Gayman Family Lineage — 530+ Years of Documented History

Direct Paternal Lineage (18 Generations)

1. Generation XVIII: Joshua Gayman Jr, Isabel Gayman, Frances Gayman, Jazmín Gayman (b. 2011, 2012, 2020, 2021) — Present day. Son of Joshua Gayman (b. 1985).
2. Generation XVII: Joshua Gayman (b. 1985) — Present day. Son of Brent Gayman (b. 1959).
3. Generation XVI: Brent Gayman (b. 1959) — Portland, Oregon. Son of Ernest W. Gayman (1928–2015).
4. Generation XV: Ernest W. Gayman (1928–2015) — Oregon. Son of Ernest Walter Gayman (1901–1992).
5. Generation XIV: Ernest Walter Gayman (1901–1992) — Ohio → Oregon. Son of Perry O. Gayman (1870–1934).
6. Generation XIII: Perry O. Gayman (1870–1934) — Montgomery County, Ohio. Son of Soloman Gayman (1826–1900).
7. Generation XII: Soloman Gayman (1826–1900) — Pennsylvania → Ohio. Son of David Gayman (1798–1835).
8. Generation XI: David Gayman (1798–1835) — Pennsylvania. Son of Daniel Gayman (1771–1849).
9. Generation X: Daniel Gayman (1771–1849) — Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Son of Benedict Gehman (1744–1836).
10. Generation IX: Benedict Gehman (1744–1836) — Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Son of Christian Streit Gehman (1706–1776). Married Elizabeth Gehman (daughter of Christian Gehman, Ship Phoenix 1754) — two immigrant Gehman branches reunited; exact kinship between the two Christians is undocumented
11. Generation VIII: Christian Streit Gehman (1706–1776) — Arrived Philadelphia aboard the Ship Samuel, August 11, 1732; settled near Seisholtzville, Berks County. Son of Christen Gäumann (1677–1720) and Katarina Streit. First American immigrant [Strassburger & Hinke, 1934]
12. Generation VII: Christen Gäumann (the Younger) (1678–after 1745) — Born Grosshöchstetten; arrived Amsterdam 1711; settled Peri La Hutt, Palatinate. Son of Christen Gäumann the Elder (1643–after 1710). Arrested July 27, 1710 [StABE B IX 486]; married Katharina Streit
13. Generation VI: Christen Gäumann (the Elder) (1643–after 1710) — Emmental Valley, Canton Bern, Switzerland. Son of Hans Gäumann (1616–Deceased). Imprisoned 1710; one of three leaders of 1711 deportation flotilla [Müller, 1895, pp. 307-313]
14. Generation V: Hans Gäumann (1616–Deceased) — Häutligen, Canton Bern, Switzerland. Son of Niclaus Gäumann (1588–1658).
15. Generation IV: Niclaus Gäumann (1588–1658) — Canton Bern, Switzerland. Son of Martin Göuman (1555–1615).
16. Generation III: Martin Göuman (1555–1615) — Canton Bern, Switzerland. Son of Johannes Gouman (c. 1525–Deceased).
17. Generation II: Johannes Gouman (c. 1525–Deceased) — Canton Bern, Switzerland. Son of Gouman (c. 1495–Deceased).
18. Generation I: Gouman (c. 1495–Deceased) — Grosshöchstetten, Bern, Switzerland Earliest documented ancestor. Family roots in the Emmental extend to the 1400s Bernese expansion and dairy revolution.

The Täuferkammer — Bernese Anabaptist Tribunal

The Täuferkammer was the Bernese state tribunal established to prosecute Anabaptists. From 1684 the family were under sustained legal pressure: Gilgan Aeschliman was appointed guardian over Christian Gäumann the Elder's children in 1684, and in 1687 the family were officially designated "hard-necked Wiedertäufer" (repeatedly refused to recant their faith). The state maintained a Täufergut (confiscation fund) holding Anabaptist property, and departing families paid a 10% exit tax on all liquid assets.

Trachselwald Castle & the 1710 Imprisonment

Trachselwald Castle (Schloss Trachselwald) is the medieval fortress in Canton Bern where Bernese authorities interrogated Anabaptists before the 1711 deportation. On July 27, 1710, Christen Gäumann the Elder (1643 – after 1710) and his son Christen the Younger (1678 – after 1745) were arrested and subsequently imprisoned on "the Island" (Insel) prison in Bern [Bernese State Archives, StABE B IX 486].

The Great Exodus of 1711

In 1711, Bernese authorities forcibly deported 350+ Swiss Mennonites down the Rhine. Christian Gäumann the Elder was appointed one of three leaders of the deportation flotilla [Müller, Geschichte der Bernischen Täufer, 1895, pp. 307–313]. The flotilla reached Amsterdam on August 3, 1711, through the diplomatic intervention of the States General of the Dutch Republic and pressure from Queen Anne of Great Britain on the Bernese government. The 1711 operation was one of the earliest organized refugee networks in modern European history.

