Johannes Whiteknaught

The first documented record we have of Johannes comes in 1728 when he joined the church at Readington (North Branch) New Jersey.¹ Prior to this entry in the church records in New Jersey, there is a John George Weidnecht listed in 1710 in New York as part of the following family²:

Weidnecht, Andreas age 40
Weidnecht, Margaret age 40
Weidnecht, George Fred age 13
Weidnecht, John George age 11
Weidnecht, Anna Eliz. age 9

We currently have no evidence linking Johannes of New Jersey with the Johannes who lived in New York in 1710. However, there is also no documented record of any other Johannes of the appropriate age. Without additional information, we will assume that Johannes Whiteknaught is the son of Andreas Weidnecht who immigrated to America in 1710.³ Henry Z. Jones links the Andreas Weidnecht family with Michael Andreas Weidknecht of Germany, who had a son born 15 December 1700 prior to his immigration to America.⁴

Johannes and Neeltje lived in the Souerland Mountains area of New Jersey. Mildred Hamburg records that he was on the tax lists in Franklin in 1735 and 1753, and made an Elder of the 6-Mile Run church in September 25, 1751.⁵ In 1750 Johannes was on the subscriber's list for the new church to be built at Millstone (Milston, aka Sourland), whose name was later changed to the church at Harlingen. He donated £2.s5 to the building fund, and was on the original list of seat-holders following its construction in 1752.⁶

Little is known of Neeltje. Some say she was of Dutch descent, which could explain their attendance at a Dutch reformed church where services would have been in both Dutch and English.⁷ One source says that Neeltje was a Van Metre.⁸

Johannes died about 1793 when his will, written in 1779, was amended. Neeltje was alivewhen the will was written (see Last Will and Testament of Johanes Witeknaght).

Johannes and Neeltje are the parents of the following children:

1. Cornelius Whitenack
2. Johannes Whitenack
3. Jannetye Whitenack, born 26 Dec 1735. Married George Van Gresche (24 Oct 1731-13 Mar 1808). Jannetye died 26 Jan 1824.
4. Andrics Whitenack
5. Neeltye Whitenack, chr. 9 Jan 1741.⁹
6. Henry F. Whitenah, chr. 18 Feb 1748, died Jan 1819.
7. Joseph Whitenack, chr. 4 May 1747. Married Catreina, and were the parents of:
   1. Aeltie Whiteknaught, chr. 4 Feb 1770.
   2. John Whitenknaught, chr. 1772.
   3. Neltie Whiteknaught, born 1776.
8. Peter Whitenack
9. Margaret Whitenack married Johannes Ditmars.
10. Sarah Whitenack, chr. 25 Dec 1754, married Mr. Wilson, died 5 Sep 1831.
11. Abraham Whitenack

Notes:

1. Whitenack Family History and Letters, Mildred Hamburg.
2. Ibid., see page 3.
3. Johannes Whiteknaught died in New Jersey in 1793. Assuming that he had married shortly before or after he was admitted to membership in the church at Readington, he would have been about 18 years old at the time. If this were true, his birth would have been about 1700, matching the age listed for the census taken in New York in 1710. Additionally, Margaret Whitnah records that her grandfather (Henry Whitenah) died at the age of 92. This fact is incorrect, but appears to be true of her great-grandfather, Johannes Whitenaught.
4. Palantine Families of New York, Henry Z. Jones, Jr., pp 1070-1072.
5. Whitenack, Mildred Hamburg.
6. Records of the Reformed Dutch Church at Milston (Harlingen), N.J., 1727-1802. FHL film 1016881 #1.
7. Whitenack, Mildred Hamburg.
8. See Roberta Whitnah Family Notes.
9. See Harlingen Dutch Reformed Church Records for a list of children beginning with Neeltye.