Part 1. Johann Melchior Hengerer -Germany to America in 1740

Before we get to the joining of these branches I want to introduce you to the Hanger’s, beginning with the immigrant ancestor, Johann Melchior Hengerer (6th GGF)

Johann Melchior, born, October 9, 1700 in Hessigheim, Wurttemberg, Germany to Hans Conrad Hengerer and Eva Maria Holdenbusch.

The Hengerers were ‘wine growers’ in Hessigheim, Wurttemberg. On 1/23/1723, Johann Melchior married Maria Elisabetha Majer in Daisbach, Germany, daughter of Marx Majer. Occupation of Johann Melchior (after 1723), a ducal gamekeeper, forester and hunter; the villages were grouped in an area southwest of Heidelberg called the Kraichgau.

They departed from Rotterdam, Germany and arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 3, 1740. Their captain was Walter Goodman, their ship the Robert and Alice; his passenger list included: Johann Peter (Melchior) Hengerer; Wife Maria E. Majer; Son Johann Friedrich 14; Son Johann Peter 11; Son Johann Georg 7; Son Johann Philipp 5; Daughter Anna Barbara; 3 Daughter Maria Friederica 1.

Naturalization records for Johann Melchior Hengerer have not been found [2/2016]. 

  Records found for Johann Melchior living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania begin 12/1/1744 when he served as a witness to a Deed. 12/29/1745, Melchior and Maria were baptism sponsors at the Trinity Lutheran Church. 10/28/1746, warrant for 146 acres in Hanover Twp. He conveyed it to son-in-law Mathias Basor some time before Sept 1768, when the tract, called Basorton, was surveyed for Mathias. 12/25/1748, Melchior and Elisabetha served as baptism sponsors. The 1750 tax list for Lancaster does not include Melchior or any of his family, indication they had left the area.They may have been in Greenbrier, see next entry.

  Records found for Johann Melchior living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia: 4/25/1751, (land) survey, 150 acres.

  Johann Melchior died in 1768, Greenbrier Co, WV. No death record found and accounts vary as to the year and location of his death. He most likely died in West Virginia, but he could have been buried in Pennsylvania if he purchased a plot there, possibly, the Lutheran Church they attended.

  Note: Some family trees list him as serving in the Revolutionary War, he would have been in his 70’s. According to the Historical Registers in the Revolution, his son (Johann) Peter and grandson, Peter II (Jr) served under Capt. Thomas Smith’s Company of Augusta County militia.

   (Johann) Peter Hanger, son of Johann Melchior Hengerer,  is my 5th GGF; in America he became known as Peter Hanger Sr.  born 2/15/1729, Eschelbronn, Kraichgau, Germany [2] [rootsweb]. He was 11 years old when his came with his family from Germany to America in 1740; their first known residence is in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; his father served as a witness to a deed in 1744. Melchior remained there until around 1751 when he purchased land in (what is now) Greenbrier Co, West Virginia.

    In 1750, Peter left Pennsylvania and settled in Augusta County, Virginia which had only been established for five years. He was one of the first settlers; he became one of the large landowners. In 1760 in Augusta Co, Virginia he married Anna Sabina Hannah Gabbert (known as Hannah in America). He acquired 600 acres of land that he named “Spring Farm” because of the many springs that bubbled up between its hills. His large house wasn’t built until 1781 when some 200 Hessian prisoners of war were sent to his community; he used them to build his red brick house, which had 3-ft thick walls. Architectural changes were made to the old house with succeeding owners. After many years of abandonment and decay, the house was torn down; many hated to see it go, it was the last Revolutionary landmark in the city of
Staunton, Virginia.

    In 1876 the city of Staunton bought a 30 acre tract to use as it’s water supply; later, they purchased more land [123 acres] to create a city park and recreation center which they named “Gypsy Hill Park”. It was a segregated park until 1969; there was one day set aside for “non-whites” to visit the park. According to Rita Wilson, “the Montgomery Hall Park was the only public park in Staunton and the surrounding area for African-American use”. A 1980s documentary produced by WVPT, called “Staunton’s Other Park”, tells the story of how things were during the Jim Crow era… “Our young people today have absolutely no knowledge of the segregation era. And that may not be a bad thing in some respects, but it’s important to know just how far the African-American community has come” Newman said. [3] History,

    Clues to Peter Hanger Sr’s “occupation” and prosperity are shown in the 1787 Personal Property Tax List: 2 black males over 16 and under 21, 3 black males over 16, one black male under 16, 10 horses and 24 cattle. Note: prior to the abolishment of slavery, slaves were listed on a separate census as property (they were often referred to as “chattel” -a personal possession)  and not as members of a household. During the Revolutionary War he provided provisions to soldiers and prisoners of war from February 10 to June 23 1781 [Virginia Public Claims] 1 beef, a return of grain, forage, 17 bushel rye.

Peter Hanger Sr. also served as a vestryman at the Augusta Parish Church which later became the Trinity Episcopal Church; Peter, his wife and daughter, are buried beneath the vestry as a tribute to his service.
The church was founded in 1748 as the county parish and served as the only government of Augusta County until 1780, when the Parish Vestry was dissolved by legislative act. Most of the “landed, upper class” of the community came from England or places ruled by England and brought the culture with them. In England, parish councils have long been a level of local government rather than being solely ecclesiastical in nature. A vestryman is a member of his local church's vestry, or leading body. He is not a member of the clergy.

  The first bishop of the Diocese of Virginia of The Episcopal Church in the United States, James Madison was a member of this church. He was a cousin of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States; they were both heavily involved in the issues of freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. In 1777, Madison served as chaplain of the Virginia House of Delegates and organized his students into a militia company. This made him unpopular with Loyalist sympathizers in the church; a case was filed against him and he was removed from the faculty. [3] Historical, Peter and Augusta Co, Virginia.

   Both Peter Hanger Sr and his son Peter Hanger II, were members of Captain Thomas Smith’s Company of Augusta County militia during the time of the Revolutionary War. Note: I can find no record of the dates they served.

    Peter Hanger Sr. died in 1801, as previously mentioned, he is buried under the vestry of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, Virginia. Note: there are various dates given for his death; e.g. 12/27/1802, which is the date his will was “proved” not his death date.

    After his death, his property was divided among his children, in later years, passed to other ownership. His Will, 1/2/1802, lists his “inheritors” Note: his son Jacob is one of the executors but not an “inheritor” - he is said to have moved away because he disapproved of slavery; most likely the reason he is not listed as one of the “inheritors”.

    Peter Hanger's will: 2d January 1802:--To son, Peter, to Peter Rush, who married daughter Barbara; to son John; son, George; son, Frederick; to Frederick Fultz who married daughter Hannah; to daughter Catherine; son, David [infant]; tract whereon King, the Schoolmaster, formerly lived to be sold. Executors, sons Peter and Jacob and Peter Rush. Teste: Jacob Swoope, S. Blackburn. Addendum says: Have sold the King plantation to Peter Rush and he has conveyed to me the plantation on the Winchester Road occupied now by John Fleiger, which is to be sold. To Caty Dillenger, who now lives with testor, under 18. Proved 27th December 1802. Peter Rush refuses to execute. Others qualify. Note: Son, Jacob (my 5th GGF), an executor, not listed as an "inheritor". Jacob moved his family to Ohio to get away from slavery; this must be why he was “disinherited”.

Peter Hanger II, my 5th Great-Uncle "The story of the descendants of Peter Hanger II reads like an historical novel; amours beyond the limits imposed by clergy and race... success in the acquisition of worldly goods and position far beyond the usual." Indeed, there is much more information about his son then there is about his father, Peter Hanger Sr; the following information from his Timeline provides a good summary and a representation of how many of the wealthy lived in Augusta County, Virginia.

