LANG FAMILY
HISTORY
Daniel J. Kortenkamp (April 28, 2007)
e-mail: dkortenk@uwsp.edu
The Lang ancestry has been traced back to Niedernberg, Bavaria [now
Niedernberg, Kr. Miltenberg, Unterfranken,
Bavaria, Germany]. Niedernberg is on the Main River
about 25 miles SE of Frankfurt.
The first occurance of the name “Lang” in the Niedernberg records
is that of Velten and Anna Lang in 1612.
In 1651 there are listed “Andreaβ Lang”, and “Hans Lang”. In 1671 is added “Stephl Lang”. By 1684 “Andreas and Maria Lang” are listed
with “2 sons” and “2 daughters”; and “Christopel and Catrina Lang” are listed
with “4 sons”. In 1776 is listed “Peter Lang”.
The first documented “Lang” family in this genealogy is
that of Joseph and Katharina [Klug] Lang who lived in Niedernberg, Bavaria
during the middle 1700s. They had at
least one child:
Philipp, born October 11, 1746.
Died September 6, 1796,
at Niedernberg.
- married Margaretha Schmitt, September 21, 1772, Church,
- children:
Maria Elisabeth (Mrs. Bernard? Reinhard), Peter (Theresia Rheinhard/Reinhard), Maria Anna
(Mrs. ), Maria
Margaretha (died age 8 days), Maria Eve (Mrs. Christof Andres), (died at birth) , and Barbara (Mrs. Heinrich
Wenzel).
[ Mrs. Philipp (Margaretha Schmitt) Lang was born , 1744, at Mömlingen, Unterfranken, Bavaria;
daughter of Johan
and [ ] Schmitt. Johan Schmitt was a “sutor” (shoemaker). Margaretha [Schmitt] Lang died September 17, 1821, at . ]
Joseph Lang died October? 9, 1783. His wife Katharina [Klug] died the 18th of
month?, 1784.
Philipp Lang, son of Joseph and Katharina
[Klug] Lang, was born October
11, 1746, Niedernberg. He
married Margaretha Schmitt. Margaretha Schmitt was born 1744, Mömlingen, Bavaria [now
Mömlingen, Kr. Miltenberg, Unterfranken,
Bavaria, Germany]. Her father was Johan Schmitt. Her mother’s name is unknown. Johan Schmitt was a “sutor” (shoemaker). Philipp Lang was also a”sutor”
(shoemaker). Philipp and Margaretha [Schmitt]
Lang had six children while living in Niedernberg:
Maria Elisabeth, born November 11, 1773. Died January/February? 28, 1841, at
- married Bernard? Reinhard, , 1797 , Church,
- children:
Peter, born December 7, 1775. Died May 27, 1833, at
- married Anna Maria Theresia Rheinhard/Reinhard, January 27, 1799, , Church,
- children:
Heinrich (died age 2), Bernard (Elisabeth Fecher), Maria Eva (Mrs. Johan
Dittmaier) [to America], Heinrich (Catherine Scheurich) [to America 1836], Johan ( ), Maria Anna (died age 7
days), and Theresia (Mrs. Christof Klug).
[ Mrs. Peter (Anna
Maria Theresia Rheinhard/Reinhard) Lang was born November 24, 1776, at ; daughter of Johan
and [Felizitas Hartmann] Rheinhard. She died May 8, 1843, at . ]
Maria Anna, born January 11, 1778.
Died May 16, 1826,
at
- married
- children:
Maria Margaretha, born May 14, 1782.
Died May 22, 1782,
at Niedernberg.
Maria Eva, born June 15, 1783.
Died April/June? 24, 1841, at
- married Christof Andres, , 1818, Church,
- children:
, born March 26, 1786. Died March 26, 1786.
- married
- children:
Barbara, born May
6, 1787. Died
- married Heinrich Wenzel, , 1811, Church,
-children:
Philipp Lang died September 6, 1796, at . His wife, Margaretha [Schmitt] Lang died September 17, 1821, at .
