To: Wayne Williams... I have some information on one small branch of the Williams family. It's not much but I would like very much to find its place in the Williams family. It is in regard to my GGGP's, Rachel Williams and Edward Hopwood, who were married on January 2, 1833 by Rev. John Winter, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Williamsport, Maryland. .................................................................. Descendents of RACHEL Williams First Generation 1. RACHEL Williams was born ~1815 in Williamsport, Maryland. She died between 1850 and 1858 in Williamsport, Maryland. Edward Hopwood and Rachel Williams were married on January 2, 1833 by Rev. John Winter, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Williamsport, Maryland. Their son, John William Hopwood, was born November 2, 1833. Edward and Rachel do not appear in the 1840 Maryland census; Edward apparently died before 1840. Rachel is apparently from the Williams family of Williamsport,MD. A list of letters to Rachel Hopwood remained in the Williamsport, MD post office on April 9, 1841. After Edward's apparent death, Rachel married Benedict Meads on February 6, 1843 in Boonsboro MD. Rachel, Benedict, Rachel and Edward's son John William and Rachel and Benedict's newborn daughter Ann appear on the 1850 census in Washington Co, MD. Benedict appears in the records of Dr. Samuel Weisel in Williamsport during the years 1848 to 1865. He appeared was listed as a registered voter in Williamsport on October 17, 1866. Benedict's parents were Benedict (sr.) Meads and Elizabeth Hayes who were married in Washington County, MD on February 9, 1809. Benedict was born in 1812. He had a brother Jeremiah who lived in Williamsport and who was active in Maryland politics. Jeremiah died December 16, 1854. Rachel appears as Benedict's wife in the 1850 census. Amelia appears in the 1870 census. So Rachel apparently died between 1850 and 1870. Rachel's death and burial are not listed in the Hagerstown newspaper listings available after 1858 so she apparently died before then. Benedict was alive on July 14, 1875, as reported in the Hagerstown Herald newspaper. A new Mrs. Benedict Meads, Amelia Meads, appears as Benedict's widow in the 30 July 1885 Hagerstown newspaper. The 1870 census also lists Benedict's wife as Amelia. Amelia died in Williamsport on August 30, 1889. Rachel likely died between 1850 and 1858 aand surely before 1870. Circumstances of her death and burial are not known. RACHEL married (1) EDWARD HOPWOOD on 2 Jan 1833 in Williamsport, Washington County, MD. EDWARD was born ~1806 in England. He died ~1840 in Washington County, MD. Edward Hopwood and Rachel Williams were married on January 2, 1833 by Rev. John Winter, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Williamsport, Maryland. The marriage is recorded in "Maryland Marriages, 1667-1899" and in the Hagerstown Banner Republican. Their son, John William Hopwood, was born November 2, 1833. Edward and Rachel do not appear in the 1840 Maryland census; Edward apparently died before 1840. Rachel remarried in Boonsboro MD. If she lived in Boonsboro at his death, Edward may be buried there. Edward was born in England per the 1870 census listing of son John William Hopwood of Hagerstown. His ancestry is not known at this time. He may appear in "Atlantic Ports, Gulf Coasts, and Great Lakes Passenger lists", Roll 6, 1820-1863 as Edward Hopwood; Date of Arrival: 1829 October 14; Port of Arrival: Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA; Country of Origin: Great Britain; Destination: United States; Occupation: Labourer. His English birth suggests that he is not the son of Edward Hopwood from St Mary's County, MD. They had the following children: 2 M i. JOHN WILLIAM HOPWOOD was born 2 Nov 1833 in Penna.. He died 13 Jan 1897 in Waynesboro, PA and was buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Waynesboro, PA. Edward Hopwood and Rachel Williams were married on January 2, 1833. Their son, John William Hopwood, was born November 2, 1833 in Penna, according to the 1880 census. After the death of Edward, Rachel married Benedict Meads. Rachel, Benedict, John William and new born Ann appeared in the 1850 census while living in Subdivision 2 of Washington County, MD. John William apparently lived as a youth in Williamsport, MD. The 1850 census lists Rachel age 35, b 1815, John age 19, b 1831, Benedict age 38, b 1812. On June 15, 1861, at Williamsport, age 28, John William enlisted to serve three years as a Corporal in the Grand Army of the Republic. He served in Company A, 3rd Infantry Regiment of Maryland. His milityary record shows continual medical problems; he was mustered out on June 15, 1864. Records of his regiment's extensive Civil War service at Harper's Ferry, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chatanooga, Wilderness and many other battles are found in "Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-65", published in 1899. He belonged to the Hagerstown Chapter of The Boys in Blue in October, 1866. John William and Mary Ann Lewis Evans were married on September 20, 1864 by Reverend Thomas H. Switzer at the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wallaceton, PA near Philipsburg. The October 14, 1864 issue of the Bellefont Democratic Watchman listed both as residents of Philipsburg. They were married three months after he mustered out of the army, so their marriage almost certainly resulted from events of the Civil War. There were large Union Army training and medical facilities in Houtzdale near Philipsburg and Wallaceton. His record shows him leaving the military with significant medical problems for which he may have been treated at Houtzdale. Sons John Edwars and Emery Reid was born in PA per the 1880 census, perhaps at Philipsburg. The family of four then moved to in Hagerstown, MD. John was a Hagerstown registered voter in October, 1866. The 1870 US Census finds John William, Mary Ann and son William (age 9) living in Hagerstown where John was a Carpenter. The 1880 census indicates that John's father (Edward) was born in England. The records of St Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church of Hagerstown list John W. and Mary A. Hopwood as members. Son John Edward was baptized there October 19, 1873 by Reverend J. Edwin Amos. Son Emory Reid was baptized there June 11, 1876 by Reverend B.G.W. Reid. In January, 1879 John William was an officer of the Hagerstown Odd Fellows lodge. The family moved to 318 West North Street, Waynesboro, PA around 1886 where John was a Cabinet Maker by trade. John was not wealthy. The September 3, 1891 Hagerstown Herald and Torch relates: MUST HAVE A LICENSE.