Kevin Altizer
Landgraaf, the Netherlands
Phone (US): 704-498-4069
Phone (NL): (+31) 061 375 8052

I am one of the great-great-great-grandsons of Emera Altizer, the father of the Altizer family. My parents are Vangie Mae Wells and the late James Daniel Altizer (1918 - 1997).

Emera Altizer (Emera Ambrose von Althausen) was born in a German town called Bingen am Rhein. He was born around the year 1736, and he passed away in Montgomery County, Virginia, in September of 1819, after making his way to America when he was approximately sixteen years of age. He married Mary Pitzer first, then after her passing he married Mary Miller (Roberts & Bray, Emera Altizer and His Descendents, 1937).

My father was the youngest of seven brothers and one sister. From the eldest to the youngest, his siblings are Orestus Dooley, Lo Lester, Joe Leslie, Ulysses Simpson, Rufus Flavis, Herman Gillis, and Lottie Betsy. Ironically, dad and Res were the last surviving out of the group, and ultimately, dad preceded all in passing. They are all truly missed!

It is possible that the surname Altizer came from the Dutch name Althuyzer, or the German name Althäuser, or as most think, the German name Althausen. One could assume that Althäuser has the closest pronunciation to Altizer. Althausen would refer to someone that lived in "the old house", or it could have been given to someone that is from a town called Althausen in Germany, which was typical during the time in question (The Altizer Name in History, 2007). Across the Rhein and over the hill from Bingen is a small town called Aulhausen. In the future, I hope to go there and possibly find some information about Emera.