    On April 8 1785, at age 24, Peter II married Catherine Link; they had ten children; including one they named Peter, the third Peter Hanger born in America. At, or shortly after, the time of his marriage to Catherine he operated a stage station and hostelry, he also farmed. Later, Peter II built a distillery, the business "became so extensive that several slaves were acquired"; as he acquired money, his real estate portfolio grew; some purchased specifically for his sons. On February 24, 1791 he was served with a writ to appear in court; a suit filed by his brother-in-law, Peter Link, on a plea of trespass with damages in the sum of 500 pounds. Peter was selling liquor without a license, moving it across Link's land; it is thought that Mr. Link did this primarily to prove that he was not involved in this illegal activity.

  Around 1806, Peter II started a saddlery and harness-making shop in partnership with his brother-in-law, David Link. That enterprise ended when David died in 1814, he was only 28 years old; a widower with a young son; Catherine Hanger took her nephew into her home and raised him.

    “With the number of slaves they possessed, it can be imagined that theirs was a gracious, well-ordered household, typical of the abundance and good living enjoyed by rich Virginians in their day.” According to the 1820 census, Waynesboro, Augusta, VA, Peter II had 14 slaves.

    Peter II died on December 23, 1828. The inscription on his headstone reads: Composed in suffering, in joy sedate, Good without noise, without pretension great; Unblamed by any, by all approved, Honored and wept by the wife beloved.

    Probate, the estate of Peter Hanger II. Bond for $36,000.00 was given, indicating personal property of $18,000.00 value, in addition to three large plantations totaling approximately $25,000.00 more in value. Peter was a rich man in 1828. John and Peter Hanger III, his sons, became his executors.
This link will take you to a page (photos of Catherine Link Hanger; Home of Peter and Catherine Hanger) in the book, The Link family: antecedents and descendants of John Jacob Link, by Paxon Link published 1951. http://interactive.ancestry.com/19776/dvm_GenMono004579-00068-0?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2fsearch%2fdb.aspx%3fdbid%3d19776%26path%3d&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnBrowsing#?imageId=dvm_GenMono004579-00062-1

  Once on that page you can type 9 into the box at the bottom, center of the document, that will take you to the Table of Contents. To change to a full page image without the filmstrip pages across the bottom, click on the “picture frame” icon on the right side of the page; you can scroll from page to page using either the side arrows of the page or on the filmstrip. Note: the page numbers of the book don’t match the page numbers of the digital document, you have to add 30 pages to get to the right page in the digital document.

John Hanger, son of Peter Hanger III; makes decisions based on love.

  John Hanger, fell in love with his mulatto housekeeper, named Nancy Gough. He accepted her as a common law wife (he so names her in his will) and four children were born to this union - "he gave his four children his name, his property, and his affection". John died 11/19/1898; he is buried in Riverview Cemetery at Waynesboro, Virginia, with his deceased children. Nancy b. 3/17/1845. d. 5/18/1922. She is buried on the farm John inherited from his father.  (page 151 of digital document).

Children: Sallie Cobb Hanger b. 11/7/1867-12/28/1947. Willie Hanger b. 12/9/1873-10/25/1947. Maude Hanger b. 9/29/1875-1950. Birdie Hanger b. 2/22/1878-1/30/1944 m: William R. Craig 10/11/1884 - 10/29/1960. I found all John's children on Find A Grave, buried at Riverview Cemetery, where he is buried with matching individual headstones; all but Maud had a newspaper obituary.

Note: Nancy Gough (Gaugh/Gaw/Goff)

Before John died in 1898. 1870 Census: John Hanger 43, Nancy Goff 25,  Sallie Goff 3. In his will he stated Nancy Gough was his common-law-wife and gave his children his name and his property.

1900 Census, South River, Augusta, VA. Hanger, Nancy 55 (Head of House, widow), Sallie 32, William 25, Maud 24, Bertie 22.

1910 Census, South River, Augusta, VA. Hanger, Sallie 39 (Head of House), Nancy 59, William 34, Maud 30, Bertie 27, William Craig 24. farmer, employer, own home, mortgage-free

1920 Census, South River, Augusta, VA. Hanger, Sallie 50 (Head of House), Nancy 74, William 46, Bertie 41. farmer, own account, own home, mortgage-free

1930 Census, South River, Augusta, VA. Hanger, Sallie 55 (Head of House), William 50, Maud 46, Bertie Craig 40, William Craig 42

   There are many ironies in life and contradictions between what a person says and what a person does. The following statement is a good example: on July 6, 1775, Congress drafts the Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms which details the colonists’ reasons for fighting the British and states that Americans are “resolved to die freemen rather than live as slaves.” Yet, many of these men and founders of our democracy owned slaves. This statement also indicates that man does not want to be a slave even if “treated well” by his master. I think the following advertisement may be representation of that. Henry may have been Mr. Wright ’s cook and/or his valet (a man's personal male attendant, responsible for his clothes and appearance) tying him, daily, to his master and likely always “on call”.

http://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/3494
Wanted: Experienced Cook, World Traveler, Runaway Slave

A black enslaved man named Henry ran away from the Staunton, Virginia plantation of John G. Wright on the 14th of June, 1815. By August 7th , Mr. Wright had placed an advertisement of a twenty dollar reward for his capture and return in the Washington D.C. Daily National Intelligencer.

    Mr. Wright went on to write a surprising description of his slave, mentioning that Henry had been frequently at sea and has made trips to the West Indies and other places. He was also said to be a very good cook and known throughout Richmond for his skills. Wright noted too, that Henry is 5 feet 5 inches high, has thick lips...a grim countenance but pleasing when spoken to.

    A runaway enslaved man was not necessarily an uncommon occurrence-a newspaper search of advertisements in America's Historical Newspapers from 1815 to 1830 yields over 600 advertisements-but it is the descriptions of Henry which are of special interest.

This newspaper article is an example of the dark side of slavery. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/responses/docs8.html

"Desperate Negro Woman" from the Staunton Vindicator 1861

    A fine looking negro woman aged about 28 years, belonging to Mr. Joseph Cline, living about four miles from Staunton, becoming unruly, he determined to bring her to town and sell her. While she was going to get her clothes, she picked up an ax which she had concealed, and deliberately cut three of her fingers off, taking two licks at them. She was brought to town, placed in jail, and her hand was dressed by Dr. Baldwin. She did the act for the double purpose of preventing her sale and taking revenge upon her master.

List of Presidents of the United States who owned slaves. Slave owning was common among early presidents; of the first twelve, only John Adams and John Quincy Adams never owned slaves, although two the others (Martin Van Buren and William Henry Harrison) did not own slaves while serving as president.

In his will, George Washington freed his slaves pending the death of his widow; she freed them within a year of his death.

Jefferson because of overwhelming debt he only freed a few of his slaves in his will.

Madison did not free his slaves in his will. *Paul Jennings, one of Madison’s slaves, published the first memoir of life in the White House.

Monroe supported sending freed slaves to the new country of Liberia; its capital, Monrovia, is named after him.

Jackson did not free his slaves in his will - during his campaign for presidency, he was criticized for being a slave trader.

Van Buren owned one slave who escaped in 1814. He belonged to the Free Soil Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into the Western territories without advocating for abolition outright.

Harrison inherited several slaves. As the first governor of the Indian Territory, he unsuccessfully lobbied Congress to legalize slavery in Indiana.

Tyler never freed any of his slaves and consistently supported slavery and its expansion during his time in political office.

Polk generally supported slavery as president. His will provided for the freeing of his slaves after the death of his wife.

Taylor owned slaves throughout his life, he generally resisted attempts to expand slavery in the territories.

Johnson owned a few slaves and was supportive of James K. Polk’s slavery politics. As military governor of Tennessee, he convinced Abraham Lincoln to exempt that area from the Emancipation Proclamation.

Grant had control of slaves owned by his wife. He owned a slave, William Jones, from 1857 to 1859. Grant freed Jones. During the Civil War, he enlisted slaves into the Union war effort and had them paid for their service.

