Nicolas MERCKES (1763-1849) was the son of Johann Heinrich MERKES (1723-bef. 1816) and Anna ROSS (1728-1816) who were married on 9 February 1755 in Arzfeld, Germany. Both were born in Irrhausen which belonged to the Arzfeld parish. They were the parents of four children born in Irrhausen: Peter on 16 December 1755, Angela on 6 November 1760, Nicolas on 3 May 1763, and Wilhelm on 16 December 1766.[1]
According to the Arzfeld Familienbuch[1], Nicolas had an uncle named Wilhelm who left Irrhausen to marry in Bettendorf, Luxembourg. I didn’t follow through on this as no date of birth or marriage was listed or even the name of the bride. Other siblings of Nicolas’ father married in 1738 and 1744 but this does not help date the birth or marriage of Wilhelm. I consulted Rob Deltgen’s GEDCOM file online and he has the uncle Wilhelm listed as married in Mettendorf. A typo or a mix-up in the family book of Arzfeld?
While looking into Nicolas and his family, I found another MERCKES family group living in Bettendorf, the MERCKES-GRASGES family. Further research is needed however the couple appears to be Wilhelm MERCKES and Anna GRASGES who married 11 October 1791. This Wilhelm was Nicolas’ younger brother.
Margaretha was born on 30 December 1773 in Bettendorf to Anton WAGENER (1746-1781) and Catharina PIRSCH (1748-1784).[3] She was their first child. A brother was born when she was two years old.[4] The possibility of other children has not been researched. Her father died before her 8th birthday in 1781.[5] Her mother remarried five months later.[6] This marriage lasted only two years as she died either the 3rd[7] or 27th of April 1784.[8] There were two woman, both mothers of a family, with the same name, the younger being known as Catharina PIRSCH junior who died on the later date. The WAGENER-PIRSCH family group will be looked into at a later date. (It is going to take me forever to do the 6th great-grandparents.)
The MERCKES-WAGENER Family
Nicolas MERCKES and Margaretha WAGENER had thirteen children. Twelve of the thirteen birth/baptismal records were located before this was published. I was unable to locate the birth record of the fourth child. My friend Linda who has helped me out a few other times after reading my posts sent me the link to the missing record. Corrections have been made below.
Nicolas and Margaretha’s first child was born on 19 January 1793 and was baptized the same day. Wilhelm MERCKES of Bettendorf and Anna MERCKES of Irrhausen were her godparents.[9] The relationship is not indicated, however I believe Wilhelm was the father’s brother (this would prove he also lived in Bettendorf by this time). Anna was most likely the grandmother Anna ROSS. The father of the child was present and signed the record. I learned this was not usual. Normally the only men present at a baptism were the priest and the godfather.
Georges was born on 12 March 1795. He was baptized the same day, his godparents were Georges PIRSCH and Anna Maria LUX, both of Bettendorf. The father of the child was again present and signed the record.[10]
On 1 June 1797 a male child was born and baptized Nicolas. His godparents were Nicolas Bindels of Gilsdorf and Elisabeth MERCKES of Irrhausen. The mother’s name was seen as Margaretha WAGENER vulgo PIRSCH.[11] Death records from soon after his birth need to be consulted again to determine a possible early death.
Every two years Margaretha was giving birth to a child. The available records for March 1798 to June 1800 were searched however no record was found for the birth of a son about 1799. As will be seen later, Nicolas and Margaretha had a son named Johann Wilhelm or Jean Guillaume who was born per the census between 1797-1804 (year of census in parenthesis): 1807 (1843), 12 October 1797 (1846), Jan 1802 (1847 age 45 yrs 11 mos), 1804 (1852 age 48). His death record shows an even higher age which calculates to born about 1792 (1867 age 75). I also checked for a possible birth between the 4th and 5th, 5th and 6th, and 6th and 7th child. I suspect Nicolas may be the same child as Jean Guillaume but for now I have them listed as two different sons. The birth record of the fourth child, Guillaume, was located by Linda. He was born on 12 January 1799 (23 Nivose year VII) at 10 in the morning in the family home in Bettendorf.[11a]
Marie, the fifth child, was born on 16 March 1801 (25 Pluviose year IX) and the civil birth record was signed by the father and two witnesses.[12]
Elisabeth was born 26 July 1803 (7 thermidor year XI) and her father reported her birth the following day.[13] The signature he left was the same as on three of the other four records noted above. A baptismal record dated 24 July 1803 was also found.[14] The discrepancy in the dates, baptism taking place before the birth, may be due to the conversion of the date. The civil record has the Republican date and the baptismal record the Gregorian.
