I am descended from Samuel HECKERMAN, said to be b. Lancaster, PA abt. 1804, m. Christianna ? said to be b. in Baden abt. 1807. The two trees I found at Ancestry.com that are relevant, include no source information. There are no Heckermans in the US census prior to 1840. So Samuel must have changed his name, or the PA birth info is wrong. One of his sons, Osterlin, is said to have been born in Shiresmantown, PA, which is in Cumberland Co, in 1847. Then in the 1850 census the whole family, that is, Samuel, wife Christianna, ch. Franklin, Elizabeth, Samuel, Catharine, (Mary, now Roland), John, Daniel, Gabrael H., and Osterlin, are in Blanchard Twp., Hancock Co. OH (except Mary, who is already married to Philip ROLAND and living in Liberty Twp. nearby – this Mary is my ancestor). Does anyone have a clue as to what this family’s name was in PA, or whether the PA birth info is wrong? I am looking into HECKMAN, HECKERNELL, HICKERNELL, and HAGERMAN as possible original names, but it’s too much data to crunch without more info to help make links.

Please email me at La424 at comcast.net if you’re interested in discussing this problem, or just have a clue for me.

Thanks,
Laurie Osborn