Lists of slave-holding presidents typically exclude James Buchanan; he purchased two slaves from his brother-in-law and made them his own indentured servants.

  Proposals to emancipate all slaves in the District of Columbia date back to at least 1839. In 1848, Rep. Daniel Gott described the actions of the abolitionists of the northern states as “impertinently intruding themselves into the domestic and delicate concerns of the South, understanding neither the malady to be corrected nor the remedy to be applied.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_Compensated_Emancipation_Act

The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, signed 4/16/1862, ended slavery in Washington, D.C. The act, which set aside one million, immediately emancipated slaves in Washington, D.C., giving Union slaveholders up to $300 per freed slave. An additional $100,000 allocated by the law was used to pay each newly freed slave $100 if he or she choose to leave the United States and colonize in place such as Haiti or Liberia.

Liberia, a country on the West African coast. Liberia means “Land of the Free” in Latin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia

Formation and Independence. Settled by the American Colonization Society (ACS): 1/7/1822 -Date of first settlement. Liberian Declaration of Independence: 7/26/1847. Recognized by the United States of America: 2/5/1862.

  Between 1/7/1822 and the American Civil War, more than 15,000 freed and free-born Black Americans from the United States and 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans relocated to the settlement. The Liberian constitution and flag were modeled after the United States. 1/3/1848 Joseph Jenkins Roberts, a wealthy free-born Black American from Virginia who settled in Liberia, was elected as Liberia’s first president.

  [The ACS, a private organization supported by prominent American politicians such as Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay and James Monroe, believed repatriation of free blacks was preferable to widespread emancipation of slaves.]

Early Settlement: In the United States there was a movement to resettle American free blacks and freed slaves in Africa. The American Colonization Society (ACS) was founded in 1816 in Washington, DC for this purpose, by a group of prominent politicians and slaveholders… Slaveholders wanted to get free people of color out of the South, where they were thought to threaten the stability of the slave societies. Note: colonies named after American states: Maryland Colony, Louisiana Colony, Mississippi Colony, Pennsylvania Colony; the capital of Liberia, Monrovia, was named to honor James Monroe. Some abolitionists collaborated on relocation of free blacks, as they were discouraged by discrimination against them in the North and believed they would never be accepted in the larger society.

  These free African Americans and their descendants married within their community and came to identify as Americo-Liberians. Many were of mixed race and educated in American culture [infused with American notions of political republicanism and Protestant Christianity]; they did not identify with the indigenous natives of the tribes they encountered… especially those in communities of the more isolated “bush.” ... Encounters often developed as violent confrontations… Because of feeling set apart and superior by their culture and education to the indigenous people, the Americo-Liberians developed as a small elite that held on to political power (sound familiar?). It excluded the indigenous tribesmen from birthright citizenship in their own lands until 1904, in a repetition of the United States’ treatment of Native Americans.

  By 1877, the Americo-Liberian True Whig Party was the most powerful political power in the country; primarily of people from that group, who maintained social, economic and political dominance… Competition for office was usually contained within the party; a party nomination virtually ensure election.

Note: Liberia was a founding member of the United Nations in 1945… On 4/26/2012, former Liberian President Charles Taylor became the first African head of state to be convicted for his part in war crimes by the Special Court for Sierra Leone… the domestic Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace worked to end the Second Liberian Civil War [thousands of women mobilized their efforts, staged silent nonviolence protests that included a sex strike and the threat of a curse]... and later helped bring to power the country’s first female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_of_Liberia_Mass_Action_for_Peace

Three more items regarding the Hanger family. Peter Hanger IV resided in Virginia, a slave state and  served in the Confederate Militia; therefore he was considered to have committed crimes against the United States of America [Union]; “for all offences by him committed, arriving from participation, direct or implied in the said rebellion” as such, he applied for a Presidential Pardon; which I have transcribed for easier reading.

Andrew Johnson. President of the United States of America.