Peter was born on 17 September 1805 (30 Fructidor year XIII)[15] and baptized the next day. Peter ROSS of Irrhausen and Anna ROSS of “Artzweiler” were the godparents.[16] The father Nicolas signed the civil birth record.
The next child, Michel, was born at 3 o’clock in the morning on 4 October 1807. His father reported the birth at 2 in the afternoon.[17]
Nicolas reported the birth of his ninth child, Jean, two hours after the child was born on 5 December 1809.[18]
The family had grown from two, Nicolas and Margaretha, to eleven, including the nine children. Nicolas was a farmer as seen in the civil birth records of the children. On 29 July 1810 at 6 in the evening Nicolas reported the death of his 8 years old daughter Elisabeth who died at 4 in the afternoon.[19] A few days later on 3 August Nicolas’ brother Wilhelm reported the death of his 7 years old daughter.[20] No cause of death is listed on death records in Luxembourg. What disease could have been taken these little girls?
Margaretha was 38 when she gave birth to her 10th child at 10 in the morning on 10 November 1811. Nicolas must have been busy during the day and went to report the birth of Jean Pierre at 8 in the morning the next day.[21]
On 22 December 1813 at 9 in the morning Nicolas went to the civil office to have two records drawn up. First he reported the birth of a daughter Elisabeth to him and his wife at 6 o’clock in the evening of the previous day.[22] Then he reported she lived only an hour and died at 7 o’clock on 21 December.[23]
Three months later, Nicolas and Margaretha’s oldest daughter Anna died on 26 March 1814 at 9 o’clock in the evening at the age of 22.[24] Her death was reported by Jean Müller, a 22 years old farmer.
On 1 December 1815 at 8 in the morning, Nicolas once again had to report the death of a child. Son Michel died at the age of 8 years (the record shows 9) the previous afternoon at 4 o’clock on 30 November.[25]
The family now had only six or seven children still living. It is unknown at this time how long the third child Nicolas lived. Margaretha gave birth to her 12th child, a daughter, the third to be named Elisabeth on 3 March 1816 at 3 in the afternoon. Nicolas did not report the birth until two days later, on 5 March at two o’clock in the afternoon.[26]
Nicolas’ mother Anna ROSS died on 15 April 1816 in Irrhausen. Her husband Johann Heinrich MERCKES was already deceased.[1]
Margaretha was a month short of turning 45 when she gave birth to her thirteenth child at midnight. Nicolas was at the civil office ten hours later ready to report the birth of a son to whom they gave the name Nicolas. The son was born on 25 November 1818.[27] It is my belief that the first son named Nicolas born in 1797 may have been deceased by this time.
Nearly a year later, the third daughter to be named Elisabeth died on 30 November 1819 at 6 o’clock in the morning. She was nearly four years old. Her father Nicolas reported the death at 10 in the morning the same day.[28]
Margaretha’s child bearing years were over but she and Nicolas would have their children living with them until their deaths. Not all of them but the house remained full. The oldest son Georges married Catherine MERSCH (1795-1829) on 11 April 1820.[29] She gave birth to six children during their nine years of marriage but only two lived to adulthood.
Five years later the oldest daughter Marie married Gaspar WEYLER on 22 January 1825.[30] She died the day after their second wedding anniversary on 23 January 1827.[31] She did not have children and her cause of death is unknown, or so I believed.
Their oldest married son Georges was widowed on 19 September 1829[32] and remarried less than a year later on 27 July 1830 to Catherine Hoffmann (1797-1869).[33] She would give birth to two daughters, one of whom lived to adulthood, and would help raise Georges’ daughter and son from his first marriage.