- A man giving his name as John Hopwood was found guilty on Saturday by Justice Bitner of selling neckties at the city market without a license. Being unable to pay a fine and costs amounting to $25.33, he was committed to jail. His obituary appeared in the January 14, 1897 Waynesboro Village Record: J.W. Hopwood, an old resident of Waynesboro, died at his home on West North street, early yesterday morning, at an advanced age in life. He had been ill for a long time and for the last thirteen months had been confined to his bed the greater part of the time. His trouble was Bright's Disease, a kidney disorder, and his sufferings at times were intense. Mr. Hopwood was a GAR man, having served through the late war, where he earned the respect and esteem of his comrades for his bravery as a soldier. In addition the being a member of the GAR, he was a member of Encampment Branch of IOOF, this place, and of the Red Men and IOOF of Hagerstown, MD. A widow and six children, four sons and two daughters(!), survive him. Some time ago Mr. Hopwood identified himself with the Presbyterian church, where his wife had long been a member. The funeral, which will be attended by the GAR, IOOF, and Red Men, will be held tomorrow at 1:30 o'clock. Services at the house, conducted by Rev. T.C. McCarrell; internment at Green Hill. John William Hopwood (aged 63 years 2 months 11 days) and other family members are interred at the family burial ground in Green Hill Cemetery in Waynesboro. His metal GAR plaque remains at his grave. JOHN married MARY ANN LEWIS Evans, daughter of JOHN LEWIS and MARY THOMAS , on 20 Sep 1864 in Wallaceton, PA. MARY was born 21 Feb 1844 in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales. She died 18 Feb 1921 in WAYNESBORO, PA and was buried in GREEN HILL CEMETERY WAYNESBORO, PA. The Pennsylvania Commemorative Biographical Record of 1900 reads: Mary Ann Lewis.... was the daughter of John Lewis and Mary Thomas Lewis, natives of Tredegar, Wales, where they married. John, Mary and oldest son William crossed the Atlantic to America, "arriving in the Port of Philadelphia on May 8, 1848 on the ship Kalamazoo". They located first in Brady's Bend, Pa., later moved to Johnstown, and still later to North Houtzdale, Clearfield County, Pa, renamed Brisbin. John Lewis died there on February 3, 1893 at the age of seventy nine years. Mary Thomas Lewis died May 30 1889, the day before the Johnstown flood, at the age of sixty eight. Both are buried at the IOOF cemetery in Brisbin, Pa. They were consistent members of the Welch Baptist Church and had the esteem and confidence of all who knew them. By occupation the father was a coal operator and in politics he was a Republican. In the family were eight children, namely: William, who was smothered to death in a coke pit in Johnstown; Mary Ann, wife of John Hopwood, a cabinet maker in Waynesboro, Franklin Co.,Pa.; Elizabeth, wife of Michael Erhart, of Philipsburg; Margaret, wife of Alfred Mallory, a machinist of Altoona, Pa.; Letitia, wife of J. M. Rolles, a carpenter of Clearfield, Pa.; Tallion T., a blacksmith of Hastings, Pa.; Henrietta Simler, of Philipsburg, Pa.; and Emma, wife of Peter Camoran, superintendent of coal mines in Westmoreland county, Pa.... John William Hopwood was mustered out of Civil War service on June 15, 1864. He and Mary Ann Evans were married three months later on September 20, 1864, by the Reverend Thomas H. Switzer at the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wallaceton, Pa. near Philipsburg and North Houtzdale. Her marriage surname was Evans. The 1870 census shows that a son, William, was born in 1861, three years before their marriage. It appears that she married a Mr. Evans in about 1860 when she was about 16 years old. Mr. Evans may have been a Civil War casuality but that has not been shown. But her Widow's Pension application of 1897 asserts under oath that her name in marriage to John William was Mary Ann Evans (not Mary Ann Lewis) and that she was never previously married. But her tombstone in Waynesboro reads "Mary Ann Lewis". One custom of the Civil War era was that a mother took the surname of her child's father regardless of marital status. A large Evans family belonged to the church in Wallaceton where she and John William eventually married, indicating ties to that church. The marriage was not conducted at her family's Welch Baptist church in nearby North Houtzdale. She and John William lived in Hagerstown in 1870. In about 1876 they moved to nearby Waynesboro, Pa. where the family lived in a small house at 318 West North Street, near the Frick Company where several family members worked. John William died at the house in 1897, wherein Mary Ann was with children and without income. She applied for government pension as the widow of a Civil War veteran. The National Archives record of the pension application shows it to have been a daunting, time consuming process. Mary Ann lived with her children in Waynesboro until her death. Her obituary in the February 19, 1921 Waynesboro Press reads: ....While dressing at the home of her son, Omer Hopwood, 417 Fairfield Ave, with whom she resided, Mrs. Mary A. Hopwood was siezed with an attack of apoplexy (stroke) yesterday morning and was found lying partly dressed on the floor at 7:30 o'clock by her daughter in law. It is thought to have occurred about an hour before her discovery. She was in her 77'th year and would have attained that age on February 21. It was the habit of Mrs. Hopwood to arise before her son went to work and her failure to do so yesterday caused the investigation and the discovery of her dead body. Mrs. Hopwood had very seldom been ill and she had remarked on how well she felt on the night before. She was a resident of the city for the past thirty five years. Surviving are the following children: Omer, at whose home she died; J. Edward, Rocky Mount, N.C.; L.S., York, Pa.; Fred. W., Butler, Pa.; Mrs. Leslie Whittington, Washington, DC. Also the following sisters and a brother: Mrs. John Mowery, Altoona; Mrs. Emma Cameron, Monessen, Pa.; Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Simler, both of Clearfield, Pa.; and Theodore Lewis, Brady's Bend, Pa. The last named is critically ill as the result of a stroke. Fourteen grandchildren survive. Private funeral at the house Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, in charge of Rev. J.M.Rutherford, pastor of the Presbyterian church, of which she was a member for many years. She was also a member of the Pocahontas Lodge and was one of its first officers. Internment will be made in the Green Hill cemetery. It is requested that flowers be omitted.... Mary Ann Lewis Evans Hopwood is interred with her husband John William and other family members at the family burial ground in Green Hill Cemetery in Waynesboro. RACHEL also married (2) Benedict Meads, son of Benedict Sr. Meads and Elizabeth Hayes , on 6 Feb 1843 in Washington County, MD. Benedict was born 1812. He died 1875/1885 in Williamsport, Maryland. They had the following children: 3 F ii. Ann Meads was born Feb 1850. Ann is seen in the 1870 census with Benedict and Amelia. ............................................................................ ......................................................... Regards Francis Hopwood Severna Park, MD ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hopwood" <woodhop@cablespeed.com> To: <woodhop@cablespeed.com> Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 11:31 PM Subject: Fw: [MDWASHIN] Williams Families of Wolfsville and Washington County > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Horti1974@aol.com> > To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 6:18 PM > Subject: [MDWASHIN] Williams Families of Wolfsville and Washington County > > > > I am looking for more information on Williams families of Washington > County > > and the ones that lived near Wolfsville, Frederick County, Maryand. I can > > trace my family to Wolfsville and then to Washington County. I am trying > to > > complete all the family trees of the Williams's families of Washington > County. I > > hope to connect them all. I am most interested in John R. Williams born > abt > > 1820 in Funkstown. > > > > Wayne Williams > > > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > > > ============================== > > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > > > > >

In a message dated 4/3/2005 8:12:10 AM Eastern Standard Time, john112g3@aol.com writes: Second, you might be dealing with two families, one your correct one, the other transient who showed up in the Lutheran Church. Secondary records can be dangerous to use without going back to the original. Third, I'd try to check the original documents on film if possible. --- Sometimes you can determine that there are two different families of the same name merely by examining the other records for the same church/congregation for the same time period, or even other church records for the same geographic area. The LDS records of the church are not really "secondary" records but they are "derivative" records and, as you note, if you have any reason to suspect there could be errors in translation (if the originals were not in English) or transcription, then it is always wise to check the original handwritten records in the films as you suggest. In one family I was researching I had a tombstone inscription listing a man's date of birth and date of death and while I was pretty sure he was the same man I had a baptismal record for--the baptismal record (from a printed source) didn't agree with the dob on the tombstone. I obtained the film and figured out that the date DID agree with the tombstone and the transcriber had misread the abbreviations for the months January and June. Joan

Also - if the minister from one or the other left to another congregation or was ill or unable to make it to a locations - there were time periods when they covered for each other. Lauren Brantner JYoung6180@aol.com wrote: > >In a message dated 4/2/2005 11:21:26 PM Eastern Standard Time, >tiderow@yahoo.com writes: > >I have family that was from Hagertown in the late >1700's early 1800's. the first son born to my line in >Hagerstown was born/baptised in St. John's. Some four >years later they had another son born in the Reformed >Congregation. > > >---- >This was very common at the time. As I understand it, the parents often had >to pay when having their babies baptized and they sort of "shopped around" >for the best deal. They recognized the importance of baptism but were not >necessarily all that concerned with whether it was at the Reformed or Lutheran >or even another denomination church. > >Joan > > >==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >Keep informed of the latest news and new databases, webpages and mailing lists at RootsWeb. Subscribe to the weekly RootsWeb Review. To subscribe, start here: http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > >============================== >Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. >New content added every business day. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > > >. > > >

Joan: While I can't say if this happened in washington Co. I can tell you what actually happened Franklin Co., Pa. a stones throw away. Three Lutheran Churches shared not only a Pastor, but also a parsonage. THe Luth. chures of Grindstone, Fayetteville and Chambersburg did this for years in the early 1800's. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: <JYoung6180@aol.com> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 2:35 AM Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Re:Reformed Congregation = which religion? > In a message dated 4/2/2005 8:49:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, > lrbrant@concentric.net writes: > > Let's put it simply - their doctrines were similar enough for them to > share ministers and buildings. > ---- > Lauren- > > Do you actually know of instances where the two congregations shared the > same *minister*? I ask because I'm not aware of that ever > happening--sharing > building and cemeteries, yes--but ministers I'm not aware of. I have > always > thought the minister was either an ordained Lutheran or Reformed minister > and > that was that. > > For example, I've seen many a reference to a Reformed pastor performing a > funeral service for a Lutheran who had died--because he was the pastor > who was > available--but the records usually specified the religion of the pastor > and > the individuals involved. I've never actually known a pastor to > represent > both Lutheran and Reformed congregations. > > > <<My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of > PA > and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in > 1810.>> > And some of my Lutheran ancestors readily accepted the Moravian Church > because that was what was available to them at that time/place. I even > have a > Catholic ancestor whose first child born in America was baptized Lutheran > because that was the only church in the area when the child was born. > > Joan > > > > > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >

In a message dated 4/3/2005 1:35:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time, JYoung6180@aol.com writes: My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of PA and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in 1810.>> And some of my Lutheran ancestors readily accepted the Moravian Church because that was what was available to them at that time/place. I even have a Catholic ancestor whose first child born in America was baptized Lutheran because that was the only church in the area when the child was born. This is most certainly true! One of the reasons that the Methodist Church got such a toehold in the Midwest is that they were willing to ordain ministers locally and send them out into what was then the wilderness. The Lutherans, on the other hand, even though they had been in the colonies longer, were more worried about doctrinal purity in their ministers than they were about ministering to the scattered flock. At first, anyone seeking to be a Lutheran minister would have had to go to back to Germany for ordination, or (more likely) the congregation had to plead with the church authorities in Germany to send them a minister. Later, it became possible to do this in Philadelphia. But that still meant that a Lutheran minister in Western PA or Ohio would have to travel back to Philadelphia periodically (sometimes as often as once a year) to ge re-examined for doctrinal correctness and have his license renewed. The untenability of this situation left would-be Lutherans begging for ministers, and on some occasions, resulted in an organized congregation changing its church identity in favor of an available minister. Alternatively, folks could just wait until the "right" minister came around to have their unions blessed and their babies baptized. Not surprisingly, this lack of appropriate ministers and congregations led to a greater degree of assimilation of Lutherans into the dominant, English-speaking culture. My own Hagerstown ancestors (who had initially settled in Lancaster, PA around 1750) were among the Lutheran die-hards -- although we do see a couple of Reformed in the line from time to time. When they left Hagerstown and went to Fairfield County, OH, they immediately set about establishing themselves a Lutheran Church -- founded in 1812 and still in operation today as Israel's Lutheran (ELCA) -- or, as my Reformed-born Lutheran-convert grandmother called it, "the Israeli Dutchman Church". This little church was the site of the first meeting of what became the Synod of Ohio. Later waves of immigration changed this picture substantially, and led to the intra-church struggles over doctrine and language that have persisted into my lifetime in the form of the rift between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (successor to the pre-Revolutionary and Federal period German Lutheran Churches, among others) and the Missouri Synod (formed largely by latter-day German immigrants). A fascinating subject! Susan Kundert Coshocton, OH

