Sunday, March 13, 2011

Birthday Observances, John Lehman

Copyright 2011, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

John Lehman was born March 13, 1763 in Frederick County Maryland to Ludwig Lehman Sr and his wife, Elizabeth (much controversy surrounds her possible maiden name, another story, another day).

John Lehman, is of German heritage, old German.  Those of you who have done some of that old German research realize that he was probably baptised as Johannes, or as I have his given name in my data base, Johanes.  Future work on this line should involve some review of documents I may still have buried in the file cabinets at the stick built or hunting down any baptismal records available for the family.

It should also be pointed out that the surname has been recorded as Lehman, Lehmann, Lemon, Lemmon, Lamon, and Laehmoen.  Nothing shocking here, this spelling thing is so so common with our early ancestors, German or otherwise.

John is my 5th great grandfather.  I have very little recorded about him in my data base, again, review of the paper files may pop up some info that I have, but have never recorded.  (Bad, bad Carol.)  There is however a note of a survey recorded in Rockingham County, Virginia in Book O-I, page 269.

On 23 Jan 1787 John married in Frederick County Maryland, his bride was Elizabeth Enhald.  Her parents names are not recorded in my data base.  In fact, in my notes I express some concern that what little information I do have recorded on her, is, in fact, shaky (questionable proofs).  More research is called for, no doubt about it.

John and Elizabeth eventually moved to Rockingham County Virginia.  They had 6 known children (to me), the first three were Maria Elizabeth, Johann Jacob, and Anna Maria, all three reported to have been born in Frederick County Maryland.  The last 3 were Magdelene, Catherine and Adam, they are believed to have been born in Rockingham County, Virginia.  My ancestress is Maria Elizabeth.


John died on 25 Apr 1836 in Rockingham County, Virginia.  His wife, Elizabeth had died about 5 years prior.  They are both buried at the Old Bethel United Brethren Church Cemetery, Mountain Valley Area, Rockingham County, Virginia.  As you can see I found his headstone, which is barely legible, I figured out parts of the inscription via "rub the finger on the engraving" method.  Birth and death dates I have recited here came from the headstone.

A number of years ago while I was visiting Rockingham County other descendants of John told me of  the location of the home he built tucked up in the shadows of Massanutten Mountains of the Shenandoah Valley.  I was given directions, which I followed to the best of my ability.  If you have ever driven around in the coves and hollars of any mountainous region, you will know, it is pretty easy to get a.)  turned around, and confused or b.)  totally lost.  I found what I thought was the John Lehman home, sure looks like it could have been built a few years ago, eh??


My line to John is as follows:

My mother
My grandfather, Leonard Homan Trumbo
My great grandmother, Anna Susan Holsinger Trumbo
My great, great grandfather, Peter Preston Holsinger
My g-g-g grandfather, John Holsinger
My g-g-g-g-grandmother, Maria Elizabeth Lehmann/Lemon Holsinger
My g-g-g-g-g-grandfather, this John Lehman.

2 comments:

Dorene from Ohio said...

What a beautiful stone...a grave marker like this makes history come alive!

Susan Clark said...

Ok, now you've crossed paths with my husband's Frederick County Germans! Somehow, someway there'll be a link someday. Your John's marriage showed up in my book of Lutheran Marriages & Burials (Fred. Shelly Weiser, 1972).