Maps of Interest to
"O" Families
Compiled & Written by
K. R. Overholt Critchfield
~ Published May 15, 2014 ~
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This
web page brings together a collection of road
maps, satellite maps and aerial photographs of
places in Europe that will interest those of us
who are descendants of the Oberholzer families
from Oberholz, Switzerland. Everything seen here
can be easily found on the Internet, via search
engines and other web resources that offer maps
along with history articles. The Wikipedia
web sites are particularly helpful, since so much
of their content is offered "free and
clear" to the public. I have added to many
maps the locations of towns, cities and
communities that are important to "O"
researchers, and when doing so, have endeavored
to be as precise as possible in the estimations. Building confidence through research, we
may decide to make our own journeys through
physical space, seeking to add our 21st century
footsteps to the echoing steps of our ancestors.
Along the way, we will be experiencing something
of times past, learning to appreciate the
complexities of our "O" family tree,
and gathering up memories that we can share far
into the future. It may be that our journeys, and
the pictures we treasure, will awaken genetic
memories of living on a high plateau surrounded
by snowcapped mountains. That was one of my own
memories, taken from scenes dreamed in my youth,
and remembered all the days of my life.
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Table of Contents
Details From
History
Oberholz Village
Locations
Maps of
Switzerland
Satellite Pictures of
Oberholz, Series #1
Satellite Pictures of
Oberholz, Series #2
Northwestern
Europe
Cities Visited
by Carroll & Charles Overholt
Maps of Germany
Oberholtzer Communities
in Germany
Frankfurt am
Main
30 Miles from Frankfurt
am Main
The Rhine River
System
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Details From
History

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Our Swiss
ancestors were descendants of the Alemanni
tribes, the Suevi, who were just one of
many Germanic peoples who entered Europe from the
Baltic Sea area. Among them were the Angles and
Jutes, who ended up in England. Upon reaching the
Rhine River areas of the land we call Germany,
the Alemanni became competitors with Romans for
control over the best land, although the Alemanni
did not contribute to the decline of the Romans
in the region. The Alemanni settled in
southwestern Germany, the Alsace region of
France, and northern Switzerland. (See Alemanni, by The History Files at Karen's Branches.)
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c.1610 Map Showing Religious Divisions of Germany
(Portion)
During this era, it appears the Sinsheim valley was
Calvinistic,
but the Roman Catholics were not far away.

c.1610 Map Showing Religious Divisions of Germany
(Legend)

1619 Map of Germany (Portion)
The Sinsheim valley appears to be part of the Rhenish
Palatinate.

1648-1760 War Era - Netherlands & Western Germany
(Portion)
Rotterdam, Netherlands was the portal from Europe to
England for
our Swiss ancestors, and many others who went directly to
America.

1648-1760 War Era - Netherlands & Western Germany
(Portion)
This map shows the Sinsheim valley designated as part of
the Palatinate.

1648 Europe - Holy Roman Empire (Portion)
Note the hodge-podge of claimed territories in
southwestern Germany.

1678 Germany - Lower Palatinate includes the Sinsheim
region (Portion)

18th Century Europe - 1700s Central Europe
At this time, it appears the Sinsheim valley is part of
Langraviate Hessen-Kassel.

1789 Oberämter of the Electorate of the Palatinate

1789 Oberämter of the Electorate of the Palatinate
(Details)
. . . 
1801-1819 Baden, Germany - with Inset Map

1806 Germany - Showing Grand Duchy of Hesse &
Grand Duchy of Baden
At this time, it appears the Sinsheim valley is split up
mostly between these two duchies.
Oberholz Village
Locations

Kantonsgrenze (Canton Border); Oberholzstrasse
(Oberholz Street); Kapellstrasse (Chapel
Street); Gerstrasse (Ger Street)
Maps of
Switzerland

Switzerland is nestled between Italy,
France, Germany and Austria.

