The German Corner #24 Cranberry Prairie by David A. Hoying
A Large number of people from oldenburg and Hannover, followed upon the heels of Franz Joseph Stallo, spurred by his propaganda. A goodly number were from Stallo’s hometown of Damme, and amongst these was the Romer family. In early 1836, Mrs Romer and her 9 children set sail from Bremen and landed in Baltimore, and made their way to Cincinnati. Like most of the immigrants, the Romer family was of the Heuerleute (“renting people” - not owning land of their own). Of this family, four of the Romer brothers; Jn. Heinrich, Jn. Bernard, Franz, and Jn. Joseph were most enterprising and entered into land speculation. Already in march, J. Heinrich and Jn. Bernard purchased land in Shelby County just to the south of Minster, and in October the brothers purchased most of section 21 of Granville Township in Mercer County. Several other counterparts from Damme also purchased vast tracts of land, such as Decker and Wieners. On 7 July, Franz sold 80 acres (E1/2 NW1/4 W1/4 NE1/4) to his brother Jn. Heinrich, which was to be the site of the village of Saint Henry. The tract was surveyed on 7 July, the town was platted on 13 July, and the plat wa recorded on 15 July, the feast of St Henry. Jn. Heinrich advertised the new town that fall in the (german newspaper) of Cincinnati, However, it was not until mid-1838 that the town had inhabitants. The Romer brothers maintained the general store in St. Heny and traveled often between there and Cincinnati, where the rest of the family resided. The Cholera plague in the summer of 1849 threw Cincinnati into turmoil, and many people fled north including Mrs. Romer. Coming by canal boat to Minster, Maria Agnes took sick and Quickly died, Though probably not of the Cholera. She was buried in St. Augustine Cemetery, and she was buried with gold coins she had sewn into her dress, but of which no one was aware at that moment.