Whereas, Peter Hanger, of Augusta County, Virginia by taking part in the late rebellion of the Government of the United States, has made him liable to heavy pains and penalties; And whereas, the circumstances of his own case render him a proper object of Executive clemency: Now, therefore, be it known, That I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of America, in consideration of the premises, divers other good and sufficient reasons thereunto moving, do hereby grant to the said Peter Hanger a full pardon and amnesty for all offences by him committed, arriving from participation, direct or implied in the said rebellion, conditioned as follows, viz: This pardon to begin and take effect from the day on which said Peter Hanger shall take the oath prescribed in the Proclamation of the President, dated May 29, 1865; and to be void and of no effect if said Peter Hanger shall hereafter, at any time, acquire property whatever in slaves, or make use of slave labor; and that he first pay costs which may have accrued in any proceedings hitherto instituted against his person or property.

   And upon the further condition, That the said Peter Hanger shall notify the Secretary of State, in writing, that he has received and accepted the foregoing pardon.

   In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

   Done at the City of Washington, this Second day of August A.D. 1865, and of the Independence of the United States

    Johann Peter Hanger had a son named George (1775-1844) who also became a large landowner and owned numerous slaves. “George Hanger purchased 253 acres here in 1832. It was on this property that his first son, Jacob (1812-1876) built the Hanger Mill c. 1860 The 1860 Census lists the mill as a merchant mill. After Jacob’s death in 1877, at the age of 65, the large property was divided among his many heirs. His wife Hettie received the mill. Upon her death in 1890, Silas Huff (1842-1926), who had married Jacob’s daughter Obedience Robinson Hanger (1840-1917), purchased the mill.” This web link will take you to a website containing pictures of the mill and it’s amazing inner workings. http://millpictures.com/mills.php?millid=1188

The Marriage Bond for Henry Eidson and Catherine Hanger, daughter of Jacob (Johann) Peter Hanger Sr. Note: many of our present marriage customs came from this, e.g. the part of the marriage ceremony “if anyone here has just cause why these two should not marry”; the father giving his daughter’s hand in marriage. In said times, for a couple to be legally married and recognized as such there was a protocol that had to be followed (both the fathers of the prospective marriage couple had to sign the Bond). As you will see, the government was involved even before the church (marriage ceremony); and, even before this, the future groom had to get permission from the father of the future bride to marry her. A woman of a certain age who was not married was referred to as a spinster. Written into the Bond, the phrase, “intended to be solemnized” - by a minister of an “approved” church. At this time, most couples did not have a church wedding, as we do now, they married at the home of the bride or they were married at the church with two witnesses who signed the marriage certificate. It was not yet a custom for the bride to wear white.

Marriage Bond transcribed - Know all men by these presents that we Henry Edison and Jacob Hanger are held and firmly bound to his excellency John Page Esquire, Governor of Virginia, and his successors, for the use of the Commonwealth, in the just and full sum for one hundred and fifty dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and leverly (?) firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated the 15th of May in the day of our lord one thousand eight hundred and three [1803].

  The condition of the above is such, that whereas there is a marriage shortly intended to be solemnized between the above bound Henry Eidson bachelor and Catherine Hanger spinster daughter of Peter Hanger.
  If therefore shall be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force.
  Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of… Henry Edison, Jacob Hanger
Note: in the original copy “s” is written as “f”; I have come across this before in “Old English” documents and signatures - when someone signed their name with this “s” it could be the cause of some surnames being misinterpreted.

