SUMMY HANS PETER SUMI SR., EXILE FROM SWITZERLAND Hans Peter Sumi Sr. was a Mennonite Minister, son of Caspar Sumi living in Saanen, Switzerland. Like many Mennonite followers of that period, Hans Peter was driven into exile from Switzerland. He went first to Offenburg in Middle Baden and then to Northern Alsace where he married a Maria Magdelena. All of his lands and possessions having been confiscated, he worked at whatever was made available by the ruling nobility. He was known as a herdsman in the Alsace. When that land was annexed to France, they moved on to the Netherlands. In 1773 they sailed from Rotterdam to Philadelphia, via Plymouth, on the Brigantine, Richard and Elizabeth( Christopher Clymer Captain). Upon arrival in Philadelphia, on September the 28th, they took an oath of allegiance at the court house, administered by Patrick Gordan, Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania. According to the Court Clerk's list and to the Captain's list, eight persons were in the family: Hans Peter(59), Hans Jacob(22), Hans Peter Jr.(20), Otto Fredrick(15), Maria Magdalena(58), Maria Magdalena(24), Hans Michael(10), and Johannes(5). Hans Peter Sr. was the earliest known minister at the Groffdale Mennonite Church in Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, after the departure of Hans Rudolf Nagele (about 1735). The daughter Maria Magdelena Sumi married John Peter Wisswnant in 1737 in the Muddy Creek Lutheran Church, Lancaster, Pa. They eventually moved to the Yadkin or Catawba River Valley in North Carolina. Hans Jacob Sumi, known only as Jacob, married a widow, Barbara Heistand. He took over her plantation in Earl Township, Lancaster County, and over the years, added considerable land to it. His will was probated in 1762. Hans Peter Sumi, was a member of the German Reformed Church in Berks County, Pa. from 1735 to 1755. Sometime after 1762 he moved to North Carolina. His will is on file in Lincoln County, North Carolina, dated 1787. Otto Frederick Sumi, known as Frederick or Fritz first lived in Lebanon County, Pa. Three children were baptized in the Tulpehocken Church near Meyerstown there. Sometime after 1753 he is recorded as having moved to Catawba River Valley in North Carolina with a brother or nephew. Hans Michael Sumi (Michael) is believed to have migrated to Yadkin River Valley in North Carolina sometime after 1751. Johannes Sumi was the youngest son and is the forefather of the Summys in Somerset and Westmoreland Counties, Pa. One of his children was baptized in Stouchsberg, Berks County, Pa. His home is believed to have been in Jackson or Heidelberg Townships of Lebanon County, Pa. The 1790 Census shows a John Summy in Dauphin County from which Lebanon County was later formed. According to his son Michael, John had three sons: John, Abraham, and Michael. MICHAEL SUMMY SETTLES IN SOMERSET COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA Michael Summy was born about 1765 and died about 1820. He had migrated to Somerset County, Pa. He was married twice, first to a Miss Gilmore and second to Annie Ferry. He had four children by the first marriage: Jacob, John, Catherine and Gertrude. He had three children by the second marriage: Christian, Annie, and Daniel. The Pennsylvania Archives lists a Michael Sumy from Brother's Valley Twp., Bedford County as a member of the Militia, Bedford County, Third Battalion. His son Jacob is the forefather of the "Old Order Amish" in Somerset County. And his son Christian is the Forefather of the Summys in Westmoreland County. CHRISTIAN SUMMY Christian was born 20 May 1806. He married Eve Harshberger about 1828. They were living in Garret County, Md. at least until 1830 when they show up in that County's census. They moved across the border into Elk Lick Twp., Somerset County Pa., where we know his son Daniel was born and then into Donegal Twp., Westmoreland County, Pa. Christian and Eve had