The Rehrer/Rohrer Family of Berks & Lancaster County

The following was exerpted from
"Early Immigrants from Germany and Switzerland to Eastern Pennsylvania," by Russell George LeVan,

 What makes this genealogy interesting is not that it is directly connected to the Rorer/Rorrer family(s) but that it illustrates another variation in the spelling of the name, and the necessity of keeping in mind the pronunciation of a name in the original language. In English the name Rohrer/Rorer/Rorrer is pronounced as in the English phrase "to Roar." I.e. as one syllable with the tongue held almost steady! In German the same name is pronounced as two syllables with, on the second syllable, the tip of the tongue coming up to flick the roof of the mouth, then going back down and the entire tongue then being pulled to the back of the mouth.

I studied German for a number of years, though never achieved fluency, and once knew a number of native speakers. Hence I am very familiar with the German pronouncation of Rohrer/Rorer.

 Duane Rorrer, who has been researching his Rorrer/Rorer family, wrote the following "In our records, we have found the family surname spelled Rorer, Rorrer, Rohrer, Rohr, Ruhrer, Roehrer, Rorh, Roar, and Ruhr. The Mormon Genealogical Society states that these are all related and are of the same family." Very true, yet in English, because of the spelling, these variations are pronounced quite differently. viz Ruhr as opposed to Rorer. In all cases this is consistent with the German pronunciation of the name, which gives a different sound to the Ro/Ru syllable than English does.

The usual spelling encountered has the H (Rohrer) or the Y (Royer) and usual variations involve dropping the H, the Y or the last E, all of which in English are generally silent. I have recently come across the variation Rohwer which would seem to follow the same rule.

In the following the first O was changed to an E by some, but not all branches of the family.
There are two genealogies which are done in slightly differing formats, hence can be a bit confusing at first glance.

 THE REHRER/ROHRER FAMILY
BERKS & LANCASTER COUNTY
[Pages 245 through page 250 with a fronts piece containing the above two lines. Partial words in square brackets are my own additions otherwise the text is as written by Russell George LeVan.
David Rorer, August 9, 1998]
 At this time, the early division of the Rohrer's has made it imperative that I start with:
 William Rohrer b. 28 Dec 1798, place unknown. He m. 16 Jan 1821 Fanny Eysiman b. 4 Nov 1803. They were living at Adamstown Lancaster Co. on Border of Berks Co. Their children were:
l.A Susanne b. 16 Jul 1821 - lived 6 mo., 11 days
1.B. William b. 11 Dec 1822 - single d. 10 Oct 1846 at 23 yrs.
1.C. Catharine b. 26 Dec 1825 m. John Slote
1.D. Samuel b. 28 Feb 1828 m. Caroline Slote
1.E. Elizabeth b. 31 Mar 1830 m. Jacob Reager. She was buried at Adamstown 25 Mar 1912, no record of any children.
1.F. John b. 18 May 1832 m/lst May Slote; m/2nd Sally Giesinger
1.G. Henry b. 26 Oct. 1834 m. Emma Renninger
1.H. Fanny no date m. Abraham Lutz. No other record.
1.I. Jacob no date m/lst Mary Slegel; m/2nd Rose Renninger. No Other record.
1.C. Catharine and John Slote who are both buried at the Adamstown Gem. - Catharine d. 28 Apr 1904, John Slote d. 20 Oct 1909.
Their children:
2.A Henry Slote b. 23 Jan 1850, d. 16 Oct 1853 - 3 yrs.
2.B. Stillborn
2.C. Samuel b. 9 Aug 1851, d. ?
2.D. William b. 31 Mar 1853, d. ?
2.E. John R b. 27 Aug 1855, d. ?
2.F. Fanny b. 6 Dec 1857, d. 24 Nov 1884
2.G. Catharine R b. 1864, d. 1930
2.H. Emma R b. 28 Feb 1868, d. ?
 1.D. Samuel Rehrer d. 26 Jun 1868, wife Caroline, no dates. buried at Adamstown Gem. Their children:
2.A Sarah Slote b. 1854, d. 24 Sep 1933, single
2.B. Mary no dates, m. Henry Spatz
2.C. Stillborn
1.F. John who d. 28 Mar 1896, wife Mary Slote b. 18 May 1834, d. 22 Aug 1881; both buried at Aulenbach Cem., Reading, Pa Their children:
2.A Emma b. 29 Oct 1856, d. 30 Nov 1859
2.B. George William b. 19 Sep 1858, d. 27 Feb 1939, Paul's father
2.C. Ella S. b. 12 Mar 1861, d. 14 Apr 1881
2.D. Lizzie b. 25 Dec 1856
All the children but George William had no offspring.
2.B. George William d. 27 Feb 1939 and wife Clara Junetta Gerhart b. 15 May 1860, d, 20 May 1935; both buried at Evans Cem., Reading, Pa Their children:
3.A John Franklin 1 Jun 1882, d. 9 Mar 1963
3.B. George Robert b. 4 Mar 1881, d. 15 Aug 1933
3.C. Paul Leroy b. 13 Aug 1889 m. Norma Rhea Trumbore. Paul was an electrician for the Carpenter Steel Co. for 30 years and a Mason Lodge 62 of Reading. He died on 31 Aug 1968, buried in Aulenbach's Gem. They had 2 sons, Harvey Eugene and Wilson Paul who has one son Robert Wilson and Harvey has a son Lawrence Paul and daughter. Diane Elizabeth. They are twins.