Joe: See my reply to John re; reformed churches. I would also add that our ancesters experienced a whole new life here, complete freedom. Within my own family they helped establish two Presbyterian churches "old siders vs new siders" and it was father against son, but as i said to John by the next generation they were marry German Lutherans. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: <JoeKeR63@aol.com> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 7:04 PM Subject: [MDWASHIN] Re:Reformed Congregation = which religion? > HI List.....thanks for the quick responses...now that i know that the > Reformed Church was the German reformed church and an "off shoot" of the > Lutheran > religion....but my ancestor William, wasn't entirely German....he was > also > English...father's surname REYNOLDS....but....his mother was a HEISER > /HEYSER....hence where the German came from i guess....William then > married a gal who > was Lutheran....guess that's feasible as well???....not sure who was > "allowed" > to marry who back then....when William, my ancestor's daughter, Sarah was > 16, i have a record where she converted from "Lutheran to > Catholic"....would a > German Reformed Church member who married a Lutheran, therefore their > children > would be raised Lutheran??...the parents of the wife of William were > listed > as "consistent members of the Evangelical Church"....but gave the money > to > build a "St. John's Lutheran Church".....i'm a religion illiterate when > it > comes to Protestantism....do Evangelical and Lutheran and German Reformed > all fit > together somehow??....any help appreciated...Joe > > Cambria County Quik Search Genealogical Services > > Member of Association of Professional Genealogists_ > http://hometown.aol.com/camcoquiksearch/myhomepage/business.html_ > (http://hometown.aol.com/camcoquiksearch/myhomepage/business.html) > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > >

John: What you had to say about the German reformed and Lutheran Churches makes sense to me. I have a bible covering 264 years in America, my immigrant was an Elder of the PresbyterianConvenantors, all of the first group of marriages here were strickly in this church, but by the begining of the 3rd generation I started to notice marriages at reformed church, Lutheran churches etc.I had alway figured my dour Scots like the blonde German girls and I hadn't realized how close the various religions had become. Gordon Crooks ----- Original Message ----- From: <john112g3@aol.com> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 6:53 PM Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Reformed Congregation = which religion? > Joe, > The "Reformed Church", in the Hagerstown, MD context, refers to the German > Reformed Church. It developed from the teachings and writings of John > Calvin, primarily, during the mid-1500's. He was a contemporary of Martin > Luther of Wittemburg and Ulrich Zwingli of Zurich, Switzerland. Many > descendants of Reformed German immigrants of the 1700's and 1800's later > joined the Presbyterian Church. Others remained in the German Reformed > Church which, today is part of the United Church of Christ (UCC). All > these protestant denominations are known as "Reformed". Their church > governments is generally of a democratic form with equal voice for lay > leaders and clergy. The reformed government substituted representative > governing bodies for the bishops of the Roman Catholic church structure. > Many of my German ancestors from Franklin County, PA took the route to the > Presbyterian Church. Others were members of the "peace churches", > Mennonites, Brethern, etc. They pretty much remained! > in their denominations to this day. > One of the other main "reformed" denominations began in the New York area > and was the Dutch Reformed Church. > In the early settlement of Pennsylvania by the German immigrants, quite a > number of German Lutherans joined with the German Reformed congregations > to build and share a single church building. Some coexisted as two > separate congregations with two separate pastors. Others had a rotation > system with both congregations joining in one service led by a pastor from > one or the other denomination. Churches of these types were called union > churches. They still exist today. We have a several union congregations > in New York City where I am located now. > I hope this is helpful. > John M. Rhodes > > > -----Original Message----- > From: JoeKeR63@aol.com > To: MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com > Sent: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 16:24:59 EST > Subject: [MDWASHIN] Reformed Congregation = which religion? > > > HI List....have an ancestor born 1790's ....christening listed as > "Reformed > Congregation, Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD"....what religion exactly is > the > Reformed Congregation?....thanks....Joe > > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > Keep informed of the latest news and new databases, webpages and mailing > lists > at RootsWeb. Subscribe to the weekly RootsWeb Review. To subscribe, > start > here: http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > > ============================== > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >

Jean, First, all the 'facts' you note below could be correct. Second, you might be dealing with two families, one your correct one, the other transient who showed up in the Lutheran Church. Secondary records can be dangerous to use without going back to the original. Third, I'd try to check the original documents on film if possible. You might learn alot from the records and the adjoining records on the film. You might find a temporary situation of Reformed folks appearing in the Lutheran records. Or maybe the wife was Lutheran and they family started there and moved later. All these things I've run into in Hagerstown and elsewhere. I have two contemporary John Herr families in Hagerstown: the Lutheran family and the Reformed family. At least I hope they were two families. Otherwise they were one husband with a wife and a girlfriend and 25 kids around town! I have had family records recording marriage dates with the year conveniently moved back one year in a family genealogy book to make the next 50,000 descendants "legit" and not the descendants of, shall we say, oh well. You get the picture. Only the original church record of 1769 in Lancaster PA proved the point. Finally, remain cautious of the LDS records. Their films of original records are primary records and can usually be believed except for original errors! But the extracted records are, in many cases, a mess. Good luck! John M. Rhodes -----Original Message----- From: jean stamm <tiderow@yahoo.com> To: MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 20:20:36 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Re:Reformed Congregation = which religion? Susan: you say that the Refermed Congregation and the St. John's Church were different, if I read your response to Joe correctly then I have a question. I have family that was from Hagertown in the late 1700's early 1800's. the first son born to my line in Hagerstown was born/baptised in St. John's. Some four years later they had another son born in the Reformed Congregation. Now, my information on the reformed congregation baptism was based on a LDS record in Salt Lake City Utah. But there is an exact date and not a circa. So if they are different church's why would the family have children born in two differnent congregations? Assuming that the LDS location is accurate! By the way, its interesting, my 3rd great grandfather Jacob Stamm had a son, Adam that went to Coshocton County and married Elizabeth Emerich. The rest of the family moved to Indiana then to Wayne County Ohio then back to Indiana. Thanks Jean Stamm --- OhSuzan419@aol.com wrote: > Ok Joe -- I'll take a stab at this, noting first of > all that there are enough > regional differences in any given situation to make > what I am about to tell > you largely inoperative. > > First of all, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church > is the historical > Lutheran parish in Hagerstown (which used to be > called Elizabethtown). Many of my > ancestors were members of this church from about > 1780 - 1800, before they moved > to Ohio. > > Oftentimes (especially, it seems to me, in German > wills) you will see > reference to the Evangelical Church. In this > context, it would mean the Lutheran > Church. So if your ancestors were "consistent > members of the Evangelical Church" > in Hagerstown, St. John's Lutheran is where you > would have expected them to > give their money. > > The Reformed Church had nothing to do with the > Lutheran Church; in fact, many > Lutherans back then had less-than-friendly feelings > toward the Reformed. They > are both Protestant churches, but spring from two > entirely different strains > of Protestantism. To the best of my knowledge, the > Reformed Church would have > been followers of Calvin or Zwingli. The Lutherans > were followers of -- > Luther!! And as an ex-seminarian, I can tell you > that Luther (whose use of language > was very --umm -- "colorful") had no use whatsoever > for these folks, and said > so with great vehemence at every opportunity. > > There are some cases on record however, where at one > point and probably out > of necessity, Lutherans and Reformed shared the same > building. But especially > as populations grew, this practice became less > common. > > I don't think the Reformed had quite the degree of > disdain for the Lutherans > as vice-versa, but I don't think either of them > liked Catholics very much. > Individuals in earlier times tended to marry within > the religion of their family. > Indeed, as I have come to understand it, in Germany > and much of Europe, one's > religion is/was not just a matter of "which church > you go to," but actually > extends to which town you live in, who your friends > are, and even who your head > of state is. > > For example, my husband, who is a Russian German (a > specific ethnic group) > was born to Lutheran family in Russia. They lived in > a town called > Grosliebenthal. Everyone in Grosliebenthal was > Lutheran. And German. If you were a Catholic > in that area, you lived in another town, called > Kleineliebenthal. You didn't > hang out with people from the other town. > So you see, his identity as Lutheran includes > religious, family, and civic > components -- a far cry from what we think of today > as being "just" a religious > choice. > > I believe that was more-or-less the context from > which our ancestors emerged > when they came to America. I don't believe that > religious intermarriage was > ever legally forbidden in the post-Revolutionary > U.S.(although the colony of > Maryland was originally Catholic, so I may be wrong > about that), but I do think > it was locally frowned upon -- and some places were > probably "frownier" than > others. The parents and pastors could and did bring > all sorts of pressures to > bear on their kids to keep them in the fold. But of > course, we didn't segregate > people in separate villages by their religious > preference, so over time, you > did inevitably find intermarriage and conversion -- > again, until fairly > recently, a uniquely American experience. > > As for your relatives, it seems very plausible to me > that some of them could > have been Lutherans, and then married Reformed, and > then become Catholic. > > To show how recently this issue about religious > intermarriage was still an > issue among American Protestants, I would give you > the example of my grandmother > (who died in 1983 at the age of 90). One of her > "deathbed" confessions to us > -- which she clearly wanted to get off her chest -- > was that she had not been > born a Lutheran, but was, rather, a Presbyterian > (those "Reformed" folk you > were talking about), and became a Lutheran only when > she married my grandfather. > This had honestly lain heavily on her soul all her > adult life; it was > something she needed to confess before she could > meet her maker. > > I can't help but wonder what she would think about > the situation in those > churches today, where they not only recognize each > other's rites, but also are > entitled to hire one another's pastors, if they so > choose. (She would be > s-o-o-o-o-o happy to know I married a "real" > Lutheran!) > > Susan Kundert > Coshocton, OH > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about > your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the > last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > test'; "> __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== The OFFICIAL website for this list is: http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx

In a message dated 4/2/2005 8:49:03 PM Eastern Standard Time, lrbrant@concentric.net writes: Let's put it simply - their doctrines were similar enough for them to share ministers and buildings. ---- Lauren- Do you actually know of instances where the two congregations shared the same *minister*? I ask because I'm not aware of that ever happening--sharing building and cemeteries, yes--but ministers I'm not aware of. I have always thought the minister was either an ordained Lutheran or Reformed minister and that was that. For example, I've seen many a reference to a Reformed pastor performing a funeral service for a Lutheran who had died--because he was the pastor who was available--but the records usually specified the religion of the pastor and the individuals involved. I've never actually known a pastor to represent both Lutheran and Reformed congregations. <<My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of PA and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in 1810.>> And some of my Lutheran ancestors readily accepted the Moravian Church because that was what was available to them at that time/place. I even have a Catholic ancestor whose first child born in America was baptized Lutheran because that was the only church in the area when the child was born. Joan

In a message dated 4/2/2005 11:21:26 PM Eastern Standard Time, tiderow@yahoo.com writes: I have family that was from Hagertown in the late 1700's early 1800's. the first son born to my line in Hagerstown was born/baptised in St. John's. Some four years later they had another son born in the Reformed Congregation. ---- This was very common at the time. As I understand it, the parents often had to pay when having their babies baptized and they sort of "shopped around" for the best deal. They recognized the importance of baptism but were not necessarily all that concerned with whether it was at the Reformed or Lutheran or even another denomination church. Joan