six children, Abraham, Fanny, Jonas, Frances ("Tillie"), Daniel, and Andrew. Only Abraham and Daniel remained in the area. Jonas, Fanny, and Andrew all migrated to Carroll County, Illinois. At the time of his death, 21 February 1851, the probate accounts show that Christian owned two properties in Donegal Twp., one 225 acres and one 53 acres. The larger property had 100 acres cleared; it had a log house and barn and it had both an apple and a peach orchard. ABRAHAM SUMMY Abraham Summy was the maternal grandfather of Raleigh Stairs and much revered in the family. He came from a Mennonite background and is listed in the Mennonite Encyclopedia. He was born in Garret County, Md., migrated with his father's family to Elk Lick Twp., Somerset Co., Pa., then to Donegal Twp., Westmoreland Co. and finally to Mount Pleasant Twp., Westmoreland, Co. The location of his home in Westmoreland County is marked in the late 19th Century County Atlas near Kecksburg in Mount Pleasant Twp. Elk Lick, Twp. was the home of his Uncle Jacob and his descendants who became Amish. The Monticues lived in Donegal Twp., where it is likely he met his first wife, Susannah Monticue. He is mentioned in the book "The History of The Church of The Brethren of Western Pennsylvania" as elected to the ministry in 1867 in the Jacob's Creek Congregation. Sometime in the seventies he was ordained to the eldership. His labors were principally in this congregation. Being a carpenter, he was often away from home. He would work all week at his trade, and on Sunday mornings he would fill his appointments, frequently riding sixteen miles. His second wife, Rachel, was a great help to him in the home and in the church, willingly bearing her part of the burdens. Abraham was an elder in the Jacob's Creek Congregation more than forty years. The Jacob's Creek congregation included Mt Pleasant, East Huntingdon and Hempfield Townships in Westmoreland County, and Bullskin, Lower Tyrone and Connellsville Twp. in Fayette County. In the early days this congregation met in private homes and school houses. In 1858, The Old Stone Church was built two miles north of Dawson. By 1878, the congregation was moving northward and the Mt. Joy Church was begun. This was the first Brethren Church built in Westmoreland County. Although the original structure has since been replaced, the Mt. Joy Brethren Church is still active and stands on the south side of Route 31, one and one half miles east of Mt Pleasant Boro. Abraham and many of his second family are buried in the cemetery there. Abraham and Susannah had three children, Raleigh's mother Elizabeth, Andrew, and Sarah. This wife and their three children all died at relatively early ages: Susannah at 32, Elizabeth at 39, Andrew at 21 and Sarah at 13. Andrew had married Sarah Ann Fisher of Donegal Township and had a small child, Albert. The Diary of a local minister on record at the Westmoreland County Historical Society, Martin Luther Fausold, in separate entries, notes that Andrew died of typhoid in July 1873, his sister Sarah's funeral was held September 8, 1873, and his son died October 10, 1873. It would not be surprising to learn that all three died of the same bout of typhoid. Andrew's wife, Sarah Ann, is mentioned elsewhere in this manuscript as the housekeeper called in when the George Stairs Family was sick with typhoid. She married George's brother James shortly after George's death. Susannah and her daughter are buried at the Ridge Churches Cemetery. Andrew, his wife Sarah Ann and son are buried at the St. John's Lutheran Church just north of Mt. Pleasant Boro. Soon after Susannah's death, Abraham married Rachel Fulkerth. They had seven children: John, Ezra, David, Anna, Amos, Maria, and Ida. It is believed this family was very close to and caring of the survivors of the George and Elizabeth Stairs Family. The children of Raleigh and Harry Stairs can vaguely remember an exchange