Peter Lang, son of Philipp and
Margaretha [Schmitt] Lang was born December 7, 1775, at
Niedernberg. He was a “sutor”
(shoemaker). He married Anna Maria
Theresia Rheinhard/Reinhard, January 27, 1799, in Church, . She was born November 24, 1776, Neidernberg, daughter of
Johan and Felizitas [Hartmann] Rheinhard.
The earliest written record in Neidernberg of the Reinhard
name is Hans Reinhardt in the Turkish Tax Register of 1551. The tax was required in 1530 to help fight
the Turks who threatened the area for about 200 years after the fall of
Constantinoble in 1453.
The earliest documented ancestor in this genealogy is
Jodalkus Rheinhard who lived in Niedernberg,
Bavaria, during the middle
1700s. His wife’s name is unknown. They had a son named Johann. Johann Rheinhard married Margaretha Haas on September 27, 1750.
She was born August 8,
1724, Niedernberg, the daughter of Johann Adam and Katharina
[Fecher] Haas (their birthdates/places and marriage
date/place is unknown).
Johann and Margaretha [Haas] Rheinhard had three children
while living in Niedernberg:
Johann Petrus, born 27, 1753. Died November 15, 1813, Niedernberg.
- married Margaretha Schnur, September 15, 1783,
- children:
Johann (died age 14), Petrus (died at birth), Anna Maria (twin to
Petrus, died age 4 days), Petrus/Peter (Maria Anna Hartlaub) [immigrated to America;
departed Bremen, June 6, 1833, settled
near Alvada, Seneca County, Ohio], Michael ( ), Margaretha, twin to
Michael ( ), and Anna
Margaretha ( ).
[ Mrs. Petrus (Margaretha Schnur) Reinhard was born 1753,
Wenigumstadt (near Großostheim), Bavaria;
daughter of
. She died November 13, 1813, Niedernberg, Bavaria.
]
Anna Margaretha, born October 16, 1755. Died January 7, 1771,
Johann Adam, born February 17, 1759.
Died
- married
- children:
Johann Rheinhard’s first wife, Margaretha [Haas] died 1759 at
Niedernberg. He then married Felizitas
Hartmann on November 16, 1762. Felizitas Hartmann was born March 29, 1739, Leider, Bavaria,
daughter of Johann and Maria Magdalena [Wenzel] Hartmann. The Hartmann genealogy has been traced back
to the middle 1600s. [See the Heinrich
Lang Ancestor Tree in the Appendix]
Johann and Felizitas [Hartmann] Rheinhard had nine children:
Eva, born December
1, 1763. Died
- married
- children:
Rebekka, born November 30, 1764.
Died January 9, 1765,
Rebekka, born November 12, 1765.
Died April 6, 1832,
at
- married
- children:
Bernard, born January
22, 1767. Died March 26, 1850, at
- married
- children:
Margaretha, born April 27, 1768.
Died
- married
- children:
Heinrich, born March
9, 1770. Died
- married
- children:
Anna Maria, born April 18, 1773.
Died
- married
-children:
Klara, born April
15, 1775. Died
- married
- children:
Anna Maria Theresia, born November 24, 1776. Died May 8, 1843,
- married Peter Lang, January 27, 1799,
- children:
Heinrich (died age 2), Bernard (Elisabeth Fecher), Maria Eva (Mrs. Johan
Dittmaier) [to America], Heinrich (Catherine Scheurich) [to America 1836], Johan ( ), Maria Anna (died age 7
days), and Theresia (Mrs. Christof Klug).
[ Peter Lang was born December 7, 1775, Niedernberg, Bavaria;
son of Philipp and Margaretha [Schmitt] Lang.
He worked as a “sutor” (shoemaker).
He died September 6,
1796, at . ]
Johann Rheinhard
died February 9, 1779, Niedernberg. His
wife, Felizitas [Hartmann] Rheinhard, died January 13,1801,
Niedernberg.
Anna Maria Theresia Rheinhard/Reinhard married Peter Lang on January 27, 1799, at . Peter worked as a “sutor” (shoemaker). They had seven children while living in
Niedernberg:
Heinrich, born November 14, 1799.
