large sums of money if he sold the service of his subjects to other countries. It was said by Edward J Lowell after meeting with the Prince of Waldeck "by comparison with the Malgraves of Anspack the Prince of Waldeck seem almost respectable. They use their country as a stock farm for raising men for the Dutch service, but themselves fought for the Dutch with distinction."
Johann (German for John) Georg Schimmel arrived with the 3rd Waldeck Regiment, Company 5 from the principality of Waldeck, Germany. Waldeck is a small principality a few miles west of Cassel. Most of the Germany men sent to Amercia were from the Hessen-Cassel area, so all the German troops were come to be known as Hessen's. Company 5 of the Waldecker's marched from Korback on May 20, 1776 to the port town of Brenerlehe to sail to England. They arrived in Bremerlehe on May 31, 1776. He left for Portsmouth England on the ship "Benjamin" on June 3, 1776, but bad winds delayed the arrival to Portsmouth untill June 20, 1776. It is unclear what ship that he arrived in America on, there was a convoy of 22 ships. He left Portsmouth, England for America on July 20, 1776. They arrived in New York on October 23, 1776. He served in New York (look up battle of Fort Washington, NY), New Jersey, and Pennsylvania before being sent to Florida and Louisiana where he was captured by the Spanish forces in September 1779 and sent to Havana, Cuba. He remained a prisoner of Spain for 3 years. He was released as a prisoner in the exchange of prisoners between Spain and England, and sent back to New York in January of 1782. He deserted 2 months later on March 25,1782 and stayed in America. The war ended a few months later and most the Hessen/Waldecker's were sent back home to Germany.
 I can not help but wonder if he saw the end of the war coming and desided he did not want to go back to Germany and that is why he deserted. Is it any wonder he would not want to go back to Germany if they were raising men to fight in the service of other countries.  
He settled in Maryland and married (No marriage records found to this point in time). He later moved his family to wilds of Pennsylvania.  
Arrival records facts are Extracted from Records of Waldecker Troops in the American War of Independence, Marburg Archivschule, pg 70.George Schimmel is listed in the same book on pp 235
Desert or release records, Extracted from the Hessian Staatsarchiv Marburg, Germany, In the Library of Congress, Washington DC. and In a book by Bruce E. Burgoyne "Men of the 3rd Waldeck Regiment who remained in the New World" and In a Journal of the Johannes Schwaln Historical Association,(Lyndhurst, OH) vol 3:3 (1987), pp. 63-71.Johann Georg Schimmel is listed on pp 69.
Name: Joh. Georg Schimmel
Year:1776
Age:17
Estimated birth year: abt 1759
Place: America
Source Publication Code:9528.10Primary Immigrant: Schimmel, Joh. Georg
Name:Georg Schimmel
Year: 1782
Place: America
Source Publication Code:9528.10Primary Immigrant:Schimmel, GeorgAnnotation:Waldecker Troops in the American War for Independence: An Index According to Surname. Date and place of entry in unit books. Year of birth, place of origin, rank, unit, category of presentation, and archive code of the source are also provided. Books I-IV
Name: Johann Georg Schimmel
Year:1782
Place :Havana
Source Publication Code:1034.55Primary Immigrant: Schimmel, Johann GeorgAnnotation:Date and place where deserted or released from the regiment. Extracted from records at the Hessian Staatsarchiv Marburg, Marburg, Germany; the Library of Congress, Washington, DC; Kirchenbuecher (Church Records) of Edertal, Hemfurth, Korbach, Mengeringhau
Waldecker Troops in the American War for Independence: An Index According to Surname. Date and place of entry in unit books. Year of birth, place of origin, rank, unit, category of presentation, and archive code of the source are also provided. Books I-IV
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Source: Pages 50-64, History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich, Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1887.Transcribed May 1999 by Richard L. McKee for the Clearfield County Aldrich Project Published 1999 by the Clearfield County Genealogy Project
Excerpted from "The History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania with Illustrations-1887 edited by Lewis Cass-Aldrich - Chapter XXVII History of Boggs Township" on page 57 "
In 1801 Jacob Wise, Sr., a native of Berks County, but of late a residents of Penn's Valley,  commenced an improvement on the Moshannon. During the same year Robert Anderson, an irishman, and a man named Potter also settled in the vicinity. The place occupied by Anderson was later known as the Hawkins property. Potter settled on the Old State Road a few miles north of the creek. None of these remained long, but left for the Bald Agle Valley. Potter sold his rights to Nicholas Kline, and it was afterwards desposed of to one, Shimmel, a Hessian who served under the British during the war. Shimmel made a clearing and built a distillery on the land.
