Hans Michael Rohrer^{[1, 2]}

1663 - 1740  (77 years)

• Name	Hans Michael Rohrer
  Birth	1663	Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France   [3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	6 Jun 1740	Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA   [3]
  Person ID	I42654	Master
  Last Modified	31 Aug 2021

  
  

  Father	Heinrich Rohrer,   b. 1643, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany d. 1698, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (Age 55 years)
  Mother	Catherina Spitzin,   b. 1641, , , Switzerland d. , Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
  Marriage	1656	Bern, Switzerland
  Family ID	F9893	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Katherina Schwagler,   b. 1667, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France d. 1740, Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA (Age 73 years)
  Marriage	6 Jun 1688	Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France
  Children	1. Hans Jacob Rohrer,   b. 15 May 1689, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France d. 1760 (Age 70 years)   2. Johannes Rohrer,   b. 15 Apr 1691, Markirch, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France d. 1760 (Age 68 years)   3. Verena Rohrer,   b. 10 May 1693, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France d. 1793, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France (Age 99 years)   4. Johann Hans Michael Rohrer,   b. 12 Apr 1694, Eyb, Ansbach, Bavaria, Germany   5. Johannes Rohrer,   b. 13 May 1696   d. 23 Nov 1771 (Age 75 years)   6. Anna Maria Rohrer,   b. 4 May 1698, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France d. 25 Sep 1701, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France (Age 3 years) + 7. Johannes Michael Rohrer,   b. 1 Nov 1701, Sainte Marie aux Mains, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France d. 28 Nov 1771, Lampeter, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA (Age 70 years)
  Family ID	F9895	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	25 Aug 2021

  
  

  Family 2	Elizabeth Chenal,   b. 1646, Bern, Switzerland d. 1727, , Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA (Age 81 years)
  Marriage	29 Feb 1696	Markirch, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France
  Family ID	F9896	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Aug 2021

  
  

  Family 3	Maria Souder,   b. 1693, Cungfald, Mannaheim Wurttenburg, Germany
  Marriage	1733	Manor, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
  Family ID	F9897	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Aug 2021

  
  