Susan: you say that the Refermed Congregation and the St. John's Church were different, if I read your response to Joe correctly then I have a question. I have family that was from Hagertown in the late 1700's early 1800's. the first son born to my line in Hagerstown was born/baptised in St. John's. Some four years later they had another son born in the Reformed Congregation. Now, my information on the reformed congregation baptism was based on a LDS record in Salt Lake City Utah. But there is an exact date and not a circa. So if they are different church's why would the family have children born in two differnent congregations? Assuming that the LDS location is accurate! By the way, its interesting, my 3rd great grandfather Jacob Stamm had a son, Adam that went to Coshocton County and married Elizabeth Emerich. The rest of the family moved to Indiana then to Wayne County Ohio then back to Indiana. Thanks Jean Stamm --- OhSuzan419@aol.com wrote: > Ok Joe -- I'll take a stab at this, noting first of > all that there are enough > regional differences in any given situation to make > what I am about to tell > you largely inoperative. > > First of all, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church > is the historical > Lutheran parish in Hagerstown (which used to be > called Elizabethtown). Many of my > ancestors were members of this church from about > 1780 - 1800, before they moved > to Ohio. > > Oftentimes (especially, it seems to me, in German > wills) you will see > reference to the Evangelical Church. In this > context, it would mean the Lutheran > Church. So if your ancestors were "consistent > members of the Evangelical Church" > in Hagerstown, St. John's Lutheran is where you > would have expected them to > give their money. > > The Reformed Church had nothing to do with the > Lutheran Church; in fact, many > Lutherans back then had less-than-friendly feelings > toward the Reformed. They > are both Protestant churches, but spring from two > entirely different strains > of Protestantism. To the best of my knowledge, the > Reformed Church would have > been followers of Calvin or Zwingli. The Lutherans > were followers of -- > Luther!! And as an ex-seminarian, I can tell you > that Luther (whose use of language > was very --umm -- "colorful") had no use whatsoever > for these folks, and said > so with great vehemence at every opportunity. > > There are some cases on record however, where at one > point and probably out > of necessity, Lutherans and Reformed shared the same > building. But especially > as populations grew, this practice became less > common. > > I don't think the Reformed had quite the degree of > disdain for the Lutherans > as vice-versa, but I don't think either of them > liked Catholics very much. > Individuals in earlier times tended to marry within > the religion of their family. > Indeed, as I have come to understand it, in Germany > and much of Europe, one's > religion is/was not just a matter of "which church > you go to," but actually > extends to which town you live in, who your friends > are, and even who your head > of state is. > > For example, my husband, who is a Russian German (a > specific ethnic group) > was born to Lutheran family in Russia. They lived in > a town called > Grosliebenthal. Everyone in Grosliebenthal was > Lutheran. And German. If you were a Catholic > in that area, you lived in another town, called > Kleineliebenthal. You didn't > hang out with people from the other town. > So you see, his identity as Lutheran includes > religious, family, and civic > components -- a far cry from what we think of today > as being "just" a religious > choice. > > I believe that was more-or-less the context from > which our ancestors emerged > when they came to America. I don't believe that > religious intermarriage was > ever legally forbidden in the post-Revolutionary > U.S.(although the colony of > Maryland was originally Catholic, so I may be wrong > about that), but I do think > it was locally frowned upon -- and some places were > probably "frownier" than > others. The parents and pastors could and did bring > all sorts of pressures to > bear on their kids to keep them in the fold. But of > course, we didn't segregate > people in separate villages by their religious > preference, so over time, you > did inevitably find intermarriage and conversion -- > again, until fairly > recently, a uniquely American experience. > > As for your relatives, it seems very plausible to me > that some of them could > have been Lutherans, and then married Reformed, and > then become Catholic. > > To show how recently this issue about religious > intermarriage was still an > issue among American Protestants, I would give you > the example of my grandmother > (who died in 1983 at the age of 90). One of her > "deathbed" confessions to us > -- which she clearly wanted to get off her chest -- > was that she had not been > born a Lutheran, but was, rather, a Presbyterian > (those "Reformed" folk you > were talking about), and became a Lutheran only when > she married my grandfather. > This had honestly lain heavily on her soul all her > adult life; it was > something she needed to confess before she could > meet her maker. > > I can't help but wonder what she would think about > the situation in those > churches today, where they not only recognize each > other's rites, but also are > entitled to hire one another's pastors, if they so > choose. (She would be > s-o-o-o-o-o happy to know I married a "real" > Lutheran!) > > Susan Kundert > Coshocton, OH > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > The OFFICIAL website for this list is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about > your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the > last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > test'; "> __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/

Let's put it simply - their doctrines were similar enough for them to share ministers and buildings. When the population is low and resources are limited, people were able to share and both groups got what they wanted. Germans are practical people. @:>). A google search might acquaint you with more of their history - and to help you sort the terminology. There are different kinds of Lutherans including Evangelical Lutherans. People in my husband's family went back and forth between Reformed and Lutheran - and the in-laws who weren't always German seemed to get tucked into the church quite nicely. In one case a Welsh family married in and some of their descendants became Reformed ministers. Incidentally, most researchers will tell you to check both records if you're dealing with a union church - sometimes they covered for each other or one minister would handle both congregations until the other person could be replaced. My own Reformed/Lutheran Pa German family went into the wilderness of PA and quite happily accepted the Methodist circuit rider who showed up in 1810. Lauren Brantner JoeKeR63@aol.com wrote: >HI List.....thanks for the quick responses...now that i know that the >Reformed Church was the German reformed church and an "off shoot" of the Lutheran >religion....but my ancestor William, wasn't entirely German....he was also >English...father's surname REYNOLDS....but....his mother was a HEISER >/HEYSER....hence where the German came from i guess....William then married a gal who >was Lutheran....guess that's feasible as well???....not sure who was "allowed" >to marry who back then....when William, my ancestor's daughter, Sarah was >16, i have a record where she converted from "Lutheran to Catholic"....would a >German Reformed Church member who married a Lutheran, therefore their children > would be raised Lutheran??...the parents of the wife of William were listed >as "consistent members of the Evangelical Church"....but gave the money to >build a "St. John's Lutheran Church".....i'm a religion illiterate when it >comes to Protestantism....do Evangelical and Lutheran and German Reformed all fit > together somehow??....any help appreciated...Joe > >Cambria County Quik Search Genealogical Services > >Member of Association of Professional Genealogists_ >http://hometown.aol.com/camcoquiksearch/myhomepage/business.html_ >(http://hometown.aol.com/camcoquiksearch/myhomepage/business.html) > > >==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >The OFFICIAL website for this list is: >http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/MD/washington/ > >============================== >View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find >marriage announcements and more. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > >. > > >

I am looking for more information on Williams families of Washington County and the ones that lived near Wolfsville, Frederick County, Maryand. I can trace my family to Wolfsville and then to Washington County. I am trying to complete all the family trees of the Williams's families of Washington County. I hope to connect them all. I am most interested in John R. Williams born abt 1820 in Funkstown. Wayne Williams