The Historical Parts of Swiss Kanton
Sankt Gallen (Wikipedia, Marco Zanoli)

Alpine Regions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria
& Germany




Alpine High Rhine & Swiss Cantons

Obersee Area of Switzerland - Showing Wald &
Oberholz

Obersee Area of Switzerland - Aerial Photo

Kanton Sankt Gallen (Canton St. Gallen)

The River Rhine (Rhein) Begins in Switzerland

Oberholz, Kanton Sankt Gallen, Switzerland

From Zurich to Wald to Oberholz

Zurich, Lake Zurich & Obersee - Aerial Photo Map

Zurich, Lake Zurich & Obersee - Aerial Photo

Wald to Oberholz Road Map (1)

Wald to Oberholz Road Map (2)

Oberholzstrasse to Oberholz (1)
Satellite Pictures of
Oberholz #1

Oberholzstrasse to Oberholz (2)

Oberholzstrasse to Oberholz (3)

Oberholzstrasse to Oberholz (4)

Oberholz Locations (2)
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Series #1 appears to
show aerial photos with the current configuration
around the new Oberholzer Family home (note the
black driveway in front of the house), and must
be more recent than those shown below in Series
#2.
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Oberholz Locations (3)

Oberholz Locations (4)

Oberholz Locations (5)

Ski Lift Oberholz (1)
These aerial photos show the
length of Ski Lift Oberholz, from the village to the top
of the mountain.

Ski Lift Oberholz (2)

Ski Lift Oberholz (3)

Ski Lift Oberholz (4)

Aatal, Oberholz & Wald (1)
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Note
the location of Aatal in the upper left quadrant
of this map, near the blue box [15] on
Tosstalstrasse. Jonatal is south of Aatal.
Oberholz is clearly identified. In the shot
below, imagine the terrain being mostly wooded
during the Middle Ages, and Aatal being the
"Lower House," and Oberholz being the
"Upper House," and Wald being a smaller
community. |
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Aatal, Oberholz & Wald (2)

Aatal & Oberholz (1)
Aatal is in the upper left
quadrant, and Oberholz is in the lower right quadrant.

Aatal & Oberholz (2)
Aatal is in the upper left
quadrant, and Oberholz is in the lower right quadrant.

Aatal, Switzerland (1)

Aatal, Switzerland (2)
Satellite Pictures of
Oberholz #2

Oberholz, Switzerland (1)
Borders of Kantons Zurich & Sankt Gallen

Oberholz, Switzerland (2)

Oberholz, Switzerland (3)

Oberholz, Switzerland (4)

Oberholz, Switzerland (5)

Oberholz, Switzerland (6)

Oberholz, Switzerland (7)

Oberholz, Switzerland (8)

Ski Lift at Oberholz, Switzerland

Wald, Kanton Zurich to Oberholz, Kanton St. Gallen
(1)

Wald, Kanton Zurich to Oberholz, Kanton St. Gallen
(2)
Northwestern
Europe

Northwestern Europe (1)
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The
Rhine begins in the southeastern Swiss Alps in
the canton of Grisons, and empties into the North
Sea in the Netherlands, after running through
nine European nations: Switzerland, Austria,
Germany, France, Netherlands, Liechstenstein,
Luxembourg, Belgium and Italy. Our Oberholzer
families would have found travel on the Rhine to
be the easiest method of immigration -- first
from Switzerland into Germany, and then later to
the Netherlands. Their journeys continued aboard
ships, mostly from Rotterdam, with whole families
crossing over to England, where they sought the
means to pay for passage in ships from England to
America. Most of the ships that took immigrants
from England to Pennsylvania came out of
Rotterdam, also. Some of our ancestors were
placed in Ireland for a while, until passage
could be arranged for them to immigrate to
America. |
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Northwestern Europe (2)
Cities Visited
by Carroll & Charles Overholt

Carroll Overholt's European Tour, plus visits to
Omaha Beach and Paris, France.
Maps of Germany





Map of a Portion of Germany's Black
Forest (Schwarzwald)
This map is severely reduced in size, so it is difficult
to see all the towns and villages among the hills and
valleys.




Karen's Note: In most of these maps, the locations of
added places are estimations.
Oberholtzer Communities
in Germany

