Genealogy_Lambing

Genealogy_Lambing Michael Anthony Lambing And Anne Shields-Lambing Their Ancestors And Their Descendants By A Member Of The Family Printed For The Family BY Fahey & Co., 418 Grant Street, Pittsburg, Pa. 1896

The Writing of genealogies is no easy task. Our ancestors, who were very often pioneers in the backwoods, were more concern with provideng the necessaries of life than with recording the eventful or uneventful deeds of their rustic careers. Hence it is very difficult to trace families in all their endless ramifications, after the laspe of three or four generations; and this difficulty is increased, owing to the restless spirit of the American people, Who thought little even in the days of primitive conveyances, of taking journeys of hundreds of miles to found new homes. The writer has several times written and publish sketches of the Lambings, and has as often been compelled, by the discovery of additional facts, to modify his accounts. At length, in the fall of 1893, he determined to visit the spot where the Lambings and Shieldses, the progenitors of the branch of the families here treated of, first settled and made their permanent homes; and to learn on the spot whatever tradition might still be collected. This visit was made to Nockamixion township, Bucks county, the first home of the Lambings, and to Amberson's Valley, Franklin county, the first permament home of the Shieldses, both in Pennsylvania. From these and other sources he has collected, he believes, all the information that it is now possible to secure; and, if some points still remain doubtful, there is no alternative but to leave them in that obscurity from which it is no longer possible to rescue them. The following sketch is the result of all the information he has been able to collect.

Christopher Lambing,--or Christopher Michael, as some maintain, although the one name only is given in the baptismal and marriage registers-who was commonly know as known as "Stofel", was the founder of the family in America. the name is not uniformly spelled, some having Lambing, others Lamping, Lampeng, Lambin, and even Langbein; but this is not to be wondered at when remembered that it was taken from sound rather than from written documents. To those familiar with the early history of this country, such variations are common. In the family register on the fly-leaf of the old German bible of Matthew Lambing, now before the writer, it is spelled Lambeng; but a careful study of the matter is sufficient to prove beyond a doubt that, the proper spelling of the name is that given in this sketch; and persons who spell the name in the same manner, and not otherwise can still be found in that part of Alsace from which the family oringally came.

Christopher was the son of an officer in the French army, who, as nearly as can be learned, lived near the village of Paults or Peltz, not far from Stassburg, where he owned extensive vineyards, which, it appears, were place in the charge of his son. And, although they of themselves as French neither Christopher nor any of his children appear to have been acquainted with the language, but only with German. The young man married; and seeing many of his countryman emigrate to America, concieved the idea of doing so himself. This the father strenuously opposed, declaring that he had enough to keep his family comfortably at home; but after the birth of the second child Christopher determined to cross the water against the father's will. The parting was far from what should have been expected, and the father became so aggravated that he would hold no further communication with his son. For this reason all connection with the parent stock was broken off, and nothing further is known of it.

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Footnote : By using a phone directory of France that I found on the internet, I have been able to find 21 families listed who have the surname Lambing, currently living in Alsace and Lorraine, France.