I found Marriage Bond for another of Peter Hanger’s daughters, Hannah Hanger b. 1771 m: Frederick Fultz. However, I was unable to copy the image; I’m including a transcription of the document [5/9/1795]. Know All Men, by their presents, that we Fredrick Fultz and Peter Hanger are held and firmly bound unto his Excellency Robert Brooke Esquire, Governor of Virginia, and his successors, in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars -to the payment whereof, well and truly to be made, we do bind ourselves, our heirs, and each of our joint and several heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals, and dated the 9th day of May 1795 in the 19th year of the Commonwealth.
  The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas there is a marriage shortly to be solemnized between the above bound Fredrick Fultz Bachelor and Hannah Hanger spinster, daughter of Peter Hanger of Augusta Co; if therefore there shall be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue. Witness, Chesley Kinney… Fredrick Fultz… Peter Hanger

The tradition of a white wedding dress is commonly credited to Queen Victoria's choice to wear a white court dress at her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Debutantes had long been required to wear white court dresses for their first presentation at court, at a "Drawing Room" where they were introduced to the queen for the first time.

  Royal brides before Victoria did not typically wear white, instead choosing "heavy brocaded gowns embroidered with white and silver thread," with red being a particularly popular colour in Western Europe more generally. European and American brides had been wearing a plethora of colours, including blue, yellow, and practical colours like black, brown, or gray. As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread across the Atlantic and throughout Europe, elites followed her lead... Although women were required to wear veils in many churches through at least the 19th century, the resurgence of the wedding veil as a symbol of the bride, and its use even when not required by the bride's religion, coincided with societal emphasis on women being modest and well-behaved. Etiquette books then began to turn the practice into a tradition and the white gown soon became a popular symbol of status that also carried "a connotation of innocence and sexual purity.” The story put out about the wedding veil was that decorous brides were naturally too timid to show their faces in public until they were married. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_wedding

A couple more interesting things about Staunton, Virginia, past and present. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staunton,_Virginia *** Many great Weblinks found in References of this website ***

    Staunton is also home to the former Western State Asylum, a hospital for the mentally ill, which originally began operations in 1828... After the passage of the Eugenical Sterilization Act of 1924 in Virginia, patients were forcibly sterilized at Western State until the law authorizing the practice was repealed in the 1970s. Later, electroshock therapy and lobotomies were practiced at the facility...

    The Staunton city school district is one of 21 in Virginia which take elementary school students out of class for Bible lessons on a voluntary basis, a practice known as Weekday Religious Education. Although the U.S. Supreme Court ended taxpayer funded religious education in 1948 in McCollum v. Board of Education, four years later they opened the door to privately funded voluntary classes held during school hours but away from school premises in Zorach v. Clauson. (Note: I remember when I was in grade school, Catholic children were taken out of school to attend catechism.) In 2005, a group of parents in Staunton asked the school board to halt the practice. However, the challenge was unsuccessful, and the Bible classes are still being taught (as of June 2013)

    Augusta Female Seminary, which later was renamed Mary Baldwin College was founded in 1842. It is the oldest institution of higher education for women in the nation - affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Note: the Presbyterian Church has always believed that education is of fundamental importance, especially that everyone should learn to read so that they can read the Bible.

Notes: Different Surname Spellings

At some point, after their arrival in America, the surname Hengerer was changed to Hanger; and, Johann was dropped from his son's "given name" so that Johan Peter becomes Peter Hanger. His "namesake" son, Peter I. Other spellings of Hanger (Gorgner/Gregner/Gonger)

Hanns (Conrad) Cunrad Hengerer m: Eva Maria (Catharina) Holderbusch

Johann (Hans) Melchior Hengerer m: Maria Elisabeth Majer (Majar/Mayer/Meir/Meyer)

Anna Sabina Hannah (Hannah most often used in Census) Gabbert (Gebbert/Gabhardt)

References and Weblinks

[1] Fredrich and Peter Hanger of Virginia: 1740 Immigrants, Some Ancestors and Descendants. Joyner, Peggy S. A Genealogy Book with verified sources - Records: [in Germany] Evangelisch Church, Hessigheim, Germany; [in the United States]Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Land Warrants and Deeds; Tax List http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/o/c/h/Pamela-J-Ochsner/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0103.html

[2] Peter Hanger Sr. http://www.geni.com/people/Johann-Hanger/4123282429740061609 "Descendants"

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=3257731&id=I116404  Johann Peter HANGER biographical information [rootsweb]

