Harshbarger line: The family of Mathias Kramer 1692-1773 or later

 Here's another family that I fear is not correctly noted in family trees.  Please regard this entire post with a healthy grain or two of salt, because once again, we have similar names in differing locations, some of which make no sense at all.  It would help if I knew the occupation(s) of Mathias Kramer (Kreamer, Kraemer, Creamer, Cramer)'s parents, or of Mathias's own occupation.  He is generally thought to be the son of Johann Peter and Anna Barbara Lorenz Kramer, and is thought to have been born in 1692.  For the purposes of this post, I am not really concerned with his parents at the moment, because they died in what became Germany, and my posts are about families that came to America.  But for my own purposes, I'd sure like to know his parents!

Mathias married Elisabeth Catherine Theiss, who may be the daughter of Sebastian and Elizabeth Draht Theiss (Theyss) in 1711 and they started their family very soon after that.  Of course, the question is how many children they may have had, and what happened to the children.  Mathias came to Pennsylvania in 1732, and the ship's register does not indicate families on this passenger list.  So although all the children were born in Germany, we don't know how many came to America or whether they all came together, or even how many were alive in 1732.  The village of Wahnwegen in the Rhein-Palatinate was very very small but good records were either not kept or have been lost to time, but this is where Mathias and his growing family lived for at least a time.  If all the children who are reputed to have been theirs are actually theirs, then they lived in several different locations, not all in the Palatinate, during their first 20 or so years of marriage.  

Anna Cecilia was born in 1711, apparently in Wahnwegen.  That is all I have learned about her.

Andreas/Andrew may have been born next, in 1712.  He married Maria Magdalena Birckel, the daughter of Michael and Maria Willman Birkle, in 1738 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  This might indicate that he had just finished an indentureship, but is not proof of one.  Their children are Ludig, Johannes, George, Catherine ELizabeth, Adam, Christina , Rosina, Michael, Andrew, and Daniel.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.

Johann Jacob was born in 1713, again in Wahnwegen.  And again, that is all that I know of him.

Johann Heinrich was born in 1716 in Wahnwegen.  He may or may not have married Christina Baumgardner, and he may or may not have died as early as 1733.  I think the two events would be mutually exclusive, but I'm not sure which, if either, is correct.  

Then there are two names listed as sons of Mathias and Elisabeth Catherine, with no further mention.  I don't even have tentative birth years or locations for them, so I will mention them briefly.  Adam and John George are their names.  They may or may not belong to this family.  

There was a Martin born in 1717, not in Wahnwegen  He died in 1758 in Germany.  Again, does he belong to this family?

Maria Catherine was born in 1718 and Ludwig in 1720, both in Wahnwegen.   

And finally, there was Christina, born in 1725.  She married Mathias Gabhert or Babbert, and their children are Catherine, George, Elizabeth, Hannah, Peter, Rebecca, Sarah, Michael, and John Wesley.  She died in 1798 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.  If she belongs in this family, and if the family came to American with Mathias, she would have been just a young child in 1732, and most of her memories would have been made here.  

There are at least 60 entries in the 1790 census in Pennsylvania for men with the last name some variation of Kraemer.  Since we believe that Elisabeth Catherine died in 1747 in Berks County, it is likely that some if not all of the 10 or so men (and one widow) listed there somehow fit into this family, either as sons and grandsons, or as cousins of some sort.   There is no Mathias in 1790, which confirms my suspicion that his death was in 1773.  

I'd love to hear from someone who has even a scrap of information about this family.  Let's get it figured out!   

 

 

The family of Leonard Berkheimer 1722-1804

 Leonard Berkheimer and his family certainly lived through some interesting times.  He lived in Frankenthal, Rheinplatz, in what is now Germany until he emigrated to Pennsylvania with his family, when he was about 10 years old.  His age would have been correct for him to be involved in the French and Indian War, although I've not found any records of that.  At a minimum, there would have been times in his life when he and his neighbors would have felt threatened by reports of attacks from native peoples, whether during the first war, the Revolutionary War, or possibly even after that.  He married Maria Catherine Kerger (also seen as Karcher). the daughter of Johan Philip and Anna Mararetha Reeb Kerger in 1744.  Leonard died in 1804 near Perkiomen, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a little over nine years after the death of Maria Catherine.  I have seen it suggested that he married for a second time, but have not found a name, date, or documentation for that.  

Leonard and Catherine had as many as nine children together, some documented better than others.  Sadly, there were just five children left when Leonard died, per his will.  Their first child, Johann Michael, was one who died an early death.  He was born in 1744 and died either a few days later, or a year and a few days later.  (I can't find a good record about this).

If Michael died in 1745, his sister, Maria Salome, had been born just a few weeks before Michael's death, in 1745.  She married Valentine Carl Nungesser, the son of Valentine and Catherine Elizabeth Carl Nungesser. Their children are Elizabeth, Margarete, John, Mary, William, and Christina. Maria Salome died in 1832 in Lower Providence, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  In her father's will, her name is given as "Salomy", and some say she was best known as "Sally".