Oberholtzer Families Lived in Sinsheim Farming
Communities
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In
the Introduction of The Oberholtzer Book,
Willard E. Overholtzer outlines the European
history of our Oberholzer ancestors. During the
Protestant Reformation, shortly after the end of
the Thirty Years War, a few generations of
"O" families were tenant farmers in
Germany (where the "t" appeared in the
surname), particularly in the farming areas south
of Sinsheim. Will tells
us, "Numerous Reformed Church and census
records show Oberholtzers living in the villages
of Hilsbach, Weiler, Buchenauerholf, Elsenz,
Reihen, Fiesenheim, Oppau and Immelhausenhof.
Many of these notations were followed with the
terms Hofbauer (farmer) and Weidertaufers."
The word Weidertaufers, or Taufers,
means "re-baptizers."
Remembering that the word Hof
means "farm," Oberholtzer families
lived in Immelhäuser Hof, Buchenauer Hof, and
the communities of Weiler, Reihen, Hilsbach, and
Elsenz. The story becomes clearer with data now
available from the OFA, which adds Steinsfurt to
the list of places where just a few generations
of our ancestors lived.
Internet maps show
us that Buchenauer Hof has become the Golfclub
Sinsheim Buchenauer Hof. Two other villages
in Germany where our ancestors lived were
identified as Oppau and Fiesenheim. Oppau is near
Frankenthal, which is northwest of Mannheim. A
search for Fiesenheim only brought up the name Friesenheim,
which happens to be the very next community
southeast of Oppau. I did locate another
Friesenheim, which is close to the Black Forest
near Strasbourg, but I am betting the one next to
Oppau is the correct one.
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The Neckar & Rhine Rivers

Farming Communities Near Sinsheim

Farming Communities Near Sinsheim Terrain

Immelhäuserhof Road to Immelhäuser Hof, also
showing Steinsberg, Reihen & Steinsfurt

Immelhäuserhof Road to Immelhäuser
Hof (1)

Immelhäuserhof Road to Immelhäuser
Hof (2)

Immelhauserhof Road to Immelhäuser Hof (3)
Carroll's Downtown Immelhäuser Hof

Neighboring Community Hammerau
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Above
is Hammerau, which is very close to communities
where Oberholtzer families lived. Providing this
village dates back to the 1600s, the inhabitants
may well have known some of our "O"
ancestors. I am including it, just in case there
are some genealogical ties. |
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Hammerau Terrain

Immelhäuser Hof, Buchenauer
Hof, Weiler & Steinsberg
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Buchenauer Hof
has been transformed from a farm to a huge golf
course, but beyond the manicured greens
surrounded by forest, there is more farmland to
tell the tale of its original purpose. |
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Immelhäuser Hof, Buchenauer
Hof, Weiler & Steinsberg

Golf Club Sinsheim Buchenauer Hof (1)

Golf Club Sinsheim Buchenauer Hof (2)

City of Sinsheim & Communities of
Rohrbach & Steinsfurt

City of Sinsheim & Communities of
Rohrbach & Steinsfurt Terrain

City of Sinsheim to Weiler

City of Sinsheim to Weiler Terrain

Reihen

Reihen Terrain

On the Northern Edge of Weiler is
Steinsberg & Burg Steinsberg (Steinsberg Castle)

Steinsberg Castle Terrain
Weiler Community & Vineyards
Hug Steinsberg Castle Mound

Weiler & Vineyards of Berg
Steinsberg (Steinsberg Castle)

Berg Steinsberg (Steinsberg Castle)
Close Up

Immelhäuser Hof is Near Burg
Steinsberg (Steinsberg Castle)

Hilsbach, Weiler & Steinsberg

Hilsbach, Weiler & Steinsberg
Terrain

Weiler & Steinsberg Terrain

Weiler, Steinsberg & Reihen

Community of Hillsbach

Communities of Elsenz & Hilsbach

Community of Elsenz
/
Elsenz Terrain

Oppau & Friesenheim are near Frankenthal on the
western bank of the Rhine River
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Oppau and Fiesenheim
are given as communities where Oberholtzer
families lived. I found a Friesenheim
right next to Oppau, as seen here. It occurs to
me that if our Oberholtzer ancestors were leaving
the Sinsheim area, they would consider meeting up
with family living in Oppau or Freisenheim, where
they could find shelter before boarding a ship
(or another ship) to continue their journey to
the Netherlands. Notice the unusual loop in the
Rhine at that point. I do not know if the loop is
manmade or natural to the river, but if it was
present at the time of the immigrations, the
sector must have been used as a natural dock,
shipyard and loading area back then, just as it
is used now.
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Frankenthal, Oppau & Friesenheim, near Mannheim
at the Rhine River

Frankenthal, Oppau & Friesenheim Near Mannheim

The Rhine River at Oppau

Oppau & Friesenheim Terrain

Community of Oppau Terrain

Community of Friesenheim Terrain

Another Friesenheim Near Strasbourg
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Above, near Strasbourg, you will see
another Friesenheim near a place named Oppenau,
which is not far from Renchen, which is
not far from a place called Sinzheim.
This is just one example of many ways to get lost
in German place names.
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Frankfurt am
Main

Frankfurt am Main & Frankfurt (1)

Frankfurt am Main & Frankfurt (2)

Cities & Towns From Mainz to Frankfurt

Mainz & Frankfurt Terrain
30 Miles from Frankfurt
am Main
We
are told in the A. J. Fretz genealogies that
Martin Oberholtzer, son of Marcus Oberholtzer (c
1664-1726), was "the progenitor of a family
numerously represented in Bucks, Montgomery and
Westmoreland counties," who was born in
Germany "thirty miles from
Frankfort-on-the-Main." It is obvious that
Fretz is quoting from a source other than
himself. In the OFA's The Oberholtzer Book,
Barbara B. Ford gives us a birthdate for Martin
as "c1709 (England?)." Barbara Ford was
a descendant of this Martin Oberholtzer, and she
was very careful about publishing details that
were not verifiable by some sort of paper trail.
In the most recent compilation of OFA data on our
"O" families, the following is given.
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MC7 Martin
Oberholtzer 4/5/1709 near
Frankfort-on-the-Rhine - 1744 Bedminster
Twp, Bucks Co PA [& Jacob]
Oberholtzer, sons of 1709 immigrant
Marcus, settled at Schuykill, The Nash
family emigrated to America about 1730.
Settled in Bedminster
soon after manhood, m
11/2/1736 Agnes Kolb 4/8/1713
- 2/15/1786 d/o 1709
Immigrant Henry Kolb & Barbara (2nd m
William Nash), both bur Deep Run East.
REF: Phila
Adm Bk E/33, 1744; Fretz: Martin
Oberholtzer; History of Bucks Co,
1905 pg 144-147; Oberholtzer &
Nash Family Histories
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The
name "Franfort-on-the-Rhine" is
curious, though. Clearly, Frankfurt is located on
the banks of the river Main, and I could not find
any other place along the Rhine that had the name
Frankfort or Frankfurt. There appears to be only
one place named Frankfurt, so I believe the
authors intended to use the name
Frankfurt-on-the-Main, which in Germany is called
Frankfurt am Main.
Okay, let us
speculate on where Martin was born, shall we?
After a great deal of trial and error, I managed
to create the map shown below. I used a Bing map
that measured one mile to one inch, and created a
ring depicting a 30-mile radius with Frankfurt am
Main in the center. If our "O"
ancestors were leaving Germany via the Rhine
River (Rhein) or one of its tributaries,
perhaps three different locations are
interesting. You will see below that the numbers
3 and 5 point to locations on the Rhine River,
and number 7 points to a section of the River
Main, which flows northward toward Frankfurt am
Main, then turns left and flows into the Rhine.
Or maybe it is a case of Rhine River waters
taking a right turn into the Main?
Anyway, the city
Mainz is located at the point where the Rhine
meets the Main, and is about 20 miles from
Frankfurt am Main, or more, depending upon where
in the Medieval part Frankfurt a person puts a
"pin." Historians tell us that the
Alemanni coveted the Roman city built at that
juncture of the river Main, but it was another
tribe that finally supplanted the Roman
stronghold. Nevertheless, the Alemanni people
pretty much controlled the whole River Main area,
once they settled there and before they pressed
onward into the south and southwest. The language
and customs brought by the Alemanni became the
German language and customs. Some Alemanni
families reached the place we call Switzerland,
and settled on the tops of the mountains. One of
those families called their mountain home
Oberholz, and became known as the Oberholzers. It
is truly a fascinating thread of European history
that is woven into our DNA.
Take a look at the
maps below, and add your conjectures to mine.
Maybe somewhere along these two great rivers in
Germany was the place where our ancestor Martin
Oberholtzer was born.
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Thirty-Mile Radius

Thirty Miles From Frankfurt am Main (1)

Thirty Miles From Frankfurt am Main (2)

Thirty Miles From Frankfurt am Main (3)

Thirty Miles From Frankfurt am Main (4)

Thirty Miles From Frankfurt am Main (5)

Thirty Miles From Frankfurt am Main (6)

Rhine River, City of Mainz, the River
Main & Frankfurt am Main

Rhine River, River Main & Frankfurt am Main
Terrain
The Rhine River
System

Rhine River - Full System

Rhine River - Delta & Lower Rhine

Rhine River - Middle & Upper Rhine

Rhine River - Upper, High & Alpine
Rhine
End
of Page . . . Return to Karen's Branches
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