of visits with the Summys. Mrs. Ruth (Fenton) Ball of Orefield, Pa. can recall her mother, Ida, contacting Aunt Minnie, Raleigh's sister. In writing the family history of Edward Stairs, oldest son of George and Elizabeth, his daughter, Clara Belle Stairs, describes how her mother and father enjoyed visiting the grandfather. She says: "The Summys were Dunkards, or Dunkers. Officially, Dunkards were called German Baptist Brethren, and they practiced "triune immersion" and refused oaths and military service. They were one of the "plain sects" and the grandfather was a Dunkard preacher. The Summy home was plain but most comfortable, with only really necessary furniture - no frills or furbelows. Her mother, Hattie loved to go there. As she sat in the big farm kitchen, with its long wooden table and long benches on either side, Hattie felt she had never been in a room that was so restful and serene. There were no backs on the benches at the table, and no cushions. It doesn't sound very inviting; but, as Hattie sat in the uncushioned rocker and rocked her baby, she never felt happier. Grandfather Summy and his stalwart sons made their living as farmers, as Dunkard preachers received no pay for their preaching. The Summys were all hard working people, and Grandmother Summy and her daughters were excellent housekeepers. The benches and the table and the floors throughout the house were all smooth and shiny from much scrubbing and polishing." Abraham's brother, Daniel, who also lived most of his life near Abraham, for a short time moved to Carroll County, Illinois near their Sister Fanny (nee Summy) Kaufman. Daniel enlisted in the Illinois Volunteers and participated in the Civil War with that group. He wrote two letters to his niece (daughter of Fanny). One written in 1901, describes his adventures in the civil war. Daniel says in this letter that Abraham was drafted for the army. But presumably in keeping with his religious faith, he paid a $300 fine to stay out of the war. The other written in 1905 includes a one or two page descriptions of the Summy and Harshberger Ancestors, hand written by Abraham. In the same letter, he describes Abraham as very stout for his age, but doing "ride well. "He was just 76 years of age last month, still works and goes away." In his civil war pension application, Daniel states that Abraham performed his marriage ceremonies. This picture of Abraham Summy taken in 1902 shows Abraham not to be stout at all. Mrs. Ball who provided this picture, believes it to be a rather rare picture in that Abraham's religion probably discouraged the taking of pictures in earlier years. The picture was taken for insertion into the book, "History of The Church of The Brethren of Western Pennsylvania." Abraham Summy took in his granddaughter, Ethel Fern Stairs, when her parents died of typhoid. A picture shows her with Abraham and other members of the Summy family in 1904. According to her children, Ethel said her grandfather was a kind and soft-spoken man. The only time she could remember him raising his voice was one time when she showed unreasonable fear of a cow. On the other hand, Abraham's second wife, Rachel, was less amiable; it's possible she resented the attention shown to the grandchild of Abraham's first wife. It is said that Rachel had a premonition and foretold her last year on earth. She bought Ethel a gift,that last year (nineteen hundred): a teapot. Ethel recalled walking with her grandfather. He asked her if she was ashamed of walking with an old man with a cane and she answered she was proud to walk with him. She also recalled him dying with cancer of the throat. So it was difficult for him to speak. But he managed to say to Ethel, "You be a good girl." Abraham died in October of 1910 and was buried beside his wife Rachel in the cemetery at the Mount Joy Brethren Church In his will, Abraham provided proper tombstones for his two wives and