ALL OF YOUR INPUT IS WELCOME HERE!!! I think it's about time we FINALLY figured out how ALL of the South Carolina Risingers are related!!!!! :o) It's my primary mission to connect the Lexington County and Newberry County Risingers together. I believe all of Fite's children were possibly born in Newberry County.

The following is pure speculation, however, I've been researching a LOT of land deeds, plats and memorials lately from the SC Archives (I have copies and I'm certainly willing to share!). PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS (or dispute)!! (Descendants of Jacob Mariah Risinger certainly may not agree with me! :o)

I think the Tomfit listed on the Snow Rowand passenger list, as the son of John George Risinger, is actually Thomas Fitzgerald "Fite" Risinger (I'm hoping the records I'm waiting on from the SC Archives will prove this! I found a Fitzgerald Risinger that was later referred to as Fite and lived in and bought land in the same area that our Fite did.). I also believe that Thomas Risinger (listed in the 1779 tax list) is a son of Fite Risinger (hence him being called Thomas Risinger, Jr. in a copy of a deed that I have - and due to the fact that Fite, age 10 in 1752 would have been old enough to have a child in 1760, which is around the time that I believe Thomas was born. Fite started buying and selling land in 1759.). I believe that David Risinger is also a son of Fite Risinger, as David was born in 1762 according to his gravestone (Catherine was born 1791 - David was 29 years older than she was - which I believe to be true. He first shows up in 1790 as head of a household in the Edgefield District where Fite last lived. He didn't marry until 1809, but I believe he took care of his mother and siblings after Fite "disappeared", hence waited on marrying.). Thomas would have been around 8 years old at the time David was born and John George would have been too old (relatively) to have been David's father. I believe that Jacob Mariah Risinger is a brother of Thomas, son of Fite, and not the son of John George Risinger, as Jacob Mariah was born 1768, a 20 year difference from his sibling before him if he was the son of John George (according to trees I've seen on the internet). David would have been 6 years old when Jacob was born. Fite had a large family according to his Revolutionary War records (he was a Captain in the Royalists) and resigned his commission January 3, 1782 to take care of his large family. I don't think his entire family just disappeared off the face of the earth like he did! :o) I can not find Fite anywhere in 1790, so I assume he died. I've heard the possibility that he went to Jamaica. But since he resigned his commission in 1782 to take care of his family, I doubt he would have left them shortly thereafter to live in another country. IN A NUTSHELL:
I. John George Reissinger (c. 1725 Germany/?) and Margaret ?
ch: Thomas Fitzgerald "Fite" Reissinger (c. 1742 Germany/?) m. Susannah ?
ch: Thomas Fitzgerald "Thomas" Rissinger, Jr. (c. 1760 SC/?) and Elizabeth ?
ch: Rebecca Risinger m. Lewis CROUT
Barbara Risinger m. ?
David Rissinger (1762 SC/1848 SC) m. Catherine Schwartz/Black (1791 SC/1898 SC)
Jacob Mariah Risinger (1768 SC/1825 AL) m. Anna Mary Reitlehoover
Margaret Reissinger (c. 1745 Germany/?)
Mary Reissinger (c. 1745 Germany/?) m. Michael ALEWINE (also came to SC aboard the same Snow Rowand voyage that John George and family were on)
Joseph Risinger (c. 1750/?) (he is mentioned in a 1779 Revolutionary War muster roll in the same regiment as Fite. I am TOTALLY ASSUMING that he is George's son. I've never seen this name before. Definitely needs investigating! If anyone could shed some light on this Joseph, I certainly would appreciate it!)

I'm looking for documented proof of John George Reissinger's children that were born after his arrival to SC (other than Tomfit, Mary and Margaret who were born in Germany). I've also seen on the net that there was a John George, Jr. Does anyone out there have proof - like a will or deed or something that shows that John George had a son named John George, Jr.? In all of my research and the research of Dan Futch and Kathy Elkins, I have not been able to locate a John George Risinger, Jr. - not unless our immigrant John George WAS a Jr. (See #1 of German research below!)

I also may have found John George Reissinger in Germany. (I've seen this in a couple of trees on the net, but I needed to look it up for myself! :o) In looking at some German websites, I came across a couple of databases. The Austria database has a Johann Georg Reisinger b. 4-10-1716 and one born 4-26-1730. I don't think either one of these are our George. The German database has 3 Johann Georg Reisingers that could be a possible match. They are:

1. Johann Georg Reisinger, christened 3-13-1724 in Walderbach, Oberfalz, Bayern. Parents were George Reisinger and Barbara Reisinger. (This sounds more like him - IF he was indeed a Jr. - and notice the name Barbara!)
2. Johann Georg Reisinger, christened 5-20-1724, Dieberg, Oberfalz, Bayern. Father was Hans Reisinger (the same as Hans Gottlieb Reisinger that went to PA?)
3. Joannes Georgius Reisinger, christened 5-27-1728, Katholisch (Catholic), Landau In Pfalz Stadt, Pfalz, Bayern. Parents: Matthaus Reisinger and Magdalena Lohrin.

I have a very LARGE tree of the descendants of David Risinger, based on my own research and the research of Cibby Krell. I've seen Jacob Mariah's descendants on the internet in many trees, but some of the information is conflicting. I'd like to hear from a Jacob Mariah Risinger researcher(s) and possibly have a tree e-mailed to me. (I don't have a gedcom program. I'm still sticking to MSWord!)

I've also been in contact with a few SC Risingers who would like to see a family reunion created between both branches of Risingers so we all can compare notes. If anyone has any suggestions regarding this, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to coordinate it.

If any SC Risinger researchers would like to jump on the bandwagon and join Dan, Kathy and myself in FINALLY putting these Risinger mysteries to rest, please let me know!! We need all the help we can get!!

I look forward to hearing from someone soon!!!!

Sincerely,
Dana Risinger