MARGARET     BAUER (possible)

 

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Margaret Bauer was born about 1738-40, probably in Strasborg, Alsace to John (Johann) Bauer and Catherine Hornus.  The name  is mentioned a number of times in Ancestry, but never with documentation.  There is a secondary source listed below that makes a starting point for more research.  The Bauer story

The mention of Jacob Madiera in his will is the detail that connected Margaret to the Bauer family.  It is believed she was the sister to Jacob Madiera's mother, ie Catherine Salome Bauer who wed Jacob Medairy of Reistertown, MD. 

 Margaret married Jacob Myers in the late 1750s- early 1760s.

  Margaret and Jacob Myers had the following children.  re his will noted below.:
1. Charles Myers   born c 1758 wed Mary LNU died 1819
2. Mary Myers born, 1759 re her obit Baltimore FG, Dec 14, 1796. wed Thomas Yates
3. Catherine Myers born c1761 wed Mr. Thomas
4. Prudence Myers, born 1765, may never have wed.
5. Thomas Jacob Myers born 1768, died after 1820  .  He was also involved in the pottery shop with brother William.
6.
Elizabeth Myers, born 1772, wed Richard Lewis, died after 1820
William Myers born 1776,  died after 1820.  Believed to own one of the first pottery shops in Baltimore
8. Sophia Myers, born  1776, wed Mr. Rowles.  Possibly twins, or an incorrect date.
9. Margaret Myers born 1778, wed Mr. Kent, may have gone to Columbus Ohio. There is a Margaret Kent on the 1850 Census there with a younger Kent family and
     a Myers woman with 2 small children. 
The marriages for the women are from Maryland Compiled Marriages 1655-1850

Jacob Myers bought and sold many lots on Mountenays Neck - now Fells Point.  He often participated in property transfers with Thomas Yates, who married their eldest daughter. In the court documents both were referred to as "gentlemen", implying men of means.  When he died, his will supported the fact of Jacob Myers at least being property rich. 

He wrote his will on April 4, 1787. It was proved by witnesses, David McMechen, Joseph Hater, and John Norwood on Oct. 5, 1787. Will book, Baltimore county vol 4, page 268-270. Re the will his bequests were:

1.  to beloved wife Margaret, "the square of ground.... where I now live bounded by Bond St, Dulaney St, Strawberry Alley and Slygh's Lane
   
  household furniture, a cow, a horse, and 10 pounds per month.
2.  All other property to be sold, and divided into 9 equal parts for children:  Charles Myers, Mary Yates, Catherine Thomas, Thomas Jacob Myers, Margaret Myers, William Myers,  
     Elizabeth Myers, Prudence Myers and Sophia Myers.  If a child should per-decease him, that share would go to their off spring.
3.  To Godson, Jacob Madeira a lot of Dulaney, carefully explained
4.  The sum promised to the New Dutch church near Philpots Bridge to ensure it's completion, which he, his deceased brother Frederick Myers, and Michael Diffenderfer had given the church.
5.   To Charles, named eldest son, 50 pounds above the rest
6.  Thomas Yates "husband of my daughter Mary Yates" had already built a house on Jacob's lot at Yates expense, assured it would be his and Mary's clear but included in the one 9th as bare land.
He then named his wife, Margaret, son Charles, and son-in-law Thomas Yates as his executors.

The given streets are in Fells Point and their placement is described in the 1816 Baltimore Directory, page 8, and on an 1801 Baltimore City map, that is found at the Pratt Library in the Map Drawer 1800-1830.

It seems a lovely thoughtful will - to me.  But not to Margaret!   She went to court on Oct. 27, 1787 and stated I,....widow of Jacob Myers ....do hereby renounce and refuse to accept the legacies ....  " and claim in place..one third of ...Jacob Myers....estate both real and personal."  She also requested to continue as exectrix.

Three years later, most of the family is still with Margaret.  The 1790 Census of Baltimore Town page 16, shows Margaret Myers with 2 men, 5 females and 3 slaves.  I think it very likely they are the youngest 6 children still at home.    Ten years later, the 1800 Census of Baltimore city, page 174 lists Margaret Myers with:
1 male 16-25    (William)
1 male 26-44  (Thomas Jacob)
1 female 10-15 (I don't know who this is)
1 female 16-25 (either young Margaret or Sophia)
1 female 26-44 (Prudence)
1 female >45 (our Margaret)

We can assume, I believe, that she was still in the Dulaney house.  The 1799 Baltimore City directory page 45 lists "Margaret Myers, widow Delanys Alley"

There is a Reistertown Community Cemetery Website that contains a lengthy history of Jacob Maderia.  In the article it gives the wife of Jacob to be Catherine Salome Bower (Bauer), "first of six children of Sir John Bauer and Catherine HornusCatherine...was born 1737 in Strasbourg Alsace,  After the death of her father, Catherine came to America with her brother Daniel, sister Margaret and their mother, settling in York County Pennsylvanian."   It goes on to say the Medairy's were members of the First German Reformed church in Baltimore.  Our Jacob Myers and his brother Frederick were also supporters and members of that church.  Finally, it states that Catherine Bower Medairy, Jacob's widow died around October 4, 1800 while visiting her sister Margaret Myers at Hampstead Hill in Baltimore.  Hampstead Hill is one of the many properties owned by Jacob Myers that he passed on in his will. Dulaney Alley is on Hampstead Hill.

Margaret Bauer Myers died June 20, 1804, re History of Baltimore City and county by J. Thomas Scharf, page 804 and the estate was devised to the three sons, and four youngest daughters.  Nothing to the surviving children or husbands of the deceased daughter Mary Myers Yates, or Catherine Myers Thomas.   We don't know whether Catherine predeceased her mother, or she had moved away.   However, there must have been a piece she missed, because we find in Baltimore Land records Book WG 158, page 188, on Dec 23, 1820 an undivided part of land owned by Jacob Myers (I think deceased) was sold to Robert Harper and Samuel Moale by:
William Myers
Elizabeth and Richard Lewis
Margaret and Jacob Walsh Jr. - Margaret was the daughter of Mary Myers and Thomas Yates
Elizabeth Fisher
Mary Yates
I believe these are heirs, grandchildren probably, of Jacob Myers.

So the documentation is secondary, but all the pieces connect Margaret Myers to the Bauer family of Alsace.

 


RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

    1. When was she born?
    2. Confirm her parents?
    3. confirm all birth dates of their children
    4. Were William and Sophia twins?

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Date created:  6/19/2017
Date edited 12/17/2019