Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Römer

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  • Name Römer 
    Gender Male 
    Person ID I5030  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Children 
     1. Hans Adam Römer,   d. 21 Mar 1730, Geisenbach, Mörlenbach, Heppenheim, Hessen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F1503  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Currently this person is inferred and only used for holding notes of the next possible generations of this family.

      2. The following published German source, "Deutsches Geschlechtebuch/Hessisches Geschlechterbuch," is one of the best on the Römer family. Rose Green, family research, explains: "The earlier information comes not from church books (which would be impossible, as any existing books were destroyed in the 30 Years' War), but from tax and land documents held in German archives. One nice thing is that the research started around 1905 before WWII (in case any of those things were bombed at that time). I think there's good research there, but also some assumptions that just haven't turned out to be correct. There are a number of people by the same and similar names in the same general area, and it's hard not to confuse them, and I think these researchers did just a little. Also, there are things they just hadn't found by 1976 -- such as the identity of our own ancestor, Anna Barbara Romerin. They did not seem to be aware of the need to check both the Lutheran and Catholic records."
      The quote below is the full larger Römer entry and is provided verbatim; however, one needs to be cautioned that there are some errors. The errors for Johann Michael Römer concern his descendants. The known errors for his parent's family, Johannes and Catherine, appear to be the assigning of the surname Schütz for Catherine; the errors for his grandparent's family, Hans (Adam) and Margrethe Reinig, appear to be the name of his grandfather in the book which shows it as Hans Peter and also the make-up of the children in that family. All of these problems are analyzed and discussed only in the notes of the families as they occur in this database and not here in the full transcription. There is a possibility that the Adam reported below born in 1646 to Hans Römer and Catherine Kadel may possibly be our Hans Adam Römer since the time frame works; however, as family researcher Rose Green points out, just because the name works well doesn't mean it is necessarily our Adam since these names tend to be common and used repeatedly over generations and over a given geographichal area.
      FHL book 943.D2dg, vol. 175, "Deutsches Geschlechtebuch/Hessisches Geschlechterbuch," by Hermann Thutewohl, (1977), pp. 252-255, provides a study of Hessian Römers which includes our American branch as follows. The same material is found in the "Hessian Lineage Book," vol. 20, 1977, publisher CA Starke, Limburg an der Lahn. The book is in German with the translation to English courtesy of Rose Green. Dates are European style (day - month - year). Symbols: * = birth/christening; oo = married; + = death. The numbering system is per the book which I place in [brackets] for clarity. The oldest generation is first then descending to the later American generation. Rose's comments are [bracketed]:
      "Family coat of arms. [Why? Römers aren't nobility and a coat of arms didn't usually get passed down in Germany.]
      Römer
      A small side branch carries the earlier formation of the name to the present day; all other family members are called "Römer." The origin of the name has certainly nothing to do with Rome. The much greater probability is that it stems from the Middle High German "Ruomheri," in which "Ruôm" = Ruhm. [ruhm herr = famous lord]. That is how various name researchers such as Heintze-Cascorbi, Förstemann, Grimme, Heyne, and others would explain it. [Note: check a modern source, i.e. Nameslexikon.]
      Until the present day, the family has been involved in the farming industry. Only in the recent century have they branched out to other occupations. Mostly they have kept to themselves in one location, but in recent times they have spread across Germany and even across the ocean, to America, Australia, and Africa. Many family members emigrated to the United States. The first of these made his path in 1738. He was not disappointed, and left a numerous descendency, who can still be found today.
      There were "Römer" families in Mainz and Frankfurt in the 13th century. Other families by this name were in Rheinhessen, on the Mosel [River], in Oberhessen, Wesfalia, Saxony, Baden, Württemberg, and Bavaria. No links between these different families have been found.
      The family research was begun in 1905 by a postmaster named Johann Michael Römer, living at Gustavburg, and carried on by him until 1940. After 1960 it was taken up again and carried to the present day by Dr. Victor Römer of Traisa by Darmstadt. Other researchers include Ernst Römer in Mannheim and Mrs. Betty Hart-Römer in St. Louis, USA (now Mannheim).
