Subject: Re: CLEMMER
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 09:56:42 -0500
From: Leon Clemmer <leonclem@home.com>
Organization: @Home Network
To: "Melissa (Bruno) Ward" <sarafina@kua.net>
References: 1 , 2

THE MENNONITES

        The full story of the Clemmer family cannot be considered separate from the history of the Mennonites. The Mennonite Church Is actually a union of two related movements: the Swiss Brethren Anabaptists and the Dutch Anabaptists. The former is important for Pennsylvania Mennonites.
        The Swiss the movement Brethren constituted a splinter movement from the Protestant church led by the Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli. They saw the church s group of believers who voluntarily accepted baptism hence the term Anabaptism and as a spiritual brotherhood free from interference. This latter concept was tied in with their complete renunciation of the use of force. The resulting in practices of adult baptism, separation of church and state, refusal to bear arms were considered to be grave threat by most churches and governments of the Reformation period and led to terrible persecution, especially in Switzerland. As J.C. Wenger puts it, Whatever benefits the Reformation may have appeared to the world, religious Toleration was not one of them as a result of religious persecution, thousands of Swiss men migrated
down the Rhine into Germany in the years after. Most of them settled In the area of the Palatinate for a short time, they enjoyed relative peace. For a numberof reasons, however, they were soon ready to move again. The Palatinate became a stamping ground for the invading armies  of Louis XIV. In the 1670's taxes became emmulate the splendorous court at Versailles; religious
restrictions excessive, because of constant warfare and princely desires to rule. Especially after a Catholic line acceded to the Bishop of the Palatinate in 1685. It was just at these difficult times that the new English colonies In America,led by William Penn, began to actively seek prosperous, colonists in Germany. Penn's "Some Account of the Province of Pennsylvania" was a widely read advertising pamphlet ,soliciting promised popular government, equal rights regardless of race or religion, and, especially, cheap land.

        It was largely the descendants of the Swiss refugees in the Palatatine who provided the Mennonite emigrants to Pennsylvania in the eighteenth century. For Instance, the common Pennsylvania Mennonite names of Clemmer, Detweller, Haldeman, Hofstetter, Eschelfiten. Longenecker, and Oberholtzer are all derived from villages In Switzerland. These Swiss-Palatine immigrants began in large numbers in Philadelphia in the years between 171O and 1727. They usually by-passed the Quaker dominated city and pushed on to the fertile
limestone-based farm-land forming in a broad seml-circle between Philadelphia and the Appalachian Mountains. The northern part of this settlement, covered parts of Bucks, Montgomery and Berks Counties, was  organized into the Franconia Conference of theMennoniteChurch.
 

?A NOTE ?ON NAMES

It is a common-phenomenon for recently arrived immigrants In America to anglicize their names and many of the Pennsylvania Germans provide no exception to this trend.

The original German spelling of the name of the family In question was undoubtedly "Klemm”.    The derivation of the name Is not known, but it is interesting to note that there exists a small river, the Klemm, near the German-Swiss border..

A family traces their roots as the ancestors emigrated from this region. Upon arrival In America the name was often spelled "Clymer" and many people. Bucks County retain this spelling - (which is the same of a very well known English family in the Philadelphia area).

The branch which moved to Berks County, however, used "Klemmer or, more often, "Clemmer". Since this is the branch we are concerned we will most often use "Clemmer",with all versions should be considered interchangable.
 
                HENRY CLEMMER (1700 - 1791)

        Johann Henrick Klemmer, son of Jacob and Anne Catharinia was
christened in the Reformed Church of Friedelsheim, June 13, 1688.

        This is 12 years before the recorded date of his birth on his tombstone, in
the Franconia Meetinghouse Cemetery, (1700).

        Jacob, his father had immigrated to the Palatinate area of Germany from Zurich, Switzerland under the name of Hans Jacob Klimmer. He married one of Hans Jakob Pfaffmann's daughters on the 17th of September 1678, in Friedelsheim.

        Henrick married Catherina Davernier, widow of Michael Davernier on 16 September 1710. They had a son, Johann Ludwig Klemmer, January 24, 1720.

        Johann Ludwig married Marie Elisabeth Bokel, Jan 24, 1742. The Mechenheim church registry refers to Johann Ludwig as "legitimate son of Johann Henrick Klemmer - former inhabitant of Gronau - then of Philadelphia."

        Henrick Klemmer sailed for the new land on the "Alexander and Anne," on board
was Johann Andreas Klemmer. Various stories abound about the relationship of the two men. No positive relationship has been identified. Whether Henrick sailed with his wife or whether she stayed in Germany with their ten year old son, Ludwig is not known.

        The ship sailed from Rotterdam, Holland to Cowes, England and landed in Philadelphia, September 5, 1730. Henrick could not sign his name, rather he made his mark,I-H K, the British customs official noted the name "Clemmer."  Johann signed his name "Klemmer." In all 42 names of German immigrants are listed. Women and children were not listed. Of the 147 passengers one was Hans Jacob Oberholtz, a name we will hear of later. William Clymer was the ship master. Clymer in many cases is an anglicized version of the German name
"Klemmer."

