The Spickerman family made its first appearance in America in 1710. It began with Sebastian Spickerman, who joined many Germans in the Palatine Emigration of 1709-1710.¹ It is unknown how old Sebastian was and what part of Germany he was from. He was a passenger of the second party sailing from Holland to England 23 May 1709. He had no family members traveling with him.² In April 1710, he and other Palatines departed England for America and arrived at the port of New York. Shortly after his arrival in New York, he married Anna Elisabetha Laux.³

Following the births of two children and being a resident of New York for several years, Sebastian finally became an American citizen on March 13, 1715/16.⁴ At this time, many Palatines were leaving the region for better avenues, but Sebastian opted to stay at Livingston Manor as a tenant. As a result, Sebastian would face a life of "slavery" trying to reimburse the British government the expenses of his voyage to America and the subsistence needed to feed him and his family. Plus, he would be in heavy debt to Robert Livingston, lord of the Manor, who would charge him rent and subsistence fees. His two sons, Philipp and Abraham, would be trapped, too. However, Abraham’s son Andreas would break free and leave Livingston Manor.⁵

Sebastian and his wife were members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of West Camp where their two oldest children had been christened. Sebastian sponsored the baptism of Johann Wilhelm Laux (1 January 1716).⁶ He also sponsored the baptism of Johan Peter Smid (22 February 1721) at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Athens, Greene County, New York.⁷ Sebastian died after 1766, and it is unknown when Anna Elisabetha died. They are buried in Linlithgo, Columbia County.⁸

They had the following children:

Philip Peter Spickerman was born 16 November 1711 and christened later on the 20th by the Reverend Joshua Kocherthal, pastor of the West Camp Lutheran Church. His sponsors were Philip Mueller, Johann Peter Helm and Anna Elisazetha Schaester.⁹ On 18 May 1734, Philip became a member of the Linlithgo Reformed Church along with his sisters Anna Maria Catharina and Anna Maria.¹⁰ Based on his children’s baptism records, he probably later joined the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Athens, Greene County, New York. There is no record of Philip’s marriage to Anna Barbara Kilmer, but it is estimated that they married about 1740.¹¹ Like Philipp, Anna Barbara was one of the first generation of Palatines to be born on American soil. Anna Barbara’s parents Georg Kuhlmann and wife Anna (or Eva) Margaretha were Palatine emigrants.¹² It is unknown when Philip and Anna Barbara died and where they are buried.

They had the following children:

1. Johannes Spickerman was born 4 March 1740 and christened 13 April 1740 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Athens, Greene County, New York. His sponsors were Philip Kilmer and wife Gritje.¹³
2. Catharina Spickerman was born 21 January 1742 and christened 22 March 1742 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. Her sponsors were uncle David Stever and wife Catharina Kilmer.¹⁴
3. Wilhelm Spickerman was born 22 January 1744 and christened 3 May 1744 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. His sponsors were Wilhelm Kilmer and Barbel Spickerman.¹⁵
4. Philip Spickerman was christened 4 December 1748 at the Germantown Reformed Church in Germantown, Columbia County, New York. His sponsors were uncle Abraham Spickerman and aunt Elisabeth Spickerman.¹⁶
5. Annatje Spickerman was born 3 July 1752 and christened 25 August 1752 at Rhinebeck Flats Dutch Reformed Church in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County, New York. Her sponsors were Willem Vonk and Annatje Vonk.¹⁷

Anna Maria Catharina Spickerman was born about 1714 and christened 26 December 1714 by Reverend Joshua Kocherthal. Her sponsors were Adam Spoon and his wife, Niclaus Ohmich and his wife, and Anna Elisabetha Laux.¹⁸ Anna Maria Catharina married Henrich Straub 16 November 1737 at her parents’ home.¹⁹ Unlike his wife Anna Maria Catharina, Heinrich had not been born in America. He was a young boy when he emigrated with his parents, Johannes Straub and wife Maria Elisabetha.²⁰ Anna Maria Catharina died circa 1780 in Roundtop, New York, and it is unknown where she is buried.²¹ There is no record of Heinrich’s death or where he is buried.

