Work in Process Updated: 15 February 2011
I have decided to start with what I know and what I believe about the Sandel family. This family isn't necessarily first because it was my father's family but because it was the family I inherited my maiden name from .. Sandel. Through history the spelling of this name has been written in many different ways and for different reasons. Many people could not read nor write or even spell their own last name so others did it for them by spelling how they thought it should be spelled. Many different spellings have been used for this family on documents. Some of the spellings include Sondel, Sondal, Sandell, Sandale, Sandle and of course, Sandel.. The family is the same in many cases. Only the spelling is changed.
This was the first family I started researching in 1978. Our Sandel reunion in Texas that year got me hooked. Aunts and uncles were all discussing family history so I had a good start. Since both branches of my family made the cross over the Atlantic Ocean hundreds of years ago, that's the period I like to work to. This is where the preponderance of evidence is necessary. Many family historians use this method to determine their line. The problem comes into play when they start looking for specific tracks and ignore the real clues. It also happens when connected families use the same names through their lines. This has happened with the Sandel family who settled in the Carolinas and migrated in the great movement into Mississippi and on to Texas.
Other than gathering information from family and going over public records, some of my early research was done sharing information with people of the Sandel branch who moved into Louisiana. As mentioned above, it is interesting how different branches can look at the same facts and draw very different conclusions. Everyone tackles family history differently. Everyone has an idea of how it should be. Some researchers will ignore facts if they do not fit into the pattern they believe they should. Others may skip over very strong clues if the fact isn’t documented in ink.. And, then there are those who will tweak birth dates to fit photos or families. The Sandel family is no exception to conclusions and date tweaking. The most difficult part has been dealing with the offspring of early Sandels in South Carolina. This is what I know and this is how I interpret it. You can weigh the facts and draw your own conclusions.
Early Sandel families were found in Germany, England, Sweden and Finland areas. The Sandels who settled in the Carolinas and on to Mississippi were from the German line. There is no doubt to that and there is question there.
The immigrant ancestor was German. His name was Johann Peter. The records of Shriesheim, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, show that Johann Peter Sandel was baptized 21 September 1721. It also shows he was the son of Michel Sandel and Anna Elizabetha Ruf. Later in life John Peter Sandel dropped the first name and used his middle name. It could have been to avoid confusion with his son, John. Or, it could have been because at that time the Johann was not the given name but only a salutation. This is what I believe. I believe his name was Peter and not really John. Thus, once Johann Peter arrived in the Carolinas I have dropped Johann and referred to him as Peter.
There were two other German immigrants from Schriesheim with the last name of Sandel who also arrived in the Americas. Valentin settled in Philadelphia in 1768 and many of the Sandels across the northern part of the country are descended from him. A Daniel Sandel arrived who was the brother of Valentin. He settled in Philadelphia also.
Another Daniel arrived in South Carolina two years after Johann Peter in 1754. However, I could find no further records of this Daniel. I have read notes from researchers indicating that this Daniel was assumed to be the immigrant ancestor of the Sandels who settled in Mississippi and moved on to Texas. There is no proof of this as no records on this Daniel other than his arrival on a ship in South Carolina have ever been found. That was just an assumption.
I haven't tracked Valentin but do know that Johann Peter Sandel had brothers by the name of Valentin and Daniel. I have no idea if this Valentin was his brother, but it is a good possibility. However, his brother, Daniel, had a family in Germany and that brother died there in 1822. Whether the Daniel who made the trip to the U.S. was his brother and then returned to Germany, I do not know. He seems to have been lost once he arrived. That we will never know. I would assume that all three of these are related in some way to each other. This Daniel could also have been a brother who returned to Germany or may have been a cousin. They were all from the same small village in Germany.
Quite a few years ago I received a note from a Jack Sandel in Houston. He had been researching the Sandel ancestors in Germany. He had copies of documents regarding this family that he needed translated from German to English. I offered to have it done for him especially since I worked with someone from Germany. In return, Jack was going to share some of his research with me. He was always too busy to respond to my questions once the translated documents were returned to him. The sharing of information is not always a priority unless one is on the receiving end. This is fairly common in genealogy. He never did share. However, today that is not a problem as many more records are online including some of his own research.