[3] Historical; Peter Hanger and Augusta Co, Virginia

Web links used as references
Trinity Episcopal Church https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app&gws_rd=ssl#q=trinity+episcopal+church+staunton+virginia

Bishop James Madison https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison_(bishop)

vestryman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestryman  Peter Hanger Sr, vestryman

Gypsy Hill Park was segregated until 1969 [one day a year was set aside for “no-white” use] http://augustafreepress.com/the-true-story-of-stauntons-other-park/

Augusta County, Virginia Militia; excerpts pertaining Capt. Thomas Smith’s Company and  Staunton serving as a supplier of of bacon to Washington’s Armry. Note: I found no references to Peter Hanger http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tqpeiffer/Documents/MILITARY%20%20Vets%20-%20Units/Military%20Units/Augusta%20County%20Virginia%20Militia.htm#_Regimental_History
Further Research, Reading List

Book:Paul Jennings, one of James Madison’s slaves, published the first memoir of life in the White House. A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James Madison by Paul Jennings. This wikipedia page will tell you about the man and the book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Jennings_(slave)

Digital Book Read the book on-line https://archive.org/stream/coloredmansremin00jenn#page/n7/mode/2up

Book: Soul by Soul by Walter Johnson -relates to how as the cornerstone of the southern economy, slavery came to permeate all aspects of white life. Note: I ordered and read this book. It’s a rather “dry read” but very informative of the period and slave pens, etc.

Book: Waddell’s Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, from 1726-1871. http://www.roanetnhistory.org/bookread.php?loc=WaddellsAnnals&pgid=64  (The account of the Hanger family in Peyton’s History of Augusta Co, published in 1882, is inaccurate in many details.)

Book: Family Diggings of Risch & Hengerer Lines: A Research Experience in Deutschland. Author: Jones, Jane. Publication: 1992

Book: "Pioneers and Patriots Over the Blue Mountain". Author: F. Richard Turnback.

Photo GalleryAugusta County Historical Society http://www.augustacountyhs.org/photo-gallery-2/

Added, 9/10/2016. https://books.google.com/books?id=-PMxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA456&dq=Jacob+Hanger&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjMkqTh5fbOAhVHZCwKHQ4mBBEQ6AEIODAF#v=onepage&q=Jacob%20Hanger&f=false

Annals of Augusta Co, Virginia, with Reminiscences… Biographical Sketches… A Diary of the War, 1861-5, and a Chapter on Reconstruction… by Jos Q Waddell, Member of the Virginia Historical Society. Pub. 1888.

  Peter Hanger, the first of the name in the county, lived near Staunton, at Spring Farm, now the Staunton water works. His wife was Hannah Gabbert, and his children were five sons: Peter, George, Frederick, John (died a bachelor) and Jacob; daughters: Barbara m: Rush, Hannah m: Fultz, Kitty m: Eidson, Elizabeth d. Unmarried.

1. Peter Hanger, son of Peter and Hannah, lived on Winchester road, 8 miles from Staunton, at a place formerly widely known as “Hanger’s,” and latterly as “Willow Spout.” His wife was Catherine Link, whose mother was Mary Smith. He had four sons and four daughters, who lived to maturity: David, went to Missouri; Elizabeth m: Joshua Evans, Sr.; Hannah m: James Allen; Dr. John Hanger; Peter Hanger of South River; Mary m: Samuel M. Woodward; William S; Eveline m: Jacob Baylor.
2. George Hanger lived on Middle River, at Shutterle’s mill m: Obedience Robinson; children: William S; Alexander; Jacob; Robinson; Catherine m: William Mills.
3. Jacob Hanger removed to Ohio. Sons: Robertson, William, James
4. Frederick Hanger of southern part of Augusta and Rockbridge.

Note: *** This is a work in progress ***

A list of ALL Hanger Blog Posts -Blog Post: Hanger Family, Blog Links -*7/8/2016

http://gray-adamsfamily.blogspot.com/2016/07/hanger-family-blog-links.html

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