Iman family notes

Old Cemetery

Eymans of Lancaster often resided in the Conestoga area. One branch of the family resided on a 76 acre ancentral farm adjacent to Postlewaithe's Tavern, an early British court venue. Several Christian Eymans are buried in the private Fehl's farm across the road from Eyman lands.

Hans Herr House

Christian Herr was an associate of Christian Eyman of Conestoga; both were supervisors. Eyman bought property in Manor from an estate and turned it over to Herr (the son also, of a Hershey), who had married Christiana Eyerman.

Harnish House

Jacob Harnish married a daughter of Christian Eyman and was involved in settling the Eyman estate in 1834.

Conestoga Eymans

Ulrich Eyman, who arrived in 1774 was found in a census of that year of Philadelphia Township of Philadelphia county, but quickly moved to the emerging town of Lancaster and the nearby Conestoga area. Unfortunately, the new immigrant died quite soon. His estate included a number of iron pots, enough bolts of various fabrics to suggest that he was a merchant, a clock and three printed books. Like his younger nephew, who had migrated earlier, Ulrich could read and write, sign for himself on ship manifests and for naturalization ceremonies. Melchior Brenneman helped Maria Agatha Essig, Ulrich's second wife, settle the estate. His eldest son Christian <1740> must had arrived and is mentioned in the will, along with his young son "Henry" and his daughters.

Christian was a free man in the Conestoga of 1770 though there are few citings of him, and he may have moved around. He may have been, for instance, the Christian Eyman of Bethel Township who sold land in Cumberland County, which in those days was way out their on the frontier! Some believe that this Christian was married to a Susan Graybill.

There seems to have been a second Christian Eyman of Conestoga who married a Susan -- Susan Heiss in 1787. This Christian, <1760> of unknown origin, was a town supervisor and a gentleman farmer. He may have been the grandson of our Ulrich, whose own son Ulrich had remained in Germany. He was involved in real estate and sold one parcel to a Wyeth family -- a homestead for ancestors of Andrew Wyeth who became famous painting Lancaster barns. He seems to have been a close associate of Christian Herr, also a town supervisor, and the grandson of the famous Mennonite leader. With the exception of this Christian's son, Christian, who married Mary Martin, all the newer generation left Pennsylvania for Ohio in the quest for land. Christian must have been quite successful as his 1834 will involved a substantial estate for the time.

Ulrich's son Henry may have been raised by his older brother Christian, or by Melchior Brenneman. He was listed as a carpenter in Lampeter, married Maria Sager and served in the Revolutionary War. Henry and Mary were involved with the First Reformed Church in Lancaster. As most Imans, Henry lived a very long life, having settled for a period in Virginia near his sister Magdalena, and migrating thereafter into Ohio where he received a pension for his military service.

Magdalena Eyman, a daughter of Ulrich, married Adam Shrank, and moved to the deep loam lands of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where their daughter married Abraham Brenneman. From this line there are many American descendents; some estimate that Eyman blood runs in the veins of half the state of Ohio!;-). Henry and Maria's children were raised in Rockingham County, where the Brenneman family home in Edom still stands.