To understand why Rev. Anthony Jacob Henckel left Germany in 1717, it helps to picture what daily life was like in the German states (especially the Rhineland/Palatinate region) during the late 1600s and early 1700s.
What he left behind was not a stable, prosperous homeland—it was a region shaped by war, poverty, and uncertainty.
To understand why Rev. Anthony Jacob Henckel left Germany in 1717, it helps to picture what daily life was like in the German states (especially the Rhineland/Palatinate region) during the late 1600s and early 1700s.
What he left behind was not a stable, prosperous homeland—it was a region shaped by war, poverty, and uncertainty.
1. A War-Torn Homeland
Antonius Jacobus Henckel was baptized in Mehrenberg on October 27, 1668, his father was George
Henckel and mother was Eulalia. One godfather was Jacob, brother of George and
a godmother was Anna Maria Dentzer, a sister of Eulalia. “Antonius Jacobus
Henckel, of Mehrenburg."Henckel lived in the Rhineland/Palatinate, one of the most heavily fought-over areas in Europe.
- Repeated wars (especially the Nine Years’ War (1688–1697) and War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714)) brought:
- Burned towns and villages
- Armies marching through and occupying communities
- Constant instability
- French invasions alone led to:
- Heidelberg and surrounding areas being destroyed
- Widespread looting and displacement
👉 For a pastor like Henckel, this meant ministering to people living in trauma, loss, and rebuilding again and again.
Henckel lived in the Rhineland/Palatinate, one of the most heavily fought-over areas in Europe.
- Repeated wars (especially the Nine Years’ War (1688–1697) and War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714)) brought:
- Burned towns and villages
- Armies marching through and occupying communities
- Constant instability
- French invasions alone led to:
- Heidelberg and surrounding areas being destroyed
- Widespread looting and displacement
👉 For a pastor like Henckel, this meant ministering to people living in trauma, loss, and rebuilding again and again.
2. Poverty, Famine, and Harsh Climate
War wasn’t the only problem—nature made things worse.- The early 1700s fell within the “Little Ice Age”, bringing:
- Brutally cold winters
- Crop failures
- Frozen rivers (no transport or fishing)
- As armies passed through:
- Food and livestock were confiscated
- Trade collapsed
- Result:
- Famine and disease spread quickly
- Refugees wandered in large numbers
Henckel himself: Lost children during this period
- Served impoverished congregations who could barely support a pastor
👉 Daily life for ordinary families could mean hunger, illness, and uncertainty about survival.
- The early 1700s fell within the “Little Ice Age”, bringing:
- Brutally cold winters
- Crop failures
- Frozen rivers (no transport or fishing)
- As armies passed through:
- Food and livestock were confiscated
- Trade collapsed
- Result:
- Famine and disease spread quickly
- Refugees wandered in large numbers
Henckel himself: Lost children during this period
- Served impoverished congregations who could barely support a pastor
👉 Daily life for ordinary families could mean hunger, illness, and uncertainty about survival.
3. Religious and Social Pressures
Although Henckel was Lutheran in a Protestant region, conditions were still difficult.
The following is an in-depth account written by Dr. Burt Brown Barker
of his research in Germany in the 1920's concerning the Rev. Anthony Jacob
Henckel. It is from pages 17-21 of "The Henckel Genealogy".
Dr. Barker’s strongest evidence came from church manuscripts
preserved in Karlsruhe, written in ecclesiastical Latin. These records were translated into German, then into English. They showed
that Henckel was involved in two major conflicts that likely pushed him toward
emigration.
Conflict #1 — The Breitenbronn Church Dispute (1708–1709)
While serving at Breitenbronn, Catholics attempted to take
control of the Lutheran church and demanded use of the building for half the
time.
Pfarrer Henckel strongly resisted this.
He defended Lutheran rights using older church law and refused
to accept the newer ruling of the Catholic commission.
The conflict became dramatic when:
“Finally, a Catholic priest broke into the church with an
axe.”
Henckel appealed to the church patron and fought successfully
until physical force was used. Eventually, the patron dropped the matter.
This showed Henckel defending Lutheran worship against
Catholic pressure during the period of re-Catholicization in the Palatinate.
Conflict #2 — The Mönchzell Church Lands Dispute (1714)
This second conflict was even more serious and likely the
direct reason for emigration.
Henckel accused the patron of the Church of Mönchzell:
of using church-owned lands for himself and of keeping church
tithes that belonged to the parish
He formally appealed to Prince Ernst Ludwig for justice.
