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Johann Goll (b. Abt 1756, d. date unknown)

Johann Goll was born Abt 1756 in Anspach, Germany (likely), and died date unknown. He married Catherine Schaffer on 1788 in Baltimore, MD.

Notes for Johann Goll:
According to available sources, a total of 29,875 German mercenary soldiers were brought to America by the British government during the American Revolution. ( Christopher Ward. "The War of the American Revolution", Volume One (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1952), p. 452.; Clifford Neal Smith. "Muster Rolls and Prisoner-of-War Lists in American Archival Collections Pertaining to the German Mercenary Troops Who Served with the British Forces During the American Revolution", rev., (DeKalb, IL.: Westland Publications,1982.)Passim.) The margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth sent a total of 2,353 men to America. (Clifford Neal Smith. "Mercenaries from Ansbach and Bayreuth, Germany, Who Remained in America After the Revolution", rev., (Thomson, IL.: Westland Publications, 1979), p.18
Of the 29,875 German mercenaries brought to America, only 17,313 returned to Europe in 1783. The remaining 12,554 remained in America. Of those who remained in America, 1,200 were killed or died of wounds, 6,354, died of illness or accident, and 5,000 deserted, that is, chose to stay in America rather than return to the homeland. ( Smith, ibid., passim.) Of the 2,353 Ansbach/Bayreuth soldiers in service during the War, only 1,183 returned to Europe leaving 1,170 who apparently stayed in America (Some remained in the colonies, others migrated into Nova Scotia where the British government gave them land) (Smith, ibid.)
At the end of the War, The Ansbach Regiment surrendered following the capitulation of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Life as a prisoner is vividly described in Doehla Diary. From Yorktown, the Bayreuth and Ansbach and other German and British prisoners would travel to Williamsburg, pass near New Germantown and Hanover Town, on to Newcastle, Fredericksburg, cross the Rappahannoch River, to Falmouth, Fairfax Courthouse, over the Shenandoah River, to Winchester, Sherpherdstown, Sharpsburg, Middletown finally arriving at Frederick, Maryland. Johann would have begun his journey as a prisoner on the 21st of October 178. He would desert soon after his arrival in Frederick, Maryland on the 31st January 1782. ( According to Clifford Neal Smith's translation of the Ansbach Regiment's muster rolls, Johann was "last mentioned on the Muster rolls in December 1782". (Smith., op.cit. "Mercenaries..., p. 18.) Desertion were very common all along the way from Yorktown to Federick. (Johann Conrad Doehla. A Hessian Diary of the American Revolution. (Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1990) Translated Bruce E. Burgoyne. Passim.
Johann next surfaces in Baltimore, Maryland in 1788. The intervening 6 years are undocumented. However, based on accounts in Doehla and other mercenary diaries, it was not uncommon for German prisoners to hire out among local farmers or merchants as they moved from community to community. Many of the communities through which they passed as prisoners were predominantly German speaking people. This would have facilitated employment opportunities. Two major reasons for seeking employment. First, the monies promised them as mercenaries continued even while they were prisoners. However, the money was very slow in arriving. Mercenary prisoners used their money to purchase food items and other necessities from the local populace. Without money food became scarce and their lives more miserable. Second, there was a very relaxed containment policy regarding prisoners. They were given a great deal of freedom. True there were rules which if broken resulted in jail time or other punishments, but in general, they could come and go from their encampments as they pleased especially if they had work. (Doehla, op.cit., passim and P. Kirby Gull, "Who is Johann Gull?" Unpublished article, 1991)
In 1788, Johann Goll marries a Catherine Schaeffer. The marriage is performed by Rev. Daniel Kurtz at the Gay Street and Court House Plaza Zion Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland.(See documentation under Marriage Facts) Johann may well have met his bride to be while "employed" in Frederick County. There are a number of Schaeffers residing in that county at the time Johann passes through.
By 1798, Johann has fulfilled the requirements under the federal law to become a naturalized citizen of the newly formed United States of America. ( P. Kirby Gull, Ibid.) The naturalization records for 1798 carries the entry, " John Goll, near Hagerstown, a German, formerly of Prince of Landgrave." Johann had entered military service under a contract executed by his Landgrave( ruler) Prince Alexander, margrave of Ansbach. According to the 1790 U.S. Census he is residing near Hagerstown where he will raise his family and likely die.

More About Johann Goll:
Military service 1: 1777, Drafted, Private, #55, Lt. Col. von Reitzenstein's Infantry Company.²⁹
Military service 2: Bet. 1777 - 1782, German Auxilary Soldier.³⁰
Military service 3: October 1778, Transferred to Captain Ellrodt's Grenadier Company as #30.
Military service 4: June 1780, Wounded at Elizabethtown.
Military service 5: October 1781, Prisoner.³¹
Military service 6: December 1782, Deserted.³²
Naturalization: 1798, Became citizen.³³

More About Johann Goll and Catherine Schaffer:
Marriage: 1788, Baltimore, MD.
Single: 1788, Gay Street and Court House Plaza Zion Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Baltimore Co., Maryland.^{34, 35, 36}

Children of Johann Goll and Catherine Schaffer are:

Elizabeth Goll, b. February 03, 1791, Washington Co., Maryland³⁷, d. date unknown.
Jacob Goll, b. May 22, 1794, Washington, Co., Maryland³⁸, d. date unknown.
Salamina Goll, b. December 06, 1795, Washington Co., Maryland^{39, 40}, d. date unknown.
Susana Goll, b. April 16, 1798, Washington Co., Maryland^{41, 42}, d. date unknown.
Cath Wilhelmina Goll, b. December 06, 1800, Washington Co., Maryland⁴³, d. date unknown.
+Adam W. Gull, b. March 09, 1801, Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland^{44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49}, d. March 21, 1881, Kingwood, Preston Co., West Virginia.^{50, 51}.
Eva Gull, b. March 09, 1801, Washington Co., Maryland⁵², d. date unknown.
John Goll, b. July 01, 1806, ND⁵³, d. July 15, 1880⁵⁴.
Phillip Goll, b. March 01, 1809⁵⁴, d. date unknown.
David Goll, b. July 1811⁵⁴, d. October 22, 1874⁵⁴.
Anna Goll, b. June 13, 1812⁵⁴, d. date unknown.
+Nancy Goll, b. 1813, d. December 03, 1863.