The Eighmy (Ay-mee) Homepage

From " The Concise History of Dutchess County" :

So much for the name of the principal city of Dutchess County. The date, June 9, 1687, is now recognized as not only marking the beginnings of permanent legal residence of white men in Poughkeepsie, but in the county as well. Prior to that time there were undoubtedly transient residents in the county, but there is no documentary evidence pointing to an earlier legal white residence than that at Poughkeepsie. Early local historians set forth that the first settler may have been Nicholas Emigh, or Eighmie, presumed to have arrived at Fishkill, southern Dutchess, at an early date. These historians conceded that authorities differed as to the exact date of settlement, although one writer placed Eighmie in the county as early as I682. It remained for the late Helen Wilkinson Reynolds, careful historian of the modern period, to lay before the public the complete story of the Van Kleeck-Ostrom lease and its significance as fixing the time of the first legal white residence at Poughkeepsie.

Source : Chapter From Dutchess County History

The original spelling of Eighmy is thought to be Emich. When pronounced properly, Emich also sounds like "Amy". The german "ich" (eech) sound is difficult for english speaking people to pronounce which probably resulted in the Emigh spelling. Somewhere along the line, Emigh developed the variant spelling Eighmy. Other variations that I have heard about include Eighmey (mostly from Indiana), Emeigh (IL and NE), Amy, Amey and I am sure there are many other spellings. Hopefully this page will help myself and others figure out how we are linked back to Niclaus Emigh and his father, Hans Veltin Emigh, of Dannenfels, Germany.

Family Tree :

Click to display a family tree - Family Tree of Jacob L. and Catherine J. Eighmy (1803-1884)

Emich's prior to Circa 1720

Emigh/Eighmy Landmarks :

Emigh Cemetery in Morrisdale, PA.

Eighmyville, Dutchess County, New York.

List of Eighmy & Emigh Researchers on the Internet

Maintained by Gene Eighmy

eighmy@scott.net

Carolyn Stillwell

cstillw1@swarthmore.edu

jdahlman@admin.stkate.edu

kgreenwell@ccinet.ab.ca

Larry C. Eighmy - Charlotte, NC

protocol@vnet.net

ceighmy@panther.pekin.k12.ia.us

Myron Allen Eighmy

eighmym@uwstout.edu

Scott Eighmy - Conneaut, OH

CPTEIGHMY@aol.com

Charles J. Eighmy - Delaware

ceighmy@www.delanet.com

Ford Owen Eighmy III - Nashville

Ton Emich - Netherlands

May I introduce myself? I am Antoon Emich, born in 1927 and spending my time on a family-study. A few weeks ago I changed my old computer for a new one with all possibilities for internet. It was a revelation to me, especial after a search for my sirname on the w.w.w.! We knew there were a lot of emich's in Germany and the USA. We had some information from the genealogic library at Salt Lake City. I had never heard of the name Amick or Eighmy as descendants of the famous Johann Emigh resp. Niclaus Emigh!
As far as it regards me: my ancestor was a 'Joannes Emick/Emich'. Around 1764/65 he came to Holland (Zolle); before that he was a soldier te Yperen (Southern Netherlands). He came wth his wife (Antonetta Tugters) and some children. They were Roman Catholic. That is all we know about him; he died in 1788. At the moment we are searching for a link with 'emich's in Germany, but that is looking for a needle in a haystack.
Why do I e-mail to you? =
First of all because you are as number one listed on the researchers on internet at the Eighmy Homepage. (What do all those researcers ??) Besides that I am very interested in 'the concise history of Dutchess County', resp. The Duthess County History. Are that article, how and where published?
Secondly: are yoy more informed about the first Emich's in the Duthess County or where can I find that information?
Acording to you Niclaus was a son of Hans Veltin Emigh of Dannenfels. Hans Veltin was - according to the Utah-libr. - born in 1693. He was a son of Hans Valtin Emich, born in 1659. I couldn't find any offspring by Hans Veltin but more af it by his brother, Johann Emigh, born in 1689 and married to Anna Catharina Mueller. Their oldest son, Philip, was born in 1713 in the Dutchess of New York. After him came Anna Maria (1715), John (1717), a second Philip (1718), Lawrence (1719), Johann Nicholas (1720), Henry (1722), Eva (1725), Hans Jury (George) (1727) and finally Catherina (1729).
According to the Amick Family tree, Johannes Amick/Emig/Emich was born between 1682 and 1695 in Germany. He arrived in 1732 at Philadelphia. According to the passengers list were Dorothy, Nicholas and Jacob also aboard. They moved to New York between 1750 and 1760.
I can't see any connections between the different sources. Can you help me ?
Finally I found an exploination of the origin of the name Emich. When you are interested, see: http//www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~x28/home/leinigen/
Greetings from A.Emich; Beekpark101, 7311 BZ Apeldoorn NL My E-mailadress: a.emich@wxs.nl

Karla and Eric Eighmy - Branson, MO

eighmy@tri-lakes.net

My name is Eric Eighmy, I live in Branson Missouri. My father is Barry Eighmy born in Grant City MO. His father Dell Eighmy is still alive and is living with my family in Hugo OK. My grandfather lived in Grant City MO until recently. His wife's name was Francis Eighmy formerly a Barnes. Dell Eighmy's brother, who is still alive, is Wayne Eighmy who owned the Ford dealership. My Grandfather owned the Western Auto Dealership. My great-grandfather was known as Tombstone Eighmy and was an accomplished painter and tombstone engraver. I look forward to hearing from you. Eric

James I Eighmy - Lompoc, CA

11502@utech.net

My dads name was John Irwin Eighmy and hewas born in Bedford, Iowa in about 1892(?). Prior to hat their family had come from Penn. and before that in NY, Dutchess Cty. My mother was born in Arkansas. She was a Dennis and meet my dad in Bartlesville, Ok. My brother's(des)name was John Clinton Eighmy, born 3 March 1929. The Clinton part came from our mothers dads name. I am James Irwin Eighmy, brn 22 June 1930 in Lawerance< Ks. My wife and I have been married for almost 43 years (4 June) and she was Peggy Irene Boone before we were married in Bartlesville, Ok. We have 2 son's and daughter-in-laws and 8 grand kids of which 6 are boys and the rest for sure are wee little girls. This is for starters. I would be pleased to learn more and pass on more on the family tree.
James I. Eighmy

Patricia Winters - Ridgefield, CT

Winters4@worldnet.att.net

I have been trying to research our Emigh family line. So far, I have had little success. Ellsworth Elmer Emigh was born in Altoona, PA. in 1863. He married Priscilla Dasler grom Huntington, PA. around 1883. I believe they had 7 children - Elmer, Howard, Annie, Lillian, Lizzie, Susan, and Adelaide all born in Tyrone, PA. They moved to Orange, Texas in early 1900's to work on the construction of a paper mill.
Ellsworth Elmer's father was also Ellsworth married to Susan Earlenbaugh. Priscilla Dasler's parents were John and Margaret Dasler, both born in Germany.
Do you possibly have any information on this family. I would appreciate any help....
Pat Winters Ridgefield, CT

Last updated : 27 May 1998