This family never became large. Many Swiss migrants disliked Germany and found the opportunities lacking. The children or grandchildren of these migrants, disconnected from their homeland, often migrated again. So it was with Heinrich Zumbrun, person #8 in the genealogy below.

1. Founder of the Zumbrunnen family in Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Around the early-to-mid 1600s, two Zumbrunnen men appear to have lived in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany (at the time, this was the Duchy of Württemberg, a part of the Holy Roman Empire) which was immediately to the north of Switzerland. They were likely born near the end of the Thirty Years’ War. The war devastated this region of Germany. When the war ended, many migrants were needed to rebuild. There’s no evidence the family has early roots in Germany, so the unknown founder was likely a Swiss emigrant who came at the end of the war or the beginning of the rebuilding process.

His children were:
  +  2  i.   Johann Zumbrunnen was born about 1645.
  +  3  ii.  Johann Heinrich Zumbrunnen was born about 1648.

2. Johann Zumbrunnen(Son of Founder) was born about 1645. His name is attested to on both children’s marriage certificates.

His children were:
  +  4  i.  Johann Peter Zumbrunnen was born about 1678 and died about 1727 naer Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg about age 49.
  +  5  ii. Balthasar Zumbrunnen was born in Walthann.

 
3. Johann Heinrich Zumbrunnen(Son of Founder) was born about 1648. His name is known from the marriage certificates of his children. The ages of his children suggest he was likely a younger brother of Johann Zumbrunnen.

His children were:
  +  6  i.  Johann Jacob Zumbrunn was born about 1690.
      7  ii. Anna Catharina Zumbrunn was born about 1690. Anna married Johann Melchior Eckstein on 11 Jun 1713 in Marbach, Neckarkreis, Württemberg.

4. Johann Peter Zumbrunnen(Son of Johann, Founder) was born about 1678 and died about 1727 near Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg about age 49. He married Anna Ursula Schens, daughter of Georg Schens, on 26 Aug 1715 near Crailsheim. Anna Ursula was born about 1683, died in 1756 about age 73, and was buried on 26 Dec 1756 near Crailsheim.

Children from this marriage were:
  +  8  i.   Heinrich Zumbrun or Johann Heinrich Zumbrunnen was born in 1717 near Crailsheim, immigrated to Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 1754, and died before 1799 in Pennsylvania or Maryland.
  +  9  ii.  Johann Georg Zumbrunnen was born about 1720 near Crailsheim.
     10  iii. Anna Maria Magdalena Zumbrunnen or Magdalena Zumbrunn was born on 5 Feb 1724 near Crailsheim. A Magdalena Zumbrunn was the sponsor of a baptism at her brother’s church in Berks County, Pennsylvania, suggesting that she may have immigrated with her oldest brother, or followed him a few years later.

 
5. Balthasar Zumbrunn(Johann, Founder) was born near Crailsheim. Marriage records of his children say that he worked as a tailor. Balthasar married Barbara Enzlöhners on 1 May 1722 near Crailsheim.

Children from this marriage were:
      11  i.  Catharina Barbara Zumbrunnen was born in 1722. Catharina married Johann Georg Schörrler on 16 Jun 1750 in Speyer, Bavaria.
      12  ii. Georg Michael Zumbrunn was born about 1727, died on 18 Aug 1728 about age 1, and was buried on 19 Aug 1728 near Crailsheim.

Balthasar next married Anna Barbara Hofmann on 5 Aug 1734 near Crailsheim.

Children from this marriage were:
      13  i.   Georg Michael Zumbrunn was born in 1736. Georg married Regina Stechhöfer on 4 Dec 1785 in Ansbach St Johannis, Bavaria. No known children.
  +  14  ii.  Johann Georg Zumbrunn was born in 1739 in near Crailsheim, died on 26 Apr 1806 at age 67, and was buried on 28 Apr 1806 in Kirchberg (Oa. Gerabronn), Württemberg. Birth years suggest he was a twin.
      15  iii. Johann Christian Zumbrunn was born in 1739. Johann married Anna Maria Brand on 16 Dec 1768 in Ansbach, Bayern, Deutschland. No known children.
 
