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CONROD RÖDER - Immigrant

 Conrad Röder died in South Manheim township, Schuylkill Co., PA

            As far as we know he was NOT related to any of the other Colonial lines in america.  There are many interesting sons for whom we have no information.

             Johannes "Yohannes" Röder born 13 Mar 1780

            Johan Rader born 31 Mar 1808

            John Röder born after 1800

            George Röder born after 1800

            David Röder born circa 1830

            and many others

         Do you have any information on these people ?

             Herbert Rader of Germantown, PA. spent many years cerca 1940-1950 researching this line.  His corespondents with researchers in Germany allowed him to prove the city of origin.  He had the one piece of information that we all search for,  He had the immigrants bible.  On the next page you will see the photo reproduction which translates to:

                    I Conrad Röder was born the 13th May 1751 in the town of Driedorf in Nasau (Nassau) Diellenburg

             I have received some of his letters and work on the Summer Hill Church book.  I do not have any copies of other pages of the bible. 

                 Has anyone seen this bible ?

             In addition to translating the summer hill church books he lead a tour to Germany before his death.  In preparation for this trip he was corresponding with:

             His letter of 4 June 1953 states

            "About 15 years ago I corresponded with a Herr Scholl of Stuttgart.  He obtained considerable information about my immigrant ancestor Conrad Röder born in 1751, Reg 533 No 33.  He informed me that the family was still in Driedorf and represented by Ernst Röder.

             The following pages include several important documents pertaining to this line of Raders.  With your help we can obtain the maximum information from them.  Please send me a copy of your translation of them.  I will publish the translations in next quarter's Rader Ramblings.

 Enclosures

             1. The Bible page from Conrod Röder's in his hand is on page 4.  It is followed by Herbert Raders attempt to read it, also in german

             2. The 8 FEB 1938 letter from Stuttgart Germany.  (Notice that this from pre - WW II germany)  The enclosure on page 7 is ?

             3. Another letter from Germany 19 JUL 1938

translated by - Bill Etter, 1501 Avocado Blvd., El Cajon, CA  92020

          I Conrad Röder was born 13 March 1751 in the place Driedorf between Nassau and Dillenburg

 (Bill's Note I have slightly changed the names of two locations to correspond to current spellings that I believe are what was meant.  On the copy of the actual Bible page Nassau does show the double s although this was not used when it was typed.  The places are relatively small villages east and slightly north of Koblenz.  This is obviously not word for word translation but it is in my opinion the meaning in english)

          My Grandfather was called Anton Röder.  My father was Hennerich Anton Röder, the mother Christina Röder.

(Bill's Note I believe this should be Heinrich.  It is not clear whether she is Conrad's mother or grandmother.  Note also the spelling of the month Mirz.  This is an old way of spelling Marz - or March.  As for the word ten there is no such word in the German language.  I think it likely that it should be tun, the infinitive form of the verb to do, put or make; for the old script letters e and u are fairly easy to be mistaken for each other.)

          So much for myself Conrad Röder

                   Conrad Röder

          Blessing of the church to all

(Bill's Note I believe the last line to be an idiom expression that has no direct translation - and I have tried to come up with what I believe to be as close as I can do)

My Baptismal sponsor was

Conrad Röder of Jutersdorf

confirmed in the 15th year of the

Christian preacher in Driedorf

(Bill's Note I believe this was written by a person different from Conrad Röder.  The writing seems to be slightly different.  I also think it is Guntersdorf rather than Juntersdorf although I can't find either one on the map.  Obviously it would have been clearer if they had written with a sharper quill/pen in a better hand.  After saying that - now for some speculation.  The word following Christian is certainly not clear but I think the ending of the word may be ..getan rather than ..geter.  This lets us assume the word to be Hinzugetan which can be translated as consulting or part time - or in the words of a preacher who was not there on a full time basis. )

Bill Etter's second translation task,  Thanks again bill for the hard work

To continue with translation of the old german - the document beginning:

            "Abschrift aus den Dillenburger .... (in old script)

"Certified copy of Dillenburg Municipal Records concerning emigration to foreign colonies.

