A Family Heritage Project

The Schauss / Shouse Family
From the Palatinate to North Carolina

Tracing six generations of a Reformed German family from Eckweiler and Albisheim in the Rhine Palatinate, across the Atlantic to the Moravian settlements of North Carolina — spanning ten generations and over four centuries of history.

Geography

Migration & Settlement Map

From the Rhine Valley of Germany to Philadelphia, through Pennsylvania, and finally to the Moravian settlements of North Carolina. Click any marker for historical detail. The orange dashed line traces the family's migration path.

Residences & Settlements
Churches
Cemeteries
Archives & Repositories
Migration Path
German Origins

The Schauss Family in the Palatinate

Six generations of the Schauss (Schauß, Schaws) family have been traced in Germany, from the village of Eckweiler near Bad Kreuznach in the late 1500s, through Büdingen, to their permanent seat in Albisheim an der Pfrimm in the Palatinate. The family belonged to the Reformed (Calvinist) church tradition. Research draws on church records, the award-winning Weller dissertation (2004), and multiple genealogical databases.

Eckweiler
before 1600 – c. 1620
Bad Kreuznach · earliest origins
Büdingen
c. 1620 – 1674
Lorraine / Westerwaldkreis
Albisheim
1674 – present
Pfrimm Valley · family seat
Göllheim
1723
marriage connection
Immesheim
c. 1704
Johann Adam born here

Six Generations in Germany (c. 1560–1765)

Traced from Eckweiler (Bad Kreuznach) through Albisheim. Philipp Heinrich Schauss, Mayor of Albisheim, anchored the family in Germany while his nephew Johann Adam emigrated to America in 1736.

Gen. Name Born Died Location Key Details
1st Hanß Schauß & Catharina Von Allenfeldt bef. 1600 / c. 1560 unknown / Apr 5, 1609 Eckweiler, Bad Kreuznach Earliest documented ancestors. Protestant Reformation era.
2nd Melchior Schauß Feb 24, 1595, Eckweiler Jun 24, 1628, Eckweiler Eckweiler, Bad Kreuznach Married Helena Anteßes Dec 4, 1621 in Eckweiler. Died age 33.
3rd Johannes (Gabriel) Schauss c. Jul 23, 1620, Büdingen c. Feb 27, 1674, Büdingen Büdingen (Lorraine) Married Maria Magdalena Klein Jan 30, 1644 at Evangelische, Albisheim. Had 7 sons & 3 daughters.
4th Hans Bernhardt Schauss c. 1650, Büdingen Aug 31, 1720, Albisheim Büdingen → Albisheim Married Anna Margarethe Naass Apr 21, 1674 in Albisheim. Established the family in Albisheim. Wife was local Albisheim family.
5th Johann Conrad Schauss Sr. Jan 2, 1675, Albisheim Apr 27, 1734, Albisheim Albisheim / Göllheim Married (1) Anna Engle-Burgis Conrad 1699, Albisheim; (2) Johanna Felicitas Heßlerin 1723, Göllheim.
Anna Margaretha Schauss Oct 31, 1680 Albisheim
Hans Adam Schauss Jun 10, 1683, Albisheim Albisheim
Philipp Heinrich Schauss Stayed Feb 3, 1686, Albisheim Apr 11, 1765, Albisheim Albisheim Linen weaver & Mayor of Albisheim. Married Anna Barbara (Waltherin). Had 16 children. Lived his entire life in Albisheim.
6th Johann Adam Schauss Emigrated 1736 c. 1703/1704, Immesheim 1770, Bethania, NC Albisheim → Philadelphia → NC Millwright & miller. Married Maria Barbara Baum (of Albisheim). Arrived Philadelphia Sep 1, 1736 on the Harle. Progenitor of the Shouse family in NC.
Philipp Nikolaus Schauss Emigrated Dec 17, 1728, Albisheim 1810, Stokes Co., NC Albisheim → NC Son of Johann Adam. Married Maria Catherine Beck Jul 19, 1748 at Jordan Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Albisheim an der Pfrimm — The Family’s Homeland

A village of 1,892 people in the Donnersbergkreis district of Rhineland-Palatinate, situated in the Pfrimm Valley (Zellertal) about 21 km west of Worms. Postal code 67308.

Protestantische Peterskirche

Kirchgasse 14, 67308 Albisheim · Built 1792

St. Peter’s Protestant Church, with its historic Stumm organ. The family’s church — Schauss baptisms, marriages, and burials were recorded here. The municipal coat of arms features Saint Peter. The Lutheran parish dates to 1554, with records beginning 1641. After 1818, Lutheran and Reformed congregations merged.

