Early Dohmann Family History

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The earliest known Dohmann was Herman Domans, a Geshworener (Judge) of the city of Höxter between 1390 and 1400. Höxter is located on the west bank of the River Weser in the Eastern part of what is today Nordrhein-Westfalen. Höxter and the surrounding territory was under the control of Stift Corvey (Roman Catholic Monastery at Corvey, right on the River Weser, next to Höxter).

Documents from 1391, 1392, and 1396 with Judge Herman Domans' seal still exist. (In fact, his original seal is still in existence.) He is also mentioned in a document of Abbot Willtraud of Stift Corvey in 1401.

From at least 1485 to mid-1700's, the Dohmann family served as vassals of the abbots of Corvey. Tenure letters from 1485 and 1495 as well as other documents of 1535 and 1550 identify the Dohmann family in this role. However the exact succession of the family line is not clearly documented in all cases until 1645.

From at least 1485 until late-1600's the Dohmann vassals lived in Amelunxen. The current vassal moved to nearby Ottbergen in the late 1600's. Pockets of the Dohmann family have continued to live in Amelunxen and Ottbergen to the present day.

The succession of these early ancestors is as follows:

    Thies Doman (c1574-1672) -- lived in Amelunxen
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    Henrich Domans (c1610-c1700) -- lived in Amelunxen -- had 7 children
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    Jobst Doman (c1657-1727) -- married Elizabeth Traphagen later Margarete Hoffmeister, lived in Ottbergen -- built a chapel near Höxter
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    Laurentius Doman (1693-1730) -- married Anna Margaret Albes, lived in Ottbergen -- had 3 known children
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    Henrich Dohman (1718-1791) -- married Margret Thielen later Catherine Schrick, lived in Ottbergen -- had 20 children from his 2 wives
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    Johann Heinrich Dohman (1753-1826) -- married Maria Elisabeth Reherman, moved to Borgholz -- had 6 children

Johann Heinrich Dohman is the Stammvater of the Borgholz branch of the Dohmann family which in turn has produced several American branches of the family as well as additional German branches including Borgentreich and Beverungen. Most of our present database traces the descendants of Johann Heinrich Dohmann and Maria Elisabeth Reherman but we are also pursuing branches that stem from earlier generations and invite all inquiries and contributions to help connect those links.

It is interesting to note, particularly at a time when life was very hard and usually quite short, that these early Dohmann forefathers typically lived to ages of 70+ to 90+ years. This characteristic is still evident today as many of our current and recent generations have also reached ages in the 70's to 90's and remained quite active and productive in the process. [Maybe it's the Weser water ;-)].


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