52 Ancestors: #44 Legendary Two-Time Tour de France Winner’s Second Great-Grandparents

Susanne KIEFFER was born on 25 March 1754 in Mamer to Nicolaus KÜFFER (1734-1796) and Susanna SCHILTZ (1737-1807). Earlier variations of the surname were KIEFER and KÜFFER. Susanne was the oldest of eight known children. The only reference available online is an alphabetical family group register of births/baptisms and marriages for the town of Mamer. Actual parish records for baptisms, marriages, and burials in Mamer are only available on FamilySearch for the years 1779-1793.

Küffer-Schiltz family group from the Mamer parish book. “Luxembourg registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32402-77-6?cc=2037955 : accessed 28 November 2015), Mamer > Baptêmes 1718-1940, familles alphabétique > image 135 of 375; paroisses, Luxembourg (parishes, Luxembourg).

Susanne was my fourth great-grandmother. She married Michel KOLBACH on 17 February 1783.¹ Michel was born about 1748 in Kehlen to Francisci KOLBACH and Maria KAYSER. His parents were deceased at the time of his marriage. Michel and his parents were not my ancestors.

Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 46 of 168. 1783 Marriage Record (top of left page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32401-17711-69?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015).

Susanne and Michel were the parents of five children.

Margaretha born on 4 January 1784²
Michel born on 31 March 1785³
Catherine born on 29 November 1786⁴
Peter born on 9 January 1789⁵
Anna Maria born on 14 May 1791⁶

These children are documented as they were born during the period in which actual parish records are available on FamilySearch for baptisms, marriages, and burials during the years 1779-1793.

Following the birth of Susanne and Michel’s fourth child, her sister Elisabeth married Nicolas CHRISTOPHORY (1743-1803) on 11 May 1789.⁷ Elisabeth was the only known sibling of Susanne to also marry. [As of this writing. A brother’s marriage was found in April 2021. Read the post here: The Ancestors: Nicolaus Küffer and Susanna Schiltz of Mamer, Luxembourg]

When their youngest child had just turned two years old, Susanne was widowed when Michel KOLBACH died on 30 May 1793. He had been a linen weaver or linitextor and was about 45 years old.⁸

1793 Death Entry for Michel KOLBACH.

A little over seven months later Susanne remarried. On 7 January 1794, she married Paul FRANTZ. Paul was the son of Nicolaus FRANTZ and Angela BARTEL of Senningen.⁹

1794 Marriage Index Card. 2.

No marriage record has been found for Susanne and Paul. Their marriage is recorded on a marriage index card. The information on the card points to Paul being from Bergem in the parish of Schifflingen. Per the 1843 census, Paul was born on 10 August 1763 in Senningen.¹⁰ On the 1846 census, the day and month were the same but the year was 1764.¹¹ The place of birth on the 1846 census was blank. Although their names are known, his parents and siblings are at this time a brick wall.

Paul was my fourth great-grandfather. When he married Susanne he took on a family of five children between the ages of 3 and 10 years. Like Susanne’s first husband Michel, Paul was a linen weaver.

Susanne was soon expecting twins. Nicolas and Johannes were born on 21 November 1794. As no birth records are available for the twins it is not known who was the oldest. Nicolas or my third great-grandfather Johannes.

When the twins were seventeen months old their grandfather, Susanne’s father, Nicolaus KEIFFER died on 1 May 1796.¹²

Susanne gave birth to another son on 10 January 1797. He was named Henri.¹³ Less than two months later Susanne’s youngest daughter from her first marriage, Anna Maria, died at the age of five years on 6 March 1797.¹⁴ The family may have been battling some kind of disease or the baby was not strong enough to survive as little Henri died on 6 June 1797 at the age of five months.¹⁵

The children grew and by 1802 Susanne’s oldest daughter was courting and the results were soon to be seen. Margaretha was 17 years old when she married Leonardus RÖELINGER on 18 November 1802.¹⁶ Three and a half months later, on 9 March 1803, she gave birth to a boy she named after her father Michel.¹⁷

Susanne’s brother-in-law Nicolas CHRISTOPHORY died on 16 December 1803.¹⁸ His widow Elisabeth was 46 years old when she married Theodore HELLESCH on 7 May 1806.¹⁹ It was on this marriage record that the 1796 date of death for Nicolaus KIEFFER, the bride’s father, was found.

Susanne’s mother Susanna SCHILTZ died on 4 August 1807. Her son-in-law Paul FRANTZ was the informant on her death record.²⁰ A little over a year later, on 9 October 1808, he was once again at the city hall reporting a death. This time it was his wife Susanne KIEFFER who died at the age of 54 years.²¹ She left 4 KOLBACH children and the FRANTZ twins.

My 4th great-grandfather was now alone and caring for his 13-year-old twin boys and three unmarried step-children who were in their twenties. Only his step-daughter Marguerite was married with two little boys but likely also living in the household as was her right as the oldest.

Five years after the death of Susanne, her daughter Catherine KOLBACH married Jacques HENTGES in Mondercange on 29 December 1813.²² This marriage was only found in the last few days.

