Johann Michael Hermann

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 5 2018, 12:17:23 UTC

family history and biography

Note: A direct descendant of Heinrich Adam Harmon, states that the family came originally from a castle in the Southwest corner of Baden/Wurttemburg located on a hillock that (depending on how the river flowed each year), was sometimes in Germany and sometimes in Switzerland. The surrounding villages have many Hermann/Hermanns in them that have lived there for centuries. A civil war occurred in this region sometime between 1650 and 1700 in which the family castle was burned. They were being persecuted for their religious beliefs. After the fire, Johann Michael Herrmann gathered all his remaining resources to have each of his seven sons trained as Moravian ministers. In 1726 he sent them on the ship "Charlotte" to emigrate to America. After a brief stop over at the Isle of Man in Great Britton, they landed in Pennsylvania . Another account of where this family originated says that Johanne Herrmann fled to Germany from Moravia, which is in present day Czechoslovakia, because of religious persecution.The above two accounts of Johann Michael Herrmann's circumstances are probably not mutually exclusive. A brief history of the Moravian Church is shown below which may help to clarify this:"The Moravian Church, more properly known as the Unity of Brethren, was organized in 1457 by followers of the martyr John Hus. Hus, a Roman Catholic priest and professor at the University of Prague, taught that the Gospel should be available in the common language rather than in Latin. He held services in Czech at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague. He also preached that the communion bread and wine should be freely available to all believers, and objected to abusive practices of the Roman Catholic Church of the Fifteenth Century. He was burned at the stake as an heretic at the Council of Constance in 1415. His followers rose in arms, and the Hussite wars marked the first organized large-scale opposition to the domination of the Papacy. During the late Fifteenth Century, the membership of the Unity in Moravia and Bohemia totalled close to a quarter million.As the Lutheran Reformation swept through northern Europe in the early Sixteenth Century, military confrontations decimated the Unity, which was caught in the middle between Catholic and Protestant forces. By the end of the Thirty Years' War, in 1648, only a small number of Moravians survived. In the agreement which closed the war, known as the Peace of Westphalia, each nation assumed the faith of their rulers, and thus Bohemia became a Catholic nation. Bohemian Protestants had to convert to Catholicism, flee the country, or face execution. A small band of Moravians, led by Bishop John Amos Comenius, fled in Poland, where they established a flourishing community. Others outwardly professed Catholicism and went underground.In the early 1700's, a group of Moravians crossed the border into southern Germany to seek refuge and religious freedom on the estates of the Lutheran Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf, a leader of the Pietist movement. There, they began a village known as Herrnhut, or "The Lord's Watch." Following an early period of dissension., the group came to formulate a unique document, known as the "Brotherly Agreement," which set forth basic tenets of Christian behavior. The document is known today as the "Moravian Covenant for Christian Living. Residents of Herrnhut were required to sign a pledge to abide by these Biblical principles. There followed an intense and powerful experience of renewal, often described as the "Moravian Pentecost." During a communion service at Berthelsdorf, the entire congregation felt a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit, and felt their previous differences swept away. That date, August 13, 1727, is regarded as the date of the "renewal" of the Moravian Church.

Led by Zinzendorf, this dedicated band began the first Protestant world mission work with missions to the slaves in the Caribbean and the Indian tribes of North America. Within a few years, Moravian mission stations had been established nearly around the world.Today, the Moravian Church continues to have a strong influence in the world mission movement. Churches in the US are concentrated in Winston-Salem, NC and Bethlehem, PA."The seven Harman brothers (3) who emigrated from Germany together were; Heinrich Adam, Jacob, Valentine, Mathias, George, Daniel, and John. 

They first stopped off in Pennsylvania, then emigrated to the Shenandoah Valley and some on into North Carolina. At least three of these brothers settled in Southwest Virginia, namely, Heinrich Adam, Valentin and Jacob. They were living in the New River German settlement, the first settlement ever made west of the Alleghenies on the "Western Waters", and were living there prior to 1745. In 1749 Moravian Missionaries conducted the first recorded religious services in Southwest Virginia in the home of Jacob Harman, and Dr. ThomasWalker mentions stopping at the home of Harman on his memorable exploration trip in 1750. Of these three brothers, Valentine and Jacob were both killed by Indians on the New River. Valentine was killed on Sinking Creek in what is now Giles Co., VA. In a land suit filed in the High Court of Chancery in Augusta Co., Virginia, on the 23rd of July, 1807, Taylor vs Harman, (4) Mathias Harman, nephew of the slain Valentine, says: Valentine was killed by the Indians on New River and at the same time his (Mathias') brother, Daniel Harman and Andrew Moser were taken prisoner. Daniel made his escape, but Andrew was held prisoner.

On the 30th of June, 1808, Daniel Harman, deposes, in the same land suit, saying: In 1757, Valentine was killed in my presence less than a foot away from me, and I was taken prisoner. Valentine Harman, who was slain left a widow Mary Harman, but no children. Jacob Harman lived on Neck Creek in what is now Pulaski Co., VA, on what is known as Spring Dale Farm. In 1757, he, his wife, and one of his sons were killed by the Indians.(1) Calender Virginia State Papers, Vol. IV, page 564.(2) Probably Mathias Harman, brother of Henry.(3) Harman Genealogy by John Newton Harman(4) Augusta Court Causes Ended, Taylor vs Harman.(5) Augusta Court Causes Ended, Wynn vs Inglish heirs.(6) Ibid, Maxwell vs Pickens.

Posssible father of Heinrich Adam and his brothers

Heinrich Adam Hermann's father fled Moravia in present Czechoslovakia because of his religion. From there he was in Germany where his son was born. Heinrich Adam Hermann b. 1700 Rhine, Germany-died 1767 on the New River. Married Oct. 8, 1723 probably near Mannheim to Louisa Katrina Heinrich b.ca 1700 Rhine Germany d.3/18/1749 on New River during childbirth.

History:

Fact 1: JAN 1725/26 George Arrived in Philadelphia on Charlotte 

Fact 2: 1733 George Moved to Frederick Co., Maryland

Fact 3: 1740 George Moved to Giles Co., Virginia

Fact 4: 1757 Sons Jacob & Valentine killed by indians

Fact 5: 1788 Grandson Henry A. killed by indians

Christening: 9 Sep 1669 Jessen Schweintz, Sachsen, Preussen

Posssible father of Heinrich Adam and his  brothers

Heinrich Adam Hermann's father fled Moravia in present Czechoslovakia because of his religion. From there he was in Germany where his son was born. Heinrich Adam Hermann b. 1700 Rhine, Germany-died 1767 on the New River. Married Oct. 8, 1723 probably near Mannheim to Louisa Katrina Heinrich b.ca 1700 Rhine Germany d.3/18/1749 on New River during childbirth.

History:

Fact 1: JAN 1725/26 George Arrived in Philadelphia on "Charlotte" 

Fact 2: 1733 George Moved to Frederick Co., Maryland

Fact 3: 1740 George Moved to Giles Co., Virginia

Fact 4: 1757 Sons Jacob & Valentine killed by indians

Fact 5: 1788 Grandson Henry A. killed by indians

Christening: 9 Sep 1669 Jessen Schweintz, Sachsen, Preussen

comments

Surname has also been reported to be Herrmann.

Date and place of birth have also been (erroneously?) reported to be 1670 at Vaihingen an der Enz, Ludwigsburg, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

links

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60291160/johann-michael-hermann