The Sandels lived in an area of Germany which was predominantly made up of people who had migrated from Poland. Not only were these people from Poland most were Jews who had been persecuted there. Thus, they fled that country hoping for a better life in Germany. Were our ancestors from Poland? Were they of Jewish descent? Perhaps they were since they lived with the same group of people. However, as years went by many left Germany for the promises of America.
During the early 18th century, the Colonial Governor of South Carolina encouraged the immigration of German Protestants to the Provence. Many who left this area of Germany were considered Palatines on the move. They used the Rhine River as their transportation to Rotterdam, where ships to the new land departed. The promise of land grants and religious freedom caused an influx of German immigration that reached its peak in 1752. Coincidentally, just two months earlier, Charles Towne experienced a major hurricane which killed more than 100 people.
Johann Peter married Catharina Elizabeth Stockman ( a widow from Hohensachsen, Germany) on 19 Jan 1751. They had a child, Johann Martin born 13 March 1752.
Johann Peter Sandel left from Schriesham, Germany to immigrate to the Carolina Territories in the fall of 1752. He journeyed from Germany to Rotterdam with his family probably by boat on the Rhine where they boarded the brigantine, John and Mary. The captain of this ship was Mr. Robinson. The ship left from Rotterdam with a stop in Cowes, England before proceeding on to the Americas. Johann Peter arrived in the port of Charles Towne during the last week of November.
Peter (Johann Peter), his wife and child were all listed on the records of the ship when they boarded in Rotterdam. No other records for the wife and child have ever been located. It is assumed both died either on the ship during the crossing or just after arriving.
Soon after landing in the Carolinas, Peter and his new wife, Magdalene, petitioned the Governor of the Carolinas for 100 acres of land. Records show that 100 acres of land on Cattle Creek, in Orangeburg Township belonged to Peter Sandel and his wife. Magdalene was his second wife and they were married shortly after the death of his first wife either on the ship or after arrival since their first child, John Peter Sandel Jr was born in 1753. Magdalene’s last name is unknown. However, several have felt it was Frederick but no proof has ever been provided. The DAR suggests it may have been Frederick as that family was also on board ship and they seemed to relocate together. I have no idea.
Peter made petition to the British Crown for 100 acres of free land, pledged his loyalty to the English King, stated that he is a "foreigner", therefore not English, a Protestant seeking free lands under the "Encouragement To Foreign Protestants" offered by the British. The Sandle (spelling according to that record) family was granted 100 acres of land in February of 1753, settling in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
The first land grant was for 100 acres between Cottles Creek and Orangeburg on the south side of the Edisto River in Berkley County. This area became very popular with German immigrants and was known as the Dutch Fork because of its location between the Saluda and Broad River. The second land grant dated 1758 was for 100 acres in Berkley County.
The third grant dated 1763 was for 100 acres on the east side of the north west fork of the Edisto River below Orangeburg Township in Berkley County. The fourth grant was dated 1772 for 500 acres on the north east side of the Edisto River in St. Paul's Parish in Colleton County. Eventually Peter and Magdalene had about 10,000 acres of land awarded to them in grants.
Documented children born to this couple were John Peter II born in 1753; George Henry born in 1755; Elizabeth born in 1758; Catharina Margaret born 1759; these four were christened by Rev. John Gissendanner. The next four children : Anna Maria born 1763; Maria Elizabeth born 1766; Regina born 1768 and Maria Magdalene born 1770; were all christened at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charleston,South Carolina. I discovered these baptismal records when visiting the genealogy library in Salt Lake City many years ago. I then passed the information on to Mary Sandel and her husband who lived in Louisiana and were researching the Sandels of South Carolina. They eventually published a book on the family and I have of copy of that book. However, there may have been more children born to this couple where we have been unable to located baptismal records.
All free and able bodied men of the Colonial Provinces between the ages of 15 and 60 were required by law to serve in the Royal Militia under the English Crown. The new immigrants were largely compliant in fear of having their land grants annulled.
