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“JACOB FREDRICK ROMMETSCH”
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It took about fifty-two days to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. They first located near Baltimore, Maryland about 1827 and resided there for a few years.
Jacob F. Rommetsch, was born in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg, Germany ca 1817. He was nine years old when he and his mother Fredericka and four sisters, Christina, Madeline, Mary, and Lucy, immigrated to America.
It took about fifty-two days to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. They located at first near Baltimore, Maryland about 1827 and resided there for a few years.
This has been an effort to record and bring to date [1994] information about people who share a common ancestry.
The people, that are the descendants of Jacob F. Rommetsch, who settled here ca 1841. With the information available, the county records, birth, death and census. Direct contact with many and the complete and total response is certainly rewarding. The records in family bibles, Glenville State College Library, county historical centers, and collections of obituaries.
A big thank you goes out to the cousins who have searched out and written for us the information about siblings, children, grand-children, and in-laws. There were families where contact was unable to be made and therefore little or no information on them. But, efforts will continue in these directions.
Hopefully this is only a start in your quest for family roots. Some of you may dig backwards into the earliest history of the name and relationship of all who bear the name Rommetsch, Moss, Mohr, Gerwig, Rennie,West.
Hopefully this is a starting point for each of you to bring up to date and record each new marriage, birth, and death.
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The format used in this work is original. It has been converted into html format directly from Microsoft Word Office Professional and text can be copied into Word documnet and printed directly into book format. Each chart lists a member of one family, and is a family unit. The chart number is at the top of the page. The top name of each chart is the key name, it is the name of the person who carries the relationship of that family to the . . ROMMETSCH family tree CHART # 1
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= ~ = ~ = INTRO = ~ = ~ =
JACOB FREDRICK ROMMETSCH, b. 4/12/1817 d. 12/30/1903
age 86
From the Kingdom of Wurttemberg, Germany
Married: [1846]
Louisa C. Smith, b. 6/11/1826 d. 11/17/1865 age
39
D/O Michael
and Rocena Smith from Germany.
Chart
#1 - Mary Elizabeth Rommetsch, b. 1848 / d.
(1st., born of Jacob and Louisa)
Married: [7-3-1873]
Nathaniel Coleman Moss, b. 1842 / d. 1923
Mary and Nathaniel’s children: 1- Laura Lee
2- Cora Bell
3- Alberta
4- Frank
5- Mildred Ann
6- David B.
7- John Wm.
8- Minnie
Clementine, became step-mother to nine children.
Chart #5 - Caroline Catherine Rommetsch,
b. 11/24/1856 / d. 2/27/1944
(5th. born to Jacob and Louisa)
Married: [10-16-1882]
Alexander Rennie, b. 4/16/1846 / d. 8/28/1914
Alexander was born in Scotland.
S/O William and Elizabeth (Addie) Rennie
Children of the Union of Caroline and Alex: 1- Myrtle Maude
2- Jennie Gay
3- Elizabeth Rocena
4- Essie Blanche
5- William James
6- Robert Lee
7- Mabel Agnes
Children of the union: 1- Bertie
2- Carlton
For over a hundred years, the area of now Exchange and Chapel, was called the “German Settlement.” The area was centered around the “German Church.”
In the mid 1840’s several German families made a settlement here. It was still Virginia at that time and almost complete wilderness, very few clearings with log houses.
These German immigrants had fled their homeland in Europe as thousands were doing because of the impoverished conditions in the Rhine Valley. They had come into the eastern sea ports of New York, Baltimore, and Boston.
They lived for a time in these sea port towns, but, wished for land which was similar to Germany.
As they started west - ward, they discovered the land laying in the Alleghenies was quite like their mother country geographically.
This land which was in Lincoln District of Virginia, could be bought for about fifty - cents an acre.
They took into consideration that good water was very plentiful, unlimited supply of timber for housing to shelter their families and animals. An abundance of wild animals for food and furs for trading; the land was good and rich, and water - ways for travel to bring in supplies.
It was decided to stay here and settle on STEER CREEK.
The first school in the German Settlement was about 1844. It was taught in a small log cabin located where the Engel school - house was later built.
In 1850 a log church was built in the German Settlement and was used until a newer church was built, this being the Otterbein Chapel. It was dedicated in 1885. Some of those belonging or attended:Daniel Engel, Gottlob Engel, George Fredrick Gerwig, Mathias Gerwig, John Bender,MICHAEL SCHMIDT, Jacob Kramer, George Ackerman, JACOB F. ROMMETSCH, Conrad Leopard, Levi Weitzel, Godfrey Unger.
The German settlers by tradition were very religious and
held services in their homes, alternating from home to home until their
church was erected.
“Narration”
Jacob F. Rommetsch, was born in the Kingdom of Wurttenberg, Germany in 1817, He was about nine years old when the family immigrated to the United States. A vessel was taken at Amsterdam, Holland and traveled by sea for several weeks landing inNew York harbor about 1827. From there on to Maryland, stopping at a German Settlement near Baltimore, by name of Catonsville, Maryland. Germans had been congregating here for several years. That was shortly after the Napoleon War and many Germans families had left their native land because of the hardships and poverty brought on by the war.
The war had ravished and impoverished central Europe, during the early 1800’s and there was something of a mass exodus from Germany and France to America, in the 1820’s and 1830’s. German families settled temporally around Baltimore, later moving on west-ward. Many of the German families were from the Kingdom of Wurttenberg.