• Event Map

  Marriage - 1733 - Manor, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA Death - 6 Jun 1740 - Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  The family of Hans Michael Rohrer originated from the Rhein valley in Switzerland. Hans Michael Rohrer was married and his children were born in Markirch, Elsass, Germany, which is now called Ste. Marie-aux-Mines, Haut-Rhin, France. Johannes Rohrer, his last born son, was born in Markirch 1 Nov 1701. It was customary in that area and at that time to give children the names of saints, thus every male child would be named after the patron saint of the family. Sometimes every girl child will also be found with the same common first name, but not so often as the boys. Then every child would have a distinct middle name by which he would be known. Thus it was common for a German family to have all of its sons named some form of John with all but one of them having middle names. Some family traditions say that this way when the devil came for a child, he would become confused as to which John was which. Two sons of Hans Michael were named Hans Jakob and Hans Michael. The next two sons were given the name of Johannes Jakob and Johannes. Actually we now have five Johns, but I am going to focus on the two named, Johannes. 2. Flight From Markirch The family of Hans Michael Rohrer Sr was forced about the year 1711 to move from Markirch to escape religious persecution. Johannes Jacob, the third son was captured by the French while he was trying to save some of the family possessions. He somehow escaped from prison and followed the usual route of the Palatine Emigrants. He escaped into Southern Germany. His final destination was Holland and the Dutch followers of Menno Simmons, the Mennonites. The Mennonites helped the Palatinates to emigrate to the American Colonies, usually via London. Actually the ship owners usually sold the emigrants to England for their passage fees. Most of the Palatines were then put in one of two refugee camps: there was one outside of London, and when that one got too full, one was set up in Ireland. There is still a colony of Germanic people in Ireland to this day. From the refugee/concentration camps, the English would ship people to any one of a number of its colonies throughout the world. Family tradition states that Johannes Jacob studied veterinary surgery in London, and then migrated to the colonies and settled in Lancaster County, Pa. Another story states that he was sold into bond slavery, he ran off and then he married the daughter of a rich land owner, Maria Souder. Actually a family Bible states that John Jacob married Maria Souder in Mannheim in 1732 which is the same year that he arrived in Lancaster, Pa. with his bride and her father. Mannheim was a Protestant and French Huguenot refuge in Germany. We can assume in this case that the bride's father paid for their passage. Flight From Strasburg In the meantime, Johannes Rohrer, the fourth son, went with his family as they escaped the French and they settled in Strasburg. About the year 1725, religious persecution forced the family of Hans Michael Sr to once again flee its home. As they left Strassburg Johannes was attempting to save some of the family possessions from their home, when he was separated from his family. He was captured by the French, and he was the second son that the family lost in this manner. He later escaped or was forced to emigrate. At this time he was about 24 years old. He too probably followed the route of the Palatine Migration, and he was most likely the Johanne Roer who landed at Philadelphia in the ship "The Mortonhouse" on 24 August 1728. It is speculated that he worked for four years on an English plantation near Philadelphia to pay off his passage fee. The next heard of him was in the year 1732 when Johannes went to Lancaster Co Pa and found his brother Johannes Jacob Rohrer. Johannes married Elizabeth Snavely about 1735 and settled near his brother in Lampeter twp. He bought a farm on the Conestoga Creek 8 Oct 1763. Lancaster Co Court House Orphan's Court 1772 pg 221 card CCVIIImmigrated from Alsace France to Big Spring Cumberland Co PA 18 Sep 1732 card CCXXV Jacob Rohrer and Mary his wife of Lampeter Twnshp, Lancaster Co PA; Christian Rohrer of same; Martin Rohrer of Frederick Co MD; Jacob Houser of Lampter and Anna his wife; Francis Smith of same and Elizabeth his wife; John Bachman of Connestoga Twp Lancaster Co PA and Mary his wife: Peter Miller of Martick Twn Lancaster Co PA.. The said Jacob, Christian and Martin Rohrere, and Anna the wife of Jacob Houser, Elizabeth the wife of Francis Smith and Mary the wife of John Backman being six of the children of John Rohrer late of Lampeter deceased and Peter Miller being the husband of a minor daughter Susanna of the deceased. Whereas: John Rohrer, deceased, possessed of the following land in Lampeter Twp - beginning at a black oak a corner of land formerly of John Rudolph Bundley, thence Northwest by the London Co land 160 perches to a White Oak, thence west by south by land formerly of William Hughes 318 perches to a black Oak, thens southeast 160 perches by land of Martin Millen to a white oak and thence east by north by land late of Isaac LeFevre 318 perches to the beginning - containing 300 acres - and leaving issue to wit: John Rohrer, Jacob Rohrer, Christian Rohrer, Martin Rohrer, Anna wife of Jacob Houser, Elizabeth wife of Francis Smith, Mary wife of John Bachman and Susannah the wife of Peter mMiller; and by his will gave Jacob Rohrer 140 acres; Jacob, Christian and John mills on 15 acres of land; and John Rohrer his son 145 acres. Will dated 1 Dec 1768. Probate Records Will Book, John Rohrer C-1-246 written 1 Dec 1768 probated 7 Dec 1771 Lancaster Co PA Bibliography: St Marie-aMines, Haut-Rhin, France: At the time this family lived in the area, the city was named Markirch, Elsass, Germany. It is now named St Marie-aux-; Mines, Haut-Rhin, France. 1) John Rohrer of Lancaster co PA by Albert Lawrence Rohrer 1856 2) Compiled Genealogy: Biographical History of Lancaster Co PA by Alex Harris, Lancaster 1872 pg 501 Rohrer, 1939 LofC CS71 .R74 1941 3) ? 4) Printed Genealogy The Saga of a People 5) ? 6) Probate Records Johanne Rohrer by Lister O Weiss CS71.R74 1939 Suppl A Story of Two Johns compiled by Donald L. Spidell I. Migrations of John Rohrer: the numbers refer to the Bibliography above 1) Johannes Michael Rohrer was born 1 Nov 1701 in Markirch, Elsass, Germany, which is now Ste. Marie-aux-Mines, Haut-Rhin, France. His parents were Hans Michael and Katherina (Schwager-in) Rohrer. It was customary in that area and at that time to give children middle names, and many germanic families had patron saints, after which they named their children. Two sons of Hans Michale were named Hans Jakob and Hans Michael. Hans is Swiss for John, so these two were probably named with their family was still in switzerland. The next two sons were given the name of Johannes, which is German for John. I found from my research that the middle name of Johannes, born 13 May 1696, was Jacob, so I feel it is safe to assume that the middle name of the second Johannes, born 1 Nov 1701, was Michael. Actually we now have five Johns, but I am going to focus on the two named Johannes. 2) The family of Hans Michael Rohrer, Sr was forced to move from Markirch to escape relitious persecution about the year 1711. Johannes Jacob was captured by the French. He somehow excaped from prison, and if he followed the usual route of the Palatine emmigrants, he escaped into Southern Germany. In Southern Germany, with the aid of German Protestants in a sor of underground railroad, most Palatines made their way North down the Rhine River. At the mouth of the Rhine River was Holland and the dutch followers of Menno Simmons, the Mennonites. The Mennonites helped the Palatinates to emmigrat to the American Colonies, usually via London. Actually the ship owners usually sol the emmigrants to England for their passage fees. Most of the Palatines were then put in one of two concetration camps: there was one outside of London, and when that got too full, one was set up in Ireland. There is still a colony of germanic people in Ireland to this day. From theconcetration camps, the English would ship people to oany one of a number of it's colonies throughout the world. Family tradition states that Johannes Jacob studied veterinary surgery in London, and then migrated to the colonies and settled in Lancaster County PA. Another story states that he was sold into bond slavery, he ran off and then married the daughter of a rich land owner, Maria Souder. A family Bible states that John Jacob married Maria Souder in Mannheim in 1732 which is the same year that he arrived in Lancaster PA with his bride and her father. 4) Johannes Michael Rohrer went with his family and they settled in Strasburg. About the year 1725, religious persecution again forced the family of Hans Michael Sr to flee its home. As they left Strassburg, Johnnes Michael was seperated from his family and was captured by the French. He later escaped or was forced to emmigrate. At this time he was about 24 years old. 3) he probably followed the route of the Palatine Migration, and he was most likely the Johanne Roer who landed at Philadelphia in the ship "The Mortonhouse" on 24 Aug 1728. He most likely worked for four years on an English plantation near Philadelphia to pay off his passage fee. About the year 1732, Johannes Michael went to Lancaster co PA and found his brother Johannes Jacob Rohrer. Johannes Michael married Elizabeth Snavely about 1735 and settled near his brother in Lampeter Twp. 5) He bought a farm on the Conestoga Creek 8 Oct 1763.6) & 7) On the conestoga Creek farm, John Micael raised his family and died in the year 1772. In his will he left his land to the sons who had settled in PA with provisions that his wife be well taken care of until her death or remarriage. His other children apparently had already ceveived their inheritances and moved away from the family "homestead".

  
  

• Sources

  [S761] Yates Publishing, Ancestry Family Trees, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Tree. [S1342] Ancestry.com, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S., Mennonite Vital Records, 1750-2014, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.). [S751] Ancestry.com, U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current, (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203338569/hans-michael-rohrer