The Man from Mainz, the official family newsletter for individuals tracing the Meinzer, Maintzger, Minsker, Mansker, et. var. family name, was published by Betty Massman from Fall 1986 through Spring 1996, a total of 39 issues.
The newsletter contains valuable genealogical information, descendant charts, family stories, census data, etc., on all of the various forms 
of the family name (see the Origin page).
This is THE premiere resource for Mansker-Minsker researchers; much of the information on this website, especially that relating to the descendants of Ludwig, has been gleaned from the various quarterly issues of the newsletter as well as private correspondence with Betty Massman.
Back issues of The Man from Mainz are still available directly from Betty Massman. The cost is $6.50 each or $18.00 for any four shipped at one time. Send requests to:
Betty Massman
28635 Old Hideaway Road
CARY, IL 60013
She is not actively working on the Minsker/Mansker family at this time, but she will answer requests for information if the individual encloses a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope). You can also contact her at
Below is a listing of the table of contents for each issue. In addition to the stories listed here, each issue also carried an Editor's Page by Betty Massman, which contained a multitude of useful genealogical research tips, and most issues also had an Inquiries Page.
Vol. I #1 Issue #1 Fall 1986Our Family Surname
The Family Legend
The Emigrants to America
Area Map of Karlsruhe, Germany
Ludwig Minsker - 1726-1776
Baptismal Record of Ludwig Minsker
Last Will & Testament of Ludwig Minsker
An Early Settler in Clark's Valley
Graveyard Inscriptions - Minsker Burial Ground
Probate Record of Ephraim Mentzer, Beaver Twp, Mahoning Co., OH
Surname Index - Given Names Aaron to AugustVol. I #2 Issue #2 Winter 1986
The Children of Ludwig Minsker
Family in the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
John Mentzer and his Descendants
Mentzers in the 1870 Census of Franklin County, PA
Surname Index - A to AndreasVol. I #3 Issue #3 Spring 1987
The Children of Ludwig Minsker - Casper Minsker (AKA Kasper Mansker)
Mansker's Fort
The Will of Kasper Mansker
Documents Regarding Kasper Mansker from Sumner County, TN, Records
Maps Pertaining to Kasper Mansker's Expeditions into TN
Aboriginal Map of Tennessee
Pictures of Mansker's Fort, Goodlettsville, Tennessee
Surname Index - Andrew to Augustus L.Vol. I #4 Issue #4 Summer 1987
The Children of Ludwig Minsker
Map of Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County, PA - 1840
Our Family in the 1900 Census - State of Pennsylvania
Surname Index - B. Franklin to BufordVol. II #1 Issue #5 Fall 1987
Obituary of Erna Mainzer
The Children of Ludwig Minsker - Part II
A Picture Album of Clark's Valley
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Surname Index - Calista to CatharineVol. II #2 Issue #6 Winter 1987
The Mansker Family of Randolph County, Illinois
1876 Map of Randolph County, Illinois
The Children of Ludwig and Mary Cairns Minsker (Part III)
Our Family in the News
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Surname Index - Catherine to Charles E.Vol. II #3 Issue #7 Spring 1988
Obituary - Earl L. Mease
The "Lost" Immigrants to America
The Mansker Family of Randolph County, Illinois - continued
The Children of Ludwig and Mary Cairns Minsker (continued)
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Surname Index - Charles E. to ClaraVol. II #4 Issue #8 Summer 1988
1988 Minsker Family Reunion Notice
The Military Service Record of Ludwig Minsker, Immigrant
Maps of Operation in N. New Jersey and The Battle of Long Island
George Mansker and his Descendants
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Surname Index - Clara to Cyrus S.Vol. III #1 Issue #9 Fall 1988
The 1988 Family Reunion
Records of Some of Our German "Cousins"
From Our Family Archives
George Mansker and his Descendants
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Surname Index - D. to Dorothy.Vol. III #2 Issue #10 Winter 1988
Now Hear This
The Family of Michael W. Mansker, Man of Mystery
Records of Some of Our German "Cousins"
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Obituaries
