St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Ft. Loramie, Shelby County, Ohio

St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Ft. Loramie, Shelby County, Ohio
(aka St. Michael Catholic Church)


Ft. Loramie (originally known as Berlin, then Village of Loramies, then Loramie and finally Ft. Loramie)

Photo taken 2009 by DSR

and the

LEHMANN FAMILY


by Audrey (Lehmann-Shields) Hancock


Photo 2009 by DEH


About 1828 Michel [Michael] Lehmann and Marie Madeleine [Mary Magdelena / Helena] Biam and one Joseph Lehmann (perhaps a cousin) left their French fatherland. They said good-bye to their immediate and extended family in Schirrhein, Bas-Rhin (Alsace) France (aka Schirrheim, Germany) and set forth probably along with other family members, friends, and acquaintances to start a new life. They would become the immigrant ancestors of our LEHMANN (aka LEHMAN) family in Ohio.

Michael and Mary Magdelena along with four of their children (born in Schirrhein) settled in Stark County, Ohio where in 1830 they were enumerated in the U. S. Federal Census as residents of Plain Township. They are found listed in the records of Historic St. John's Catholic Church in Canton, Stark County, Ohio where they apparently worshipped during their sojourn in Stark County and where two of their children were baptized. Later, Michael's brother, Nicolas [Nicholas] Lehmann, who had married Mary Magdelena's sister, Marie Ann Biam, would follow them into the Canton area before moving onto Seneca and Wyandot Counties, Ohio.

Following Michael's taking the Oath of Allegiance for himself and his family in Stark County, where he was listed in Citizenship Records as an "alien" renouncing his allegiance to the King of France, the Lehmann family and others from the area moved to Berlin (later Ft. Loramie) near where before 1794 stood Loramie's station and store. There is controversy concerning the identity of Pierre Loramie as to his being a Jesuit priest and missionary who came to help the Indians or French trader. (Early History... pp. 82-83) Here in 1837 the town of Berlin was surveyed and platted. When incorporated in 1889 Berlin became Loramies or Loramies Village and then in 1912 the town's name was changed to Ft. Loramie, Shelby County, Ohio. Here the LEHMANN family settled and became one of the early pioneers of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish.

Photo 2009 by DEH


St. Michael's was being organized about the same time the LEHMANN family entered the vicinity of Berlin. The parish was organized in 1838 at the home of James M. Pilliod, where it is said the first Mass was held. Father Navarron who served small parishes in Darke County, Mercer County, and Shelby County, celebrated this first Mass. We might assume that during those early years various Catholic families of the hamlet served as hosts for the celebration of Mass in their homes until the log church was built to serve the village's Catholics. It is said that at first Berlin (later Ft. Loramie) was served by a priest or priests from the Society of Precious Blood from the nearby village of Minster. We might also assume that during those early years with only one priest to serve the large area that Mass was held sporadically. It is also likely that when someone died a priest was summoned to inter the deceased and who while there probably baptized children and performed marriages. It is given that the log church remained until 1849, when it was replaced by a 60 by 30 feet brick church with a bell.

Listed among the 54 names of the early pioneers of the parish in Rev. Bigot's book (p. 34) are Michael Lehman(n) and Ignatz Zurcher (aka Zircher). Ignatz was the brother-in-law of Michael Lehman(n). Others carried the surnames of: August, Bernhard, Borger, Broering, Costollo, Dressmann, Dudenhofer, Eilermann, Franke, Henke, Hoffmann, Hotzen, Hummer, Kannaus, Kirner, Kistner, Klöne, Kneufner, Langly, Lulle, Lump, Maier, Martz, Marz, Meckladen, Meistermann, Meyer, Müller, Pille, Pilliod, Ratermann, Ruttges, Schebel, Schell, Schenk, Schilz, Schluter, Schüler, Schulze, Shanding, Sherman, Weisbrod, and Wiemann.

By 1850, construction of a small brick church was underway, and by 1851, Rev. Augustin Berger became its first permanent pastor, then Rev. Henry Muckerheide, and then Rev. Anton Meyer who is credited with an addition to the church and who established a school. Thirty years later, construction had begun on a larger brick church to serve the ever increasing number of parishioners. These new parishioners or sons of the early pioneers carried these surnames: Ahrns, Arkenberg, Arling, Barhorst, Beckman, Benanzer, Borchers, Bramlage, Broering, Brokamp, Brucken, Bushman, Bussing, Daniel, Danzig, Dressman(n), Eilermann, Ernst, Fleckenstein, Fox, Gast, Greven, Gudenkauf, Hesselfeld, Hilgefort, Hoelscher, Holthaus, Inderrieden, Kirner, Kirsch, Koberle, Kruchten, Lehman(n), Lehmkuhl, Lemmel, Meyer, Newberg, Nunlist, Pelster, Pfefferle, Pleiman, Puthoff, Romie, Rottinghaus, Reiger, Rethman, Rottert, Schafer, Schuler, Stang, Stephan, Stockhoff, Tobe, Toller, Utz, Vondrelle, Wachsmuth, Weber, Wehinger, Willman, Wolfe, Wolken, Zurline. (Bigot, p. 35) Among this list is Martin Lehman (sic), s/o Michael Lehmann and Mary Magdelena Biam, who came with his parents to Berlin (Ft. Loramie) in 1838. Among these are probably descendants of other pioneers whose children intermarried. Some of the surnames disappeared from the area, as families sold out, moved onward or died. Many of these early surnames are found listed on the gravestones found in the cemetery adjacent to the church. Some of these names and gravestone photos are found on the old St. Michael Cemetery Find-a-Grave site on the internet.

