Whether or not members of these two families knew each other in Germany has been a long-standing question within the Orangeburg (SC) community.
It has been asked because our immigrant ancestors, Jacob Wannamaker and Ann Catherine Schuler, married one another in the Orangeburg District (1740). We know where the Schülers lived in Germany, but we have never known where Jacob Wannamaker lived. Without knowing his birthplace and his direct paternal line, we have never been able to answer this question.
At this point time, in consideration of the Y-DNA results and the well-documented research of the other Y-DNA lines, it is my opinion that members of the Wannemacher and Schüler families likely knew each other in Germany prior to emigrating to America. But, I would like to find more records which would be considered proof of a “handshake.” In the meantime, here is a breakdown of relevant points and my current thoughts on the subject.
Map of the Waldmohr area
If you recall, I hired a genealogist in Germany (2002-04) to trace the footsteps of the Schüler family, looking for a “Jacob Wannemacher” that lived nearby. In looking at the map, you can see the close proximity of the Wannamaker and Schüler families, living in Lambsborn and Waldmohr. Brothers, Hans Joerg Schüler (1691) and Johann Jakob Schüler (1693) had their own families in Waldmohr and Lambsborn, respectively. Johann Weingart Wannemacher (1687) had his in Waldmohr.
TIMELINE
1675 There are not that many people living in Waldmohr at this time:
“The population was greatly reduced in the Thirty Years’ War, leaving only six subjects (families) in Waldmohr in 1655 (seven years after the war ended). Nonetheless, the number of families rose again quickly, but then the Nine Years’ War wrought further decimation. A 1675 record reads ‘Waldmohr, burnt down, 16 families.’ ” Waldmohr in der Pfalz
1696 24 households in Waldmohr:
“During the 18th century, growth became continuous, although by now, a few families were emigrating. In 1696, there were 24 “hearth places” (households; 1 clergyman, 1 schoolteacher, 15 farmers, 1 cooper, 1 cabinetmaker, 1 shepherd, 2 maids, 3 menservants and 3 day labourers).” Waldmohr in der Pfalz
Aft. 1716 Johann Jakob Schüler (1693) arrives in Krähenberg. His household is not listed in 1716. “An ‘immigration patent’ issued by the Duke of Zweibrücken after the 1648 Peace of Westphalia was meant to raise the region’s population after the wartime devastation. Only a second such patent issued in 1698 by Duke Karl XII met with great success, bringing many families from Switzerland to Waldmohr (Munzinger, Agne, Hollinger, Sandmeyer, Danner, Gerhard, Bächle, Blum, Burckhardt, Klein, Keller, Cloß, Jakoby, Kurtz). Waldmohr in der Pfalz
1711-1725 Johann Weingart Wannemacher (1687) living in Waldmohr and has several children there between these years, including “our” Jacob (1715)
1715 Johann Jacob Wannemacher born in Waldmohr, baptized 18 Aug 1715
(assumed future husband of Anna Catherina Schüler, bap. 17 Oct 1720, Lambsborn)
1718 “42 residences were counted in Waldmohr; by 1760 this had risen to 70.”
Waldmohr in der Pfalz
1719-1736 Johann Jakob Schüler (1693) living in Lamsborn and had children there between these years, including Anna Catherina Schüler (1720)
1720 Anna Catherina Schüler born in Krähenberg, baptized 17 Oct 1720 in Lambsborn (assumed future wife of Johann Jacob Wannemacher, bap. 18 Aug 1715 Waldmohr)
1724-1735 Hans Joerg Schüler (1691) living in Waldmohr and had children there between these years Johann Jakob (Lambsborn) appears as a godfather to some of Joerg’s children per the genealogist in Germany. I would have to look for additional baptismal records to verify this myself. But, this would indicate the ability to travel between Waldmohr and Lambsborn.
1731 Oath of Allegiance – Per the genealogist in Germany, the only Wannemachers listed for the Oath of Allegiance lived in Waldmohr, and these were the family members of Johann Weingart Wannemacher. “Our” Jacob (1715) is not on the list. Where is Jacob? He is gone or listed elsewhere? If no other Wannemaches are on this list, then why were the other descendants of Johann Conrad (1658) not included? This topic needs further investigation.
1736 Hans Joerg Schüler (1691) of Waldmohr emigrates to America
(Pennsylvania German Immigrants 1709-1786 by Don Yoder; Zwerbruschen List by William John Hinke, pg. 309) I have not personally reviewed these sources.
1737 Johann Jakob Shüler (1693) of Lambsborn emigrates to America
(Manumissions of Duchy-Pfalz-Zweibrucken, LAN SP, X 65, # 100, no paging)
1738 Jacob Wannemacher emigrates to America, arriving on the Charming Nancy on November 9, 1738, in Philadelphia. There is no manumission record for Jacob in the Duchy-Pfalz-Zweibrucken records, 1724-1740. Is there one for him? It’s my understanding that not all emigrants had a manumission record. Or, did Jacob actually go to Switzerland around 1730?
This is an interesting paper: EMIGRATION SEASON OF 1738 - Year of the Destroying Angels by Klaus Wust
1740 Jacob Wannamaker marries Anna Catherina Schuler in Orangeburg District, S.C. (J. Scottowe Wannamaker; Wannamaker, Salley, MacKay, and Bellinger Families, p. 110)
1743 Georg Jakob Wannemacher born in Wattweiler and baptized in Mittelbach
This family group is represented by our closest Y-DNA match and has a well-documented direct paternal line to Georg Jakob (1743). The town of Wattweiler is about 18 miles from Waldmohr. If the Jacob (1715) of Waldmohr is, indeed, “our” Jacob, then George and Jacob are first cousins. This would be in alignment with the prediction (98.82% probability) that our most recent common ancestor, Johann Conrad Wannemacher, lived 8 generations ago.
In conclusion, I think it’s very possible that members of the Wannamaker and Schüler families had met in Waldmohr at some point. Not only were Lambsborn and Waldmohr close in proximity, there weren’t that many people living in Waldmohr at the time. Assuming they attended the same church, whether or not baptisms took place on Sundays in front of the entire congregation as they often do in modern times, I think there would have been opportunities for a conversation between the family members.
Also, in looking at a land use map (1716) of the area between Krähenberg and Rosenkopf (2.3 miles from Lambsborn), the households were nestled together in the villages. I would think that this pattern would be similar for the areas which included Waldmohr and Lambsborn. But, of course, I would have to find the land use map specific to those areas. If possible, it would be incredible if we could determine the location and ownership of households or farms in Waldmohr around the same time. Perhaps, the Wannamakers and Schülers were neighbors.
As residents were emigrating in later years, you would have to think that the villagers were discussing this with others, weighing the pros and cons of following suit. Hans Joerg Schüler (1691) of Waldmohr left in 1736, Johann Jakob Shüler (1693) of Lambsborn left in 1737, and Jacob Wannemacher left in 1738. They all ended up in the Orangeburg District area, their final destination. Whether Jacob, himself, knew these Schüler men and/or their children, personally, I cannot say. But, I believe that, at least, a familiarity between the two family groups had been established prior to leaving Germany. And, knowing that others had already made the journey, I think Jacob would have had more confidence in doing the same, especially if he knew the Schülers were waiting for him in South Carolina.
Julia Wannamaker
juliawannamaker@gmail.com
Project Administrator
Family Tree DNA (FTDNA)
Wannamaker DNA Surname Project
Wannamaker Genealogy 