        Ludwig Klemmer sailed to America on the Ship Neptune September 24, 1757 with
his wife Marie.

        A Johann Andres Klemmer returned to Germany and died in Friedelsheim in 1757.

        Most immigrants came to America as indentured "servants," with seven years
service required to pay for passage. So, there are no records of Henry Clemmer's activities until eight years after his arrival, then we learn Henry is in Franconia Township, Philadelphia County, now Montgomery County.

                        CHRISTIAN       1697 - 1759
 
        The  most complete source of information on this ancestor states that, the Clymer family
 " was brought to this country by two brothers, one of whom was Christian Clymer, or      Klemmer. He was born In1697 In Germany and is thought to have emigrated to America rica prior to 1730. He settled in what Is now Milford Township and In 1734 his  name appeared on the record as a Petitioner to divide the township. His wife was Barbara and they were the parents of seven sons and five daughters.
 
        Christian Clymer died in 1759 and some of his descendants are yet living on land which he settled. His wife passed away January 14, 1776.
 

Most of the details of this account', which was published In 1905, have been born out by further researched. The Pennsylvania Archives lists Chrisian  Klimmer of Bucks County as among those "divers Protestant who immigrated between 1700 and 1718.2 This wouldPlace him among the very earliest settlers of the Swamp area.The names of Christian Clemmer and John Jacob Clemmer of Richland Township appear on many petitions In the 1730 s.3

On June 29, 17 41, Christian Clemmer of Lower Milford Township right 315 acres of land In Rockhill Twp. along the northeast a branch of the Perkiomen Creek. (Bucks DB 23, 238). This street on the south side of Sellersville remained In the family for at least three generations, and its ownership determined the name of the present day Clymer Ave.   In 1928 parts of it were divided into building lots-(Bucks OC 825). The are was once known as Clymersville but
has since been absorbed by residential Sellersville.

Christian died Intestate In 1759 and the appropriate documents filed at Philadelphia (Phila. Administrations, Nov. 12,1759). These name his widow, Barbara. and. mention the existeancw of eleven children. including a Valentine Cleymer who eviuently died soon thereafter. On 4/3/1761 the widow and nine sons and daughters sold their shares in the Rockhill tract
 to the eldest son, Martin, This deed lists the existing children:
Christian Clymer of Springfield m. Catharina
Jacob m. Esther    d. 1801
John                         d.1807
Henry                       d.1807
Magdalena m. Peter Mayer
Anna m. John Barkey
Elizabeth m. Conrad Keill
Easter
Catharina m. Isaac Rinker
Martin of Rockhill Twp., Bucks Co. (Bucks DB 22.206)

A farm house built In 1728 near the present day East Swamp Mennonite Church (see Map) Is identified by local tradition as the Clymer homestead. It was owned by the Clymer family well into the 20th century and is probably the place referred to by Davis when he said that Christian's land was still occupied by the Clymer family .

              ?I
In 1853 Samuel was chosen by.lot to become an assistantminister at Hereford as was the Mennonite custom. He succeeded Ephriam Hunsberger who had moved to Ohio. Samuel may have been farming somewhere else at the time for on 4/5/1854, Peter Yoder of Hereford Twp. conveyed land "to Samuel G. Clemmer of Lower Milford Twp., Lehigh Co. and minister of the gospel." Samuel paid $9,000 for 123 acres adjoining land of Rev. Christian Clemmer (Berks DB 61,524). Rev. Christian had built a house near that of his father, George.

Meanwhile, in 1865, the First Mennonite Church of Philadelphia had been founded and; In 1868, the congregation needed a minister. Samuel was called to be, reportedly, their first paid minister and he began his duties on 5/5/1868. Four days previously, he sold his 123 acres In Hereford Twp. to Nathan Hertzog of Lower Macungie Twp.. Lehigh Co. for $12,394 (Berks DB 93,15). While In Phila.,  he   lived at 2209 Franklin St. His church, at Diamond and Reese
Sts.(near Fifth) is, as of 1970, still standing.

"The pastorate of Brother Clemmer was crowned with success; but in less than two years the Lord saw fit to call him to his eternal home. Samuel reoortedly died of typhoid fever. Pastor A.B. Shelly of Milford Square replaced him. Samuel is buried with his wife at Hereford Church.

?

