Five years after the capture of Quebec by General Wolfe, and one year after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which put an end to the French and Indian war, and established English supremacy on the American continent, a child was born in Washington County, in the province of Maryland, that was destined to become the pioneer head of a numerous family in the settlement of a region of country which was at that time unknown. The name of this child was Christian Rohrer, and he was just one year old when the notorious "Stamp Act" was passed by the English Parliament. His parents came from Germany, and although their son, Christian, was born in America, they spared no pains in teaching him how to speak and write the language of his forefathers.

Christian Rohrer had twelve children. By his first wife he had two--Martin and Fanny; and by his second he had ten--Henry, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth, Catherine, Daniel, John, Susan, David and Jacob.

Henry Baumwart was a brother of Mrs. Christian Rohrer. Mr. Baumwart, no doubt, came from near the same place his brother-in-law came from, although it is said he was a Pennsylvania Dutchman. He came after Mr. Rohrer, but just how long after there is no evidence to show. He settled on Lot 12, concession A., Walsingham, between Port Rowan and Port Royal, He had four sons--Frederick, Henry, Jacob and David; and four daughters--Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth and Susan.

Frederick Baumwart, eldest son of Henry, married Fanny Becker, and settled in the family neighborhood. He had one son, John; and four daughters--Margaret, Maria, Catherine and Susan.

Henry Baumwart, second son of Henry, was twice married. By his first wife, Nancy Foster, he had one son, Isaac, and four daughters--Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Anise and Laura. His second wife was Mrs. Rachel Huff nee Rachel Smith, daughter of the old pioneer athlete, William Smith. By this union he had several children who, after his death, settled in Michigan with their mother. When war was declared in 1812, Henry Baumwart had no inclination to take up arms against the land of his birth, and he left Canada, remaining away for several years. He returned, however, and ever after was a firm believer in the superior advantages which his adopted country possessed over the land of his birth in the development of a moral, law-abiding and God-fearing citizenship.

Jacob Baumwart, third son of Henry, married Sarah Smith, and settled on the homestead. He had one son, Owen; and two daughters--Susan and Mary. Owen succeeded to the homestead. Mary married Lot Spencer.

David Baumwart, youngest son of the old pioneer, married Julia, daughter of Oliver Mabee, and settled in Charlotteville. By this marriage he had two sons--Henry and Gideon; and four daughters--Rebecca Ann, Mary Jane, Rachel and Julia. Subsequently, he married Mary Frances, by whom he had two sons--Gabriel and David; and one daughter, Eliza.

Susan Baumwart, daughter of the old pioneer, married Eber Decew; and her sister, CATHERINE, married Isaac Decew. The names of their children are given in the Decew genealogy.

Elizabeth Baumwart, the third daughter, married William Ferris, and settled near Port Colborne, where she raised a family of five sons--William, Owen, Isaac, Joshua and John; and five daughters--Susan, Hannah, Mary, Elizabeth and Sarah.

Mary Baumwart, the eldest daughter, married into the Rohrer family.

The Dutch form of the family name has been discarded, and the Anglicized form--BOWER--adopted in its stead.

The pioneer head of the family died in the beginning of the second quarter of the century, and his widow survived him several years.

Source: Pioneer Sketches of Long Point Settlement by E.A. Owen. Toronto: Briggs, Coates and Huestis, 1898.

Submitted 5Aug00