The Descendants
of
Andreas
Grimm
History Page
If you have any questions, comments, corrections or additions, please don't
hesitate to e-mail me.
kopff@mindspring.com Please
include full names, dates and places (when possible) with any information
you forward to me. The vast majority of this information was compiled
by Mr. Luther J. Grimm Sr. (more info).
Descendants of Andrew (Andreas) Grimm
The Grim or Grimm Family
by
The Grim name originated from the ancient surname (Grym) of Scandinavia, and from it many similar names have evolved.
The story that the family has ancient pedigree was brought to America by Egidius Grim who came to America in 1728. It has been handed down from generation to generation. The authenticity of these statements appears to be verified by some papers he brought with him and verified by later members of the family.
The family had long been seated in Normandy, tracing its ancestry back to the Norsemen who made conquest to the south of their country in the tenth century, and family tradition says that the parent stem of the Grim family insofar as the Grims of Germany are concerned originated with the Norseman raider GRYM.
In 911-912 Charles the Simple of France gave what is known as Normandy to Hrolf or Rollo, a chieftain or leader of one of these Norse bands because he was unable to overcome these dangerous foemen. The condition was that he, Rollo, would accept the duchy of Normandy as a feudal fife and that he would become his man or vassal. Rollo was married to Gisela, the daughter of Charles the Simple, and this was the start of the Norman Princess. Rollo was baptized into the Christian faith and it is noted that these savage Norsemen became good Normans, a name celebrated in history.
The courage, tenacity and bravery of these Norsemen who located in Normandy, and who were making history, is evidenced by the fact that their aim was not only conquest for personal gain, but with their crude methods of transportation they invaded lands far from their base of supplies, probably because of their love for adventure, but more to satisfy the desire to learn what was beyond the horizon.
These Norse sagas do really embody the true history of the Germanic race. Greenland has many evidences of their settlement and further south there are definite proofs that North American Indians absorbed these races.
Do not our histories tell us of these daring men of the north who were the first foreigners to set foot on the continent of North America, and to them belongs the honor of the discovery of this country of ours. The fact still remains that Norsemen, and therefore the Teutonic race must be given that honor.
Origin of the Grim Family
The name Grim originated from the Scandinavian surname "Grym" meaning fierce.
From the 8th to the 13th century, Norse sea rovers made raids on the settlements on the coast of Europe. In 787 they began their raids on England and France. The family of Grim is descended from a Norse raider named Grym who settled in Normandy in the 10th century. A coat of arms was granted to the Baron of Normandy who was a Grim serving under William the Conquerer. He came down from Scandinavia with Rudolph, a Norseman.
From Normandy the Grims migrated to Alsace and Switzerland and with the persecution of the protestants, went to Germany.
(Copied from property of Washington County Historical Society, Washington County, Maryland.)
The first land patent issued to Andrew Grim was July 26, 1753.
There was a grant of land named "The French Vinyard" assigned to Andrew Grim December 10, 1752 for 940 acres. The French Vinyard was resurveyed for Andrew Grim September 29, 1761. No error was found in the survey but 890 contiguous acres were added.
(Facts gotten in the Land Office at Annapolis, Maryland.)
Andrew Grim, Sr., whose wife's name was Margaret, became a very large land owner in what is now Washington County, Maryland. There are many more tracts of land mentioned.
Andrew Grim, Sr. served in the French and Indian War. His name appears on Captain John White's muster roll as Corp. Andrew Grim - 30 days.
Andrew Grim, Sr. is listed in the first census of Washington County in 1790 as having three males 16 years of age and up and one female.
Peter, whose wife's name is Christina, served in the Revolutionary War.
John, whose wife's name is Mary, also served in the Revolutionary War.
(Copied from records of the Washington County Historical Society, Washington County, Maryland.
Ship Harle - Ralph Harle Master arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania September 1, 1736.
(1) Andreas or Andrew Grimm, 18 years old. His brother, (1) Conrad Grimm, 20 years old.
The Grim family whose history traces its ancestry to a Norman baron who lived in the days of William the Conqueror, and one branch of this particular family established itself in Alsace. It was this branch of the family to whom the coat of arms reproduced [in the book, not on the internet] was given. They were later residents of Wurtemburg, Germany, having fled there because of the religious persecutions of the Protestants. The emigrant ancestors of the Grim family herein recorded came from this branch of the family. (Copied from the Pennsylvania Grim Family History by William Gabriel Long of Pottsville, Pennsylvania (1934).
Family tradition says that there were seven Grim brothers who came to America at different times during the early part of the Eighteenth century. Two of these brothers are known to be Johan Egidus Grim who settled in Macungie Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1728 and Johan Conrad Grim who settled in Weisenberg Township, Bucks County, later Northampton County and now Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in 1736. There is no definite knowledge as to the names of the other brothers, but it is supposed that they followed each other in quick succession and therefore may have been the following men.
