Variations: Somey, Sowmey, Sumey, Summa, Summay, Summe, Summey, Sumi, Summie, Summois, Sumy, Suomy
According to Frank Deis, the Summy family lived in a small town in the Saanen district of Switzerland, which is near the famous ski resort Gstaad. He says that the name Summy comes from a local term -- "summering" the cattle (driving them up into the higher pastures). The coat of arms (which does not imply nobility the way British arms do) is a white open book (supposedly a bible) on a blue field. Mr. Deis says that the Summys appear to not have been religious dissenters, and those who left Switzerland seem to have left for financial reasons.
First Generation
A Casper SUMI was born about 1644/45 in Saanen, Canton Berne, Switzerland. He married Marie CLAUSER (born about 1645) on 25 May 1665 in the Mauren Evangelical Church in Neckarkreis, Germany. John Summy of South Carolina notes that Casper is mentioned in the records of the Diedendorf Reformed Church in Alsace at the time of the marriage of his son, John Peter Sumi (Source: "Eighteenth Century Immigrants from the Northern Alsace" by Annette Burgert") In the Mormon church records, page 621, 297 (batch/film #M959611, Sheet 0005) there is a Caspar Sumi who married Maria Clauser 23 May 1665 in Wuertt, Neckarkreis, Mauren, Evangelisch. Casper and Marie had at least one child: Hans (John) Peter* (A1).
Second Generation
A1 Hans Peter SUMI* was a Palantine Mennonite exile from Canton Aurgan, Switzerland. He was a Mennonite Minister In Europe, his name was spelled "Summe," which indicates a French origin from the river or county Somme, in northern France. However, considering their religion and other characteristics of these people, it is more likely that the Summys were of the western exiles of Italy in the earlier history of the church and assumed the name of the place whereunto they escaped from their Italian expatriation. It seems that in order to escape the relentless persecution, Hans Peter fled from Aurgan to Offenberg in Middle Baden. On the 1665 revocation of the edict of Nantes by Louis XIV of France, Hans Peter went to Northern Alsace. It was here that he married Maria Magdalena Haldi. All of his lands and his possessions had been confiscated, so he worked at whatever was made available to him by the ruling nobility. He was known as a herdsman in Alsace. On the cession of France upon the treaty of Ryswie in 1697, they went to Holland for protection and became refugees. There they were under the rule of William of Orange and the people in Holland enjoyed religious freedom. The exiled Summys left Rotterdam for Plymouth, England and from there saild to Philadelphia in 1733 on the Brigantine "Richard and Elizabeth." The captain of this Brigantine was Christopher Clymer. Upon their arrival in Philadelphia, on 28 September 1733, they took an oath of allegiance at the court house, administered by Patrick Gordan, Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania. The Court Clerk's list and the Captain's list name 8 people in the family:
Hans Peter (59), Hans Jacob (22), Hans Peter (20), Otto Frederick (15), Maria Magdalena (58), Maria Magdalena (24), Hans Michael (10) and Johannes (5).
Like many of the Palantine Mennonites, the Summys settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They were the first settlers in the valleys of Pequea and Conestoga, "leaving the fatherland at the beginning of the eighteenth century to find in the American wilderness a refuge from relentless persecution such as no other people have suffered and to gain peace and spiritual freedom among the red men that the bigotry and intolerance of civilized Europe would not allow them." (Jewell and Carlene Huckaby of Colorado).