      Sources for the research were from the church books of the corresponding church congregations, as well as urbaria (Salbücher, or fief records of land and peasants), tax records, law books, etc. of the Hessischer Staatsarchiv in Darmstadt and various family history societies.
      This is the current state of research as of the end of 1976.
      [Thus follows an overview-Uebersicht--in table form. "S." = page number. Stamm = branch of the family. The words preceding "Stamm" refer to villages. Ast = branch. * = birth/christening; oo = marriage; + = death.]
      Line of genealogical descent (Stammfolge):
      I. Jerg (Gerg, Gorg) Reme, * (Unter) Mengelbach about 1490, "the son of Hanß Reme," + Mengelbach before 1558, resident of Unter Mengelbach by Zotzenbach; oo Barbe, "the wife of Jerg Remen" -birth and death unknown Source: Registere of people of Rimbach in Mengelmus (Mengelbach), Erbach'sches Archiv, Amt Schönberg, StA Darmstadt
      II. Adam Rehem, * Unter Mengelbach about 1530, + in the same place after 1583, resident of Unter Mengelbach oo wife unknown. Source: Turkish tax register (Türkensteuer-Register) 1577, Amt Schönberg.
      III. (Unknown name) Rehm, * Unter Mengelbach about 1560, + in the same place after 1618, resident of Unter Mengelbach. Source: tax lists of 1599-1618 from the Erbach'schen Archives, Amt Schönberg.
      IV. Hans Rem (Rommen, Rohmer), * Unter Mengelbach about 1590, + Ober Mengelbach after 1654, oo wife unknown. 28 May 1654 was a witness in Wald-Michelbach, a neighbor to the Mörlenbach area, a first owner of the Koch "Hube," or farm [usually a rather prosperous farm that required hired hands to help out with] in Obermengelbach. Source: Law/court book (Gerichtsbuch) Starkenburg 23 v. 1654, Lindenfels 1. and Salbuch [fief record] 67 v. 1654, as well as law book of Heppenheim 3, 1624-1699. Progeny:
      - Adam, * about 1620, see Vc
      - Hans, * about 1625, see Va
      - Hans Peter, 11 July 1642, see Vb
      Ober Mengelbach Branch
      Va. Hans Römer, *Ober Mengelbach about 1620, + in the same place before 1695, mayor (Schultheiß), and owner of the Koch farm in Ober Mengelbach, oo Katharina (Cadel?), * (unknown), +20 Feb 1695 Ober Mengelbach. Children, born in Ober Mengelbach:
      1. Adam, *21 Jan 1646, + unknown
      2. Margaretha, *14 Aug 1648, + unknown
      3. Johann Michael, * 1657, see VIa
      VIa. Johann Michael Römer, *Ober Mengelbach 1657, + in the same place 26.2.1719, a "Gemeinsmann" [community member? Gemeinde = community] and owner of the Koch farm in Ober Mengelbach, oo about 1683 to Maria Cadel from Hornbach. Children, born in Ober Mengelbach:
      1. Anna Maria, * about 1684, +30 July 1707 in Hornbach, oo 23 Jan 1703 Johannes Kadel of Hornbach [no birth or death known for him]
      2. Johann Georg * 1685, see VIIa, Ober Mengelbacher main branch (Hauptast)
      3. Hans Michael, * 11 Apr 1694, +23 Apr 1694
      4. Margaretha, * 13 Jul 1695, died in the same place
      5. Hans Michael, * 6 March 1698, see VIIb, Lauten-Weschnitzer main branch
      6. Hans Martin, * 7 Aug 1701, +27 May 1702
      7. Anna Maria, * 8 Aug 1703, + [no additional info]
      8. Anna Elisabeth, * 7 Apr 1707, + in the same place 9 Aug 1707
      9. Johann Martin, * 23 July 1708, + [no additional info]
      First Ober Mengelbach Main Branch:
      VIIa. Johann Georg Römer, *Ober Mengelbach Apr 1685, + in the same place 15 Mar 1726, owner of a farm in Ober Mengelbach, judge in the "Zent" [a land jurisdiction] in Wald-Michelbach and Zentgraf [elected head of the Zent, or jurisdiction] of Fürth, oo 3 Feb 1717 Maria Katharina Kadel of Hornbach, + in Ober Mengelbach
      Vb. Hans Peter Römer, * ... 11. 7. 1642, + Geisenbach 21. 3. 1730, bur. Weinheim 23. 3. 1730; named "the old Römer," owner of a "Hof" (farm/land with buildings) in Geisenbach; oo ... 20. 1. 1671 Margarethe Reinig, * ..., + Geisenbach 3. 2. 1719. Children born in Geisenbach:
      1. Anna, * (calculated) 1671, + ..., Godmother on 22. 1. 1685.
      2. Margarethe, * (calculated) 1673, + ..., oo ... Johann Nikolaus Schütz from Geisenbach (?), * ..., + ...
      3. Maria Margarethe, * 18. 11. 1674, + ..., Godmother on 10. 11. 1691; oo ... Hans Nikolaus Schuh from Geisenbach (?), * ..., + ...
      4. Johannes, * 10. 1. 1678, [s. VIb]
      5. Johann Jakob, * 13. 11. 1681, [s. VIc, Schwetzinger main branch]
      6. Eva, * 7. 2. 1685, + ...
      7. Eva Elisabeth, * 8. 5. 1687, + ...
      8. Anna Barbara, * 6. 5. 1688, + ...; oo ... 17. 11. 1705 ... moved to Schimbach.
      9. Gertrud, * 26. 5. 1690, + ... 1758; oo ... Johann Jakob Brecht from Ober Mumbach, * ..., + ...
      V1b. Johannes Römer, * Geisenbach 10. 1. 1678, + Birkenau 31. 8. 1731, owner of a "Hof" (farm/land with buildings), judge in the Zent, and mayor in Birkenau after 1708; oo I. ... Katharina Schütz from Geisenbach, * ..., + ...; oo II. Birkenau 7. 2. 1725 Magdalena Eva Helferich, * ..., + ..., daughter of Georg Helferich of Abtsteinach, + ...
      Children first marriage, 1 born in Geisenbach, 2-8 born in Birkenau:
      1. Johann Georg, * 27. 11. 1708, + Birkenau 25. 11. 1729, unmarried.
      2. Anna Elisabeth, * 22. 6. 1710, + ibid. 20. 10. 1756; oo ... 22. 1. 1726 Johannes Bernhard, * ibid. 26. 1. 1704, + ibid. 26. 1. 1779.
      3. Johann Nikolaus, * 12. 9. 1712, + ibid. 18. 11. 1714.
      4. Johann Jakob, * 16. 7. 1714, + ibid. 24. 7. 1714.
      5. Johann Michael, * 3. 9. 1715, [s. VIIc, American branch]
      6. Anna Katharina, * 20. 11. 1717, + ...
      7. Eva Katharina, * 13. 10. 1720, + ibid. 19. 5. 1770; oo ... 18. 7. 1736 Anton Hartwig, * ... 1713, + Birkenau 23. 2. 1772.
      8. Anna Christine, * ... 1723, + ... 1. 3. 1778; oo Birkenau 20. 1. 1739 Leonhard Schaab, * Birkenau 17. 2. 1712, + ibid. 22. 3. 1762.
      Son of second marriage, born in Birkenau:
      9. Johann Philipp, * Birkenau 29. 4. 1731, + ...
      VIIc. Johann Michael Römer, * Birkenau 3. 9. 1715, + Frederick (Md) 24. 11. 1800, emigrated to Maryland (United States), farmer and church elder in Frederick County; oo Birkenau 18. 7. 1736 Maria Charlotta Amalia Hartwich, * Michelstadt 24. 6. 1720, + Frederick (Md.) 6. 2. 1779, daughter of Georg Andreas Hartwich, Rittmeister (cavalry captain) and Sophia ... Children born in Frederick:
      1. Son, * abt. 1738, + bef. 1779, [s. VIIIc].
      2. Johanna Magdalena, * * ... 1739 (?), + ..., godmother 1756.
      3. Daughter, * ..., + bef. 1779.
      4. Maria Barbara, * 20. 1. 1744, + ... 12. 9. 1776; oo ... 16. 10. 1762 Johannes Haas, * Baumholder bei Zweibrücken 8. 11. 1735, + ... 20. 2. 1779, Judge and Militia Major. Haas children born in Frederick, MD:
      1. Michael, * ..., + ...
      2. Frederick, * ..., + ...
      3. Christiana, * 13. 2. 1770, + Maryland 16. 9. 1814; oo ... 12. 4. 1787 George Buckey, * ... 25. 10. 1764, + ... 14. 6. 1825.
