The Schweers Genealogy

Among my wife's Ostfriesische German ancestors was a family bearing the surname of Schweers who came from the villages of Walle and Extum to the west of the borough or town of Aurich, now in the state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Germany. In origin and form, the surname is a standard Low German patronymic, meaning simply "son or descendant of Schweer." The given name Schweer is thought to derive from an earlier German word for a male kinsman, either schwer (father-in-law) or schwager (brother-in-law). It may also have come from the Middle High German word swaere, "grieved" or "sad," which may originally have been an appellative that described a man's facial appearance. Whatever the origin of the name, in the case of our Schweers family, the man from whom the family got its surname was a certain SCHWEER PUPKES who lived in Ostfriesland in the Electorate of Hannover during the latter 1600s and first half of the 1700s. The following account of our Schweers lineage is constructed from the information found in various Lutheran church registers of the Aurich District of Hannover, as well as U.S. and Illinois vital records obtained from my own genealogical research, which was in turn given an initial start with the help of family records obtained from my wife's cousins Jim Johnson and Dennis Reed, fellow descendants of the Schweers family.

1. PUPKE (NN) ("Pubke"), parentage and ancestry unknown, born perhaps circa 1650 probably in Aurich District of Ostfriesland in the Electorate of Hannover, in the Holy Roman Empire. Nothing is known of Pupke apart from his name and the name of his son Schweer Pupkes, which are attested in the 1763 death record of Pupke's grandson Pupke Schweers, son of Schweer Pupkes.

     2. SCHWEER PUPKES, born perhaps circa 1675 probably in Aurich District, Hannover.

2. SCHWEER PUPKES, son of Pupke, born perhaps circa 1675 probably in Aurich District of Ostfriesland in the Electorate of Hannover, in the Holy Roman Empire. It is from Schweer that this family acquired its patronymic surname of Schweers, "son of Schweer." Nothing is known of Schweer apart from his name, the name of his father Pupke, and the name of his son Pupke Schweers, which are attested in the 1763 death record of Schweer's son Pupke Schweers.

     3. PUPKE SCHWEERS, born perhaps circa 1710 probably in Aurich District, Hannover.

3. PUPKE SCHWEERS ("Pubke"), son of Schweer Pupkes, born perhaps circa 1710 probably in Aurich District of Ostfriesland in the Electorate of Hannover, in the Holy Roman Empire, died April 1763 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, buried 23 April 1763 in Walle. In his Lutheran church burial record, Pupke is called "Pubke Schweers" and his father is called "Schweer Pubkes." Pupke is also implicitly mentioned in the 1799 marriage record of Pupke's grandson Pupke Hinrichs Schweers, whose father is identified in the record as "Hinrich Pubkes," that is, Hinrich son of Pupke. Thus, Pupke is known to have had a son named Hinrich.

This detail from page 165 of the burial register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 23 April 1763 burial record of Pupkes Schweers, who is identified in the record as a son of Schweer Pupkes.

Pupke's known son was:

     4. HINRICH PUPKE SCHWEERS, born perhaps circa 1740 probably in Aurich District, Hannover.

4. HINRICH PUPKES SCHWEERS, son of Pupkes Schweers, born perhaps circa 1740 probably in Aurich District of Ostfriesland in the Electorate of Hannover, in the Holy Roman Empire. Very little is known of Hinrich, but he is identified as "Hinrich Pubkes" in the 1799 marriage record of his son Pupke. Hinrich's son Pupke is known to have been born circa 1771.

     5. PUPKE HINRICH SCHWEERS, born circa 1771 probably in Aurich District, Hannover.

5. PUPKE HINRICHS SCHWEERS, son of Hinrich Pupkes Schweers, born circa 1771 probably in Aurich District of Ostfriesland in the Electorate of Hannover, in the Holy Roman Empire, died 15 April 1832 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, buried 19 April 1832 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover. On 8 Nov. 1799 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, Pupke married ANNA MARIA HINRICH, born circa 1781 in Aurich District, Hannover, died 17 Aug. 1816 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, buried 21 Aug. 1816 in Walle, daughter of Hinrich Berends. Pupke and Anna Maria are known to have had at least one daughter and one son.

This detail from a page of the marriage register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1799 marriage record of Pupke Hinrichs Schweers and Anna Maria Hinrichs. In the record, Pupke's father is identified as 'Hinrich Pubkes,' while Maria's father is identified as 'Hinrich Berends.'

This detail from page 173 of the burial register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1832 burial record of Pupke Hinrichs Schweers.

The known children of Pupke and Anna Maria were:

     6A. ANNA IKKE PUPKES HINRICHS SCHWEERS, born 15 Oct. 1800 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover.
     6B. HINRICH PUPKES SCHWEERS, born 26 April 1802 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover.

