The Ancestors: Joannes FRISCH (1713-1759) and Margaretha ZEIMES (1727-1792) of Huncherange

When I wrote about my 4th great-grandfather Jacob FRISCH in January 2018, I had only the names of his parents from his 1789 marriage record: the deceased Joannes FRISCH and his wife Margaretha ZEIMET of Huncherange in Luxembourg.

I had no idea when Jacob was born or if the village his parents lived in was also his birthplace. I searched the records of the parish of Noertzange to which Huncherange was attached for the years 1760 to 1770 without success.

I didn’t know at the time that Jacob was 33 years old when he married Regina HUBERTY in 1789. Once I had the right time frame, I was able to locate the baptismal records of seven children born in Huncherange to my 5th great-grandparents Joannes FRISCH and Margaretha ZEIMES. In each of the baptismal records, the mother’s maiden name was spelled ZEIMES and not ZEIMET as seen in the 1789 marriage record of Jacob FRISCH.

Joannes and Margaretha were a married couple as early as 1746 according to the baptismal records of their children however no marriage record has been found. Who were Joannes FRISCH and Margaretha ZEIMES? Did they leave any clues to their own parentage? Were they both from Huncherange or had one or both of them come from somewhere else?

The children of Joannes FRISCH and Margaretha ZEIMES

On 14 August 1746, Maria FRISCH (1746-1746), a daughter born to Joannes and Margaretha, was baptized in Noertzange. Her godparents were Nicolas SCHÖPFGEN and Maria ZEIMES, a single woman, both of Huncherange. In the margin of the baptismal record, a notation was made. Little Maria died on 27 November 1746 at the age of a little more than three months.¹

A year later, on 3 November 1747 Petrus FRISCH (1747-1794) was baptized. His godparents were Petrus ZEIMES v. Zentgen and Barbara DONDLINGER, both from Huncherange and both single.²

A second son, Joannes FRISCH (1750-1816) was baptized on 27 August 1750. His godparents were Joannes STEICHEN and Maria Magdalena HANEN, a single woman, both of Huncherange. The baby Joannes was born the previous day.³

Elisabetha FRISCH (1752-1834) was baptized on 8 September 1752 with Dominicus LANTGEN and Elisabetha DONDLINGER uxor (wife of) Christophe WESTER, both of Huncherange, serving as her godparents.⁴

A third son, Nicolaus FRISCH (1754-1754) was born on 9 September 1754. The following day Nicolas KIRPACH, a single man from Finningen, and Elisabetha SCHOLTES, a single woman from Huncherange, were named as his godparents. Ten days later, on the 19th, Nicolaus died.⁵

1755 Baptismal Record of Jacob FRISCH, son of Joannes FRISCH and Margaretha ZEIMES of Huncherange

Joannes and Margaretha’s sixth child, my 4th great-grandfather Jacob FRISCH (1755-1800) was baptized on 4 September 1755. His godparents were Jacobus LANTGES, single, and Barbara FRANCK (alias KRIPS) uxor (wife of) Dominique FRANCK of Huncherange.⁶

The last child was Joanna FRISCH (1757-1836) baptized on 3 October 1757. Her godparents were Michael SCHÖFGEN and Joanna BOURNON, both of Huncherange and single.⁷

Are the godparents of the children clues to the grandparents?

None of the children had godparents with their father’s surname FRISCH. Two of the children had godparents with their mother’s maiden name ZEIMES. Maria ZEIMES, a single woman, and Petrus ZEIMES vulgo (more commonly known as) ZENTGEN both of Huncherange.

All records for Huncherange and Noertzange on FamilySearch and Matricula were viewed. Two death records were found for persons with the ZEIMES name – Maria and Petrus. No children, parents, godparents, or other relatives with the surnames ZEIMES or FRISCH were found other than the baptismal records of the above-named children and the two death records.

1773 Death/Burial Record of Maria ZEIMES of Huncherange

In 1773 Maria ZEIMES age about 40, daughter of Nicolas ZEIMES and Maria HAUPERT died in Huncherange.⁸ In 1775 Petrus ZEIMES age about 40, son of Joannes ELM and Maria BRAUSCH of Abweiler, died in Huncherange.⁹ As their parents’ names were given and different, they were not siblings. But could they have been cousins? How were they related to Margaretha ZEIMES? Were they the same persons as Maria ZEIMES and Petrus ZEIMES who served as godparents for the FRISCH children? A godparent normally is at least 16 years old. Maria would have been about 13 in 1746 and Peter 12 in 1747 if the ages at death are close estimates. Too young to be godparents but, if their age at death was in their forties, they may have been old enough.

