Dear Mary Ann,
abt. 1670 the landowners of the old village Teufelsmoor established very
small farms in Überhamm (= beyond the river Hamme) for their children who
were not entitled to the inheritance. Due to the small dimension of their
farms the new settlers of Überhamm had to carry out certain tasks for the
landowners in Teufelsmoor who
were interested in giving a basis of existence to their sons (to those who
will not inherit the greater farm in Teufelsmoor) and simultaneously they
were interested in getting workers for cutting peat, tending cattles etc.
I think the story is untrue that the beginning of Überhamm was the foundation
for a young man who was about to become a father with an unmarried servant
girl.
Karl Lilienthal, author of the most known book about the region of
Teufelsmoor, wrote that it is not true that Überhamm and other small villages
beyond the river Hamme were founded by illegitimate sons of the landowners.
Albin