Below are the information I've received from other Stemler's.

Tim Stemler writes,

"Our family originates from South Dakota . My father was Alonzo Kennion Stemler.. He grew up in Pierre So Dak. Currently we have 4 Stemlers alive. My sister Marsha, my brothers Ken and Jerry and myself. I have 2 daughters Taylor and Madison."

Bob Krebs wrote to me in January 2007

"Hello! I wondered if you are any relation to the Stemler family of southern Ohio and southern Indiana in the 1840 to 1900 time frame? I'm researching this family for genealogical purposes, as my great grandmother was Philomena Stemler, born in New Alsace, Indiana in 1858."

"There are four of us researching Stemler's from the area I mentioned. They appear to be from Baden, Germany. Appears to have been a lot of cousins that we are trying to link together as a family. A number of Schue's married into the Stemler family at this time. There were a large number of children, so some could have spread west. They were Roman Catholic."

Barbara (Stemler) Wiemann wrote to me in April 2009

"Hi Greg, I am interested in Stemler genealogy and would like to share information with others interested in Stemler family history. Our family stems from Henry Stemler, a Hessian soldier captured at the Battle of Trenton in 1776. Enclosed is a biography.

Barbara (Stemler) Wiemann

HENRY STEMLER, SR.

Henry Stemler was born Oct. 6,1754, in Ropperhausen, Hessia, the son of Johannes and Anna Elisabeth Henckel Stemler. He was baptized in the town church on Oct. 8. (His tombstone lists his date of birth as Sep. 24). He entered the military service 4May1774, serving in Company 5 of Von Knyphausen’s Regiment. In the company records he is listed as 5’4” tall (German measurements) and of the Reformed faith. In the same company was a Johan Wilhelm Stemler, also of Ropperhausen, born 1755, listed in Dec. 1776 as having died of disease or accident.

In January 1776 Landgrave Frederick of Hesse-Kassel signed a mutual defense treaty with Great Britain. By the terms of the treaty, Hesse-Kassel was to supply 12,000 troops in 2 divisions; the troops were not to be separated. The troops left Ziegenhain (on the Schwalm River about 60 miles north-northeast of Frankfort) on 3Mar1776 and marched 200 miles to the port city where they swore allegiance to England and sailed to New York, arriving in August.

Henry’s unit was sent to Trenton, NJ, where on 26Dec1776 he and 322 other members of his regiment were taken prisoner in the Battle of Trenton (after Washington crossed the Delaware). The privates were sent to Lancaster, PA. Many of the prisoners went out to work for the local Pennsylvania-German farmers or at local iron furnaces. Some of the German prisoners were sent to Philadelphia for exchange for American prisoners.

There is no further record of Henry until 14Feb1784 when he appears as a baptism sponsor at the Jordan Church (South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County). On 23Feb1784 and 19Sep1784 he again was a sponsor, this time at the Neffs Union Church in North Whitehall Township. On 18Jun1786 Henry and Catharina Helfrich were baptismal sponsors at Egypt Reformed Church (Whitehall Township).

In 1785 Henry is listed as a single freeman on the Heidelberg Township, Northampton County (now Lehigh County) tax rolls. In that same year his name appears on the rolls of the 5th Co., 1st Battalion of the Northampton County militia.

On 18Dec1787, Henry Stemler and Catharina Helfrich were married by Rev. Abraham Blumer, a Reformed minister who served Jordan, Neffs, Egypt, and Zion (Allentown) congregations. Seven of their 8 children were baptized at the Neffs Church.

The family is listed in the Heidelberg Township census records for 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1820. Henry owned approximately 140 acres of land in Heidelberg Township, as shown by deeds in Northampton and Lehigh County courthouses. This land was transferred to the two surviving sons; Daniel sold his half to his brother Henry, Jr.

Henry Sr. bought 170 acres with a house and barn in Towamensing Township (now Carbon County) for a $300 high bid on Jan. 21, 1822. Henry died 22Feb1830 and is buried at Neffs Church old cemetery, 11th row.

His will, in German and dated 29Jan1829, is filed in Lehigh County. It lists his heirs and the money he advanced to each of them.

Catharina, daughter of George and Magdalena (Bobbinmeyer) Helfrich, was born 5May1765, baptized 26May1765 at Neffs, died 27Apr1838 of pneumonia, age 72-11-13, and was buried by Rev. Joseph L. Dubbs at Neffs.

Their children:

1. Elizabeth (21Sep1788-23Oct1871) married Henry Peter, had 3 children, buried at Neffs.

2. Henry Jr (14Feb1791-22Jul1873), married Maria Best of Lehigh Township, Northampton Co. on 24Dec1816 at St. Paul’s by Rev. Mendsen, had 3 children, and is buried at Neffs. Henry’s only son Joseph (17Aug1820-21Feb1871) died unmarried and is listed in the 1860 census as insane and in the 1870 census as having spent the previous 27 years in bed. Henry suffered financial troubles and declared bankruptcy in 1839; the 140 acres in Heidelberg Township he inherited from Henry Sr. and 135 acres in Lehigh Township were sold to satisfy his debts. The land he bought in Towamensing Township 29Apr1826 for $900 was apparently transferred to his brother Daniel. At the time of his death he owned 15 acres in North Whitehall Township. Henry served in the 8th division, 1st brigade of the Northampton-Wayne Co. militia in the War of 1812.

3. Anna Maria (9Dec1792-c1869/70) married Jonathan Buck, a farmer of Heidelberg Township, and had 6 children. Jonathan was killed by a horse in 1841. 3 of the children died before Anna Maria, including her 2 sons. One daughter married Nathan German, Lehigh County recorder of deeds. Anna Maria died in Allentown.

4. Magdalena (4Apr1795-17Apr1864) married George Peter, had 7 children, and is buried at Heidelberg Cemetery. Her 1st child was born out of wedlock with John Miller. She married George Peter after the death of his first wife.

5. John (4Feb1797-9Mar1798) was baptized at Neffs.

6. Carolina (21Feb1799-18dec1863) married Jacob German, had 7 children, and is buried at Heidelberg Cemetery. Jacob, in addition to his farm, had a wool cording mill on the Jordan Creek near Germansville and was a justice of the peace. Their 4 sons all had adjoining farms in Heidelberg.

7. Christina (18Sep1802-28Jan1877) married Jonas Hunsicker, had 1 child, lived in Lehigh Township, Northampton Co., and is buried at the Stone Church, Kreidersville.

8. Daniel (13Jan1805-15Dec1871)

Note: Henry’s given name is listed in various ways in records: Heinrich, Henrich, Johann Heinrich, etc. His surname is spelled Stemmler, Stammler, Stamler, etc. "