Died November 11,
1802, at Niedernberg.
Bernard, born May
21, 1803. Died August 7, 1867, at
- married Elisabeth Fecher, November 18, 1833, in Church,
- children:
Heinrich, born March
21, 1835 (Maria Reinhard?) [to America 1867] ;
Johan, born August 22, 1837, died 1886 (Agnes Schlett) [to America 1867]; Joseph,
born March 10, 1840, died October 9, 1917 (
, in Schaafheim); Katharina, born
April 4, 1843, died June 2, 1864 (married?); Elisabeth, born July 28, 1845
(Mrs. Christ, in Leider]; Agatha, born March (May?)
11, 1848 (Mrs. ) [to America 1867]; Friedrich, born June 30, 1851, died 1889
( ) [to America], and Paul Joseph, born May 16, 1855 ( ) [to America].
[ Mrs. Bernard (Elisabeth Fecher) Lang was born November 11, 1809, at ; daughter of A?????? and Elisabeth
[Hans] Fecher.
She died January 7,
1866, at . ]
Maria Eva, born May 6, 1806. Died
- married Johan Dittmaier, , 1836, Church,
- children:
[ John Dittmaier was born , ; son of .
He worked as a . He died . ]
Heinrich, baptized March 17, 1809 (his gravestone reads “geb. 4 Marz
1809”). Died February 21, 1889, Sherrill, Dubuque County, Iowa. Burial in SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery.
- married Catherine Scheurich October 20, 1836, St. John
German Church,
Baltimore, Maryland [witnesses: Martin Scheurich and Catherine Gerlach]. It was evidently a double wedding with
Catherine’s brother, Martin, marrying Catherine Gerlach the same day with the
same priest; and they were witnesses for each other. ]
- children: Joseph Henry (Elizabeth Meyer), Ignatius/”Ignatz” (Barbara
Ziegler), Barbara (Mrs. C. Ulrich Wyss/Wies), Peter (single), Elizabeth
(Louisa?) (single), Mary? Theresa (Mrs. Nicholas Brimeyer), Margaret? Maria/Mary (Mrs.
John Ziegler), Conrad (Anna Helen Hermes), and Anna Catherine (Mrs.
Albert Cummer/Kummer).
[ Catherine (Scheurich) Lang was born
, 1812, Niedernberg, Bavaria;
daughter of John Adam and Barbara (Haas) Scheurich. She immigrated with her family on the Bark
Potomoc. She is recorded as “insane”
in the 1880 Federal Census for Iowa, Dubuque County; and as “queer” and “insane”
in the State Hospital for the Insane commitment papers (1881, 1883) for her
daughter Louisa. She died March 11, 1896, Sherrill, Dubuque County, Iowa;
burial in SS. Peter & Paul
Cemetery. Catherine was recorded as “idiota” on the
church death/burial record. ]
Johan, born February
3, 1812. Died May 5, 1874, at
- married
- children:
Maria Anna, born July 23, 1815.
Died July 30, 1815,
at Niedernberg.
Theresia, born September 29, 1817.
Died October 14, 1872,
at
- married Christof Klug, , 1834/1844?, Church,
- children:
Peter Lang died May 27, 1833. His
wife Theresia [Rheinhard/Reinhard] Lang died May 8, 1843.
Heinrich Lang, son of Peter and Theresia
[Rheinhard/Reinhard] Lang, was born in Niedernberg, Bavaria,
March 4, 1809 (his
gravestone reads “geb. 4 Marz 1809”).
[See the Heinrich Lang Ancestor
Tree in the Appendix] He was a shoemaker. He immigrated to the U.S., departing Le
Havre, France (August 10?, 1836) aboard the Bark Potomoc, landing in
Baltimore, October 18, 1836 [he is “Henry Lang, age 27” on the passenger
list]. He is the only “Lang” on the
passenger list. There were 110
passengers, all from Bavaria. Next to Henry Lang on the passenger list is
the family of Peter (age 44) and Agatha (34) Fecher – Augustina (2), and Anna M. (1/2). Nearby are Margaretha Fecher (28) and
Catharina Klug (24), listed as “spinsters from Schaffenburg [probably Aschaffenburg]”. Some other surnames listed near Henry Lang
are Ruff, Saam, and Clements, and Wolfert. Many of these families settled at St. Peter,
Franklin County, Indiana.
