Lauren, I won't claim to be an expert, but in my experience the names Barr, Baer, Bare, and Bear seem to refer to the same (German) family name. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Bayer and Byer are different family names. One of the early Wash Co land grants, called Bear's Hole, was on the east bank of the Antietam directly east of Hagerstown. During some periods, at least, that property was in the hands of Barrs. Mike > Mike, > There is a Christian in the marriage index who married Sus.Bachtel > 6/3/1816. I have in the past found confusion between Christopher > and Christian.. In the marriage index Chr is abbreviation for > Christopher and Chn is abbreviation for Christian. They have the > same root - sometimes I find Christoph too among my German names. > Is BARR another variation for the German surname BAYER, BYER, BAER, > BARE, BEAR etc.? He seems to be keeping company with a lot of > Germans in this list <smile>. > > Lauren > > > > Mike Rohrer wrote: > > > There is a Christian (though not Christopher) Barr mentioned in > > William's "History of Washington County, Maryland." > > > > (Ca 1835) We the undersigned to this subscription promise to pay > > to Christian Shank, Jacob Miller and John Strite, ... to pay the > > cost of building a Mennonite meeting house, which shall be built > > on the ground of Jacob Miller, and to be the exclusive property > > of the above mentioned congregation." Signed by: > > Martin Bachtel Jacob BARR John Strite > > Henry Funk Christian Shank Abram Strite > > Jacob Miller John Byer John Eshelman > > John Snively Abram Stouffer George Poe > > Peter Newcomer Jacob Funk Andrew Shank > > Samuel Bachtel Andrew Newcomer Joseph Strite > > Jacob Newcomer Christian Strite Daniel Shank > > Daniel Scheetz Christian Stouffer Joseph Gabby > > Abram Stouffer, Jr. John Hoover John Newcomer > > Andrew Shank Christian Newcomer Christian Burkhart > > Benj. Garver Samuel Lantz Lewis Ziegler > > Jacob Bell Jonas Shank Garrett Woolf > > Samuel Strite Frederick Bell Henry Snively > > Frederick Byer John Nitly Henry Shriver > > Geo. H. Lambert Peter Hoover John Lesher > > Jacob Hoffman John Horst David Hoover > > Joseph Reiff, Sr. Jacob Lesher Christian BARR > > George Shiess > > The following have served in an official position:... Henry Baer, > > ordained minister in 1883, is still serving.... Adam Baer, > > ordained minister in 1876, died April 20, 1904. > > [Page 513] > > > > Mike > > > > > > > >> Ruth, > >> > >> I could not find anything in my resources for Christian other > >> than the marriage entry, but found some Barbara information. > >> > >> In the Estate Distributions 1778-1805 (Morrow and Morrow) > >> There is an estate for > >> BARR, Martin. Adm. Barbara, John 2/15/1802' widow, Elizabeth > >> Stone, John, Jacob, Andrew, David, Mary, Otilla NEWCOMER. T. > >> 336.13.5 3/4 (pounds, shillings, pence). > >> Also: > >> The Maryland Herald > >> March 21, 1799 > >> "To sell cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, grain in the ground, > >> blacksmith's tools, shingles, 3 wagons, John BARR and Barbara > >> BARR, adm." > >> Nov. 21, 1799 > >> "To sell at the dwelling house of Martin BARR, late dec'd, > >> quantity of wheat, rye, sheep, gears, windmill and other -- > >> Barbara BARR and John BARR. adm" > >> > >> Hagerstown Gazette > >> Dec. 29, 1812 > >> "Died 28th inst. in the 70th year of her age, Mrs. Barbara BARR." > >> > >> In the marriage index there is a Barbara BARR/Christian NEWCOMER > >> 6/14/1808. Their newspaper item says he was from York County PA. > >> > >> I don't know how many Barbara BARRs you are dealing with (or > >> Johns for that matter). > >> > >> Lauren Brantner > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Ruth Tysor wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >>> I have been searching for my 4th gr. grandfather and I have no > >>> information to give you. His name was Christopher Barr, no > >>> birth date or parents known. > >>> Married Barbara Toby 13 Apr 1809 in Washington Co. MD. One > >>> year later a son, John was born, also in Washington Co. MD. I > >>> have been able to trace John to present day but not > >>> Christopher. > >>> > >>> Was wondering if there was a Christopher Barr in your book. > >>> Thank you for checking. > >>> > >>> Ruth > >>> SW Iowa