In 1830 at home with Nicolas and Margaretha may have been all of their unmarried sons Jean Guillaume (33), Peter (25), Jean (21), Jean Pierre (19), and Nicolas (12) unless one or the other had gone to work outside of Bettendorf. The five daughters born to them were all deceased and did not leave children (update to follow below).
My children’s 4th great-grandfather Peter MERKES married Anna Catharina HASTERT (1810-1888) on 28 February 1832 in Nommern.[34] She would give him eight children, two died young. Peter was a Schneider or tailor and, in their early years of marriage, they moved around until they settled in Bastendorf. Their story can be read here: 52 Ancestors: #35 MERKES-HASTERT Family – Back to School or Back to Work?
The next son to marry was Jean. He married Margaretha GALION on 16 October 1839.[35] She would give birth to a son in 1839 in Bettendorf, two daughters in 1842 and 1844 in Godbrange (Junglinster), and then to four daughters and two sons from 1847 to 1860 in Diekirch.
The second youngest son Jean Pierre married Clara ABEND (1817-1895) on 5 February 1840.[36] They were the parents of nine children, three of whom died young.
On 12 December 1846 the household of Nicolas MERCKES and his wife Margaretha WAGENER was made up of four generations. Their single son Guillaume and their married son Georges and his family were part of the household. Georges’ oldest daughter had married and given birth to a daughter.[38]
On 31 December 1847 the household remained nearly the same. Another great-grandchild had been born and their youngest son Nicolas was back at home.[39]
A young lady who worked as a servant had also been with the family since 1843. Her presence in the household now had me wondering if daughter Marie who died in 1827 may have had a child. The servant’s name was Margaretha WEILER and was born in 1825 in Brandenbourg per the census listings.
I returned to the civil records of Fouhren where Brandenbourg was listed during this short period of time. Marie MERCKES and Gaspard WEYLER were the parents of Margaretha who was born a little over 9 months after the marriage.[40] Marie had another child, a son Nicolas,[41] born four days before her death.[42] Little Nicolas, likely named for his grandfather, died at the age of thirty-eight days.[43] His father Gaspard WEYLER married again four months after he was widowed. There is not census available for the years between 1827 and 1843 which would show who raised little Margaretha, her father and his new wife or her MERCKES grandparents with whom she was living from 1843 when she was 18.
Nicolas, the youngest son in the MERCKES-WAGENER family, married Margretha MOSINGER (1825-1895) on 4 July 1849.[44] They were the parents of five children born between 1850 and 1857, two of whom died at a young age. Only one census listing has been found for this family group due to the amount of time it takes to view the records. It is for the year 1861[45] and, surprise, Margaretha WEILER is living with Nicolas and his family and listed as a cousin. Nicolas was her uncle.
Nicolas MERCKES, the father of this family, died at the age of 85 years on 19 March 1849 in Bettendorf.[46] A census was taken at the end of the year, however his widow Margaretha and his single son Guillaume have not been located.
Following the death of Nicolas there seemed to be some changes in the family. Jean Pierre MERCKES who had been living and working in Diekirch was found in the 31 Dec 1851 census as living in Clairefontaine (Bettendorf) with his wife and children in the household of his mother and brother Guillaume.[47] The following year the household members were the same but Jean Pierre was now listed first on the sheet and his mother and brother at the bottom.[48]
Margaretha WAGENER died on 19 December 1853 in Clairefontaine.[49] Jean Pierre and his brother Georges reported her death which took place at “one o’clock this morning of the night.” She was 79 years old however her sons gave her age as 81.