6A. ANNA IKKE PUPKES HINRICHS SCHWEERS, daughter of Pupke Hinrichs and Anna Maria Hinrichs Schweers, born 15 Oct. 1800 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, baptised 19 Oct 1800 in Walle. Ikke's baptismal record identifies her as "Icke," daughter of "Pupke Hinrichs" and "Maria Hinrichs." On 1 Feb. 1826 in Aurich, Hannover, Ikke married ENNE TÖNJES JANSSEN OLTMANNS ("Enno"), born 31 Aug. 1797 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, died 10 May 1840 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, buried 14 May 1840 in Extum, son of Tönjes and Gretje Oltmanns. Enno was baptised 3 Sept. 1797 at the Lutheran church of Extum in the Electorate of Hannover. His baptismal record identifies his parents as "Tönjes Oltmanns" and "Gretke Bohlen" (sic - "Gretje"). The marriage record of Ikke and Enno identifies the spouses as "Enne Janssen Oltmanns," son of "Tönjes Oltmanns," and "Icke Pubkes," daughter of "Pubke Hinrichs." Ikke and Enno are known to have had at least one daughter and two sons. In the 8 June 1845 marriage record of Ikke's daughter Maria, Ikke's maiden name is given as "Ikke Pupkes Fweers" (sic - Schweers).

This detail from page 211 of the baptismal register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the baptismal record of Anna Ikke Pupkes Hinrichs Schweers, who is identified in the record as a daughter of Pupke Hinrichs and Maria Hinrichs.

This detail from the marriage register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the marriage record of Enne Tönjes Janssen Oltmanns and Anna Ikke Pupkes Hinrichs Schweers.

The children of Ikke and Enno Oltmanns were:

     --  MARIA ENNEN OLTMANNS, born circa 1826 in Aurich, Hannover, married Gerrit Ubben Kruse.
     7B. TÖNJES GERDES ENNEN OLTMANNS, born 27 March 1827 Walle, Aurich, Hannover. (See below)
     --  OLTMANN ENNEN OLTMANNS, born 28 Aug. 1830 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, married Anna Walts Ihnen.

6B. HINRICH PUPKES SCHWEERS, son of Pupke Hinrichs and Anna Maria Hinrichs Schweers, born 26 April 1802 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, died 18 May 1841 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, buried 25 May 1841 in Extum. Hinrich was baptised 28 April 1802 in Walle. His baptismal record identifies him as "Hinrich," son of "Pubke Hinrichs" and "Anna Hinrichs." On 21 April 1827 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, Hinrich married FENTJE JASPERS, born circa 1811 in Hannover (probably in Aurich District), died 10 June 1849 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, buried 15 June 1849 in Extum, daughter of Jasper Dirks. The marriage record of Hinrich and Fentje identified the spouses as "Hinrich Pupkes," son of "Pupke Hinrichs," and "Fentje Jaspers," daughter of "Jasper Dirks." Hinrich and Fentje are known to have had at least one daughter and one son. In both the 1829 baptismal record and the 1860 marriage record of their daughter Maria, Hinrich is identified as "Hinrich Pupkes Schweers."

This detail from page 246 of the baptismal register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1802 baptismal record of Hinrich Pupkes Schweers, who is identified in the record as a son of 'Pubke Hinrichs' and 'Anna Hinrichs.'

This detail from page 54 of the marriage register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1827 marriage record of Hinrich Pupkes Schweers and Fentje Jaspers, identified in the record as the children, respectively, of Pupke Hinrichs and Jasper Dirks.

This detail from a page of the burial register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1841 burial record of Hinrich Pupkes Schweers.

The known children of Hinrich and Fentje were:

     7B. MARIA HINRICHS PUPKES SCHWEERS, born 15 Feb. 1829 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover.
     8B. PUPKES HINRICHS SCHWEERS, born 22 Jan. 1831 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover.

7B. MARIA HINRICHS PUPKES SCHWEERS ("Marie"), daughter of Hinrich Pupkes and Fentje (Jaspers) Schweers, born 15 Feb. 1829 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, died July 1869 in Nebraska, Livingston County, Illinois. Maria was baptised 20 Feb. 1829 in Walle. Her baptismal record identified her parents as "Hinrich Pupkes Schweers" and "Fentje Jaspers." On 12 May 1860 in Extum, Aurich, Ostfriesland, Hannover, Maria married her first cousin (the son of her Aunt Ikke) TÖNJES GERDES ENNEN OLTMANNS, son of Enne and Anna Ikke Oltmanns, born 27 March 1827 in Walle, Aurich, Hannover, died 2 Nov. 1890 in Livingston County, Illinois. (See above) Tönjes' date and place of birth, as well as the identities of his parents, are known from his marriage record in the Lutheran church records of Ostfriesland. Maria and Tönjes had two sons and two daughters. Their three older children were born in Hannover and their youngest child was born in Illinois.

