Revised 8/26/2017. Copyright @2017; The following Documentary Timeline has been compiled and created by Paul Rhetts. It may be copied for research purposes; but it may not be reproduced for inclusion in any printed or electronic distribution of any kind without the express written permission of the author. Any requests to use this information should be sent to Paul Rhetts, LPDPress@q.com.
Johann Georg ZAHER (1675-1752) and Maria Catharine PALINKAS (nd)
s/o unk
d/o unk
p/o Johannes ZAHER (1710-1800)
Children:
1. Johannes (1710-1800) m. (1) ___, 1741; (2) Barbara Miller, 1748
2. Johannes Georg (1719- )
3. Johann Abraham (1722-1724
4. Rosina Barbara (1726- )
1675 Johann Georg ZAHER born at Switzerland
nd Maria Catharine PALINKAS born at Switzerland
10 Nov 1705 Johann Georg ZAHER and Maria Catharine PALINKAS married at Gersbach, Lorrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
1710 son Johannes ZAHER born at Switzerland (probably at Schopfheim, Lorrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany); died 1800 at Rowan, NC; married (1) ____ 1741 at Switzerland; (2) Barbara MILLER 1748 at PA [Rowan Co., NC Book 13, page 802 John Sears, a blacksmith, lets Christian Sears both of Rowan Co., NC have 152 acres on Hamby creek next William Embler for 25 pds, witnessed by Adam Conrad and Moses Spiva and proved by latter in Nov. 1794] [“Johannes Zaher was born in Switzerland about 1710. He came to America in 1740 as a religious refugee. In the early 1500s, Martin Luther and John Calvin were leading the rebellion against the old system of religion. Those people who wanted a more radical reform were called Anabaptist (or rebaptizers) because of their stand against infant baptism. From this group came the Swiss Brethren, Mennonites and Amish. Related were Dunkards and Morovians. Many of these people were from an area in Switzerland called the Palatine and spoke the Palatine dialect, known today as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch. Many Anabaptists with a Swiss background migrated to Pennsylvania. The largest migrations were Mennonite (1717-1732) and Amish (1727-1754). We don’t know any specifics about Johannes Zaher’s religious beliefs, but his coming to a Morovian settlement in Pennsylvania in 1740 as a Swiss religious refugee would fit into this pattern. Johannes Zaher first settled in the Morovian community of Euphrata, Pennsylvania. He anglicized his name to John Sears and moved to the Yadkin Valley in Rowan County, North Carolina. John Sears is known to have had two sons, John Jr. and Christian. John Sears Jr. served in the Revolutionary War. He married Catherine Conrad and they were parents of ten children. In about 1800 John Jr and Christian along with their families moved to Nicholas County, Kentucky. They could have traveled the road through the Cumberland Gap, following the route of Daniel Boone some thirty years before. John Jr. died in Kentucky at age 90. One of John’s and Catherine’s sons was David Sears. He married first in Kentucky, on September 26, 1811 to Anna Kern. She was the mother of seven children including twins who died in infancy. Before Anna’s death in 1824, the family had moved to Lawrence County, Indiana. David Sears married again on October 1, 1824 to Hannah Rainey Morris. She was a widow and the mother of three children. Her father was Joseph Rainey, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. David and Hannah began their marriage with a family of eight children (his 5 and her 3) and they had eight more children. After Hannah’s death in 1849, David married for the third time, in 1850 to Rachel Adamson Cox, who was the widow of Simon Cox. David and Rachel had two children before his death in 1864. David Sears was a pioneer in Lawrence County, Indiana. He owned a considerable amount of land. He was the father of 17 children and had three step-children. Rainey Sears was the son of David and Hannah Rainey Sears. He was the fourth of their eight children. On January 22, 1853, he married Telitha Cox in Lawrence County, Indiana (See Cox Family History). On November 19, 1850, Rainey bought land from his father, David, and third wife, Rachel, consisting of Section 22, which was one mile S.W. of Fayetteville —From the Rowan Public Library, History & Genealogy Dept, Salisbury, NC
bef 4 Jul 1719 son Johannes Georg ZAHER born at Schopfheim, Lorrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (doc lists his name and parents’ names at Windischbuch) (2nd doc lists baptism at Stuggart FHL#1054320, p.153 doc)
1722 son Johann Abraham ZAHER born at Switzerland (probably at Schopfheim, Lorrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany); died abt 1724 [Death record shows parents Johann Georg and Catharina with Johann Abraham Zaeher]
21 Oct 1726 dau Rosina Barbara ZAHER born at Switzerland (probably at Schopfheim, Lorrach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) (Wurttemburg Church record, p.62 lists Rosina Barbara Zaher baptism (doc)]
24 Aug 1750 Johann Georg ZAHER immigrated on ship Brothers to Philadelphia; brought wife and son Johannes (1710-1800); appears to have first lived in 1750 Lancaster Co, PA and is identified as John Zear of York Co PA and Pipe Creek Brethren Church, Frederick/Carroll Co MD. Moved to Rowan, NC before he died. [EHMANN, KARL. Die Auswanderung in die Neuengland-Staaten aus Orten des Enzkreises im 18. Jahrhundert. (Suedwestdeutsche Blaetter fuer Familien- und Wappenkunde, special supplement, 1977.) p.19 lists Johann Georg Zerr arrival 1750] [STRASSBURGER, RALPH BEAVER. Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808. Edited by William John Hinke. Norristown [PA]: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934. 3 vols. Vols. 1 and 3 reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1964. Repr. 1983. Vol. 1. 1727-1775. P.437 lists Johann Georg Zerr arrival 1750 at Philadelphia]
nd Maria Catharine PALINKAS died
1752 Johann Georg ZAHER died in Euphrata, PA {I believe people have mis-identified the death location as Rowan, NC; this is appropriate for his son Johann Georg ZAHER Jr but I believe the correct death location for Johann George Sr. is Euphrata, Pennsylvania; he did not live long enough to settle in PA and then move to NC} Ralph Beaver Strassburger & William John Hinke (editor); Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808; Norristown, Penn., Pennsylvania German Society: 1934; Vol. 1, Pages 436-437. The Ship Brothers Passenger List Rotterdam to Philadelphia 24 August 1750; List 152 C; At the Court House at Philadelphia, Friday, the 24th August, 1750. Present: Thomas Lawrence, Esquire, Mayor. The Foreigners whose Names are underwritten, imported in the Ship Brothers, Captn Muir, from Rotterdam & last from Cowes, did this day take & subscribe the usual Oaths. By List 90. 198 Whole Freights. 271 Persons: Johann Georg Zerr