AMERICAN-BORN OF GERMAN IMMIGRANTS

Philip Vastbinder, Senior (1749-1810) was the eldest son of J. Jacob Vastbinder (1723-1791) and Catherine Sortor Vastbinder (born 1723).

Both parents of Philip Vastbinder, Sr. were Rhinelander Germans from the small village of Bendorf (near Koblenz, along the Rhine River), Rheinland-Phalz, Bavaria, who later met and married in America circa 1748.

Philip Vastbinder, Senior, was born upon 6 January 1749, at New Germantown (originally named Smithfield), Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; his death date was on 16 May 1810 (age 61), Hardwick Township, Sussex County, New Jersey.

Following the 16 May 1810 death of Philip Vastbinder, Sr., an Estate Inventory conducted about 10 days later (circa 26 May 1810) particularly noted a Vastbinder Family Bible, lots of books, forestry tools, farm implements and household furniture. Having died "intestate" (without a written will), Philip Vastbinder, Sr. Estate Administration was decided by a judge in Sussex County Surrogate Court on 28 May 1810, in county seat Newton, New Jersey, U.S.A.

Estate Inventory of Philip Vastbinder, Sr. was revealing of the character and priorities of Philip Vastbinder, Sr. Family, hearthstone, religion, learning and living close to the land in forest and farm, were central in the vigorous lie of Philip Vastbinder, Sr.

During the time-frame of the end of the American War of Independence (1783), Philip Vastbinder, Sr. was inspired by the teachings of John Wesley and the thousands of hymns of Charles Wesley: he changed Protestant Christian denominational affiliation from Lutheranism to Methodism. As a stout-hearted man of faith, Philip Vastbinder, Sr. demonstrated steadfast dedication to the Cause of Christ: by heeding a call to the Christian Ministry and becoming a Circuit Rider Preacher for the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Under the church leadership of Methodist Episcopal Bishops Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke, Circuit Rider Evangelists (also known as, Traveling Itinerant Preachers) were required to be well-read, intellectual men of learning: thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures and other Christian literature, as well as the best books of the era. Self-education in place of divinity college training (which was in rather short supply in Early America), was essential to success for Circuit Rider Preachers.

Thus, via self-education in his personal library of many books, superb public speaking communication skills, fine horsemanship, sterling personal character, steadfast faith in Christ, courage in the face of danger, perseverance amidst hardships, and endurance to the end, Philip Vastbinder, Sr. earned the respected title of Reverend. In other words, Philip Vasbinder, Sr. earned a divinity degree via the "College of Hard Knocks" (School of Life Experience). His sacrificial efforts of Christian Evangelism, coupled with thousands of other Circuit Rider Preachers, helped lead the way for the Great American Christian Awakening (also known as, Second Great Awakening or Great American Spiritual Revival), which swept like wildfire through Early America, during the late 1700s and early 1800s.

PHILIP VASTBINDER THRICE MARRIED,
SIRED 12 KNOWN CHILDREN

Philip Vastbinder (1749-1810) apparently married 3 times:

1st marriage to Cathrina (maiden name unknown,
wedding circa 1770 in Sussex Co., NJ,
Cathrina Vastbinder died circa 1774),
Note: NO evidence yet has been discovered of children produced
from this 1st marriage of Philip Vastbinder and Cathrina;

2nd marriage to Ruth (maiden name unknown,
born 1 April 1755; died 1 Sept. 1797);
Wedding circa March 1775 in Sussex County, New Jersey, fulfilling a mourning period of several months, following circa 1774 death-year of Cathrina Vastbinder).
Note: The 2nd marriage of Philip Vastbinder (with Ruth) produced 8 known children;

3rd marriage to Sarah Everitt
(Wedding circa March 1798, fulfilling an appropriate mourning period of several months, following 1 Sept. 1797, reportedly the death-date of Ruth Vastbinder),
Note: The 3rd marriage of Philip Vastbinder (with Sarah Everett) produced 4 offspring.

Philip Vastbinder (1749-1810) sired a full dozen children (8 children by 2nd wife Ruth & 4 children by 3rd wife Sarah Everitt). These 12 children fathered by Philip Vastbinder, Sr. are declared hereinafter:

