The earliest known ancestor of Catherine Meyer is Matthias Meyer, who lived in the village of Mettnich, located in the north-central region of present date Saarland. In 172519, Matthias married Maria Leydenborn. Maria was born in 1699 in Sötern19. Matthias was a farmer, a typical occupation at this time. Maria died on March 16, 1834, at Mettnich19.
Matthias and Maria Leydenborn had the following children:
| i. | Nikolaus Meyer | Nikolaus was born on July 29, 172519, at Mettnich. |
| ii. | Johann Meyer | Johann was born on June 20, 172819, at Mettnich. |
| iii. | Michael Meyer | Michael was born on April 12, 173119, in Mettnich, and he died on June 14, 180619, in Eiweiler. Michael married Anna Haupenthal. |
In 173419, following the death of his first wife, Matthias married Maria Linnig, from Kostenbach.
Matthias and Maria Linnig had the following children:
| i. | Angela Meyer | Angela was born on May 29, 173519, at Mettnich. |
| ii. | Matthias Meyer | Matthias was born on May 18, 173619, at Mettnich, and he died on November 1, 178119, at Wedern. Matthias married Eva Blees. |
Michael Meyer was born in born on April 12, 173119, at Mettnich, the third child of Matthias Meyer and Maria Leydenborn. In 1760, Michael married Anna Haupenthal at Mettnich. Anna was born on September 17, 173219, in Eiweiler, the daughter of Johann Peter Haupenthal and Anna Mayer. Michael and Anna settled in her home village of Eiweiler, where he pursued a life of farming. Michael died at Eiweiler on June 14, 180619.
Michael and Anna had the following children:
| i. | Maria Katharina Meyer | Maria Katherina was born on October 24, 176119, at Eiweiler, and she died on February 11, 182119. Anna Katharina married Johann Schmitt. |
| ii. | Anna Meyer | Anna was born on July 26, 176319, at Eiweiler. |
| iii. | Johann Nikolaus Meyer | Johann Nikolaus was born on August 4, 176519, at Eiweiler. |
| iv. | Peter Meyer | Peter was born on April 15, 176819, at Eiweiler, and he died on January 31, 182719. Peter married Barbara Biehl. |
| v. | Maria Meyer | Maria was born on September 10, 177019, at Eiweiler. |
| vi. | Maria Meyer | Maria was born on February 15, 177219, at Eiweiler. |
| vii. | Helena Meyer | Helena was born on July 2, 177419, at Eiweiler. |
Peter Meyer was born on April 15, 176819, the fourth child of Michael Meyer and Anna Haupenthal. In 178719, Peter married Barbara Biehl in Mettnich. Barbara was born on August 26, 176919, in Mettnich, the daughter of Peter Biehl and Katharina Schommer. Peter and Barbara settled into a life of farming at Mettnich, in what was known as "Meyer Hollow". Barbara died on December 19, 181919, in Mettnich and Peter died there on January 31, 182719.
Peter and Barbara had the following children:
| i. | Maria Meyer | Maria was born in 178819, in Mettnich, and she died on November 13, 184019. Maria married Sebastian Erhard. |
| ii. | Barbara Meyer | Barbara was born about 179319, in Mettnich, and she died on December 25, 185719. Barbara married Johann Giebel. |
| iii. | Peter Meyer | Peter was born on March 3, 179519, in Mettnich, and he died on February 8, 18801. Peter married Anna Maria Dorscheid. |
| iv. | Nikolaus Meyer | Nickolaus was born on May 18, 179819, in Mettnich, and he died on March 19, 186619. Nikolaus married Susanna Becker. |
| v. | Anna Maria Meyer | Anna Maria was born about 180019, in Mettnich. |
| vi. | Katharina Meyer | Katharina was born on February 22, 180119, in Mettnich, and she died on November 25, 182219. Katharina married Franz Giebel. |
| vii. | Johann Meyer | Johann was born on March 7, 180619, in Mettnich, and he died on March 13, 180619. |
| viii. | Johann Meyer | Johann was born on January 17, 180819, in Mettnich, and he died on April 25, 187819. Johann married Barbara Scherer. |
Peter Meyer was born on March 3, 179519, the third child of Peter Meyer and Barbara Biehl. On February 3, 181519, Peter married Anna Maria Dorscheid. Anna Maria was born on September 13, 179719, in Kostenbach, the daughter of Michael Dorscheid and Anna Maria Lauck. Peter and Anna Maria settled in Mettnich were he was a farmer and weaver, and where all but one of their children were born.
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| Iowa Passenger List |
In 1840, Peter and Anna Maria made the momentous decision to emigrate to America. They sailed from Le Havre, France aboard the sailing ship Iowa and arrived in New York City on September 1, 18409, with seven of their children. Their son Johann did not come to America until 194119. The reason for his delay is unknown.
The destination of the Meyer family was Sheldon, New York. Peter probably learned about Sheldon from the Glaeser family, who emigrated from Eiweiler and were living in Sheldon. Letters from the Glaesers would have described the area, which resembles their homeland, and extolled the good farm land available in Sheldon. Peter, Anna Maria and family would have been welcomed by the German immigrant community, including friends from their home area. Peter and Anna Maria settled in Sheldon and resumed their life of farming11. Anna Maria died on October 8, 18581, and Peter died on February 8, 18801.
Peter and Anna Maria had the following children:
| i. | Peter Meyer | Peter was born on November 5, 181519, in Mettnich, and he died August 27, 18848. Peter married Catherine Kirsch. |
| ii. | Johann Meyer | Johann was born on June 17, 181719, in Mettnich, and he died on January 9, 19028. Johann married Catherine Schunk. |
| iii. | Catharine Meyer | Catharine was born on April 2, 182019, in Mettnich, and she died on February 16, 18911. Catharine married Johann Jacob Thanisch. |
| iv. | Nicolas Meyer | Nicolas was born on March 24, 182219, in Mettnich. |
| v. | Michael Meyer | Michael was born on February 27, 182419, in Mettnich, and he died in 18831. Michael married Mary Magdalena Schmidle. |
| vi. | Maria Meyer | Maria was born on May 25, 182619, in Mettnich. |
| vii. | Elisabeth Meyer | Elisabeth was born on October 1, 183019, in Mettnich, and she died in 183219. |
| viii. | Matthias Meyer | Matthias was born on September12, 183319, in Mettnich, and he died in 183819. |
| ix. | Jacob Meyer | Jacob was born on February 13, 183619, in Mettnich. |
| x. | Magdalena Meyer | Magdalena was born on March 30, 183819, in Mettnich. |
| xi. | Elisabeth Meyer | Elisabeth was born on January 17, 18421, in Sheldon, and she died on May 11, 18778. Elisabeth married Ferdinand Brauner. |