52 Ancestors: #47 Michel Trausch and Catharina Hames of Mamer

With this post, all of my children’s known ancestors from their grandparents to their 5th great-grandparents have been featured since I began blogging four years ago. I actually did it in three years as I took a break from the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks in 2016.

Michel and Catharina

Michel TRAUSCH (1792-1869) and Catharina HAMES (1789-1864) married in Mamer, Luxembourg, on 18 February 1817.¹ Their marriage record included the groom and bride’s dates and places of birth. His parents were both deceased; their names and dates and places of death were included. Her parents were living, present and consenting to the marriage. Also present were four witnesses. Michel KOLBACH, the bride’s brother-in-law, and three unrelated persons.

1817 Marriage Record No. 3 [1]

Michel was born on 9 May 1792 in Colmar-Berg, Mersch, Luxembourg, to Remacle TRAUSCH (1761-1804) and Theresia BRAUN (COLLING) (1766-1798).² Catharina was born on 17 May 1789 in Mamer to Johannes HAMES (~1758-1826) and Agnes HERTZ (1755-1836).³ I will come back to the parents and siblings of Michel and Catharina after I have discussed their children.

Michel and Catharina had the following children:

1. Anna Catharina TRAUSCH was born the day after her parents’ first wedding anniversary on 19 February 1818 in Mamer.⁴ She died on 26 February 1819 in Mamer at the age of a year and a week.⁵
2. Maria TRAUSCH was born exactly two years after Anna Catharina, on 19 February 1820.⁶ She married and had one daughter. She died on 13 May 1875. She was my 3rd great-grandmother and her daughter was my 2nd great-granddaughter.
3. Peter TRAUSCH was born on 3 October 1821 in Mamer.⁷ He was last seen at the age of 34 years in Mamer with his parents in 1855. At this time it is unknown if he married or had children.
4. Elisabeth TRAUSCH was born on 23 July 1823.⁸ She married and had three sons. She died on 7 March 1877.
5. Susanna TRAUSCH was born on 23 September 1825.⁹ She married and had three sons. She died on 29 August 1903.
6. Catherine TRAUSCH was born on 13 March 1827 in Mamer.¹⁰ She died on 4 April 1900 in Mamer. Catherine never married.
7. Marie Catherine TRAUSCH was born on 26 April 1829 in Mamer.¹¹ She died on 13 May 1832 in Mamer at the age of three years.¹²

As can be seen above Michel and Catharina had seven children, two of whom died young, one who never married, three who married and gave them seven grandchildren, and one son who has not been traced after 1855. Of the grandchildren, only one was a girl – an important fact as will be seen at the end of this post.

Three daughters marry and have children

Maria TRAUSCH although the second born was always the oldest of the bunch as her older sibling died a year before her birth. Maria married Jean MAJERUS (1817-1887) on 31 May 1849 in Mamer.¹³ He was the son of Jean Baptiste MAJERUS and Catharina CORNELY. Their daughter Marie MAJERUS (1850-1931) was born on 19 June 1850 in Mamer.¹⁴ Marie was my 2nd great-grandmother. She lived with her parents and grandparents in the home in Mamer.

Soon after the birth of their first grandchild, Michel and Catharina saw their daughter Elisabeth marry in Kehlen. She married Jean Henri KLEIN (1811-1866) on 15 December 1852.¹⁵ A year later, she gave birth to the second grandchild Johann KLEIN on 7 December 1853 in Nospelt.¹⁶

The third daughter to marry was Susanna. She married Pierre KLEES (1823-1903) on 14 February 1855 in Kehlen where her sister Elisabeth had married.¹⁷

These marriages in Kehlen were only found with the help of the Marriage Database dedicated members of my genealogy association Luxracines are working on. As a member of the board, I have access to the database which will soon be made available on our website. It will be a real time-saver for all researchers who have ancestors who married in Luxembourg between 1797-1923 as marriage records include so much genealogical information.
Lëtz Play! Can You Top This? A Marriage Record With 15 Events

