There is a not-very-famous "General" of the US War of Revolution (1776 +) by the name of Gen. von Woedtke. I am fascinated by his story -- he was a totally inept general and it is entirely possible that he never was a member of the v. Woedtke family of Pomerania, but was an imposter. He got a commission based upon some papers, but perhaps he forged the papers.
In any case, it was very possible for people crossing the ocean to get to the US and reinvent themselves. I think at that time stories turned up of nobility, of lost manors, etc., etc., some told by the immigrants and perhaps some stories even due to a language barrier between the immigrant and his or her grandchildren or great grandchildren. For example, there is some evidence now that my family, the Ziemer family, commonly functioned as estate managers in Germany, or married into the families of estate managers, if Ziemer women. I could imagine a scenario in which some Ziemer woman was telling this story, about the manor, the gut, the acreage, starting a horse farm, or whatever, and was misunderstood by wishful family thinking, Oh, we were rich in Germany...!!!
In fact, fortunately, in my family no one claimed to have been rich, or famous, but they did bring with them from Mecklenburg, Pommern and Hannover, a love of learning, of music, of God and nature, and of working with their hands to build for their families and their friends and communities. I feel most fortunate to have been of working class German and Pommern people -- it balances out, a little, the many excellent traits of the Irish and English parts of my lineage.
Penny Ziemer Ford
Colorado