Pennsylvania Arrival (1732)

Christian Streit Gehman (1706–1776), the first American immigrant of the Gayman line, arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship Samuel on August 11, 1732 [Strassburger & Hinke, Pennsylvania German Pioneers, 1934]. He settled near Seisholtzville in Hereford Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. His son Benedict Gehman (1744–1836) married his cousin Elizabeth Gehman, reuniting two branches of the family in Lancaster County. A second wave followed in 1754 when first cousins Christian (b. 1707) and Johannes arrived aboard the ship Phoenix and settled in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County.

The 1767 Swiss Bank House built by Christian Gehman in Hereford Township remains a vernacular architectural landmark; the Gehman Mennonite Church congregation was founded around the same period.

American Generations (1732 – Present)

The paternal line moved through Lancaster County and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania to Montgomery County, Ohio, and then west to Oregon and Arizona: Daniel Gayman (1771–1849), David Gayman (1798–1835), Soloman Gayman (1826–1900), Perry O. Gayman (1870–1934), Ernest Walter Gayman (1901–1992), Ernest W. Gayman (1928–2015), Brent Gayman (b. 1959), Joshua Gayman (b. 1985), and the eighteenth generation children: Joshua Jr, Isabel, Frances, and Jazmín Gayman.

Key Events Timeline

• c. 450 BC — La Tène Iron Age Settlement: Iron Age graves at Grosshöchstetten demonstrate millennia of strategic settlement at the site
• 500–800 AD — Alemannic Migration: Ancestors part of Alemannic tribes displacing Romanized Celts, establishing isolated farmstead model
• 1191 — Zähringen Era Settlement: Dukes of Zähringen recruit Germanic families to settle Emmental; Bern founded
• c. 1400 — Dairy Revolution: Gäumann ancestors master Simmental cattle genetics and proto-Emmentaler cheese production
• 1525 — Anabaptism Emerges: Anabaptist movement begins in Zurich, spreads rapidly through Emmental region
• 1684 — Guardian Appointed Over Children: Bernese authorities appoint Gilgan Aeschliman as legal guardian over Christian the Elder's children
• 1687 — Hard-Necked Wiedertäufer Designation: Christian Gäumann the Elder officially labeled 'hard-necked Wiedertäufer' in Bernese mandates
• 1710 — Imprisonment at Trachselwald: July 27: Christen Gäumann the Elder and Christen the Younger arrested and imprisoned on 'the Island'
• 1711 — Great Exodus: Forced deportation of 350+ Swiss Mennonites down the Rhine; Christian the Elder one of three flotilla leaders
• 1732 — First Wave Arrival in America: Christian Streit Gehman (b. 1708) and Benedict Gehman (b. 1712) arrive Philadelphia aboard Ship Samuel, August 11. Christian settles in Hereford, Berks County; Benedict settles in Springfield, Bucks County.
• 1754 — Second Wave Migration: First cousins Christian (b. 1707) and Johannes arrive aboard Ship Phoenix, October 1754. Settle in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County — reuniting two family branches in Pennsylvania.
• 1767 — Swiss Bank House Constructed: Christian Gehman builds vernacular masterpiece in Hereford Township, Berks County
• c. 1760 — Gehman Mennonite Church Founded: Congregation established by Christian Gehman and Swiss Mennonite settlers
• 1779 — Revolutionary War Support: Johannes Gehman pays 'supply tax' to support the Continental Army — recognized by DAR as patriot service despite non-resistant tradition.
• 1827 — William Gehman Born: Birth of 'Father Gehman,' who would become first presiding elder of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ (now Bible Fellowship Church).
• 1874 — Annie C. Funk Born: First Mennonite missionary to India born in Bally, Bucks County, great-granddaughter of George and Anna Gehman Clemmer.
• 1906 — Annie Funk Arrives in India: Annie Clemmer Funk, great-granddaughter of George and Anna Gehman Clemmer, arrives in Janjgir, Central Provinces, India as the first single female Mennonite missionary sent overseas.
• 1908 — Janjgir Girls' School Founded: Annie Funk founds a one-room girls' school in Janjgir, India—later renamed the Annie C. Funk Memorial School in her honor.
• 1912 — Annie C. Funk Dies on Titanic: Annie Funk perishes when the Titanic sinks on April 15. She gave up her lifeboat seat to a mother and her children while returning to America for her dying mother's funeral. She celebrated her 38th birthday aboard the ship just three days prior.
• 1974 — Gehman Accounting Founded: Daniel Gehman establishes Gehman Accounting in New Holland, PA, serving the Anabaptist community and businesses nationwide.

