Revision as of 20:41, 16 August 2007

The Wimer name is of German origin. Variant spellings as Weimer and Weimert are found in the records. Christopher Wimer's name is found as Christophel Weimert, and he went by "Stophel" rather than the Anglicized "Christopher". He was from eastern Pennsylvania, possibly Lancaster County. His birthplace and parentage are not yet known, nor which generation of the family immigrated from Germany. Christopher apprenticed to learn the blacksmith trade, and once established, he married Maria Sophia Scneider, a daughter of Johann Phillip Scneder and Dorothy Miller, also from Lancaster County. In 1793 Christopher and Sophia resided in Earl Twp., Lancaster County. On Oct. 22, 1793 they purchased a small 12 acre plot in Codorus Twp., York, Co. where they lived until selling it in December of 1795. The writers of the 1883 History of Butler County, on interviewing the grandchildren of this couple, were told that they arrived in Butler County in 1798 from Adams Co. PA. However, the 1800 census indicates that Christopher was still in residence in Hamilton's Bunn, Adams, Co. that year. He does appear in the 1805 tax assessment of Slippery Rock Twp, Butler Co., as a blacksmith. They resided north of present day Jacksville.
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Ancestry chart segment

 Generation 6       Generation 7            Generation 8
 
                                        +-- [unknown]
                                        |   (????-????)
                +-- Christophel Wimer --+ 
                |   (1770-1842)         |
 Samuel Wimer --+                       +-- [unknown]   
 (~1793-1871)  |                           (????-????)
                +-- Mary Sophia Snyder
                    (1769-1842)             

Sources:

Children

(all children with Mary Sophia Snyder)

