Little is known yet, about the actual origins of the Ament family. Hopefully with  DNA testing the questions will be resolved to a satisfactory conclusion.  What we do know That our AMEND family lived in Franconia, Germany during the Middle ages. They lived in a small village of Reicholzheim, nestled in the Tauber Valley. The village was ruled by the White Monks of Bronnbach for about 600 years. 

During the 18th century the "Schwabenzug" or Great Swabian Migration began. This was the beginning of government-sponsored migration to repopulate the area once controlled by the Turks, with farmers. The sponsors then could maintain control and generate monies. Many Germans, because of the wars, and mostly the economic reasons came forth in large numbers. Hoping to overcome the economical burdens and pioneer a prosperous life for their families.

 The first immigrants sponsored by Hungarian nobility and later in far greater numbers by the Hapsburg Emperors, immigrants from the German states and other parts of the "Holy Roman Empire" were encouraged to settle in Southeastern Europe.  In the second of large migration period.Called the Maria Theresia colonization and at the end of the seven-year war, 1763, they took settlers into Batschka.

These Germans, later called Danube-Swabians or "Donauschwaben" after WW1. The name had developed because of the river that brought them to the area “The Danube” and area in Germany “Swabia” .

 Johann Michael AMEND heard the calling and soon the AMEND Family arrived in Filipowo  Batschka, 1765. In Filipowa Johann prospered and had many children. Johanns Grandson, Jacob AMENT who lost his father and mother early in life, moved to Obrovac.

The name had developed because of the river that brought them to the area “The Danube”and area in Germany “Swabia”. The AMENTS came from the Batschka, in their case a small town called Obrovac /Oberwatz . Jacob AMENT was born there in about 1819. The Aments moved to the Srymien in the mid 1850's were they lived in Tompojevci, and later the children moved to Vinkovci, Lovas and Sotin. Anton AMENT I son of Jacob is the AMENT that moved to Sotin, Croatia.

Sotin, Croatia is a village of about a thousand people and it sits directly on the Danube (Danuve) River.
In the late 1800's Sotin and all the other towns in Croatia, were all part of the massive Austrian –Hungarian Empire. The Austrian - Hungarian Empire was formed in 1867 by giving what was then Hungary a constitution and independence. This set up the structure for Dual Monarchy under HAPSBURG Rule. They were linked by a single flag, and the same ruler, called "emperor" in Austria and "king" in Hungary. This empire started at the borders of Germany and Russia followed down to the Adriatic Sea. The Austrian Hungarian Empire lasted till its down fall in World War I, that ended 1918.

During our research it seems to be two large concentrations of Aments. One in Hungary near Tolna and another well documented family that lived in the “Batschka”. The Batschka is in a area of Vojividina in todays Serbia. A genealogy has been recently compiled of the AMENTS from Elec. The Batchka Ament family seems to have arrived form Germany in the 1700's. Though its a leap, a professional genealogist would never make, without proof, I think its most likely we will find the AMENT's are part of that family. Over fifty (50) AMENT's arived in The USA from the Austria – Hungary during the years between 1890 and 1920. It is not known how many Aments came directly from Germany.

Many of Sotins residents came from the Batschka which was the other side of the Danube. During WW2 a ethnic cleansing effort forced the German families to flee the area. Many were taken to concentration camps and were killed. The Croatian online phone book has listings for 28 AMENT's, however today none are in Vukovar-Sriejm county. The majority are in 3 counties to the west of Vukovar. The AMENT population in the United States according to a genealogical supply company, in 1981 researched 755 households (estimated actual households 861), and at the time there were believed to be 2,419 women, children, and men with the AMENT surname, in the U.S.A.

Trivia: Probably The most famous Ament is The Rock Group, Pearl Jams Jeff AMENT of Seatle also USA President Lyndon Baines JOHNSON Gr. Grandparents were: Suzanne AMENT and John S. Huffman, of which there is no known connection to either family.

The Sotin – Tompojevci Ament family has a private group page for family members only to help with there on going research.

Antons' cousin Joseph AMENT, was probably b. in Lovas, he must have left Austria-Hungary a few months earlier. His ship manifest has yet to be found but, according to census records Joseph arrived in the USA in a 1909. Joseph “its believed” first stayed with his sister Tereasa's family in Pennsylvania, USA. When he received news that Anton had moved to Port Huron, Michigan. Joseph in turn moved to Michigan were they started farming eventally both buying large farms in Bad Axe, MI. They lived across the street from each other, with the WAHLS / PIEVAK family close by. There family friends were the BURONS's of Port Huron and the BARNHART's of Pigion. Both AMENT cousins raised their families in Michigan and remained there the rest of their lives. Other family members also arrived in Michigan the Pievacs who are related to our Balint line and Rottinger who are related to our Nussbrucker line. The Church records and or “Family books”still need to be scrutinized for information.

AMENT GENEALOGY

1)Jacob AMENT a farmer b.abt,1819 Obrovac , the Batscka near Palanka He d. Tompojevci, Syrmien Jan, 27, 1868 Austria/Hungary he died of Febris Nervosa = ( nerve feaver) buried Tompojevci, 29th Jan. Jacob AMENT m. Maria KALAUNER b.abt 1822 in Ratzmiletic, Batscka, Maria KALUANER died five days after Jacob, d.Feb 1 1868 Tompojevci #7 Austria/Hungary of Typhus. Buried Feb 3, 1868 in Tompojevci.

 Ch:
1-1) Magdalena AMENT  b. (abt)1839 Obrovac
1-2)Teresia AMENT  b. (abt)1852 (probably Obrovac)
1-3)Michael AMENT b.(abt)1853 in Obrovac
1-4)Anton AMENT b.(abt)1860 in Obrovac

 1-1) Jacob ) Magdalena AMENT  b. abt. 1839 m. 1868 March?  23,  Simeon MAYER  (MEJER) b. abt 1846 Gaza/Gara/Gata? Witness's Georgous RUTIGER and Antoinious KALAUNER

1-1-1 )Jacob,Magdalena) Anna MAYER b, July 14, 1869 #4 Tompojevci baptized July 15 1869 godparents were Josef FLIESH and Ann LARVIOS d.May 25, 1877

1-1-1) Jacob,Magdalena) Josef (Josepus) MAYER b. 1872 Martu 18, #7 TompojevciDate of Baptised:18 Martu 1872

--------------
1-2)  Jacob) Teresia AMENT b. (abt)  1852 in Tompojevci? (probably Obrovac m.  1871 Feb. 7 Emersonus PUTTERER   Colunus (soloni both  born Tompojevci?)  Witness's :Antonio KALUNER  colonus of Tompojevci, and Mathias LEUS?
1-4-4 Jacb, Terezi) MatijaListopava 16 1878 (Sotin ref:Line:96) Tompojevci Godparents :Anton KRAJ  and Lisaon FUTEKS

-------------

1-3 ) Jacob, )Michael AMENT b. (abt) 1853 in Obrovac, the Batschka m. in November 6 1877 Anna TITJUNG b. (abt) 1857 in Kerney Witneses:Paulas SPEER Colonus and Antoniu KALAUNER Colunus of Tompojevci; Anna dau. Of Gabrial. TITJUNG and Elisabeth OSWALD . Michael and Anna lived in Tompojevci and possibly Lovas.

Village Coordinator - Kurt McCrary

Last Updated
May 19, 2005

© 2004-2012 Kurt McCrary, unless otherwise stated

Hosted by 

Donauschwaben Villages' Helping Hands Project

Donauschwaben-Villages-L