deceased children. His daughters were given an 80-by-199-foot lot, his residence. His son John was to pay for his father's share of the "Kell" property and his farming implements over time The proceeds would be shared equally by his children and his granddaughter, Ethel. One dollar each was given to the surviving children of Elizabeth, his oldest daughter, and Edward, his grandson. CREDITS AND NOTES 1. John William Summy, North Myrtle Beach, N.C., is a self-appointed historian of the Summy family. He is responsible for most of the ancestral data earlier than Abraham Summy. He has done extensive research and collected extensive data on this family. 2. Mrs. David Ball of Orefield, Pa. , a granddaughter of Abraham Summy has provided photographs of her grandfather and other family members. She has data on the family handed down by her mother, Ida Fenton some of which was used by John Summy and others which confirm John's origin data. 3. Susan Plass of Mountain View, California was contacted over the Internet and is a direct descendant of Christian Summy and his daughter, Fannie Kaufman. She sent me the genealogy of Andreas Kaufman compiled by a descendant, Eathel Wacker Weidman of Mt. Carroll, Illinois. More relevant to this history, she sent me copies of three handwritten letters or notes sent to the daughter of Fannie Kaufman by the Summys. Two were written by Daniel Summy about his exploits in the civil war and one was an enclosed note written by Abraham Summy listing the Summy and Harshberger Ancestors. The original copies of letters are owned by Linda Hichman of Wahpeton, North Dakota. 4. Cora Scandrol of Lower Burrel, Pennsylvania, daughter of Ethel Fern (Stairs) Thomas provided the information about Ethel's relationship with her grandfather and step-grandmother. DESCENDANTS OF CASPER SUMI * CASPER SUMI ( ) -d. about 1798? m. MARIE CLAUSER d. about 1799? . * HANS PETER SUMI SR. b. 1674 d. before 1750 m. abt 1705 MARIA MAGDALENA HALDI b. 1675 d. after 1749 . . * MARIA MAGDALENA SUMI b. abt 1709 m. 7-Feb-1737 JOHN PETER WISSENANDT . . * HANS JACOB SUMI b. abt 1711 d. FEB 1762 m. BARBARA HEISTAND . . * HANS PETER SUMI b. abt 1713 d. 30-Aug-1787 . . * OTTO FREDERICK SUMI b. abt 1718 . . * HANS MICHAEL SUMI b. abt 1723 . . * JOHN SUMMY (HANS JOHANNES SUMI) b. abt 1728 d. abt 1755 m. MAGDALENA . . . * ABRAHAM SUMMY b. abt 1757 . . . * JOHN SUMMY b. abt 1759 . . . * MICHAEL SUMMY m. MISS GILMORE . . . . m. ANNIE FERRY . . . . * JACOB SUMMY b. 16-Sep-1796 d. 25-Jul-1866 m. REBECCA (MARGARET?) STEVANNUS . . . . . * JACOB SUMMY . . . . . * ELIZABETH "LIZZIE" SUMEY . . . . . * JOHN SUMMY b. 9-Feb-1826 d. 11-Apr-1884 m. ELIZABETH HOCHSTETTLER b. 27-Oct-1821 d. 21-Jun-1884 . . . . . . * CHRISTIAN SUMMY . . . . . . * SARAH SUMMY b. 1850 d. 1852 . . . . . . * ELIZABETH SUMMY b. 1852 . . . . . . * SOLOMON SUMMY b. 1854 . . . . . . * BENJAMIN SUMMY b. 1856 . . . . . . * PERRY SUMMY b. 1859 . . . . . . * GERTRUDE SUMMY b. 1861 . . . . . * BARBARA SUMEY . . . . . * ANNA SUMMY . . . . . * MICHAEL SUMEY . . . . . * ABRAHAM SUMEY . . . . . * ELI OR ELIAS SUMEY . . . . . * MARY "MOMMIE" SUMEY . . . . . * CATHERINE "KATIE" SUMEY . . . . . * ADAM SUMEY . . . . . * NELLIE SUMEY . . . . . * REBECCA SUMEY . . . . . * EVE SUMEY . . . . . * MATILDA "TILLIE" SUMEY . . . . . * SARAH "SALLIE" SUMEY . . . . . * SUSANNAH SUMEY . . . . * JOHN SUMMY m. CATHERINE . . . . . * CATHERINE SUMY . . . . . * ELIZABETH SUMMY . . . . * CATHERINE SUMMY . . . . * GERTRUDE SUMMY . . . . * CHRISTIAN SUMMY b. 20-May-1806 d. 21-Feb-1851 m. ABOUT 1828 EVE HARSHBERGER b. 26-Mar-1807 . . . . . * ABRAHAM SUMMY b. 20-Apr-1829 d. 11-Oct-1910 m. 3-Jul-1849 SUSANNA MONTICUE b. 13-Nov-1830 d. 6-Apr-1862 . . . . . . m. 2-Aug-1862 RACHEL FULKERTH b. 20-Apr-1837 d. 25-Dec-1900 . . . . . . * ELIZABETH O. SUMMY b. 22-Aug-1850 d. 28-Sep-1889 m. GEORGE H. STAIRS b. 1845 d. 14-Dec-1889 . . . . . . . * EDWARD MILTON STAIRS b. 25-Sep-1869 