PRE-IMMIGRANT GOEHRING FAMILIES
In 1911, John M. Goehring of Pittsburgh, compiled a family history titled "Record of the Goehring Family Descended from Wolfgang William Goehring, Born About 1638 in Albisheim, Germany." (1) After a brief introduction, the book gives a rundown of each generation of the founding member of the family.
The introduction read, in part: The Goehring family originally came from the small village of Albisheim, near the Rhine, and not far from the City of Worms, in Bavaria, Germany. [After World War II, the fell within the state of Rheinland-Pfalz.] This portion of the country was part of the Palatinate, which in the treaty of Luneville was ceded to France, but upon the fall of Napoleon was reacquired by Germany. The first mention in the church records of the Goehring name recites that one Wolfgang William Goehring, on November 24^th 1663, married Marie Margaretta Beroz. For this reason we start Wolfgang William Goehring as of the first generation. As will be noted in the following family schedule the members of the fifth generation, to-wit: Henry William Goehring, John Goehring and John Jacob Goehring, came to America, with their families between the years of 1818 and 1821. They landed at Baltimore, some members of the families remaining there, others came on to Lancaster, Penna., and from there some came later to Beaver County, and others settled at Robbstown, now West Newton, Westmoreland County, Penna."
Before the following information is accepted, church records in Keskastel, France, and Albisheim, Germany, must be checked. American records refer to the French town as the birthplace of some of Henry William Goehring’s children. Did Henry move the 70 or 80 miles to France or is the following information based on an incorrect link to Albisheim? A move certainly is possible since this was during the turmoil of the Napoleonic wars.
Following is the rundown of the information Mr. Goehring provided in his work:

Wolfgang William Goehring married Maria Margaretta Beroz on Nov. 24, 1663 in Albisheim, Germany.
Children:
John Jacob, born Sept. 19, 1669. Died 1738.
Balthaser, born Nov. 27, 1676.
Hans Valentine, born Oct. 20, 1683.
Gerhardt Engel.

John Jacob was born Sept. 19, 1669, to Wolfgang William Goehring and Maria Margaretta Beroz. He died in 1738.
Married Maria Margaret Kuchler.
Children:
John Philip, born in 1695. Died in 1708.
George Michael, born in 1700. Died in 1767.
Sebastian, born in 1712.
John Balthaser, born in 1718.
John Frederick, born in 1719. Died in 1723.
Gerhardt, born in 1723.

George Michael Goehring was born in 1700 to John Jacob Goehring and Maria Margaret Kuchler. He died in 1767.
Married Catherine Maurer.
Child:
John Engelbarth, born 1725.

John Engelbarth was born in 1725 to George Michael Goehring and Catherine Maurer.
Married Anna Margaret Werl.
Children:
Henry William, born Oct. 2, 1750. Died Sept. 9, 1830.
John Balthaser, born 1755.
John, born 1763.
John Jacob, born 1771. Died April 22, 1860.

Henry William Goehring was born Oct. 2, 1750 to John Engelbarth Goehring and Anna Margaret Werl. He died Sept. 9, 1830.
Children:
Henry William, born June 2, 1772. Died 1866.
Adam, born in 1776. Died March 20, 1853.
Barbara, born in 1778. Died Aug. 21, 1858.
Fredericka D., born in 1778. Married a man named Buhl. Died Dc. 15, 1868.
Charles, born in 1782. Died April 25, 1857.
Magdalena, born in 1786. Married Jacob Wooster. Died in 1876.
Charlotte, born in 1790. Died in July 1860.
Christian, born in 1790. Married Elizabeth Goehring. Died July 14, 1830.
Sophia. Married a man named Rape.
Rebecca. Married a man named Ross.
Catharine. Married John Stamm.

(1) A copy of the Goehring history is available in the family files at the Beaver County Genealogical Society in the Carnegie Library in Beaver Falls, Pa.


