~Welcome Back!~

Well, Summer is almost over and there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel for the year 2000.

I have been working on locating the homestead of James Shimer (son of Daniel Scheimer) and I think I may have found it. According to a report from Beth Campbell Stemple, James Shimer was granted land west of Fort Cumberland in the frontier of Western Maryland following the Revolution.

From the Cumberland Times and the Allegany County USGenWeb Project: 
"The General Assembly of Maryland in 1777 passed an act giving each soldier, in a call for 2,000 men, 50 acres of land, who had served three years. In 1781 another act was passed, reserving all the vacant lands in the State westward of "Fort Cumberland" for the soldiers. In pursuance of these enactments, in 1787 Francis Dicken and his ten assistants laid off 4,165 50-acre lots. The commissioned officers were awarded each four 50-acre lots of land; the private soldiers received only one lot. The records show that 212 officers were awarded four lots each under the laws, 848 lots in all."

According to Beth Stemple's report, "In 1787 Deakin surveyed the land west of Fort Cumberland that the Maryland General Assembly had in 1781 set aside to give in fifty acre lots to Maryland Soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War. The names on the list were the people that Deakin found living on the land in 1787. The following year the Assembly passed an act to allow the settlers to purchase the land they were living on for not less than 5 and not more than 20 shillings. A three man commission was appointed to determine the value of the land. Given to those settlers to purchase 636 lots by them respectively settled, to be discharged in three equal annual payments in the years 1789, 1790, and 1791: in default of any payment the land should be liable to proclamation by any citizen of Maryland."

James Schimmer --------------- 5/"3728-3732 

One interesting note: the name on this document is spelled James "Schimmer", the same way the name is spelled in Siebmacher's Wappenbuch (German Official Book of Family Crests). This is the same crest that I have at the top of this newsletter and found in the aforementioned book at the Saarbruchen University Library in 1997. 

Click here for a copy of James Shimer's Last Will and Testament, sent to me by Patricia Hook

~LINKS~

Shimer Family Message Board	A work of historical fiction based on facts (surrounding the death of Leonard Schiemer): "A Martyr" ...now that was a mouthful, huh?	In memorium to Charles Willard Shimer, 1929-1998
Michael J. Shimer's Homepage	Shimer College	Bob Shimer - StoryVent
David and Laura Shimer's Homepage	Matt Shimer's Homepage	Curtis Family Web Page
James Harrison Shimer's Homepage	Shimer (Shy-mer) .com	Eva Duke's Home Page
Mike Shimer's Shimer Family History Page	Shimer Family Webring Homepage	Articles on Brian Shimer, USA Olympic Bobsled Team Captain.

Scheimers in America

I have received  emails and guestbook entries from some of the Scheimers living here in America. If anyone can be of any assistance, Joe Scheimer is searching for information on his great grandfather John S. Scheimer's line. John Scheimer was known to have settled in the area of Bay City, Michigan in the late 1800s. John Scheimer's son Joseph was born November 13th, 1884 in Hampton Township, Michigan. The city directories for John Scheimer has his name spelled alternately Schimer and Shimer. His death certificate from Stockton, CA on July 19th, 1929 has his name spelled Scheimer. 
John S. Scheimer had another son, James. There isn't any family data known of James. Joseph Scheimer had five sons, one who died as a child. The other four are John, James, Gordon and Francis "Tiny." 
John had three boys, John, Mike and Jim.
James had one son - James.
Gordon had two sons, Richard and Gordon.
Francis "Tiny" had three boys, Joe (above), Gary and Randall.
Can anyone help tie in this family? I'm almost certain that John S. Scheimer either comes from one of the known Scheimer/Shimer lines or migrated sometime after (possible in the 19th Century). Let me know if anyone can help.

taken from the Calhoun County in the Civil War Page

~A Call to Arms~
members of the Shimer Family who answered the call for service in defense of their Country

I intend to start a new page dedicated to recording the military service and stories of some of the Shimer Veterans. If you know of any Shimers who served in the military and would like to share stories, pictures or service records, please feel free to email me at mshimer@yahoo.com.

Shimer Family Veteran's Page
(still working on this one, let me know if anyone has any input)

A picture of George W. and Rebecca C.
Shimer, on their farm in Calhoun County, WVa, around 1900.
The Shimer Family in Calhoun Part II
by Colvin W. Snider

~I have received quite a bit of information on the homestead gravesites of William (James, Daniel Scheimer) and Rachel Shimer; as well as his son George and daughter-in-law Rebecca. Click here for a map and description~

~Veteran's Groups and Societies
from 18th and 19th Century Wars that our Shimer ancestors fought in~

~Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution~

Penny Spencer has been working on tracking down membership requirements and benefits of these two national organizations:
S.A.R. / D.A.R.
Any help on documentation of the marriage between Jacob Shimer (James, Daniel Scheimer) and Margaret Miller would be beneficial.
We also need any information on the wife of Daniel Scheimer (it is assumed he was married sometime around 1749, due to the dates of birth of his children. However, it is quite possible he was married when he sailed from Rotterdam on the Edinburg). I have seen several references to Daniel settling in Frederick, Maryland. This might be a good place to start research.

George W. Shimer was a proud member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Visit their site to see some of their history and how to apply for membership. G.A.R.

According to the report I received from Beth Stemple, Jacob Shimer (James, Daniel Scheimer) fought in the War of 1812, with the 1st Regiment (Reagan's), Maryland Militia
Any of the male descendants of Jacob Shimer and Margaret Miller would be eligible for membership in the General Society of the War of 1812.