 
6. Johann Jacob Zumbrunn (Johann Heinrich, Founder)was born about 1690. Johann married Anna Judith Grampp daughter of Johann Jerg Grampp, on 26 Jul 1711 in Marbach, Neckarkreis, Wuerttemberg.

Children from this marriage were:
      16  i.   Margretha Dorothea Zumbrunnen was born in 1712.
      17  ii.  Anna Elisabetha Zumbrunn was born in 1715.
      18  iii. Johann Jacob Zumbrunn was born in 1717.
 
 

8. Heinrich Zumbrun(Johann Peter, Johann, Founder)was born in 1717 or 1718 near Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg and died before 1799 in Pennsylvania or Maryland. His full name was Johann Heinrich Zumbrunnen but records suggest he primarily used the name Heinrich Zumbrun.

Heinrich married Maria Eva Lehr, daughter of Sebastian and Anna Lehr, on 22 Apr 1749 in Schwegenheim, Germersheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Records suggest she mostly used the name Eva. Eva was born about 1720 in Schwegenheim. She previously had married Johann David Degen who died in 1748. They had one daughter, Anna Barbara Degen.

Heinrich and Eva had three children in Schwegenheim:
      19  i.   Anna Dorothea Zumbrunn was born on 22 Jan 1750 in Schwegenheim.
      20  ii.  Johann Andreas Zumbrunn was born on 31 Oct 1751 in Schwegenheim, died on 20 Aug 1753 in Schwegenheim, at age 1, and was buried on 21 Aug 1753.
  +  21  iii. Apollonia Zumbrunn was born Nov 1753 in Schwegenheim, died on 18 Oct 1821 at age 67, and was buried in Ladiesburg, Frederick County, Maryland.

In 1754, Heinrich and Eva left Schwegenheim, traveled to Rotterdam, and sailed to Philadelphia aboard the ship “Brothers.” They arrived in Philadelphia on 30 Sep 1754, where ship records list Heinrich as 36-years-old and in good health. Genealogies saying Heinrich died in 1754 are erroneous. Heinrich and Eva had three or four children in America. The last known record of Heinrich comes in 1761 when he receives payment from the estate of Johann Leicht, administered by Balthasar Ream and Anna Catherine Leicht. A Balthasar Ream also traveled to America on the ship “Brothers.”

They had four more children:

  +  22  iv.  Johann Zumbrun was born in the 1750s. A very muddled oral history suggests he could have been born on the ship. He died in 1819 in Taneytown, Carroll, Maryland.
      23  v.   Catharina Zumbrun was born on 1 Dec 1755. She was baptized 19 Dec 1755 at Zions Moselem Lutheran Church in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Sponsors were Balthasar Ream and Anna Catherine. (This appears to be the same Balthasar Ream, mentioned above, who traveled on the ship Brothers.) It’s unknown what became of her.
      24  vi.  Anna Dorothea Zumbrun was born on 8 Feb 1759. She was baptized 18 Mar 1759 at Zions Moselem Lutheran Church in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Sponsors were Johann Wolfgang Mohring and Anna Maria. (Johann Wolfgang Mohring also immigrated to America on the ship “Brothers.”) It’s unknown what became of her. She appears named after her older sister who likely died young.
      25  vii. Anna Elizabetha Zumbrun was born on 7 Dec 1760. She was baptized 29 Mar 1761 at Zions Moselem Lutheran Church in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Sponsor was Andreas Frey. It’s unknown what became of her.
 
 
9. Johann Georg Zumbrunnen(Johann Peter, Johann, Founder) was born about 1720 near Crailsheim. He married Maria Elisabetha Kayser on 23 Mar 1756 in Mariäkappel, Württemberg, Deutschland.

The child from this marriage was:
  +  26  i. Anna Barbara Zumbrun was born on 26 May 1760 and died on 11 Nov 1824 at age 64.
 