Heinrich/Henry Lang married Catherine Scheurich in Baltimore
two days after arrival -- October
20, 1836. She had also been
a passenger on the Bark Potomoc, immigrating with her parents, brothers,
sisters, nieces and nephews (all listed as “Sheurig”). Henry and Catherine were married in St. John German Church;
Rev. Louis DeBarg, S.J., officiated. Married with them in a double wedding were
Martin Scheurich (Catherine’s brother) and Catherine Gerlach. They served as witnesses for each other. The Scheurich families were from Niedernberg, Bavaria,
and Henry and Catherine most likely knew each other there but may not have been
allowed to marry. Bavaria had marriage laws requiring men to
have a certain income or own property before marrying. Perhaps Heinrich’s older brother, Bernard,
took over their father’s shoemaker business; and Heinrich had no good source of
income. The phone directory for
Niedernberg has listings for “Lang”.
Catherine
Scheurich was born
about 1812 in Niedernberg, Bavaria [now Niedernberg, Kr. Miltenberg,
Unterfranken, Bavaria, Germany]. She
was the daughter of John Adam and Barbara [Haas] Scheurich. This Scheurich genealogy has been traced back
to about 1550, and includes the surnames Fäth/Faith, Fecher, Haas, Hartlaub, Hoch, and Morhard/Morhardt/Moret. [See the Catherine Scheurich Ancestor Tree in the Appendix] The name
“Scheutwerig” [i.e., “Scheurich”] first appears in Niedernberg records in
1692. There are still many listings for
“Scheurich”, and some of these other names, in the Niedernberg telephone
directory.
The parents of Catherine Scheurich, John Adam and Barbara [Haas]
Scheurich, were married January 20, 1799, in
Niedernberg. They had at least nine
children in Niedernberg before immigrating with their family to America
aboard the Bark Potomac:
Adam, born
, 1799. Died , 1800, Niedernberg.
Johann Adam, born 1800. Died
- married Barbara
, , Church,
- children: Anna
M. (Mrs. ), Agatha
(Mrs. ), Martin
( ), Catherina
(Mrs. ), Mathias
( ), Cecelia
(Mrs. ), a baby (born and died at sea
during the voyage to America),
and more children born in the U.S.
[ Barbara (maiden name unknown) was born , 1807, Niedernberg; daughter
of . She died ; burial in . ]
Anna Maria Eva, born , 1803. Died
- married
- children:
Martin, born June
13, 1806. Died April 9
(7?), 1889, Jasper, Dubois County,
Indiana. Burial in
- married Catherine Gerlach, October 20, 1836, St. John German
Church, Baltimore, Maryland
[witnesses: Henry Lang and Catherine Scheurich].
- children:
Magdelena/Malinda (Mrs. John
Joseph Jacob Hopf), Catherine (died in infancy?), Peter (Regina Doll), John B. (Barbara Brang), Ursula/Ashle? (single),
Margaret (died in childhood?) Martin, Jr. (Mary Egg), Joseph ( , Elizabeth Boehlein), and Michael (Helen
Catherine Schuler) [engineer and part owner of
the Scheurich-Schuler Four Mill].
[ Catherine Gerlach was born June 29, 1813, Nürnberg, Bavaria, Germany, daughter of . She is thought to have immigrated on the Bark
Potomac to Baltimore,
October 18, 1836. She died December 10, 1901, Jasper, Indiana.
Burial in
Margaretta, born February 11, 1809 (1811?).
Died October 16 (25?), 1877, Jasper, Indiana,
Burial in
- married John Conrad Pfeffer, August 28, 1837, Church, Louisville, Kentucky.
