CASSIMER MISSIMER
THE STORY AS I KNOW IT
The Montgomery Historical Society hold The Missimer
Family Papers, put together 1953-1977. and there is a
memorial plague placed at Falkner Swamp German
Reformed Church. Both of these sources
state that Cassimer Missimer was the Immigrant that
founded the large Missimer family that started in
Montgomery County PA.
There is an assertion that his parents were Johann
Michael Missner and Maria Barbara Mebner
of Untersteinbach, Ohringer, Wuerttemberg.
There was no Germany until 1870. There is good
documentation about this couple, but I cannot find a
document that firmly states Cassimer was there
son. He may have been. The story
fits, I have told the story of this couple and their
parents, but just want to be clear, I still need proof
about Cassimer's parents. All statements that follow are
found in the Montgomery Papers.
Cassimer Missimer was born in 1708 either in
Wuerttemberg or Alsace. in 1738 Johann
Michael Messimer, eldest son of Johann Michel
and Maria Barbara Missner and the young Johann
Michael's son, Casper, J. Michael's
immigrated to Pennsylvania. It is not known when our
Cassimer immigrated but he too came to Pennsylvania
and settled in Montgomery County PA. It is know that
Johann Michael, died 1753 in that county in Faulkner
Swamp, which eventually appears in our family
story. Casper eventually moved on to
Lancaster county PA. It certainly implies a
connection to our Cassimer.
On Nov. 19,
1751 Cassimer married Margretha Brandt of Swamp
Creek, Montgomery County PA. They wed in the Trappe
Lutheran Church in Trappe PA. this information
and the dates of their children came from Marriages
and Deaths of Montgomery County 1685-1800 by Charlotte
Meldrum. also from the church records of
the Trappe Lutheran Church in Trappe PA.
The birth date of Cassimer Missimer comes from a
1761 Pa Tax list, pg 93 as 52. That would
mean he was 42 when he married. For the first
time?? There is no record of a previous
family.
Cassimer owned a farm in what became Lower Pottsgrove
Township. For four years, 1762 to 1766 he
rented two lots on York St. in Pottstown. It
is not known what use he put them to.
At one point he operated a tanyard in New Hanover, Pa.
Margaretha and Cassimer had the following
children: from
Bulletin of Historical Society of Montgomery County, vol
9, page 135, "Early Residents and Land Transfers in
Pottstown."
1. John Brandt
born July 11,1752 - wed Elizabeth Yost, and died Dec 10, 1807
2. Henry Brandt born
Aug 16, 1754 - wed Susannah
Schultze and died May 16, 1837
3. Jacob Brandt
born Jan 10, 1757 - wed Magdalena,
maybe Yost and
died Nov. 9, 1812
4. Maria Catherine
born 1759 - wed Johannes
Leidner or Reichert, the Meldrum book
says she
died quite young in 1781
5. Elizabeth
born 1759 (twins?) wed Bingaman and died
1833
6. Margaretha born 1764 wed Mr. Grob
and died 1800 all via Meldrum
7. Benjamin,
born Sept 16, 1764 - wed Elizabeth
and died Sept 16, 1840
8. Frederick
born Feb. 23, 1766 - wed Elizabeth Kreider Meldrum gives
Ben and Fred same
birth date, a 2nd set of
twins. death date not known.
9. Hannah born
June 4, 1772, wed Mr.
King and died 1839
10. John George
born May 30, 1777 - wed Elizabeth
Thomas and died Jan 17, 1853
The Memorial I mention below, states that the couple had
12 children, 6 each. However, the Family Papers
mentioned above give Michael Brandt Missimer born
1750 and deceased. and Sussanna
born 1754 - died 1833. That could be the first
pair of twins?
There are portraits of Cassimer Messimer and Margaretha Brandt Messimer.
It is possible they are wedding portraits. Each
person stands on their own. Maragetha has a
flower in her hand. Both are neat, perhaps small
people, well dressed and they look quite elegant.
They are in the Missimer collection at the Montgomery
county Historical Society
There is an Sons of the America Revolution application
made between 1889 - 1970 #67440. I
cannot seem to find a copy of it. But it
certainly implies that our Cassimer played a role during
the War. He was routinely listed in the
Montgomery Tax and Exonerations list 1762 - 1794 and
1768 - 1801. and he registered for the military in 1780.
He is listed in the 1793 PA census. I have
not been able to find a copy yet.
Margaretha Brandt
Missimer died Oct. 26, 1806. She would have
be 76 years old. She is buried in the Zion Reform Cemetery
on North Hanover st., Pottstown. She has a
marker in German script. There are many graves of the
Missimer family here.
Cassimer died in
1812 at Spragell's run. It is assumed he is also in
the Zion Reform Cemetery but I don't have record of
that. There is now a large memorial plaque on a
brick wall, that lists the known people buried there, 18
Missimers are listed, Cassimer is not one of them.
However, in honor of Cassimer Missimer there is a
memorial plague placed at Falkner Swamp German
Reformed Church said to be "oldest German Reformed
church in America" however, it now functions
as a Church of Christ.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
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Date created 6/8/2024
Date edited 6/24/2024
Date edited 10/19/2024