There was always movements west of many of these immigrants. After remaining in the “German Settlement” for a few years, Jacob, decided to move on. Christina and Madeline remained in Maryland.
It was in 1841 Jacob, his mother Fredericka, (she was married to Godfrey Unger) sisters Mary, and Lucy, along with other German immigrants headed west. They had a wagon, team and tools, of which to make a road, they walked most of the time. They traveled over poorly marked trails and after about six weeks, made camp in a deep valley along side a small stream.
According to stories related by descendants of these early pioneers, “at dusk huge flocks of pigeons came to roost in the hemlock trees near the camp, thus the name of Pigeon Run, a name carried on to this day.
After scouting the country, the immigrants moved further down stream to a larger flow of water. There the ground was level, grass plentiful, and the water clear and deep. As stories go, “several wild cattle were found about and the settlers named the stream Steer Creek.” Another name which still remains.
Jacob F. Rommetsch, laid claim to a patent of land on Steer Creek, proved his claim and got a sheep-skin title for it. He erected a log cabin and established a homestead. Today, that first home site is marked by the Rommetsch Chapel and the Rommetsch Family Cemetery. Jacob F. Rommetsch, and many of the people written about in this family history, are buried there.
Jacob’s, mother Fredericka, was joined in marriage to Godfrey Unger, a German immigrant from the Kingdom of Wurttemberg, Germany. Godfrey, laid claim to land near those of the Rommetsch’s. They made their home in the Steer Creek community. Fredericka Rommetsch, Unger was born ca 1788, and died ca 1861. Jacob’s mother, Fredericka is buried in the Karickhoff Cemetery on Steer Creek, Gilmer County, West Virginia. Godfrey Unger, is also buried in this cemetery.
Jacob F. Rommetsch, was joined in marriage with Louisa C. Smith, in 1846. Louisa, was the daughter of Michael and Rocena Smith. One of the German Families that had immigrated to the United States with the Rommetsch’s and had traveled to the Steer Creek area, at the same time with the other German immigrants. They had homesteaded farther up Steer Creek, in the German Settlement.
Jacob and Louisa were parents of eight children:
“Jacob’s Sisters”
-1- Christina Rommetsch
Never Married
-2-
Madeline Rommetsch
Married, Fred Memmert
-3- Mary Rommetsch
Married, last name James
-4- Lucy Rommetsch
Never Married
-5- Christina Rommetsch
Born ca 1832
Christina, never married, she lived most of her life in Baltimore, Maryland and was indentured to a lady milliner, by the name of Perdy. This lady later adopted her.She was a wealthy lady and owned a millinery shop and a large home. All of which,.Christina inherited.
Christina, visited her brother Jacob’s family on Steer Creek. She returned for a visit when she was quite elderly, she gave each family member a gift.
My mother was Myrtle (Rennie) Post. The daughter of Caroline (Rommetsch) Rennie, and Christina’s great niece. To my mother she gave a walnut framed mirror, with beveled edge,and a vanity shelf. Also a mulchie pitcher,it had a beautifully embossed basket pattern on the bottom, and flowers. A square silk lace shaw” to wrap the baby in” (me). To my father, Austin Post, a silk hand made handkerchief, of which, all of these items I still have and treasure.
Christina, visited my mother’s home for three months.
And from there to her brother Jacob’s home on Steer Creek. Then returned
to Baltimore, and made no more return visits. She lived the rest of her
life in Baltimore, Maryland.
Oleta (Post) Singleton
Christina Rommetsch, Jacob’s, sister was listed in the 1860 census, in his home.
1860 Census of Gilmer Co., West Virginia (as it
was listed)
Jacob Romitch
age 43, Wurttemberg, Ger.
Farmer
Christina
age 28, Baltimore, Md.
Mary
age 10
Christina
age 8
Mathias
age 5
Caroline
age 3
Margaret Helen
age 1
Jacob age 43 in 1860, would indicate his birth ca 1818, 1819 ---------Grave marker in Rommetsch Cemetery shows birth 1817.
The notations of family members, all indicate about the same information. The Rommetsch’s came to New York ca 1827 ----- thence traveling on to German Settlements at Catonsville, near Maryland.
The above census lists Christina, Jacob’s sister in his home at age 28. This being an approximate age in 1860, would indicate she was born in Baltimore at ca 1832, about four years after reaching Maryland. According to stories related they all were born in Germany, immigrating to America. Yet this would also indicate with Jacob’s age 43 in 1860, Christina age 28 in 1860, that Jacob was 15 years senior to Christina.
Wonder if Christina was next born after Jacob?
Wonder whether Fredericka’s husband did journey with
them across the ocean?
Questions, questions, all unanswered.
Anyone out there know?
rrj
Madeline, did not journey with her mother Fredericka,
brother Jacob, and sisters Mary and Lucy to Steer Creek, West Virginia
area, she remained in Baltimore as did her sister Christina. She married
a man by the name Fred Memmert, of Baltimore, Md.
Madeline and
Fred had three sons, they were; Gilbert
Frederick
William
The two sisters,
Christina and Madeline, lived close by one another in Baltimore. Both remained
in Baltimore, lived out their lives there.
Lucy, was an
epileptic, and would have seizures. After Jacob’s mother could not care
for her, she was admitted to the Lunatic Asylum at Weston, West Virginia.
At her death there, she was buried in the hospital cemetery.
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