Person:Michael Risner (3)

{geni:about_me} I'd like to share with you all, some of the report material obtained from the German researcher that was hired a few years ago by Bob Whittaker, Patrick Visser, and Sharon Cornell - all descendants of Michael Risner:

Notes for Michael Risner Sr.: "I have not found any record of birth/baptism, as Records are missing for several years for Old Monocacy Lutheran Church in Frederick Co., MD. Evidence is overwhelming however, that Michael was son of Hans Michael." [quoted from German researcher hired to search German records in 2003, by descendants]

From Bob Whittaker <excerpt from email: Weds Dec 28 2005>: .. As we have tracked through the Risner line there are a couple of problems:

[1] The Michael Risner JR that came to KY is unproven as to his father. It could be he is the s/o Tobias or Michael Risner SR.

[2] The original immigrant Hans Michael Risner just disappeared after 1762 [1764]. He got out of debtors prison, sold his land in MD and no further record of him.

Risner family stories say he went to the mountains, married an Indian and had another family. Funny thing is that a Risner family shows up in SC in the mid 1700s. We have never found out where this family came from. Juli Morgan [Relatively Risner and the Risner Time Line] has researched this SC line for years and neither of us can answer this... Bob

And a few notes of interest:

• Michael Reisner's MD Property*

  Bob Whitaker - Aug 7, 2006

Categories: Hans Michael Reisner, Maryland Betty and I went to MD this summer for 8-9 days. We were researching both the Whitaker's and Michael Reisner in MD. I met with a number of people concerning Michael Reisner's property. Since I got back I have had many emails and several phone conversations concerning the property. These people have a view of Michael Reisner as follows;

 [1] Michael's Green Spring was sort of the "center" of the German settlement in N.W. Maryland.
 [2] Michael was the defender of the German rights of the German settlement.
 [3] Michael was instramental on getting [and probably built it] the first German church built in that area. Though no one knows exactly where the church was located,  most people in MD [who has studied it] thinks the church was on Michael's property.
 [4] There are the remains of a rock house foundation on the property and a rock spring house nearby. Old descriptions of the house is that the rock foundation had a house on it with joints by wooden pegs. It had slots for gun portals in case of indian attacks. At least 3 people in MD think this was Michael Reisner's original home.
 [5] One of two possible locations of the old Monocacy Church is about 100 Yards away from the house location.

 I have come away with a different view of Michael Reisner. He was a highly respected elder in the N. W. MD German settlement. His father had been a mayor of his German hometown, so I suspect Michael would have been politically oriented. MD was 95-97% English settled. The Germans of NW MD were a small minority. Few spoke English. Two major land owners in MD were Danial Delaney and Dr. Carroll [and competitors] and Michael knew both of them. I think the competition between Delaney and Carroll is the souce of Michael's legal problems.  [..Bob Whittaker..]

SOOO... you can see that many people have worked on Michael Risner's life and timeline for many years - and still there is nothing to tell us anything for sure. As you've read, we can't even be sure that he was the son of Hans Michael Risner {Johann "Hans Michel" Reissner is the German version}, but the researcher in Germany felt it was highly likely. This is what we run into, the further back in time we go - records were very scarce unless they were recorded by their churches, and those were subject to loss of any kind. I wish we could say for sure that we know everything there is to know about these Risners, but ALAS..!! We'll have to live with what we have so far. Interesting reading, isn't it?

I have photos of the home in Germany where this Michael Risner's father and mother are buried in the courtyard, and where they were born and grew into adulthood, if anyone would like to see them I can dig them out and publish a few here. I also have a full copy of the German researcher's final report to the descendants and will post details from it along the way, where it most affects the information being posted on this family. This man knew his stuff and his report was simply thorough and impeccable. Have fun!

1. ↑ {geni:county} Scotts
2. ↑ {geni:county} Scott
3. ↑ {geni:county} Knox