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Hans Blank (arr. 1751)

“Dr.” Hans Blank

fl. 1751 – ?

Christopher’s 7th great-grandfather · ancestor no. 882 · generation 10
Evidence: identity compiled lead

Family

Life and evidence

Hertzler 1885, Fam. 554, copied "off Dr. Blank's manuscript"

“Hans Blank was born of Swiss parents in Switzerland; occupation, doctor of physics; P. O. address when died, Cain’s, Lancaster Co., Pa.; died in Jan., 1790; married to Magdalene ——, who died in Apr., 1796.” Children: Anna (m. Joseph Hostetler), John (m. Fanny Smucker), Catharine (m. John Holley), Barbara (m. Christian Umble), Magdalene (m. Christian Zug), Christina (m. Jacob Yoder). The couple were Reformed, fled Switzerland after a night raid on their house, joined the Amish, and came before 1752. They lived in Heidelberg Twp., Berks Co. (near the Northkill) until spring 1769, then bought 303 acres in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster Co., from Hugh Jenkins, where “Hans Blank there practiced medicine”. Before he died he divided the land between Catharine and John Holley (137 acres) and his son John (166 acres).

This settles the Salisbury candidate: the “Jno. Plank, doctor” taxed in Salisbury 1771–82 was Hans or his son John, who was also “farmer and doctor of physics” there. Wife: Magdalena (wife of Hans Blank) (d. 1796).

Arrived Philadelphia 4 Oct 1751 on the Queen of Denmark (Mast book). Wife Magdalena (Ziegler?) (AMC genealogy).

Where they lived

In their lifetime

Sources

Candidate: "Jno. Plank, doctor", Salisbury Twp, Lancaster Co., 1782 — added 2026-10-31 by Claude

The 1782 Lancaster tax list has “Jno. Plank, doctor” in Salisbury Township, the Amish settlement; “Jno. Plank” is taxed there from 1771 (200 acres; “John Plank & Son” in 1772). Hans = John, Blank and Plank interchange, and “doctor” matches his nickname. Not yet linked by a deed or will. See Lancaster sources scanned for family surnames.

More from Bishop John Blank and Family (Sadie R. Blank Mast, c.1962), Mast (Sadie R. Blank) - Bishop John Blank and Family (1962)

  • Hans and Magdalena “brought two orphan boys along, Christian Umble and John Holley. These boys later married Hans’ daughters” (Barbara and Catharine).
  • “Both are buried on the homestead near Cains, Pa.” In 1962 “there are still three members of the sixth generation of this family residing on the Old Homestead.” The booklet prints a photograph of the Hans Blank Homestead (p. 17).
  • Retelling the raid, it says the black dog “led them on in the path”, and gives the move to Salisbury as spring 1767 (Hertzler 1885 says 1769).
  • Nothing more on where in Switzerland, or when, the raid happened.

Ship list confirmed (2026-11-01)

Pennsylvania German Pioneers, list 174 C: “Hans Blanck” took the oath at the Philadelphia Court House on Friday, 4 October 1751, arriving on the Queen of Denmark, George Parish, commander, from Rotterdam and Cowes. A Johannes Blanck signed the same list (a second man, or a clerk’s repeat). This matches the Mast book’s date exactly.

The Blank heirs' deed, 1798 (Lancaster County deed index)

31 October 1798, Deed Book D03, pp. 457 and 459, Salisbury Township: Christian & Barbara Umble, John & Catharine Hooley, and Joseph & Anne Hochstetter convey and release to John Blank, Christian Zug and Jacob Yoder. These are the six children of Hans and Magdalena Blank and their spouses, dividing the homestead two years after Magdalena died. It is the first original record tying Anna Blank, wife of Joseph Hochstetler, to the Blank family. (Index only; the deed image is not yet seen.) See Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds - online index (1729-).

Narratives and research

Research log

  • 2026-10-31 (from Lancaster sources scanned for family surnames): Hans Blank (arr. 1751), called ‘Dr.’ in the Mast book | ‘Jno. Plank, doctor’, Salisbury Twp, 1782; ‘Jno. Plank’ there 1771–1782, ‘John Plank & Son’ 1772 (200 acres). Also ‘John Blank’ and ‘John Blank Jun’r’, Cocalico Twp, 1771–178
  • 2026-10-31: Hertzler 1885, Fam. 554 (copied from Dr. Blank’s manuscript): born of Swiss parents in Switzerland; doctor; Reformed, fled persecution, joined the Amish, came before 1752; Heidelberg Twp., Berks, until spring 1769, then a 303-acre farm in Salisbury Twp., Lancaster (bought of Hugh Jenkins); died Jan 1790 at Cain’s; wife Magdalene d. Apr 1796; six children named. His parents not given
  • 2026-10-31: Mast, Bishop John Blank and Family (c.1962) read: reprints the Hertzler raid story; adds the two orphan boys (Christian Umble, John Holley), burial on the homestead near Cains, photo of the homestead; no Swiss place or date for the raid. Mast 1911 and Hochstetler 1912 only repeat Hertzler
  • 2026-11-01: Pennsylvania German Pioneers vol. 1 (Strassburger & Hinke 1934), list 174 C: ‘Hans Blanck’ signed the oath at Philadelphia, 4 Oct 1751, ship Queen of Denmark, George Parish, from Rotterdam and Cowes; a ‘Johannes Blanck’ is on the same list
  • 2026-11-01: Lancaster deed index: 31 Oct 1798, D03 pp. 457/459, Salisbury Twp.: the heirs (Umble, Hooley, Hochstetter couples to John Blank, Christian Zug, Jacob Yoder): the estate settlement after Magdalena’s death

Record compiled 31 October 2026.

About this research

Supporting documentation is linked throughout. This project is an exercise in AI-assisted research and development, and I haven’t manually verified every link or conclusion. All transcriptions and translations of Swiss parish records were made with AI, and their accuracy should be treated accordingly.

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