First Families of Orangeburgh District, South Carolina
The link for this page has changed! The new link is http://ogsgs.org/ffam/ffam.php?f=myers"
MYERS (MYER, MEYERS, MEYER, MAYER)
1. JOHANNES MYERS, born in Pratteln, Switzerland and died before 1 Jan 1740 in Orangeburgh District, SC, married ELSBETH GULDENMANN, born in Gelterkinden, Switzerland, and died in Orangeburgh District, SC.
Hans Myers was born in Pratteln, Munchenstein, Basel, Switzerland, and married Elizabeth Guldenmann in about 1712, in Basel, Switzerland. Elizabeth was born in Gelterkinden, Munchenstein, Basel, Switzerland [1]. Hans Myers died before 1 Jan 1740 [2].
The earliest land record associated with the Myers family in Orangeburgh is a petition for 350 acres by Johannes Mayer, a petition that was granted by the Council on 13 Oct 1736 [3]. The acreage was consistent with seven family members. The plat, however, was for 400 acres[4], and the grant was not recorded until 1749 [5]. The land was immediately east of Four Hole Swamp, and just north of modern Cameron, SC. It was adjacent to that of Maria Till, also from Pratteln, Switzerland; her petition was granted by the Council on the same day [6].
Children of Johannes Myers and Elsbeth Guldenmann are:
a. ELSBETH MYERS, bapt. 13 Aug 1713 [1]
b. HANS FRIDRICH MYERS bapt. 24 Nov 1733 [1], died 1778-1790 [7]
Frederick Myers appears several times in the parish records of Rev. Giessendanner [2]:
282} On Sunday July 27th [1755] ---- In Ditto [Orangeburgh Church] John Frederick, Son of Jacob & Joanna Hegler; born May 23d 1755. Suscept,,John & Ann Margaret Myer, & Jno Frederick Myer.
483} 1758. Baptized ---- In Orangeburgh Church On Sunday April 23 John Jacob, Son of Jacob & Joanna Hegler; born March 13th 1758. Suret: John & Margaret Myer, & Frederick Myer.
Frederick Myers is later found on the 1778 census of South Carolina. He is not listed in the federal censuses beginning in 1790 and must have died by that time. It is likely that Frederick continued to live on the original land granted his father; he did not apply for additional land as did his brothers John and Hans Jacob. A Zimmie Dantzler plat [4] shows that land northeast of the original grant was owned by Frederick Meyers.
c. HANS JACOB MYERS, died before 3 Mar 1752, Orangeburgh District [10].
Hans Jacob Myers was married after the death of his father, John Myers:
"Anno 1740 The 1st of January on New Year Day, after many and different public announcements of Banns, after Service was over, were publicly married Joh Jacob Meijer legitimate son of Mr. H(an)s Meijer deceased and Miss Anna Buser" [2]
On 7 Nov 1749 Jacob Meyer petitioned for 250 acres in Amelia Township on behalf of his five children, noting that he had been living on land granted to his father [8].
On 8 Jan 1752 Jacob petitioned again regarding 350 acres of land granted 8 Nov. 1749, to John Meyer, which was not square as required and therefore had encountered difficulties in execution.(No explanation has been found for the acreage discrepancies between the accounts.) He observed that he was joining his petition to that of his brother; John Myer petitioned the same day regarding his 150 acre grant. [8]
On 3 March 1752 the Council heard the petition of Ann Myer, whose late husband Jacob Myer obtained a warrant 11-8-1749 for 250 ac in Amelia Township, surveyed by Peter Faure, Deputy Surveyor but refused by the Surveyor General because it was "laid out oblong" and it appears to join the line of land of John [9]. Mrs Myer has now lost her "husband, who left her with seven small children, and as this land is where they have lived on, ever since the year 1739, and now without your Excellency's and Honors favours she cannot have a grant passed for the same." She asks for a plat certified to her "in trust for herself during her life and then to her children John, Anne, Jacob, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary Ann and Mary." Approved."
d. CHRISTIAN MYERS
In 1738 Christian Myers married Rebecca Young:
"(Anno 1738) top of the page On 12. April married with many English a(nd) German Witnesses after it had been announced 3 times in the Congregation, namely Christian Meyer: lawful Son of Johannes Meyer from Switzerland in the area of Bern to Rebecca Young, Daughter of William Young from Scotland." [2].