      4. Son, * ... bef. 1779, + ...
      5. Son, * abt. 1746, + ... bef. 1779, was married.
      6. Daughter, * abt. 1748, + ... bef 1779.
      7. Elisabeth, * abt. 1750, + ... aft. 1794; oo ... 17. 6. 1771 Michael Grosch, * ..., + ...
      VIIIc. ... Römer, son of Michael Römer in Frederick (Md.), * abt 1738, + ... bef. 1779; oo ..., ... Children:
      1. Michael, * ... bef 1768, + ...; oo ... 23. 1. 1791 Susanna Margareth Voltz, * ..., + ...
      2. Jacob, * ... bef. 1774, + ...; oo ... 25. 6. 1797 Maria Zimmermann, * ..., + ....
      Of the numerous descendants of Johann Michael Römer in Maryland an accurate number is unknown. In the parish register of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Frederick (1762-1811) is noted that he had left 27 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
      VIIIc. 1. Peter Römer, * abt 1765, + ..., probably another son of VIIc; oo ... Susanna N., *..., + .... Children:
      1. Johannes, * ... 17. 5. 1795, chr. ... 20. 7. 1795, + ...
      2. Rebecca, * ... 25. 2. 1801, chr. 15. 10. 1801, + ...
      Schwetzinger Main Branch:
      VIc. Johann Jakob Römer, * Geisenbach 13 Nov 1681, + Schwetzingen 1756. Was a citizen (Bürger) in Weinheim 1721, after 1729 moved to the Jesuitenhof in Schwetzingen, oo Anna Katharina Reinig from Schimbach. Children 1-4 born in Schimbach, 5-10 in Weinheim:
      1. Johann Jakob, * 15 Mar 1707, see VIId
      2. Johann Nikolaus, * 19 Feb 1709, + in the same place 13 Apr 1709
      3. Johannes, * 26 Oct 1710, see VIIe
      4. Anna Christina, * about 1712, +? Was a godmother in Ober Mumbach in 1740
      5. Johann Nicolaus, * 12 Jan 1714, see VIIf
      6. Anna Maria, * 28 Jun 1716, + in the same place before 1744
      7. Anna Margarethe, * 9 Mar 1719, + in the same place bef 1744
      8. Johann Michael, * 21 Oct 1721, see VIIg
      9. Katharine Rosine, * 18 Aug 1724, + in the same place as a child
      10. Anna Katharina, * 20 Jan 1729, oo Georg Peter Beutell of Weinheim."

      3. Rose Green extractions reported to me May 2015 from Church Records for other mainly unrelated Roemers arranged according to locations as reported in the parishes. The family of Hanns Röhm and Catharina of Mengelbach in the Birkenau records has some potential to be our ancestral line subject to more research. Rose did not take extensive notes on the ones that did not seem to be our line. Note also the limitation of church records in the parished that cover this area -- in Birkenau they start in 1636, Rimbach 1693, and Wald-Michelbach in 1654. Also note one's religion wasn't always a matter of personal conviction in that time and place. (I.e. there are political elements, like the ruler of where you live suddenly declaring his realm a Catholic one.) I wonder if the child was baptized Lutheran, or if it was a Catholic baptism and was merely recorded in the Lutheran records?
      A. The index of the Wald-Michelbach book (which records begin in 1654) lists the following Roemer births for the 1600s:
      - Adam Roemer m. Agnes ___, living in Schönmattenwag (i.e. not our line):
      1. Adam Hans, b. Feb 1655
      2. Anna Maria b. May 1657
      3. Elisabeth, b. 1659
      - Also born in Schönmattenwag only I didn't write down any more (and this appears to be a generation later):
      1678 Hans Adam Rhemdl? (Rome)/ Schönmattenwag
      1680 Anna Elisabeth Rheme (Roem)/ Schönmattenwag, dau Adam Rheme and ?? (given the time span between this birth and the ones in the 1650s, this person might be of a different generation.)