d. 15-Sep-1902 m. 2-Oct-1888 HARRIET(HATTIE) WALKER . . . . . . . * MYRA ORION STAIRS b. 8-May-1871 d. 14-Nov-1889 . . . . . . . * MINNIE R. STAIRS b. JUNE 1873 d. 1970 m. 1889 WILLIAM WILLIS NICOLA b. JUNE 1874 d. 1952 . . . . . . . * HARRY A. STAIRS b. 9-May-1875 d. 19-Feb-1962 m. 6-Jun-1895 CATHERINE B. KREGER b. 21-Oct-1877 d. 29-Sep-1969 . . . . . . . * ADAM B. STAIRS b. 29-Apr-1877 d. 2-Nov-1889 . . . . . . . * CLARA (GERTIE) GERTRUDE STAIRS b. 1879 d. 1921 m. 1886 OR 1887 JOHN ENOS b. 1877 d. 1949 . . . . . . . * BESSIE MAUDE STAIRS b. DEC 1881 m. HARRY BROWN . . . . . . . * GRACE LORENE STAIRS b. JULY 25 1885 d. JUNE 13 1955 m. THEODORE ALBERT HUMBERT b. 8 Oct 1881 d. 5 Dec 1915 . . . . . . . . m.Otto Ralph RUHE . . . . . . . . m. FISHER . . . . . . . * ETHEL FERN STAIRS b. 26-Jan-1888 d. 1960 m. MICHAEL THOMAS . . . . . . . * WILLIAM RALEIGH STAIRS b. 3-May-1983 d. 3-Nov-1909 m. 29-Dec-1902 ELIZABETH AMANDA COLBORN b. 18-Nov-1883 d. 24-May-1977 . . . . . . * SARAH ELLEN SUMMY b. 7-Jun-1860 d. 8-Sep-1873 . . . . . . * ANDREW J. SUMMY b. 9-Mar-1852 d. 28-Jul-1873 m. SARAH ANN FISHER b. MARCH 1850 d. 1934 . . . . . . * JOHN SUMMY b. 14-Aug-1863 d. 28-Aug-1940 m. SARAH J. WEAVER . . . . . . . m. HARRIET BERG . . . . . . . * SIMON A. SUMMY b. 1-Dec-1886 . . . . . . . * ALFRED SUMMY b. 24-Jul-1888 d. 28-Aug-1889 . . . . . . . * RACHEL H. SUMMY b. 17-Mar-1890 . . . . . . . * GRACE E. SUMMY b. 20-Mar-1892 d. 8-Feb-1912 . . . . . . . * JESSE C. SUMMY b. 20-Nov-1893 d. 25-Dec-1957 . . . . . . . * MYRTLE SUMMY b. 16-Jun-1895 . . . . . . . * ETTA SUMMY b. 9-Feb-1897 d. 20-Oct-1898 . . . . . . . * ORIN A. SUMMY b. 10-Feb-1899 . . . . . . * EZRA SUMMY b. 12-Sep-1866 d. 24-Nov-1947 m. MARY BELLE MILLER . . . . . . . * GEORGE CLYDE SUMMY GILBERT . . . . . . . * PERCY SUMMY . . . . . . . * VIOLET SUMMY . . . . . . . * ANNA ZELLA SUMMY . . . . . . . * JAMES OTTO SUMMY (J.O.) . . . . . . . * HAZEL SUMMY . . . . . . . * MERABELLE SUMMY . . . . . . * DAVID SUMMY b. 3-Jul-1869 d. 6-Oct-1878 . . . . . . * ANNIE SUMMY b. 31-Jan-1871 d. 2-Apr-1964 m. PHILLIP YATES . . . . . . . * A. FRANK SUMMY . . . . . . * AMOS SUMMY b. 1873+-1 m. ETTA . . . . . . * MARIA SUMMY b. 16-Apr-1875 d. 24-Jul-1955 m. LEVI STONER . . . . . . . * EDNA STONER . . . . . . . * HARVEY STONER . . . . . . . * BERTHA STONER . . . . . . . * WILBUR STONER . . . . . . . * LILLIE STONER . . . . . . * IDA SUMMY b. 3-Dec-1878 d. 1974 m. ALONZA FENTON . . . . . . . * LLOYD FENTON . . . . . . . * ANNA MARY FENTON . . . . . . . * MARGARET FENTON . . . . . . . * RUTH FENTON . . . . . * FANNY SUMMY b. 3-Nov-1830 d. 7-Aug-1899 m. 30-Apr-1857 DANIEL KAUFMAN b. 21-Aug-1820 d. 19-Dec-1901 . . . . . . * JOHN KAUFMAN b. ABOUT 1849 . . . . . . * WILLIAM H KAUFMAN b. 6-May-1858 d. 14-Jan-1941 . . . . . . * DANIEL ELIJAH KAUFMAN b. 16-Jun-1860 . . . . . . * SARAH ANN KAUFMAN b. 29-Mar-1863 . . . . . . * MARY ELIZABETH KAUFMAN b. 17-Mar-1866 . . . . . . * MARTHA A KAUFMAN b. MAY 1869 d. 18-Nov-1954 m. ALFRED PEPLAR . . . . . . * IDA MAE KAUFMAN b. 24-Apr-1872 . . . . . * FRANCES "TILLIE" SUMMY b. 10-Mar-1834 . . . . . * DANIEL C. SUMMY b. 4-Oct-1836 d. 21-Feb-1910 m. 15-Oct-1865 ELIZABETH PERKEY . . . . . . m. ANNA COVER . . . . . . m. CATHERINE THORPE b. 18-Aug-1861 d. 26-Sep-1899 . . . . . . * SARA JANE SUMMY m. DANIEL NEDROW . . . . . . * RACHEL SUMMY . . . . . . * IRA SUMMY m. UNKNOWN . . . . . . . * BERTA ADAMS SUMMY . . . . . . . * FLORENCE SUMMY . . . . . . * ESLI G. SUMMY m. FLORENCE MUHLENBERG . . . . . . * LOURINDA BELLE SUMMY m. CHARLES MUHLENBERG . . . . . . . * NORA MUHLENBERG . . . . . . . * MARIE MUHLENBERG . . . . . . . * FRED MUHLENBERG . . . . . . * EARL SUMMY . . . . . * ANDREW SUMMY b. 24-Jan-1839 d. ABOUT 1857 . . . . . * JONAS SUMMY b. 26-Sep-1894 d. 17-Aug-1894 . . . . * ANNIE SUMMY . . . . * DANIEL SUMMY b. 2-Sep-1810 d. 8-Oct-1874 m. FRANCIS "FRANNY' HARSHBERGER . . . * ANNA ELIZABETH SUMMY b. 2-Aug-1763