Rebecca was the daughter of William Young I and Rebecca Young.
e. HANS MYERS
References to John and Ann Margaret Meyer in the records of Rev. Giessendanner are often taken to document a second marriage for Hans Mayer, the herdsman of Pratteln. However, Joop Giessendanner's translation of the Book of Record [2] shows that this is not possible. The new translation shows that Hans Meyer was deceased in 1740:
"Anno 1740. The 1st of January on new Years Day by many and different public publishments of Banns after Service was over These got married John Jacob Meyer a lawful son of Mr. H(an)s Meyer deceased and Miss Anna Buserin."
John Meyer appears to be the same as the John Meyers whose petitions for land identify him as a brother of Hans Jacob Myers, and therefore a son of Hans Meyer who died before 1740. It is likely that he used the name "John" to distinguish himself from his father.
On 7 Nov 1749 John Meyer petitioned for 150 acres in Amelia Township, noting that he had a wife and child for whom no land had been granted [8].
On 8 Jan 1752 he petitioned regarding difficulties in receiving certification of his plat, asking that land be granted. This was done, as of 13 Dec 1751 [8].
Rev. Giessendanner references to John Myer [2]:
183} Eôdem Die et Locô [December 9, 1753, in Amelia] Ann Margaret, Daughter of Michael & Ann Mary Smith; born Septembr 7th 1753. Susceptr. John Myer, Barbara, wife of Henry Whetstone, & Ann Margaret Darweta
282} On Sunday July 27th [1755] ---- In Ditto [Orangeburgh Church] John Frederick, Son of Jacob & Joanna Hegler; born May 23d 1755. Suscept,,John & Ann Margaret Myer, & Jno Frederick Myer.
483} 1758. Baptized ---- In Orangeburgh Church On Sunday April 23 John Jacob, Son of Jacob & Joanna Hegler; born March 13th 1758. Suret: John & Margaret Myer, & Frederick Myer.
565} 1759 Baptized in Orangeburgh Church on Whit Sunday June 3. Daniel, son of John Nicholas and Verena Shuler; born April 25, 1759. Suret: Daniel Shuler, John and Margaret Myer.
629} (1760) Baptized ---- In Orangeb. Church On Whit Sunday May 25th Anna, Daughter of Henry and Apollonia Dentzler; born April 15th 1760. Surets Ulrick Brunner, Margaret, wife of Jacob Ott, & Margaret, wife of John Myer
REFERENCES:
1. Faust, Albert Bernhardt. 1968. Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies. Vol. II. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co.) p. 109.
2. Joop Giesendanner, "The Book of Record, Orangeburgh, SC". http://www.xs4all.nl/~sail/.
3. Holcomb, Brent H. Petitions for Land from the South Carolina Council Journals. Volume I: 1734/5-1748. (Columbia: SCMAR.1996.), p. 60.
4. SC Archives. Royal Plats, Vol. 4, p. 416.
5. SC Archives. Royal Grants, Vol. 42, p. 310.
6. Waters, Margaret G. 2002. A Preliminary Study of the Colonial Landowners of Orangeburgh Township, SC 1733-1749. (Savannah: Margaret G. Waters) pp. 17, 38, 59., SC.)
7. Federal Census, South Carolina, Orangeburgh District, 1790.
8. Holcomb, Brent H. 1996. Petitions for Land from the South Carolina Council Journals. Volume II: 1748-1752. (Columbia: SCMAR. 1997), pp. 88, 250, 251.
9. South Carolina Council Journal for 1752, p. 41.
Other references to this surname are found in OGSGS Newsletters: Vol. 1, pp. 4, 16, 23, 33, 35, 42, 59, 63, 67 (2), 75, 78, 91, 106, 108, 120; Vol. 3, pp. 31, 43, 49; Vol. 4, p. 61; Vol. 6, pp. 5, 152; Vol. 9, pp. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Information provided by Lynn Shuler Teague, January 25, 2004.