Meisser Genealogy
(Meiser, Miser, Mizar, Mizer, Myser)
Wait… Where Am I?
“I thought I was at the Taylor Reunion?!?”
 If you are so young that this thought is
going through your mind right now, then
relax.
 You are at the right reunion!
 We need to bring you up to speed.
 Our more experienced guests can just
follow along on the next slide. 

Once Upon A Time
Young ‘uns: Your grandma Taylor’s (or
great grandma’s) maiden name was Jean
Ellen MIZER.
 At our reunion in 2010, we reviewed our
paternal family history (Taylor side). The
slide show is available online at
www.tomahtaylors.com .
 This year, we will be reviewing our
maternal family history.

Origins
Over the years, the spelling of Mizer was
changed many times, and known related
spellings are: Meisser, Meiser, Miser,
Mizer, Mizar & Myser.
 Experts believe the surname Meisser
comes from the city of Ottweiler,
Germany.

Useful Information
Germany used to be called Palitinate & the
people were called Palatines.
 In the old days, many boys were named
after their father, but called them by their
middle names to avoid confusion.

– For example: John George would have been
called “George” while his son John Adam
would have been called “Adam”.
Map of Palatinate
Palatinate was separated
into two sections:
Rhineland-Palatinate &
Palatinate.
Map of Germany
The star marks the approximate
location of Ottweiler, where the
Meissers originated.
Setting the Scene
Life in Germany during the sixteen &
seventeen hundreds was harsh.
 The people & lands had been devastated
by the Thirty Years War, the War of the
Palatine Succession & the War of the
Spanish Succession.
 The Thirty Years War alone cost the
region 30-50% of its population. Plague &
famine followed.

Setting the Scene
The remaining Palatines were very heavily
taxed to pay for the lavish lifestyle
enjoyed by their rulers.
 The winter of 1708 further devastated the
region. It is written that the “cold was so
intense that wine & spirits froze in solid
blocks; birds on the wing fell dead, and it
is said, saliva congealed in its fall from the
mouth to the ground.”

Reproduction of Winter of 1708
Setting the Scene
Queen Anne encouraged emigration to
England. More subjects meant more
income for the monarchy.
 William Penn (founder of PA) personally
made several trips to the Palatinate
region, distributing pamphlets that
promoted the lifestyle & climate in
America.

Famous Recruiters
William Penn
Queen Anne Boleyn
Greener Grass!
Palatines did not need much convincing
that the grass was greener elsewhere!
 Before they could leave their homeland,
they had to get a recommendation from
the local authorities.
 Recommendations usually came from the
mayor, clerk, or other official & were
testaments of a person’s good character.

Money Talks
Once they received recommendation,
there was the matter of payment. There
were many fees & tolls along the way.
Some people had to sell everything they
owned before making their journey.
 Others who could not afford to pay would
borrow money from an agent. In
exchange, they would become servants
for a number of years.

Safe Travels
Between 1708 & 1710 about 13,000
Palatines left their homeland.
 The trip Northward on the Rhine River to
Holland (the Netherlands) took 4-6 weeks.
 Once they arrived in London, they were
probably housed in makeshift camps.

London in the Early 1700’s
First Generation
Johan Jurg
Our first maternal ancestor to emigrate to
America was Johan Jurg Meisser (1/1) .
 Johan was born in Palatinate around 1668.
 On July 28, 1709 Johan sailed from
Holland to London, England with his wife
and 4 children.
 In the passenger list entitled “The
Embarkation Lists from Holland” Johan is
listed as “Mauser, Johann Georg”.

First Generation
Johan Jurg
This record indicates they arrived in NY by
June 30, 1710 – 302 years ago today!
 Little is known about Johann Jurg’s life,
but we do know that he settled in the
Scoharie Valley, NY.
 He would have been an original settler in
the area.