Her brothers Michel and Peter KOLBACH would add some very interesting branches to my family tree.

Michel KOLBACH married Susanne HAMES (1786-1855) on 11 January 1815 in Mamer.²³ Susanne was the sister of my 4th great-grandmother Catherine HAMES (1789-1864), my direct matrilineal line.

Petrus KOLBACH married Susanna FRISCH, daughter of Jacob FRISCH and Regina HUBERTY, on 14 January 1818 in Mamer.²⁴ Jacob and Regina are also my fourth great-grandparents.

Confused? I hope this will help.

Less than three weeks later Nicolas FRANTZ, one of the twins, married Anna KÜNSCH (1795-1875) on 3 February 1818 in Mamer.²⁵

It would be another nine years before the other twin, my fourth great-grandfather, would marry Elisabeta FRISCH (1800-1880), daughter of the above-mentioned Jacob FRISCH and Regina HUBERTY. They were married on 18 January 1827 in Holzem.²⁶

All of Paul FRANTZ’s children, biological and step, were now married. I believe Paul was living in the home he had shared with his wife Susanne with her oldest daughter Margaretha and her family. This is supported by the census taken in 1843 and 1846. But before the census was enumerated there were several deaths in the family.

Petrus KOLBACH, a father of three sons, died on 23 April 1837 in Mamer at the age of 48.²⁷ His widow Susan FRISCH would live to the age of 93 dying on 20 October 1885.²⁸

The oldest of the bunch, Margaretha KOLBACH had given birth to ten children. She died on 16 December 1838 in Mamer.²⁹ She left a widower and six children. During the years the family had changed the spelling of RÖELINGER to RELINGER and finally REDLINGER, the version seen when Margaretha’s widower Leonardus die on 20 March 1843.³⁰

1843 Paul Frantz household.

In 1843 when the census was taken, Paul FRANTZ was the head of a household in Mamer. Living with him was his step-grandson Peter REDLINGER, his wife Susana WAGNER, and their four children. Both of Peter’s parents were deceased and he was likely the oldest of the REDLINGER children. The family home may have been passed on to him. In 1846 Peter REDLINGER was the head of household and Paul FRANTZ, as well as three of Peter’s single brothers, was living with the family.

Paul died at 8 in the morning on 27 July 1847 in Mamer at the age of 83. His death was reported by his step-grandson Peter REDLINGER.³¹

Michel KOLBACH died on 18 April 1855 in Mamer at the age of 70.³² He had fathered six children, two of whom died at a young age. His widow Susanna HAMES died exactly a month later on 18 May 1855 at the age of 68.³³

The only living KOLBACH child, Catherine died on 30 October 1869 in Bergem.³⁴ Until a few days ago I thought she may have died as a child. However, after finding her marriage record, I learned she was the mother of at least six children. Her husband Jacques died on the oldest son’s 15th birthday in 1830 leaving her widowed with children between the ages of 2 and 15.³⁵

Susanne KIEFFER’s KOLBACH children were now all deceased. Her twins, the sons she bore Paul FRANTZ, lived into their eighties. Nicolas FRANTZ, father of seven children (at least two died young), died on 8 August 1879³⁶ at the age of 84 and my fourth great-grandfather Johannes FRANTZ, father of five children (one died young) died on 24 January 1880³⁷ at the age of 85.

One final note of interest and the reason for the peculiar title for this article. My 4th great-grandparents Paul FRANTZ and Susanne KIEFFER were the 2nd great-grandparents of the famous Nicolas “Nic” FRANTZ, winner of the 1927 and 1928 Tour de France. He was not the first Luxembourger to win the Tour but he was the only one to win it twice and twice in a row.

 

P.S. Things are always busy this time of the year and I have not had the time to include the sources at the end of my last few articles. I relied on being able to point my readers to my online GEDCOM file, however, Rootsweb is currently unavailable and it is not known how long the downtime will last. Three more sets of 4th great-grandparents to go and then I will come back and add the sources later in January 2018. [Sources on this post were finally added 4 May 2021.]