Notable Family Members

The extended Gehman-Gayman family includes Admiral Harold W. Gehman Jr. (chaired the Columbia Accident Investigation Board and co-chaired the USS Cole Commission); Annie Clemmer Funk, the first single female Mennonite missionary sent overseas, who perished on the Titanic in 1912 after giving up her lifeboat seat; William "Father" Gehman (1827–1918), first presiding elder of the Mennonite Brethren in Christ; record producer Don Gehman; actress Martha Gehman; and Olympic rower Hilary Gehman.

Military

• Harold W. Gehman Jr. (b. 1942) — Admiral (4-star), U.S. Navy. Chaired Columbia Accident Investigation Board (2003); co-chaired USS Cole Commission (2000)
• Jacob Gehman (1753–1811) — Berks County Militia. Revolutionary War veteran
• Johannes Gehman (18th Century) — DAR Patriot
• Henry Gehman (19th Century) — Sergeant (Civil War)
• Ira Gehman (20th Century) (World War I)
• David H. Gehman (20th Century) (World War I)

Ministry

• William Gehman (1827–1918) — First Presiding Elder, Mennonite Brethren in Christ. Known as 'Father Gehman.' Also invented the 'Gehman stone and stump puller' agricultural implement.
• Annie Clemmer Funk (1874–1912) — First Mennonite Missionary to India. First single female Mennonite missionary sent overseas. Died on the Titanic while returning to America for her mother's funeral. Gave up her lifeboat seat to a mother and her children.
• Ernest G. Gehman (20th Century) — Mennonite Preacher & Professor. Professor at Eastern Mennonite College. Pioneered using cartoons to address theological shifts.
• Johanna K. Gehman (20th Century) — Mennonite Central Committee Worker. Served with MCC in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, continuing the family's legacy of global Christian service.

Journalism

• Richard Boyd Gehman (1921–1972) — Author & Journalist. Wrote 3,000+ magazine articles, five novels, and fifteen nonfiction books. Father of actress Martha Gehman; married to actress Estelle Parsons.
• John Gehman Stauffer (1837–1911) — Pioneer Mennonite Printer. Great-grandson of preacher John Gehman. Foreman of Mennonitischer Druckverein; founder of Quakertown Free Press (1881).

Athletics

• Hilary Gehman (b. 1971) — Olympic Rower / Coach. Two-time Olympian (2000, 2004). Currently Women's Rowing Head Coach at Cornell University.
• Mark Gayman (b. 1970) — Professional Basketball / Hall of Fame. George Fox University Hall of Fame (1996). First pick in 1999 IBL draft; later owned Salem Soldiers franchise.

Entertainment

• Don Gehman (b. 1950) — Record Producer. Produced albums for John Mellencamp, Tracy Chapman, Hootie & the Blowfish, R.E.M., and Pat Benatar.
• Martha Gehman (b. 1955) — Actress. Known for The Accused (1988), Father of the Bride, Boston Common, and The Nanny. Daughter of Richard Gehman and Estelle Parsons.

Civic

• Timothy H. Gehman (1902–1990) — Community Leader & Agricultural Executive. School director. Leadership roles in Pennsylvania Holstein Association and Berks-Lehigh Federal Land Bank.

Primary Sources & Citations

• Gehman, Anna M. The Gehman-Gayman Family History (1954)
• Müller, Ernst. Geschichte der Bernischen Täufer (1895)
• Strassburger & Hinke. Pennsylvania German Pioneers (1934)
• Lowry, James W. Documents of Brotherly Love, Vol. II (2015)
• Bernese State Archives (Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern) — StABE B IX 486
• Amsterdam Mennonite Archives (Stadsarchief Amsterdam) — Archief 1120
• Register of Swiss Surnames (Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz)
• Swiss Federal Archives — Bürgerrecht and Heimatberechtigung Records
• Archaeological Survey of Canton Bern — La Tène excavations
• GAMEO — Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
• Mennonite Heritage Center — Gehman-Hiestand family registers
• Swiss Mennonite Cultural and Historical Association — Ship Phoenix manifest (1754)
• Daughters of the American Revolution — Johannes Gehman patriot record
• BFC Historical Society — William Gehman biography and Gehman Family Genealogy Report
• Encyclopedia Titanica — Annie Clemmer Funk passenger biography
• Mosaic Mennonites — 'On Titanic Centennial, Missionary's Life Remembered' (2012)
• Mennonite Mission Network — Annie C. Funk Memorial School documentation

Canonical lineage data is available as JSON and GEDCOM. Supporting documents: John Gehman Farm — National Register of Historic Places and History of Gehman's Mennonite Church (1942).