Ok Joe -- I'll take a stab at this, noting first of all that there are enough regional differences in any given situation to make what I am about to tell you largely inoperative. First of all, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church is the historical Lutheran parish in Hagerstown (which used to be called Elizabethtown). Many of my ancestors were members of this church from about 1780 - 1800, before they moved to Ohio. Oftentimes (especially, it seems to me, in German wills) you will see reference to the Evangelical Church. In this context, it would mean the Lutheran Church. So if your ancestors were "consistent members of the Evangelical Church" in Hagerstown, St. John's Lutheran is where you would have expected them to give their money. The Reformed Church had nothing to do with the Lutheran Church; in fact, many Lutherans back then had less-than-friendly feelings toward the Reformed. They are both Protestant churches, but spring from two entirely different strains of Protestantism. To the best of my knowledge, the Reformed Church would have been followers of Calvin or Zwingli. The Lutherans were followers of -- Luther!! And as an ex-seminarian, I can tell you that Luther (whose use of language was very --umm -- "colorful") had no use whatsoever for these folks, and said so with great vehemence at every opportunity. There are some cases on record however, where at one point and probably out of necessity, Lutherans and Reformed shared the same building. But especially as populations grew, this practice became less common. I don't think the Reformed had quite the degree of disdain for the Lutherans as vice-versa, but I don't think either of them liked Catholics very much. Individuals in earlier times tended to marry within the religion of their family. Indeed, as I have come to understand it, in Germany and much of Europe, one's religion is/was not just a matter of "which church you go to," but actually extends to which town you live in, who your friends are, and even who your head of state is. For example, my husband, who is a Russian German (a specific ethnic group) was born to Lutheran family in Russia. They lived in a town called Grosliebenthal. Everyone in Grosliebenthal was Lutheran. And German. If you were a Catholic in that area, you lived in another town, called Kleineliebenthal. You didn't hang out with people from the other town. So you see, his identity as Lutheran includes religious, family, and civic components -- a far cry from what we think of today as being "just" a religious choice. I believe that was more-or-less the context from which our ancestors emerged when they came to America. I don't believe that religious intermarriage was ever legally forbidden in the post-Revolutionary U.S.(although the colony of Maryland was originally Catholic, so I may be wrong about that), but I do think it was locally frowned upon -- and some places were probably "frownier" than others. The parents and pastors could and did bring all sorts of pressures to bear on their kids to keep them in the fold. But of course, we didn't segregate people in separate villages by their religious preference, so over time, you did inevitably find intermarriage and conversion -- again, until fairly recently, a uniquely American experience. As for your relatives, it seems very plausible to me that some of them could have been Lutherans, and then married Reformed, and then become Catholic. To show how recently this issue about religious intermarriage was still an issue among American Protestants, I would give you the example of my grandmother (who died in 1983 at the age of 90). One of her "deathbed" confessions to us -- which she clearly wanted to get off her chest -- was that she had not been born a Lutheran, but was, rather, a Presbyterian (those "Reformed" folk you were talking about), and became a Lutheran only when she married my grandfather. This had honestly lain heavily on her soul all her adult life; it was something she needed to confess before she could meet her maker. I can't help but wonder what she would think about the situation in those churches today, where they not only recognize each other's rites, but also are entitled to hire one another's pastors, if they so choose. (She would be s-o-o-o-o-o happy to know I married a "real" Lutheran!) Susan Kundert Coshocton, OH

HI List.....thanks for the quick responses...now that i know that the Reformed Church was the German reformed church and an "off shoot" of the Lutheran religion....but my ancestor William, wasn't entirely German....he was also English...father's surname REYNOLDS....but....his mother was a HEISER /HEYSER....hence where the German came from i guess....William then married a gal who was Lutheran....guess that's feasible as well???....not sure who was "allowed" to marry who back then....when William, my ancestor's daughter, Sarah was 16, i have a record where she converted from "Lutheran to Catholic"....would a German Reformed Church member who married a Lutheran, therefore their children would be raised Lutheran??...the parents of the wife of William were listed as "consistent members of the Evangelical Church"....but gave the money to build a "St. John's Lutheran Church".....i'm a religion illiterate when it comes to Protestantism....do Evangelical and Lutheran and German Reformed all fit together somehow??....any help appreciated...Joe Cambria County Quik Search Genealogical Services Member of Association of Professional Genealogists_ http://hometown.aol.com/camcoquiksearch/myhomepage/business.html_ (http://hometown.aol.com/camcoquiksearch/myhomepage/business.html)

Joe, The "Reformed Church", in the Hagerstown, MD context, refers to the German Reformed Church. It developed from the teachings and writings of John Calvin, primarily, during the mid-1500's. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther of Wittemburg and Ulrich Zwingli of Zurich, Switzerland. Many descendants of Reformed German immigrants of the 1700's and 1800's later joined the Presbyterian Church. Others remained in the German Reformed Church which, today is part of the United Church of Christ (UCC). All these protestant denominations are known as "Reformed". Their church governments is generally of a democratic form with equal voice for lay leaders and clergy. The reformed government substituted representative governing bodies for the bishops of the Roman Catholic church structure. Many of my German ancestors from Franklin County, PA took the route to the Presbyterian Church. Others were members of the "peace churches", Mennonites, Brethern, etc. They pretty much remained! in their denominations to this day. One of the other main "reformed" denominations began in the New York area and was the Dutch Reformed Church. In the early settlement of Pennsylvania by the German immigrants, quite a number of German Lutherans joined with the German Reformed congregations to build and share a single church building. Some coexisted as two separate congregations with two separate pastors. Others had a rotation system with both congregations joining in one service led by a pastor from one or the other denomination. Churches of these types were called union churches. They still exist today. We have a several union congregations in New York City where I am located now. I hope this is helpful. John M. Rhodes -----Original Message----- From: JoeKeR63@aol.com To: MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 16:24:59 EST Subject: [MDWASHIN] Reformed Congregation = which religion? HI List....have an ancestor born 1790's ....christening listed as "Reformed Congregation, Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD"....what religion exactly is the Reformed Congregation?....thanks....Joe ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== Keep informed of the latest news and new databases, webpages and mailing lists at RootsWeb. Subscribe to the weekly RootsWeb Review. To subscribe, start here: http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx

In a message dated 4/2/2005 4:25:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, JoeKeR63@aol.com writes: HI List....have an ancestor born 1790's ....christening listed as "Reformed Congregation, Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD"....what religion exactly is the Reformed Congregation?....thanks....Joe ---- Joe- That would be German Reformed. The German Reformed Church was considered to be slightly "more Protestant" <g> than the Lutheran Church. The Lutherans and Reformed congregations often shared a building in the early days and often shared a cemetery as well--you will see these churches listed as "Union" Churches. But they had separate pastors and kept separate registers of vital records. Joan