        The First Mennonite Church of Philadelphia. Diamond and Reese Sts

        JUDITH CLEMMER must have been a remarkable women. After the death
of her husband she remained in Philadelphia at the family home, 2252 N 7th Street.
She is listed in the Philadlphia Directory as “ widow of Rev Samuel G. Clemmer
“ and her husband’s  occupation was a  ” Dry Goods Sales “.  Judith had no formal schooling, she was 42 when Samuel died. She raised four distinguished Children:

Andrew  George  12/11/1852, 10/5/1914 m. Mary Emily Miller. Paino and Organ manufacturer

Catherine Ann-1/30/1854, 9/11/1944 m. Rev. Albert Funk,  d. 11/3/1927, pastor of the First Mennonite Church, Phila.,1881 and from 1890 - 1915. Gen. Secretary of  the Chrlstian and Missonary Alliance, New York City; both are buried at Hereford Church.

Daughter -      stillborn 7/19/1857; buried at Hereford Church..

Sarah -         7/30/1858 - 12/3/1876; buried at Hereford Church

Jonas  G. -   3/01/1860 - 10/27/1935 m. Martha F. Smith - 1864-1947; Drug salesman In Phila.                      He buried at Hatboro Cemetary-

Joel G. -        8/9/1864 - 11/14/1931,  accountant and Treasurer of Lanston Metal works.

It is interesting to note that all of Judith and Sam’s children before Sam was called to and moved to Philadelphia lived on the family farm

 
        FOOTNOTES - CLEMMER
1       Davis, William W.H., History of Bucks County, Doylestown, Pa.,1876, vol. III, p. 236A.

2       Ibid., vol. I and II combined, pp. 443-461.

3       Wenger, John C., History of the -' Mennonites of the Franconia Conference, Franconia       Mennonite Historical Society, Telford Pa.. 1937.

4       Clemmer, Abram, "Ancestry of Wilson K. Clemmer," The Perklomen Region, X,
April. 1932,    PP. 34-39.

5       1n 1925, Laaden M. Clemmer, owner of the Montgomery County Clemmer homestead in Franconia, hired Warren S. Ely, librarian of Bucks Co. Historical Society, to fine[ the      "missing link" between Valentine and Henry Clemmer, ancestor of the  Montgomery Co. branch. Ely was unable to document Valentine's existence - his NOTES are in the Philadelphia Geneological Society library.

6       Clemmer, Ibid., P. 34.

7       Engle, Wm. Henry ed , Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, vol. XIII, Harrisburg 1897,   "Bucks County Tax Lists, 1779-1789".

8       some details on these children from
        Montgomery, Morton L . History of Berks County, J. H. Beers & Co., 1909,
        vol. II, p. 134;. (A sometimes reliable source).

9       1bid.,

10       Brecht, Samuel K., The Geneological Record of the Schwenkfelder Families, Rand McNally & Co., N.Y. 1923, p. 892

11      Information on the First Mennonite Church of Phila. from Cassel, D.K., History of the Mennonites, Philadelphia, 1888, p. 267.
 
?In 1708 the five ordained Mennonites of Germantown wrote a letter to the Mennonites of Holland in which they asked for literature,  ". . . The congregation here is still rather weak to have an thing printed”.
. . .Willern Rittinghuysen wrote to New York to have the articles of faith printed in English because there are people here who call themselves Mennists who would like to have our articles translated into English. But they asked so much that our congregation could not raise it.
        The appeal met with success. In 1712 a forty-page booklet appeared in Amsterdam, The Christian Confession Of the Faith of the harmless" Christians, in the Netherlands, known, by the name of Mennonists. The edition was probably small and in 1727 Andrew Bradford of Ph] ladelphia reprinted the Confession.
An appendix was added to the 1727 edition and a comparison of the title page of Part II with page 44 (of Part 11) seems to indicate that the Pennsylvania Mennonite ministers had held a conference in 1725 at which time they subscribed to the Dortrecht Confession of Faith.
        The second title page reads, "An Appendix To the Confession of Faith of the Christians, called -Mennonists, Giving a short & full Account because of the Immagination of the newness of our Religion, the Weapon & Revengeless Christendom, and its being. Published Formerly in the Low-Dutch, & translated out of the same into High-Dutch, & out of that into the English Language, 1725."
        Page 44 states, "We the hereunder written Servants of the Word of God, and Elders in the Congregation of the People called, MENNONISTS, in the Province of PENNSILVANIA, do acknowledge, and herewith make known, That we do own the afore-going CONFESSION, APPENDIX, and MENNO'S Excusation, by wholly ours.
In Testimony whereof, and that we believe the same to be good, we have here unto Subscribed our Names."

 Shipack
Christian Heer,
Benedict Hirchi,
Martin Bear,
Johannes Bowman,

Great-Swamp
Velte Clemer

Manatant
Daniel Langenecker,
Jacob Beghtly,

Canastoge

                       EXPLANATIONS

DB      Deed Book.
        eg.: Bucks DB 22,206    Bucks County Deed Book,
        volume  22, page 206.

GC       Guardians Court.
        eg.::Bucks OC 825       Bucks County Orphans File 825.

WillS:  Register of Wills
        eg.: Bucks Wills 7038   Bucks County .Register of Wills, File 7038.

        Tax Records can be found in  the county In question.