From this point I am missing census listings for the sons of Margaretha and Nicolas other than for Peter, my children’s 4th great grandfather, who was living in Bastendorf. As mentioned earlier son Nicolas was found in the 1861 census, living in Bettendorf. I therefore do not have a concrete idea of how each family group changed over the years between the death of Margaretha and the deaths of her still living sons: Jean MERCKES died 5 February 1864 in Diekirch[50]; Peter MERKES died 22 February 1867 in Bastendorf[51]; J. Guillaume died 12 November 1867[52]; and Nicolas died 17 March 1876 in Bettendorf.[53]
Addendum
Jean Pierre MERKES was the only child who left me with loose ends. He had been a coachman in Diekirch but moved to Clairefontaine on the outskirts of Diekirch soon after his father’s death. I found no death record for him in this area.
I searched the Luxembourg newspapers on the site of the National Library of Luxembourg and found Jean Pierre had put his home in Diekirch up for sale in 1851[54] and then in 1855 his home in Clairefontaine was being sold.[55] Could this have been in preparation for a move?
Could he have been planning to go to America? I found a John P. MERKES born about 1845 in Luxembourg living in Dubuque County, Iowa. He had to be a son of Jean Pierre and Clara. I followed the hints (which will later be reviewed more closely to document the family) which led to proof (death certificate) of his being born in Diekirch and the son of Peter MERKES and Clara ABEND. Further searches led to an indexed record for Jean MERKES and Clara MERKES coming to America in 1855. Jean Pierre is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque under the name Pier MERKES. He died in 1861. Clara married Michael Fohrman in 1864 and lived until 1895.
I did not expect to find a child of Nicolas and Margaretha emigrating to American in the 1850s. The trees I found on Ancestry have only the names of his parents taken from his birth and marriage record. No siblings or further information on his parents. Several trees were found on Rootsweb, a couple have an annotation on Jean Pierre attributed to Barbara Miller, “Supposedly Marquis de Peche’ under Napoleon before immigration. Changed name to Merkes when in America.” Historically this is not possible. Jean Pierre was born in 1811 and was ten years old when Napoleon died. The MERKES name goes back to the 18th century in Irrhausen as documented in the FB Arzfeld. I certainly hope his descendants will not be upset with me for shattering a family tradition.
Sources:
[1] Br. Niketius Munkler, Familienbuch der Pfarrei Arzfeld Dekanat Waxweiler Diözese Trier Band I von II 1680-1900, page 316-317 family 1386. Merckes-Ross family.
[2] Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Bettendorf > Naissances, mariages, décès 1779-1812 > image 135 of 238. 1792 Marriage Record (top). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11571-19779-47?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-288:2093828816 : accessed 07 Apr 2013).
[3] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 12 of 94. 1773 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M9YF?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[4] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 16 of 94. 1776 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WM-MSM7?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 4 May 2017).
[5] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 87 of 94. 1781 Death Record (right page, 4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-MSRG?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 4 May 2017).
[6] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 69 of 94. 1782 Marriage Record (right page, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-MSBH?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 4 May 2017).
[7] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 88 of 94. 1784 Death Record (right page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WM-MS1S?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[8] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 89 of 94. 1784 Death Record (left page, 1st entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-MS25?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 4 May 2017).
[9] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 52 of 94. 1793 Baptismal Record (left page, 4th entry).
(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WM-M333?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[10] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 56 of 94. 1795 Baptismal Record (right page, 4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-M3QY?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[11] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1763-1797 > image 60 of 94. 1797 Baptismal Record (left page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-MSYF?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPJ%3A1500974653%2C1500923326 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[11a] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1797-1800, baptêmes 1779-1793, mariages 1779-1793, 1797-1800, décès 1797-1800, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 178 of 222. 1799 Birth Record part 1 (right page, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-MSZ9?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SPK%3A1500974653%2C1500990942 : accessed 6 May 2017).
[12] Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 7 of 306. 1801 Birth Record No. 11. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRL9-MJQ?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[13] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 35 of 306. 1803 Birth Record No. 21 (8 Thermidor Year 11). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLJ-ZH?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[14] Ibid., Bettendorf > Baptêmes 1800-1801, 1803-1807, mariages 1803-1807 > image 3 of 36. 1803 Baptismal Record (2nd entry). https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-MS44?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SP2%3A1500974653%2C1501070786 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[15] Luxembourg Civil Records, Bettendorf > Naissances 1828-1890 Mariages 1800-1816 > image 1371 of 1507. 1805 Birth Record No. 46. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-X2M7-5H?cc=1709358&wc=9RYD-FM9%3A129626601%2C129945501 : accessed 08 Apr 2013).
[16] Luxembourg Church Records, Bettendorf > Baptêmes 1800-1801, 1803-1807, mariages 1803-1807 > image 12 of 36. 1805 Baptismal Record (right, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32400-1714-51?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-SP2:1500974653,1501070786 : accessed 20 September 2015).
[17] Luxembourg Civil Records, Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 59 of 306. 1807 Birth Record No. 19. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLP-V4?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[18] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 82 of 306. 1809 Birth Record No. 31. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLK-FS?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[19] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 914 of 1494. 1810 Death Record (right page, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-F4W?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[20] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 914 of 1494. 1810 Death Record (right page, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-F4W?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[21] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 102 of 306. 1811 Birth Record (left page, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLY-J9?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[22] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 122 of 306. 1813 Birth Record (left page, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLT-PN?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[23] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 933 of 1494. 1813 Death Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-XVN?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[24] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 942 of 1494. 1814 Death Record (right page, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-CJT?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[25] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 956 of 1494. 1815 Death Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-Z19?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[26] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 144 of 306. 1816 Birth Record (right, lower). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRL9-98C?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[27] Ibid., Bettendorf > Naissances 1800-1827 > image 170 of 306. 1818 Birth Record (right, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRL9-9XR?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-DPD%3A129626601%2C129760501 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[28] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 987 of 1494. 1819 Death Record (left, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-85Z?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 2 May 1017).
[29] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 48 of 1494. 1820 Marriage Record (right page). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-8CH?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : 17 July 2014).
[30] Ibid., Fouhren > Mariages 1820-1830 > image 53 of 167. 1825 Marriage Record No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRX3-ZT6?cc=1709358&wc=9RYM-YWL%3A129626001%2C129715601 : accessed 3 May 2017).
[31] Ibid., Fouhren > Décès 1798-1850 > image 118 of 224. 1827 Death Record No. 2. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRX3-SJ9?cc=1709358&wc=9RYM-YWY%3A129626001%2C129626002 : accessed 3 May 2017).
[32] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 1087 of 1494. 1829 Death Record No. 24. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-DM5?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : 17 July 2014).
[33] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 215 of 1494. 1830 Marriage Record No. 17. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-CP2?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 6 May 2017).
[34] Ibid., Nommern > Naissances 1851-1890 Mariages 1797-1823, 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1823, 1796-1849 > image 729 of 1477. 1832 Marriage Record No. 4. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12870-29072-7?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LCR:n1552617334 : accessed 07 Apr 2013).
[35] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 306 of 1494
. 1839 Marriage Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-8XN?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : 17 July 2014).
[36] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 315 of 1494. 1840 Marriage Record No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-6QJ?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 30 April 2017).
[37] Luxembourg, Volkszählungen 1843-1900 (images), <i>FamilySearch</i> (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Bettendorf > 1843 > image 241 of 288. Merkes-Wagener household
(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32360-26270-66?cc=2037957&wc=M5LT-T3L:346114101,345863501 : accessed 18 February 2015).
[38] Ibid., Bettendorf > 1846 > image 53 of 334. Merkes-Wagener household. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32356-29252-42?cc=2037957&wc=M5LR-BZ9:346114101,345858602 : accessed 18 February 2015).
[39] Ibid., Bettendorf > 1847 > image 63 of 340. Merckes-Wagener household. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897B-N9MR-D?cc=2037957&wc=M5LR-VZJ%3A346114101%2C345864101 : accessed 4 May 2017).
[40] Luxembourg Civil Record, Fouhren > Naissances 1798-1850 > image 162 of 325. 1825 Birth Record (left, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6FZ9-WGX?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-RM9%3A129626001%2C129804701 : 17 July 2014).
[41] Ibid., Fouhren > Naissances 1798-1850 > image 176 of 325. 1827 Birth Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6FZ9-HS5?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-RM9%3A129626001%2C129804701 : accessed 5 May 2017).