Rathaus (Town Hall)

Classicist building from 1832

The historic town hall of Albisheim. Philipp Heinrich Schauss (1686–1765) served as Mayor (Bürgermeister) of Albisheim — an earlier building would have been his seat of office. His mayoral service demonstrates the family’s prominence in village life.

Warteturm (Watch Tower)

Wingertsberg · First documented 1551

An 8-meter stone watchtower that has overlooked the village since at least the mid-1500s — a landmark the earliest Schauss arrivals would have known. Located on the Zellertalweg walking trail, a 9 km round walk from Albisheim.

Königsfest

Third weekend of September · Since 1222

Albisheim’s annual “King’s Festival” traces its tradition back to 1222 — over 800 years. The Schauss family would have celebrated this festival for generations. A living connection to the family’s homeland, held every September.

Neighboring Schauss Villages

Immesheim · Göllheim · Gauersheim

Immesheim (~150 people): birthplace of Johann Adam Schauss, c. 1704. Part of the Albisheim parish.
Göllheim (~4,000): Johann Conrad Sr. married his second wife here in 1723. Seat of the Verbandsgemeinde.
Gauersheim: administered the Albisheim parish 1688–1698 during a gap period.

Eckweiler — Earliest Origins (Abandoned 1979)

Bad Kreuznach · Amt Winterburg · Now a Wüstung

The earliest known Schauss origin and home to at least 4 brothers who stayed when Hans Bernhardt left for Albisheim. Hanss Caspar (1656), Johannes Melchior (1657), Hanss Velten, and Hans Christoph all remained in Eckweiler — their descendants became the Daubach/Monzingen winery family and the Roxheim mill family.

The village was abandoned in 1979 when NATO expanded the Pferdsfeld airbase. Only the Heiligkreuzkirche (Holy Cross Church, c. 1500) and cemetery survive — both monument-protected. Open May–Oct, 1st Sunday, 2–5 PM. The cemetery may contain Schauss headstones from the 1600s–1900s.

Church Records & Archives

Key repositories for researching the Schauss family in Germany. The Albisheim Lutheran parish began records in 1641 with gaps; the parish was unoccupied 1688–1698 (administered from Gauersheim).

ARCHION — Digitized Church Books

Online Archive · Paid Access

Albisheim Kirchenbuch #1 available from 1720. Over 175,000 church books digitized. Images only (not indexed) — browse page by page for Schauss entries.
archion.de

Zentralarchiv der Ev. Kirche der Pfalz

Archive · Speyer, Germany

Domplatz 6, 67346 Speyer. Holds Protestant Palatinate church records on microfilm. Library includes family pedigrees and town chronicles. Tue–Thu 8–16h; 2nd Thu 8–18h.
zentralarchiv-speyer.de

Landesarchiv Speyer

State Archive · Speyer, Germany

Otto-Mayer-Str. 9, 67346 Speyer. Holds French-era civil records (1798–1814), emigration records, tax lists, land records, and court records. Phone: 06232 9192-0.
Email: post@landesarchiv-speyer.de

FamilySearch

Online · Free Access

LDS-filmed Albisheim records. FHL Microfilm 193,748 contains Evangelische church marriage records (confirmed source for the 1699 Schauss-Conrad marriage). Collection: “Rhineland-Palatinate Church Record Extractions and Family Registers, 1600–1925” (106,564 images, browsable free). Source: PRFK archives, Ludwigshafen.
Albisheim Wiki Page · Browse Collection

Pfälzisch-Rheinische Familienkunde (PRFK)

Genealogy Society · Ludwigshafen

Rottstraße 17, 67061 Ludwigshafen. Archive with 8,500+ publications, nearly 1 million family name cards (Familiennamenkartei), and a Miller Database (Müllerdatenbank). 850+ members. Regional groups in Worms and Speyer.
prfk.org

Eckweiler Kirchenbuch (1568–1798)

Church Records · Earliest Schauss Records

Church records from Eckweiler covering 1568–1798 — predating the Albisheim records. Contains the earliest Schauß baptisms, marriages, and burials. FamilySearch microfilms: Film 489885 (1632–1675) and Film 493211 (1760–1798). Manuscripts at Staatsarchiv Koblenz.
WeRelate source page

The Definitive Resource: Ortsfamilienbuch

“Die Familien Albisheims: 1641–1900, ihre Genealogie und Geschichte”

Author: Detlef Uhrig  ·  Published: 2009, Kaiserslautern  ·  Format: 2 volumes  ·  Catalog #: 1b 6809 (1+2)

This is the definitive genealogical resource for Albisheim. An Ortsfamilienbuch (village family book) compiles all births, marriages, and deaths from parish records into family groups for the entire village across 259 years. Every Schauss family member recorded in Albisheim from 1641 to 1900 should appear in this book — including the descendants of Philipp Heinrich Schauss (Mayor) who stayed in Germany after 1736.

