Johannes Zimmer & Elizabeth Renner

For several years now I have been researching the pedigree of Jacob Zimmer, the adoptive father for my grandfather, Frank Sullivan. "Zimmer" is quite a common German name, and there are many Zimmers buried in the German cemeteries of Washington County, Ohio.

I had already discovered that there was a Johannes Zimmer, born Jan 20 1820 in Krottelbach, who emigrated to the U.S.A. in 1847, spent two years in Wheeling, WV, and then settled in Fearing Twp. He married Elizabeth Rennert 14 Jan 1844. The couple had 3 sons and 4 daughters and many grandchildren. Johannes died the 19 Jul 1900. I was clear that this couple were the parents of "grossfater Zimmer" because they are mentioned in his Marietta Times obituary.

The Children of Johannes and Elizabeth

In March of 2005 the careful genealogical research of Catherine Sams filled in even more details of the family structure. Her records show that Johannes and Elizabeth Zimmer had eight children, of which Jacob "grossvater" Zimmer was the third child. Jacob had two older sisters, Carolina (b. 1844) and Philippina (b. 1845).

Carolina Zimmer is notable here for several reasons. With Fred Gilcher (b. 1832) she gave birth to 15 children. I have included a photograph of Fred and Caroline with 12 of their children in my connections section on Lila Hill. It also looks strongly like she may have died in 1999 at age 55 of childbirth related causes, since her two unnamed infants are also recorded in that year. The additional fact that Carolina's mother gave birth to twin boys at the end of her childbearing carreer is also fascinating. Finally, Carolina and Fred are the parents of Rosena Gilcher, who married the younger brother, Charles Fickeisen, of my great grandmother, Eva Fickeisen Noe.

The Sams genealogy research also shows that Jacob "grossvater" Zimmer had 5 younger siblings, Elisabetha (1851), Johannes (1855), Maria (1858), and twins Daniel and Ludwig (1860).

Possible Parents of Johannes and Elizabeth

Of more interest to the current line of reasoning, there was also a traceable line of Jacob Zimmers. First Jacob Zimmer, born 8 Mar 1789 and married to Elisabetha Schramm.

• His son, Jacob Zimmer, born 21 Mar 1817 in Krottelbach, Landcommissariat Cusel, Pfalz first married a Carolina Zimmer (daughter of Daniel Zimmer and Barbara Zimmer) and then Christina Dietrich.
• A second son, Theobald was born on St. Bartholomew's Day 24 Aug 1819 in Krottelbach and married in 1847 to Katharina Hoffmann. Their child was Karl Wilheml born 9 Feb 1847 in Fearing Twp. They emigrated with Katharina's parents Johann Hoffmann and Margaretha Fuhrmann.
• There is a possibility, not verified, that Johannes Zimmer, mentioned above as having been born Jan 20 1820 in Krottelbach who emigrated in 1847 and settled in Fearing Twp. may have been another son. We are continuing to research this point.
• Still another son, Karl Zimmer was born 25 Oct 1824 in Krottelbach and emigrated with his parents. He married Elisabetha Gerber.

Some interesting property records

On 8 April 1872 one Jacob Zimmer 3rd purchased William and Ernest Styer for the sum of $776.00 "The Saw and Grist Mill. Together with all the fistures, implements and Machinery thereunto now belonging & appertaining to the Mill dam, Mill abutments and Banks to the same." This county land record (it is hard to read) goes on to describe 4 acres which is part of 160 acres which is part of the same deal. This property is located in Fearing Twp., Section 13, which you can see is situated just beyond the city limits of Marietta on Duck Creek. (Look at the bottom of the map. Less than three years previously, on 11 Nov 1869, this same Jacob Zimmer 3rd had purchased from William Brown a large number of three acre lots for the then whopping sum of $5,300. These were situated in the same general vicinity, in Sections 19 and 13.

Who was this Jacob Zimmer 3rd. I suppose the best guess is that he might have been a son of the Jacob Zimmer who was born 21 Mar 1817. We don't seem to have evidence that "grossvater" Zimmer owned a sawmill. They had a little county general store and were on a farm.