(Office of public records, Biesbaden, Section 172, Row 206, Book 7, pages 133/134)

To Honorable Authorities a respectful request by Wilhelm Aston Röder of Driedorf for a petition to travel to America

                                                                                                28 April 1789

I was from birth until 15 in poverty, for my mother was without skill, and had only a bare income from her manual labor together with careful spending and help from friends.  I am now of age - but I do not have the training to learn a trade/craft - so my future and well being, it can be seen, will be difficult without help that is now beyond me.  I am for that reason of a mind to accept an opportunity to move to America.  where by God's grace my luck will improve, for I have in that place a close relative, and therefore my situation is known.  To resolve my deplorable condition my first need to be considered is for travel money, but neither I nor any member of my mother's immediate family is able to provide such a gift.  I now must appeal to sovereign authority.

I respectfully submit to your majesty, a request for gracious assistance for travel money.

Submitted

                                                                                (footnote)

The applicant is an illegitimate son of a country millers daughter, has no skills and as far as can be seen therefore his best future would be as a servant.  His mother's brother went to America has established himself as a miller and according to a letter to the applicant that when he comes to him he will be provided for.  Such a favorable situation he does not have here and the public will not loose by his going.  It is recommended to your Highness that he be given 6 Gilden if it should so please you so that he may travel to Amsterdam in order to reach the water.  The remaining cost of travel by boat will be provided by his mother's brother.

Driedorf, 1 May 1789                                    (footnote: Hatzfeld)

Bill Etter's thoughts

            Now my thoughts:  It seems to me that some points can be deduced from the nature and contents of the application.

1)  Wilhelm is likely to be still a teenager or in his early 20's

2)  His mother is almost certainly dead as well as her parents.

3)  Wilhelm's father may never be known but by todays practice Wilhelm is not a Röder.

I did not print the german version of this letter.  This translation was done by Herbert Rader himself.

                                                                                    8 Feb. 1938

            We thank you for your letter of the 24th UH the contents of which interests us.  We can to begin with inform you that the recording in your family bible points toward about 850 inhabitants in the surrounding community of Driedorf in former Nassau Dillenburg.  In our list appears NO Adam Röder, however we do find Jacob, Martin Christoph, and Johan Engel Röder (included among those mentioned in your emigration dates) also a Conrad Röder who landed in Philadelphia in 1772.

             The place and time of Conrad Röders birth evidently established the further search concerning your ancestors will not be particularly difficult.  We shall be pleased (prepared) to undertake same.  Next, however we have to inform you that the church registrars in general assemble only documents concerning birth and baptism, marriage and death and that every such document without postage costs .25.  Information in other than documentary form to be assembled, the church registrars are not obligated even so little as unremunerated search in their church books.  It therefore becomes necessary that you send us at the most an advance of $10.00 which we will later adjust with you.

             We look forward with interest to your further information (instructions)

                                                                        With German Greetings

                                                                        main office for Information on German Emigration

                                                                                                (Scholl)

 Conrad² Roder (son of Hennerich Anton¹) was born in North, Driedorf-Nafau, Diellenburg, Germany May 13, 1757.

He married Maria Magdalena Ulrich. Maria was born February 26, 1766. Maria died July 26, 1842 in So. Manheim Twp, Schuylkill Co, PA, at 76 years of age. Her body was interred in St. Paul's, Summer Hill, Schuylkill Co, PA.

Conflicting evidence states that Conrad was born in tomb stone, May 13, 1751. He was listed on a passenger list in Ship Sally, November 3, 1772.

Conrad died August 6, 1834 in So. Manheim Twp, Schuylkill Co, PA, at 77 years of age. His body was interred in St. Paul's, Summer Hill, Schuylkill Co, PA.

The genealogy is now on rootsweb