(1) Hans Jarick Grim and (1) Johan George Grim who arrived in 1733, (1) Andreas Grim or Andrew Grim, who came on the same ship with (1) Johan Conrad in 1736, (1) Henirich Grim who came in 1737, and probably (1) Johan Hendk Grim who arrived in 1737 but was sick upon arrival.
(Taken from the Oath of Allegiance from the Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1, pages 155 and 156, Strassberger & Hinkel.) Andreas or Andrew Grim and Conrad Grim, 18 and 20 years old, took the Oath September 1, 1736. I assume they are brothers.
Taken from Scarf's History of Western Maryland, on page 984 it lists Andrew Grim as getting a land grant of 940 acres in Washington County, Maryland, the French Vinyard. December 10th 1759 (1752 - 1753). Again on Page 985 it lists Andrew Grim got 510 acres called the resurvey of part of Parks Hill July 28, 1766.
Grim Coat of Arms
The Coat of Arms is of azure, a lion rampart or holding in his right paw a bunch of three flowers, and in his left paw a leaf with eight points. The azure, or blue, signifies loyalty and truth. The lion is the emblem of deathless courage. Yellow or gold denotes generosity and elevation of mind. The flower signifies hope and joy. The leaf is the emblem of truth. The crest belonging to the coat of arms is six stems of roses of natural color. The roses signify and express beauty and grace.
This is some of the Harle Ship List that arrived in Philadelphia September 1, 1736. Shows Andreas Grimm, and Conradt Grimm. On the other side are their signatures.
Pennsylvania German Pioneers
Hans Melchior
Andreas Nargan
Johannes Butler
Clemens Stottenbecke
Matheus Speck
Derrick Mart
Hans Jacob
Johan Wilhelm Speck
Peter Stotenbecke
Johannes Willems
Hendrich Stotenbecke
Henrich Gerhart
Andreas Grimm
Johan Jacob ______
Andres Haillman
Johann Mates _____
Johannes Rossman
Johannes Hes
Christoph Windmuth
Paulus Brunner
Johann Gorg Wamboldt
Johann Gerg Scheideler
Johan Conradt Grimm
Christian Landes
Andreas Gross
Johann Adam Schauss
Leon Yeager
Zacharias Setzler
Johann Vallentin Scherer
Peter Roop
______ Noll
(more)
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Grimm a few years ago (late eighties or early nineties). I had the pleasure of talking to Mr. Grimm on a number of occasions about the family tree. He compiled virtually all the information on the Grimm family and it was made into a book called "The Grim or Grimm Family History." It is from this book that all of the information on this page, and the vast majority of information on my other Grimm web pages comes. The compilation is nothing short of prodigious. I have seen the book in a library in Pennsylvania (I forget which) and I myself was fortunate enough to get a copy from Mr. Grimm.
The following is his preface to the book:
Preface
When I retired several years ago, I decided to see what I could find out about my ancestors. One of the people that inspired me to do this is the Honorable Forrest G. Scheaffer from Kutztown Pennsylvania. He and I belong to the Hudson Essex Teraplane Car Club, and on many of our meetings we would discuss the Grims. Later I found out the "G" in his middle name was taken from his grandmother's maiden name, Grim. She was a descendant of Johan Egidus Grimm. They were from Grimville near Kutstown, Pennsylvania. Forrest xeroxed Grim History taken from both Berks and Bucks Counties, Pennsylvania.
Another person I contacted, who helped me also, was Attorney Lawrence J. Grim, Jr. from Perkasia, Pennsylvania. He sent me copies of the Grim family of Pennsylvania History compiled by William Gabriel Long and his wife, Lucretia Grim Long, in 1934. Lawrence and I have never met. We both belong to the Sons of the American Revolution. I saw his name in the roster and we just corresponded. Last but not least, my niece, Marian Mientus, checked the archives in Washington, D.C. many times.
Thanks to all.
I visited Marie Mosberg Whetzel Crosby from Normalville, Pennsylvania. She helped me very much. She is from the Daniel Grim family.
I visited Mary Murphy McCloy from McClellantown, Pennsylvania. She helped me with the Samuel Grimm family.
I was contacted by a lady, Doris Lawrence Sweeney, from Orange, California. She is interested in the same family. Her grandmother was a Catherine Grimm. Mrs. Sweeney has a genealogist from Salt Lake City helping her and she has passed this information on to me and I sent what I have found to her. I have never met her yet.
Sometimes the more Grimms we find the more confusing it becomes. I wish to mention I cannot claim everything I have compiled to be correct, but it is the way I have found it. Please keep that in mind. I am not an expert.
I also wish to mention the places I have gotten help are the Public Library and Court House at York, Pennsylvania, Hagerstown, Maryland, Connellsville, Uniontown and Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Sometimes I think these people got tired of seeing me, but I wish to thank them all.
I know this book is not complete, that is the reason it is made loose leaf, so anyone can make corrections, and additions. I would appreciate any correction or addition, but I would like to have a copy. This is the start, and who knows someday it may be completed. Many thanks to everyone for your cooperation.
Luther J. Grimm
Back to the top of History Page