Places of Residence

Photos

Gravestone of Christopher Wimer, Wolf Creek Cemetery

Photographer: Elizabeth Wilson Williams, Oct. 2006

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	Source: 1800 United Stes Federal Census, Hamiltonian Twp, Adams Co, PA, Pg 4. The family headed by Christopher Wimer includes: 3 males <10, 1 male 26-44, 1 female <10 and 1 female 26-44.
2	Source: 1810 United Stes Federal Census, Slippery Rock Twp, Butler Co, PA, Pg 3. The family headed by C. Wimer includes: 3 males <10, 2 males 10-15, 1 male 26-44, 1 female 10-15 and 1 female 26-44. This is an exact fit for the family of Christophel Wimer There is also a family headed by J. Wimer: 1 male 16-25, 1 male >45, 2 females <10, 3 females 10-15, and 1 female 26-44. This family is one away from C. Wimer.
3	Source: 1820 United Stes Federal Census, Slippery Rock Twp, Butler Co, PA, Pg 146A. The family headed by Chriss Wimer includes: 2 males 10-15, 1 male 16-18, 3 males 16-26, and 1 male and 1 female >44. This is an exact fit for the family of Christophel Wimer
4	Source:_1840_United_States_Federal_Census, Slippery Rock Twp., Butler County PA. (from Ancestry.com pg. 7). Household of Christopher Wimer: 1 male age 60-70, & 1 female age 70-80. Household of Isaac Wimer: 1 male under 5, 1 male 30-40, & 1 female 30-40. The child is the son of Rebecca Wimer & Thomas Kelly, adopted by Isaac Wimer & Mary Pisor. These 2 households are next to each other in the census record.
5	History of Butler County Pennsylvania 1895, page 610, indicates that Thomas Humphrey, Andrew, Edward, and James Douglass, Christopher Wimer, and, it is said, Charles Coulter, arrived [in Worth Twp., Butler Co., PA] in 1798, all except one being natives of norther Ireland. Then, on page 1240, it indicates that Christopher Wimer came from Adams Co., PA, to Butler Co., PA in 1798 and settled in Worth Twp. He married Miss Snyder of Adams Co., and together they had seven children named Samuel, John, Peter, Jonathan, William, Isaac, and Rebecca. Rebecca married Thomas Kelly. Christopher's son Samuel Wimer was born in Adams Co. in 1792. He died in 1873. He married Elizabeth Hines, daughter of Richard Hines, and had four children: Samuel of Worth Twp., Mary J., deceased wife of James Abinett, Abner, and George. At the time of this publication (1895), Samuel Jr. was living with his brother George on the 210 acre farm they inherited from Samuel Sr.	transcript
6	Souvenir History of Slippery Rock 1825-1925, ed. Rev. George S. Bowden, p.24. Regarding the part of the original Slippery Rock Township, now known as Worth Township: "In 1798 Archibald Kelly, Michael and Joseph Kelly arrived as did thomas Clark and his two sons, Andrew and John, Thomas Humphrey, Christopher Wimer and Charles Coulter, all except Wimer natives of Ireland."
7	Gravestone of Christopher Wimer at Wolf Creek Cemetery, Worth Twp., Butler Co. PA. Inscription: Christopher Wimer died April 4, 1842 aged 71 yrs. 5 mos.
8	Pennsylvania Census Index to the federal census. 1800 Census: Christopher Wimer in Adams Co. (30010-10010-00), and a Peter Weimert in Berks Co. (31401-11010-00).(Christopher Wimer, who went by "Stophel', originally spelled his name Christophel Weimert; Christopher's 2nd son was named Peter.) Christopher would be 30 years old in 1800, with 3 boys and 1 girl under age 10; the census index agrees with our other information on him. If Peter Wiemert from Berks Co. is his father, he too has four children younger than 10, two children aged 10-16,and four children 16-26. There are no other Wimers or Weimerts in either Adams or Berks Co.PA in the 1800 census. 1810 Census: Christopher Weimer in Lancaster Co., Manheim Twp. The only Weimert listed is Catharine Weimert, Manchester Twp., York Co. Peter Weimer is in Reading Twp., Berks Co. In Slippery Rock Twp., Butler Co. there is a J. Wymer and a P. Wymer. 1820 Census: Christopher Wimer is in Slippery Rock Twp., Butler Co.; Michael, Adam & Daniel Wimer, two John Wimers, and Isaac Wimer, Sr. in Muddy Creek Twp.,Butler Co.; Isaac Wimer in Connoquenessing Twp., Butler Co.; a variety of Weimers listed but none in Adams, Berks or Lancaster Counties. 1830 Census: Christopher Wimer (township illegible this copy). This is the last census in which Christopher is listed as head of household; he and wife Mary Sophia lived until 1842, presumably with one of their children. Possibilities: 1840 Census John Weimer, John Wimer, Jonathan Wimer, Isaac Wimer, all in Muddy Creek Twp,Butler Co.
9	The Wimer Family, by Paul W. Myers, self-published manuscript, undated(printed before 1985. Eight generations of the Wimer family charted, with biographical information on Christopher Wimer and his children, derived from interviews of descendants and extensive research of property deeds, military records, and wills. The children of Christophel Wimer are listed as 1) Samuel Wimer (1829-~1910), direct line, see elsewhere; 2) Peter Wimer (b.10 Oct. 1795 in Codorus Twp. York Co. PA, d. 8 May 1835 Worth Twp., Butler Co.), Vet. War of 1812, never married, buried Wolf Creek cemetery. 3) John Wimer (b. 20 Feb.1797-d. 17 May 1867, with a will), m. 1824 Nancy Coulter(d. July 1864). 7 children listed. John & Nancy buried Wolf Creek cemetery; 4) Rebecca Wimer (b. 23 Apr. 1799 - d.8 Oct., 1836), m.~1820 Thomas Kelly(1786-1862), buried Wolf Creek cemetery. 7 children listed. 5) Jonathan Wimer (b. 31 Oct. 1802, Butler Co. PA - d. 28 Feb. 1881), m.6 May, 1830 Ann Hockenberry (b. 20 June 1810 - ~1880),, dau of Casper & Margaret Shaffer Hockenberry. Jon & Ann buried Zion Baptist Cemetery, Worth Twp. Ten children listed. 6) William Wimer (b. 5 July 1807 Worth Twp. Butler Co. - d. 11 Apr. 1865 intestate), m. Elizabeth (surname unknown)(she died a few yeras after William), both buried at Wolf Creek cemetery. 4 children listed. 7) Isaac Wimer (b. 1808,Worth Twp. - d. 17 Apr 1845 with a will), m.~1833 Mary Pisor (b. 3 June 1807-d. 25 Mar. 1956, with a will ). No children; adopted Isaac Eli Kelly, youngest son of Rebecca Wimer & Thomas Kelly, at Rebecca's death.	(See additioinal notes)
10	German Church Records of Westmoreland County, Pa, Vol.3, 1805-1812, by Paul Miller Ruff, p. 68. Greensburg Lutheran Church: 14 Nov. 1811, baptisms of Wilhelm Weimer, b. 5 July 1807, and Jisac Weimer, b. 15 Jan. 1810, children of Christophel Weimer and Sofia. IGI File Batch C504 761, Ser. Sheet 3865. LDS Library, Crystal, MN
11	Early bounty Hunters of Butler County, Pennsylvania 1934, ed. David K. Webb & John M. Stevens, Chillicothe, OH pg 7. John Wimer May 20 1808 - 1 wolf. pg.9 Isaa_ Weymer Feb. 10, 1812 - 1 wolf. pg. 10 John Wimer Aug. 8, 1814 - 1 wolf. pg. 20 Wm. Wimer Mar.5, 1840 - 2 foxes.
12	History of Butler County PA 1883 by Waterman, Watkins, & Co. Chicago., p. 358 biography of Christopher Wimer. Christopher Wimer arrived present Worth Twp. in 1798. Seven children: Samuel, John, Peter, Jonathan, William, Isaac, & Rebecca wife of Thomas Kelly. John married Nancy Coulter, res. Worth Twp; seven children of John & Nancy listed. (Complete text)
13	History of Butler County, 1883 by Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, p. 358, biography of Samuel Wimer. Samuel Wimer lived in Lancaster previous to 1798, but in that year he and his father started on horseback for this county. They located a farm in this township purchased from William Elliott, a surveyor and land agent...The father of Samuel worked at blacksmithing. (See complete text)
14	Personal correspondence, 1988, from Norman C. Miller Jr. (deceased), g-g-grandson of Jonathan Wimer. Ann Hockenberry, wife of Jonathan Wimer, descends from John Hockenberry (1741-1839) & Hannah Kelly; Casper Hockenberry (1785-1860) & Margaret Shaffer (1788-1852).
15	Personal correspondence from Elizabeth Wilson Williams]	N/A

Source notes

• Present day Hamiltonban Twp., Adams Co., is seen in some early documents as Hamilton's Bunn Twp. The 1800 census places Christopher Wimer in Hamilton's Bunn, Adams Co.

Conjecture

Searching for the origins of Christopher Wimer has revealed a variety interesting possibilities, but nothing conclusive as yet. (Click Here) for other Wimer data & sources.

In the 1830 census for Slippery Rock Twp, Butler Co, PA there are two Christopher Wimers. On Page 81 (line 13) is a family: 1 male 20-30, 1 male 60-70 and 1 female 60-70. On page 82, (line 8) is a family: 2 males 20-30, 1 male 30-40, 1 male 60-70, 1 female 50-60. Othe data suggest that Christophel should be 60 and his wife 61. They had one son (Peter) who never married, but he should have been 35. There were three sons who would have been in their 20's. Thus, each of these Chistophers has some things that fit better. There is also a family headed by Sam'l Wimer on page 81.

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