 
14. Johann Georg Zumbrunn(Balthasar, Johann, Founder) was born in 1739 near Crailsheim, baptised 10 Jan 1740, and died on 26 Apr 1806 at age 67, and was buried on 28 Apr 1806 in Kirchberg (Oa. Gerabronn), Württemberg, Germany. Johann married Anna Magdalena Balbach on 2 May 1781 near Crailsheim. Anna was born on 7 Jun 1745 in Weikersweiler, died on 13 Nov 1818 at age 73, and was buried on 1 Dec 1818 in Gerabronn, Kirchberg u. Oa, Württemberg.

The child from this marriage was:
      27  i. Johann Michael Zumbrunn was born on 4 Mar 1783 in Kirchberg, died on 28 Feb 1854 at age 70, and was buried on 2 Mar 1854 in Wiesenbach, Württemberg. Johann married Eva Magdalena Weinbrennerin on 27 Apr 1819 in Gerabronn, Kirchberg u. Oa, Württemberg, Deutschland. Eva was born on 2 Oct 1774, died on 20 Jan 1849 at age 74, and was buried on 22 Jan 1849 in Wiesenbach, Württemberg.
 
 

21. Apollonia Zumbrunn(Heinrich, Johann Peter, Johann, Founder) was born in Nov 1753 in Schwegenheim, baptized 25 Nov 1753 in Schwegenheim, died on 18 Oct 1821 at age 67, and was buried in Ladiesburg, Frederick County, Maryland.

Apollonia married Christian Schmidt. Christian was born in 1754, died on 15 Sep 1825 at age 71, and was buried in Ladiesburg, Frederick County, Maryland. Their burial place in Ladiesburg is no more than half a mile from the farm of her brother Johann, suggesting they moved to Frederick County together. They gradually anglicized their name from Schmidt to Smith.

Christian and Apollonia appear as sponsors for a number of baptisms at the Rocky Hill Grace Lutheran Church in Frederick: Elisabeth Roesler on 27 Nov 1785, Maria Fuchs on 24 Aug 1788, Abraham Ernst on 8 Sep 1793, Abraham Lock on 24 Sep 1794, and Thomas Eder on 24 Sep 1797.

The names of Christian and Apollonia’s children are established in the probate records of Christian’s estate in 1825.

Children from this marriage were:
      28  i.   Elizabeth Smith was born on 4 Oct 1780, died on 11 Mar 1816 in Ladiesburg, Frederick, Maryland, at age 35, and was buried in Ladiesburg. Elizabeth married John Rheam, son of George and Catherine Ream, on 27 Mar 1812 in Frederick County, Maryland. John was born on 7 Nov 1787 died on 25 Jun 1853 in Carroll County, Maryland, at age 65, and was buried in Union Bridge, Maryland.
      29  ii.  Mary Smith was born on 26 Nov 1792, died on 30 Sep 1863 at age 70, and was buried in Johnsville, Maryland. Mary married Henry Repp. Henry was born on 12 Oct 1792 in Maryland, died on 13 Jul 1874 at age 81, and was buried in Johnsville, Maryland.
      30  iii. William Smith died before 1825. Christian’s will says that William has died and gives his share of the estate to William’s (unidentified) children.
      31  iv.  Solomon Smith was born about 1780 in Maryland. Solomon married Margaret Ream, daughter of George and Catherine Ream. Margaret died on 3 Mar 1824 in Ladiesburg, Maryland.
      32  v.   Phillip Smith was born about 1780 in Frederick, Maryland and moved to Kentucky.
      33  vi.  Susanna Schmidt was born on 4 Dec 1788, died on 10 Apr 1839 at age 50, and was buried in Ladiesburg, Maryland. Susanna married Jacob Repp on 13 May 1811 in Frederick County, Maryland. Jacob was born on 8 Aug 1785.
      34  vii. Samuel Schmidt was born on 6 Dec 1790 in Frederick County, Maryland, and died about 1827 in Frederick County, Maryland, about age 37.
 
 
22. Johann Zumbrun (Heinrich, Johann Peter, Johann, Founder) was born about 1755 and died in 1819 in Taneytown, Carroll, Maryland. His name is said in many genealogies to be Johann Heinrich Zumbrun, although I haven’t yet found a record proving this.

