“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists."
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
Various spellings of Spitelmaier -
Spttlemayer, Spittelmaer, Spitelmier, Spittlemayer, Specklemire, Spittelmyer
Berks County, Pennsylvania was formed on March 11, 1752 from parts of Chester County, Lancaster County, and Philadelphia County. Northwestern parts of the county became Northumberland County in 1772 and Schuylkill County in 1811.
On November 9, 1751 Johann Adam Spitelmajer, widower, from Olyer Mountain and Anna Elisabetha Manweil (Maunweiler), widow of Georg Manweil married at Mertz’s Luthern Church in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Adam’s children included:
John Specklemire (1762),
Leonard Specklemire (1764),
Eve Specklemire (1766),
Susannah Specklemire (1767), and
Maria Catherina Specklemire (1768).
Adam Spittelmyer was naturalized in Philadelphia in April, 1761. He was from Alsace Township in Berks County and did not take an oath. His name (Spittlemeyer) appeared on petitions to build forts in the Berks County area in the mid 1750’s.
He died on June 7, 1792 in Southward, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
The Palatinate is a region in south-western Germany. Many thousands of Palatine immigrants were driven out of Germany by war, famine, despotic rule and disease. They were attracted to Pennsylvania by the first settlers who sent back favorable reports.
