welcome

This website pertains to the genealogy research of my 5th great-grandparents:

  • Ernest Mann born Ernst Christian Menge about 1732 in Germany, probably in the village of Soedel (Södel) in the German state of Hesse, emigrated to Philadelphia with his brothers in 1754, married first Catharina Klockner, and then Maria Magdalena Sommer, settled in Oxford, Sussex, New Jersey where he died in 1813
  • Maria Magdalena Sommer, born about 1749 in Freistett, Baden, Germany, daughter of Georg Sommer (aka George Summers) and Anna Barbara Rub, emigrated to Philadelphia in 1752, married to Ernst Menge in 1766, children include Salome "Sarah" (Oliver), Ernest Mann (m. Catharina Cruts), Mary "Jane" (Kitchen), John (m. Agnes Unk.), Anna (Picker), Peter (m. Mary Hummer), and David (m. Sarah Allison).

I am related to the line of Ernest Mann and Catharina Cruts who migrated to Oakland and Macomb counties in Michigan in the 1830s. There were, however, several other Mann and Sommer relations who made the trek to Michigan! I am happy to correspond with anybody who might be connected with these family lines!

Posted on April 1, 2014

My Research Goals for 2017

  • Continue research of Martin Summers of Oxford, PA - can he be established as grandson of Mathias Sommer? Also continue to look for any trace of his descendants - if they exist, they are related to the Somers family of New Brunswick.
  • Continue research on descendants of Martin Summers, youngest Freistett brother.
  • Look more into two Summers lines that appear to have some DNA connections to the Sommer Freistett family, namely James Summers b. abt 1812 and m. Elizabeth Hardin and lived in Wood County, West Virginia (then Virginia), and Michael Summers, m. Molly Acker and resided in Rockingham County, Virginia. Neither line can currently be traced to the Freistett brothers who emigrated to PHL, but there are at least two brothers, Mathias and Martin, whose descendants are not yet completely accounted for.

Posted on July 9, 2017

My Research Goals for 2016

  • *** DONE. Keep an eye open for more evidence that the oldest Freistett brother, Matthias, came to America just ahead of his younger brothers. Was Martin Summers of Oxford, PA associated with this line of the family (and thus to us)?
  • *** Still open, ongoing. Keep an eye open for any evidence that explains why Martin Sommer 1729-1799 was living near the well-to-do David Rittenhouse in PHL before his death.
  • *** Still open, ongoing. Continue to keep an eye open for the descendants of Martin's sons, Martin Summers 1770-1811 and George Summers 1777-1810.
  • *** Half Done - SAR responds to corrections, DAR apparently does not. Contact DAR/SAR to see about updating records pertaining to certain Sommer's who participated in the Revolution.
  • *** Still open, ongoing. Look into Jacob Braun/Brown a bit more; he was somehow connected to the Freistett Sommer family.
  • *** DONE. Look into Jacob Sommer of Tinicum (PA) - have not previously accounted for him in my studies of Men Named Jacob.

Posted on January 16, 2016

My Research Goals for 2015

  • *** Still open. Visited Milford, MI in August, 2015 but did not find any definitive evidence to make further connections. Moved to my Open Questions list.*** Further establish (or not) that John Mann, son of Ernst Menge and Maria Magdalena Summers, lived for awhile in Luzerne county, PA, but then later joined the migration of Mann and Sommer families who went to Michigan (Oakland and Macomb counties). He had other Mann descendants who also lived in Michigan.
  • *** DONE. Jacob Sommer of Moreland was the son of John Sommer of Freistett. *** Further establish (or not) Judge Jacob Sommer of Byberry/Moreland, PA was the son of John Sommer who was the brother of Georg Sommer, both from Freistett.
  • *** DONE. The Summers family of Michigan descends only from Georg Sommer of Freistett, although they are cousins of (some) Sommer families in PHL. *** Further establish (or not) whether any of the Sommer's in Michigan, specifically Jacob Sommer 2d, have connections back to the Sommer's who stayed in PHL.

Posted on January 9, 2015