First Generation

1. Johannes Wilhelm (William) HERMAN^1,2 was born about 1736 in Germany.^{3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16} He emigrated on 16 October 1766 from Left Europe and settled near Reading, Berks County, PA.¹⁷ He lived in 1786.¹⁷ Left PA and moved to Lyles Creek of now Catawba County, NC Johannes signed a will on 22 January 1813 in Will names heirs - William Harman, George Herman, Catharine Wagoner, Peter Herman, Michael Harman and Mary Dieal.¹⁷ He died on 29 June 1813 at the age of 77 in Lincoln (Catawba County), North Carolina.^{5,8,10,12,14,15,18,19} He was buried in Old St. Paul's Church Cemetery, Newton, Catawba County, NC.¹⁸ Inscription reads: Aged 77 years John William Herman, whose German name was Johannes Wilhelm Herrmann, was born in 1736 in Germany. He married Catherine Motz (Motes) and to them was born a son, George. In mid-year 1766 William and his family boarded the ship Polly, Robert Porter, Master of ship, at Rotterdam to sail to the new land of America. Upon arriving in the American port of Philadelphia, William signed his name as Johann Wm. Herman and swore the Oath of Allegiance on 18 October 1766. It was written that William was "from Rotterdam, but last from Cowles. Later, William and his family settled in Berks County, near Reading, Pennsylvania. Here William owned land in Long Swamp, Ruscombe Manor and Heresford Townships (Series II Pa. Archives Vol. XVlII). The last tax listing for William Herman was in 1785, in which were listed 100 acres of land, three horses, two cows, and eight family members.

Miss Estelle Herman, a great, great granddaughter of William, pioneer, remembered hearing about two Herman brothers who came from Pennsylvania to North Carolina on horseback to look the country over. On their trip, when they camped for the night, they tied their horses so they could graze while they slept. North Carolina appealed to them so much that they decided to move their families here. Some Herman notes written by Polly Killian in 1876 said: "Came to North Carolina in 1779. Moved to North Carolina in 1786. Settled on Lyles creek and entered land which has been handed down from father to son till the present time. George Herman, second son of Wilhelm, came to North Carolina in 1781."

Wilhelm Herman died 29 June 1813 at the age of 77 years and was buried in the cemetery of St. Paul's Lutheran Church near Newton. His wife, Catherine, died in March 1811 at the age of 77 years and is also buried in the same cemetery.. Wilhelm (William) and Catharine Herman and their children, William Jr., George, Peter, Michael, Catharine, and Mary became active and useful citizens of their chosen communities. They were members of, and often officers in the German Reformed churches of St. Paul's and St, John's near Newton and Conover respectively.

Other notes about the Herman family (from the author, Alla Pearl Little):

Peter Herman and wife Lydia of Lincoln County (not catalogued). In will of this Peter made in 1794 he names children: Andrew, Henry, Richard, Peter, Jacob, Elizabeth Dickson, Sarah, Mary Beeson and Solomon Beeson.

As these Hermans are said to be kin to William Herman's family it is probably that he was the brother who came with William in 1779 and later moved family to North Carolina in 1736.

Incidents about Henry Herman and son Henry Jr., Adam Herman and Peter Herman are related in the Moravian Records, Book 1, during years 1780-55. Whether they are related to our branch of Hermans is not known.

There have been a great many doctors, ministers, nurses, teachers, some musicians, lawyers and textile heads among the Herman descendants, but quite a number have stayed with the land.

The names most predominating in our NC branch of Hermans are: William, George, Peter, Mary, Elizabeth, Ctherine. There are so many of these that it makes one dizzy to classify them.

Elizabeth Eslinger, wife of George Herman, was of Swiss parentage. Etiher Christian or George Eslinger was her father. Both came to America in 1749-1760.

Johannes Wilhelm (William) HERMAN and Maria Catherine MOTZ were married in 1760 in Germany.^12,13 Maria Catherine MOTZ² was born in 1734 in Hesse Cassel, Germany.^{5,8,9,10,12,13,14,15,20,21,22,23} She died on 14 March 1811 at the age of 77 in Lincoln (Catawba County), North Carolina.^24,25 CATHRINE HERMAN lived 77 years²⁶ She was buried in Old St. Paul's Church Cemetery, Newton, Catawba County, NC.²⁷ Inscription reads: Aged 77 years

Johannes Wilhelm (William) HERMAN and Maria Catherine MOTZ had the following children: