Peter Rough before 1765-1825 (11101000)

Beautiful Augusta County, Virginia where Peter Rough lived throughout his adult life.

According to census data, Peter Rough was born before 1765. The same census data gives us the spelling of his surname as Rough. The first records we have found for him were tax lists in Augusta County, Virginia beginning in 1788, where his surname is also generally rendered as Peter Rough. However, the Lutheran church records in which he appears render his surname in the original germanic spelling of Rausch. 

Augusta County, Virginia

His parents have yet to be identified. It is possible that he is part of the Rauch family of Pennsylvania. Dellynn Leavitt has identified his father as Johan Georg Rauch (b. 1669 Oderheim, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany). Johan George was in Berks County (Albany Township), Pennsylvania until 1765, and thereafter in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Leavitt says there are two men named Peter Rauch in that family line. The one he has identified as the same as the Peter Rough of Augusta County, Virginia is a son of Johan Georg Rauch. The other Peter Rauch that he has identified was a grandson of Johan Georg, through his son George Rauch. One Peter stayed behind in Lehigh County PA, while the other seems to disappear from the PA records, and therefore may be our Peter who shows up in Augusta County, Virginia by 1788. 

The church records in Northampton have the following information for Peter Rauch:

Northampton (later became Lehigh) County PA

RAUCH, Johannes, s. Peter RAUCH and w. Margreth; b. Jan. 14, 1773; bap. Feb. 14, 1773; sp. Johann Theobald HERZOG and Eva Catharina SAEGER.

RAUCH, Susanna, dr. Peter RAUCH and w. Anna Margreth; b. Aug. 4, 1774; bap. Sept. 4, 1774; sp. Johannes GROB and Anna Maria LEISINRING.

RAUCH, Catharina, dr. Peter RAUCH and w. Anna Margreth; b. Nov. 10, 1776; bap. Feb. 2, 1777; sp. Christian SAEGER and w. Maria Susanna.
Pasted from <http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/lehigh/church/egyp0001.txt>

One similarity between the two is that both Peter Rough of Augusta County, Virginia and Peter Rauch of Northampton County, Pennsylvania had sons named John (Johannes) and daughters named Susanna. No record of a Catharina has been found in Augusta County, Virginia. Several other researchers have followed Leavitt’s lead in identifying Johannes and Susanna as the same as those who later show up in Virginia.

Another similarity is that both Peters have wives named Margaretta. Peter of Northampton County PA has a wife identified as Anna Margreth in the church records. The Peter of Augusta County has a wife identified as “Grata" (another spelling of Gretta) which is undoubtedly short for Margaretta. These similarities have led several researchers to follow Leavitt’s lead in identifying the Northampton County group as the same family as those who later show up in Virginia.

However, I find it difficult to believe that this is the same family, in spite of these similarities. For one thing, the children born to the Peter of Northampton PA seem to be born several years earlier than the ones in Virginia. The similarities can be explained quite simply considering that the Northampton County, PA family may be related to Peter of Augusta County, VA. In that case, a common naming pattern would run in the family. In addition, the name Margaret was one of the most popular female names in all germanic records, second only to Maria. So, the similarity in the wives’ names here is not necessarily anything more than pure coincidence. 

Last of all, and most difficult to reconcile is that the Peter in Northampton PA shows up on a tax record there in 1793, while Peter of Augusta VA is in Virginia by 1788 where he shows up consistently on tax lists there. It seems unlikely that he would have maintained two residences so far apart.

The other, more likely possibility is that Peter is part of the Johann Adam Rausch family of Shenandoah County VA. They are closer in vicinity, being just a county removed from Augusta County, where Peter settled with his family. Some of Johann Adam Rausch’s children are said to have been born in the same decade as Peter, which makes it possible that they were siblings. All researchers on this family line claim that not all of the sons of Johann Adam have been discovered yet, leaving the possibility open for Peter to have been a son. However, no record has yet been found for Peter in Shenandoah County. 

The name is rendered as Roush in most records of the Shenandoah Valley. Though the 1782, 1783 and 1785 tax lists are readily available for Shenandoah County, Virginia, and they list several Roush men. Peter does not show up in those tax records. However, given the many “white souls” enumerated within the Roush households, it is possible that Peter may have been one of the number.

Roush Heads of Family Enumerated in 1783:

Henry 5, Phillip 10, George 3, Jacob 5, John 7, John Jr. 4 & Sr. 2 Daniel 2

Roush Heads of Family Enumerated in 1785:

John 6, Daniel 2, John 3, Henry 5, John Senr 3, Philip 10

[Numbers following names are “white souls” enumerated in each household.]

Researchers on this Roush family of the Shenandoah Valley have not found enough information to identify everybody who is referenced in these tax lists. One significant omission in their research is an explanation of why there are three John Roushes listed. They claim that the John Roush Junior listed is the son of John Roush Senior. However, another possibility is that there are three generations represented. John Junior might be a grandson of John Senior, the third John Roush being the son of John Senior. 

John Roush Senior was born about 1711. He could have been having children as early as the early 1730s, yet the earliest birth they have identified for any of the children is in 1741. This means that John Senior’s grandchildren may have been born as early as the 1750s. Since Peter Rough was born before 1765, he may just as easily have been a grandson to John Roush Senior. 

Yet a third possibility is that Peter Rough may have come from Chesterfield County, Virginia. There are a John Rough who left a will in Chesterfield County in 1755 and a George Rough who left a will there in 1756. All of the above possibilities deserve further study, as they may lead to identifying the parents of Peter Rough.

Peter Rough first appears on the tax rolls in Augusta County VA in 1788. In 1791, he shows up in court for the following:

Peter Rough vs. Jacob Teeford.--Assault and battery on Susanna Rough, daughter of plaintiff, 1791. [If she were born in 1774, she would have been 17 years old.]

In 1798 he was present at his daughter's wedding in Augusta County:

1798---October 16, Edward McFadden and Chrisn. Lukenbill, surety.
Edward McFadden and Susannah Rough, daughter of Peter Rough (Rowitz, Rausch) (consent).

[From CHRONICLES OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA; Vol 2, pp 320-329 by Lyman Chalkley] [If Susannah was the Susanna born 1774 in Northampton County, PA, then she would be 24, and not likely in need of parental consent.]

He also sponsored a baptismal candidate:

St. John's Church Register German Reformed & Lutheran Augusta County VA 1786-1872:

p. 12 4 Jul 1798 I bapt. A son for Adolph Weissman. Name Johann Jacob. Born 28 Nov. Peter Rauch & wife Grata spons.

[This record names Peter's wife as “Grata."]

Chalkley also reveals a second daughter married shortly afterward:

1799--November 27, Mathias Fox [sometimes rendered Fuchs] and John Mount, surety. Mathias Fuchs and Peggy Rauch, daughter of Peter Rauch (consent in German).
Teste: John Rauch.

"Peter Rough" in Augusta County, Virginia for the 1810 Census.

1810 Census

Peter Rough, Jr 1 Male 16-26 yrs,  1 Female under 10, 1 Female 16-26 yrs

Geo Rough 2 Males under 10 yrs, 1 Male 16-26 yrs, 1 Female under 10 yrs, 1 Female 16-26 yrs

*Peter Rough 2 Males 16-26 yrs, 1 Male 45 and up, 1 Female 45 and up

John Rough 1 Male under 10 yrs, 1 Male 26-45 yrs, 1 Female under 10 yrs, 1 Female 16-26 yrs

[b. 1765-1784]

"Peter Rough, Sen" in Augusta County, Virginia for the 1820 Census.

1820 Greenville, Augusta Co, Virginia Census, page 13A

*Peter Rough, Sr 1 Male 45 yrs and up, 1 Female 45 yrs and up

Peter Rough 3 Males under 10 yrs, 1 Male 26-45yrs 2 Females under 10 yrs, 1 Female 10-16 yrs, 1 Female 26-45 yrs, 1 person of this family in agriculture

George Rough 4 Males under 10 yrs, 1 Male 10-16 yrs, 1 Male 26-45 yrs, 2 Females under 10 yrs, 1 Female 16-26 yrs, 1 person of this family in agriculture

David Rough 1 Male 16-26, 2 Females under 10 yrs, 1 Female 16-26 yrs, 1 person of this family in commerce

The records indicate that he had five sons, and at least two (perhaps three) daughters:

1) John Rauch b. 1780-1790 [according to 1830 Census]

2) Susannah Rauch b. may have been as late as 1782, m. Edward McFadden 16 Oct 1798

3) Margaret Rough b. bef. 1781, m. Mathias Fox/Fuchs 27 Nov 1799

4) George Rough b. abt. 1784, m. abt 1806 Augusta, VA

5) Peter Rough Jr. b. bet. 1784-1790

6) David Rough b. abt. 1794

7) Unidentified male

Peter disappears after the 1825 tax list. Peter Jr. shows up in the 1830 census no longer designated as Jr., so it is probable that Peter Rough Sr. died about 1825.