HENRY WILLIAM GOEHRING
Heinrich Wilhelm Goehring was born Oct. 1, 1750, possibly in the Alsace region on the border of France and Germany. (1)
Married Catharine Baer, who was born April 2, 1747. (2)
Children: (3)
Fredericka Dorothea. Married Christian Buhl.
Anna Barbara, born Nov. 23, 1777.
Charles, or Carl, born Sept. 1, 1781.
William.
Sophia. Married Theobald Reeb.
Anna Catharine, born Oct. 3, 1784. Married John Stamm.
Magdalena. Married Jacob Woorster or Wurster.
Rebecca. Married John Rosebach or Roseboro.
Charlote. Probably married Francis Burkhart.
Christian, born about 1794.
Adam, born about 1795.
Before he emigrated, Heinrich Wilhelm "was a teacher in the public schools of Germany, and was a man of very good education," according to a brief biographical sketch in "History of Butler County Pennsylvania," published in 1895. (In 1895, Alsace was part of Germany. Until 1871, it was part of France, as it is now. Most of its inhabitants are of German stock.)
The Goehring family immigrated to the United States in the early 1800s. "History of Butler County" indicates that they arrived in or before 1801 while the death record of Anna Catharine Stamm says they arrived in 1803. (4) After immigration, Heinrich Wilhelm was usually called Henry William in English-language records.
"History of Butler County" – which calls him "William Henry" – says he "was one of the early settlers of Butler county, Pennsylvania, where he located about 1801. He purchased 200 acres of land, in what is now Cranberry township, which he cleared and improved, and resided thereon down to his death, in 1831."
Henry Goehring purchased 216 acres in Butler County for $325.45 on June 18, 1806. The land was known as "fruitful Manor." The deed says he already was "of the County of Butler." (5)
The Goehrings were active in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Zelienople. Henry William is listed as a trustee when the church was formed in 1821. The first confirmation class, which graduated in 1821, was packed with his grandchildren. (6)
Catharine died March 12, 1821 and is buried in the Zelienople Borough cemetery. (7)
Henry William died Sept. 9, 1830.
(1) Date comes from "St. Paul’s German Lutheran and Reformed Church, Zelienople, Butler County, Pennsylvania," transcribed by Gertrude Mohlin Ziegler, page 150. Possible place of birth comes from "History of Butler County, Pennsylvania," by R.C. Brown Co., page 1167. Information provided by Jeff Thomas identifies Henry William’s birthplace as Keskastel, France. Although I have not tracked down the records yet, this appears to be correct. The death record of his daughter Barbara says she was born in "Keescastel im Lothringen." "Lothringen" is the German spelling of the French region of Lorraine, which abuts Alsace. The death record of his daughter Catharine says she was born in "Hesse Kassel, Elsass." Hesse-Kassel was a separate region in central Germany but this reference almost certainly is to Keskastel. "Elsass" is the German spelling of Alsace. Thomas identifies Henry William’s father as John Engelbarth Goehring, born July 26, 1725 in Albisheim, Rheinkreis, Germany. This agrees a family history titled "Record of the Goehring Family Descended from Wolfgang William Goehring, Born About 1638 in Albisheim, Germany," published in 1911 by John M. Goehring of Pittsburgh. However, the switch from Albisheim to Alsace must be explained. (2) Birth date comes from St. Paul’s death record, page 147. Maiden name is listed in daughter Barbara’s death record, page 171. (3) Barbara, Charlote, Christian, William, Sophia, Adam, Catharine, Charles and Magdalena are named as sons and daughters in Butler County estate file G25 and Will Book A, page 190. The will also mentions that Christian Buhl was a son-in-law. According to the St. Paul’s confirmation records, page 1, Buhl was married to Fredericka Doro. Goehring. Like Fredericka, Rebecca is not listed by name in the will. However, John Rosebach is listed in the estate papers among the children and their spouses who received a "legacy." "History of Butler County" lists Rebecca among Henry William’s children and indicates that John Roseboro was her husband. Neither Rebecca, nor her husband, appear in the St. Paul records. Henry William’s estate papers also mention the names of the husbands for each of the married daughters, except Catharine and Charlote. Most of the pairings are confirmed in the St. Paul’s records. Catharine’s husband can be identified because the will lists her as "Catharine Stamm" and the Stamms appear in St. Paul’s records on pages 20 and 24. The husband of Charlotte, who was single when her father wrote his will, is listed only in "History of Butler County" and, therefore, less certain. Finally, the will mentions a Johannes Goehring as owning neighboring property but doesn’t state a relationship. It is possible that he is Henry William’s brother or another close relative. Children’s birth dates come from a variety of sources. Catharine’s is from "St. Peter’s German Evangelical Protestant United Church, Zelienople, Butler County, Pennsylvania," transcribed by Gertrude Mohlin Ziegler, page 114. Barbara and Charles’ birth dates are listed in the St. Paul’s records, pages 171 and 169, respectively. Christian and Adam’s approximate birth dates come from page 1 of the Zelienople Borough cemetery listing in "Butler County Cemetery Inventory, Vol. 4," by the Butler County Historical Society. The same source lists the tombstones of other Goehrings who were born around the time of Henry William’s children. These may be related to the Johannes mentioned above. One item that must still be storted out is the fact that a tombstone for "Scharlotta Goring" who died July 18, 1860 at age 70 years, 2 months and 28 days is listed in "Butler County Cemetery Inventory, Vol. 4." This woman may be Charlotte or the wife of another Goehring but she seems to be related in some way since she’s buried near our family. (4) St. Peter’s records, page 114. In addition, the St. Paul’s book indicates in Henry William’s death record that he arrived in 1801. However, this may be a note added by the compiler. (5) Butler County Deed Book B, page 171. (6) St. Paul’s records, pages viii and 1. Also, "History of Butler County, Pennsylvania," by Waterman, Watkins & Co., of 1883, page 211. (7) Burial is recorded in "Butler County Cemetery Inventory, Vol. 4," page 1.