BINNEY---GOW---HANMER---MEISSNER---POMNITZ

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1.  Purpose of this Newsletter
  2.  Family Stories, Events and Biographies:
       »  "Jacob A. Pomnitz (Twin To Charles Edwin)"
            - by Son Chuck Pomnitz
  3.  A History of Pomnitz' Origins (Part II) - Ed Pomnitz, Sr.
  4.  "Passages": Births, Anniversaries, Deaths, etc.
  5.  Family Projects:
       »  Volunteers Sought!
       »  Family T-Shirt Now Available!!
       »  Family Cook Book Being Considered
  6.  Pomnitz Family Fund Report - Ed Pomnitz, Sr.
  7.  Services Offered To Family Members
      »  Chat Room Access
      »  Internet Dial-Up Service
  8.  Newsletter Mechanics:   
       »  Format & Layout of the Newsletter
  9.  Contact Information:
       »  How to subscribe/unsubscribe
       »  Where to send articles & news
10.  Notizen Aus Dem Ziegenstall (Notes From the Goathouse)
11.  Next Newsletter Date
12.  Final Quote

1.  THE PURPOSE of this newsletter:  to note and share items of possible interest for the "greater Pomnitz Family".  The 173 family names mentioned in the Family Tree are listed at http://www.pomnitz.net/history/surnames_list.htm.   Please do send me suggestions or ideas for future newsletters:  they will be taken seriously.

2.  FAMILY STORIES, BIOGRAPHIES AND NOTES OF INTEREST:

THIS ISSUE:  JACOB A. POMNITZ - Family History - By Family Historian, Charles (Chuck) Pomnitz.

Perhaps the background of the Pomnitz family would be helpful in establishing the position of my father, Jacob, in the family.  Jacob and his twin brother were born in Springfield, Missouri, July 9, 1893 to Albert and Ida Pomnietzky.

Their father, Albert, was noted as Foreman-Stove Works in the 12th United States Census dated June 1900.  Albert in his nomadic career in the stove business had moved his family to several states before settling in Detroit.

Noted over the years are Ohio, where Alberta was born in 1875, then in 1882 Adelbert was born in Missouri. Benjamin followed in 1886.   He was also born in Missouri and the Census then notes that Celia was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1888.

The family was in Detroit in 1891 for the birth of Maisie.  Charles and Jacob were born in 1893.  Nora was the last of the "On the Road" babies, having been born in Bloomington, Illinois in 1898.   Through the years, two baby girls had been born: Rosa in 1881 and Minnie Ida in 1883.  Both died as infants.  Nashville, Tennessee has been mentioned as another family location, but the Census did not specify it.

The 1901 Census has the family settled back in Detroit, their roaming days over at last.  One has to think of the arduous task of moving a household so often.  Grandmother with infants and wee children in tow, the furniture to ship.  Transportation must have been rather primitive compared to that of today's sleek trains.  The logistics of the many moves must have been terrific.   Still, Grandma, as I remember her, was a beautiful and serene woman and very capable.  A recording by Aunt Nora tells of the deep devotion of Grandma and Grandpa over the years.

It's hard to follow the careers of the Pomnitz children because there is so little recorded.  They attended Eastern High School on East Grand Boulevard at Mack.  This was not very distant from their home on Belvidere.  At Barbour Intermediate School, I had a teacher, Mrs. Fitch, who had taught my father.

An interesting aside is the way my mother and father met.  My mother worked at Penaud's in New York City.  The company made men's shaving needs among other things.  The girls there would slip a little note into the cartons with their name and address thereon.  My Dad was serving in the U.S. Navy and his ship docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  He bought the particular item he needed and found my mother's note.  They met and it was the beginning of a lifelong romance.  After dad's discharge from the Navy, he and my mother married in Detroit.  They were married in Detroit on Jan, 1, 1915 at the family Belvidere home.

My Dad, Jacob, enlisted in the Navy on Dec 15, 1910.  He served honorably on the Battleship U.S.S. Georgia and on the U.S.S. Florida and perhaps other ships.  His ship at time of discharge on June 4, 1914 was the U.S.S. Prairie. On May 15, 1915 he enlisted in the Naval Reserve.

Jacob joined the Detroit Fire Department and was a Lieutenant when he died in 1940.  He had commanded the Detroit Fire Boat in his last years.  He had also served as a Wayne County Deputy Sheriff.   He retained an active interest in Veteran's Affairs, founded and served as the first Commander of the Fire Department VFW Post.  He assisted at many of the VFW National Conventions. for many years, Jacob authored a column named "Standing By The Colors" for "Slate Magazine", which was a Detroit Firemen's Fund publication.  My father was an associate editor.  His obituary said he had been an intellectual.

Jacob's twin brother, Charles, was associated with Fruehauf Corporation in Detroit and also served as chairman of The Detroit Port Authorities.  He had a long association with General Motors and was Chief Inspector for their Hyatt Roller Bearing Division in New Jersey.  There is much more to be written about the members of this grand family.  Any contributions are welcome.   If anyone can add to our family lore, please send your item in.  Don't let it be lost to time or indifference.

Charles E. Pomnitz
Historian

3.  POMNITZ AUS DEUTSCHLAND (POMNITZ OF GERMANY) Part II of IV - Germany Evolves - A History - By Ed Pomnitz

PART I REVIEWED
In Part I we established a potential millennium of Pomnitz occupation (residency) in Germany.  In Part II of our story we will regress to a point much further back in time.  A time of over two thousand years ago when Germany itself began to evolve.   We will then begin to move forward on a journey of events that lead to the approximate time of the German "settlement of Pommen".  The settlement will later grow enough to become the hamlet or village of Pomnitz.

THE GERMANI
Just before the time of Christ, now more than 2,000 years ago, a tall and fair-haired people roamed Europe.  The ancestors of these fierce Teutonic warriors may have come from Northern Europe.  The Romans later called them the Germani.  As these Germanic tribes migrated south and westward, they clashed with the Romans.  In 113 BC the German tribes called the Cimbri and Teutoni began invading the Mediterranean regions.   The Roman general Gaius Marius defeated them in 102 and 101 BC respectively.

To discourage any further invasions, Julius Caesar crossed the Rhine in 55 and 53 BC.  After the Germans under Arminius destroyed Quinctilius Varus' army in AD 9, Augustus decided not to conquer Germany.  The Romans built a line of fortifications, called the Limes Germanicus, from the Rhine to the Danube.   When Roman power weakened, waves of German tribes migrated to various regions of the empire.  The Franks crossed the Rhine into Gaul (now France).  The Goths migrated to the Balkans.  The Alemanni moved into the Rhineland and the Burgundians and Vandals into the Main River valley.

In the 4th century AD Huns from Asia swept into Europe.   They conquered the Ostrogoths, or East Goths, and drove back the Visigoths, or West Goths.  They invaded the Rhineland and Gaul.

BARBARIANS IN THE MIDDLE AGES
The Middle Ages covers about 1,000 years from about AD 500 to about AD 1500.  At the beginning of the Middle Ages, German barbarians occupied the western part of the Roman Empire.  These tribes then accepted Christianity and adopted much of the Roman culture.

Between present-day Netherlands and Denmark were the Frisians. Between the Rhine and Elbe rivers were the Saxons. In central Germany were the Thuringians.  On the upper Rhine in Swabia were the Alemanni and on the lower Rhine the Franks.

FEUDALISTIC GERMANY
In 486 at Soissons, Clovis extended Frankish rule over northern Gaul.  Under Charlemagne the kingdom covered most of Western Europe, including Germany to the Elbe.   In 800 the pope crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Charlemagne died in 814.  The Treaty of Verdun in 843 divided his empire into three parts.  Louis the German acquired the eastern part, which became Germany.  Charles the Bald ruled the west, which became France.   Lothair obtained the middle part.  With the rise of feudalism Germany was cut into five tribal, or Stamm, duchies Saxony, Franconia, Bavaria, Swabia, and Lorraine.

CONRAD I, THE FIRST KING
In 911 the Carolingian rule of Germany ended. Conrad I of Franconia was the first German king.  The Saxon House began with the rule of Henry I from 919 to 936.  The strongest Saxon king was Otto I the Great (936-973).  He revived the Holy Roman Empire, which did not include France.

SETTLEMENT OF POMMEN
Sometime during the later half of the Middle Ages we begin to anticipate the earliest "Pomnitz", also known as "Pumlitz" by the "old folks" (a name of Sorbic origin that means "Settlement of Pommen", a man, who liked to remember heroic stories of the wars.  The best we understand is that this settlement was a farm, but we have not been able to arrive at an exacting date that it was established.

POMNITZ A HAMLET OR VILLAGE?
In 1024 the Franconian (Salian) House was elected to rule.  Soon the Investiture Controversy begun between Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII tore the empire.  Of the Hohenstaufens, from 1138 to 1254, the chief rulers were Frederick I (Barbarossa) and Frederick II.