Where to consult:
Pfalzbibliothek (Palatinate Library), Kaiserslautern — pfalzbibliothek.de
Geschichts- und Heimatverein Albisheim e.V. (History & Heritage Society), Pfrimmtalstraße 9, 67308 Albisheim. Chairman: Ralf Petri — albisheim.de

Present-Day Contacts in Germany

Geschichts- und Heimatverein Albisheim e.V.

Local History Society · Albisheim

The history and heritage association of Albisheim. Holds a copy of the Ortsfamilienbuch. Organizes archaeological events and historical research. Registered association (VR 11771, Amtsgericht Kaiserslautern).
Address: Pfrimmtalstraße 9, 67308 Albisheim
Chairman: Ralf Petri
Official page

Pfalzbibliothek Kaiserslautern

Palatinate Library · Kaiserslautern

Holds transcripts of nearly 400 church books and family books for the entire Palatinate, available for loan. The Albisheim Ortsfamilienbuch (catalog # 1b 6809) is available here. Also holds Detlef Uhrig’s study of the Albisheim Lutheran Church, 1641–1798.
pfalzbibliothek.de

Institut für pfälzische Geschichte

Institute for Palatinate History

Academic institute with a library cataloging the Geschichts- und Heimatverein Albisheim’s publications. Their catalog includes Albisheim historical works.
Library catalog

Protestantische Kirchengemeinde Albisheim

Protestant Parish · Active Congregation

The still-active Protestant parish of Albisheim. The Peterskirche at Kirchgasse 14 continues to serve the community. May have knowledge of historic parish records and local family histories.
Parish page

Key Published Sources

Weller Dissertation (2004)

“A Family History/Genealogy of the Schauss/Shouse Family in North Carolina, 1755–1900” by Dr. Nelson A. L. Weller. Ph.D. dissertation, Union Institute and University. Won the NC Genealogical Society’s Award for Excellence in Publishing. Traces the German line back to 1620.
FamilySearch Library · WorldCat

Shouse Genealogies of Selected Families

Compiled and edited by Eugene Trimble (1987). Comprehensive family compilations with German origins data including the Albisheim 1100th Anniversary Book references.
Download PDF

Albisheim Taxpayer Records (1574–1581)

“Untertanen der Pflege Albisheim” published in Pfälzisch-Rheinische Familienkunde 12:7:342–348 (1992). Lists taxpayers in the Albisheim administrative district — may include early Schauss entries predating the church records.

WikiTree Schauss Profiles

Extensively sourced free profiles with church record citations:
Johann Conrad Sr. · Hans Bernhardt · Johannes · Melchior · Overview

The Schauss Family in Germany Today

A search of Das Telefonbuch (German phone directory) found 92 people named Schauss or Schauß currently living in Germany. The geographic distribution reveals clusters that align with the historic family locations.

Albert Schauß — Born in Eckweiler, Guardian of the Ancestral Church

The most important present-day discovery: Albert Schauß was born in Eckweiler and lived there for 30 years. When the village was destroyed in 1979–82 (NATO airbase expansion), he and his family were resettled to Roxheim in 1980. He now leads the Freundeskreis Eckweilerer Kirche (Friends Circle of Eckweiler Church), which preserves the 500-year-old Heiligkreuzkirche — the very church where Hanß Schauß, Melchior, and Johannes Schauss worshipped, and where church records date from 1568. He rings the three bells and organizes spiritual and cultural events at the site.

Albert is a direct descendant of the Eckweiler Schauss brothers who stayed when Hans Bernhardt moved to Albisheim in 1674. He is the living connection between the ancestral homeland and the present day.

Contact: In der Rossbach 27, 55595 Roxheim
Phone: 0671 36471
Email: albert.schauss@web.de
Source: Rhein-Zeitung

The Family Still Lives Next to Albisheim

NameLocationDistanceSignificance
Freia Schauss Zeller Weg 3, 67308 Zellertal-Niefernheim ~3 km Same postal code as Albisheim. Adjacent village in the Zellertal valley.
Fritz Schauß Zeller Weg 3, 67308 Zellertal-Niefernheim ~3 km Same address as Freia — family members living together.
Richard Schauss 67297 Marnheim ~5 km Neighboring municipality to Albisheim.
Eckhard Schauss Kirchenstr. 1, 67259 Heuchelheim b. Frankenthal ~20 km Palatinate region, near Lambsheim (where the Baum family married).

Freia and Fritz almost certainly descend from Philipp Heinrich Schauss (Mayor of Albisheim, 1686–1765) who stayed in Germany with his 16 children while his nephew Johann Adam emigrated in 1736. Zellertal-Niefernheim is the next village over from Albisheim — the family has remained in the same valley for over 350 years.