1) John Vastbinder: born 24 Dec. 1775,
baptized 7 January 1776, St. James Lutheran
"Straw" Church, Phillipsburg, Greenwich Twp.,
Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey;
2) Margaret Vastbinder: born circa 1777,
Greenwich Township, Sussex County, NJ,
married James Bell circa 1810;
3) Ephraim Vastbinder: born 19 July 1779,
married Sarah Bryant circa 1799,
Washington, Washington County, PA,
died 19 Sept. 1836,
Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio;
4) Hanna(h) Vastbinder: born 24 July 1780,
Hardwick Towmshp, Sussex County, New Jersey,
married Obed Willson circa 1798,
and died 15 Jan. 1861 at either:
Brantford, Brant County, Ontario, Canada,
or Ancaster, Wentworth County,
Ontario Province, Canada.
Note: Brantford & Ancaster are 11 miles
(18 kilometers) apart & both towns are near
city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada;
5) Jacob Vastbinder: born 1781, Sussex County, New Jersey,
died 26 Mar 1804, Hope, Warren County, New Jersey,
buried in Swayze Family Cemetery, Hope, Warren Co., NJ;
6) Philip Vastbinder, Jr.: b. 5 Oct. 1785, Hardwick Twp, Sussex County, NJ,
d. 12 Apr. 1871 (age 83 yr.), Simcoe, Norfolk County, Ontario Prov, Canada;
married Elizabeth Swayze on 16 June 1807 in Sussex County, New Jersey
(Elizabeth Swayze b. 19 Feb 1783, Sussex County, NJ, died d. 27 Aug 1834);

7) Samuel Vastbinder: born 23 Oct. 1792,
married Elizabeth McCarty circa 1814,
died 13 Dec. 1863, Ontario, Canada;
8) Elizabeth Vastbinder: born circa 1796.

Note: Foregoing 8 children (nos. 1-8) were produced from the circa Spring 1775 New Jersey marriage of Philip Vastbinder & Ruth.

9) Mary "Polly" Vastbinder: born circa 1799,
married (1st) Francis McGuire on 2 March 1818 in Sussex County, New Jersey,
married (2nd) Robert Patton of Pennsylvania,
died after 1860 (unknown date) in Belmont County, Ohio,
(Ref: 1860 US Census for Ohio provided family, nativity, residence & post office info, such as;
Mary Patton, age 60 years, born in New Jersey,
Robert Patton, age 58, born in Pennsylvania,
2 Girls named Sarah, ages 26 yr. & 13 yr.,
residence of Pease, Ohio,
post office of Bridgeport, Ohio,
-located along Ohio River across from Wheeling, West Virginia);
10) Asa Vastbinder: born 2 Oct. 1802,
married Elizabeth LANNING on 2 April 1846,
died 6 June 1877 in Warren County, New Jersey,
"GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
OUR FATHER
ASA VASBINDER DIED JUNE 6, 1877
Aged 74 yrs. 8 mo. & 4 D's."
Source: Asa Vasbinder Tombstone Inscription,
Buttzville Methodist Episcopal Cemetery,
Buttzville, Warren County, New Jersey;
11) Sarah "Sally" Vastbinder: born circa 1804,
died circa 1837;
12) John Wesley Vastbinder (1807-1894)
born 8 Sept. 1807 in Hardwick Township, Sussex County, New Jersey,
married Susan Hendershot Cooke on 7 April 1846,
died 9 MAR 1894 in Frelinghuysen, Warren Co., NJ,
"JOHN W. VASBINDER
BORN SEPT 8, 1807
DIED MAR. 9, 1894".
Source: John W. Vasbinder Tombstone Inscription,
Johnsonburg Methodist Cemetery,
Johnsonburg, Warren County, New Jersey.

Note: Foregoing 4 children (nos. 9-12) were produced from the circa 1798 New Jersey marriage of Philip Vastbinder & Sarah Everitt.

Note: Vastbinder/Vasbinder Family History New Discoveries upon 20 May 2018 by Dean Ledbetter.
1. Vital Info extracted from a "Vastbinder/Everitt Family Bible", also known as,
"Everitt Family Bible of Year 1792", such as:
a. Family Surname Spelling of "Everitt";
b. Husband of Sarah Everitt was Philip Vastbinder (born 6 January 1749,
of parents Jacob Vastbinder & Catheriine Sortore Vastbinder);
c. Four Children of Philip Vastbinder & Sarah Everitt Vastbinder, along with birth years...
-- Polly Vastbinder, born 1799;
-- Asa Vastbinder, born 1802;
-- Sally Vastbinder, born 1804;
-- John Wesley Vastbinder, born 1807.

2. Asa Vasbinder Tombstone Inscription;

3. John W. Vasbinder Tombstone Inscription.

AMERICAN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1793
OF PHILIP VASTBINDER

American military service of Philip Vastbinder was documented in New Jersey State Militia, 1st Brigade, Sussex County Infantry Regiment, by virtue of a 1793 New Jersey Militia Census. In the early days of American National Independence, citizen soldiers in State Militia units were forerunners of the modern National Guard.

