Hans Michael Adelmann from Wertheim Kreis (County) of Germany arrived in Philadelphia aboard the Phoenix in 1752. Since he is not Edelmann, we would not expect him to be covered in a website devoted to Edelmann. However, Edelmann in America were often called Adleman, Attleman, and other phonetic spellings and it seems instructive to discuss a genuine Addleman so that Edelmann descendants will have a better understanding of their Surname.
A second reason for discussing Addleman is that it appears that Daniel, a son of Filb Edelmann of Rott used many spellings of his name and eventually settled on the Addleman spelling. His brother David Edelmann seems to have been the progenitor of thousands of Eddleman but one wing of that family uses Eddelman in Indiana. This assumes that Hanss David Edelmann of Rott => Filb Edelmann => David and Daniel Edelmann; that David was the husband of Catherine Eddleman of Kentucky (1778); that this Daniel is the Daniel Addleman of Loudon County Virginia.
The third reason is the main reason I have included a page on Hans Michael Adelmann. In 1991, Dr. Robert Paul Addleman of Los Angeles published a book The American Addlemans, Closson Press, Apollo, PA, which gives much German history and conventions of the early 1700s which will be helpful to understanding immigration by Edelmann or any family during that period.
In his book, Dr. Addleman, after years of intensive research and collaboration of many Addleman, concluded all Addleman in America are descended from Hans (John) Michael Adelmann and Daniel Addleman of Virginia. Robert's very careful research, which included study of the William H. Eddleman Collection, lead him to postulate that Daniel Addleman of Loudon County, Virginia, may be the son of Philip Edelmann of Maryland, whom Bill (William Rodney Eddleman of Cape Girdeau, Missouri) points out fits the dates to be Filb Edelmann, son of David, of Zweibrüken Manumissions of 1773 MMM DD. Manumission is the release from slavery or servitude.
This is a first draft of this page and it still contains some errors. For example, Michael is not the only Adelmann to come to America. (1) Wilhelm Adelmann arrived at Phildelphia, 1750 Sep 12 on the Priscilla, and the following passengers were probably also from Wertheim: Andreas Oberdorff, Hans Andreas Kachel, Andreas Ötzel, and John Simon Oberdorff. (2) Martin Adelmann (this is not the Martin Adelmann who was father of John Michael Adelman) of Höhefeld in 1754 pleaded that his daughter Barbara Adelmann to be allowed to emigrate to America without paying the manumission fee in order "that we be rid of this worthless girl. She is poor as a beggar and dissolute besides. We should like to be rid of her." (3) "Sebastian Adelmann's daughter (first name not given) of Sonderrieth, now in New England, has fallen heir to a parental inheritance of 100 florins. 5 florins to be collected for manumission and 20% , in case the money is taken out of the country. [Yoder]. (4) An Adelmann of Sonderrieth departed for America in 1832.
While there is no extant diary of Michael's journey to America, Dr. Robert Paul Addleman did have documents handed down in the family which proport to be translations of documents brought to America by Michael Adelmann. Robert Addleman and some members of his family hired researchers in Germany to find Michaels roots in Germany and this report on Michael's manumission is based on their reports.
Johann Michael Adelmann was 29, single, poor, a vassal of Prince Carl (Thomas) of Löwenstein-Werthein-Rochefort. His father petitioned for his son's release from villeinage on 1752 May 19 and paid the manumission fee of 1 gulden and 30 kreuzers. Martin Adelmann borrowed 30 guldens (florens) to give to his son for the journey. Having satisfied the ruler that he had no unpaid debts, Michael then asked his pastor for baptismal statement and letter of introduction and the translations that have been in the Addleman family are as follows:
The 15th of December 1723 is Hans Martin Adelmann at Sonderreith and his good housewife, a young son was baptised named Hans Michael (Adelmann), Godfather, Hans Michael Dostman.
Lectori Salutem
The bearer of this, the honorable John Michael Adelmann (unmarried)
born of Christian honorable and lawfully married parents, was born at Sonderreith,
County of Wertheim, Frankenland in the year of our Lord 1723, on the 15th
day of December. The father is the Honorable Martin Adelmann residing at
Sonderreith (the mother's name is Margaretta). By Baptism he received the
name of John Michael of John Michael Dostman, Mayor of Hessig (Nassig)m
aand he has resolved to emigrate and seek his fortune in New England, so
be with him the belling of God and goodluck, and everlasting health. Certified
by John Henning, Evengelist Minister of Wertheim at Nassig and Sonderreith
at his recent confession. This 24 day of May 1752. Cumcera et mai phxia.
[English translation of the document passed down the William Addleman (1757)
line.] The parish records of Sacsenhausen do not contain a copy of the
birth/baptismal certificate of 1752.
Petition of Martin Adelmann of Sonderriet to prince Carl (Thomas) of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort (1735-1789) for permission for his unmarried son Johann Michael Adelmann to emigrate to Pennsylvania and for his release from villeinage; presented 19 May 1752.
To the Most Serene Prince, His Highness Carl, the ruling prince of Löwenstein Wertheim and Rochefort etc. of the Holy Roman Empire, my most gracious Prince and Lord, most humble memorials and pleas from me, Martin Adelmann, tenant and full burgher, for the favor or release of my son Joh. Michael Adelman, single, from villeinage.
Most Serene Prince, Most Gracious Prince and Lord!
To Your High Princely Sernity, it is most humbly expressed, with your
most gracious permission that my, Martin Adelmann, subject and burgher
in Sonderrith, legitimate son Michael Adelmann from here, a single young
man, wishes to move away from with others to Pennsylvania and there to
work and seek his fortune, but that he receives nothing from his father's
assets except 30 guldens as passage money, which I have received as a loan
from a good friend; since he is now bound and devoted in villeinage to
your High Princely Serenity, I therefore most obediently announce and thereby
petition that you will be so gracious unto me as to release my above mentioned
unmarried son, who receives nothing more, from a tiresome villeinage in
grace. As an old man without means, I would be comforted by this, a most
gracious resolution and wait in deepest respect.
Your High Princely Serenity's
most humble and obedient
Martin Adelmann, tenant in Sonderrith
Extract from the Princely Government Minutes of Wertheim 19 May
1752.
Martin Adelman of Sonderrith most humbly requests manumission under (praes.?)
on the 19th of this month, because he, a single person, would like to move
away.
Resolution: To be released for 1 gulden 30 kreuzer. As above.
Strebel.
The above fee is to be paid to the treasury, Wertheim, 19 May 1752. Clerk
of Wertsheim.
[Letter from Erich Langguth (Wertheimer Familienarchiv) to Robert P. Addleman, 11 Jan 1990]
In the German Church records Addlemann is sometimes written as Addleman and Attelman. It was cutomary that the Gevatter, nowadays, Pate (godfather) gave his own first name to the child in baptism. [Hans Wolfgang Keller, Pfarrer (Nassig) to William H. Eddleman].
The exit tax Nachsteuer, usually 10% up to 1752, was levied on all property taken away which included wife and childern. [Yoder, Editor. Penn. German Pioneers]
to be continued
Addleman of America 1752 Phoenix (not Edelmann)
| INDIANA BIOLAB Home Page | PageList
| Claude Eddleman Farm Home Page |
| Farms Around the World | Eddleman Directory |
Indiana Biolab Farm Page |
| Speculations about Potential Eddleman Linkages |
Suggestions, corrections, and comments are appreciated: Contact Harold Eddleman indbio@disknet.com