• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

CHRONICLES OF A GERMANY FAMILY OR REINERS OF GERMANY, PENNSYLVANIA, KENTUCKY, AND TEXAS Compiled by John Hens ell, 7720 Bradford St. Houston 17, Texas Assisted by Charles Heiner, R. 1, East Berlin, Pa., and Dr. Alfred Jaeger, Miinchen, Germany In Heraldry, the dots represent ~old. Dedicated to those of the family 1vho 11iade the S upre1ne Sacrifice. I ) l ~ Weinheim •l 1I JLauterhausea lluheill Ladenburg__ • __ -~""" Schreisheis • •--- 4 t(~- l leckarhausen J act I - Beidelber& Map Showing Location of Places Mentioned On Pages 63 to 68 FOREWORD Many years ago, the author became interested in collecting the history of his mother's family, and after much time and research, and quite a bit of expense, the author now presents this completed work before the public. I wish to thank all of the various kinsfolk who assisted me in any way, and I especially wish to thank the ones who have already contributed for their patience. Especially do I wish to thank Cousin Charles Heiner (173b) of East Berlin Township, York County, Pennsylvania, who was so kind to advise with me and let me have access to his notes, which consisted of the family of Henry Heiner ( 4e), and his brother's and sister's and the family of Frederick Heiner -( 4f).. Also, I wish to thank Dr. Alfred Jaeger, of Munich, Germany and those who assisted him in his research. Also, some of the statements were based on information given by Wolfgang Menzel, in his "Germany," Vol. I.L If any errors occur, I wish to apologize for them, and say that I am sure they occurred in copying from one set of notes to another. The Author 0- ORIGINS According to Heintz, the German name Heiner, Ryner, Hayner, Hoenir, Huner, Reinard, Hanner, Hohenir, etc., is possibly derived from the word "Haginer" which means "master of a hedged-in dwelling" which indicated a farmer or landholder. Pott, another authority, groups it with "Reinert, Reinhardt, etc., meaning "strong as a hedge." Such a title might have been given one of tp.e early Heiner ancestors for some outstanding deed, perform­ ance, or characteristic, and there is the possibility that the Coat­ of-Arms could have been a,varded for some such deed. Should we desire to go into mythology for the name, we find that Hoenir, spelled practically the same, ,vas one of the Aesir and a brother of Odin, and assisted him in the creation of the first man and woman, Ask and Embla. In the name "Huner" the "ii" is the German umalat and has an "ue" sound. The correct pronunciation of the name is "Haner." It is highly possible that the family had its earliest origins near Heinersdorf, Saxony, which place could have been named for the family. Ho-\vever, even though the root word is found in Saxony under various spellings, there is no definite proof that this is a fact. According to research by Dr. H. Meissert of Linnich, near Aachen, there was a family of nobility from the old County of Valkenberg, known as von Hoen. Because the name Huner or Honer comes from "Hoen" (the "oe" pronounced as "u"), the dimunitive being added ,vould make it Hoener or Hiner. This family was of the Protestant Faith, as a result -.of the Reforma­ tion, and were residents in the predominately Catholic Duchy of Julich, and the name ,vas probably changed for confessional rea­ sons, and Leonhart Huner might have gone from this predomi­ nately Catholie Duchy of Julich to Weinheim, Kurpfalz, Germany, a predominately Protestant Country. The fact that Johannes Heener (Hainer or Heiner) who was from Birsen, Sovereignty of Ostenbach and who first settled near Rhinebeck, N. Y. in 1720 (Birsen or Virsen being in the Lower Rhine Valley and in the same vicinity), would tend to locate the place from whence the Reiners of Ne,v York originated. The records of Weinheim suffered severely in the disturbances leading to the Thirty Years War and in that war, and many of the citizenship records among them, hence it is difficult to ascertain the point of origin of the ancestors of Leon­ hart Huner. However, we can conclude that they came from this part also, and originally from Saxony, where the name main­ tained its original spelling. The various changes ,:vere probably the result of local pronunciations. The main difficulty in tracing the direct line was due to the fact that the familv never staved in any one place over t,vo or three generations. ~- ~ 6 Coats-of-Arms were bestowed upon persons by the Emperor, as a result of heroic achievement, or sale; later by the Princes of the various states; and in most cases the Coats-of-..Arms of citizens were chosen by them, though some were granted to them. The Heiner Coat-of-Arms is found in the "Wappenbuch" by