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WHENCE
CAME WE?
THE LEVERING FAMILY, of the United States of America,
may be traced to an individual source.
As the children of Israel were of one fatherhead, so the present
representatives of the name LEVERING, and connections of other surnames,
related by consanguinity, are the lineage of a common
progenitor, ROSIER.
Tradition ascribed to him French origin, and related him to the heroic
band of religious devotees that expatriated themselves from their native
land, the better to serve their Lord and Master. We have
even accepted this traditional, this intangible testimony, unto a belief that
the family name was derived from the French language, having a French
definition, if not derivation.
I, myself, accepted this family creed, as most persons accept the dogmas of their parent church, with unquestioning faith, until
investigation has shaken my belief.
When the Levering Historical Association imposed upon me the task of
providing a family history, I felt that I could not accept hearsay evidence
as a foundation upon which to build. It is hay, stubble
and straw, and will be consumed by the fire of reasonable criticism. The
question, What proof have we of Huguenot origin? presented itself. I could
find none. Even circumstantial evidence as learned from family annals is
testimony in rebuttal of the theory. The oldest record evidence we
possessed--that furnished by Wigard Levering, in his well written family
register--related his parents to Holland.
Though his father was named by Wigard,
without specifying his domicile, he recorded of his mother
and of his wife that they were of the old cities of Wesel and Leyden,
respectively, in and near to Holland. Wigard was born in Germany. By his
family register, and other records, we know his language was Teutonic. What
evidence have we that Rosier was not of the same mold? I believe none.
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