As the Celts, Sorbs and Thuringians who had either been expelled or defeated, Franconians also migrated close to the present day "Pomnitz" in the 12th century.  Later Flemish people migrated to the vicinity as well.  By 1144, during the reign of emperor Lothar, we find our first reference that the settlement of Pommen is now referred to as a "village".  Technically, unless Pomnitz contains a Church (which it appears not to either today or then), it would be more correct to identify Pomnitz as a "hamlet".

NEXT ISSUE
In Part III our journey in time continues as the horse groomers and cartwrights migrate from the hamlet of Pomnitz becoming farmers and village craftsmen in Obermöllern (Upper Mollern).

Story by Edwin Charles Pomnitz, Sr. January 2002.

Excerpts included from Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia (c) 1994-1995, the Pomnitz and Senf Family Tree (Hermann Mitgau), The Pomnitz Family Database and The Pomnitz Family Web.

4.  PASSAGES:  EVENTS REPORTED SINCE THE LAST NEWSLETTER (births, graduations, marriages, deaths, careers):

MARRIAGE: 23 March 2002: John Charles Meissner, IV and Kimberly Jean Happold, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. William Andrew Happold, at Marple Presbyterian Church, Broomall, PA.   Congratulations!

5.  FAMILY PROJECTS:

	VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT! Looking for one or two persons who would volunteer to handle the Family T-Shirt project, and another to handle the Family CookBook project.  What kind of work?  The T-Shirt Work: Receive orders; arrange for printing and mailing shirts.   The CookBook Work: Solicit, organize and edit the recipes from family members; work with the publisher we have already lined up; and see that orders are fulfilled.   Interested?  Please get in touch Art Meissner (845-876-6407) or Ed Pomnitz (440-842-6968).  Or, you may e-mail them at their addresses at the end of this newsletter.
	FAMILY T-SHIRT NOW AVAILABLE!! -A Pomnitz Family T-Shirt will be offered for sale within the next two weeks.  The graphics printed on each shirt (see illustrations on the Family web site) were graciously designed and donated by Kathy Kelm-Cronin (daughter of June Meissner Kelm). Kathy is founder and Director of NISDA (Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts).  The Family Crest is on the shirt-front, with the Family Coat of Arms on the back.  The Tag inside the neck of the drawing of the Coat of Arms says "Einfuhr Aus Deutschland" ("Imported from Germany"). - ORDERS MAY BE PLACED by e-mailing or postal-mailing a note to the Editor (address at end of this newsletter). Include your name, the address to which the shirt(s) should be sent (by US Postal Mail), and the size(s) desired.  Once enough have been ordered to have the shirts printed, your order will be sent to you with a suggested donation for you to remit. - HOW MUCH? It will include the cost of silk screening, plus the cost of mailing, plus the addition of a small amount to go toward the Pomnitz Family Fund.  It will probably be in the range of $11 to $14 per shirt. - THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL MAILING in the next two weeks bringing full details, and it will also be posted on the Website.
	A FAMILY COOK BOOK is being considered, and we would like your reaction.   It could include favorite family recipes, starting with any legendary old Pomnitz family dinners down each generation to this time. Rumors already exist of special breads, muffins, triple chocolate cakes, Chicken and dumplings.... and much, much more.  Let us know if this interests you, and whether we should pursue it...  If you like the idea, send-in recipes for inclusion! (Photos too, of the cook and of the dish...)

6.  THE POMNITZ FAMILY FUND REPORT - (A Note from Ed Pomnitz, Sr.):  The greatest significance of our Family Reunions, our Family Newsletters, our Family Tree Database, Family Website and ongoing Research that they help us to:  1) Understand our rich heritage...  2) Stay in touch with one another.

HELP! As you can see by this quarter's report, our fund can use a shot in the arm.  We only have enough funding to keep our site alive until the 30th of September.

FAMILY FUND REPORT - From Ed Pomnitz, Sr.

---------------------------
Balance from Last Quarter
---------------------------
$   40.74
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Receipts
---------------------------
$     0.00 - Mail-In Contributions
======
$   40.74

---------------------------
Disbursements
---------------------------
$    0.00
$    0.00
======
$    0.00

----------------------
Current Balance
----------------------
$  40.74
======

If you desire to make a contribution to the Pomnitz Family Fund, you can mail your check or money order to:

• Myra Pomnitz
  7891 Marlbourough Ave.
  Parma, Ohio 44129

7.  SERVICES OFFERED TO FAMILY MEMBERS:  Please contact Ed Pomnitz for either one, at webmaster@pomnitz.net.

CHAT ROOM ACCESS: The family website now offers family members (only) their own 'chat-room', where you can (at no cost to you) chat with others anywhere in the world.  You can find it in the "In Touch" area, http://pomnitz.net/intouch/index.htm and just click on "Family Chatter".  This area requires a USER ID and PASSWORD.   Contact webmaster@pomnitz.net for your password.