Hans Peter was born about 1674 in Berne, Switzerland and he died before 1750 in Groffdale, Lancaster County, Pa. He was the earliest known minister at the Groffdale Mennonite Church in Earl Twp., Lancaster County, Pa. after the departure of Hans Rudolf Nagele in about 1735. He married Maria Magdalena HALDY on 30 Oct. 1705 in Berg, Lothringen, Northern Alsace. She was born to Abraham HALDY. Abraham was born about 1645 in Alsace or Switzerland. His name has been seen spelled HALDI, HALTI, HALDEN. Maria and Hans were both buried in the Mennonite Cemetery in Groffdale, PA. They had several children: Maria Magdalena (A11), Hans Jacob* (A12) Hans Peter (A13), Otto Frederick (A14), Hans Michael (A15), Hans Johannes (A16)
Third Generation
A11 Maria Magdalena SUMMY was born about 1709. She married John Peter WISSENANT on 7 February 1737 in the Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, Lancaster Couty, Pa. They eventually moved to the Yadkin or Catawba River Valley in North Carolina.
A12 Hans Jacob SUMMY was born about 1711 in Alsace. He died in Feb. 1762 near Groffdale, Lancaster County, PA. He is buried in the Mennonite Cemetery in Groffdale, Lancaster County, Pa. He was known only as Jacob and he married the widow Barbara HIESTAND BEAR (see HIESTAND A1) around 1740 in Groffdale, Lancaster County, Pa. Jacob took over her plantation in Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pa. and in time, he added considerable land to it. His will was probated on 7 February 1762, Book X, Vol. 2, P. 11. In it, he states that "it is my will that they shall not drive away my mother as long as she liveth."
(Information by John W. Summy of S. Carolina). Barbara and Jacob had at least one child, John (A121).
A13 Hans Peter SUMMY was born about 1713. He died 30 August 1787. He was a member of the German Reformed Church in Berks County, Pa. from 1735 to 1755. After 1762, he moved to North Carolina. His will is dated 1787 and is on file in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
A14 Otto Frederick SUMMY was born about 1718. He was known as Frederick or Fritz. He first lived in Lebanon County, Pa. Three of his children were baptized in the Tulpehocken Church near Meyerstown in that county. Sometime after 1753, he is recorded as having moved to the Catawba River Valley in North Carolina with a brother or a nephew.
A15 Hans Michael SUMMY was born about 1723. It is believed that he migrated to Yadkin River Valley in North Carolina sometime after 1751.
A16 Hans Johannes (John) SUMMY, the youngest son, was born about 1728. He married Magdalena ???. He died about 1755. He is the forefather of the Summys in Somerset and Westmoreland Counties in Pa. One of his children was baptized in Stouchsberg, Berks County, Pa. He is believed to have lived in Jackson or Heidelberg Twps. in Lebanon County, Pa. The 1790 census shows a John Summy in Dauphin County, the county from which Lebanon County was later formed. He supposedly had three sons: Abraham (A161), John (A162) and Michael (A163), Anna Elizabeth (A164).
Fourth Generation
A121 John SUMMY was born 12 Apr. 1742 in Earl Twp., PA. He died Apr. 1812 in Warwick Twp., Lanc. Co., PA. John married Mary Elizabeth SHERK (see SHIRK A111341) in abt. 1765. (He later married Anna NEWCOMER) Mary was born abt. 1744 in Earl, PA and she died before 1778 in East Hempfield, Lanc. Co., PA. She was buried in Hempfield on Benjamen BEAR's farm. An old family history states that "John and Anna are buried on Sun Hill on his grandson John's farm." This is north of the Fruitville Pike and east of Sago Road in Penn Twp. All the tombstones have been destroyed or pushed aside except for two. His farm passed to his son, Christian Summy, then to Christian's son, John M. Summy and then to John's son Josiah. Josiah built a barn about 1886 on this property, which includes a cornerstone with his name. The farm was in excess of 300 acres and at John's death was divided between sons of his second marriage, Christian, Jacob and David. John SUMMY and his first wife, Mary SHERK had at least one child, John* (A1211).
(Information from John W. Summy of S. Carolina)
A161 Abraham SUMMY was born about 1757.
A162 John SUMMY was born about 1759.
A163 Michael Summy married Miss GILMORE and he also married Annie FERRY. Michael's children include: Jacob (A1631), John (A1632), Catherine (A1633), Gertrude (A1634), Christian (A1635), Annie (A1636), Daniel (A1637).