They had the following children:

1. Johannes Straub was christened 19 November 1738 at Katsbaan Reformed Church in Saugerties, Ulster County, New York. His sponsors were grandparents Johannis and Anna Apollonia Straub. He married Margaretha Van Valckenburg.
2. Jacob Straub was born 27 February 1740. His sponsors were uncle Abraham Spickerman and Lisabeth Straub. He married Christina Van Dyck.
3. Elisabetha Straub was born 17 December 1741. Her sponsors were Jurge Lehman and Lisabeth Straub. She married Dirk Van Dyck.
4. Sebastian Straub was born 1 January 1744. His sponsors were uncle Johannes and aunt Anna Maria Falck. He married Lydia Valckenburgh.
5. Christina Straub was baptized 1 April 1746 at Katsbaan Reformed Church of Katsbaan. Her sponsors were Heinrich Frolich and wife Elisa Catharina Schneider. She married Petrus Planck.
6. Anna Straub was born 27 April 1749. Her sponsors were Willem Laux and Annatje Kieffer.
7. Maria Straub was christened 8 October 1750 at Katsbaan Reformed Church of Katsbaan. Her sponsors were Broer Dekker and wife Mareitje Wormer. She married Leonard Planck.
8. Rachel Straub was born 1 June 1753. Her sponsors were Friederich Fuhrer and Greetje.²²

Anna Maria Spickerman was born about 1716. There is no record of her birth or baptism.²³ Anna Maria became the second wife of Johannes Falck 6 June 1743 at Old Dutch Reformed Church of Kingston, Ulster County, New York.²⁴ Like his brother-in-law Heinrich Straub, Johannes Falck had also emigrated to America with his younger brother Johann Jacob and their parents Arnold and Anna Elisabetha Falck. Anna Maria may be the Maria Falck who died 18 August 1776 and is buried at Old Falck Cemetery near Katsbaan.

They had the following children:

1. Arnold Falck was christened 27 September 1744 at Katsbaan Reformed Church. His sponsors were Hiskis Wyn-oop and wife Mareitje Deffenpoort.
2. Christina Falck was christened 1 April 1746 at Katsbaan Reformed Church. Her sponsors were Johannes Tromboor and wife Christina Fierer. She married James Jones.
3. Jacob Falck was christened 9 June 1747 at Katsbaan Reformed Church. His sponsors were Jacob Eiler and his wife.
4. Elisabetha Falck was christened 8 October 1750 at Katsbaan Reformed Church. Her sponsors were Pieter Jonk and wife Elisabeth Moschier.
5. Lea Falck was christened 2 January 1754 at Katsbaan Reformed Church of Katsbaan. Her sponsors were Tobyas Wynkoop and wife Lea Leg.²⁵

Elisabetha Spickerman was born about 1718. There is no record of her birth or baptism.²⁶ Elisabetha married Johann Peter Stuber (Stever) February 21, 1749.²⁷ Like Elisabetha, Peter was also a first-generation born American, the youngest child born to Palatine emigrants, Henrich Balthasar Stuber and his wife Anna Julianna (or Susanna). Elisabetha and Peter’s families were enterwined in more ways than one—Peter’s older brother Johann David married Catharina Kilmer, sister of Anna Barbara Kilmer, who was Elisabetha’s sister-in-law. Johann David and Catharina’s son Georg married Elisabetha’s niece Elisabeth Spickerman.²⁸ The family of Georg Stuber/Stever and Elisabeth Spickerman will be explained further in Abraham Spickerman’s family branch. There is no record of Elisabetha and Johann Peter’s deaths or where they are buried.

They had the following children:

1. Henrich Stever was christened 3 December 1750 at Linlithgo Reformed Church. His sponsors were Hend. Baltes Stiever and Annatje Stiever.²⁹
2. Elisabetha Stever was born 23 October 1752 and christened 25 October 1754 at Claverack Dutch Reformed Church in Claverack, Columbia County, New York. Her sponsors were uncle Abraham Spickerman and Barbara Spickerman.³⁰
3. Jacob Stever was born 6 December 1760 christened at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Churchtown, Columbia County, New York. His sponsors were Jacob Petri and Agnes Keller.³¹

Abraham Spickerman was born 18 April 1720.³² He first married Barbara (surname unknown), and then married Elisabetha Richter.³³ For more information on Abraham, refer to the Abraham Spickerman family branch.