INTERNET DIAL-UP SERVICE:  Family members are offered an economic way to get to the Internet as well as having e-mail AND their own Web Site, if desired.   Ed Pomnitz' computer consulting company (FXtra) which handles the technical side of "Pomnitz.net", is also able to offer Family Members a low-cost connection to the Internet, called "EZDial".  A special offer for low-cost EZDial is available in both the US and Canada, is economic ($15.95 USD per month) and reliable, with no pop-up ads, no-spam, privacy (does not sell your e-mail address), no set-up fee, free web space, unlimited access.  If you are interested and want to join-up, you need to go to http://www.fxtra.com/deal and enter this PIN number when prompted: "ae80701".  If you need more information before you do, contact Ed at webmaster@pomnitz.net via e-mail.  The added benefit to us all is that Ed's company will donate another $2 per month to the Pomnitz Family Fund, which helps to underwrite our website and our other family activities.

8.  NEWSLETTER MECHANICS:  TROUBLE VIEWING THE NEWSLETTER IN THIS FORMAT??:  Please notify editor@pomnitz.net to describe any problems you are having.  This Newsletter is composed and sent to you in "plain text" since some subscribers may not have computers capable of handling graphics in their e-mail.  For a 'graphic version' of the newsletter, go to the Newsletter section on our family website.  http://www.pomnitz.net/news/newsletter/index.htm.  You can print a copy if you wish.

9.  CONTACT INFORMATION:  To Subscribe, Unsubscribe to this Newsletter, or to correct names and addresses, please go to http://www.pomnitz.net/news/newsletter/index.htm or send a regular postal letter to the address below.

PLEASE DO SIGN OUR GUEST BOOK on your next visit to The Pomnitz Family Web:  http://www.pomnitz.net.

SEND E-MAIL REPLIES TO editor@pomnitz.com.  Replies by regular postal mail may be sent to Art Meissner, Editor, Pomnitz Family Newsletter, 15 Three Oaks Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572-2675, (845) 876-6407 OR TO OUR ASSOCIATE EDITOR!!, Nancy Meissner, at nlmeissner@aol.com.

10.  NOTIZEN AUS DEM ZIEGENSTALL (Notes From The Goathouse):  By Art Meissner, Editor.  Chuck Pomnitz' lovely article in this issue about his Dad, Jacob, is a good reminder that our Family History begins with YOU. Sure, Chuck and Ed have been researching books, documents and records to put together the Pomnitz Family history as we know it and made it available on the Web Site.  But they cannot possibly know of the unique Pomnitz stories YOU may have heard from YOUR parents and aunts and uncles.   Please give it a try!  Your contributions can include:

• "Stats" (births, graduations, marriages, deaths)
  
• Memories of 'preceding' ancestors-- our "Progenitors"
  
• Current events in the lives of family members of possible interest to others
  Old photos, or even faded letters, from those who have gone before

What are YOUR notes or memories of any of the Ten Children of Adelbert and Ida?  Three of them died at an early age (Rosa-3, Minnie-6, Ben Franklin-19).  Neither they, nor Adelbert Richard Jr. who died at 56, appear to have had children of their own.  Those who bore children and are our "PROGENITORS" (parents, grandparents or great grandparents) are: ALBERTA, CELIA, MAISIE, NORA, AND THE TWINS JACOB AND CHARLES.

What do you know about them?  What did your parents tell you about them?  What stories did you hear about them?  What did they do?   Hobbies?  Interests?  Wisdom?  Travels?  Accomplishments?   Did you hear ANY stories about Rosa, Minnie, Ben or Adelbert Jr.???

We've had some information about a few of them, but precious little about Alberta (Binney), Maisie (Hanmer) and Nora (Gow). There is a tantalizing clue in Chuck's memory of his Father, that "A recording by
Aunt Nora tells of the deep devotion of Grandma and Grandpa over the years."   Who has that recording now?  I'd hope we could get a copy for our Family Archives, making it accessible to us all...

Please share. Do not let it get lost.

My thanks and love...

Art (son of Celia)

11.  NEXT NEWSLETTER is tentatively scheduled for August 1, 2002.  It will contain a summary of then-current Family news as well as any articles submitted by family members.  Please help by submitting newsletter items no later than July 15, 2002.  You do not have to do a lot of writing:  Just list WHO in the Family did WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE.  ("How" and "Why" are optional.)  Our "Crack Editorial Team" will put it together for the next issue.  THANKS!