Following Susanna’s marriage five more grandsons were born into the family:

• Mathias KLEIN on 11 December 1855 in Nospelt¹⁸
• Peter KLEES on 7 March 1856 in Kehlen¹⁹
• Nicolas KLEIN on 2 October 1857 in Nospelt²⁰
• Michel KLEES on 30 October 1857 in Kehlen²¹
• Johann KLEES on 25 May 1860 in Kehlen²²

It is unknown if Nicolas, the only son of Catharina and Michel, ever married and had children. Perhaps when the Marriage Database 1797-1923 is finished he will be found. Without this information, it is at this time only possible to note that all known grandchildren of Catharina and Michel were born before their deaths.

Catharina and Michel die in a three-generation house

Catharina HAMES died on 22 November 1864 at the age of 75 years.²³ Her husband Michel TRAUSCH died five years later on 28 December 1869 at the age of 77 years.²⁴ They both died in Mamer in the house called Schreinesch where they had raised their family. It had been a three-generation home as their son-in-law Jean MAJERUS, who was the informant at the time of both deaths, lived there with his wife Maria and their only daughter Marie.

Marie would marry Jean FRANTZ (1837-1929) in 1870.²⁵ Her mother Maria TRAUSCH died on 13 May 1875.²⁶ The oldest of the grown siblings, she was the first to die. She was followed by her sisters Elisabeth who died on 7 March 1877 in Goeblange²⁷, Catherine, an old maid, on 4 April 1900 in Mamer²⁸, and Susanna on 29 August 1903 in Kehlen.²⁹

The Parents and Siblings of Michel TRAUSCH

Michel’s parents Remacle TRAUSCH and Theresia BRAUN (also seen as COLLING) were married on 24 July 1787 in Bissen.³⁰ The marriage index cards for marriages in the parish records incorrectly listed the year as 1789. I was searching for a marriage in 1789 and wondering why a child was born in 1788. After not finding the marriage in 1789, I continued back until it was located in 1787. The marriage was recorded twice, by two different persons, first on the 23rd of July and then on the 24th. The later was complete and included signatures.

Remacle and Theresia had six children all born in Colmar-Berg. The oldest three grew to adulthood, married and had children. Franz born in 1788 was the father of 10 children; Catherine born in 1790 was the mother of 14 children; and Michel, as was seen above, was born in 1792 and was the father of 7 children. The three youngest have not been traced past their baptisms: Nicolas b. 1794, Susanna b. 1796, and Maria b. 1798. The mother Theresia died on 16 February 1798 in Berg, a week after the birth of her last child.³¹ Michel was not yet six years old when he lost his mother. Four of the six children’s baptismal records had their mother’s maiden name listed as COLLING instead of BRAUN(ERS). The different names will hopefully lead to more information on Theresia’s ancestors.

Remacle remarried six months later on 26 August 1798 in Berg to Anne Marie WIROTH.³² They had one known daughter, Peternelle born in 1799. Remacle  and Anne Marie had removed to Luxembourg City from Colmar-Berg sometime after the birth of their daughter and before Remacle’s death on 31 August 1804.³³

Two years later Catherine, sixteen years and six months, was in a family way and the conseil de famille, or family counsel, gave their permission for her to marry Peter OLINGER. This was necessary as she was under age and both parents were deceased. Catherine’s uncle Nicolas COLLING, a witness to the marriage, was likely one of the family counsel. It was not mentioned in the marriage record dated 29 November 1806³⁴ that she was expecting but four months later on 2 April 1807 she gave birth to a son François.³⁵

By 1813 Franz, the oldest of Remacle and Theresia’s children, was living in Schieren near Ettelbrück where he would marry Eva MERTZ and raise a large family.³⁶ His brother Michel remained in Colmar-Berg until 1817 when he married Catharina HAMES of Mamer.