      - This branch was in Siedelsbrunn, and therefore I did not look up the parents' names:
      1683 Eva Rheme/Siedelsbrunn
      1686 Michal Rheme/Siedelsbrunn
      1691 Anna Rheme/Siedelsbrunn
      - Then we have the ones in Gras-Ellenbach:
      1688 Anna Barbara Rheme, b. 9 May 1688 to Hans Rheme and Catharina (year, name, and place from index I have; FS extraction for parent and exact details) (The FS extraction does not give a village, but only lists the parish--Wald-Michelbach--which is rather misleading, if you ask me. This individual looks a bit like the Anna Barbara listed in the DGB, except the date is slightly off. The index says that she is from Gras-Ellenbach, which seems to be a different branch than the ones in Geisenbach, especially as the mother in Geisenbach didn't die until 1719. So it can't be the case that the family moved from Geisenbach to Gras-Ellenbach, as the mother here is Catharina. I am not saying that both Hans Roemers couldn't have had a daughter with the same name the same year. But the Wald-Michelbach index only lists the one in Gras-Ellenbach.
      1690 Margareth Rheme, b. 14 Jun 1690 to Hans Rheme and Catharina (year, name, and place from index I have; FS extraction for parent and exact details). Godmother is a Margareth who is related to Hans Erhardt of Geisenbach.
      1693 Johann Lenhardt Rheme, b. 2 Jan 1693 to Hans Rheme and Catharina (year, name, and place from index I have; FS extraction for parent and exact details).
      B. From the earliest Birkenau church book:
      - Hanns Röhm/Röhmann and Eva of village Weiher had the following children:
      1. Gertraud Röhm (Röhmann) 23 Dec 1638
      2. Agnes Röhm 17 Jan 1641
      - Hanns Röhm and Catharina of Mengelbach (12 Dec 1641 - this same Hanns Rohm of Mengelbach was godfather to Eberhardt Schmidt's son Hanns of Mengelbach). This couple had the following children:
      1. Margareth born 24 Apr 1640. Godmother was Margaretha, Eberhard Schmid's wife of Mengelbach.
      2. Hanns Peter 11 Jul 1642 to Hanns Röhm and Catharina of Mengelbach. Hanns E…art from Zotzenbach was godfather. (Looks like the Hans Peter everyone thinks is Johannes's father.)
      3. Rose adds that online she found an unconfirmed (by her, anyway) record of Adam Roemer, son of Hans Romer and Katharina Kadel, supposed brother to Hans Peter Romer (the supposed "ancestor" of us if one were to believe the "Deutsches Geschlechtebuch/Hessisches Geschlechterbuch" which we do not [see notes of Johannes Roemer b. 1678]), on 21 Jan 1646 in Ober-Mengelbach. This, Rose would like to confirm since Adam may be the father we are looking for of our known ancestor Johannes Roemer b. 1678.
      C. Rose additionally found on the Familysearch extractions the following which may or may not fit into one of the families above:
      - Barbara Roehm, christened 10 Aug 1648, daughter of Hanss Roehm. It says that she was christened in Birkenau, Hessen, Germany; however, from looking at other such entries, it appears to mean the Birkenau parish, and not specifically the town of Birkenau. This record should be checked in the original, because there are many villages with different branches of people by the same name, within the same parish.

      4. The following is some random information on other early Römers in our area provided for reference by family researcher Rose Green:
      "In 1630, the Rodenstein estate kept a record of all of their departing serfs. Since serfdom passed from mother to child, the family information is a little more complete than tax lists. In this list are the following families (and the source of this information states that Rhemen = Römer). Source: p. 51 of Einwohnerlisten der Herrschaft Rodenstein bis Mitte 17. Jahrhundert, by Rudolf Kunz, 1987:
      Rhemen, Enders, 1633 (year of departure) -- to Zent Mörlenbach
      Rhemen, Hans, 1633 -- to Zent Mörlenbach
      Rhemen, Hans oo Barbara (children Odel, Margr., Enders, Kath., Hans Roman) -- to Weschnitz-Mühle (which is right on the border of Birkenau)
      Rhemen, Peter -- to Nieder-Mumbach