In 1783 Johann purchased a 10-acre farm in Frederick County, Maryland named “Shoemaker’s Lot.” He also acquired farms named “Brotherly Love,” “Brooks Discovery on the Rich Lands,” “Brooks Second Discovery on the Rich Lands,” “Ebon Forest,” “Neglect” and “Watson’s Delight.” At his death, his land holdings totaled about 250 acres. He was a deacon at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Taneytown, Maryland. He appears in the 1790, 1800 and 1810 Census.

Johann married Maria Elizabeth Angel daughter of Philip Charles Angel and Juliana Reneker, in 1773. Maria was born on 6 Oct 1754 in Frederick County, Maryland, and died on 21 Jan 1821 in Taneytown, Carroll, Maryland, at age 66. She appears in the 1820 Census as “Widow Zumbrun.”

Johann was the only son of Heinrich who lived to adulthood. He is the ancestor of nearly all Zumbruns and Zumbrums (and some Zumbrunns) living in America today. He had 10 children, with Zumbrun (m, nn) descendants coming from just four: Henry, George, David and Jacob.

Children from this marriage were:
      35  i.    John Zumbrun was born in 1775 and died in 1824 in Frederick, Maryland, United States at age 49. John married Catharine Stimmel. Catharine was born on 25 Jun 1777, died on 25 Jan 1846 in Greenville, Darke, Ohio at age 68, and was buried in Darke County, Ohio. His widow moved the family to Darke County, Ohio in about 1833. He has many living descendants, but none named Zumbrun.
      36  ii.   Charles Zumbrun was born in 1776 and died after 1840. Charles married Rebecca Rheam, daughter of George and Catherine Ream on 12 Mar 1821 in Frederick County, Maryland. Rebecca was born on 13 Aug 1793. He married relatively late in life, and appears to have had no children.
      37  iii.  Henry Zumbrun was born on 25 Jan 1783 in Frederick, Maryland, died on 4 Apr 1857 in Darke County, Ohio, at age 74, and was buried in Montgomery County, Ohio. Henry married Susanna Ream, daughter of George and Catherine Ream. Susanna was born on 28 Mar 1779 in Frederick County, Maryland, died on 6 Apr 1840 in Montgomery County, Ohio, at age 61, and was buried in Montgomery County, Ohio. Henry and Susanna have a very large number of Zumbrun descendants who largely live/lived in Ohio and Indiana. One branch of their descendants adopted the spelling Zumbrum.
      38  iv.   Mary Magdalena Zumbrun was born in 1784 in Maryland, died before 1870, and was buried in Schellsburg, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Mary married Jacob Hiteshew. Jacob was born in 1780 in Frederick County, Maryland, died in 1840 in Napier, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, at age 60, and was buried in Schellsburg, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. They have a large number of living descendants.
      39  v.    George Zumbrun was born on 24 Aug 1787 in Frederick, Maryland, and died on 30 Oct 1865 in Kuhns Trotwood Cem, Madison, Ohio, United States at age 78. George married Susanna Myers, daughter of John George and Anna Maria Myers, on 6 Jun 1815. Susanna was born about 1792 in Maryland. They have at least some descendants.
      40  vi.   Elizabeth Zumbrun was born on 31 Dec 1790 in Fredrick Co, Maryland, died on 28 Sep 1868 in Clyde, Sandusky, Ohio, at age 77, and was buried in Clyde, Sandusky, Ohio. Elizabeth married Daniel William Rife on 8 May 1811 in Frederick County, Maryland. Daniel was born about 1786, died on 11 Oct 1841 in York Twp, Ohio, about age 55, and was buried in Clyde, Sandusky County, Ohio. For now, I’m not sure if they have any living descendants.
      41  vii.  David Zumbrun was born on 1 Oct 1791 in Taneytown, Frederick Co, Maryland, died on 2 Mar 1863 in York County, Pennsylvania, at age 71, and was buried in Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania. David married Elizabeth Myers, daughter of John George and Anna Maria Myers. Elizabeth was born on 19 Nov 1794 in Carroll County, died on 22 Oct 1872 in York County, at age 77, and was buried in Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania. David and Elizabeth have a very large number of descendants. Many largely lived around the area of York, Pennsylvania.
      42  viii. Jacob Zumbrun was born on 13 Jul 1793 in Taneytown, Frederick, Maryland, died on 13 Sep 1868 in Taneytown, Frederick, Maryland, at age 75, and was buried in Taneytown, Carroll County, Maryland. Jacob married Margaret Cornell on 30 Oct 1815 in Frederick County, Maryland. Margaret was born on 16 May 1794 in Maryland, died on 16 Jan 1852 at age 57, and was buried on 18 Jan 1852 in Taneytown, Carroll County, Maryland. Their children mostly lived in Maryland and Nebraska. They had many descendants, some of whom use the spelling Zumbrunn.
      43  ix.   Daniel Zumbrun was born on 20 Sep 1795 and died before 1800.
      44  x.    Juliana Zumbrun was born on 7 Oct 1802 in Taneytown, Frederick, Maryland, United States,(122) died on 26 Jun 1879 in Taneytown, Frederick, Maryland, at age 76, and was buried in Taneytown, Carroll County, Maryland. Juliana married Gideon Hiteshew on 12 Dec 1820 in Frederick County, Maryland. Gideon was born in 1794 in Maryland, died on 9 Apr 1865 at age 71, and was buried in Taneytown, Carroll County, Maryland. They had at least some descendants.
 