A164 Anna Elizabeth SUMMY was born 2 August 1763.
Fifth Generation
A1211 Johannes (John) SUMMY was born 2 Feb. 1774 in Earl, PA and died 24 Aug. 1845 in Rapho Twp., PA. He married Anna SWARR (see SWARR A116).
John SUMMY was a miller and a farmer. He operated a mill across from the covered bridge SE of Sporting Hill (2 miles SW of Manheim, PA), later known as the Sellers mill and Cassel's Mill. However, the mill and house have been destroyed. Before the mill, John owned a farm in Manheim Twp., near Neffsville which, as a deed suggests, he or his father bought in 1798. He moved to a farm near Marietta, PA before buying the mill at Sporting Hill. His intestate will is filed in Lancaster as Book H, Vol. 1, Page 40. There was a public sale of the grist mill on 23 November 1850.
He is buried in a small plot along the lane near the farmhouse on Sun Hill (previously owned by his son or grandson). The farm was owned by Elmer Weidman in 1978 and is on a lane that leads north from the old schoolhouse in the village of Sporting Hill . John's tombstone reads: "Ruhen die gebeine, von Johannes Summy,
geboren den 2 ten Februar 1774 und starb
den 24 ten August 1845. Alter war 71 Jahr
6 Monate u 22 tage...Ruhe sanst in deinem
grust, Bis dich Jesus wieder rust."
John SUMMY and Anna SWARR had at least one child, Elizabeth* (A12111).
A1631 Jacob Summy was born 16 September 1796 and died 25 July 1866. He married Rebecca (Margaret?) STEVANNUS. Their children include: Jacob (A16311), Elizabeth "Lizzie" (A16312), John (A16313), Barbara (A16314), Anna (A16315), Michael (A16316), Abraham (A16317), Eli/Elias (A16318), Mary "Mommie" (A16319), Catherine "Katie" (A16310), Adam (A1631a), Nellie (A1631b), Rebecca (A1631c), Eve (A1631d), Matilda "Tillie" (A1631e), Sarah "Sallie" (A1631f), Susannah (A1631g). All children except John and Jacob used the name "Sumey."
A1632 John SUMMY married Catherine ???. Their children were: Catherine (A16321) and Elizabeth (A16322).
A1635 Christian SUMMY was born 20 May 1806 and died 21 February 1851. He married Eve HARSHBERGER, who was born 26 March 1807, around 1828.
A1637 Daniel SUMMY was born 2 September 1810 and died 8 October 1874. He married Francis "Franny" HARSHBERGER.
Sixth Generation
A12111 Elizabeth SUMMY* was born 9 Dec. 1805 in Manheim, Lanc. Co., PA. and died 15 Nov. 1873 in Manheim, Lanc. Co., PA. Elizabeth is buried in the Fairview Cemetery in Manheim, Lanc. Co., PA. She was baptized very late in life in 1865. She married Samuel ENSMINGER *(see ENSMINGER A4122714) on 10 Jun. 1823 in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lanc. Co., PA. In the 1860 census they were living in Manheim Borough, Lancaster County, PA.
A16313 John SUMMY was born 9 February 1826 and died 11 April 1884. He married Elizabeth HOCHSTETTLER. Elizabeth was born 27 October 1821 and died 21 June 1884. Their children include: Christian (A163131), Sarah (A163132), Elizabeth (A163133), Solomon (A163134), Benjamin (A163135), Perry (A163136), Gertrude (A163137).
Seventh Generation
A163132 Sarah SUMMY was born in 1850 and died in 1852.
A163133 Elizabeth SUMMY was born 1852.
A163133 Solomon SUMMY was born in 1854
A163134 Benjamin SUMMY was born in 1856.
A163135 Perry SUMMY was born in 1859.
A163136 Gertrude SUMMY was born in 1861.
Recognize any names? Direct questions, comments, corrections & additions to: kmcguinness@angelfire.com
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