1.G. Henry Rehrer 7th child of William and Fanny, b. 26 Oct 1834, d. 19 May 1911; m. Emma C Renninger (see under Renninger) b. 21 Sep 1&13, d. 5 Dec 1917. Henry served in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. Both buried at Aulenbach. Their children and descendants:
2.A Florence (Flora) R. b. 29 May 1871, d. 28 Nov 1889, 18, single, buried at Aulenbach Gem., Reading.
2.B. Pierson died 2 yrs. old
2.C. Jennie died 2 yrs. old
2.D. Irvin b. 10 Dec 1873, d. 4 Jul 1945 2.E. Warren b. 11 Jan 1882, d. 8 Oct 1918
2.D. Irvin Rehrer b. 10 Dec 1873, d. 4 Jul 1945, wife Anna Smith, b. 18 Mar 1872, d. 30 Dec 1947. (See under Smith our line Anna Smith Father - Clara Smith, Leonard LeVan, Russell LeVan, Wife.) Irvin and Anna buried at St. Peter's Reformed Church Cemetery near Nolltown, Berks Co., PA. Children:
3.A. Raymond Henry Rehrer b. 18 Mar 1896, wife Laomi Houser. His present address 111 South Queen St., Columbia, SC 29205. I came South in the early 1920's but lived in many places, including Europe for many years. Am retired. Always liked the South, so came back. His letter dated 3 Aug 1965. One of Raymond's former locations had been 315 1/2 Pickwick Lane, Houston 21, Texas. This by Florence Rehrer. Children:
3.B. Florence Marie Rehrer b. 22 Feb 1899, single res. 928 Green St., Reading, PA. Children:
4.A. Jeanne Rehrer b. 19 Feb 1923, m. Thomas A. Most from Mass.
5.A Geoffrey Most b. 13 Jan 1949
5.B. Michele Most b. 10 May 1954

The Royer family came to the U.S. in the very early 1700 to 1718 and settled in what is now Royersford, Montgomery Co.
The immigrant we are interested in is:
1. Sabastian who left Royersford and moved to Elizabeth T[ownship] and is listed as purchaser of 100 acres of land on 3 Jan 1733. He left two sons behind in Montgomery Co. out of which there were many descendants and I did not try and record them. Sebastian lived near Brickersville and here is an account by Rev. Waldschmidt's own private records which lists White Oak or Sebastian Reyers' Church located at Sebastian's Reyers in Elizabeth T[ownship] now called Zion Church near Brickersville. In Oct 1753 it was resolved that the White Oak congregation be combined with Bastian Reyer's. 