In 1780, "Peter Sandle" and his sons John (an Ensign killed in battle) and George "Henry" (Sergeant) served in Colonel John Fischer’s Orangeburg Regiment of the loyalist Militia. I found several records of this which were for the same pay period of 14 Jun 1780 through 14 December 1780. The regiment was the same but one was in Captain Samuel Rowe’s Company and the other was in that of Captain Daniel Linder. One record shows payment was received by Susan Sandall, for her husband, John, who was killed. The payment was made on 30 November 1781. The second one indicated payment was for John but paid to Peter Sandle, his father. Another payment was authorized on this record directly to Sergeant Henry Sandal on behalf of Peter Sandal.
Another record also showed a Captain John Sandel serving under Colonel John Fisher in the 23rd Orangeburg Regiment of the Loyalist Militia. I am not sure who this John Sandel is. However, I would think it certainly must be part of this family serving under the same colonel and the same regiment but I don’t know. How could it not be? Your guess is as good as mine.
John Peter was a Tory soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was paid for the services of his son, John, after his death in South Carolina. The plantation of Peter Sandel furnished forage and rations to the Colonial Army during the Revolutionary War. After the fall of Charles Town in 1780, South Carolina had to keep an army in the field and supplied it so a remarkable system of credit was used. In return for military duty or supplies furnished to the state, receipts were given with a promise to pay when conditions were more stable. Interest bearing certificates called indents were issued in payment of these accounts. Stub entries on indents on file at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History indicate the following: Nov. 17th 1781 Corn and fodder were furnished to Gen. Sumpter's Brigade. There is a notation stating that this plantation has furnished forage enough and is to be disturbed no more.
During the American Revolution, they were able to give large amounts of forage for the troops, which later they were paid for, by the English government. England was in control of this area for most of their lives there. Though membership has been established in the Daughters of the American Revolution, the two sons: John Peter II and George Henry Sandel were Loyalists and served in this capacity during the Revolution. Loyalists, of course, were those persons, who continued to have allegiance to England. Some of the finer more honorable and distinguished persons did bear the name of Loyalists. Since they lost in the war, many had their land confiscated. John Peter II was killed during the War and as indicated above money was paid his widow Susan, afterwards according to one record.
John Peter Sandel died about 1783; his burial place or that of his family is not known. Many families buried their loved ones on their plantation or near their homes.
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There were two land records in 1793 for George Henry Sandel. One was granted in March. It was for 116 acres of land located between and connecting together two parcels of land held in the name of Peter Sandel, located in Orangeburg Sandel's Bay of North Edisto River. The other one was in September. George Henry Sandel and John Airs were granted 630 acres. The half given to George Henry was adjacent to Sandel land and adjoins Sandel's Bay.
George Henry Sandel left South Carolina and moved to Pike County, Mississippi, which was at that time, still in Amite County-the mother of many southeastern counties of Mississippi. George Henry Sandel was married to Catherine Nobles at this time.
George Henry Sandel moved his family to Pike County, Mississippi, near the town of Magnolia, probably after 1806, since the last child, Peter, was born in South Carolina in 1806. Daniel and John, the young males on the census of 1790, remained in South Carolina. Many records and censuses for some counties were lost when areas of the South were burned during the Civil War.
It was not necessarily unusual to have two children with identical first names when the wives were different. I have seen this in several families. However, I believe these two were the children of the older brother, John.
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In 1790 the Federal Government began the first census called the Heads Of Families. Most often the census recorder would travel from farm to farm and collect information. In some areas the citizens were required to travel to a place and give the information, like a courthouse or post office. In Orangeburg District, South Carolina, the census was taken by a traveling clerk who visited each farm and household. The lists they provide show not only the household information but who the neighbors were. Families back in this era tended to marry into the neighbor's family and often moved together in the westward migration of the nation's population. Neighborhood lists contain valuable genealogical clues.
1790 Heads Of Families - South Carolina, Orangeburg District (North Part)
Henry Sandle.
1 Free White Male over age 16 (George Henry)
2 Free White Males under age 16 (John & Daniel)
5 Free White Females (Magdalene,
7 Slaves
George Henry is the male over 16. Henry and Catherine's children were born between 1792 and 1806. They would not be on this census. The census of 1790 shows that George Henry was raising another family prior to his marriage to Catherine Nobles. There are two conclusions that can be made by reviewing this census plus the census reports of 1800, 1810 and 1816. Either George Henry was married previously, he was raising his father's younger children or he was raising the children of his deceased brother, John Jr.
