(Redirected by "DC & Alice Allen" <dcaallen@pacifier.com>) *********** BEGIN REDIRECTED MESSAGE *********** This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Von Blon, Zimmer, Frederick, Bloom, Wentz, Wagner, Emich Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/BYB.2ACE/327 Message Board Post: the following information was sent to me by Charles Brown, email: chasbrow@brinet.com *************************************************** THE VON BLON FAMILY HISTORY * The first and best knowledge we are able to secure of the Von Blon family comes to us through the will left by Peter Le Blon. * The father of Peter Le Blon was Ludwig Le Blon, who was an officer in the French army. There were five sons in the family: Johan George, who is our direct ancestor; Johan Peter, the oldest; Johan Casper, Johan Ludwig, and Johan Jacob. * They lived in the Duchy DeDeupond, village of Lichtenberg, France. . During the time of the religious persecutions in France, when the Catholic church drove the Huguenots from the country, this family, being strongly Protestant, left their home and crossed the border into Germany, rather than to submit to becoming Catholic. It comes to us traditionally that they took only what means they could carry and left their property to be confiscated. * Ludwig Le Blon, the father of these five sons, was an officer In the army of Louis the Fourteenth, and had charge of families. All of the sons, except Peter, were farmers. When the family left their home in France, Peter went to London and established himself as a shoe maker, and according to the term used, was able to help himself for a living. Meaning, I take it. that he was prosperous. His advertisement read: Address, Peter Le Blon, Shoemaker, makes and sells all kinds of boots and shoes for gentlemen, at reasonable prices. He acquired quite a fortune and bequeathed it to his relatives in Germany. He lived, and had his business in Greed Church Lane, Leadenhall Street, London. He died intestate in the year 1772, in his shop, and in 1773 the will was opened, at which time Rev. Wold, Pastor of the German Protestant church, at No. 5 Lisson Street, near Paddington, London, notified his family in Germany. Europe at that time was in great political strife, making it impos! sible to get any satisfactory information, or possession of this legacy, correspondence being carried on from 1773 until 1825, a period of fifty two years. The entire amount was 36,000,000 florins. The heirs received only seven thousand, eight hundred florins and nineteen kreutzer. * After leaving France the family name was evidently changed to conform to the names in Germany, dropping the French prefix Le for the German Von. Perhaps conditions or affiliations with Germany required this. * The next ancestor In line was George Nicholas Von Blon. His death is recorded as March 19, 1823, in Waldmohr. His wife, Katherine Margaretha Hoffman, died In 1834. Their son, Philip Von Blon, was born at Waldmohr, Schloss (Castle) Lichtenstein, August 18, 1789. There were only two children in this family. A sister, Charlotte, married into the Schlemmer family. * The wife of Philip Von Blon was Maria Eva Emich. It was owing to the dissatisfaction of Philip Von Blon with the political conditions in Germany that they. decided to leave home and friends with a family of seven small children and sail for America. They started on the 2nd of April, 1834, and arrived In New York the 6th of June, having spent two months and four days on the sea in a sail boat. Ludwig Von Blon accepted exile from home and country for religious liberty, and three generations later Philip Von Blon left his home and country for political liberty. They traveled from New York to Ohio and this community of Seneca county (Tiffin, Ohio...CAB) by oxen drawn wagons and canal boats at the invitation of a former countryman and relative, Christian Schlemmer, who had already settled here on a clearing in Hopewell township. * Arriving here they stopped at the only tavern in Tiffin, situated at the corner of Perry and Washington Sts., until Christian Schlemmer could take them, also by ox team and wagon, to his home, a cabin in the woods, and give them shelter until Philip Von Blon bought some land, made a clearing of woods and built a home in Eden township, of this county. This house is still standing on the Willis McDonald farm, on the Mohawk road. They reared their entire family, in spite of the hardships of pioneer life, to manhood and womanhood. * The oldest one, Mary Louise, born December 8, 1813, married John Fiege. * The second child, Jacob, born June 17, 1815, married Nancy Wagner, and the second wife was Amanda Wentz. * Mary Katherine, born August 22, 1817, married Frederick Bloom. * Charlotte, born October 29, 1819, married John Krause. * Philip, born November 18, 1821, married Elizabeth Frederick. * Caroline, born July 11, 1828, married Jacob Zimmer. There are none of the Zimmer family living. * Paul, the youngest son, was born November 29, 1825. He died as a young infant of typhoid fever. It was the custom in those days to carry news by messenger on horseback, and in the case of death, on a white horse. The brothers and sisters of Paul were settled in homes of their own and knowing he was desperately ill, with the patience of the wilderness in which they lived, they very anxiously waited from day to day for news of his condition, until one day the messenger on a white horse arrived to notify them that he had passed away. * Grandfather and Grandmother Von Blon were members of the Germain Reformed church and made regular trips by wagon, over seven miles of corduroy roads to church. After leaving the farm they made their home with the youngest daughter, Carolina, who was left a widow with four small children. This house, a small log house, stood at 240 South Washington street, Tiffin.. * They both lived to a good old age and were laid to rest in the old City cemetery, now Hedges Park. * ************************************************************** hope this helps someone! -Kristina Kuhn Krumm *********** END REDIRECTED MESSAGE ***********