This is a document about the ZIMMERMAN Family. I have transcribed it exactly as it was written including the capitalization's, punctuations and spellings, with the exception that all names are in bold face font. Any comments I have will either be enclosed in square brackets [] or footnoted with details at the bottom  The papers I have made this transcription from appear to be a handwritten copy as it is done on modern paper with ball point pen and there is a reference to a date of 1957.  The original author, Lee Zimmerman is the son of Frank Zimmerman who is the brother of Charles D. Zimmerman of whom my wife, Lydia Williams, is a descendent.

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The Zimmerman Geneology

Compiled by Lee oldest son of Frank Zimmerman.

The date [data] set down below was recorded following the death of Frank  Zimmerman on June 3, 1925 by his son Lee.  It was obtained from birth certificates, by word of mouth from his father Frank, William H. Ketner, and Susan Zimmerman Ketner, sister of Frank and wife of William, from examining tombstones in the red Church (about one mile beyond Orwicksburg) and from the Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Geneological and Biographical Annals.  He [Lee] was materially assisted by his sister Helen who visited cemeteries, checked his data and dates and provided additional information.

The Zimmerman family came from Germany in the early part of the 18th century, or not too long after William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1680.  The family, according to Frank Zimmerman, is supposed to have come from the Palatinate of the Rhine as it was then designated.  The Emigrannts travelled up the Rhine river to Rotterdam and from there set sail for the Pennsylvania Colony.  After arriving in Philadelphia they migrated up state and some, among them Michael, settled in Brunswick Township, Berks County.  This township later became part of Schuylkill County.

In this connection it is interesting to note that the Dunkelberger family also (Clement) emigrated a little earlier from Germany (Wurtenburg) and settled likewise in Windsor Township.  It [the Dunkelberger's] resided there for some years before one of them, Frederick, the great, great, grandfather of Catherine (Katie) Dunkelberger (Zimmerman) moved to Mahonoy Township, Northumberland County.

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The earliest forbear of the branch of the Zimmerman Ancestry of which there is any record in the family possession is a Michael Zimmerman.  As noted above, he came to and settled in Brunswick Township, Berks County (now Schuylkill) where he lived all his life.  There is no record of his birth but he is buried in the graveyard of the little red church, near Orwicksburg, Pennsylvania.  On his tombstone was inscribed the date of his death: died September 13, 1827 aged 65 years, 4 months and 24 days.  His date of birth then must have been April 20, 1762.

Whether Michael was born in Germany or this country is unknown.  The Northumberland County Pennsylvania Geneological and Biographical Annals state that he migrated to America from Germany, but, in the absence of any record, there is no proof.  On the other hand it is likely that he did emigrate from Germany in view of the fact that Frank Zimmerman son of Abraham, Jr., informed his son Lee that his father used to tell him his great great grandfather (who was Michael) came from across (the water).

It might be well observing at this point that, according to the Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Volume XVII, there is a Michael Zimmerman who emigrated to America on September 28, 1749 on the Ship Ann, John Spurrier (master).  Other Zimmerman's listed on the same ship were John Fried Zimmerman and Johannes Zimmerman.  If this Michael was

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2nd Sheet

our progenitor, he could have been the father of Michael, born April 20, 1762

The early records of the little red church, beyond Orwicksburg where he and Abraham Sr., are buried, were destroyed during the Indian Wars (Circa) 1756.  Therefore there is no available evidence from this source to establish the place of birth and time of arrival

*Note: Orwicksburg should be spelled Orwigsburg throughout these pages

in America.  Nevertheless, this information could be obtained perhaps through further research by consulting the records in the Berks County Historical Society Library, Reading Pennsylvania.

It should be noted here that in June 1925 the writer [Lee] visited the little red church beyond Orwicksburg in company with his father Frank, mother Catherine (Katie) Dunkelberger (Zimmerman), brother Ralph and sisters Helen and Kathryn.  The graves of both Michael and Abraham Sr., were located and identified.  The dates of birth and death engraved on the upright narrow tombstones while legible were nonetheless badly eroded.  The date of birth for Michael was undecipherable.