The church patron, Baron John Melchoir von Festenburg, denied
everything and attacked Henckel’s character personally.
Instead of investigating, Prince Ernst Ludwig dismissed
Henckel’s complaint entirely.
**Dr. Barker concluded:
“This was in 1714, and probably was the reason Pfarrer Henckel
came to America.”
Although Henckel was Lutheran in a Protestant region, conditions were still difficult.
The following is an in-depth account written by Dr. Burt Brown Barker
of his research in Germany in the 1920's concerning the Rev. Anthony Jacob
Henckel. It is from pages 17-21 of "The Henckel Genealogy".
Dr. Barker’s strongest evidence came from church manuscripts
preserved in Karlsruhe, written in ecclesiastical Latin. These records were translated into German, then into English. They showed
that Henckel was involved in two major conflicts that likely pushed him toward
emigration.
Conflict #1 — The Breitenbronn Church Dispute (1708–1709)
While serving at Breitenbronn, Catholics attempted to take
control of the Lutheran church and demanded use of the building for half the
time.
Pfarrer Henckel strongly resisted this.
He defended Lutheran rights using older church law and refused
to accept the newer ruling of the Catholic commission.
The conflict became dramatic when:
“Finally, a Catholic priest broke into the church with an
axe.”
Henckel appealed to the church patron and fought successfully
until physical force was used. Eventually, the patron dropped the matter.
This showed Henckel defending Lutheran worship against
Catholic pressure during the period of re-Catholicization in the Palatinate.
Conflict #2 — The Mönchzell Church Lands Dispute (1714)
This second conflict was even more serious and likely the
direct reason for emigration.
Henckel accused the patron of the Church of Mönchzell:
of using church-owned lands for himself and of keeping church
tithes that belonged to the parish
He formally appealed to Prince Ernst Ludwig for justice.
The church patron, Baron John Melchoir von Festenburg, denied
everything and attacked Henckel’s character personally.
Instead of investigating, Prince Ernst Ludwig dismissed
Henckel’s complaint entirely.
**Dr. Barker concluded:
“This was in 1714, and probably was the reason Pfarrer Henckel
came to America.”
4. Why America Looked Better
At the same time, America—especially Pennsylvania—offered something radically different:
Pull factors:
- Religious freedom
- Availability of land
- Organized invitations for pastors like Henckel
- Growing German-speaking communities
Push factors from Europe:
- War destruction
- Poverty and famine
- Limited economic mobility
Many immigrants (including Germans known as “Palatines”):
- Took dangerous Atlantic voyages
- Sometimes became indentured servants to pay for passage
- Faced disease and death en route
👉 Even with risks, America represented hope and stability compared to conditions at home.
At the same time, America—especially Pennsylvania—offered something radically different:
Pull factors:
- Religious freedom
- Availability of land
- Organized invitations for pastors like Henckel
- Growing German-speaking communities
Push factors from Europe:
- War destruction
- Poverty and famine
- Limited economic mobility
Many immigrants (including Germans known as “Palatines”):
- Took dangerous Atlantic voyages
- Sometimes became indentured servants to pay for passage
- Faced disease and death en route
👉 Even with risks, America represented hope and stability compared to conditions at home.
Bottom Line
When Henckel decided to bring his family to Pennsylvania in 1717, he was likely responding to a combination of:
- Decades of war and devastation
- Severe economic hardship and famine
- Limited prospects as a pastor in Germany
- Opportunity to lead and serve a growing community in America
In short, his move wasn’t unusual—it was part of a larger wave of German migration driven by survival and opportunity.
When Henckel decided to bring his family to Pennsylvania in 1717, he was likely responding to a combination of:
- Decades of war and devastation
- Severe economic hardship and famine
- Limited prospects as a pastor in Germany
- Opportunity to lead and serve a growing community in America
In short, his move wasn’t unusual—it was part of a larger wave of German migration driven by survival and opportunity.
1. The Exact Villages & Parishes Henckel Served (1692–1717)-
Henckel wasn’t just a village pastor—he was what we’d call today a “circuit rider”, responsible for multiple small congregations across the Palatinate (Kurpfalz) region of southwestern Germany.
He studied at the University of Giessen beginning May 5, 1688, under Professor Michael Heiland. He completed his theological examination on January 16, 1692, proving that he was formally university-trained and regularly ordained as a Lutheran minister.