Map of Scoharie Valley, NY
The red highlighted
area represents the
Scoharie Valley.
Second Generation
Johann Michael

Johann Jurg Meisser & his wife had four
children, one of whom was our direct
ancestor, Johann Michael Meiser (2/2).
– Note the spelling change
Johann Michael (2/2) was born in 1703 in
Palatinate.
 He married Anna Elizabeth Zecht. They
had 10 children, one of whom is our direct
ancestor, John Johannes Meiser 3/6.

Second Generation
Johann Michael
Johann Michael 2/2 relocated from NY to
Millbach, PA. This was no easy task!
 He had to brave the wilderness, elements
& hostile Native Americans.
 Luckily for the Mizers, they built their
home next door to Fort Zeller, the
strongest building in Millbach, PA.
 Residents would take refuge there during
attacks by Native Americans.

Modern-Day Photo of the
Original Meiser Homestead
in Millbach, PA
The Deed
In 1731, Johann Michael 2/2 was given a
deed to his land by a Native American
Chief named Allummapie.
 The land and home remained in the
Meiser family for five generations, which
was always passed down to the first born
son.
 Upon his death in 1745, Johann Michael
was buried on the family farm.

The Deed
Know all men that I Allummapie alias Safroonan Chief of the Schuylkill Indians and Indian
Owner of the land lying on the branches & upper part of the said River Schuylkill In
consideration of the love & goodwill that I bear to my friend James Logan do by this
writing give & grant full & free liberty to Christopher Stump, George Graef, Hans Zeller &
Michael Mizer their heirs asigns to live upon ? & ? Five hundred acres of land where they
are now settled Southward of ? From this day for all time to come & forever without any
further claim or demand to be made for the same or any part thereof by me or by any
other Indian whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereinto left my hand & seal the
eleventh day of August in the year 1731.
Fort Zeller in Millbach, PA
Historical Marker for Fort Zeller
Third Generation:
John Johannes
Johann Michael 2/2 & Anna had 10
children, one of whom was our direct
ancestor, John Johannes Meiser 3/7.
 John Johannes was born in 1732 in
Millbach, PA.
 He married a woman named Catharine.
 He was the road supervisor in Penns
Township in 1778.

Third Generation
John Johannes
In 1781 he was assessed with 100 acres
of land & personal property.
 John Johannes 3/7 served in the
Northumberland County Militia during the
Revolutionary War.
 He & his wife had 8 children including our
direct ancestor Johannes Adam Meiser 4/2.

Third Generation
John Johannes
John Johannes died in 1795.
 At the writing of his will which was
probated at Sunbury, PA, he was building
a new house.
 He left 90 pounds to his first born son to
finish construction of the home.

Fourth Generation
Johannes Adam
Johannes Adam Meiser 4/2 was born in
Millbach, PA. He was baptized at the
Millbach Church on April 2, 1760.
 He married Rosina Eckhart and they had 8
children.
 In 1806 they relocated to Jefferson
County, OH where Johannes Adam
purchased 160 acres of land.

Church in Millbach, PA

He died in 1812 and is buried on the farm
he owned in Harrison County, OH.
The red highlighted
area represents
Harrison County, OH
Fifth Generation
George Mizer

George Mizer 5/5 was born in 1792 in
Northumberland, PA.
– Note name change.
He moved with his father to OH around
1800.
 He served in the War of 1812 with the
Ohio Militia. His duty was to guard
prisoners of war.

Fifth Generation
George Mizer
George married Catharine Markley on
August 28, 1816.
 He acquired a farm in Auburn Township,
OH from his uncle Adam Miser.
 His uncle received the original land patent
from the US General Land Office during
President James Madison’s administration.

Reenactment of War of 1812
Fifth Generation
George Mizer
George & his wife Catharine had 9
children including our direct ancestor
Mathias Benjamin Mizer 6/5.
 George died in Auburn Township, OH and
is buried in the family cemetery on his
farm.

Sixth Generation
Mathias Benjamin
Mathias Benjamin Mizer 6/5 was born
December 12, 1821 in OH.
 He married Mary Ann Miller on April 19,
1846.
 They had 14 children including our direct
ancestor, John Wesley Mizer 7/10.