I took a closer look at the description on Matricula for the records classified under Hüncheringen or Huncherange. In the 18th century, there were two parishes in Fenningen or Fennange and Noertzingen or Noertzange (with a branch in Hüncheringen). From 1804 Fenningen and Hüncheringen belonged to the parish of Noertzingen as branches. It was also noted that some church registers for this parish for the 17th and 18th centuries are still in the possession of civil authorities and are not available to the Diocesan Archives of Luxembourg. No mention was made of which records these may be. I opened up each set of registers for the time period and compared them with those available on FamilySearch. The records missing on Matricula are on FamilySearch. On Matricula, substitutes for the missing records are available in the form of transcriptions of births, marriages, and deaths for Huncherange, Noertzange, and Fennange. These transcriptions are dated 1973.

I browsed the KB-08, a church book in the Huncherange collection that includes baptisms for Fennange for 1704-1796. This book is not available on FamilySearch. I discovered a baptismal record dated 14 April 1727 for Margaretha ZEUMES, daughter of Nicolai ZEUMES ex Schuveiler and Regina HUPERT ex Abweiler, with godparents Anthonio KAUFFMAN and Margaretha HUPERT of Abweiler.¹⁰

1727 Baptismal Record of Margaretha ZEUMES. Courtesy of Matricula.

ZEUMES is a variation of ZEIMES and HUPERT a variation of HAUPERT. Could this be my 5th great-grandmother Margaretha ZEIMES? Was she the sister of Maria ZEIMES? If this child was my ancestor, she would have been 19 years old at the time of her first child’s birth. [For those of you paying close attention to the records, yes, the mother’s first name is different from the first name of the mother of Maria ZEIMES mentioned earlier. Maria’s death record is a mess. Her father’s name is Nicolai ZEIMES in the death record but if you look closely it may have been Joannes Nicolai ZEIMES.]

Since this baptismal record was only found on Matricula, I wonder how many more records have been missed or are missing on FamilySearch? Matricula has gone to the top of my list right after FamilySearch for the place to search for Luxembourg records.

Margaretha, widowed with 5 children in 1759

Joannes FRISCH died on 12 October 1759 in Huncherange.¹¹ His age at death is hidden in the gutter of the church book filmed by FamilySearch. The transcription of this book found on Matricula includes his age at death. This is not surprising as the 1973 transcriptions must have been done from the original records before they were microfilmed by FamilySearch. Joannes was 46 years old and therefore born about 1713.¹²

1759 Death Entry for Joannes FRISCH. FamilySearch

1759 Death Entry Nr. 56 (transcription of original record). Matricula

Margaretha was now widowed with five children ages 12, 9, 7, 4, and 2. What did she do to support her family? Did she have relatives in the village? Her husband had been a linen weaver. Could he have been working for another weaver in the village? Did Margaretha continue to do the same kind of work? In whatever way, she was able to raise her five children to adulthood. They were well into their twenties before they married and left home.

The children begin to leave home, marry, and have children

At the age of 23, her second son Joannes FRISCH (1750-1816) married Marie Catherine NIEDERKORN (1753-1818) on 10 January 1774 in Noertzange.¹³ They made their home in Huncherange where their first child, a son named Dominique was born. The first grandchild of Joannes FRISCH and Margaretha ZEIMES was baptized on 1 April 1776 in Noertzange.¹⁴

Two more marriages took place before more grandchildren were born. Elisabetha FRISCH (1752-1834) was 24 years old when she married Henri HOSTERT (1747-1793) on 5 November 1776 in Noertzange.¹⁵ The oldest FRISCH son, Petrus was 29 years old when he married Anna KREMMER (1749-1808) on 10 February 1777 in Dudelange.¹⁶

Eighteen grandchildren were born between 1776 and 1789. Three of the grandchildren did not survive leaving fifteen grandchildren living in 1789.

To Petrus and his wife were born Michael 1778, Martin 1781, Maria 1782, Jean 1785, and Michael 1788.

To Joannes and his wife were born Michael 1777, Johann 1778, Jacob 1780 (died 1781), Jacob 1782 (died 1784), Jacob 1784, Elisabetha 4 April 1787 (died age 5 days), and Michael 1788.

To Elisabeth and her husband were born Jeanne 1777, Elisabeth 1780, Maria 1782, Carolus 1785, and Margaretha 1787.

Petrus’ children were born in Dudelange and Joannes’ in Huncherange. Elisabeth’s first three daughters were born in Huncherange. Her HOSTERT family moved to Mamer before the birth of her son Carolus in 1785. This move may have influenced Margaretha’s youngest son Jacob FRISCH to marry in Mamer.

Jacob was 33 years old when he married Regina HUBERTY (1761-1840) on 3 March 1789 in Mamer.¹⁷ Jacob and Regina were my 4th great-grandparents. They made their home in the village of Capellen in the municipality of Mamer.