Helen Zimmerman again visited the cemetary of

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the little red church (Orwicksburg) in 1951 and in a letter to Lee, reported that time had disintagrated the tombstones to the extent that Michael's stone was no longer there.  She also reported observing a bronze plaque at the entrance to the cemetary (Red Church) erected by the D.A.R. [Daughters of the American Revolution] in 1937.  Among the names inscribed under the heading:

Revolutionary War

Berks County Militia

Ludwig Zimmerman, Johannes Ketner, Peter Dreher, Mathew Dreher Sr., Capt. John Greenwalt (Grunewalt)

All of these names appear in our geneology through marriage.  Some of them are relatives long removed.  In fact an Anna Marie Grunewald [note the 3 spellings of this name] was the wife of Abraham Sr., and Margretha Dreher, the wife of Michael.

Abraham Zimmerman Jr., son of Abraham Zimmerman Sr., is buried in the Auburn, Penna., Cemetary, a small community in close proximity to Pinedale.  His wife Elisa [Eliza] is also buried there.

Frank Zimmerman and his wife Catherine (Katie) Dunkelberger Zimmerman are buried in the Odd Fellow Cemetary, Shamokin, Pennsylvania.

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The letters to Lee Zimmerman from his father Frank are attached to this geneology as a matter of interest and represent a direct statement from him relative to the Zimmerman family.  The letters from Helen are highly illuminating since they establish the fact that the Zimmerman and Dunkelberger families are closely related (See also letter from Frank Zimmerman February 3, 1924).  This is not surprising since both families originally settled in Brunswick Township and certainly must have intermarried over the years. [I, Ray Hentschel, an not in possession of or aware of the content of the letters mentioned here.]

The letter from Berks County Historical Society indicates the possibility of establishing missing links (Michael) if the progeny (offspring) desire to investigate further.

The names of arrivals of Zimmermans from Germany and the Muster Rolls have no real significance.  They are included as a matter of historical interest and were obtained from the Pennsylvania Archives while the writer [Lee] was a student at the University of Wisconsin.

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The Michael Zimmerman Line

Michael Zimmerman was born April 20, 1762, place unknown, either in Germany (probably) or else in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  He died on September 13, 1827 aged 65 years, 4 months and 24 days.  He married Margretha Dreher who was born in Windsor Township, Berks County, [Pennsylvania] now Schuylkill, December 1761 and died August 1822.  Both are buried in the cemetary of the little red church one mile beyond Orwicksburg, Penna., and both of them lived in Brunswick Township all their lives.

Abraham Zimmerman [Sr.] son of Michael, was born March 15, 1788 in Brunswick Township, Berks, now Schuylkill County [Penna.].  He died September 21, 1848.  His wife Anna Marie Grunewald was born March 13, 1789, place unknown, and died in Brunswick Township, August 2, 1854.  Both of them lived their lives in Brunswick Township and are buried in the little red church [cemetery], one mile beyond Orwicksburg.  Children of Abraham and Anna Marie were (1) Rebecca or Fiaeta [Zimmerman] who married a Daniel Freeman, (2) Polly [Zimmerman], born September 29, 1813 who married Daniel Dewalt, (3) Abraham [Zimmerman, Jr.] who married Eliza Weaver, (4) Issac [Zimmerman] who never married but always lived with his sister Sarah and owned a large farm on Sculps Hill

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between Landingville and Auburn.  He died of typhoid fever. (5) Caroline [Zimmerman], who was born April 15, 1821 married Charles Normkessel [Mormkessel?]. (6) David [Zimmerman], who worked a farm all his life and whose death occurred in Upper Bern Township, and (7) Sarah [Zimmerman] born April 7, 1832 who married Hiram Moyer.  It is well to note here that Abraham [Sr.] had at least one brother whose name was Michael [Zimmerman Jr.].  He was born June 31, 1795 in Mannheim Township, Schuylkill County and died January 29, 1818, place unknown.

Abraham Zimmerman Jr., son of Abraham above, was born on February 3, 1818 in North Mannheim, Schuylkill County [Penna.] and died May 28 1897.  Witnesses or sponsors at his birth were Mathias Zimmerman and Barbara Grunewald.  His wife was Eliza Weaver who was born June 5, 1839, place unknown.  She died February 6, 1897.  Both are buried at Auburn.  They had three children who, in order of birth, were (1) Susan [Zimmerman], who married William H. Ketner, (2) Frank [Zimmerman], who married Catherine (Katie) Dunkelmeyer, and (3) Charles [Zimmerman] who married Sue [Susan Cordella] Berger.  Abraham lived in or near Auburn all his life and was a craftsman shoemaker by trade.