The Enders Connection Summer 2001

Volume 7 Issue 1
Summer 2001

79th Annual Reunion

August 11th, 2001

237 YEARS OF OUR ENDERS FAMILY IN AMERICA  

The Grove at ENDERS,PA will be the scene of the 79th Reunion of that family and the 237th year in America of the descendants of Captain Philip Christian Enders and his wife, Anna. The large Grove is adjacent to the 1400 acre property purchased by Captain Enders and his wife in the late 1700’s.

The Annual reunion begins at 1:30 PM, SHARP, on August 11th, under the direction of President Gene C. Enders, a Memorial Service to remember those family members who died since the 2000 Reunion. The Rev.Dr.Cecil Paul Enders Pottieger will conduct the Memorial Service. 

The annual election of officers will be held during the brief business meeting and games for the children will follow under the direction of Rich and Elaine Enders.

The Grove will be open all day.  Food will be sold at the refreshment stand as prepared by the Valley United Church of Christ. There is ample seating for those who wish to purchase delicious soups, sandwiches, hot dogs, coffee, tea, soft drinks, pies, cakes, ice cream and other goodies.

In the evening, the Blue Grass Band will entertain after supper. The public is cordially invited to attend. For additional information, call President Gene C. Enders at 717-766-5573; Bill and Marilyn Wilbert at 717-362-3570 or Cecil Pottieger at 301-631-5258.   

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An Ender’s Visit to Breunigweiler, GERMANY

ENDER’S FAMILY MEMBERS, GENEALOGISTS & OTHERS VISIT ENDER’S BIRTHPLACE

As part of a 14-day tour to the Palatinate region of South West Germany, seven members of the Enders family joined a group of 40 genealogists and others to visit the birthplaces of Captain and Mrs. Enders. The tour was sponsored by Palatines to America.

It was a brief Saturday afternoon visit en route from Heidleberg to Kaiserslautern; but, the Enders family members had a rare opportunity to visit the twin towns and churches of Breunigweiler (Philip’s home town) and Sippersfeld (Anna’s home town). What a joy to walk the streets of these small villages where the Enders and the Degen families lived and worked.

Those who were in the group were, Donald D. Enders and his wife Kathryn (Kit) of Harrisburg, PA, their daughter, Donna R. Bickle of Miami, FL, and Don’s sister, June E.Mager of Souderton, PA. Also, Enders’ historian Marilyn Henniger of Elizabethville, PA and the Rev. Dr. Cecil and Doris Pottieger of Frederick, MD.  Dr. Pottieger organized the tour for PalAm

Captain Enders' Legion

THE CIVIL WAR SERVICE OF THE DESCENDANTS OF PHILIP CHRISTIAN ENDERS

The Reunion will be your first opportunity to purchase a NEW bound book on the Enders Family in the Civil War. It was written by two family members, namely Russ Ottens of Tifton, GA and Karl Schaeffer of Massillon, OH. It is a 449 page hard bound book about the life and death struggles of 162 family members who fought for the North and the South.

Russ and Karl spent more than four years in family genealogical and military historical research. The book has a distinctive and historic cover and the graphics on the face of the book are of museum quality.

Cost of the book is only $35.00. By picking it up at the Reunion, you will save a shipping and handling fee. The authors will be available all day to sign the books you purchase. All profits go to the “Enders Family Association” for continual upkeep of our facilities at the Grove.

Australian Ender’s Reunion

FALL REUNION “DOWN-UNDER” TO BE HELD IN 2002

Word has been received from Gary Enders of a Fall (in Australia) Reunion to be held on March 17th, 2002. Details of the biennial event are not available to the Editor; but, if you plan to attend, we can sure find out where it will be held “down-under”. It has been reported that at least two members of the Enders official family will attend.

In Memory

If you have a family member or know of an Enders Family Member who died since the last Reunion, please send their name, Enders Number (if you know it), their place of last residence and the date of death to the Secretary, The Rev.Dr. Cecil P. E. Pottieger, PO Box 3371, Frederick, MD 21705-3371.

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http://www.endersfamily.org

OUR WEB ADDRESS ADDRESS WILL NEVER CHANGE AGAIN!

Having our own domain name means that our web address WILL NEVER CHANGE AGAIN! The new address is: http://www.endersfamily.org

Bookmark the site. Historian and web designer Marilyn Henninger makes regular changes and additions to the website.  Contact her with your ideas or suggestions for the website at: harlech@epix.net

For a nominal fee we now use as our web host. This means there are no advertisements on our site!

Genealogists can e-mail Marilyn at harlech@epix.net with the surnames they are researching and they will be posted on the Researchers Page.

The Ender's Legacy

BEAUTIFUL ENDERS ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF MYSTIC, CONNECTICUT

In the early 1920’s, a Thomas and Alyce Enders acquired a small island off the coast of Mystic, CT (No relationship has been established between them and the Captain Philip and Anna Enders family.) When they bought the island it was a somewhat barren, wind-swept rock about 100 yards off the larger, populated Masons Island.

They must have been people of means, because over the years they constructed a massive granite seawall around the island. They built up the island with truck loads of dirt. This bold effort also was a boost to the local economy during the difficult days of the Depression. Thomas died in the late 1930’s. Alyce stayed on Enders Island and developed it until her death in 1953.

Today this beautiful Enders Island is held in trust by the Society of St. Edmund and is used by clergy and lay retreats. A visit to this lovely Enders Island might make a nice summer vacation tour to Mystic, CT. If you do, tell us about your experience and we’ll tell the rest of the family in the Spring edition of THE ENDER’S CONNECTION!

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Libby Prison Key Now in Pennsylvania

    Ender’s Historian, Marilyn Wilbert, found an interesting article that relates to the ENDERS  FAMILY, while reading a 19 June 1914 column in the Lykens, (PA) Standard newspaper.  Some of our readers may recall a confederate prison building formerly owned by John Enders around the time of the Civil  War. This old building located in Richmond, VA had been converted into a Confederate prison and  eventually became known as the LIBBY PRISON. This infamous prison housed many Union soldiers.

    Sometime ago, another Ender’s historian, Karl Schaefer had called our attention to this prison. He noted that had it remained in the hands of John Enders, it might have born the name Ender’s Prison”!!

    The story about this prison that Marilyn discovered is as follows: In Sunbury, PA there is located the key to the Libby Prison. How did it ever get there?  It is owned by C.W. Jarrett and C.F.  Jarrett, who prize this “Key to the Bastille of the Civil War”. It seems that William Jarrett, a volunteer, stole it as a prisoner of war.

    At the outbreak of the Civil War, he volunteered as a member of Company B., 5th Pennsylvania Reserves. While fighting under McClellan in the peninsular campaign, he was taken prisoner by the Confederates, and with hundreds of others, was sent to Libby Prison.

    At the end of two months he was sent to Belle Isle prison, in the James, preparatory to an exchange back to the Union lines. It was the march from the main or central room of the first floor that Jarrett noticed a large brass key carelessly left in the door. In passing, he quickly pulled it out of the lock and concealed it in his blouse.

    Upon their arrival at Belle Isle, a companion, named Martin, advised him to hide the key in the sand. Taking his advice, he placed it where he thought it would be least likely to be found. Soon there was much excitement among the Confederate guards, as the word had been passed that the key was stolen. Prisoners were lined up in rows and each man was carefully searched. Several unsuccessful searches of the prison were also made, and a day was spent looking for the key.

    After the excitement, Jarrett dug up and carefully concealed it on his person and kept it until he was mustered out.

    After the war, he “advanced” it to his home in Selingsgrove, and after a half century, he transferred it to younger hands.