Because of his age, George Henry could most certainly have raised another family. However, also because of the age of his brother John at his death, it is very possible there were children born to him. Either way, it is pretty certain that the 2 free white males under the age of 16 were John and Daniel as listed in the 1810 census and undoubtedly either the sons or the grandsons of Johann Peter Sandel, the immigrant.
1800 South Carolina Census - Orangeburg District (Edisto River)
(George) Henry Sandel
2 males under 10 (Henry, Daniel)
1 male 14 to 26 (John or Daniel – either prior marriage or children of John)
1 male 26 to 45 (George Henry)
2 females under 10 (Elizabeth)
1 female 26 to 45 (Catherine)
1810 South Carolina Census - Orangeburg District
John Sandel
1 male 26 to 45 (John)
2 females under 10 (Elizabeth & CP Terese
1 female 26 to 45 (John's wife, Mary)
Daniel Sandel
2 males under 10 (Daniel W. and William)
1 male 26 to 45 (Daniel)
1 female 16 to 26 (Daniel’s wife)
1816 Mississippi Census - Pike County
There were two Daniel Sandel's on this census in Pike County, MS. Both were living within a house or two of Henry Sandel.
It is believed that one is the younger son of George Henry Sandel and the other is the elder Daniel that was either the son of George Henry Sandel or the son of John Peter Sandel, Jr. I believe he is probably the son of John Peter Sandel, Jr. Either way it is probably safe to assume that both grew up together and were the grandsons of the immigrant, John Peter. The elder Daniel is the one who appeared on the 1810 South Carolina Census leaving after 1811 to join his family in Pike County, MS.
1 male over 21 (Daniel) (younger son of George Henry)
2 females under 21 (Charity)
Daniel Sandel (born prior to 1790)
3 males under 21 (Daniel, William, Henry)
1 female over 2
2 females under 21
It is believed that this Daniel is the elder son of George Henry Sandel or the son of John Peter Jr. This is the Daniel Sr. who appears on the
1810 South Carolina Census.
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There were many land records listing a Daniel Sandel. It is actually difficult to tell which Daniel held the many land records. Family members of George Henry and Catherine Nobles Sandel have taken the records in Pike County and “assumed” all the land records there were recorded to the Daniel born in 1792. With both Daniel Sandel’s living in this county, those land records no doubtly would be difficult to separate what Daniel owned what parcels of land.
The three sons of Daniel Sr. , are without a doubt, brothers and sons of this Daniel. Many land purchases were also made with adjoining property. The first son of both Daniel W. and William was Napoleon. William eventually moved across the border into what was known as Louisiana. Daniel's child Frances was born in Louisiana. Daniel lived next door to Henry in the 1850 census of Newton County, MS. and again similar names between all three brothers of their children did exist.
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More Sandel Notes
On the rolls in South Carolina there
was a list published with names of who received pay for their assistance during
the Revolutionary War. Listed on the
report in addition to John, Peter and Henry was also a Daniel Sandel. Who is this Daniel and what happened to him?
The only Sandels
left in South Carolina when the 1810 census
was taken were John Sandel and Daniel Sandel. Daniel is shown in that census living a few doors
down from John. Daniel was shown as being between the ages of
26-45 with his wife in the range of 16-26.
He had two sons living with them under the age of 10. These ages fit into the previous census and
also following ones. It also coincides
with the ages of William and Daniel.
The age of
both John and Daniel fit into the age of the boys living in the household of
Henry Sandel in the 1790 census of South Carolina. Neither of these boys was living with Henry
in the 1800 census and only the younger ones from his marriage to Catherine
Nobles were included.
I assume that
Daniel Sandel started the long trek towards Mississippi with his family about
1811 or 1812 as his son, Henry, was born right about that time in
Mississippi.
The great
migration to Mississippi started about 1798 and pulled thousands into that
territory until about 1819. Pioneers
were lured by the lush soil and hopes of great wealth. The fields in South Carolina had been over
utilized and crops were not what they had once been. Visions of cotton fields and the money the
cotton would bring from new lands in Mississippi brought many to the area.
I’ve often wondered the route they had taken. Just like today main routes had to have been
established with the influx of people into the area. Rivers
and lakes were used whenever possible.
Indians were a very big threat.
Travel in boats was easier and safer.
