John Jacob Rohrer 1695-1771
A Thumbnail Biography by David C. Procuniar
All Rights Reserved Last updated: 31 Aug 2001
John Jacob Rohrer; son of Hans Michael Rohrer (circa 1665) & Katherine Schwagler; John Jacob was born on 16 Mar 1695/96 in Alsace, Germany, died on 23 Nov 1771 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; John Jacob married Maria Souder Abt. 1733 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Maria was born on 24 Feb 1715/16 in Mannheim, Germany, died on 11 May 1769 probably in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Children:
Jacob Rohrer 1734-1803
Ann Rohrer 02 Feb 1737/38
Elizabeth Rohrer 1744
John Rohrer 1746-1814
Maria Rohrer 1748-1771
Martin Rohrer 1751
Susannah Rohrer 1756-1815
John Jacob Rohrer's occupation was in Veterinary Surgery; Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
The Rohrers of Lancaster
According to legend, detailed in the "Biographical History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania" by Harris, page 501, and other sources, John or Johannes Rohrer was born in Alsace in 1696. It is said that in 1725 he, together with his father, brothers and sisters, made their way to Switzerland in an effort to escape French persecution. John was sent back to recover some family belongings and was captured by the French. He escaped from prison (with the help of other distant family) but versions differ as to what happened after his escape. In "John Rohrer of Lancaster County" written in 1939 after extensive research by the author, Albert L. Rohrer, it is said that John made his way to England where he studied veterinary surgery, and later coming to America. That writer relied to a large extent on Harris who says that after arriving in America and acquiring real estate in Lancaster County, this John married Marie Souder in 1732. They had eight children, four sons were Martin, Daniel, John and Christian. Of their four daughters one married a Houser, one a Smith, one a Bachman and the other was wed to Peter Miller. According to this history, some years later while in Philadelphia and hearing of the landing of a vessel, John went to the ship where he saw that one of the passengers was his father whom he had not seen since escaping from the French. He was informed that his mother had died and his father had remarried. His father had two or three sons by his second wife. This family was destitute and were expected to be sold as indentured servants for their passage money. John paid the demands and took his father and his family with him. John later aided his half-brothers in acquiring land near Hagerstown, Maryland. Albert Rohrer drew the conclusion that Samuel and Martin were the names of these half-brothers and this assumption has been followed by most other writers of the Rohrer genealogy. One of the exceptions is Edythe Whitley who believed that the two half-brothers were named Frederick & Jacob.
(See The Rohrer Families by Wickliffe B. Neal page 27)
Other Sources:
The Rohrer Families by Wickliffe B. Neal
David C Procuniar 3598 Harry Truman Drive, Beavercreek, Ohio 45432
The Bragonier Family by Georgiana H. Randall 1969.
The Bragunier Family in America by Brittain Bragunier Robinson 1969.
First Reformed Church of Hagerstown Maryland church records on LDS micro-film.
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