 
26. Anna Barbara Zumbrun (Johann Georg, Johann Peter, Johann, Founder) was born on 26 May 1760 and died on 11 Nov 1824 at age 64. Anna married Johann Friederich Munz. Johann was born on 7 Sep 1760 and died on 15 Apr 1826 at age 65. They lived in Honhard, Germany. She was the first cousin of Apollonia (#21 above) and Johann (#22). If they kept in touch with any relatives in Germany, she would have been their closest Zumbrun relative, possibly the only first cousin on the paternal side of their family.

Children from this marriage were:
      45  i.   Johann Michael Hofmann was born on 22 Jul 1787 and died on 30 Aug 1817 at age 30.
      46  ii.  Georg Friedrich Munz was born on 13 Jan 1793.
      47  iii. Katharina Barbara Münz was born on 25 Dec 1802.

Sources
More information on the sources used in this genealogy are available here.

• Known Records of Heinrich Zumbrun and Maria Eva Lehr
• The Zumbrunnen Family in Lutheran Church Records in Baden-Württemberg
• The Last Will and Testament of Johann Zumbrun
• The Passenger List and Records for the Ship “Brothers”
  

I’ve since learned, however, that in fact at least 8 different groups of our extended family had arrived in the U.S. by the late 1800s. Here’s an overview of these different immigrations, when and where they initially settled, and the different permutations of how people spell the name. This page is a work in progress, so if you have any more information on any of these families, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Group One: Heinrich Zumbrun from Schwegenheim to Philadelphia

Heinrich Zumbrun (b. 1717) and family arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship “Brothers” in 1754. This family had lived in Schwegenheim, Germany before immigration, though Heinrich was born in Crailsheim. His family initially settled in Berks County, Pa., before moving to Frederick County, Md. Over the course of the 1800s they mostly lived in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Indiana.

Heinrich was born Zumbrunnen, his family shortened the spelling to Zumbrunn while living in Germany and he used Zumbrun in America. His children and grandchildren also spelled the name Zumbrun. Most of his living descendants use the spelling Zumbrun but one branch in Pennsylvania and one in Ohio adopted the spelling Zumbrum. Most, but not all, people who spell the name Zumbrun or Zumbrum are descended from Heinrich. One branch of Heinrich’s family also changed the spelling back to Zumbrunn (but most people named Zumbrunn are descended from one of the immigrants below). As far as I know, none of Heinrich’s descendants use the Zumbrunnen spelling.