[42] Ibid., Fouhren > Décès 1798-1850 > image 118 of 224. 1827 Death Record No. 2. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRX3-SJ9?cc=1709358&wc=9RYM-YWY%3A129626001%2C129626002 : accessed 3 May 2017).
[43] Ibid., Fouhren > Décès 1798-1850 > image 118 of 224. 1827 Death Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DRX3-SJ9?cc=1709358&wc=9RYM-YWY%3A129626001%2C129626002 : accessed 5 May 2017).
[44] Ibid., Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 413 of 1494. 1849 Marriage Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-6ZR?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 29 April 2017),.
[45] Luxembourg Census Records, Bettendorf > 1861 > image 297 of 367. Merkes-Mosinger household. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32377-4884-88?cc=2037957&wc=M5GM-MNL:346114101,345867101 : accessed 17 February 2015).
[46] Luxembourg Civil Records, Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 1350 of 1494. 1849 Death Record No. 6. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-86R?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[47] Luxembourg Census Records, Bettendorf > 1851 > image 298 of 386. Margaretha Merkes-Wagener household. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97B-8P19?cc=2037957&wc=M5LR-446%3A346114101%2C345865601 : accessed 3 May 2017).
[48] Ibid., Bettendorf > 1852 >image 293 of 365. Merckes-Abend household. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897B-Z5F?cc=2037957&wc=M5LR-S58%3A346114101%2C345865501 : accessed 3 May 2017).
[49] Luxembourg Civil Records, Bettendorf > Mariages 1817-1890 Décès 1800-1859 > image 1408 of 1494. 1853 Death Record No. 45. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6RW9-6F5?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-SP8%3A129626601%2C129729901 : accessed 29 April 2017).
[50] Ibid., Diekirch > Décès 1825-1890 > image 693 of 1358. 1864 Death Record No. 8.(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6XYW-W6C?cc=1709358&wc=9RYC-2NL%3A129628901%2C129628902 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[51] Ibid., Bastendorf > Décès 1863-1871 > image 62 of 109. 1867 Death Record No. 12. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11553-133034-91?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-2CC:27255400 : accessed 07 Apr 2013).
[52] Ibid., Bettendorf > Décès 1860-1890 > image 125 of 465. 1867 Death Record No. 37. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6M8S-DLX?cc=1709358&wc=9RYH-82S%3A129626601%2C129626602 : accessed 2 May 2017).
[53] Ibid., Bettendorf > Décès 1860-1890 > image 260 of 465. 1876 Death Record No. 15. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6M8S-FGK?cc=1709358&wc=9RYH-82S%3A129626601%2C129626602 : 17 July 2014).
[54] Der Wächter an der Sauer, digitized by the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg, 26 February 1851, page 4, column 3.(http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIRECTLINK&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=1597472&search_terms=merckes#panel:pp|issue:1597472|article:DTL105|query:merckes : accessed 5 May 2017).
[55] Der Wächter an der Sauer, digitized by the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg, 12 May 1855, page 4, column 2. (http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIRECTLINK&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=1605502&search_terms=merkes#panel:pp|issue:1605502|article:DTL126|query:merkes : accessed 5 May 2017).
© 2017, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.
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Opening Doors in Brick Walls 
Hooray for finding Guillaume! Great post Cathy. How do you do your citations? Do you have a plug-in?
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Amberly, you are the second or third person who has asked about the citations. I think I need to write a post. No plug-in since I have the free WordPress. I do them all manually and copy/paste the citations from the sources I cite in AncestralQuest 15. The trick is the html.
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Yes, a post on how to do that would be awesome! All that html stuff does not come naturally for me. 🙂
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When I write the next post I’ll do some screenshots. Maybe I can throw something together. Thanks for asking, Amberly.
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🙂
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As always, incredible research. All the babies/children dying—I still can’t quite fathom how parents coped with so much loss. (We have returned from Germany, and I will be slowly but surely trying to catch up on your blog posts!)
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Thank you, Amy. Looking forward to all the things you discovered.
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