52 Ancestors: #5 Michael KOSTERS aka Michel SCHENTEN (1733-1813)

1733 Baptismal Record of Michael Kosters [1]

26 Martius 1733 baptizatus est Michael filius legitimus Joannis Kosters et Catharina conjugum ex 7born Suscipientes fuerunt Michael Bourjans et Maria Franscisca Kosters ambo ex 7fontibus.

On 26 March 1733 was baptized Michael legitimate son of Joannis Kosters and Catharina, married, of Siebenborn. Godparents were Michael Bourjans and Maria Franscisca Kosters both of Siebenborn.[1]

Septfontaines is the name coined by the French for the town of Siebenborn, meaning “seven springs.” In early Latin records, the name of the town was often abbreviated to 7born. Today the town is known as Simmer in Luxembourgish and Simmern in German.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Michael KOSTERS aka Michel SCHENTEN
Parents: Joannis SCHENTEN and Catharina KOSTERS
Spouses: Anna Maria WEBER, Susanna GENTINGER, and Cathérine OVERECKEN(*)
Parents of Spouse(*): Unknown
Whereabouts: Septfontaines, Kehlen, and Gilsdorf, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: husband’s 4th great-grandparents

1. Michel SCHENTEN and Cathérine OVERECK
2. Maria Catharina SCHENTEN
3. Johann “Jean” FABER
4. Elisabetha “Elisabeth” “Elise” FABER
5. Johann Peter “Jean-Pierre” MEDER
6. Marcel Mathias MEDER
7. husband of Cathy Meder-Dempsey

SCHENTEN x KOSTERS

The baby Michael KOSTERS, son of Joannes SCHENTEN and Catharina KOSTERS, would later be known as Michel SCHENTEN. At the time of his birth, his family went by his mother’s surname – KOSTERS – instead of his father’s surname – SCHENTEN. Six children, born between 1729 and 1745, were found for the couple. Their first child had the name Schenten x Kosters written on his baptismal record while the rests had only Kosters.

At the age of 17 Michel lost his mother. Catharina KOSTERS died on 29 November 1750.[2] A little more than two years later Michel’s widowed father Joannes SCHENTEN died on 6 February 1753.[3] What happened to the family of six orphaned children between the ages of 8 and 24 years? This still needs to be researched.

While searching through marriage index cards for SCHENTEN and KOSTERS marriages, I discovered the sad story of Michel’s first (unknown) marriage.

Michel’s First Marriage

1754 Marriage Index Card [4]

This index card for the marriage of Michael SCHENTEN and Anna Maria WEBERS shows he married on the 1st of January in 1754[4], less than a year before my children’s 5th great-grandfather’s first known marriage. Could he be the same man?

1753 Betrothal Record [5]

Betrothed on 27 December 1753 Michael Schenten, legitimate son of Joannis Schenten and Maria Kosters, married, p:m: of Siebenboren and the virtuous Anna Maria Webers, legitimate daughter of Nicolai Webers and Maria, married, of Dondeling.[5]

The abbreviation p: m:  is for piae memoriae. This expression signals that the person or persons were already deceased at the time the record was recorded.

1754 Marriage Entry in church book for the parish of Kehlen.[6]

1st January 1754 the marriage was contracted by the honest Michael SCHENTEN of Siebenborn and Anna Maria WEBER of Dondeling. Witnesses present were Dominico WEBER and Joanne Petro BERG both of Dondeling.[6]

Following the betrothal and marriage, Anna Maria became a godmother for her niece Anna Maria, daughter of Dominico WEBER and Catharina BIVER, on 10 May 1754 in Schoenberg.[7] Anna Maria died on 10 July 1754 in Dondelange.[8] Nine days later, her niece and godchild, Anna Maria WEBER also died. The baby’s entry follows Anna Maria’s death entry in the church register. Did the young bride and her niece die from the same cause?

1754 Death entries for Anna Maria Weber and a 2 months old Anna Maria Weber both of Dondeling (Dondelange) [8]

The place of birth of the groom and the parents both being deceased match for Michel. The father’s name was the same but not the mother’s. Before rejecting it, I searched for children born to the couple. If they had children at the same time Michel and his first known wife were having children, then this would mean they were two different persons. I found no births. I checked deaths for the year 1754 and found the deaths of the godmother and her godchild. Dominico, the child’s father, and Anna Maria were siblings, both children of Nicolas and Maria Weber(s).

