Mathias Thoimmes (nee Thömmes) is the son of Matthias Thömmes and Anna Maria Meyer. He was born in Gräfendron, Bernkastel, Rheinland, Prussia now known as Grafendhron, Landkreis Bernkastel-Wittlich, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany.

On 2 Feb 1804, Mathias married Maria Eva Thömmes (21 Oct 1779-21 Feb 1837), the daughter of Peter Thömmes and Katharina Jung in Schönberg, Bernkastel, Rheinland, Prussia.

Per the Familienbuch von Schönberg Neunkirchen von 1637-1899 (Family book of Schönberg Neunkirchen from 1637-1899), Mathias and Maria Eva had 9 children *.
• Nickolaus Thömmes, b 1 Jan 1805 and immigrated to America
• Josef Thömmes, b. 29 Aug 1806
• Matthias Thömmes *, b. 18 Jan 1809
• Eva Thömmes, 15 Dec 1809-1898. Married Matthias Bonner and immigrated to America and resided in Lancaster, Ohio
• Matthias Thömmes *, 7 Dec 1811-27 Nov 1813
• Twin boys, born 4 Oct 1814
• Matthias Thömmes **, 20 Apr 1816-20 Apr 1816
• Katharina Thömmes, 13 Jun 1822

* NOTE: It is thought there were 10 children with an infant boy who was born and died on 29 Aug 1820
** NOTE: It was the custom at that time that if a child died young, a subsequent child would be given the same name.

Mathias is the earliest ancestor of the Fairfield County, Ohio Thimmes family to come to America.
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FAMILY NAME
Over the years, there have been many different spellings of the family name. The original spelling, found on German records, is THÖMMES. On emigration records, filed in Trier, Germany, the family name is written THOEMMES. This is a German variation used when writing an umlaut Ö.

Since English language does not use umlauts, sometimes the spelling gets changed to accommodate the way the name is pronounced. This is most likely the case with the spelling found on the gravestone of Mathias THOIMMES.

In 1958, Paul Angus McLeod (the GG Grandson of Mathias Thömmes) compiled the "Thimmes Family History". Paul noted that the original German spelling was THOIMMES. Most likely, he obtained this spelling from Mathias’ gravestone.

Other variant spellings are found on various documents including: Thomas, Timmens, Times, Thimmis, Thimmas, Thimes, Thaimmis & Tinnes. These variants most likely originated when a scribe wrote the name on a document of what they heard or thought was the spelling.

Eventually, the Thimmes spelling became common and Mathias' direct descendants continue to spell the name THIMMES.
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COMING TO AMERICA
It is believed that Mathias migrated from Germany to Ohio at the same time as his son, Nicholas, in 1840. Mathias' wife, Maria Eva, died on 21 February 1837 in Schönberg, Bernkastel, Rheinland, Prussia.

Per the German emigration records kept at Trier, Germany, Mathias' son Nicholas, his wife Catharine, and their 9 children left for America in 1840.

German Record:
Nikolaus aus Schönberg, Krs. Bernkastel, wanderte 1840 mit 11 Personen (darunter 9 Personen under 16 Jahren) nach Amerika aus

English Translation:
Nikolaus from Schoenberg, District of Bernkastel, emigrated to America in 1840 with 11 persons (including 9 persons under 16)

However, per The Biographical Record of Fairfield County and Perry Counties, Ohio", pages 214-216, published in 1902, Nicholas came to America in 1842. (This date is suspect given the German emigration records)

"John H. Thimmes was born in the city of Lancaster, November 1, 1853. His father, Mathias Thimmes, was a native of Baden, Germany where his birth occurred on the 24th of April, 1831. He was in his eleventh year when, in April, 1842, he was brought to the United States by his parents, Nicholas and Catherine (Snider) Thimmes, who on crossing the Atlantic to the new world took up their abode on a farm in Fairfield county, Ohio..."
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