Perhaps it is reasonable to surmise, considering his special vocation as a Circuit Rider Christian Evangelist, Philip Vastbinder, Sr. served as a Military Chaplain in the Sussex County (NJ) Militia. Such Chaplaincy duties are encouraging for troop morale, highly respected within military ranks, and usually are performed by Commissioned Officers.

William Vastbinder (1758-1826), younger brother of Philip Vastbinder (1749-1810), also was listed in the same 1793 New Jersey Militia Census and in the same Sussex County (NJ) Infantry Regiment. William Vastbinder had prior wartime combat military service in the American Continental Army, 3rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment (1776-1777) and P.O.W. (Prisoner-Of-War) status in New York City (1776-1777), during the American War of Independence (1775-1783).

GERMANIC FAMILY BACKGROUND

J. Jacob Vastbinder (1723-1791) and Catherine Sortor Vastbinder (born 1723) were Rhinelander German emigrants from Bendorf, Rheinland-Phalz, Bavaria (now Germany), who later met and married in America circa 1748.

The circa 1748 New Jersey marriage of J. Jacob Vastbinder and Catherine Sortor was blessed with 5 known children (4 sons and 1 daughter):

1) Philip Vastbinder, Sr.: born 6 January 1749, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; died 16 May 1810 (age 62 years) in Hardwick Township, Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey; estate probated on 28 May 1810, Sussex Co., New Jersey; 1793 military service documented in New Jersey State Militia, First Brigade, Sussex County Infantry Regiment;

2) Adam Vastbinder, Sr.: born circa 1750, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; died circa 1825 in Pine Creek Township, Jefferson County, PA; 1780-1782 military service documented in Pennsylvania State Militia, Cumberland County infantry unit;

3) Ephraim Vastbinder: born circa 1753, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; taxed 1782 Cumberland County, PA Property Tax List, possessing 2 horses & 1 cow, surname spelled "Fastbinder"; source: PA State Archives, Series 3, Volume 20, page 610; enumerated head-of-household in 1790 U.S. Census for Pennsylvania, Lancaster County (in what later was organized as Franklin County),in the heart of the historic, scenic, fertile Pennsylvania German (Deutsch) Country; became a resident of Genoa, Cayuga County, New York; died 2 April 1814, according to probate court records of Cayuga County, New York;

4) William Vastbinder, Sr.: born circa 1758, New Germantown, Lebanon Township (now Oldwick, Tewksbury), Hunterdon County, New Jersey; died circa 1826 in Milo, Yates County, New York; multiple periods of military service documented: 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion (1776) --also known as 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment of Foot (1776)--; American Prisoner-Of-War in New York City British Army Prison Camp (1776-1777) during in American War of Independence; and New Jersey State Militia, 1st Brigade, Sussex County Infantry Regiment (1793);

5) Catharine Vastbinder: born circa 1762,
New Germantown, Hunterdon Co., New Jersey; died at age 31 on 27 September 1793; buried 28 September 1793, Saint James ("Straw") Lutheran Church Cemetery, Phillipsburg, Greenwich Township, Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey.

HISTORICAL & GEOGRAPHIC NOTATIONS:

In 1918, New Germantown, NJ, was renamed Oldwick (ancient Anglo-Saxon term meaning: "Old Village"). In 1798, Lebanon Township was partitioned, with the eastern half (including New Germantown), being split off to officially establish Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County, as authorized by 1798 New Jersey legislation reorganizing townships statewide. Sussex County was partitioned, with the southern half (including Hardwick, Greenwich & Hope townships), being split off to become newly-created Warren County, as authorized by 1824 New Jersey county creation legislation.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC SOURCES:

1) Baptismal (Christening), Marriage, Membership, and Death/Burial Registers of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church,
New Germantown (Oldwick), Hunterdon Co., New Jersey;

2) Baptismal (Christening), Marriage, Communion & Death/Burial Registers of
Saint James Lutheran ("Straw") Church, Phillipsburg, Warren County, New Jersey;

3) Pennsylvania Archives;

4) Internet website www.sortore.com website,
Descendants of Jacob and Catherine Sortore;

5) Internet website Raub-and-more.com;

6) Probate (Estate) Court Records, Sussex & Warren counties, New Jersey;

7) Probate (Estate) Court Records, Cayuga County, New York;

8) New Jersey County Marriages (1682-1956), New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, NJ.

Philip Vastbinder, Sr. (1749-1810)
Memorial Tribute Bio-Sketch
Author: Dean Ledbetter
Updated: 10 December 2013
25 April 2014, 14-15 May 2014, 26 & 29 May 2014, 10 June 2014,
28 Jan. 2015, 17 Feb. 2015, 20-21 May 2018, 2 June 2019
Copyright (c) 2013-2019 by Dean Ledbetter;
All Copyright Provisions Reserved (American & International).