Photo 2009 by DSR


In 1873, Reverend Wilhelm P. Bigot came to America to serve the parish as its pastor. Before coming to America he served 10 years as pastor in the archdiocese of Köln on the Rhine. In Berlin (Ft. Loramie) he labored among this emerging and developing parish until 1903. He had spent 30 industrious years among the people of the area and his Catholic parishioners. In 1907 Rev. Bigot wrote a comprehensive book in German about the history of St. Michael the Archangel Parish and Berlin and its succession of names as Loramie, Loramie Village and Ft. Loramie. His book Annals of St. Michael's Parish in Loramie (Berlin), Shelby County, Ohio in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati from 1769 to 1838 with Illustrations has been translated into English, and was published in both languages within the publication. At his death he was buried within the grounds of the church and among the people he so faithfully served all those years.

Photo 2009 by DEH


Martin Lehmann, Sr. and Martin Lehmann, Jr. appear on the ca 1890-1903 roster of parishioners. (Bigot, pp. 200-203) Some of the surnames of other parishioners reflect surnames of those deceased pioneers, those found in historical records, those mentioned in the Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial 1837-1987, and those new to the area at that time. We find: Ahrns, Anthony, Arkenberg, Arkenberg, Arling, Arkenberg, Aslage, Barhorst, Barlage, Benanzer, Bender, Bergman, Bollheimer, Borchers, Borger, Bornhorst, Brokamp, Broring, Brucken, Bruns, Buschmann, Cardot, Chessler, Costollo, Daniel, Danzig, Dosak, Dreses, Dressmann, Eilermann, Ernstes, Fleckenstein, Gaier, Garity, Gerling, Greger, Gudenkauf, Hasebrook, Heilers, Henke, Hilgefort, Hinders, Hoger, Hölscher, Holthaus, Holtvogt, Hummer, Imholt, Inderrieden, Kessler, Kirner, Kirsch, Klene, Kleinhenz, Knostman, Knüfberm, Krampe, Klöcker, Lammers, Lauterbur, Lehmkuhl, Lengerich, Lenz, Liening, Menke, Menten, Meyer, Moller, Moormann, Mouger, Müller, Neuberg, Niederkorn, Notheis, Pelster, Pfefferle, Pille, Pleimann, Pöppelmann, Puthoff, Quartmann, Quinlin, Rattermann, Reiber, Reiger, Rethmann, Reuss, Rohenkamp, Rottinghaus, Schäfer, Schilz, Schmidt, Schmitz, Schuler, Schulze, Schürmann, Schlüter, Schwarz, Siegel, Sievering, Spoltmann, Stachler, Stang, Stephan, Stricker, Stürwald, Surmann, Tecklenburg, Terhalle, Tiges, Többe, Tobe, Töller, Uhlmann, Utz, Vocke, Vondrell, Walkup, Weisse, Wendeln, Wilken, Willman, Wolke, Wolken, Wachsmuth, Weichert, Wolf, Wübker, Zürcher, Zurline, Zimmerman, & Zimmermann. Many of these same surnames are inscribed upon the gravestones of both the old & new St. Michael Cemetery.

The "original bells still toll" from its steeple tower, which can be seen from city limits as one enters the town. As in many small towns in the area, they announce the commencement of Mass and the praying of the Angelus.

Photo 2009 by DSR


Today (2009) the church at 33 Elm Street, Ft. Loramie continues to serve and guide the Catholic parishioners of this small town. "The church appears today much as it did 125 years ago with its beautiful carved wood high altar and two side altars." (Website: Welcome)

Her deceased parishioners are buried in the old cemetery adjacent to the church and the new cemetery located just outside the city limits. Among those interred are members of the LEHMANN family including Martin Lehmann, Sr. and his wife, Katharina Reichert; their sons Joseph and Martin, Jr. Martin, Sr., had inherited the homestead from his pioneer parents, Michel and Marie Madeleine. These pioneer parents removed to Dayton to live in their old age with other children who had relocated to Dayton. Here they died and were buried in the defunct St. Henry's Cemetery and reinterred later at Calvary Cemetery. Ignatz Zircher/Zurcher and Maria Magdelena Lehmann (sister of Michel) are also buried at old St. Michael Cemetery. Some of the Zircher/Zurcher descendants bear the Siegel surname. Those buried in the cemetery with the Larger surname are descendants of Nicholas Larger and Julia Ann Lehmann, daughter of Michel and Marie Madeleine.

Photo 2009 by DSR




NOTES and SOURCES

  • St. Michael's Catholic Church

  • Find a Grave Site: Burials at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church

  • Bigot, The Reverend Wilhelm P., Annals of St. Michael's Parish in Loramie (Berlin), Shelby County, Ohio in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati from 1769 to 1838 with Illustrations-In Original German and with English Translation, Sidney Ohio, Shelby Co. Anzeiger, 1907

  • Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial 1837-1987, Fort Loramie Historical Association, 1987

  • WELCOME TO SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO; OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS: History of Shelby County, Ohio and representative citizens; Evansville, IN; 1913

  • Photos shared 2009 by David E. Hancock & Darrell S. Richey









  • WebPage by:  Audrey (Lehmann-Shields) Hancock



    Created: 07 June 2009
    Revised: 26 April 2015



    Tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/mrzzwd