| Notes |
- From: NEWBERRY COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA; HISTORICAL and GENEALOGICALANNALS, by GEORGE LELAND SUMMER, SR., 1950, reprinted 1980;
Johannes (John) Adam Summer Sr., seeking a new home in America, sailedup the River Rhine and joined a colony of people at Rotterdam where,it is stated, he married a young lady in his colony, Margaret Jostin,just before sailing. That year was 17443. He is listed among thepassengers as "Hanns Adam Sommer." They arrived in the ship, St.Andrew, at Philadelphia on October 7, 1743. The Council Records in theSouth Carolina Archives state that he came on Mr. Russell's Ship withCaptains Brown as master, "and waited on ye God in Council where hewas directed to go unto the country to look for the land whereon hemight settle...and then to apply for a warrant. He settled on a plotof land near Broad River and reported that he had a wife anand threechildren. The children's names were, Adam (age 8), Henry (age 6) andMagdalena (age 4). The Petition for the land near "Crim's Creek" wasdated 31 August 1752, Charleston, S.C. It is said that when Johannes(John) Adam Summer Sr., migrated, he lived in Pennsylvania for aboutseven years. At different times during that period, he went on twoexploration trips; one through Virginia and one through the CarolinaStates. He returned to his family in Pennsylvania and later relocatedthem to the Broad River area in "Dutch Fork near Lexington County nearthe Newberry County line. Once settled in this area, he later becameManager of the Commissary during the Revolutionary War and recievedthe title of Major. He had six sons. All six sons served in theRevolutionary War. The "seat" of the SUMMER family in the UnitedStates is Pomaria Plantation, near Newberry. This Plantation was a 600acre Royal Grant to Johannes by King George III in 1754. Pomaria means"orchard", a feature which surrounded the mansion at one time on threesides: 500 pear trees across the road; 500 peaches and plums on thewest side, and 500 apples on the east side, of the mansion.
The following is part of a letter written by William Summer, Esq.,Horticulturist, of Pomaria, S.C. in the year 1878 to Col. BrantzMayer, of Baltimore, MD.:
"John Adam Summer migrated from the Oberland, in Germany, ....... andremained in Pennsylvania where he lived for about seven years.....Hecame to America to better his condition..... After his term of servicewas up in that state he set out on a trip of exploration, leaving hiswife and children with the family who had given him employment. Aftera trip through Virginia he returned to his family. Later, he obtaineda horse from his former employer, and set out on a second trip ofexploration, extending this trip down into the Carolinas, and waspleased with his discoveries. He returned to his family inPennsylvania and brought them to the place of his selection for asettlement. This place proved to be near broad River, in the "DutchFork", in (Lexington County near Newberry County line)." "On hissecond trip through Virginia while reviewing his first observationsand passing through one of the Indian Tribes, he turned his horse intoa small stream to drink, discovered a young Indian in great agony. Heoffered the Indian the assistance he could, when he made signs by hisfingers that he had been three days there and had been bitten by arattlesnake, and by signs comprehended the course he wished to go--andhe laid him across the back of his horse, walking by his side andholding him on, brought him to the Indian Camp, a distance of severalmiles, where there was great rejoicing as he was the son of the Chiefand they had been searching for him for three days. They aat once gavehim (Summer) an unbounded welcome, settled him in their midst, andheaped around him piles of dried venison beef and everything they hadto subsist upon, and embracing him urged him to remain with them; thathis wishes would be suppliedd. He remained with them about three days,and begged them to suffer him to depart, that he had a wife and familyhe wished to return and see. They then began to pile on his horse morethan he could carry -- he took a small part." "As he went on his wayand he came among other Indian tribes, they received him with unusualwelcome, making him understand he had relieved one of their people."Runners had been sent on ahead of him to tell other tribes of hiscoming so that he would not be molesteted. "When he came to Esvapadeena(Indian name for Broad River), the Indians showed him a ford whichthey said had been made by Buffaloes, originally, and then used bythem; and crossed over and came into the forks of Broad and SaludaRivers where he chose to make a settlement... He said that thisreminded him of Oberland, and here he was content to make his home. Hefound the whole country overrun with the wild pea, the bottoms of thestreams and valleys overlined with cane, affording abundant food forhis cattle and horses." "After he was settled, and in his journeys toGranby he met Rev. Christian Theus, of the Reformed Church, the pasterof the people there, and in conversation with him, he and his wifewished to join his church (having been reared in a Catholic community)and have their children baptized. He had him to visit his family andto preach in his neighborhood; and he encouraged the people of hissection to come and attend to these duties. Here was established on ofofthe first churches, known as St. Johns Lutheran Church. A grand of 100acres was made by King George II, to the German Society, then Reformedand Lutheran." "He was a man of firm will and purpose and gave noencouragement to the idle, but was ever ready to assist and aid thosewho desired to make a home in his settlement.": He brought severalfamilies with him from Pennsylvania to the Dutch Fork. Churches andschools soon sprung up, and in due time the cause of Educationreceived encouragemment, and culture and good society and liberaleducation prevails among the citizens of this community. While many ofthe citizens have sought homes in other portions of the State and theUnited States." As a leader in his community, he at first was aLoyalist as were many others in his neighborhood. But later, when hisadopted country formed their own government on the side of libertywhich seemed the only salvation for the people, he took the side ofGeneral Washington. The others of that community also changed andbecame patriotic citizens. During the Revolutionary War he was Managerof the Commissary of that section and gained the title of Major. Ofhis six sons who became grown and had families, all were patrioticcitizens and soldiers in the Militia during the War.
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1716 - 1790 (~ 74 years)
