Introduction

The Family

In 1850, Hans Martin and Anna Maria Surbeck Auer left Oberhallau, Switzerland to immigrate to the United States.  They arrived in New York harbor in 1851 and settled in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York.  The family in Syracuse included eight children, four boys and four girls: John Martin, Freidrich, Michael, Elisabetha, Anna Maria, Balthasar, Anna and Magdalena.

Martin T. Auer

I am a fourth generation descendent of Hans Martin and Anna Maria through the line of Balthasar.  I was born, raised and spent the first 25 years of my life in Syracuse.  Today, I live with my wife, Nancy and son Tom in Keweenaw County on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

The Web Page

I have two objectives in developing this web page.   The first is to document the lives of Hans Martin, Anna Maria and their children within the historical context of their times.  The second is to establish a present day link with at least one descendent from each of the eight children.  In compiling this history, I am keenly aware of my responsibility to separate truth, half-truth and conjecture.  To that end, I will seek to document the sources for all material placed on this site, be it public record or family oral history.

The success of this effort will depend in large part on my ability to gain access to images, documents and oral history relating to the Oberhallau - Onondaga Auer family. To that end, I am actively seeking and assistance.  If you have any information that you feel would add to this page or simply want to join in the journey, I can be reached at mtauer@mtu.edu.

It is difficult to call any genealogy or historical treatment 'done'.  I am continually pursuing leads and gathering information.  Thus this web site must be considered a work in progress.  I have a great deal of material and that body of history should grow as other lines of the family are identified and contacted.   

The web site is navigated by starting at The Family and selecting a member of the family.  One can then work one's way down the 'line' to meet descendents of that person and explore related special topics.  The table below summarizes some sections that are further along than others.

Recent Additions