Schauß Mühle — The Schauss Mill in Roxheim

An officially recognized settlement (Wohnplatz) belonging to the municipality of Roxheim, Bad Kreuznach — in the same district as Eckweiler, where the earliest Schauss ancestors lived before 1600. The mill sits on the Katzenbach creek, north of the Nahe river. It is significant enough to have its own weather pages, transit stop, and official administrative listing.

Why this matters: Johann Adam Schauss was a miller by trade, working at the “Klein Mühle” in Albisheim before emigrating. Mills in this era were family businesses passed down through generations. Three Schauss families currently live in Roxheim (Dirk, Annette, and one other). The Schauß Mühle may be a centuries-old family property connecting the Eckweiler branch of the family to the milling trade.

Bad Kreuznach / Eckweiler Area Cluster

NameLocationConnection
Dirk SchaussAm Birnbaum 2, 55595 RoxheimHome of the Schauß Mühle
Annette Schauss55595 RoxheimSame town as Dirk
SchaussIn der Lehmkaul 4, 55595 RoxheimThird Roxheim listing
Reinhard Schauß55566 Bad SobernheimNear Eckweiler
Elmar Schauß55569 MonzingenNear Eckweiler
I. u. J. SchaußRüdesheim (Kr Bad Kreuznach)Bad Kreuznach district
Stephan u. Doris Schauß55595 BurgsponheimBad Kreuznach area

This cluster may descend from the Eckweiler branch — Nicholaus Schauss (c. 1685, Ippensheid) who married Maria Elisabetha Wickert in Eckweiler in 1708. Also: Susanna Maria Schauss (b. 1781, Daubach, Bad Kreuznach), daughter of Peter Schauß, confirms the family was still present in this area into the late 1700s.

Weingut Schauß — A Schauss Family Winery, 7th Generation

A Schauß family winery has been operating in Monzingen an der Nahe since 1800 — now in its 7th generation. Founded when Johann Nicolaus Schauß from Daubach married Henriette Jäger of Monzingen on May 9, 1800. Daubach is in the Bad Kreuznach district — the same district as Eckweiler, where the earliest Schauss ancestors lived.

Current owner: Elmar Schauß (Dipl.-Ing. Weinbau u. Oenologie) with wife Simone and two children
Address: Römerstraße 12, 55569 Monzingen
Phone: 06751 2882
Website: weingut-schauss.de

The family also operates Hotel-Restaurant Stadtmühle Monzingen — a historic 1533 mill they purchased and renovated in 2016–2019. The recurring connection between the Schauss name and mills (Schauß Mühle in Roxheim, Klein Mühle in Albisheim, now the Stadtmühle in Monzingen) is striking. This winery family very likely descends from the Eckweiler Schauss branch and represents one of the most accessible present-day contacts for the family.

Other Clusters Across Germany (92 Total Listings)

Kaiserslautern Area

5 listings · Palatinate

Manfred, Ronald, Martin Schauß in Kaiserslautern; Harald in Föckelberg; Brigitte & Florian in Waldleiningen. Deep Palatinate region.

Hohenstein / Taunusstein / Idstein

10+ listings · Hesse

Largest single cluster: Arthur, Claudia, Helmut, Jörg, Margarete, Pia & Rudolf, Reinhold, Thomas, Walter, Werner. May represent a later migration from the Palatinate.

Wiesbaden / Frankfurt

Multiple listings · Hesse

Jürgen & Petra Schauß-Knab (Wiesbaden), Erika Schauss (Frankfurt), Thorsten Schauß (Frankfurt), Udo Schauss (Wiesbaden).

Speyer

1 listing · Where the archives are

Volker Schauß (67346 Speyer) — lives in the city that houses both the Zentralarchiv der Ev. Kirche der Pfalz and the Landesarchiv Speyer.

Open Research Questions

  1. What happened to Philipp Heinrich’s 16 children after 1765? The Ortsfamilienbuch Albisheim (Uhrig, 2009) should answer this — highest priority to obtain.
  2. Where exactly is “Büdingen, Lorraine”? Sources conflict. Not the famous Büdingen in Hesse.
  3. Are there surviving Schauss headstones in the Eckweiler cemetery? Albert Schauß (born in Eckweiler, now in Roxheim) would know.
  4. Are there surviving Schauss headstones in the Albisheim Protestant cemetery?
  5. Can DNA testing connect the American Shouse descendants with the German Schauß families (Zellertal, Roxheim, Monzingen)?
  6. ✓ ANSWERED: Do Schauss descendants still live near Albisheim? Yes. Freia & Fritz Schauß in Zellertal-Niefernheim, 3km away.
  7. ✓ ANSWERED: What about the Eckweiler branch? 4 brothers stayed. Albert Schauß was born there; the Weingut Schauß descends from this line.

Books & Records to Obtain

Published Familienbücher (village family books) that will contain Schauss entries. These are compiled from church records into indexed family groups — the fastest way to trace the German lines.

BookAuthorDatesWhy It MattersHow to Get
Familienbuch Rehbach
(Vol. 1 & 2)
Paul Wilbert & Maria Blum 1684–1960 Covers Eckweiler, Daubach, Winterburg, Ippenschied + 10 villages. Will contain all Schauss entries for the ancestral homeland. WGfF or local libraries
Familienbuch Roxheim Heinz Augustin (Bd. 170) 1691–1905 967 pages. Covers the Roxheim evangelical parish — home of the Schauß Mühle and Albert Schauß. WGfF Shop (WG10060)
Familienbuch Bad Sobernheim Josef Schmieden (Bd. 152) 1664–1880 1,185 pages, 2 vols. Bad Sobernheim is where Eckweiler residents were resettled. WGfF (WG10047)
Werner Bentz Verkartung Werner Bentz 1568–1885 Indexed card file of ALL Eckweiler church records. The most comprehensive source for the earliest Schauss generations. Archiv der Ev. Kirche im Rheinland, Bad Kreuznach
Ortsfamilienbuch Albisheim Detlef Uhrig 1641–1900 2 volumes. Every Schauss in Albisheim for 259 years. The definitive Albisheim resource. Pfalzbibliothek Kaiserslautern (1b 6809) or Geschichtsverein Albisheim

WGfF orders: phone 0221-277 59 443 or 0221-277 59 447. wgff-shop.de

Known Schauss Burials

Susanna Schauss Krieger (1758–1828)

Bethania Moravian God’s Acre, Forsyth Co., NC

Daughter of Philip Nicolaus Schauss & Maria Catherine Beck. Married Johann Jacob Krieger; had 6 children. Born on the Yadkin in NC. One of the earliest documented Schauss burials in America.
Find a Grave

Maria Catherine Beck Schauss (1734–1796)

Bethania, Stokes (now Forsyth) Co., NC

Wife of Philip Nicolaus Schauss. Born Jan 6, 1734 in Pfullingen, Württemberg, Germany. Died Nov 16, 1796 in Bethania, NC.
Find a Grave

Peter Schauss (1945–2012)

Waldfriedhof Oberrad, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Modern Schauss burial in Germany. Connection to the historic family unconfirmed but the Frankfurt/Hesse area has a significant Schauss population cluster.
Find a Grave

Eckweiler Cemetery

Abandoned village, Bad Kreuznach · Monument-protected

The cemetery of the ancestral Schauss village survives alongside the Heiligkreuzkirche. No new graves since 1979. May contain Schauss headstones from the 1600s–1900s. Contact Albert Schauß (Freundeskreis) for access and information.

The Ship Harle — Emigration Record

Ship: Harle of London  ·  Master: Ralph Harle  ·  Route: Rotterdam → Cowes → Philadelphia  ·  Arrival: September 1, 1736
Passengers: 151 foreigners from the Palatinate qualified, 388 total including families

Passenger #94: “Johan Adam Shans” — listed age 32. This is Johann Adam Schauss of Albisheim/Immesheim. He signed his full name “Johann Adam Schauss” on the oath of allegiance at the Philadelphia courthouse. His wife Maria Barbara Baum and their four children born in Germany (ages ~11, 9, 8, and 5) traveled with him.

Source: Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, LL.D., Vol. 1 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980). Also: PA State Archives Record Group-26, “Names of Foreigners who Took the Oath of Allegiance, 1727–1775.”
Olive Tree Genealogy — Ship Harle Passenger List · Immigrant Ships — Full List

Children of Johann Adam Schauss & Maria Barbara Baum

Married January 16, 1725 in Albisheim. Johann Adam was a wheelwright and miller (“Klein Mühle”). First four children born in Germany, remaining seven born in Pennsylvania after emigration.

