In 2015 in 52 Ancestors: #27 The Sheep Herder’s Family I wrote about Théodore REIFFER and his wife Elisabetha CLOS. They were my children’s 4th great-grandparents. While Théodore’s parents are still unknown, I found a little bit of information on Elisabetha’s parents and siblings.
My Principal Source is not a Primary Source
Three entries in Richard Schaffner’s Familienbuch Körperich, at first glance, seem to be for three different men named Michael CLOOS, KLOS, or CLOS.
The information in entry #319 came from the Körperich church register book #2. CLOOS or KLOS Michael, son of Johann CLOOS and Anna KLAREN of Dauwelshausen, married Elisabeth THEWES or THIEWES, daughter of Nikolaus THEWES and Gertrud LESSEN from Ammeldingen, on 15 May 1770 in Körperich. At the time of the marriage, the bride was living in Seimerich.[1]
In entry #1153 the marriage of Michael KLOS or CLOS and Elisabeth THIBES or THEVES is estimated at before 1771 (likely due to the birth records found for the couple’s children). Michael resided in Ammeldingen, Gentingen, and Eisenbach while Elisabeth resided in Gentingen. These are likely places referenced in the baptismal records of their children. They had three daughters between 1771 and 1776. The places of birth, dates of birth/baptism, and their godparents’ names and residence are listed. No entry is made for marriages of the daughters which means Mr. Schaffner did not find marriages in Körperich.[2]
In entry #320 Michael CLOS of Eisenbach died on 20 December 1775 at the age of 28 years.[3]
I believe all of the entries are for the same Michael CLOS (and other spelling variations). Although the book is the main source for this family it is not a primary source. To prove my assumption I will have to consult family books of towns in the immediate area for further information. The primary source, the church records mentioned in the Körperich family book, will have to be hunted down as well.
Click on the marker to open a description with information on when which person lived in these places. The farthest distance between two places is about 15 kilometers or less than 10 miles.
The Michel CLOS Story, This is How it Might Have Been
Michel was born about 1747. At the age of about 23 years, he married Elisabeth. They had two daughters within four years. Michel died shortly before Christmas 1775. Elisabeth was pregnant with their third child. Five months after his death, she gave birth to their third daughter. The only mention of Elisabeth after the birth of her third child is a reference to the grandparents of Susanna REIFFER being deceased at the time of her marriage on 31 January 1833.[4] Elisabeth, Michel’s widow, therefore died before 1833.
There were no further entries in the Körperich FB for the daughters of Michel and Elisabeth. One of the daughters married in Mettendorf in 1790. A second daughter is known to have married before the birth of a child in 1803, however, the marriage record has not been located.
Michel and Elisabeth had the following children.
i. Margaretha was born on 29 November 1771 in Gentingen and baptized the same day in Körperich. Her godparents were Marg. Goebel of Gentingen and Nik. Thebes of Ammeldingen.[2] Note: The godfather was likely the maternal grandfather of the child.
ii. Elisabetha was born and baptized on 9 March 1774 in Körperich. Her godparents were Elis. Klein from Körperich and Michael Windandy (sic, poss. a typo. A Michael Winandy was living in Körperich at the time).[2] She died on 27 December 1829 in Bastendorf.[5] Note: This child was my children’s ancestor, see The Sheep Herder’s Family
iii. Margaretha was born in Körperich and baptized on 24 May 1776 in Körperich. Her godparents were Marg. Clos from Eisenach and Nik. Wonner from Körperich.[2] Note: How was Marg. Clos related to the child? Could she have been a paternal aunt? No date of birth was given in the entry.
Why were the first and third daughter given the same name? Did the first daughter die before 1776? What happened after the birth of the third daughter? Did Elisabeth marry again? Did she move to another area? Where did she raise her daughters?
In 1790 Margaretha, a daughter of Michael and Elisabeth, married in Mettendorf. Was the bride the older 19 years old Margaretha or was she the younger 16 years old Margaretha?
Daughter Margaretha Marries
Margaretha married Everardus WELTER on 14 September 1790 in Mettendorf.[6], [7]
To learn more about the WELTER-KLOOS couple I need to consult the Mettendorf Family Book the next time I visit the Luxracines library. Will the entry for this couple lead to more information for the family of Michel CLOS and Elisabeth THEWES? Will the entry show their daughter Margaretha died before 2 January 1792 when a man named Everardus WELTER married Angela RENSON? Were there more than one person named Everardus WELTER living in Mettendorf at the time?
ac·count·a·bil·i·ty
Janine Adams of the Organize Your Family History blog and members of her newly formed Facebook group, Genealogy Research Loggers, are helping me to create a habit of regularly entering my genealogy research into a research log. I’m using the Research Manager of my genealogy software Ancestral Quest 15. It is a powerful tool which I have not been using effectively. While entering items to the Research Manager, questions were formed (and recorded!) which I hope will help me to keep better track of the many loose ends in the family tree research.
Sources:
[1] Richard Schaffner, comp., Familienbuch der Pfarrei St. Hubertus Körperich in der Südeifel mit Körperich, Niedersgegen, Obersgegen, Gentingen, Roth an der Our, Seimerich und Scheuerhof (später Neuscheuerhof) 1689-1899 (2002), p. 73 family #319.
[2] Ibid., p. 247 family #1153.
[3] Ibid, p. 73 family #320.
[4] Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Diekirch > Naissances 1879-1890 Mariages 1796-
1842 > image 1312 of 1492. 1833 Marriage Record No. 9. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-
11618-99298-93?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2N2:1627336735 : accessed 01 Apr 2013).
[5] Luxembourg Civil Records, Bastendorf > Décès 1828-1862 > image 14 of 305. 1829 Death Record No. 19. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12394-256460-30?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2CM:n117549397 : accessed 04 Apr 2013).
[6] Germany Marriages, 1558-1929 / Deutschland, Heiraten, 1558-1929, (index), FamilySearch, FHL microfilm 585,923. Everardus Welter and Margaretha Kloos, 14 Sep 1790; parents of the groom: Michaelis Kloos and
Elisabethae Thewes; parents of the bride: Joachim Welter and Barbarae Roderig; citing Katholisch, Mettendorf, Rheinland, Prussia. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JHHG-35Q : accessed 8 January
2017).
[7] Ibid., FHL microfilm 585,922. Everhardus Welter and Margaretha Kloos, 10 Mar 1790; parents of the groom: Michaelis Kloos and Elisabethae Thewes; parents of the bride: Joachim Welter and Barbarae Roderig; citing Katholisch, Mettendorf, Rheinland, Prussia. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J4PJ-7QC : 26 December 2014).
© 2017, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.
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Opening Doors in Brick Walls 
Cathy you always amaze me at how you are a relentless and meticulous researcher. Genealogy software is great just keep it all organized on paper too! 😀
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I haven’t printed anything in such a long time. Do you think all family information should be on paper or just the research log? Appreciate the compliment, Janice.
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I also am amazed both by your careful sourcing of everything and how far back you can go in those sources. Someone born in 1747–Wow!
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Thank you, Amy. Another 100 years back and I’ll probably be seeing the end of the road. These ancestors were not royalty so as soon as the church records disappear the search will end. 😦
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You never know… and another 100 years is still incredible!
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