[dropcap]T[/dropcap]o understand the lives of our ancestors we must understand where they lived. My investigative journey took me to Baumholder, Germany and gave me the opportunity to have a deeper appreciation for my Bier family line.
The early history of Baumholder is not so different from the later history. Invasions and belonging under the rule of ever-changing powers was common. Due to its close proximity to France, it was of strategic importance during many periods in history.
A Timeline of Biers and Baumholder
1522 Became predominantly Protestant.
1579 Freedom from serfdom.
1600 Wall and Moat built around the town.
1618 Start of the 30 Years War.
1620 Foreign soldiers occupy the town.
1623 Kratz’s Troops live in the town.
1624 Criatian troops loot and burn the town.
1636 Hans Nickel Bier born.
1650 Troops from Lorraine plunder the town.
1652 Last of French troops run out.
1667 Johann Nickel Bier born.
1676 Baumholder burnt again due to the domino effect of 30 Years War.
1697 A new school is built during a time of peace.
1703 Johann Wilhelm Bier born.
1704 Lutheran Parish established.
1741 Johann Heinrich Bier born.
1749 Recieve Post Office and Public Works.
1787 Johann Carl Wilhelm Bier born.
1792 Occupation by French troops during the French Revolution.
1798 French help restore the town and give it more freedoms.
1801 Peace of Luneville made cantons dividing Baumholder into mairies, a type of district, of Baumholder, Berschweiler, Mittelbollenbach, Reichenbach and Nohfelden
1814 French occupation ends.
1816 Known as Principality of Lichtenburg and was an enclave beneath Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
1821 Carl Christian Bier born.
1822 A Union Synod.
1834 Sold to Prussia and became Burgermeristerei in the district of St. Wendel. Bringing new industry, introducing political parties and a working class.
1848 Large emigration that the Prussian Government could not dissuade.
1862 Charles Harry Bier born. The first of my Bier line born in America.
1882 James Landon Bier born.
1923 Morgan Clarke Bier, Sr. born.
1950 Virginia Lee Bier my mother is born.
1995 Jerry and Alice Bier Bruhn travel to Baumholder and find our relatives.
1996 German cousins join their American cousins in Wheeling, West Virginia for the annual Bier Family Runion.
Biers United
The Bier Reunion of 1996 was interesting. There was a table full of cousins. The men served Germany during World War II. My Grandfather and Uncle Pat fought them during the war. None of that mattered to the vets. They were just family.