A Second Marriage for Michel

Four months later, on 10 November 1754, Michel married Susanne GENTINGER in Diekirch.[9], [10] Susanne was born on 23 January 1731 in Gilsdorf.[11]

They had the following children.

•  Joannes Jacobus was born and baptized on 14 August 1755 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Anna GENTINGER of Gilsdorf and Joes Jacobus GENTINGER of Diekirch.[12]
• Petrus was born and baptized on 28 October 1757 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Petrus GLAIS and Maria THILL, both of Gilsdorf.[13]
• Joannes Stephanus was born and baptized on 13 July 1763 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Joes Stephanus CHENTEN from Simer and Elisabetha MYERS of Gilsdorf.[14]
• Jones was born and baptized on 22 November 1766 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Jones JUMKEM and  Anna DIEDERS, both of Gilsdorf. Note: Mother is seen with maiden name THIEL.[15]
• Joannes was born and baptized on 31 March 1770 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Joannes DEYL and Susanna GLEIS, both of Gilsdorf.[16]
• Susanne was born and baptized on 14 December 1773 in Gilsdorf. Her godparents were Reinerich WELTER and Susanna FOURNER, both of Gilsdorf.[17]

Note: I have not researched these children other than finding their baptismal records. The daughter Susanne and at least one of the sons named Jean (or a variation) married and had children.

Michel was once again widowed on 15 March 1775 when his second wife Susanne GENTINGER died in Gilsdorf.[18]

A Third Marriage for Michel

Michel did not wait long to remarry. No marriage record has been found. However, church records show Michel SCHENTEN and Cathérine OBERECKEN were a legitimate married couple having children from 1777 to 1787. I estimate their marriage at abt. 1776 (between 15 March 1775 and 4 April 1777).

Michel and Cathérine had the following children.

• Joannes was born and baptized on 4 April 1777 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Joannes WEBER and Margaretha NEUBERG, both of Gilsdorf.[19] Joannes married first Susanne BRETZ (1767-1801), daughter of Dominique BRETZ and Susanne SPERES, on 9 April 1799 in Ettelbrück.[20] He married second Marguerite KAUFFMANN (1783-1843), daughter of Jean KAUFFMANN and Cathérine KLONS, on 30 November 1801 in Diekirch.[21] He died on 5 March 1844 in Bourscheid-Flébour.[22]
• Petrus was born and baptized on 25 February 1780 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Petrus RUPPERT and Maria DIEDERICHS, both of Gilsdorf.[23]
• Joes was born and baptized on 28 May 1782 in Gilsdorf. His godparents were Joannes SCHWIETZ and Anna Margaretha CLOOS, both of Gilsdorf.[24] UPDATE: He died on 8 March 1785 in Gilsdorf.[24a]
• Maria Catharina “Margaretha” was born and baptized on 21 October 1784 in Gilsdorf. Her godparents were Antonius SCHROEDER and Maria Catharina SCHLOESSER, both of Gilsdorf.[25] She married Jean “Johann” FABER (1787-1864), son of Jacques “Jacobus” FABER and Elisabeth WOLTER, on 26 January 1813 in Diekirch.[26] Maria Catharina died on 27 March 1855 in Diekirch.[27]
• Thomas UPDATE: was born about November 1787 and baptized on 30 October 1786 in Gilsdorf.[27a] He died on 22 May 1788 in Gilsdorf.[28]

Michel SCHENTEN died on 6 January 1813 in Gilsdorf.[29] His death record confirms his place of birth was Simmer, the Luxembourgish version of Septfontaines.

His widow Cathérine died six years later on 30 March 1819 in Gilsdorf. The death was reported by an acquaintance and a neighbor. They gave her age at time of death as 80.[30] This means Cathérine would have been born about 1738-1739. If this is correct, she was 48 at the time of the last child’s estimated birth.

Were the sons named Joes and Thomas the same person?

This question has been solved. They were two persons as seen in updates listed below.

Update: (12 February 2017) While working on the PREUSER children for my post on 17 February 2017, I found the birth record of the child named Thomas SCHENTEN. He was a year and a half when he died.

No birth record was found for the child named Thomas born about November 1787. The first name on the death record is in the gutter of the register making it difficult to decipher. The Latin text for his age is infans sesqui anni, which means half a year old infant. Could the person writing the Latin text have made an error and meant to write six years old? Or does the Latin text mean one and a half year old infant?

