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According to Daniel A. Bohner (1812 - 1904, grandson of John Nicholas Banner, the family name originated in June of 1682. The Prince of Wiesbaden, Germany received a summons to appear at the court of the Elector Frederick at Darmstadt. This This order came at a time when plans were being finalized for the wedding of the Prince which was to take place in six days. Having finished the interview with the Sovereign, the Prince set out for the return trip without the protection of his bodyguard. He had ordered them to follow as quickly as possible.
There was a very dense and large forest area between Wiesbaden and Darmstadt, through which no regular highway existed. It was, however, crisscrossed by many paths. Hoping to save considerable time, the Prince entered one of the paths just as dusk was approaching. For hours he kept trying to find his way by taking several of the bisecting trails. then, suddenly, he saw a glimmer of light in the distance. Urging his horse to a faster pace, he soon found himself at the door of a small hut occupied by a lone bewhiskered man who was a hunter by appearance. After explaining his predicament, the hunter agreed to guide him to his destination. They arrived in the city only several hours before his wedding had been scheduled to begin.
What reward, if any, was bestowed upon his guide who called himself simply "Pfeltzer" (the Hunter) is not known. thePrince, however, must have kept in contact with him, because several years later he was attached to the Royal Household where h e had charge of the favorite horse of the Prince.
A while later he married on of the Royal Retinue. At this time his name had been changed from "Pfeltzer" to "Bahnbrecher" which means pathfinder or path maker. Only one son, Johann, was mentioned. Johann had many children, but the name of only one son was remembered.At the age of thirty years, the son, Jacob, became a member of the Royal Household of the Elector Frederick and was given the name of Jacob Von Baahnernn. Nothing is known of Jacob's wife and only two sons, John Nicholas (the American ancestor and Henry, were mentioned.
Changing the name of Jacob by adding the title of "Von" gave him status at Court similar to that of knighthood in England. This honor was presented to him "for services rendered the State". A castle was ceded to him on the bank of the Rhine River. This castle was used as a hunting lodge by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and late as 1914.
(Quoted from family records)