Group Two: Jacob ZumBrunnen family from Zweisimmen to Wisconsin

Nearly 100 years after Heinrich arrived on the ship “Brothers”, Jacob ZumBrunnen (b. 1802-1869) of Zweisimmen, Switzerland (in the Bernese Highlands region) immigrated to the U.S. He arrived in New York on 4 Oct 1852 aboard the ship “Gallia” and his family almost immediately immigrated to Green County, Wisconsin.

He had 5 sons and nearly 30 grandsons. One of his sons, Gottlieb ZumBrunnen, served in the Civil War (I’m working on a post on the Zumbrun/Zumbrunnen family in the Civil War). There’s no evidence that Jacob had any ties to the Zumbrun family that had arrived nearly a century earlier. This ZumBrunnen family was, however, related to several of the groups that followed (including Groups 3, 5 and 6).

This branch largely used the spellings Zum Brunnen/ZumBrunnen or zumBrunnen/zum Brunnen.

Group Three: Several Zumbrunnen families to Ohio

This is the most complicated group and I haven’t figured out all their relationships.

In the 1860s and 1870s, a string of Zumbrunnens migrated from Switzerland to Ohio. The first seems to be a John Zumbrunnen (b. 1832-1907) who immigrated in 1862 and settled in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. His obituary says he was from Canton Bern and that he had a brother who lives in Indiana. The brother appears to be Rudolf Zumbrunnen (b. 1842-1922) who immigrated in 1874, and Census Records show settled in De Kalb, Indiana. (Immigration dates according to Census records, I don’t know at this point what ships they traveled on.)

The cemetery in which John is buried has an Elizabeth Bemunger Zumbrunnen (1804-1877) who is presumably his mother. Marriage records in Switzerland say an Elizabeth Baenninger, from the town of Embrach, near Zurich was married to a Johann Zumbrum of the town of Wimmis.

These two brothers appear to also be connected to Anton Zumbrunnen (1813-1890) of Zweisimmen who immigrated to the U.S. with sons Jacob (1844-1931) and Anton (1856-1917). I believe Anton was a second cousin of the Zumbrunnen family that immigrated to Wisconsin. Anton’s oldest son Jacob applied for his passport on the same day in 1869 as Christian Zumbrunnen (1849-1924), with both listing Aeschi bei Spiez as home town. (These towns of Wimmis, Aeschi and Zweisimmen are all just a few miles from each other in the Bernese Highlands).

Christian and Jacob appear to have immigrated together, suggesting that they too may have been relatives. Jacob Zumbrunnen is listed as a passenger on a ship named “City of Dublin” that arrived in New York on May 7, 1869. It’s likely he sailed with Christian and it’s possible that others of the group traveled on this ship, but I don’t have proof.

Finally, a John Zumbrunnen (1850-1917) arrived 15 Mar 1892 aboard the ship “La Normandie,” also settling in Alliance, Ohio, suggesting some sort of relation to the others.

Most descendants of this family use the spelling Zumbrunnen, but Jacob sometimes went as Jacob Brunner, and some of his descendants used the name Brunner, instead of Zumbrunnen.

Group 4: Johann Zumbrunn family from Ringgenberg to Nebraska

Johann Zumbrunn (1827-1903) immigrated from Ringgenberg, Switzerland to Platte County, Nebraska, with at least four sons: John, Peter, Christian and Mathias. They arrived 26 Mar 1874 in New York aboard the ship
“Westphalia.” Their genealogical connection to the rest of the family is unclear.

His family had already shortened the name to Zumbrunn in Switzerland and his descendants use that spelling.

Group 5: Albrecht Suter Zumbrunnen from Zweisimmen to Idaho
Albrecht Suter Zumbrunnen (1841-1919), the son of Albrecht Suter and Catherina Zumbrunnen, immigrated to Idaho in 1877. He and his wife Martha (or Magdalena) Kunz had 9 children, at least some of whom were born in Switzerland. I don’t know why he would have used his mother’s surname as his own, and only used his father’s surname as a middle name. This family settled near Bear Lake, Idaho. Albrecht was a distant cousin (I think a fourth cousin) of the Zumbrunnens who immigrated to Wisconsin and Ohio in Groups 2, 3 and 6.

Some of his descendants used the spelling Zumbrunnen but others use Zumbrennen.