Mike, I think the reason I'd have to say that Bayer is German - it is the family name of the parent German corporation for Bayer Aspirin. My brother-in-law works for an American division of the the company which is still headquartered in Germany and he pronounces the name just like "buyer" (or Byer). We always pronounced it "bare" aspirin like they do when they advertise it on TV. Now I'm curious and I'm going to ask him about the pronunciation he uses. I have some BARR lines intermarried with my PA Germans and they are Irish in origin. I know those Smiths that intermarried into the same PA German lines have to be Schmidt, but can't prove it yet. Life is messy and so are names and there are no clear cut lines much of the time. Lauren Mike Rohrer wrote: >Lauren, > >I won't claim to be an expert, but in my experience the names Barr, Baer, Bare, and Bear seem to refer to the same (German) family name. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Bayer and Byer are different family names. > >One of the early Wash Co land grants, called Bear's Hole, was on the east bank of the Antietam directly east of Hagerstown. During some periods, at least, that property was in the hands of Barrs. > >Mike > > > >>Mike, >>There is a Christian in the marriage index who married Sus.Bachtel >>6/3/1816. I have in the past found confusion between Christopher >>and Christian.. In the marriage index Chr is abbreviation for >>Christopher and Chn is abbreviation for Christian. They have the >>same root - sometimes I find Christoph too among my German names. >>Is BARR another variation for the German surname BAYER, BYER, BAER, >>BARE, BEAR etc.? He seems to be keeping company with a lot of >>Germans in this list <smile>. >> >>Lauren >> >> >> >>Mike Rohrer wrote: >> >> >> >>>There is a Christian (though not Christopher) Barr mentioned in >>>William's "History of Washington County, Maryland." >>> >>>(Ca 1835) We the undersigned to this subscription promise to pay >>>to Christian Shank, Jacob Miller and John Strite, ... to pay the >>>cost of building a Mennonite meeting house, which shall be built >>>on the ground of Jacob Miller, and to be the exclusive property >>>of the above mentioned congregation." Signed by: >>>Martin Bachtel Jacob BARR John Strite >>>Henry Funk Christian Shank Abram Strite >>>Jacob Miller John Byer John Eshelman >>>John Snively Abram Stouffer George Poe >>>Peter Newcomer Jacob Funk Andrew Shank >>>Samuel Bachtel Andrew Newcomer Joseph Strite >>>Jacob Newcomer Christian Strite Daniel Shank >>>Daniel Scheetz Christian Stouffer Joseph Gabby >>>Abram Stouffer, Jr. John Hoover John Newcomer >>>Andrew Shank Christian Newcomer Christian Burkhart >>>Benj. Garver Samuel Lantz Lewis Ziegler >>>Jacob Bell Jonas Shank Garrett Woolf >>>Samuel Strite Frederick Bell Henry Snively >>>Frederick Byer John Nitly Henry Shriver >>>Geo. H. Lambert Peter Hoover John Lesher >>>Jacob Hoffman John Horst David Hoover >>>Joseph Reiff, Sr. Jacob Lesher Christian BARR >>>George Shiess >>>The following have served in an official position:... Henry Baer, >>>ordained minister in 1883, is still serving.... Adam Baer, >>>ordained minister in 1876, died April 20, 1904. >>>[Page 513] >>> >>>Mike >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>>Ruth, >>>> >>>>I could not find anything in my resources for Christian other >>>>than the marriage entry, but found some Barbara information. >>>> >>>>In the Estate Distributions 1778-1805 (Morrow and Morrow) >>>>There is an estate for >>>>BARR, Martin. Adm. Barbara, John 2/15/1802' widow, Elizabeth >>>>Stone, John, Jacob, Andrew, David, Mary, Otilla NEWCOMER. T. >>>>336.13.5 3/4 (pounds, shillings, pence). >>>>Also: >>>>The Maryland Herald >>>>March 21, 1799 >>>>"To sell cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, grain in the ground, >>>>blacksmith's tools, shingles, 3 wagons, John BARR and Barbara >>>>BARR, adm." >>>>Nov. 21, 1799 >>>>"To sell at the dwelling house of Martin BARR, late dec'd, >>>>quantity of wheat, rye, sheep, gears, windmill and other -- >>>>Barbara BARR and John BARR. adm" >>>> >>>>Hagerstown Gazette >>>>Dec. 29, 1812 >>>>"Died 28th inst. in the 70th year of her age, Mrs. Barbara BARR." >>>> >>>>In the marriage index there is a Barbara BARR/Christian NEWCOMER >>>>6/14/1808. Their newspaper item says he was from York County PA. >>>> >>>>I don't know how many Barbara BARRs you are dealing with (or >>>>Johns for that matter). >>>> >>>>Lauren Brantner >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>Ruth Tysor wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>>I have been searching for my 4th gr. grandfather and I have no >>>>>information to give you. His name was Christopher Barr, no >>>>>birth date or parents known. >>>>>Married Barbara Toby 13 Apr 1809 in Washington Co. MD. One >>>>>year later a son, John was born, also in Washington Co. MD. I >>>>>have been able to trace John to present day but not >>>>>Christopher. >>>>> >>>>>Was wondering if there was a Christopher Barr in your book. >>>>>Thank you for checking. >>>>> >>>>>Ruth >>>>>SW Iowa >>>>> >>>>> > > > >==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >If you have any problems feel free to address those to the list administrator: MDWASHIN-admin@rootsweb.com > >============================== >New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > > > > >