Berns of Friemersheim, Germany (Aug 2018) Thursday, August 2, 2018

LDS Film 008110366/490207 (online digital via familysearch.org), was able to find the:
a. 1839 marriage for Herman Berns and Margaret Steinhaus.
b. 1811 marriage for Catherine Schumackers (listed as Trinken) and Diedrick Berns
c. 1816 marriage for Sibilla Halfman and Tillman Steinhaus
d. 1790 - possibly the marriage for Wilhelm der Streepen

LDS Film 490254/8110371 (online digital via familysearch.org), was able to find the:
a. 1816 birth for Herman Berns and his brother Jacob

There are films not yet digitized of the civil records which would be good to review.

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Following Rappolds/Fabers Back Further into the 1600s (Almost) (May 2018) Friday, May 11, 2018

Started by searching the familysearch catalog for any material on Michelbach an der Luecke.
The film 575068 came up with marriages for 1646-1652, 1664-1742 for Michelbach an der Luecke.

The film was digitized and thus online. Michelbach is around film page 508.
I snapped pages for Faber and Rappolds ... still need to figure out where they fit in the tree.

There were also several Ziegler entries but I did not snap those pages because I did not recognize the people.

Film title is Evangelische Kirchenbuchauszuege, 1586-1811
Author is Max Cramer from 1969.

pg 210 - Johann Georg Rappolt - death record
S.d. Beckhen, Jacob (?what does this mean)
He died in 1684
He was the servant, farm hand, apprentice, errand boy or laborer (knecht) of Jacob Beckhen
Married to Catharina Hornung daughter of deceased Leonhardt Leutzenweyler

pg 212 - Paulus Faber death record 1690
Son of the deceased Andreas gew. Beckhen
ein Wandersgesell - travelling journeyman (gesell after 3 years)
Born Beckhens from Haussen ear Franckfurth a Meyn (Frankfurt)
Wife Barbara Horner daughter of Hannss Buwerns  from Hengstfeld

page 241 marriage 22 Jul 1732 Marie Mag Rappoldt only daughter of Johann Leonhardt Becken from Wildenholtz

Johann Michael Duerr, (died in feb 4 1776 in Steinbach) youngest son of Andreas B.
Citizen and weaver in Gailroth
Mother is Ger (Ger... ?) from Michelbach

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There's another film entry Kirchenbuch, 1646-1913 for Evangelische Kirche Michelbach an der Luecke (OA Gerabronn). It is film number 1528594, 95 and 96. They have the locked camera symbol but there is also a magnifying glass that says "search the index".

When I click on this symbol, the index comes up in the family search window -- 6700 entries. The Michelbach entries start on screen 19, half way down.

There are some Kohlers on this film from the 1829-1888.
Limited search to "Michelbach" and reviewed 879 records. Nothing interesting

Many Zieglers, and a few Hessenauers show up in this film (1528594).

On film 1528592 there are taufen for 1728/Georg Michael (hard to read) and marriage for Georg Michael/1757.

Then there's a taufen for Johann Michael Rappold/1763.
We tried to find the death for Johann Michael/1785, 3 Nov, but it was not on those pages (so maybe it is mis-indexed)

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More Generations in Wronke: Nohwald/Schaulz in 1797 (May 2018) Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Before arriving at SLC/Family History Library: 
I had learned that Johann Gottlieb Norwald and Anna Rosina Schmidt were the parents of Wilhelmine Norwald. I wanted to see if I could find the birth record for Johann Gottlieb Norwald -- assuming he was from Wronke.

Upon arrival: 
Since I didn't know Johann Gottlieb's birth day -- I assumed he was born in the 1790s. (He is listed as being 25 years old in 1824) on his marriage certificate. I checked for the Wronke films in the LDS holdings - the first I viewed (on-line) was 8025857 (1778-1794). He was not listed.

Then Maria/Polish researcher showed me how to use BaSIA. (WAS: losttoolbox.pl; IS: http://www.basia.famula.pl/en/)
There was an index for the births - and a person as listed as "Gottlieb Nowald, born 1797".

I was able to find the record. (this should also be on film 8025858, Wronke baptisms for 1795 to 18xx). (update: looks like it was on film 8025857, part 2)

From the record, I learned that Johann Gottlieb's parents are Christoph Nohwald (an inn keeper of some sort) and Anna Maria Schaulz(in).  Johann Gottlieb was born on 23 May 1797 and baptized on 25 May 1797.

Sources Summary:
Kirchenbuch, 1778-1874 LDS film # 8025857, Taufen, Heiraten, Tote 1778, 1794 -- Taufen 1794-1835 for Evan. church Samter, Posen, Prussia

Kirchenbuch, 1778-1874 LDS film # 8025858, Heiraten 1795-1838 -- Tote 1794-1819 -- Taufen, Tote 1818 -- Taufen, Heiraten, Tote 1821-1823, 1825-1826, 1838-1841 for Evan. church Samter, Posen, Prussia.