This new congregation located at Unionville in Penn. T[ownship] Jerusalem Church - 60 members.
The PA Archives Series 2 - Vol. 7 lists Sebastian as "a subject of the German Emperor of Protestant faith who was one of a group who transported themselves to Lancaster Co., PA between 1700 and 1718."
He was born about 1685 and died 13 Aug 1758, record of Will which lists wife Agnes and his son as exec. John Emich Royer. Son John, other children whose names were not given. His youngest son Amos lived in Cocalico T[ownship].
Tax lists show the following Royer and Reyers: 

18 May 1743 - George Reyer probably son of Sebastian 100 acres

May 1749 - Amos Reyer 215 acres, son of Sebastian

1749 - Philip Reyer 100 acres son of John Emich

1761 - Peter Reyer 130 acres, son of John Emich

29 Jul 1767 - Stuffield Reyer 136 acres, son of Sebastian

12 May 1785 - Christian Reyer 5 acres, son of John Emich

1770 - Daniel Reyer, son of John Emich

3. Philip Royer, son of Emich died 10 Jul 1810 listed in a will as living in Cocalico T[ownship]. - wife Elizabeth, children.
4. Samuel, John, Philip, Elizabeth
4. Samuel and Wife Maria Elizabeth lived in Bethel T[ownship]. He died on 12 May 1813. Children listed in his Will.
5. Christofer b. 25 Oct 1777 record of St. Paul or Klopp Ch. Bethel T[ownship]; Eva b. 1770 & d. 1841; Catharine; Elizabeth; Julianna; Samuel b. about 1772; Jacob b. about 1773 or 4 ; Wendel b. 14 Jun 1779
3. John Royer's Will of Cocalico T[ownship]. (either Son of Emich, or John) died 30 May 1810 - Wife, Barbara, children.
4. Joseph, Elisabeth, Barbara Ann. Magdalene; m. Ephraim Hall.
2. John Reyer son of Sebastian had son John Henry b. 1729
a. Another John Reyer and wife Susanna had these 3 children:
John b. 27 Feb 1796
Jacob b. 14 Feb 1801
Martha b. 18 Mar 1802
3. Daniel son of Emich lived in Cocalico T[ownship]. 9 Dec 1784, wife Catharine, no list of children. Will in German, John Royer, Exe(uter).
1820 Census - Tulpehocken shows Jacob Rehrer as over 45 and wife over 45. It shows a son 18 to 26 and William was 21 and not married, verifying him still at home.
2. Amos, youngest son of Sebastian lived in Cocalico T[ownship]. He had a son.
3. Philip b. about 1735-44 now Philip also lived in Cocalico and left a Will when he died 20 Mar 1802, listing these children at time of death. He lived at Manheim T[ownship]. Wife Elizabeth.
4.A Abraham
4.B. Philip
4.C Jonathon plus 2 other sons omitted
Abraham Rohrer died in Manheim 1831. Will lists wife Magdalene
5.A Jacob
5.B Martin
Now Jacob married Elizabeth Stuber or Stober. He lived 77 years. Among their children was a son, William b. 1798.
6. William left a will in 1854. Book 5, Page 696.
East Cocalico T. Lancaster - wife Fanny, children
7. Catharine, Samuel Elizabeth, John, Henry, Fanny, and Jacob 

The 1850 Census lists a Samuel Rehrer as 65, wife Elizabeth 58, Lydia 22, also Jacob 40, his wife Catherine, 41, children William 9, Elizabeth 4, Martha 2 - I believe this William is named after the above mentioned William am not sure of relation ties of this Samuel.

Updated 7/27/02
By Sarah Reher

[email protected]

 Back to Welcome Page                         Back to main Royer Data Page