Women would steer the boats while the men stood guard. Many towns and major establishments were
built along the rivers.
Mississippi Regiments – War of
1812
Two Daniel Sandels were in
Mississippi and were in the War of 1812.
There were only two Daniel Sandels old enough to be a soldier. One had to be our Daniel Sandel born in the
early 1780’s and probably the older son of George Henry (probably). The other would be the Daniel Sandel born in
1792 and the younger son of George Henry.
One Daniel Sandell was a private
and in the 7th Regiment (Perkin’s Battalion). Time of service was 16 Sep 1814 – 15 Mar
1815. This group was formed at Camp
Mandeville, LA with many soldiers from the Natchez District. Is this our Daniel? Maybe.
The other Daniel Sandal was in
the 13th Nixon’s Regiment formed from Pike County. Dates of service were 16 May 1814 – 7 October
1814 and 6 Jan 1815 until it was disbanded on 5 February 1815. This is the Daniel born in 1792.
Both these units were originally
established for the War of 1812.
However, their main function was protection for the pioneers from the
Indians and clearing the areas out.
The lands around Newton or
Noxubee area were not open at this time for settlement. As lands opened up and treaties signed,
settlers moved in to occupy this land.
Thus, the earlier settlers moved into the areas of Mississippi open to
them. Pike and the Natchez areas were
opened earlier.
In 1816 there
were three Sandal / Sandel families in the Mississippi Territory according to a
book published by Norman Gillis of the early inhabitants of the Mississippi
Territory. The three were Daniel Sandal, another Daniel Sandal and Henry
Sandal. All three of them were living in
Pike County at that time. There is only
one possibility that they could be by their ages. Henry, of course, was George Henry and the
son of the immigrant Johan Peter Sandel.
One Daniel had to be George Henry’s son born in 1792 making him 24 years
of age. The only option for the other
Daniel Sandel is that he is the Daniel
Sandel listed on the census of 1810. This would be our Daniel who was living next
to John and the one in Henry’s South Carolina household in the census of
1790. His age in 1816 would be about 28
years old or thereabouts. The other
Daniel Sandel would be too young to be listed.
Ages fit.
One more tidbit is the similarity
in the names of the three Sandel brothers William, Daniel and Henry. Napoleon probably was a popular name of the
time since Napoleon Bonaparte may have made that name so. William and Daniel both had sons by the
name. Other names used between the brothers were Francis, Martha,
Mary Ann, William and Alice. Daniel’s
daughter Francis was born in Louisiana.
It appears travel may have been made from Mississippi to Louisiana and
back to Mississippi by the birth of the children.
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Daniel W. married Amey B. Sims in Noxubee, Mississippi. The Sims family was also from South Carolina. Not only did they settle around brothers of Daniel W. but also the Sims family. I have done a great deal of research on this Sims family and will eventually post it. The grandfather of Amey B. Sims was also a Revolutionary War soldier.
Children of Daniel W. and Amey B. were born in Mississippi except for Frances. Frances was born in Louisiana probably during a visit to the brother of Daniel W., William. Our line was through their son, Charles.
Choctaw No. 6N 13E 36. In the 1860 census Henry was in a neighboring county. However, the county lines changed in the area. The 1850 census shows Daniel W. living next to Henry. Land records from the August Land office indicate that on 5 January 1841 both Henry and Daniel recorded land together. Henry's parcel was 40.04 acres at 1 SENE Choctaw No. 5N 13E 3 and 38.53 acres1 SWSE Choctaw No 6N 13E 24. Daniel's land was 38.53 acres at 1 NESE Choctaw No l3N 13E 24. Daniel also recorded additional land at the August office on 1 Jun 1850. It was for 38.7 acres at 1SWSW Indian lands were opened up. In reality, the two brothers still lived closed together.
Census recording of the age of Daniel's wife has caused some question. In the 1860 census of Newton County, Daniel W. was listed as having a wife by the name of Amanda and the age was recorded as 3 years different from what it should have been for Amey B. Sims. Some family members researching this line felt the census takers were correct and this must be a 2nd wife. Census takers at that time were many times in error on the spelling and recording of the age. Many of the ages recorded on the children were also off from what they should have been. However, it was not uncommon for ages to be given in error. The second point to my conclusion that Amanda and Amey are one and the same is that Amey is a common nickname for Amanda. Amey may have been a name used in her younger years and as she grew older she could have reverted to the formal name. Either way, I believe the Amey and Amanda listed as Daniel’s wife are one and the same.