The Parents and Siblings of Catharina HAMES

Catharina’s parents, Johannes HAMES and Agnes HERTZ were married in Mamer on 18 January 1785.³⁷ They were the parents of six known children. Three sons died as infants, one son died at the age of 18, leaving only two daughters who would marry and raise families. Catharina was the younger of the two. Her sister Susanne was the first to marry. She married Michel KOLBACH, son of Michel KOLBACH and Susanne KIEFFER, on 11 January 1815 in Mamer.³⁸ Her mother-in-law Susanne KIEFFER was one of my 4th great-grandmothers. She had married Paulus FRANTZ after the death of the elder Michel KOLBACH. Susanne and Michel (the younger couple) were the parents of six, two of whom died in infancy. Their four children married and had children.

Agnes HERTZ, her daughter Catharina HAMES, her granddaughter Maria TRAUSCH, and her great-granddaughter Marie MAJERUS are my mitochondrial line down from Agnes’ mother Anna Catharina RONAS. The parents of Anna Catharina are at this time unknown to me. A couple of years ago I talked to a person who appears to have been “on to something” concerning the RONAS family but did not want to make the research public at the time.

Family history research will never be finished or ready to publish. Share what you have, make corrections and additions, write about your ancestors. Yes, it probably will remain a work in progress or a draft of a family book. By sharing what you think is incomplete, you may reach someone who has the missing information or the key to open the door in your brick wall.

P.S. A special thank you to Amberly Peterson Beck, The Genealogy Girl, for letting me know I can enable Markdown in WordPress.com posts, pages, and comments for easier styling, including footnotes – see below, aren’t they beautiful? Note: Footnotes in numbered and bulleted lists did not seem to work until I tricked the editor into not using html formatting for the lists.