1788 Death Record of a Schenten child. [28]

UPDATE (4 February 2017): While searching through the church records for deaths (of another family) I found the death record of a son of Michel SCHENTEN and his wife Catharina OBERECK named Joannes, three and a half years old. Joes born 28 May 1782 would have been almost three on 8 March 1782 when the child died. Joes is an abbreviation for Joannes. The person who wrote the entry likely miscalculated the age of the child.

If he did make an error the child Thomas could be the same as Joes who was born in 1782. Joes would have been six days short of six years when the child named Thomas died in May 1788. If the child who died in 1788 was in fact Joes, then my children’s 4th great-grandmother was the youngest child of Michel and Cathérine. Unfortunately the church records don’t include the ages of the parents at the time a child was born and baptized. As Cathérine died in 1819 at the age of 80 years she would have been 45 years old at the time of Maria Catharina’s birth in 1784.

Who were the parents of Michel’s third wife Cathérine?

No marriage record has been found for Michel and Cathérine. Her maiden name was found on the baptismal records of four children and on her death record. It was spelled several different ways. On her first two children’s baptismal records in 1777 and 1780 her name was spelled OBERHECK. In 1782 it was seen as EVERECK and in 1784 as OVERECKEN. In 1787 when her son “Thomas” died her maiden name was OBERRECKEN. In 1813 when her daughter Maria Catharina married it was OVERECKEN, the same as in 1784. This is because the name on the marriage record was likely copied from the bride’s birth record. Finally it was written as UBERRECKEN on her death record in 1819. The last cannot be considered as reliable as the information was given by an acquaintance and neighbor.

Was Cathérine born in Medernach as stated on her 1819 death record? The church records of Medernach are only available from 1786, too late for her baptismal record ca. 1738 to have been registered. Are the pre-1786 church records for baptized persons from Medernach in another town?

For now Cathérine’s date of birth and the names of her parents remain a mystery. Will one of my readers, familiar with Luxembourg records, hold the key to open the door in this brick wall?

UPDATE: (10 February 2017) I heard from Rob DELTGEN via email. The records of the parish of Medernach are lost! Church records on FamilySearch for Medernach are only for 1786-1807.