#NameBornBirthplaceNotes
1Maria Magdalena MargarethaSep 25, 1725Albisheim, PfalzBorn in Germany
2Friedrich ChristophApr 13, 1727Albisheim / ImmesheimBorn in Germany
3Philip NicolausDec 17, 1728Immesheim, PfalzBorn in Germany; d. 1810 Stokes Co., NC
4Anna Maria GertraudJul 18, 1731Immesheim, PfalzBorn in Germany
5Johann (Show)Jan 7, 1737PennsylvaniaFirst child born in America
6ConradJan 7, 1738Falkner Swamp, Montgomery Co., PA
7Anna MargarethaJul 18, 1740Falkner Swamp, Philadelphia Co., PA
8Heinrich Sr.1741Falkner Swamp, Philadelphia Co., PA
9GottliebDec 14, 1744Bethlehem, Northampton Co., PA
10BeniginiaDec 1746Bethlehem, Northampton Co., PA
11Christian (Shouse)Jul 11, 1748Whitehall, Bucks Co., PAName already Anglicized

Connected Families in Albisheim & the Palatinate

Baum Family — Albisheim

In-laws of Johann Adam Schauss

Johann Philipp Baum (c. 1670, Albisheim — Apr 13, 1729) married Anna Margaretha Stahler (Apr 28, 1678, Albisheim — May 8, 1723) in 1706 at Lambsheim. Their daughter Maria Barbara Baum (Jan 8, 1707, Albisheim) married Johann Adam Schauss in 1725. Siblings: Johann Jacob (1699), Maria Margaretha (1703), Johann Engelberth (d. 1705), Hans V. (d. 1706), Johann Christian (1709). The Baums were an established Albisheim family.

Naass Family — Albisheim

Maternal line of the Albisheim Schauss family

Anna Margarethe Naass (Mar 1, 1657, Albisheim — Aug 31, 1720, Albisheim) married Hans Bernhardt Schauss in 1674. Her family was native to Albisheim, predating the Schauss arrival. Anna Engle-Burgis Conrad’s mother may also have been a Naas(s). The Naass name appears repeatedly in Albisheim records.

Conrad Family — Albisheim

Mother of Johann Adam Schauss

Anna Engle-Burgis Conrad (Oct 30, 1680, Albisheim — c. 1712, Albisheim) married Johann Conrad Schauss Sr. on Aug 29, 1699 at the Evangelische church, Albisheim (FHL Microfilm 193,748). Possible parents: Hans Michael Conrad and Anna Margretha Barbara Naas Conrad. Mother of Johann Adam, the emigrant.

Eckweiler Branch — Separate Schauss Line

Bad Kreuznach district · Wickert connection

A separate Schauss branch remained in the Eckweiler area: Nicholaus Schauss (c. 1685, Ippensheid, Bad Kreuznach) married Maria Elisabetha Wickert (Mar 25, 1689, Eckweiler) on Jan 31, 1708 in Eckweiler. Also: Anna Catharina Schauss (c. 1680, Winterburg), daughter of Niclaus Schousser, married Johann Melchior Wickert Feb 9, 1700 in Eckweiler. These may be cousins of the Albisheim branch.

A Note on Reformed (Calvinist) Identity

The Palatinate had a turbulent confessional history. Elector Frederick III promoted Reformed (Calvinist) faith after 1560, commissioning the Heidelberg Catechism in 1563. John Casimir restored the Reformed faith in 1583. But in the late 1600s, Reformed worship was prohibited, driving emigration. The Albisheim parish is documented as Lutheran (est. 1554), yet the Schauss family is identified as Reformed. In 1818, all Palatine Lutheran and Reformed congregations merged into the united Protestant-Evangelical-Christian Church. Records after 1818 are simply “Protestantisch.” The family may have been Reformed members recorded in Lutheran parish books — a common practice in mixed areas.

Genealogy

Schauss / Shouse Family Tree

Ten generations from Eckweiler (c. 1560) to North Carolina (1900). Click any person to see details, sources, and connections. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan. The tree forks where the family split — one branch stayed in Albisheim, the other emigrated to America in 1736.

German-born
Stayed in Germany
Emigrated
Born in America
Connected Families
Chronology

