Lauren, Nice post. But, to clarify, I wasn't suggesting Bayer and Byer were not German names, just not the same German family as Barr/Baer/Bare/Bear. Good point, too, about Barr sometimes being non-German. I have a similar case with HARINGs. Do a Google, and most of the HARING returns are of Dutch, not German, people. But my HARINGs, where the original spelling had an umlaut where the A is, were Lutheran and most definitely German. Mike > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > If you have a Family Genealogy Website with Washington County connections, > please send the url to FamilyHart at FamilyHart@aol.com. We will place > a link on the Washington County Website. Thanks! > > ============================== > 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