Surname Index - Earl to EdwinVol. III #3 Issue #11 Spring 1989
Family Reunion Time
Descendants of George Washington Minsker
Minsker Family Members in the News
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Pennsylvania
Surname Index - Edwin Lawrence to ElsieVol. III #4 Issue #12 Summer 1989
Mansker and Minsker Family Reunions
Obituaries
John Mansker and his Quest for Salt
Joseph (Josiah) Mansker, 1820-1897
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Arkansas
Mansker-Minsker Family in the News
Surname Index - Elsie C. to EstellaVol. IV #1 Issue #13 Fall 1989
Mansker Minsker Family Reunions
The Ancestry of Elizabeth Mooney Minsker
Mansker Marriages in Lawrence-Randolph Counties, AR
The Minsker Family of Charleston, WV
Surname Index - Estelle to Florence MabelVol. IV #2 Issue #14 Winter 1989
Variations of Our Family Name
Our Mansker-Minsker Family Cookbook
The Fourth Minsker Family Reunion
The Genealogy of Nancy Almira Mansker Macomb
Obituaries
Our Family in the News
Our Family in the 1900 Census - Missouri
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Surname Index - Florence V. to FriedrichVol. IV #3 Issue #15 Spring 1990
Our Mansker-Minsker Family Cookbook
Rachel Minsker Fogle and her Descendants
Who Are These People?
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Our Family in the News
Obituaries
News from William E. Minsker
Marriage Records of Our Family in Ohio
Surname Index - Frederick to GeorgeVol. IV #4 Issue #16 Summer 1990
Portrait of Elizabeth Dugger Mansker
John and Elizabeth Dugger Mansker or Sumner County, TN
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker - Part III
Surname Index - George to George FriedrichVol. V #1 Issue #17 Fall 1990
New in the Family
The Mansker-Minsker Family Reunion - 1991
A Word About the Mansker-Minsker Family Cookbook
Unknown Mansker and Minsker Families
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker - Part IV
Obituaries
For Your Information
Surname Index - George Friedrich to GuyVol. V #2 Issue #18 Winter 1990
Principal Meridians and Base Lines of the United States
Rectangular System of Surveys
The Family of Elizabeth Cox Mansker
Update on the June 1991 Reunion
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Surname Index - H. H. to HarryVol. V #3 Issue#19 Spring 1991
The Ultimate Word
Time is Running Out - 1991 Mansker Minsker Family Reunion
The Mystery of the Wives of Peter and William Hoschaar
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
From Our Mansker-Minsker Family Archives
Local News - Bill Minsker
Obituaries
Surname Index - Harry to HenryVol. V #4 Issue #20 Summer 1991
Our June 1991 Family Reunion
Passports in the United States - 1770-1823
Letters from the Past
Mansker Family Marriage Records - Eastland County, Texas, 1874-1882
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Surname Index - Heinrich to Howard K.Vol. VI #1 Issue #21 Fall 1991
A Visit to Neureut - by Dennis Mansker
Excerpts from Geschichte Von Neureut (The History of Neureut)
Do You Need an Answer to a Question?
Henrietta Kuhne Minsker
Meanings of Carvings on Old Tombstones
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
News About Our Family - Jean Brodhagen
Obituaries
Surname Index - Iby Ann to Ivan LutherVol. VI #2 Issue #22 Winter 1991
The Murder of John Mansker
The "Ahnentafel" Ancestry Chart
Obituaries
The Meaning of the Term "Handfast"
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Surname Index - J. D. to JamesVol. VI #3 Issue #23 Spring 1992
Computers - Good or Bad for Genealogy
The Briley Family of N. Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi
The "Ahnentafel" Ancestry Chart
Confederate Soldiers in the Civil War
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Surname Index - James to Jenny V.Vol. VI #4 Issue #24 Summer 1992
Please Note
Eastland County, Texas - Home of Many Manskers
Ahnentafel of Billy M. Vaughn
From the Mansker Family Album
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Surname Index - Jemima to JohnVol. VII #1 Issue #25 Fall 1992
John Henry Minsker or York County, PA
Recipes and Remembrances
Obituaries
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
The Ahnentafel of Bill G. Mansker
Researching in Germany?
