Johanna Charlotte Este

Charlotte Est came from Germany (where she was born about 1761) during the American Revolution. Her father was a surgeon in the German troops fighting with the British. The only name found in the lists which at all resembles Est was Estarch found with four physicians under General Staff Officers under Kynphausen. Could Est be a contraction or mutilated name? In the autumn of the year 1777, before Gen'l Washington withdrew his army to Valley Forge, a number of British officers were quartered at a house on 2nd Streets near Frankford. Among them was Doctor Est. Charlotte, who frequently assisted her father in his professional work, now rendered services to the cause by dressing the wounds of the soldiers and by prescribing and caring for those striken with small pox. Dr. Est's prescription was famous at the time and is a treasured heirloom in the Wenzell family. On the morning of Sept. 12, 1777, Charlotte overheard the British officers planning a surprise attack and the capture of General Washington. At daybreak on the following day she mounted her father's horse, and taking an amply mealsack, started for the mill for flour. She safely passed through the lines to the General's Headquarters at "Carlton" on Bowman's Lane (now Queen Lane) near Germantown, where she told the details of the plot and received hearty thanks from the Commander in Chief. Her mission performed, she returned by way of the Reading Road (Wissahickan Ave. on Township Line) and Nicetown Lane (Hunting Park Ave.) and stopping at the Frankford mill for flour, she again safely passed through the lines, without exciting suspicion of her errand, and first service to the American Cause. In 1778 or 1779, Charlotte married George Wenzell, a prosperous German farmer of Byberry, by whom she had eleven children. She was of a retiring disposition and while proud of the exploit which she recounted to her children and grandchildren, she rarely spoke of it to strangers fearing their scorn because of her German origin, the Hussians (as they were all called) being despised by the Americans even more than the British.
-(Dear Ghosts; p 129-130)
Re: Wenzel children New Information!!!!!!
ntbl Posted: 9 Mar 2008 10:50AM Classification: Query
Surnames:
Hi, the unknown son's name is John (1787). My 5G-grandmother, Charlotte Este (1761 - 1801) was born in Hesse, Germany and her father was a surgeon in a Hessian regiment sent to Philadelphia in 1777. She soon became a spy for the American cause. According to my grandfather's 1964 memoirs, she is written up in a book ""Notable women of Pennsylvania" edited by Gertrude B. Biddle and Sarah O. Lowrie (published by the U. of Pennsylvania Press). Respond if you want more info as apparently quoted by the book.
Ken Copeland

Surnames: WENTZELL WENZELL WENZEL EST
Classification: Query

Message Board URL:

<http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/gFWBAIB/98.1.1>

Message Board Post:

Dear Sir,
I see you have the name Wentzell,Wenzell,Wenzel in your backround too. My Grandmother's maiden name was Wenzell.
My distant cousin who has a web-site on the Wenzells went far back as George Wenzell Wentzell 1775 may have served in the Rev. War. His Wife Joanna Charlotte Est Wentzell also serve in respect to the Rev.War. By warning George Washington of the British invading his camp Sept 12,1777. I'd like to find out more information on this couple.
M.Bruckler (www.swoodbridge.com)

Joanna Charlotte Est
(ABT. 1761 - _______)
BIRTH: ABT. 1761, Germany
Family 1 : George Wenzell
Catherine Wenzell, F, (16 JUN 1780 - _______)
Nicholas Wenzell, M, (29 JUL 1782 - 27 JUN 1848)
Elizabeth Wenzell, F, (26 OCT 1784 - _______)
George Wenzell, M, (3 AUG 1786 - _______)
unknown Wenzell, U, (3 SEP 1787 - _______)
Sarah Wenzell, F, (7 OCT 1789 - _______)
Lewis Wenzell, M, (29 DEC 1791 - _______)
Anthony Armbruster Wenzell, M, (25 MAR 1794 - _______)
Elizabeth Wenzell, F, (2 MAY 1796 - _______)
Charlotte Wenzell, F, (1799 - _______)
Charlotte Wenzell, F, (28 FEB 1801 - _______)

Johanna married Johann George Wenzell about 1779 in PA. (Johann George Wenzell was born about 1745 and died after 1810 in PA.)

From the book on Notable Women of Pennsylvania written by Mrs. Nelson Eberbach on Charlotte Este (1761-1801) "In 1779, she fell in love with and married an American soldier named George Wenzell."