- children:
Barbara (Mrs. Henry A. Holthaus), William (Mary Jochim), Magdelina (died age 6
months), Joseph (Mary Josephine Miller), John Felix (Mary Elizabeth
Bachman), Mary (Mrs. John Joseph Bachman), and George
(Mary Selma Schneider, Amelia/”Mollie” Schneider).
Catherine, born 1812. Died March 11, 1896, Sherrill, Dubuque County, Iowa. Burial in SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery,
Sherrill.
- married Henry Lang, October 20, 1836, St.
John German Church, Baltimore,
Maryland [witnesses: Martin Scheurich and Catherine Gerlach]. It was evidently a double wedding with
Catherine’s brother Martin marrying Catherine Gerlach the same day by the same
priest; and they were witnesses for each other)
- children: Joseph Henry (Elizabeth Meyer), Ignatius/”Ignatz” (Barbara
Ziegler), Barbara (Mrs. C. Ulrich Wyss/Wies), Peter (single), Elizabeth
(Louisa?) (single), Mary? Theresa (Mrs. Nicholas Brimeyer), Margaret? Maria/Mary (Mrs.
John Ziegler), Conrad (Anna Helen Hermes), and Anna Catherine (Mrs.
Albert Cummer/Kummer).
[Catherine (Scheurich) Lang was recorded as “insane” in the 1880 Federal
Census for Iowa, Dubuque County. She was described as “queer” and “insane” in
the State Hospital for the Insane commitment
papers (1881, 1883) for her daughter Louisa.
Catherine was recorded as “idiota” on the church death/burial record. ]
Peter, born September 29 (20?), 1814. Died June 19, 1874, in Colbert, Alabama
(while working on a dam) [also thought to have died in Champaign, Illinois]. Burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Champaign .
- married Elizabeth Kimmelshew, September 14, 1840, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Jasper, Indiana.
- children:
Martin J. (Catherine Reagan) [Scheurich & Co, Champaign,
Illinois], Adam Joseph (Margarite Schaffer), Jacob (Margaret Tempel), John Marcus (died young),
Mary Magdalene (twin to John Marcus, died young), Mary Theresa (Mrs. Andrew
Tempel), John E. (Veronica A. Schneider), and 2 other children
(probably born in Minnesota).
[ Mrs. Peter (Elizabeth Kimmelshew) Scheurich was born February 2, 1824, in Alsace-Lorraine,
France/Germany, daughter of . She immigrated in 1838. She died February 9, 1904, Champaign, Illinois;
burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery. ]
Barbara, born 1817. Died
- married
- children:
Magdelena/Malinda (“Madalina” on the Bark Potomac
passenger list), born February 23/29, 1824.
Died January 16, 1889,
Jasper, Indiana. Burial in St. Joseph
Cemetery, Jasper, Indiana.
- married Michael Hochgesang, Sr., February 27, 1843, St.
Joseph’s Catholic Church, Jasper, Indiana.
- children: John
Baptist (Barbara Catherine Oestreich), Magdalena
(Mrs. ), Margaret Ann
(Mrs. Henry Enthofen), Michael Emmanuel, Jr.
(Elizabeth Burke, Mary/Marie Margaret/”Maggie” Fleck), Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. Philip
Kunkel, Sr.), Katherine (Mrs. John Evangelist Giesler), Theresia (Mrs. Joseph
Gutgsell), Andrew/”Anthony Joseph (Mary Catherine
Boehlein), and Peter Henry (single, died 1880).
John Adam Scheurich and his family settled on farms near Jasper, Dubois County, Indiana. He died , before 1850, Jasper, Indiana. His wife, Barbara [Haas] died April 21, 1855, Jasper. Burial for both was in St. Joseph Catholic
Cemetery, Jasper.
It is not known where Henry and Catherine [Scheurich] Lang lived immediately after they were married in Baltimore. Perhaps they went to Jasper, Du Bois County,
Indiana, where Catherine’s parents and most of her brothers and sisters settled
(some passengers arriving on the Potomac
with Henry and Catherine settled at St. Peter, Franklin County, Indiana). Some documentation has them living in Illinois (town unknown)
during the late 1830s and early 1840s.