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This information was scanned from “The Frisinger Family Chronicle March 1980 issue (The only issue) published by James Frisinger.)

Census data show clan migration

            The U.S. Census Bureau’s national survey every 10 years, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, provides a kind of roundup of where everyone is during the summer when the year ends in the digit “0.” It’s imperfect, of course. The Census Bureau today misses 100,000s of persons for one reason or another. It nevertheless does give a picture of things.

            For the Frisinger clan, it shows how it all started in Pennsylvania then gradually spread, along with a tide of immigrants, to Virginia, then Ohio, pioneering as they went.

            The first census was conducted in 1790. Available in bound form in many larger libraries, it shows two different households in America with the Frisinger name as follows

1790 Census — Pennsylvania

Ludiwick Frisinger, York Co.. Dover Township

John Frysinger, Dauphin Co., Harrisburgh Town

            The Ludiwick mentioned is undoubtedly the foreign-born forebear who brought the family name to America in 1754.  Land records on file and those now in the hands of Daniel Frysinger of Glen Mills, Pa., show that Ludwig purchased land in Dover Township, York Co., in November, 1775. Ludwig’s eldest son was John, who is apparently listed as the other household in this census.  John would have been about 24 years old at the time of the census. Ludwig’s son Ludwig (Jr.), born in 1771, would have been 19.

1800 Census — Pennsylvania

John Frisinger, York Co.

Susannah Freisinger, York Co. Newberry Township

            John Frisinger above is apparently the same one listed in the 1790 census, though now back in York Co. Susannah Freisinger is possibly the widow of Ludwig’s son Ludwig (Jr.) who would have been 29 at the time of this census.  The Census Bureau listed only the name of the head of the household until 1850. Hence, the only way for women to be noted would be if the “man of the house’ was no longer around.

1810 Census — Pennsylvania

Jacob Freysinger. York Co., Dover Township

John Freysinger, York Co., Dover  Township

Lewis Frysinger. York Co., Monaghan Township

George Frysinger. York Co.. Hanover Township

Virginia

Peter Frisinger, Rockingham Co.

            Here we have listed at least four of the five sons of Ludwig. The odd man out is Lewis, with whom I am unfamiliar. Perhaps he has some connection with Susannah Fresisinger listed in the 1800 census, perhaps a son.  Ludwig does apparently translate to Lewis in English. Maybe someone reading this can help me out.  Ludwig’s son Peter has moved to Virginia by this time where he was to stay until his death 4 January 1815.

1820 Census — Ohio

Catharine Frysinger, Champaign Co., Mad River Township

            The peculiarity of census coverage shows itself in the 1820 census when no Frisingers are shown for Pennsylvania. For whatever reason — poor research in compiling the census index, from which this information is drawn, or improper census procedures in York Co.  I have not personally checked the microfilms name by name for that year to

tell which is responsible) is not clear. Peter’s widow Catharine (Aker) Frysinger does show up after her emigration with family from Virginia to central Ohio.

1830 Census — Ohio

Jacob Frisinger, Champaign Co., Johnson Township

William Frisinger. Mercer Co., Dublin Township

Pennsylvania

George Frysinger, York Co., Hanover Borough

Jacob Frysinger. York Co., Conewago Township

Jacob Frysinger, York Co., Monaghan Township

Jesse Frysinger, York Co., Hanover Borough

John Frysinger, York Co., Dover Township

Lewis Frysinger, York Co., Monaghan Township

Here, Pennsylvania returns with the same names as in 1810 plus two new ones: Jacob (a second one) who is the son of Ludwig’s Jacob. Also, Jesse, son of Ludwig’s George. These two grandchildren are joined by two other of Ludwig’s grandchildren appearing in the Ohio tally: Jacob and William, both son of Ludwig’s Peter who had died five years before. Peter’s widow Catharine no longer appears under the name Frisinger in the census since she remarried. She undoubtedly is part of the family statistics for her new husband Peter Runkle who appears in the 1830 census as living in Champaign County’s Mad River Township in Ohio.  Catharine shows up again as Catharine Runkle, age 76. in the 1850 census in Champaign County’s Johnson Township.

            Marriage and emigration patterns have had their effect in the century and a half since the 1830 census. York County has only a couple of Frisinger households left. Mercer Co., Ohio, where William settled in the 1820s, boasts at least 8 Frisinger households today. An even greater number live in nearby Allen Co., particularly in its county seat of Lima, Ohio.

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Rev 19/2/03