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Ream Family
By 1712, the Mennonites purchased a large tract of land in the valley of the Pequea Creek that was later to be known as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This provided an opportunity for settlement by many families from Switzerland and Germany. The immigrant ancestor of the family was Johann Eberhard Ream. It has not been determined precisely when he left Germany although his name appears in Leiman, Germany church records as late at 1717. He is known to have been in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1718. He and his large family (11 children) settled, by 1721, and area later known as Reamstown. Eberhard Ream was among a group of German settlers who came to Lancaster County between 1700 and 1718. These settlers were granted British citizenship in 1729 by the Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania in recognition on their contributions to the building of the British Empire as well as their religious and peaceable natures. Hans Andreas Riem is the first known ancestor or Johann Eberhard Ream. His siblings remained in Germany. Although not confirmed, it is believed that Hans Andreas Riem was the son of Endreas Riem of Liemen, Germany. He was the butcher as well as the Mayor. In 1675, during the wars of Louis XIV of France, Leimen was burned, but tax lists remained indicating that Andreas Riem of Leimen stayed in the city while others fled. Andreas Riem died 19 February 1719 in Leimen, Germany. I have prepared a database of the probable ancestors of Johann Eberhard Ream which you can view here. 
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