Siem­ bacher, and is the only one found, and is found in the section allotted to Saxony. Inasmuch as Siembacher does not designate which Heiner family carried the shield, nor at what time, every Heiner family is entitled to the use of this Coat-of-Arms, accord­ ing to research by Dr.... .:\.lfred Jaeger of Mfinch en, Germany. Each of the nations of Germany originally had two colors i:ato which the shield was divided, one the ground color and the other the figure represented upon it. The colors were the same in every fam­ ily belonging to the same nation, the figures alone varying. French shields were white and red; Swabians, red and yellow; Bavarians, white and blue; and Saxons, black and white. However, the rapid succession of different reigning fan1ilies and the intermixture ancl exchange of feudal possessions was productive of great confusion in the ancient colors of the four principal nations of Germany. In the Heiner Arms, the golden cock in the lower half of the shield . on a green so-called Dreiberg (Three Hills) is exactly the same position as the three branches of the rose in the upper half of the shield. The three hills might be indicative of the ancient residence of the Reiners. However this may be, the first authentic record of the family is that of Leonhart Huner of Weinheim. As said before, it is presumed that he came from the vicinity of Jiilich and the lower Rhine country, and because of the fact that Herman Goessgens, a prominent citizen of Weinheim, who came from the Duchy of Julich, was godfather of Herman Huner, might be said to substantiate this idea. An interesting item arises because the early Htiners of Wein­ heim were physicians ( or barbers), and after a lapse of many gen­ erations, various members of the family are again fallowing this profession. 7 CHAPTER I FRO~i WEINHEilvI '"fO Al\·1ERICA Leonhart Huner, died in Weinheim, Kurpfalz, Germany about 1597. He married Agatha (Schneider?) in Weinheim, and had issue. As previously stated he possibly came from the Duchy of Julich, or the lower Rhine country, with Herman Goessgens who is believed to have been the godfather of Herman Huner ( 1). The following items are found concerning her: (1) Wehrbuch I, page 391, dated November 11, 1597 mentions the house of the widow as the neighbor's house of Lorenz Hodt and Heinrich Hammelbach. (2) Wehrbuch I, page 550, dated Oct. 9, 1598, looking back to the year 1595, reads: "Vester Schneider and wife, Martha, sells to her brother and brother-in-law, Michael Schneider and wife, Petronella, one-half morgen of a vineyard in Wolff. On the one side, Hans Hennen and on the other side the buyer himself." There is pledged against the Schaffnerei W einheim, 25 gulden redeemable Hellergelds. Leonhart Hiiner's widow, Agatha, put up 5 gulden and the seller's son, George Schneider, 20 gulden.? Otherwise interest free and proper. About 115 gulden. Happened in Anno 1595. Placed in Wehrschafft on Oct. 9, 1598. (3) Leonhart Htiner's widow, Agatha, sells Anno 98 Ascen­ tionis Domini to the Honorable Georg Schneider and wife, Magdalena, one fourth of a vineyard in Wolff? of Asmus Hammelbach, on the other side Hans Fischer Maurer. Interest is one bucket of wine from the Schaffnerei Wein­ heim and the 25 gulden redeemable Hellergelds pledged against the Schaffenerei. Sale made for 20 gulden. The buyer to pay 20 gulden and the seller to contribute another 5 gulden and so pay off the 25 gulden pledged against the Schaffnerei. Placed in W ehrschafft Oct. 9, ano 1598. ( 4) Wehrbuch II, page 412, Lorentz Hodt sells to Sylvester Schneider his lodging in the Large Quarter, on the one side young Leonhart Schmidt, on the other side Leonhart Htiner's widow. (5) Wehrbuch II, page 417. On Dec. 12, 1609, Agatha, Leonhart Hiiner's widow, sells to Hans Hasenauer, also a citizen, Gertraut, his wife, their lodging in the Large Quarter. On 8 the one side Sylvester Schneider, on the other side, Claus Bauer and Mrs. Wambolita. Leonhart Huner and Agatha Schneider had: 1. Herman Huner (Heiner), born 1590 and died June 19, 1654, age 64 years, at Weinbeim, Kurpfalz, Germany; believed to have been godson of Herman Goessgens ; citizen and physician ( or barber) of W einheim ; married first to Magdalena Leist, about 1622-see Leist-and had issue; married second to Anna Regina Hochster about 1634. Herman Huner and Magdalena Leist had: 2. Hans Bartel Huner (Heiner), born about 1628 and died May 11, 1682 in Weinheim, Kurpfalz, Germany; citizen and physician; married first to Anna Margaretha Vogler on Feb. 10, 1632 but no issue; married second to Appolonia Muller (born 1639 and died Dec. 15, 1693, age 54 years)-see Muller-and had: 2a.

Load more

  78

Copy Link