📍 Early Ministry (1692–1695)
He was ordained on February 28, 1692, at Eschelbronn, and from church records Dr. Barker established the following pastorates:
- Eschelbronn (Baden-Württemberg)
- His first parish after ordination (1692)
- Conducted baptisms, marriages, funerals
- Mönchzell (near Meckesheim)
- Served simultaneously beginning 1693
👉 These were small rural Lutheran congregations, often poor and still recovering from war.
Middle Years (1695–1703)
- Daudenzell and Breitenbronn
- Main parish from 1695–1714
- This was his longest pastorate.
- Daudenzell was the parent church
- Breitenbronn was a filia (daughter church)
- From Aug. 23, 1695 until the fall of 1714, he served these congregations and the church records note: 151 baptisms, 51 burials, and 22 marriages.
- Kälbertshausen (1699–1707)
- Served as an additional parish
This tells us something important:
He was overextended, traveling constantly between villages—typical of understaffed Lutheran clergy.
Final German Ministry (1707–1717)
- Returned to Mönchzell (1714)
- Based in Neckargemünd and Zuzenhousen (1715–1717)
- Oversaw a cluster of parishes in the “Meckesheimer Zent”, including:
- Breitenbronn
- Surrounding dependent congregations
This was effectively a regional superintendent role, covering multiple churches.
What This Means
By 1717, Henckel:
- Had served at least 5–7 distinct communities
- Was managing a multi-parish district
- Faced:
- Religious tension (shared churches with Catholics)
- Poverty among parishioners
- Heavy travel demands
He was exactly the kind of experienced leader Pennsylvania needed. Pennsylvania offered:
-freedom for Lutheran worship
-German-speaking settlers who desperately needed pastors
-land and security for a large family
-a chance to build Lutheran churches without noble interference
The Likely Route to Philadelphia (1717)
There is no single passenger list naming his exact ship—but we can reconstruct the standard Palatine migration route, which Henckel almost certainly followed.
Step-by-Step Migration Route
1. Departure from the Neckar / Palatinate region
- Likely left from Neckargemünd area
- Traveled by wagon or foot to the Neckar River
2. Down the Rhine River
- Entered the Rhine River system
- Floated downstream past:
- Heidelberg
- Mainz
- Cologne
This was the main migration highway of Europe
3. Rotterdam (Netherlands)
- Major departure port for German emigrants
- Families often:
- Waited weeks or months
- Sold possessions
- Signed indenture agreements
4. Atlantic Crossing
- 8–12 week voyage
- Conditions:
- Crowded ships
- Disease (especially among children)
- Limited food and water
Many German emigrants died en route—but clergy like Henckel sometimes had slightly better arrangements.
5. Arrival in Philadelphia (Sept. 1717)
- Entered the Delaware River
- Landed at Philadelphia
- Immediately connected with German Lutheran settlers
Where He Settled Immediately?
After arrival:
- New Hanover Township (Montgomery County, PA)
- Then Germantown (Philadelphia)
- Founded what became St. Michael’s Lutheran Church
- Founded what became St. Michael’s Lutheran Church
The Big Picture: His Life in Motion
Large numbers of German immigrants had
already settled in Pennsylvania but had very few ordained
Lutheran pastors.
Henckel was invited—traditionally connected with William Penn’s Pennsylvania colony and the Frankfort Land Company—to serve these settlers. Before leaving Germany, he had been promised land and a pastoral position at what became known as the “Swamp Church,” later New Hanover Lutheran Church.
Churches he helped found in America
After arriving, Henckel became a pioneer Lutheran pastor in Pennsylvania. He helped organize or establish:
- New
Hanover Lutheran Church (“Swamp Church”)
- Christ
Lutheran Church
- Goshenhoppen
Lutheran Church
- Augustus
Lutheran Church
- St.
Michael’s Lutheran Church, founded in 1721, where he is buried today
Why This Is So Remarkable
Pfarrer ANTHONIUS JACOBUS HENCKEL didn’t just immigrate—he:
- Left a structured European parish system
- Crossed an ocean with a large family
- Became a founder of a denomination in America
👉 He went from managing scattered German villages…
to helping build an entirely new religious community on a new continent.
Documentation from -
THE HENCKEL GENEALOGY by DR. BURT BROWN BARKER
The above, is an account written by Dr. Burt Brown Barker
of his research in Germany in the 1920's concerning the Rev. Anthony Jacob
Henckel. It is from pages 17-21 of "The Henckel Genealogy". Dr. Browns information was put into ChatGPT and charted by ChatGPT
by Suzan Persons, updated April 20, 2026
