Wannemacher's of Bavaria: Descendants include John Wanamaker "Merchant Prince"
I'm interested in the specific Wannemacher line that went to Bavaria, Germany from Darmstadt.
The family begins with Hans Jacob Wannemacher and his wife, Anna Hilbert. They have 7 children born in Darmstadt:
1) Johann Heinrich - to Altstadt, Bavaria in 1670's
2) Anna Ursula - to Waldmohr, Bavaria in 1670's
3) Elisabeth - not sure where she went to
4) Anna Eleonora - stayed in Darmstadt
5) Johann Jacob - stayed in Darmstadt
6) Johann Conrad - to Bierbach, Bavaria in 1670's
7) Johann Jost - died as an infant
I do have birthdates and things like that, plus marriages and kids for many of the 7 kids. I also have the parents, grandparents, etc. of Hans Jacob, but since I'm not quite sure about copyright stuff I'm not going to quite post all of that onto the Web. I know Sherry Koshney Downard is very devoted to these Darmstadt lines and not I'm going to interfere with her research. I'm only going to tell about the Bavarian Wannemacher's that I am a descendant of.
Johann Conrad Wannemacher is the ancestor of John Wanamaker "Merchant Prince" who had stores in Philadelphia, PA and New York City, NY. More on that later.
It's a very interesting family. I'm uncertain as to why they fled to Bavaria, but I think its because opportunity had arisen as a result of the Thirty Year War. This region in particular that they went to was undergoing a massive rebuilding process and anybody was welcomed to resettle the land that had gone through so much war and fighting. Now the Wannemacher's were always Protestant, this was not an issue. They were Lutheran. I can also say that these Wannemacher's that came from Darmstadt brought the skill of bricklaying with them as many of their descendants were "master bricklayers". Johann Conrad, who is not only the ancestor of John Wanamaker but my ancestor as well, was a master bricklayer. Some interesting stuff about him from records in Bierbach (the village he settled in):
Johann Conrad Wannemacher, an emigrant from Darmstadt, asked the Mayor of Bierbach, Jean Plaideur (and his father-in-law -- he married Johanetta Plaideur, the Mayor's daughter), for special permission to set up a bricklaying company in Bierbach. Jean Plaideur saw problems with this. He was worried if this was a true and reliable industry that could build the hurting economy and land of Saarland (the region in Bavaria this land was). After being denied of permission several times, Conrad did not give up. He was finally given permisison on October 12, 1684 for 3 Gulden (Gulden was the currency for that day in age). Conrad's 8 sons were able to keep the bricklaying company in good condition and in business for many years to follow, although it eventually died down once many of the descendants decided to settle in the New World, where many distant relatives had already set foot.
NOTE: Johanetta Plaideur's mother was Anna Eva Schwarz born Mar. 29, 1644. According to records, Anna Eva's family was one of only two families to survive the Thirty Years War. All other families were killed in Bierbach, thus the need for repopulation.
ANOTHER INTERESTING NOTE: I am also a descendant of Johanetta's sister, Anna Catharina Plaideur, who married Johann Thomas Körner who came from Hessen like the Wannemacher's did...again for repopulation purposes.
Now Johann Conrad Wannemacher and Johanetta Plaideur had 14 children. I am hoping to find their descendants.
Their kids were:
A) Anna Maria Wannemacher - b. 1683
B) Anna Margaretha Wannemacher - b. 1684 - marries Johannes Weber *NOTE: This is my ancestor
C) Johann Weingart Wannemacher - b. 1687
D) Johann Peter Wannemacher - b. 1689
E) Johann Jacob Wannemacher - b. 1690
F) Johann Friedrich Wannemacher - b. 1692
G) Anna Angela Wannemacher - b. 1692
H) Anna Elisabeth Barbara Wannemacher - b. 1695
I) Maria Catharina Wannemacher - b. 1697
J) Child Wannemacher - b. 1699
K) Daniel Wannemacher - b. 1700
L) Johannes Wannemacher - b. 1702
M) Johann Conrad Wannemacher - b. 1704
N) Johann Nicolaus Wannemacher - b. 1705
(Wow..for a minute there I thought I'd have to use the whole alphabet, lol)
These are the Bavarian Wannemacher's and their descendants were MANY!!!
I must say Johann Conrad Wannemacher's brother had kids in Bavaria, but they "disappear", so its really just Johann Conrad Wannemacher's family in Bavaria. I made a prediction last year, a bold one, saying every Wannemacher in the Saarland region from the early 1700's forward ARE descendants of Johann Conrad Wannemacher and Johanetta Plaideur. Whether this turns out true or not, I don't know, but so far every one I've seen I've connected to the very big family. John Wanamaker..you have plenty of distant cousins!! And btw if you were to give $1 to everyone of these individuals Sherry's turned up so far (she's done terrific!), you may have run out of your money right then and there...no lie! =)
Now if anybody's "wondering" the big hype seems to be John Wanamaker's family so his particular ancestor there is letter D, Johann Peter Wannemacher b. 1689. This guy will marry Eva Margaretha Deutsch and move to Herbitzheim, Bavaria, Germany (a nearby Saarland village). They have Johann Georg Wannemacher in 1717 (I've seen the record...yes, it's proven!) in Herbitzheim and yep, he's the guy that goes to PA. He dies in Lehigh Twp, Northampton Co, PA, USA in 1795. His wife was Elisabeth Catharina Köppel, daughter of Nickel Köppel. This couple married January 19, 1740 in Herbitzheim.
Now I don't know where this gigantic theory comes from saying that all his kids were born in PA. NOT TRUE! I've seen the records myself and they ARE his kids! The baptisms from Herbitzheim tell us that his kids were:
Johann Peter Wannemacher born January 3, 1741 IN GERMANY
Maria Christina Wannemacher born July 26, 1742 IN GERMANY
Catharina Regina Wannemacher born February 4, 1744 IN GERMANY
Christina Margaretha Wannemacher born February 4, 1746 IN GERMANY
Eva Elisabeth Wannemacher born August 13, 1747 IN GERMANY
THEN they go to PA. The kids born PA are: Maria Elisabeth, Anna Margaretha, Johanetta, Heinrich Wannemacher.
That's all for now. I have PLENTY PLENTY more on the Bavarian Wannemacher from Saarland area and elsewhere, so please do e-mail me if you may connect. It's a HUGE family -- and a very interesting one at that.
More Replies:
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Re: Wannemacher's of Bavaria: Descendants include John Wanamaker "Merchant Princ
rosemary donovan 2/05/07
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Re: Wannemacher's of Bavaria: Descendants include John Wanamaker "Merchant Prince"
ANNICK JEAN-LOUIS COUASMET BOHLY 7/20/06
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mistake: NO U.E. after my name.......
Craig Kanalley 7/11/02