Sixth Generation
Mathias Benjamin
In 1873, lumber barons advertised cutover land at very low prices.
 Matthias & Mary Ann moved to Yuba, WI
when he was 55 years old by riding in
wagons & driving their cattle with them.
 The distance between Ragersville, OH &
Yuba, WI is approximately 630 miles, or
12 hours by car!

Yuba, WI
The red dot pinpoints
Yuba, WI which is
located in Richland
County.
The orange star
pinpoints Oakdale,
WI, where the
Taylor family
eventually settled.
Sixth Generation
Mathias Benjamin
Mathias Benjamin first raised potatoes,
and later tobacco.
 He purchased another farm at LaFarge,
WI in January 1893.
 Mathias died in 1904. He is buried in the
Jug Creek Cemetery in Rockton, WI.
 The burial of his wife Mary Ann has been
verified by a grandchild who recalled her
burial there around 1896.

Seventh Generation
John Wesley
John Wesley Mizer 7/10 was born August 5,
1866 in Auburn Township, OH.
 At the age of 13 he relocated to WI with
his parents, and as a boy he worked on
the family farm.
 John became a professional prize fighter
(boxer) and later, a detective for the
Pinkerton Detective Agency.

Seventh Generation
John Wesley Mizer
John married Ada Payne on August 24,
1900 in Vernon County, WI.
 They had 3 children, one of whom was
our direct ancestor, Jean Ellen Mizer 8/3.
 John Mizer died in 1909 at the age of 43,
when Jean was just 1 year of age.

Maternal Lines
Ada Payne
Ada Payne was born in New York in 1874
to Joseph Payne & Wealthy Canady.
 As a young girl she relocated with her
family to a farm in LaFarge, Wisconsin.
 She had two children with her first
husband. Their names were Inez & Vivian.
 Ada remarried John Mizer, and together
they had three children: Delores Ann (who
passed away as a teen), Edward, and Jean
Ellen (who was called “Lena”).

Maternal Lines
Ada Marie Payne
After John’s death in 1909, Ada remarried
James Bird Jerry.
 She was a member of the Adventist
church at LaFarge.
 Ada passed away of pneumonia in
Lakeland, WI in 1932 & is buried at
Lakeside Cemetery in Cumberland, WI.

Eighth Generation
Jean Ellen
Jean Ellen Mizer was born on February 7, 1908
in LaFarge, WI.
 Jean first married Francis McKittrick, and they
had 2 children together: Betty Vivian &
Geraldine Marie.
 In 1931 Jean Ellen remarried Walter Harold
Taylor, and together they added 13 more
children to their family: Jacqueline Jean, Mary
Lou, Meredith Ann, Walter Harold Jr., Robert
Harlow, Laureen Delia, Donald Allen, Patricia
Lea, Richard Raymond, Sheryl Mae, Larry Lynn
(died at birth), Ralph Eugene & Terry Dean.

The Walter Taylor Family
Row 1 (seated): Pat, Rick, Don
Row 2: Laureen, Skip, Jean, Sherry, Walter Sr., Terry, Meredith
Row 3: Mary Lou, Geri, Bob, Junior, Betty, Jackie
Did You Know…?
There is a national Meisser Genealogy
Association.
 They publish genealogy books &
newsletters about the family.
 They host an annual reunion each June
that changes locations.
 The 2013 reunion is slated for New
Orleans. Anyone up for attending?

National Meisser Association
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ance
stry.com/~keller/meisser/work/index.html
 Facebook: “Descendants of Johan Jurg
Meisser”

Tomah Taylors
Have you visited our family website yet?
 www.tomahtaylors.com
 View news & birthdays
 Stay current on reunion information
 Download a copy of the family tree,
genealogy presentations, or other family
documents
 Visit us on Facebook at “Tomah Taylors”

Thank you for watching the
Meisser Genealogy presentation
(Meiser, Miser, Mizar, Mizer, Myser)
Created & presented at the
2012 Taylor Family Reunion by
Coreen (Smith) Traverzo, proud
grand-daughter of
Jean Ellen (Mizer) Taylor