Daniel was listed in the census as a being a blacksmith and owning no real estate. His worth was approximately $386.
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According to census records neither Charles nor Harriet could read or write. He was born in Mississippi and worked as a farm laborer. They moved in to Texas. Many records from Mississippi were burned during the Civil War.
The move to Texas probably did not take place until at least 1875. The family most likely went via Oklahoma as Harriet had family that also moved and settled there.
The family moved from Meridian, Mississippi. Meridian was the location of a great battle of the Civil War. No doubt much destruction was done. The battle and its effects may have been one of the reasons our families left this part of Mississippi. Charles was also a Baptist preacher. Harriet was from a family of many Methodist preachers.
Charles and Harriet both died after 1880. Death was probably attributed to small pox or measles as epidemics of both took many lives. I have been told two different things. One relative mentioned that they were buried on private land near Kingsland, Texas. According to a letter written by Della Sandel Ebert (daughter of Daniel Washington Sandel) Charles and Harriet are buried in a cemetery near Pack Saddle Mountain. Their children are believed to have lived with the local people of the town. However, Green Harwell, a brother to Harriet, also took care of them for several years. Maybe he kept them until they were old enough to venture out on their own.
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According to family, Daniel, son of Charles, married first, Sarah, and had one child ... a boy. This boy died a few days after his birth. This marriage was in Pflugerville, Texas. After only being married a short time, he playfully was going to scare his wife while she was hanging clothes out to dry on a line. It was late in the evening and he hid in a sheet on the line. When she came close, he jumped out and did scare her ... to death! She died on the spot of heart failure. I have not researched this. It is one of the stories I picked up that was handed down at the first reunion I attended.
When Daniel was about 10 years old his parents died. Again, according to family tradition he lived with a Dr. and Mrs. Lena Carrington and worked for his keep. His first wife was a worker and also lived with the Carringtons. However, according to the Harwell family this Daniel was raised by an uncle, Green Harwell. Maybe both were correct.
Daniel worked on the Capital building in Austin. He helped put the top on it. His picture is on display in the Capital. He traveled to and from Austin and Pflugerville. After Daniel lost his wife he went to Kingsland and worked at Granite Mountain hauling granite to the railroad for shipping to Austin.
Daniel would often say he was scotch-Irish and Betty would say she was English. However, we do not know which side would have been Scotch-Irish for Daniel -- yet. It definitely was not the male line.
The Sandels received a pension when their son, Rollie, died in the service during WWI. He contacted the flu during the great epidemic when the war was over. The Sandels lived on a farm outside of Leakey and in later years moved into the city limits. All that was standing during the few trips we made to the property was the fireplace bricks. Carved in the bricks was the name "Gerald". He remembered carving his name when he was a child.
The property was by the Frio River on Cypress Creek.
When their children were small, Daniel and "Betty" would travel to Oklahoma to visit with relatives. Once Daniel visited the World's Fair in St. Louis. This was in 1904. He purchased a razor at the fair and according to Fluris, used it every day for 40 years.
After the death of Betty, Daniel married Ellen Buchanan at the age of 85 in 1953.
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Charles lived in Kerrville until after Alice died and then moved into Austin. Charles and Alice met picking cotton in the cotton fields. Alice had light brown hair and blue eyes. Charles was fairly short. He also had a club foot. Alice became pregnant for a third time and tried to abort the baby. She developed blood poisoning and died. She is buried next her mother who died 3 1/2 months earlier.
According to her sister, Martha, Alice's last words were begging her husband not to take Vernon and Gerald to live with the Sandels in Leakey. The Sandels lived in a log cabin, that was just a hut in the sticks. She didn't want them to go there. They boys stayed with their Aunt Martha as long as she could keep them and then they had no alternative other than to live with their grandparents, Sandel.
Charles only had a third grade education. He unloaded box cars, worked on diesel engines, worked for an ice house delivering ice and worked on light plants. while working at a plant everyone went out on strike and ended up losing their jobs. After he retired, he worked as a school patrolman in Austin. He died of a heart attack while working on his car at home.
