Johann Jakob Wilker was born on January 9, 1738, in Dammheim, Germany, a small village near Landau. Landau was and is a typical small German city, with schools, churches, banks, military barracks, and a diversified industry. It is in the center of an area where cattle are raised and vineyards cultivated. In 1912, its population was almost 18,000. Dammheim is one of the small tributary settlements near Landau.
Johann married Rahel Stadler in 1775 in Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany. FamilySearch.com lists five sons: Michael (174-1847), Christoph (1776-1824), Johann Ludvig (1782-1784), Georg Jakob (1784-1862), and Johann Heinrich (1787-1857). A 1975 family history listed four sons – omitting Johann Ludvig. FamilySearch also shows the surname spelling for the last three sons as “Wilcker.”
The first two sons, Michel and Christoph, were born in Dierbach, a small village about seven or eight miles southwest of Landau. The third son, Georg Jakob, was born in Steinfeld, a small community about two miles from Dierbach. By the time Johann Heinrich came along, the parents had moved back to Dierbach.
Johann died on July 5, 1831, at the age of 93, and was buried in Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany.