We are a group of Buttermore researchers who met on the internet and started sharing with one another. In the beginning, we were three members and we have added others one at a time until we now number over 55 members. We represent descendants of all 7 of the children of Johann Jacob and Anna Elizabeth Bodamer (Bottimer, Buttermore).
We do not claim that there are not some errors in this account but we try to help one another and make this as accurate as possible. We hope that someone finds this account helpful to them in their research and that some may even want to join our group. We welcome corrections and additions.
The Buttermore name evolves from the German Bodamer which German pronunciation is close to the English pronunciation Buttermore. Most of the Buttermores in the United States descend from this one Jacob Bottimer, Revolutionary Patriot of Berks Co., PA and later of Westmoreland and Fayette Co., PA. We believe that Jacob had relatives in this country before the Revolutionary War, but if so their name must have evolved into something other than Buttermore. Either that, or the family name became extinct.
We have never found a Buttermore who can trace their line back to PA who is not a descendant of this one Jacob. Early on, in the middle 1800's, we found some in Massachusetts who claim to be of Irish ancestry. But from all indications, this family did not produce many descendants in this country with the surname Buttermore.
We do have one Jacob Buttermore born in PA about 1812-14, who lived in both Fayette and Westmoreland Cos. whom we cannot attach but we feel belongs to this family. He is of the age to be a grandson of the Patriot. Some of the descendants of Jacob Jr. claim him to be a son of Jacob Jr. who ran away and the family, thinking him dead, named a second son Jacob. This story does not seem likely since Jacob III is only 6-8 years younger than this Jacob. This Jacob, whom we call #2, first surfaces in Fayette Co. in 1850 and later lived in Westmoreland Co. We have 2 members of our group who descend from this Jacob.