© 2017-2021, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 46 of 168. 1783 Marriage Record (top of left page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32401-17711-69?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
2. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 51 of 168. 1784 Baptismal Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32401-18408-0?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
3. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 62 of 168. 1785 Baptismal Record (top of left page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32401-18173-83?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
4. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 73 of 168. 1786 Baptismal Record (top of left page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32401-17555-71?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
5. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 100 of 168. 1789 Baptismal Record (top of right page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32402-806-79?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
6. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 122 of 168. 1791 Baptismal Record (top of left page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32402-540-56?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
7. Diözesanarchiv Luxemburg / Archives diocésaines Luxembourg (images), Matricula Online, http://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/, Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (citing original records in the Luxembourg Diocesan Archives, Luxembourg City), Mamer, KB 18: neuer Einband, Paginierung übernommen, Taufen, Heiraten, Sterbefälle [1779-1793], image 108 of 172, page 217, entry at top of page. 1789 Marriage Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-18/?pg=108 : accessed 1 May 2021). ↩
8. Luxembourg registres paroissiaux 1601-1948, Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 167 of 168. 1793 Death and Burial Record (right page, 7th entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32402-335-60?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
9. Ibid., Mamer > Tables des mariages 1779-1804 (index organisée par l’époux) > image 41 of 238. 1794 Marriage Index Card. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-431Q?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-2NY%3A1500941501%2C1501133556 : accessed 20 December 2017). ↩
10. Luxembourg, Volkszählungen 1843-1900 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > 1843 > image 73 of 291. Households of Paul Frantz and his step-grandson Pierre Redlinger. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997B-2YDZ?cc=2037957&wc=M9MV-928 : accessed 3 May 2021). ↩
11. Ibid., Mamer > 1846 > image 195 of 297. Households of Pierre Redlinger and his step-grandfather Paul Frantz. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97B-2TK5?cc=2037957&wc=M5LT-RMW%3A345860401%2C345858602 : accessed 3 May 2021). ↩
12. Archives diocésaines Luxembourg, GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, image 118 of 128, page 227 (stamped). 1796 Death Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=118 : accessed 25 April 2021). ↩
13. Ibid., GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, image 40 of 128, page 52, bottom. 1797 Baptismal Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=40 : accessed 28 April 2021). ↩
14. Luxembourg registres paroissiaux 1601-1948, Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1790-1804 > image 28 of 30. 1797 Death Entry (index). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-SDQ?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6V%3A1500941501%2C1501074474 : accessed 23 December 2017). ↩
15. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 521 of 1497. 1797 Death Record (18 Prairial V) (right page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-121172-9?cc=1709358 : accessed 26 March 2010). ↩
16. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1185 of 1504. 1802 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-49719-87?cc=1709358 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
17. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 99 of 549. 1803 Birth Record (18 Ventôse year XI). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XS45-8K?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-L29%3A130065401%2C130303901 : accessed 23 December 2017). ↩
18. Archives diocésaines Luxembourg, GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, image 127 of 128, page 244 (stamped), 4th entry. 1803 Death Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=127 : accessed 26 April 2021). ↩
19.   Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil 1662-1941, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1195+1196 of 1504. 1806 Marriage Record (part 1). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-61F9-RCL?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9%3A130065401%2C130365601 : accessed ‎21. ‎August ‎2011) and 1806 Marriage Record (part 2). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-61F9-G1N?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9%3A130065401%2C130365601 : accessed ‎21. ‎August ‎2011). ↩
20.   Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 585 of 1497. 1807 Death Record No. 17 (age 70). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-65D?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 20 December 2017). ↩
21. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 595 of 1497. 1808 Death Record No. 21. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-119238-21?cc=1709358 : accessed 23 March 2010). ↩
22. Ibid., Mondercange > Naissances 1879-1890 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1870 > image 217 of 1385. 1813 Marriage Record No. 14. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-698S-6J1?cc=1709358&wc=9RYH-N38%3A130108901%2C130286801 : accessed 28 December 2017). ↩
23. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1259 of 1504. 1815 Marriage Record No. 1. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-61F9-R26?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9%3A130065401%2C130365601 : accessed 8 October 2015). ↩
24. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1289 of 1504. 1818 Marriage Record No. 3. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-52496-64?cc=1709358 : accessed 30 November 2015). ↩
25. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1290 of 1504. 1818 Marriage Records No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-48736-80?cc=1709358 : accessed 26 March 2010). ↩
26. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1370 of 1504. 1827 Marriage Record No. 2. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-48893-0?cc=1709358 : accessed 26 March 2010). ↩
27. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 887 of 1497. 1837 Death Record No. 21. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-X3D?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
28. Ibid., Mamer > Décès 1881-1890 > image 66 of 144;. 1885 Death Record No. 32. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12699-122496-5?cc=1709358 : accessed 30 November 2015). ↩
29. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 904 of 1497. 1838 Death Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-XM6?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
30. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 957 of 1497. 1843 Death Record No. 16. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-XKN?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 23 December 2017). ↩
31. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1002 of 1497. 1847 Death Record No. 28. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-120450-0?cc=1709358 : accessed 24 March 2010). ↩
32. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1118 of 1497. 1855 Death Record No. 11. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-XXV?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
33. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1119 of 1497. 1855 Death Record No. 15. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-X88?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
34. Ibid., Mondercange > Naissances 1879-1890 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1870 > image 1371 of 1385. 1869 Death Record No. 28. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-698S-ZLS?cc=1709358&wc=9RYH-N38%3A130108901%2C130286801 : accessed 28 December 2017). ↩
35. Ibid., Mondercange > Naissances 1879-1890 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1870 > image 983 of 1385. 1830 Death Record No. 7. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-698S-S22?cc=1709358&wc=9RYH-N38%3A130108901%2C130286801 : accessed 28 December 2017). ↩
36. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1472 of 1497. 1879 Death Record No. 29. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-120679-13?cc=1709358 : accessed 26 March 2010). ↩
37. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1478 of 1497. 1880 Death Record No. 4. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-120588-9?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9:130065401,130130201 : accessed 23 March 2010). ↩