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Michael Kraska -- Re-tracing research (May 2018)

Previously, we had found WWI draft reg and WWII draft reg cards for Authur Kraska indicating he was from Bergfriede. In looking in Kartenmeister.com -- there are many Bergfriede towns.

Then we received a copy of church book page -- reportedly to be from Germany, Preußen, Ostpreußen, Groß Schmückwalde.

This visit: 
I looked up this village in Kartenmeister.com ... and received the following results:

German NameGroß Schmückwalde
Alternate Name 1:Groß Schmigwalde 1820 >
Alternate Name 2:Schmigwalde 1785 >
Alternate Name 3:Schmückwalde 1912 >
Alternate Name 4:Smickinwalde 1332 >
Polish/Russian NameSzmykwald
Kreis/CountyOsterode
German ProvinceOstpreussen
Today's ProvinceWarminsko-Mazurskie
LocationEast 19°54' North 53°37'
Google MapGoogle Maps (Groß Schmückwalde)
Map Number2385
Location DescriptionThis village/town is located 2.9 km and 252 degrees from Seubersdorf, which is known today as Brzydowo
Lutheran ParishGroß Schmückwalde 1905
Catholic ParishOsterode 1905
Standesamt/Civil RegistryRöschken 1905
Gemeindelexikon/Town IndexI-27-185
Population By Year/Einwohner1820: 186
1905: 253
1939: 611
RemarksShows in 1785 28 Feuerstellen and is classified as: Adelich Vorwerk und Bauerdorf mit einer Kirche, mater von Peterswalde ; nebst 2 Neusaaaßen. In 1820 20 Feuerstellen and is classified as: Adlich Dorf und Vorwerk. First mentioned in 1332.
ChurchYes
When I mapped this against possible "Bergfriede" towns ... these two are only seven miles apart (by car) from each other.
German NameBergfriede
Polish/Russian NameSamborowo
Kreis/CountyOsterode
German ProvinceOstpreussen
Today's ProvinceWarminsko-Mazurskie
LocationEast 19°49' North 53°40'
Google MapGoogle Maps (Bergfriede)
Map Number2384
Location DescriptionThis village/town is located 10.3 km and 248 degrees from Osterode, which is known today as Ostroda
Lutheran ParishD
Population By Year/Einwohner1936: 937
RemarksFor additional information see: Bergfriede, Adlig
The film #904724 Kirchenbuchduplikat, 1823-1870, Author: Evangelische Kirche Groß Schmückwalde (Kr. Osterode) happened to be on-line. I tried to go to the section for 1863 (the info from cousin was Michael Kraska was born Oct 25, 1863, baptized Nov 1, 1863). But the year 1863 is missing from the on-line version of this film (rats!).

Need to pull up on the microfilm reader the actual microfilm #1198647 (specifically: Taufen (baptisms) 1864-1875 (r. S.) Taufen 1864-1875 (l. S.) Heiraten 1831-1875 (r. S.) Heiraten 1831-1875 (l. S.). -- B3480 links (left side?) as read from the emailed snapped page.

Main title: Kirchenbuch, 1741-1875  Author: Evangelische Kirche Groß Schmückwalde (Kr. Osterode)

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Louis Goetz - 1896 Passport Application Clue (May 2018) Monday, May 7, 2018

Finding the village from which Louis Goetz came is proving to challenging.

At the end of the last visit, from the Trinity Church book records -- In very small print, it is noted that Heinrich's father is Wilhelm Goetz from Sachen-Gotha, and Christine's father is Jakob Heizmann from Wuerttemberg. (US film 954974)

Within five minutes of arrival - I went on FamilySearch.org and searched on "Louis Goetz".
A new record (or one I overlooked) was his passport application from 1896. More importantly were the following facts:

"I was born at Ober Mallia in Saxony" in "Germany" "30 August 1836". I sailed "from Bremen" on "March 1853".

Then I spoke with the librarians to see if they could help translate Ober Mallia into Germany.
Their best guess is "Obermehler".

From Meyers Gazetteer -- Obermehler is located in Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha.

Unfortunately, there are no fiche from this town at LDH. The librarians suggested I email a researcher who can go to the Landeskirchenarchiv eisenach located here.

Christian-Hoske.de -- email sent May 2018
(Update 2020: search info from Christian came up with the wrong ancestor - so need to do further research via a different method. Good excuse to go on a trip to Germany.)

I also looked at the Map Guide to German Parish Registers - Thuringia.
The Obermehler area is located in the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha -- Landratsamt Gotha.
There is no LDS microfiche listed for this area.

References:
1. https://www.meyersgaz.org/place/20374051

2. https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Alouis~%20%2Bsurname%3Agoetz~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1836-1836~

3. http://www.landeskirchenarchiv-eisenach.de/

Get the scoop - read on!