Family Timeline, 1560–1900

before 1600
Earliest Schauss Family in Eckweiler
Hanß Schauß and his wife Catharina Von Allenfeldt (c. 1560–1609) are documented in Eckweiler, a village near Bad Kreuznach in Rheinland-Pfalz. Church records from 1568 survive. The village became Protestant during the Reformation.
1595–1628
Melchior Schauß in Eckweiler
Melchior Schauß, son of Hanß, born Feb 24, 1595 in Eckweiler. Married Helena Anteßes Dec 4, 1621. Died Jun 24, 1628 at age 33 — during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), which devastated the Palatinate.
c. 1620–1674
Johannes Schauss in Büdingen
Johannes Schauss (son of Melchior) born c. 1620 in Büdingen. Married Maria Magdalena Klein Jan 30, 1644 at the Evangelische church in Albisheim. Had seven sons and three daughters. This generation bridges Eckweiler and Albisheim.
1674
Schauss Family Established in Albisheim
Hans Bernhardt Schauss (c. 1650, Büdingen) marries Anna Margarethe Naass (b. 1657, Albisheim) on Apr 21, 1674 in Albisheim an der Pfrimm. This marriage establishes the family permanently in Albisheim. They have four children: Johann Conrad (1675), Anna Margaretha (1680), Hans Adam (1683), and Philipp Heinrich (1686).
1686–1765
Philipp Heinrich Schauss — Mayor of Albisheim
Youngest son of Hans Bernhardt. Linen weaver who became Bürgermeister (Mayor) of Albisheim. Married Anna Barbara (Waltherin) and had 16 children, though many died young. Lived his entire life in Albisheim, anchoring the family there while his nephew’s branch emigrated to America.
1680s–1720s
Palatine Refugee Crisis
Wars (including the Nine Years’ War and War of Spanish Succession), famine, and religious persecution devastate the Rhine Palatinate. The Albisheim parish was unoccupied 1688–1698, administered from Gauersheim. Thousands of German families begin emigrating. Reformed worship was prohibited in the late 1600s.
Sep 1, 1736
Johann Adam Schauss Arrives in Philadelphia
Johann Adam Schauss (c. 1703/1704, Immesheim), millwright and miller, arrives at the Port of Philadelphia on the ship Harle. He had married Maria Barbara Baum (daughter of Johann Philip and Anna Maria Baum of Albisheim) in 1725. German immigrants signed oaths of allegiance upon arrival.
1736–c. 1754
Settlement in Pennsylvania
Johann Adam Schauss settles in Pennsylvania, working as a miller. The family encounters Moravian missionaries recruiting settlers for their new communities in North Carolina. Around 1754, the family moves south.
1753
Moravians Purchase Wachovia Tract, NC
The Moravian Brethren (Unitas Fratrum) purchase 98,985 acres in the Piedmont of North Carolina, calling it "Wachovia" after an Austrian estate. They begin organizing settlement parties, prioritizing skilled tradespeople and farming families.
1753
Bethabara Founded — First Moravian Town in NC
The first group of Moravian settlers arrives in North Carolina and establishes Bethabara ("House of Passage"), the first permanent Moravian settlement in the colony. It serves as the staging ground for future settlements.
1759
Bethania Founded — Schauss Family Arrives
Bethania is established as the second Moravian town in Wachovia — and uniquely, as a "mixed" settlement open to non-Moravian German families. Johann Adam Schauss and Philipp Schauss are among the early settlers, bringing the family to North Carolina for good.
1760s
Land Grants & Farming in Bethania Area
The Schauss brothers receive land grants in the Bethania/Muddy Creek area of what is now Forsyth and Stokes Counties. They farm tobacco, grain, and livestock. Johann Adam serves as a witness on Moravian community documents.
1766
Salem (Old Salem) Founded
The Moravians establish Salem as the central "congregation town" of Wachovia — a planned community with a Single Brothers House, Single Sisters House, tavern, and skilled trades. It becomes the commercial and spiritual center of the region.
1771
Schauss Name Begins Becoming "Shouse"
As the family integrates with English-speaking neighbors, the German "Schauss" gradually Anglicizes to "Shouse" — a phonetic approximation common among Palatine German families in the Carolinas. Both spellings appear in records through the 1800s.
c. 1775
Philipp Schauss Dies — Buried at Dobbs Parish
Philipp Schauss (brother of Johann Adam) dies and is buried at Dobbs Parish Graveyard near Bethania. His death record is among the earliest Shouse family records in North Carolina. Johann Adam continues farming with his sons.
1780s–1790s
Revolutionary War & Post-War Expansion
Shouse family members serve or are affected by the American Revolution. The Moravians maintained complex neutrality but faced pressure from both sides. After the war, the family expands across Stokes County, acquiring additional land grants.
1790
First U.S. Census — Shouse Households Recorded
The first federal census records multiple Shouse households in Stokes County, NC. The family has grown to include the children and grandchildren of the original immigrants — now fully established as American frontier farmers.
Early 1800s
Beck-Shouse Family Alliance
Through marriage, the Shouse and Beck families intertwine, establishing the Beck-Shouse Cemetery along Grassy Creek near Bethania. Multiple generations of both families are buried here, making it an important genealogical landmark.
1849
St. Philips Moravian Church Founded
The Moravians establish St. Philips as a congregation for African American members — both enslaved and free. It becomes the oldest African American Moravian congregation in North Carolina, reflecting the complex relationship between Moravian faith and slavery in the antebellum South.
1861–1865
Civil War — Shouse Men Serve
Several Shouse family members serve in North Carolina Confederate units. The Salem area sees significant disruption. Moravian records document wartime hardships, food shortages, and the eventual arrival of Union troops in 1865.
1878
Winston Founded — Twin City Era Begins
The new town of Winston is chartered adjacent to Salem, growing rapidly as a tobacco manufacturing center. By 1913, Salem and Winston merge to form Winston-Salem. The Shouse family witnesses the transformation of their ancestral homeland into an industrial city.
1900
End of Primary Research Period
By 1900, the Shouse family is well-established across Forsyth and Stokes Counties. Descendants include farmers, craftsmen, and merchants. The Schauss emigrant of 1751 has by now become hundreds of American descendants across the Carolinas and beyond.
Genealogy

Key Ancestors

The first four generations of the Schauss/Shouse family in America, from the Palatine emigrant to the post-Civil War era.

Johann Adam Schauss

c. 1703/1704 Immesheim, Germany — 1770 Bethania, NC

The primary immigrant ancestor. Son of Johann Conrad Schauss Sr. and Anna Engle-Burgis Conrad of Albisheim. Millwright and miller by trade. Married Maria Barbara Baum (daughter of Johann Philip & Anna Maria Baum of Albisheim) in 1725. Arrived Philadelphia Sep 1, 1736 on the ship Harle. Settled in Pennsylvania before relocating to Bethania, NC c. 1754. Died at his son’s home in Bethania. Had eleven children including Philipp Nikolaus.

Philipp Nikolaus Schauss

Dec 17, 1728 Albisheim — 1810 Stokes County, NC

Son of Johann Adam. Born in Albisheim, emigrated with his father as a child. Married Maria Catherine Beck Jul 19, 1748 at Jordan Evangelical Lutheran Church. His death in Stokes County represents one of the last events for someone born in the German homeland who lived in North Carolina.

Second Generation Shouse

c. 1745–1810, Stokes & Forsyth Counties, NC

Children of Johann Adam, born partly in Germany or Pennsylvania, raised in Bethania. By this generation the name "Shouse" appears alongside "Schauss" in tax lists, church records, and land deeds. Members worship at Bethania Moravian Church and Shiloh Union Church.

Third Generation — Frontier Farmers

c. 1770–1840, Stokes County, NC

Grandchildren of Johann Adam. Fully American-born, they expand across the Muddy Creek and Germanton areas of Stokes County. Many appear in the 1790 and 1800 federal censuses. Intermarriage with the Beck, Shore, and Transou families is documented.

Beck-Shouse Alliance

Early 1800s, Grassy Creek area, NC

Marriage between Shouse and Beck family members created a lasting bond documented in the Beck-Shouse Cemetery on Bethania Station Road. This cemetery remains a key genealogical site. Some descendants later moved west to Indiana and Missouri following frontier migration patterns.

Civil War Generation

c. 1835–1870, Forsyth & Stokes Counties, NC

Fourth and fifth generation descendants who lived through the Civil War. Served in NC Confederate units. The Shouse family, like their Moravian neighbors, faced difficult choices between religious pacifist tradition and Confederate conscription pressure. Post-war records show resilience and continuation of farming traditions.

Research

Archives & Primary Sources

The Shouse family history is documented across several archives. The Moravian Archives in Winston-Salem holds unparalleled records of life in the Wachovia settlements.

Moravian Archives, Winston-Salem

The primary repository for Wachovia settlement records. Contains congregation diaries, Bethania land records, death registers, and correspondence dating from 1753. Holds the Bethania Record Book with early Schauss family references.

Moravian Archives, Bethlehem PA

Northern Province archives. Contains records of Pennsylvania Moravian communities that had contact with the Shouse family during their brief residence in Lancaster County. Also holds emigrant passenger records.

NC State Archives, Raleigh

Land grant records, colonial court documents, Revolutionary War pension files, and tax lists. Stokes County records (pre-1849 Forsyth County formation) are especially relevant to Shouse family research.

Forsyth County Courthouse

Deed books, will books, and estate records from 1849 forward (when Forsyth County was formed from Stokes). Contains Shouse land transactions, probate records, and guardianship papers through the 19th century.

Records of the Moravians in NC

Multi-volume published transcriptions of Moravian congregation records edited by Adelaide Fries. Essential secondary source with English translations of German-language diaries, letters, and reports.

Federal Census Records

Shouse households appear in NC census records from 1790 onward. The 1850 and later censuses include ages, birthplaces, and occupations. Available via Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and the National Archives.

Peterskirche, Albisheim & German Archives

Parish records (Kirchenbücher) from 1641 with gaps; Kirchenbuch #1 from 1720 on Archion. Microfilms at Zentralarchiv der Ev. Kirche der Pfalz, Speyer. Civil records at Landesarchiv Speyer. Eckweiler Kirchenbuch (1568–1798) covers earliest Schauß generations. See German Origins section for full details.

PA German Society Records

Pennsylvania German immigrant ship lists and naturalization oaths. Philadelphia Port arrival records (1727–1808) often list German immigrant men by name. The Schauss name may appear on late 1740s or 1750s manifests.