The Year of the Vine

Maryanne Szuck
June 2009

Here is a story about the Mennonite Coleus plant that I recently received. It is apparently a cutting of the original mother plant from Pennsylvania. Cuttings of this coleus were brought to Canada by the Cressmans who settled here in Breslau. This is a story told by Eben Cressman, a descendant of Nicholaus Cressman, father to John Cressman SR and passed on to others.

They probably brought other cuttings of plants such as geraniums to this country also.

This is a regular looking coleus and the story is very intriguing and fascinating. Whether this is a true or false story can be debated. Has it survived over 175 years? The cuttings are like branches of the vine and produce new plants.

Several people from BMC today can trace their ancestors back to the three sons of Nicholaus Cressman born in 1727: Nicholaus Cressman born in Limerick County, PA, in 1751, John Cressman born in Chester County, PA in 1755 and Daniel Cressman born in Chester County, PA in 1762.

According to Oscar Burkholder in the Cressman Mennonite Church booklet, John and Nicholaus Cressman came from Pennsylvania in 1815 and settled on what was Ira Zeller and Clem Brohman's (later Rex Webers) farms. I'm guessing that it was this Nicholaus (born 1751) who would have been about 63 years old at the time of his arrival in Canada, so it wouldn't be his father (born 1727).

The only Breslau descendants I can find for 1751 Nicholaus are Bill Dettweiler.

As for the brother of Nicholaus - John has many descendants at Breslau. John Cressman (Patty Hobler), Sharon Martin, Alice Gascho, Art Dettweiler, Janet Charette, Doris Gingerich are a direct descendant of this John Cressman.

Other Cressman's, such as Mark Cressman are descended directly from a 3rd brother - Daniel. Daniel settled in the New Hamburg, Strasburg area. But, they are descended from John as well through the maternal lines. Also Eunice and Dan Burkhart come from the Daniel side.

There was no Cressman descendants in my family tree.

Sources: Allan Dettweiler; Ezra Eby Revived website www.ezraeby.com