Johannes George was born in 1747 and died in 1830 at Center Square, Montgomery County, Pa.  He is a Revolutionary War veteran.  He married Susanna Hawke, the daughter of Michael and Eva Steger Hawke.  Their children are Catherine, Michael, George, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Jacob, William, and Mary.  

Philip was born in 1749 and died in 1811 in Greene County, Pennsylvania.  I am not certain of his wife's name, but she may have been Barbara Balding, not further identified.  His or their children are John, Henry, Philip, Elizabeth, Reanna, Magdalena, Nancy, Barbara, Samuel, William, Catherine, and Sarah. 

Johann Heinrich was born in 1751 and that is pretty much all I am sure of about him.  He may have lived until 1836 and died in Harrison County, Virginia (now West Virginia), or that may be a different "Henry".  I have seen several names for his wife or wives but am not confident about any of them.  Hannah Allder is one name I see mentioned also, and Juliana Catherine surname unknown is another.  If he is the man I found in the 1800 census, there may be as many as 8 children in his family, but I am not confident that I know the names of any of them.  This family needs work!  

Johan Jacob was born in 1753 and died in 1757. 

William was born in 1755 and perhaps died in 1793.  His wife is possibly Margaretha Scherer but I have not found anything to support that, nor records of children, nor even a death record.  

Andrew (Andreas) was born in 1758 and died in 1802, in Montgomery County, Pa.  He is a Revolutionary War veteran.  He may have married Christina, and there may (or may not) be a daughter named Elizabeth.  This is another family that needs further research.  There is a Berkheimer with no first name given in Upper Salford, Montgomery County, Pa in the 1800 census and it is possible that this is Andrew.  There were two children in the home at that time.  

And finally, Magdalena was born in 1760 and died after 1830.  She married Samuel Goodnight, the son of Christian and Mary Magdalena Grunholtz Gutknecht.  Their children are Martha, Christopher, Leonard, and Catherine.  I have written of this family when I wrote about the Goodnight line.   

This is what puzzles me: Leonard and Maria Catherine are ancestors of former President Barack Obama.  It seems that there should be more information already gathered about this family!   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Beeks line: The family of Johann Wilhelm Berkheimer 1706-1745

 I don't know as much about this family as I would like, and am hoping that since he is an ancestor of Barack Obama, at some point someone will dig deeper into the roots and branches for Johann Wilhelm Berkheimer, born in 1706 in Klein-Neidersham, Frankenthal, Germany.  His parents are Balthaser and Anna Margaretha (maiden name not yet found) Berkheimer, and he marred Maria Salome Hallman, daughter of Anthony and Maria Salome (maiden name unknown) Hallman in 1721 at the same location. Wilhelm died in 1745 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. 

We may not know all the children for this couple.  There appears to be a four year gap between the first and second child, and there are only four known children.  Good German families of this time period were usually large, but perhaps the last birth was difficult and the couple was unable to have more children.  As far as we known, all the children were born in Klein-Neidersham, Frankenthal, Germany (not really Germany at the time, but this at least gives us a place name to start with). The family came to Pennsylvania in 1732.

Johann Leonard was the first born, in 1722  He married Maria Catherine Kerger, the daughter of Johann Philip and Anna Margaretha Reeb.  Their children are Johann Michael, Maria Salome, Johann George, Philip, Johann Heinrich, Andrews, Magdalena William, and Johan Jacob.  Leonard died in 1804 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  I will follow this family in my next post.  

Valentine (also seen as Veltin) was born in 1726, and died in 1812 in York, Pennsylvania.  He married Maria Jacobina, parents not known.  Their children are Johann Wilhelm, Martin, Valentine, Johann Heinrich, Margaretha, Catherine, Magdalena, and Andrew.  

Magdalena Louisa was born in 1727 and died in 1731 still in Germany.  It must have been hard for this couple to leave their daughter's final resting place when they emigrated the next year, and I'm sure they cherished her memory all their days.  

The last child we know of is George, born in 1729 and died in 1790, probably in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  He seems to have married twice, first to Catharina Margaretha Mautz, parents unknown.  They may be the parents of Johann Wilhelm.  His second wife is Susanna Hawke or Hanke.  Their children are Catherine, Michael, George, Jacob, Mary, and William.  

I have seen several other names listed as children of this couple-Catherine, Salome, Frederick, and Maria.  I have not seen documentation for any of these, so I am merely mentioning them as possibilities. 

The three known sons were of the right age to be fighting in the French and Indian War, although I've not yet found any records of them in that conflict.  And many of the grandsons would have been the right age to fight in the Revolutionary War.  Surely there are stories to be found and told. The Berkheimer name was spelled several different ways, and that always makes it more difficult to trace a family.   

As always, I'd be very glad to hear from anyone who knows more about the Berkheimers.