© 2018, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1283 of 1504. 1817 Marriage Record No. 3. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-51831-91?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
2. Ibid., Bissen > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1785-1793 > image 146 of 186, 1792 Baptismal Record part 1 (right, bottom (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-94K3?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-FMS%3A1500938201%2C1500938228 : accessed 15 January 2018) and image 147 of 186, 1792 Baptismal Record part 2 (left, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-9H9Z?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-FMS%3A1500938201%2C1500938228 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
3.  Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 102 of 168. 1789 Baptismal Record (left, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-SPR?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 14 January 2018). ↩
4. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 307 of 549. 1818 Birth Record No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-23016-9?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
5.  Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 708 of 1497. 1819 Death Record No. 18. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-119965-11?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
6. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 337 of 549. 1820 Birth Record No. 7. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-22797-81?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
7. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 359 of 549. 1821 Birth Record No. 42. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-21344-82?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
8. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 386 of 549. 1823 Birth Record No. 20. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-22469-66?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
9. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 419 of 549. 1825 Birth Record No. 27. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-23598-78?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
10. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 443 of 549. 1827 Birth Record No. 10. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-23242-91?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
11. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 473 of 549. 1829 Birth Record No. 23. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12667-22404-81?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). Note: listed as Maria. ↩
12. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 832 of 1497. 1832 Death Record No. 14. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-119559-99?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). Note: listed as Marie Catherine. ↩
13. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 114 of 1497. 1849 Marriage Record No. 19. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-120796-17?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9:130065401,130130201 : accessed 6 September 2014). ↩
14. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 311 of 1504. 1850 Birth Record No. 30. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-50928-75?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 27 March 2010). ↩
15. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1887-1890 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1828 > image 737 of 1490. 1852 Marriage Record No. 11. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRYS-RV9?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-K68%3A129987101%2C130453502 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
16. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1833-1886 > image 715 of 1501. 1853 Birth Record No. 85. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6YJS-7Z9?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-4WL%3A129987101%2C130292501 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
17. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1887-1890 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1828 > image 763 of 1490. 1855 Marriage Record No. 3. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRYS-YVG?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-K68%3A129987101%2C130453502 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
18. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1833-1886 > image 762 of 1501. 1855 Death Record No. 72. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6YJS-4RK?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-4WL%3A129987101%2C130292501 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
19. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1833-1886 > image 771 of 1501. 1856 Birth Record No. 14.”Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1796-1941,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6YJS-C9T?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-4WL%3A129987101%2C130292501 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
20. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1833-1886 > image 803 of 1501. 1857 Death Record No. 50. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6YJS-7YC?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-4WL%3A129987101%2C130292501 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
21. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1833-1886 > image 804 of 1501. 1857 Birth Record No. 56. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6YJS-7J7?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-4WL%3A129987101%2C130292501 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
22. Ibid., Kehlen > Naissances 1833-1886 > image 873 of 1501. 1860 Birth Record No. 34. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6YJS-472?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-4WL%3A129987101%2C130292501 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
23. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1250 of 1497. 1864 Death Record No. 19. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-121075-9?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
24. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1336 of 1497. 1869 Death Record No. 34. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-119820-91?cc=1709358 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
25. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 310 of 1497. 1870 Marriage Record No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-120441-3?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9:130065401,130130201 : accessed 6 September 2014). ↩
26. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1412 of 1497. 1875 Death Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-119726-4?cc=1709358 : accessed 27 March 2010). ↩
27. Ibid., Koerich > Décès 1861-1890 > image 194 of 332. 1877 Death Record No. 8. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRN3-HHG?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-ZNG%3A129989801%2C129816202 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
28. Ibid., Mamer > Décès 1895-1923 > image 67 of 379. 1900 Death Record No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32050-1365-5?cc=1709358 : accessed 26 November 2015). ↩
29. Ibid., Kehlen > Décès 1895-1923 > image 104 of 363. 1903 Death Record No. 27. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97V-W6FQ?cc=1709358&wc=9RTB-RM9%3A129987101%2C129623802 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
30. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Bissen > Mariages 1779-1791, sépultures 1779-1791 > image 65 of 91. 1787 Marriage Record (p.120+121). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-Q784?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-DPJ%3A1500938201%2C1501129408 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
31.  Ibid., Berg > Décès 1796-1830 > image 4 of 167, 1798 Death Record part 1 (bottom left page and all of right page),  (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62YQ-KYG?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-C6X%3A129623401%2C129623402 : accessed 14 January 2018) and image 5 of 167, 1798 Death Record part 2 (top left page). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62YQ-645?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-C6X%3A129623401%2C129623402 : accessed 14 January 2018). ↩
32. Luxembourg Civil Records, Berg > Mariages 1796-1858 > image 9 of 270. 1798 Marriage Record part 1 (right, lower half). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62YQ-XCY?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-C6J%3A129623401%2C129709001 : accessed 14 January 2018). parts 2 and 3 of record on next two images. ↩
33.  Ibid., Luxembourg > Mariages 1888-1890 Décès 1796-1806 > image 1070 of 1420. 1804 Death Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-69H9-W6S?cc=1709358&wc=9RYH-DP8%3A130045801%2C131708201 : accessed 14 January 2018). ↩
34.  Ibid., Berg > Mariages 1796-1858 > image 28 of 270. 1806 Marriage Record part 1 (right). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-62YQ-L1X?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-C6J%3A129623401%2C129709001 : accessed 16 January 2018), part 2 on next image. ↩
35.  Ibid., Berg > Naissances 1796-1814 > image 92 of 140. 1807 Birth Record (lower right). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6L2S-V5Y?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-K68%3A129623401%2C129773501 : accessed 17 January 2018), second half of record on next image. ↩
36.  Ibid., Ettelbruck > Naissances 1885-1890 Mariages 1796-1844 > image 627 of 1505. 1813 Marriage Record No. 15. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6X2S-MB5?cc=1709358&wc=9RYC-FM9%3A129625001%2C130529102 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
37. Luxembourg Parish Records, Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 65 of 168. 1785 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32401-17714-18?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G:1500941501,1500913302 : accessed 6 June 2015). ↩
38. Luxembourg Civil Records, 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). ↩