Group 6: Gottfried and Christian Zumbrunn families from Zweisimmen to Kansas

Gottfried (1853-1916) and Christian Zumbrunn (1850-1944), apparently brothers and possibly the sons of Christian Zumbrunnen (1821-1904) of Zweisimmen, Switzerland arrived together in New York on 12 May 1880 aboard the ship “Labrador.” They almost immediately settled in Geary, Kansas. They are distant cousins of Groups 2, 3, and 5. (Fourth cousins to each.)

They appear to have shortened their name from Zumbrunnen to Zumbrunn upon arrival, and their descendants use that spelling.

Group 7: Gottfried Emanuel Zumbrunnen family from Erlenbach im Simmental to Utica, New York

Gottfried Emanuel Zumbrunnen (1837-99), married to Susanna Katharina Abbuehl, immigrated in the 1880s to Utica, New York, with children Gottfried “Fred” (b. 1867), Gottlieb (b. 1873-1954), Louise (b. 1870-1957) and Albert (b. 1875-1945). There were originally from the town Erlenbach im Simmental, also in the Bernese Highlands. A large group of 9 Zumbrunns arrived aboard the ship “Canada” in 1880, possibly this family.

They shortened the spelling to Zumbrun upon arrival and descendants of this family continue to use that spelling.

Group 8: Albert Zumbrunn family from Switzerland to Nebraska
Albert Zumbrunn (b. 1847-1916) arrived 4 Apr 1883 in New York on the ship “Canada” and quickly immigrated to Thurston, Nebraska. His genealogical connection to the rest of the family is unclear but he is possibly related to Group 8 as they both traveled on different voyages of the ship “Canada” and both have the name Albert in the family, but this is just circumstantial. It’s also possible that he’s connected to group 4 who also immigrated to Nebraska, although these parts of Nebraska are about 100 miles apart.

Albert changed his name to Zumbrum upon arrival, and his descendants spell the name Zumbrum.

While at this point we know almost nothing about Johann’s early life, we know from this document that he became a prosperous farmer in northern Maryland, owning about 240 acres of farmland. His farms had been given colorful names: “Brotherly Love,” “Brooks Discovery on the Rich Lands,” “Brooks Second Discovery on the Rich Lands,” “Ebon Forest,” “Neglect” and “Watson’s Delight.”

The original is handwritten and in places very difficult to read, so I have transcribed it below!

Most of his will seems fairly typical. His wife Maria Elizabeth Angel is given about one-third of his land and possessions. His remaining land and possessions are directed to be sold and split among his 9 surviving children, with one key exception.

It seems Johann Zumbrun did not care for his son-in-law Jacob Hiteshew, who had married his daughter Magdalena. Johann didn’t want to cut Magdalena out of his will entirely, but apparently wanted to keep Jacob’s hands off his money. He specifies in his will that her share of the inheritance was to be held in trust for as long as Jacob Hiteshew was alive, and only after Jacob died would she receive her ninth of the inheritance. Ouch.

His entire will is transcribed below. In addition to the colorful farm names, and the revealed bit of family drama, it’s amusing to read that era’s legalese.

In the name of God, Amen. John Zumbrun of Frederick County and State of Maryland, being indisposed and weak in body, but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding; and considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time thereof and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world where it shall please God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this, my last will and testament, in manner and form following.

That is to say first and principally, I commit my soul into the hands of the Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named, and after my debts and funeral charts are paid, I devise and bequeath as follows; __

I give and bequeath to my dear and beloved wife Elizabeth during her natural life the farm or tract of land on which I now live, being part of a tract of land called “Brotherly Love” and part of “Brooks Discovery on the Rich Lands” and part of “Ebon Forest”  and part of “Neglect” the whole containing about eighty acres of land, more or less, and after my said wife’s decease it is my will and pleasure that the said tract of land be sold at public auction by my Executor hereinafter named or the survivor of them as soon after my decease as conveniently may be, and the proceeds of the sale thereof to be divided, and disposed of as hereinafter directed.__