HI List....have an ancestor born 1790's ....christening listed as "Reformed Congregation, Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD"....what religion exactly is the Reformed Congregation?....thanks....Joe

Judith: There is also a Harr family in Cockeysville, Md. where I live. Their company name is G. Edgar Harr & Soins, Inc. they are well drillers. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Hills" <jrhills@xmission.com> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, April 01, 2005 1:03 PM Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Look Ups > Donna, I am curious to know about the person who is interested in the Harr > family of York Co., Pa. I am related to Eberhart (also known as Everhart > and > Everett) Harr. Some of his family came from York Co. He married Mary > Magdalena (Martha) Coffman or Kaufmann. If you find out about a possible > family for him, or if the person who is looking for that family would > write > to me, I would love to know who they are! Definitely must be a relative of > mine. > > Judith R. Hills > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "joe butner" <jclayb1@cox.net> > To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 4:44 PM > Subject: Re: [MDWASHIN] Look Ups > > >> Greetings. >> >> Thank you very much for the attempt on Butners. >> >> Regards >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: <smkyld1@insightbb.com> >> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 9:42 AM >> Subject: [MDWASHIN] Look Ups >> >> >> > Hi Everyone, >> > I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be able to do look ups for the next 4 > to >> > 6 >> > weeks. We are leaving, hopefully, on a 2 week trip to MD on April >> > 16th. >> > I >> > need to get the camper ready to use and re-loaded after being in >> > storage >> > for >> > the winter, and I need to finish getting reports together on my hsbs > SMITH >> > family and my SLIFER family. The purpose of our trip is to hit all the >> > research libraries, cemeteries & etc. in Frederick and Washington > Counties >> > for >> > these two families. I had plenty of time to get ready, UNTIL I >> > received > a >> > notice from the County Clerk...I got summoned for Jury Duty on April > 11!! >> > Talk >> > about perfect timing! We are taking the camper to the dealership on > Sat. >> > for >> > some some warranty work and a recall notice. It will be up there all >> > week - so >> > that means the rest of this week is being spent getting it ready for >> > the >> > trip. >> > Next week, I'm serving as an election judge during the primaries and, >> > then, >> > will be getting info & reports ready on the 2 families. I will finish > the >> > look >> > ups that have already been requested. >> > I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience - but Jury Duty calls!! YUCK!! >> > I will let everyone know when I can get back to look ups. >> > Thanks & Happy Hunting! >> > Donna Rae Smithdealer ship >> > >> > >> > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >> > Many Washington County families are online at the FamilyHart Database. >> > The url is: >> > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/familyhart/ >> > >> > ============================== >> > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the >> > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. >> > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >> > >> > >> >> >> >> ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >> If you have any problems feel free to address those to the list > administrator: MDWASHIN-admin@rootsweb.com >> >> ============================== >> Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. >> New content added every business day. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >> >> > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > If you have any problems feel free to address those to the list > administrator: MDWASHIN-admin@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >

This reunion is different than any other reunion I attend. We are both family and genealogy oriented. Some people come just to hook up with other relatives with the same interests. I am a Norwood, Watkins, Claggett, Moxley, Mullinix, Beall, Lewis, Shipley, Barnes, and several others. I have met relatives from each of these familes at the reunion. Last year I met a 3rd Cousin from my Watkins family. The next day I was at his house sharing more information. This is a fun reunion without games or auctions. Just good talk and information sharing. We will have Doris Day, a Norwood Cousin, doing a spinning demonstration. SUNDAY APRIL 24th 7th ANNUAL NORWOOD REUNION Surname list in order of frequency count. Norwood(790),Moxley(272),Watkins(234),Wivell(221),Day(211),Bosley(167),Ridgely(153),Brandenburg(150),Conaway(134),Smith(123),Baker(118),Ford(110),Beall(95),Mitchell(94),Hood(89),Browning(87),Thompson(85),Burdette(81),Hobbs(79),King(77),Devilbiss(72),Fahner(66),Falconer (65),Vansant(62),Darby(61),Mullinix(56),Hyatt(53),Green(52),Miller(49),Brown(47),Waters(47),Rust(46),Saye(45),Williams(45),Barlow(44),Franklin(44),Cain(42),Lawson(42),Purdum(42),Dorsey(39),Ramsburg(39),Moore(38),Gibbons(37),Grimes(37),Noland(37),Turner(37),Davis(36),Shipley(34),Randolph(33),Finley(32),Taylor(31), Duncan(30),Richards(30),Boyer(29),Harrison(29),Wright(29),Barnes(28),Farley(28),Stansbury(28),Claggett(27),Clary (27), Ellis(27),Fisher(27),Howard(27),Kindley(27),Chapin(26),Hardy(26), Lewis (26),Long(26),Clay(25),Hammond(25),Johnson(25),Stull(25),Walker(25),Hillery(24),Key(24),Oliver(24),Thomas(24),Ward (23),Pitman(22),Reaver(22),Schuh(22),Dean(21),Durham(21),Faulkner(21),Hurle(21),Paulley(21),Poole(21), Ridout(21),Roderick(21),Weems(21),Pond(20),Ramsey(20),Richardson(20),Stone(20) COME EARLY – DOORS OPEN AT 2:00 PM There will be refreshments before dinner. Dinner at 5:00 PM catered by Mountain Gate of Thurmont, Maryland The Fire Activities Building Twin Arch Rd. and Rt. 27 Mt Airy Maryland $13.00 per person. Send money for reservations by April 15th to Mary Norwood 4115 Harrisville Road Mt. Airy MD 21771-8211. MryNorwood@aol.com We will have a digital camera, lap top computer, and scanner. We would like the old photos of individuals or group family photos and some present day ones also especially if they can't attend. Obits, wedding, birth or death announcements are also very important for filing in the ieces. Do you have a pile of unidentified pictures? Bring them along too. Maybe we can find family resemblances! We are adding 5 new VERY LARGE (3’ x 30’ each) charts to the one of last year with even more known descendents of Capt. John Norwood. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THAT MANY NAMES LOOK LIKE! Our Norwood genealogists have added thousands of names and information since last year.