 
Wed Aug 27 17:05:02 1997E-mail: William E Shimmel Query: Looking for descendents of Johann Georg SCHIMMEL. Sketch from Beeks 1898 Biographical Record of Central PA. George W. SHIMMEL. Among the German-born citizens who did so much to develop this section in the pioneer days was George SHIMMEL He was born in 1748, and came from the Fatherland to America in early manhood. Not long after his arrival he was married in Maryland and moved to the wilds of Huntingdon, County, PA., and later to Centre County, PA., where he remained for some time. About the year 1800 (1802 according to "History of Clearfield CO. Pennsylvania" edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich- 1887) he settled near Philipsburg and cleared a farm and built a distillery, which he operated for many years. In his later life he devoted his entire attention to agriculture. An enterprising and able man, he was a prominent figure in his locality. In politics he was a Democrat. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-five, his death occurred in 1843, and his large estate was disposed of in accordance with the provisions of his will. He had twelve children; John, Adam, Lewis, Henry, Philip, George, William, Catherine, Julia A., Susan A., Betsey and Christina. George SHIMMEL was listed as a taxable inhabitant of Bradford township in 1809. In 1810 George SHIMMEL was assessed as having a "stillhouse" in Bradford township. In 1812 George SHIMMEL's "stillhouse" aquired the more dignified title of distillery. The 1830 census lists a George SHIMMEL as the head of a household in Bradford Township, Clearfield County, PA. On 17 October 1831 George 'SHEMMEL' sold 427 acres of land in Bradford township to Richard DURBIN In 1839 he was taxed for 100 acres in Bradford township. The 1840 census lists a George SHIMMEL as the head of a household in Bradford Township, Clearfield County, PA. With 1 male between 80 and 90, 1 female between 20 and 30 and 1 female between 70 and 80. His will was probated 11 May 1847, the largest part of his estate went to son William consisting of the farm in Morris township, with the stipulation that he provide for his mother.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________Notes for Johann George Shimmel Source: Eileen Jenkins     During the American Revolution War, about 20,000 German solders were hired by the British to fight the colonist.  Johann George Shimmel was one of these Hessian solders who chose to remain in America.  After leaving the German Army, George Shimmel as he was later called, proceeded to Maryland where he married Catherine and eventually moved to Huntingdon and then Centre Counties in Pennsylvania.  By 1806 he and his family were living in Bradford Twp., Clearfield Co., PA.  He died between 1844 and 1847.  His will was probated 11th of May 1847, the largest part of his estate went to his son William, consisting of the farm in Morris Twp., with the stipulation that he provide for his mother.  (excerpts from his last Will and Testament.  "Also I direct and bequeath the whole of my household furniture and all my personal property (except such articles hereafter bequeathed), to my beloved wife to be and remain her absolute property, if she shall be living at the time of my decease, but if she should not survive me, that the same shall be given to my daughter Julian for her constant attendance of me in my declining years.  Also I do direct & bequeath to my son William all my farm & real estate and all those messuages or tenements with the appurtenances equines and obligations, viz to John, Christina, Betsy, Phillip, Katy, Susannah and Julian, to each of these my children, he will oblige himself for twenty dollars.  To my son Henry and George ten dollars.  To my son Lewis, fifteen dollars and also to my son Adam's three children five dollars.In witness there of, I George Shimmel, the testator have to this my will written on a sheet of paper, set my hand and seal, the nineteenth day of November in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty four. _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________
From the History of Boggs Website The earlier history of Boggs township belongs to Bradford township. of which it was formerly a part. George Shinimel made a settienient on lands about half a mile from the present borough of Wallaceton in the year 1810. In the same year Peter Shimmel began clearing a farm on the old State road, near the point known as Maple Springs. Henry Shimmel, another member of the same family, began improvements in the same year.