Johan Heinrich (Schoenenfelt) Schonefeldt (abt. 1675 - 1756)

Born about 1675 in Lower Silesia, Sachsen, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Husband of Elizabeth (Poet) Shoenenfelt — married about 1710 in Heiliges Römisches Reich

Descendants

Died 23 Jul 1756 at about age 81 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Biography

“... We ascribe to no formal religion, had been among the Lutherans but had been persecuted by them. We stand thus free in the Lord, hold to the words of our Lord Jesus and His apostles. We are, however, at peace with all sects who seek to practice the same, no matter what religion they adhere to.”^[1]

The story of the Schönfeldts has much to do with fleeing from one place to another to avoid persecution and worship the Lord in the manner they wished. They came from near Reichenbach in Silesia. This is not as cut and dry as it appears, because there are more than one Reichenbachs. Johann Schönfeldt, his wife Elizabeth Poet, Elizabeth’s brother, Johann Poet, and his wife traveled together to escape this persecution. Johan Poet wrote a letter home in 1731. It tells how they were invited by Count Zinzendorf (founder of the Moravian Church) to take refuge at his estate Herrnhut (which is currently in Germany near the Poland and Czechia borders) probably about 1726. Zinzendorf in his zeal began to press the refugees to join his growing church, sometimes punishing those who refused. So in 1731, the Schönfeldts and Poets left Herrnhut and migrated to Haarlem in Holland. They stopped along the way and were warmly welcomed by other religious sects, but once these people realized that the Schönfeldts were not going to join them the warm welcomes waned. In Holland they spent two years earning passage money to America.

They left Haarlem with part of a group called Schwenkfelders, who also left Europe because of religious persecution. They arrived in Philadelphia Sept 18, 1733.

“Palatines, -- brigantine Pennsylvania Merchant, of London, John Stedman, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Plymouth. – Seventy-one males above sixteen, fifty-six females; and sixty-four males and females under sixteen – in all 191.” “Johann Schönfeldt.” ^[2]

In 1741, Count Zinzendorf, having been banished from Saxony, sought a place to establish his Moravian Church. His proposals threatened to limit and perhaps remove the freedom to worship as one believed, his movement was resisted. Johan Schoenfeld was a leader in the movement against him. He wrote a letter to the newspapers accusing Zinzendorf of urging the authorities to arrest Schonfeld and his group when they left Herrnhut and of imprisoning his sister-in-law and persecuting another friend. Zinzendorf had to settle elsewhere, and the Moravian archives document John Henry Schoenfeld as an enemy of Count Zinzendorf.

The Schonefeldts eventually joined the German Reformed Church. John Shenfelter was one of the first deceased members of said church. He died in 1756 and Elizabeth in 1760. They were buried in Upper End Cemetery of Germantown under a marker that simply said “The Schonfeld” but that no longer exists. The church, in East Vincent Chester Co. PA was being built (consecrated 1758) when John died.

Johan Schonefeldt Sr., 81, died 23 July 1756 and was buried in the Upper Burial Ground of Germantown, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth Poet, 68, died 31 Jan 1760 and was buried next to him^[3]

George Schultz, one of the Schwenkfelders, helped John and his group on their journey from Saxony to America. His son David wrote, “Old friend Johann Heinrich Schonfeld died in Germantown on July 27, 1756”.

Children

1. Johannes Schoenfeld was born about 1710 in Silesia, Saxony, Moravia, Germany, and died 1775 in Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He married CatheIine Abt 1745 in Pennsylvania. She died 1756 in Hagertown, Frederick, Maryland. He married Mary Catherine Moser 1757 in Hagerstown. Migration 1728.
2. John Peter Schoenfeld was born Abt 1712 in Silesia, Saxony, Moravia, Germany, and died Abt 1791 in Reading, Berks, Pennsylvania. He married Justina Bef 1752 in Germany Of Bernville, Jefferson Twp, Berks, Pennsylvania. He married Maria Elizabeth SANDER. Migration 1752 with his son John Peter Jr.
3. FREDERICK Shenifelt was born 1715 in Silesia, Saxony, Moravia, Germany, and died 1787 in Castle Plains, Hagerstown, Maryland. He married Mary Elizabeth WESCHEBACH 6 MAR 1763 in First German Reformed Church. Migration 1737
4. .GEORGE Schoenfeldt was born 1730 in Silesia, Saxony, Moravia, Germany, and died 4 APR 1811 in Pine Hill, Brothers Valley Twp, Somerset, Pennsylvania. He married Susanna BAKER 1772 in Pine Hill Church, Pine Hill, Somerset Co. PA. Migration with parents probably
5. William Shanafelt was born 1736 in Germantown, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania, and died 20 JAN 1813 in Hagerstown, Washington Co. MD. He married Marg. Gessinger, 26 Oct 1761, in Frederick County Maryland

Sources

• Early Shanafelt Family, compiled to 1994 by Laurel Shanafelt Powell. This biography has been compiled from Powell's work, supplemented with records found elsewhere. A lot of the early Schonfelt story comes from documents: A letter written by Johan Poet (Elizabeth's brother in 1731), a letter written by Johan Schonfelt to a Philadelphia newspaper in 1741, supplemented by Schwenkfelder archive material.

1. ↑ 1731 Poet letter
2. ↑ Rupp, I. Daniel. A collection of upwards of thirty thousand names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776 : with a statement of the names of ships, whence they sailed, and the date of their arrival at Philadelphia, chronologically arranged, together with the necessary historical and other notes, also, an appendix containing lists of more than one thousand German and French names in New York prior to 1712. (Philadelphia : Ig. Kohler, 1876) https://archive.org/details/collectionofupwa00ruppuoft/page/90 p. 90
3. ↑ [Burial Record of the Upper Burial Ground of Germantown. Philadelphia Germantown Historical Society.] cited by Powell

• Passenger list Johann is #9

• Find A Grave: Memorial #35243108 Upper Burial Grounds, Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA. No longer a stone there but well documented.