William arrived on Sept 15, 1749, on the ship Phoenix

• *****************************************************One lineage shows John William & Maria Barbara Scholl Altman as having a daughter, Susanna Altman (1766-1825), who married a Christian Eisenman (1761-?). A Susanna Altman with the same birth & death dates is said to be the daughter of Johann (Hans) Peter Altman--John William Altman's brother. Susanna Altman, daughter of Johann Peter Altman, is also said to have married a Christian Eisenman who was born 24 May 1761.

William Aultman was 20 years old when he lift the Province of Alsace-Lorraine to come to the land of freedom -- America. This was in 1764. William was one of tens of thousands who left Europe at this time to escape the persecution of Protestants. He was a German of Calvinistic persuasion.

The sailing vessel which brought William across the ocean landed on the coaStof Virginia. He entered a settlement in Virginia, and one year later, in 1765, he married Barbara Stahl. A large covered wagon was readied soon after the marriage, and William and Barbara, along with other folks in wagons, started a long treacherous trip westward.

Several routes came together at Cumberland, Maryland. Two routes that met her e would be traveled by people coming weStfrom a settlement in Maryland and the Penn folks from Philadelphia. A number of Holmes Countians have ancestors who traveled these routes.

From Cumberland, William and Barbara crossed over the Allegheny Mountains -- and kept going until they reached western Pennsylvania. Here they found a Reformed Settlement in Westmoreland County -- near Greensburg, Pennslyvania. William Aultman is recorded as a charter member in a church theres. This church has the distinction of being among the firStchurches weStof the Alleghenies to have a building.

One of William and Barbara's sons was John, born in 1771. From John and his wife, Elisabeth, we come closer to Holmes County. They lived a number of years in Westmoreland County and then came over to Tuscarawas County in Ohio and settled near Strasburg. John constructed and operated a griStmill in the valley south of Winfield and near the road leading from Shanesville to Dover -- now State Route 39. (Note: In view of certain facts that came to light circa 1992, much of the above history is arguable. See Eighteenth Century Emigrants From the Northern Alsace to America by Annette Kunselman Burgert. In particular, see the Herbitzheim church book record of the children of Jacob Altmann of Anna Maria Isenmann of P. 27. Among the nine children listed are Wilhelm (William), Johan Peter (John Peter) and Johann Caspar (Casper). Jacob and William are listed as Phoenix passengers taking the oath of allegiance, along with William's uncle, Georg, and his cousin, Anthony. Women and children under 21 -- which would include Anna Maria, the two John Peters (sons of Jacob and Georg), and Casper -- were exempted.) ELLEN AULTMAN STEEL, Holmes County, Ohio to 1985