Items, I give and bequeath unto my said wife, one good feather bed bedstead and bedding, two hogs, two cows, two sheep, all the poultry and one third of the proceeds of all other my personal property, which said personal property, I hereby request and direct shall be sold at public sale by my said Executors or the survivors of them it being however my express wish and intention and do so declare it that the aforesaid gifts and bequests to my said wife are to be considered and understood as being instead and in lieu of the dower or thirds which she my said wife is or may be entitled, to by law of in or to my estate both real and personal.__

And whereas I am possessed of and siezed in fee of in and to one other tract of land lying and being also in the Country and State aforesaid being part of a tract of land called “Brookes Discovery on the Rich Lands” and part of “Brookes Second Discovery on the Rich Lands” and part of “Watson’s Delight,” containing about one hundred and sixty acres of land more or less. It is my will and pleasure that the same be sold by my executors or either of them herein after named at public auction as soon as conveniently can be after my decease and the proceeds of the sale thereof to be divided and disposed of as hereinafter directed to wit.__

I give and bequeath to each of my children John Zumbrun, Charles Zumbrun, Henry Zumbrun, George Zumbrun, David Zumbrun, Betsy Zumbrun, Jacob Zumbrun and Julia Zumbrun, one equal ninth part of the sale of the two tracts of land as aforesaid described and directed to be sold, and one equal ninth part of the proceeds of the sale of all and singular the rest of my personal property not herein before disposed of.

Items I give and bequeath unto my daughter Magdaline Hiteshew, wife of Jacob Hiteshew, one equal ninth part of the proceeds of the sale of the two tracts of land above described and directed to be sold, and one equal ninth part of the proceeds of the sale of all and singular the rest of my personal property not herein before disposed of, during her life only and after her death the whole to her children to be equally divided among them but under this express condition nevertheless that my daughter Magdalena’s ninth part shall be held in trust by my executors or the survivor of them for her use and shall be and remain in their or his hands or such person or persons as they shall deem proper and interest and the profits thereof during his the said Jacob Hiteshew’s life, to be paid over to the said Magdalena Hiteshew, and her receipts and discharges therefor to my executors shall be good and sufficient.

The signature on his will. He used English “John Zumbrun” in his will, land records, and the Census, but it’s interesting that for his signature he still used the German spelling Johannes.

And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my worthy friend Abraham Null and my beloved son Jacob Zumbrun executors of this my last will and testament. hereby authorizing and empowering my said executors, the two aforesaid tracts of land and property as above described, according to the terms and conditions and meaning of these presents to sell dispose of grant and convey in fee to such person or persons and on such terms and conditions as they in their judgments and discretion shall think fit and expedient, hereby allowing to them my said executors for their services such sum or sums to be had and made out of my property as may be thought reasonable and just.In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this thirtieth day of October in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Nineteen–

Johannes Zumbrun { seal }

Three men signed the will as witnesses.

Signed, sealed, published and declared by John Zumbrun the above named Testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witness thereto–

Geo. Price
John Gillette
Whilit Millness (?)

John Zumbrun signed this will on October 30 of 1819, and by December 6th of that year had died. The Register of Wills includes the following note along with his will.

Frederick County to wit;

On the 6th day of December 1819, there came Abraham Null & Jacob Zumbrun and made Oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that the foregoing instrument of writing is the true, whole will and testament of John Zumbrun, late of Frederick County deceased, that hath come to their hands and possession and that they do not know of any other.

Henry Steiner, Register of Wills

Source: from the Maryland Register of Wills, 1629-1999, Frederick County Wills 1816-1822, Volume 2, Page 304

Some questions for further research

• Was this largely legal boilerplate or did Johann write this himself from scratch?
• What can we learn about Jacob Hiteshew that might reveal why he was so detested?
• Where exactly were these farms “Brotherly Love,” “Brooks Discovery on the Rich Lands,” “Brooks Second Discovery on the Rich Lands,” “Ebon Forest,” “Neglect” and “Watson’s Delight”?
• Could “Brotherly Love” possibly be a reference to the ship “Brothers,” on which Johann’s father Heinrich Zumbrun immigrated to the United States?