This detail from a page of the baptismal register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1829 baptismal record of Maria Hinrichs Pupkes Schweers, who is identified in the record as a daughter of Hinrich Pupkes Schweers and Fentje Jaspers.

This detail from the bottom of page 69 of the marriage register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the marriage record of Tönjes Gerdes Ennen Oltmanns and Maria Hinrichs Pupkes, who are identified in the record as, respectively, a son of Enne Janssen Oltmanns and Anna Icke Pupkes, and a daughter of Hinrich Pupkes Schweers and Fentje Jaspers.

Based on the dates and places where their daughters Ekke and Fannie were born, it must have been at some point in 1864-1866 that Tönjes and Maria came to America with their children Hinrich Enne (Henry Aaron), Ekke Maria (Ekkie Marie), and Fenna Maria (Fannie Marie). After their arrival in Illinois, Tönjes and Maria first lived in St. Clair County, Illinois. The fact that they were living in the vicinity of St. Louis suggests that they may have reached Illinois by taking a ship from Germany to New Orleans, Louisiana, and then came up the Mississippi to Illinois. Be that as it may, they had settled in Livingston County, Illinois, by the summer of 1867, when their fourth and youngest child, Enne J. (Aaron J.), was born.

The 1870 U.S. Census Illinois Mortality Schedule for Livingston County says Tönjes' wife Maria died "suddenly" in July 1869. The Mortality Schedule says she was 41 years old, a figure that was presumably obtained by subtracting the year of her birth, 1829, from the year of the census, 1870. In fact Maria was only 40 when she died. Tönjes, no doubt deeply shaken by the loss of his wife, never remarried.

It was probably less than two months after his wife's death that Tönjes purchased 80 acres of farmland in Nebraska Township, Livingston County, Illinois. The land purchase was recorded in Illinois Public Land Purchase Records, Vol. 793, page 156, on 31 Aug. 1860 in the name of "Tanjes E. Oltmans," Section N2NW, $12 per acre, total price of $960, type RR, section 22, township 28N, range 03E, meridian 3. The following year, on 4 June 1870, the 1870 U.S. Census Non-Population Schedule for Nebraska Township, Livingston County, shows Tönjes as "Tyens Oltman," farmer, 80 acres improved, $1,800 value of farm, $75 value of farm implements, three horses, one milk cow, one pig, $190 value of livestock, 20 bushels spring wheat, 20 bushels of rye, 100 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of oats, and 40 bushels of barley. His farm was located in the vicinity of Flanagan and Pontiac, Illinois.

Ten years later, the U.S. Census returns for Nebraska Township, Livingston County, dated 17 June 1880, enumerated Tönjes as "Tines Altman," 52, widower, farmer, with children named "Henry," 20, farm laborer, "Echa," 18, keeping house, "Fanny," 15, unemployed, and "Aaron," 13, farm laborer, all born in Hannover except for Aaron, born in Illinois. Eight years after that, on 26 Oct. 1888, Tönjes was naturalised as a U.S. citizen in Livingston County Circuit Court -- his naturalisation records identify him as "Tonies Oltmans." His oath of citizenship was witnessed by J. H. Park and G. F. Rients. According to Oltman/Johnson family records, Tönjes died two years later, on 2 Nov. 1890, at the age of 63, and was buried in Livingston County.

The children of Marie and Tönjes Oltman were:

     --  HINRICH ENNE OLTMANNS ("Henry Aaron Oltman"), born 5 June 1860 in Extum, Aurich, Hannover, died 28 Nov. 1940 in Pontiac, Livingston County, Illinois, never married.
     --  EKKE MARIA OLTMANNS ("Ekkie Marie Oltman"), born 23 Feb. 1862 in Holtrop, Aurich, Hannover, died 30 Nov. 1940 in Nebraska, Livingston County, Illinois, never married.
     --  FENNA MARIA OLTMANNS ("Fannie Oltman"), born 10 Feb. 1864 in Holtrop, Aurich, Hannover.
     --  ENNE J. OLTMANNS ("Aaron J. Oltman"), born 26 Aug. 1867 in Flanagan, Livingston County, Illinois, died 19 June 1939 in Nebraska, Livingston County, Illinois, married Catharina Mehrings.

Schweers Genealogy Resources:

The Reed Family Tree of Albuquerque, N.M., with Dirk Wobben Janssen descendants and Johnson and Oltman family photos.
Find-A-Grave memorial: Fannie Ferden (sic - Marie) Oltman Johnson (1864-1933), with links of husband and children.
Wikimedia Commons: Walle, collection of photos from the village of Walle in Ostfriesland, Germany.
Map of Aurich District, showing locations of Extum/Haxtum and Walle in the District of Aurich, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Germany.

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