The Mansker (et var) Family in 1900 Census Records - CA, ID and TX
Surname Index - John to John H.Vol. VII #2 Issue # 26 Winter 1993
The Building of Historic Mansker Station
The Meintzer (et var) Surname in Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Good News About Our Mansker-Minsker Family Cookbook
Surname Index - John G. to John Watson EllmakerVol. VII #4 Issue #27 Spring 1993
1994 Mansker-Minsker Family Reunion
The Manasco/Menasco Families of TN, AL and MS
Known Variations of Our Surname
Mansker-Minsker Family Cookbook
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Obituaries
Surname Index - John William to Joseph T.Vol. VIII #1 Issue #28 Summer 1993
Update 1993 - Descendants of Addaliza Mansker
The Pennsylvania Line
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
Our Family in the News
Surname Index - Joseph Wilson to LayVol. VIII #2 Issue #28 Fall 1993
Update 1993 - Descendants of Addaliza Mansker Part II
Announcing: Alexis Rose Massman
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
The Mansker-Minsker (et var) Surname - 1920 Census of Arkansas
Obituary - Kenneth James Mansker
Surname Index - Lafever to LidaVol. VIII #3 Issue #30 Winter 1994
John Mansker and his Roll in the Frontier Wars
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker
The Mansker-Minsker (et var) Family - 1920 Census of Missouri
Surname Index - Lillian to LouiseVol. VIII #4 Issue #31 Spring 1994
Map of Germany 1871
The Mentzer Family of Pennsylvania (contributed by Gregory C. Mentzer)
The Lineage of Ludwig Minsker - Conclusion
Mansker-Minsker Family - 1920 Census Soundex, State of Missouri
Surname Index - Louisa to Marcella M.Vol. IX #1 Issue #33 Summer 1994
John Mentzer, Immigrant of 1751 from Hagsfield, Germany
Mansker-Minsker Family - 1920 Census Soundex, State of Texas
Family Cookbook
Surname Index - Marcus to MarthaVol. IX #2 Issue #34 Fall 1994
Records of William Mansker of Lawrence County, AR
Family News
Anhentafel of Dennis Mansker
Surname Index - Martha to Mary
This 'n' That...For Your InformationVol. IX #3 Issue #35 Winter 1995
The Ancestry of William Henry Mansker - Genealogy of Roy B. Mansker
Mansker-Minsker (et var) Family - 1920 Census Soundex, Oklahoma
Surname IndexVol. IX #4 Issue #36 Spring 1995
Sara, Elizabeth, Esther and Jemima Mansker, Granddaughters of Ludwig Minsker
Mansker-Minsker (et var) Family - 1920 Census Soundex, Illinois
Obituaries, State of Missouri
Surname Index - Maud to MyrtleVol. X #1 Issue #37 Summer 1995
Recollections of "Doc" Mansker - by a Grandson
Mansker-Minsker (et var) Family in Various Census Records
Mansker-Minsker (et var) Family - 1920 Census Soundex, Illinois
Surname Index - Nancy to PeterVol. X #2 Issue #38 Fall 1995
More Recollections of "Doc" Mansker
Our Deepest Sympathy to Jean Brodhagen
Ahnentafel of Wanda Stiff
Mansker-Minsker (et var) Family - 1920 Census Soundex, Illinois
Surname Index - Peter to Rebecca R.
Reminiscences from the PastVol. X #3 Issue #39 Winter 1996
Obituaries
Surname Index - Reed to SylvesterVol. X #4 Issue #40 Sprint 1996
Surname Index - Tamsine to Woodrow
NOTE: There was no issue #32