Sources:
[1] Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Septfontaines > Baptêmes 1622-1640, 1651-1735, mariages 1732-1737, sépultures 1720-1738 > image 165 of 181. 1733 Baptismal Record (right page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32461-17204-85?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-K65:1501152901,1501333730 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[2] Ibid., Septfontaines > Baptêmes 1735-1797, confirmations 1774-1791, mariages 1738-1797, sépultures 1738-1796 > image 144 of 210. 1750 Death Record (right page, entry 23). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9VG8?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-2NP%3A1501152901%2C1501361592 : 9 January 2015).
[3] Ibid., Septfontaines > Baptêmes 1735-1797, confirmations 1774-1791, mariages 1738-1797, sépultures 1738-1796 > image 145 of 210. 1753 Death Record (left page, 9th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9KLB?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-2NP%3A1501152901%2C1501361592 : 9 January 2015).
[4] Ibid., Schoenberg > Tables des mariages 1724-1802 Burton-Z (index organisée par l’époux) > image 586 of 797. 1754 Marriage Index Card. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-S33K?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-PTY%3A1501137301%2C1501137302 : 9 January 2015).
[5] Ibid., Schoenberg > Mariages 1724-1755 — fondations et anniversaires 1723-1794 — registre aux dîmes 1770-1794 > image 69 of 261. 1853 Bethrothal entry in church records (right page, bottom entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-3C3?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-HZH%3A1501137301%2C1501398002 : 9 January 2015).
[6] Ibid., Schoenberg > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1754-1759, 1778-1793 > image 7 of 329. 1754 Marriage Record (right page, first entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9VRM?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-K6J%3A1501137301%2C1501248302 : 9 January 2015).
[7] Ibid., Schoenberg > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1754-1759, 1778-1793 > image 4 of 329. 1754 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd to last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9KJR?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-K6J%3A1501137301%2C1501248302 : 9 January 2015).
[8] Ibid., Schoenberg > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1754-1759, 1778-1793 > image 9 of 329. 1754 Death Record (right page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9V12?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-K6J%3A1501137301%2C1501248302 : 9 January 2015).
[9] Ibid., Diekirch > Tables des mariages 1700-1798 (index organisée par l’époux) > image 842 of 1195. 1754 Marriage Index Card. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9ZKY?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-DPV%3A1500890501%2C1501181502 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[10] Ibid., Diekirch >Mariages 1743-1794 > image 16 of 122. 1754 Marriage Record (left page, third entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-MQ1B?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-B87%3A1500890501%2C1500891002 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[11] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1623-1743 Mariages 1698-1741, 1743-1794 Sépultures 1698-1729 > image 185 of 240. 1731 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry for 1731). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-M7QR?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-B8B%3A1500890501%2C1500890502 : 9 January 2015).
[12] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 66 of 373. 1755 Baptismal Record (right page 4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-LHGV?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[13] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 78 of 373. 1757 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-LHBL?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[14] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 110 of 373. 1763 Baptismal Record (left page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WM-LH6D?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : 9 January 2015).
[15] Ibid., Diekirch Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 134 of 373. 1766 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-LHTW?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[16] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 158 of 373. 1770 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-LH9F?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[17] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 182 of 373. 1773 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-LHZB?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : 9 January 2015).
[18] Ibid., Diekirch > Sépultures 1743-1793 > image 43 of 140. 1775 Death Record. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-LHTV?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-6Y7%3A1500890501%2C1500929176 : 9 January 2015).
[19] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 204 of 373. 1777 Baptismal Record (left page, 5th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-LCV4?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[20] Ibid., Diekirch > Tables des mariages 1700-1798 (index organisée par l’époux) > image 844 of 1195. 20 germinal an VII Marriage Index Card. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9Z9T?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-DPV%3A1500890501%2C1501181502 : accessed 28 January 2017).
[21] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1797-1805, mariages, décès 1797-1807 > image 59 of 133. 1801 Marriage Record (left page, 1st entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WM-984W?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-1XS%3A1500890501%2C1500998368 : acessed 3 February 2017).
[22] Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Bourscheid > Décès 1797-1890 > image 479 of 1157. 1844 Death Record No. 9. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-X929-9GH?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-N38%3A129628601%2C129626302 : 17 July 2014).
[23] Luxembourg Church Records, Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 228 of 373
. 1780 Baptismal Record (right page, 3rd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-LZ3F?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : acessed 28 January 2017).
[24] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789  > image 258 of 373. 1782 Birth Record (left page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-LCRR?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : 9 January 2015).
[24a] Ibid., Diekirch > Sépultures 1743-1793 > image 88 of 140. 1785 Death Record (left page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-LHGM?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-6Y7%3A1500890501%2C1500929176 : accessed 4 February 2017).
[25] Ibid., Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 289 of 373. 1784 Baptismal Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32421-8480-21?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL:1500890501,1500918030 : accessed 8 July 2015).
[26] Luxembourg Civil Records, Diekirch > Naissances 1879-1890 Mariages 1796-1842 > image 832 of 1492. 1813 Marriage Record No. 6. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11618-99261-56?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2N2:1627336735 : accessed 04 Apr 2013).
[27] Ibid., Diekirch > Décès 1825-1890 > image 509 of 1358. 1855 Death Record No. 17. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12147-170383-71?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2NH:n538876208 : accessed 04 Apr 2013).
[27a] LuxembourgChurch Records, Diekirch > Baptêmes 1743-1790, confirmations 1768-1789 > image 316 of 373. 1786 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry from bottom).  (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-LCNS?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-ZNL%3A1500890501%2C1500918030 : accessed 12 Feb 2017).
[28] Ibid., Diekirch > Sépultures 1743-1793 > image 105 of 140. 1788 Death Record (right page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-LHNF?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-6Y7%3A1500890501%2C1500929176 : 9 January 2015).
[29] Luxembourg Civil Records, Diekirch > Mariages 1843-1890 Décès 1797-1824 > image 1202 of 1493. 1813 Death Record No. 2. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12052-49235-53?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2ND:n1913802954 : accessed 11 April 2013).
[30] Ibid., Diekirch > Mariages 1843-1890 Décès 1797-1824 > image 1362 of 1493. 1819 Death Record No. (blank). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12052-50093-4?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2ND:n1913802954 : accessed 11 Apr 2013).

© 2017, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

 

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