Rymer McCamy Family history home page

The Rymer family name (with several spellings) came from the Palatine region of Germany where in the early 1700's many of the residents fled to other countries to avoid attacks from both the French army and persecution by the Catholic Church because they were Protestants. Many of the Palatine refugees arrived in England where, according to Wiki, two groups of them came to America. The first and largest group settled in New York state on the Hudson river. The second and smaller group which included our Rymer family ancestors arrived in New Bern, (Palatine) North Carolina in 1711. Their arrival (along with others) is documented by Wiki Palatine refugees to America and by the historical section of Duke University, to view this document click Rymers from Germany to America. There is a new book out (2013) "The Tuscarora War" by David LaVere, a historian at UNC Wilmington which includes Rimer (Rymer) as one of the family names has a lot of information on how the Rymers left Germany (together with others fleeing to avoid persecution) and their early life in North Carolina. The problems hardships and sufferings during those early years we find unbelieveable today.

After their arrival in America and being defrauded by their leaders, by the 1750's the Rymers (and probably others from Palatine) left the New Bern area and moved to Rowan county, North Carolina. Based on the birth dates shown for King David's children the family moved to the Reems Creek area of Buncombe county, North Carolina between 1800 and 1803. In 1839 the Indians had been removed, Polk county, Tennessee was created and about the same time several of our Rymer family moved from Reems Creek area of Buncombe county to Polk county, settling along the Greasy Creek valley and westward from Greasy Creek along the Ocoee river.

Insofar as we know, none of the Rymer family ever owned any slaves but several, including Albert's father, did fight as confederates in the civil war.

The Rev. Francis Makemie (1658 – 1708) (later McCamy) who arrived in this country in 1683 was the first of our family to arrive in America. He was an Irish clergyman, and considered to be the founder of the Presbyterian Church in this country. Francis McCamy married and had two daughters, our family is the descendents of his brother who arrived in this country a few years later. For more info on Francis Click here

Our family are the ancestors of John McCamy (McKamey) brother of Francis who came to America and settled in Virginia. Later many of the McCamy's settled in Blount county, Tennessee and others moved to northwest Georgia, Murray county and the Dalton area. Some of the McCamy family did own slaves and the 1860 census records show that Frances grandfather, Robert McCamy owned 7 slaves.

After the civil war a carpetbagger named I.S. McCash bought property in Polk County Tennessee and built a house and barn in the 1870's. In 1910 this farm (or at least the portion containing the house and barn) was bought by Franklin and Susan, Frances McCamy Rymer's mother and father. Frances and her sister Roberta lived with her parents in this house. In 1912 Frances was married to Albert Taylor Rymer in her parents home. Since 1910 this farm (or some portion of the original) has remained in the family. Franklin and Susan McCamy sold the farm to their oldest daughter Lena and her husband, Robert Ervin. In 1933 the Ervin's sold the house and some 50 acres to Lena's sister, Frances McCamy Rymer. This portion of the farm is still in the Rymer family and owned by Albert and Frances grandson, Harry Rymer and his wife Kathy (2011).

Mary Rymer Dougherty has spent many years researching our family history and with help from her daughter Mary Lynn Williams gathered all of the material together into a book format. It has been published by a "print on demand" publisher (2014). The name of the book is "My great big family story". The link to buy this book is:
http://www.thebookpatch.com/BookStore/my-great-big-family-story/fef6a88e-2bba-4078-949b-7880212a9508?isbn=9781633181151&utm_content=bufferc000d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
It will not be available forever so buy now. It is an enjoyable and interesting book.

In thinking about our family and developing this web site it became apparent the Franlkin Wellborn McCamy family name has ceased to exist as only one son married or had children. Their son John McCamy never married, their other son, Howard McCamy married and had one son Howard Jr. (Dick), we have no record of him being married or having children.

The John Alexander (Black John) Rymer has many descendents. However, many of them are girls and will not carry on the Rymer name. Of the three sons of Frances and Albert Rymer, Frank has two great-grandsons (Bill and Jack Rymer) to carry on the family name. Beverly and John do not have any grandchildren with the last name Rymer. Bob and Ruth have one grandson (Andrew Rymer).

Black John's other sons: Uncle Will (Wilford) Rymer had a son Fred, who had two daughters. Thomas A Rymer had a daughter Jennie, but no sons. Filetus D. Rymer had two sons, we are not aware if they had any children. John Virgil Rymer married and had two sons Bowen and John. Both married and Bowen had a daughter, Pamela Ann Rymer, For more info on her click here. We are not aware if John had any children.

Home Page

A history of the

Albert Taylor and Frances McCamy Rymer

Families from 1680 to the present day