Jacob’s siblings continued to have children. Elisabeth had Magdalena in 1790. Joannes’s wife gave birth to Christophorus the same year in Huncherange. Petrus’ wife had Stephanus in 1791 in Dudelange. Joannes’ wife had Marguerite in 1792 in Huncherange. The children born to Petrus and Joannes’ wives were their last. Elisabeth’s daughter Margaretha died at the age of 3 years in December 1790.

Margaretha ZEIMES’ youngest daughter was 34 years old when she finally decided to marry. Joanna married Joannes PIRSCH (1750-1821) on 23 April 1792 in Weimerskirch.¹⁸ He was a widowed shoemaker.

Following this marriage, Margaretha would see two more grandchildren born. Susanna, the first child of Jacob and Regina, was born on 26 June 1792 in Capellen.¹⁹ Elisabeth’s last HOSTERT child, Jean was born three months later in Mamer.

Margaretha ZEIMES dies in Mamer in 1792

Margaretha ZEIMES, the widow of the linen weaver Joannes FRISCH, died on 1 December 1792 in Mamer at the age of 64.²⁰ She had seen all of her five children marry. She had 20 living grandchildren; four had not survived infancy. Her youngest child Joanna was pregnant with her first child.

Elisabeth’s husband Henri HOSTERT died on 2 April 1793.²¹ Their youngest son Jean died the same month. These deaths were followed by the birth of Joanna’s first child Bernard PIRSCH born in May 1793 in Dommeldange (Luxembourg City). Sadly, he died a month later. Elisabeth who had already lost her husband and youngest son two months earlier had to bury another child when her daughter Maria died at the age of 11.

Elisabeth, widowed with four children, was 41 years old when she married 31 years old Peter GOERGEN (1762-1833). Peter was a linen weaver like Elisabeth’s father, late husband, and her brother Jacob FRISCH who was a witness to the marriage on 6 March 1794 in Mamer.²²

The following month, my ancestor Jacob became a father for the second time. Anna Margaretha was born on 24 April 1794 in Capellen.²³

The first of Joannes and Margaretha’s children dies in Dudelange

Petrus, the oldest son of Margaretha ZEIMES and Joannes FRISCH, died on 17 May 1794 in Dudelange at the age of 46, the same age as his father.²⁴ He left a wife and at least three living children of six known to have been born to his wife. Death records for the three oldest have not been searched for. It is possible that they may not have survived their father. The three youngest married and had children.

Six more grandchildren were born: Catharina PIRSCH in 1794 in Dommeldange, Mathias GOERGEN in 1795 in Hostert, Franciscus FRISCH in 1796 in Capellen, Theodor GOERGEN in 1797 in Oberanven, Nicolaus FRISCH in 1798 in Capellen, and finally Elisabeta FRISCH, my 3rd great-grandmother, in 1800.

The turn of the century brings confusing and conflicting records

There is some conflicting evidence concerning Elisabeta’s birth and her father’s death. The civil records show 44 years old Jacob FRISCH died on 11 March 1800²⁵ in Capellen three months before his daughter Elisabeta was born on 2 June 1800 in Capellen. Her mother was the informant for her birth and her father Jacob FRISCH was named as deceased.²⁶ Church records, on the other hand, tell a different story. Elisabeta was born on 5 April 1800 and baptized the following day.²⁷ Her father died on 7 April 1800, the day after her baptism.²⁸ Official civil registration was introduced in the Grand Duchy by a French decree in 1797. From this time forward church records were no longer considered legal documents. When Elisabeta married in 1827 the date of her civil birth record was noted on her marriage record and not the date on the church record.

Margaretha and Joannes’ son Jacob, therefore per civil records, died three months before their last grandchild was born. Three of their children were still living after the turn of the century. Their son Joannes died 30 July 1816 in Bettembourg at the age of 65,²⁹ daughter Elisabetha died 13 January 1834 in Hostert at the age of 81,³⁰ and daughter Joanna died 13 February 1836 in Dommeldange at the age of 78.³¹

The legacy left by Joannes FRISCH

My fifth great-grandfather Joannes FRISCH left a legacy for his descendants. What he passed on to them was not a gift of money or property. He passed on the trade of weaving linen. His son Petrus was a weaver, his son Jacob was a linen weaver, and his daughter Elisabeth’s husbands were both linen weavers. Not all of his children took up the weaving trade. His son Joannes was a cobbler and his daughter Joanna married a shoemaker.

The trade of linen weaving was passed on for several generations. My 4th great-grandfather Jacob‘s daughters married linen weavers and one of his sons was a linen weaver before emigrating to America in 1856 with his brother to both become farmers. My 3rd great-grandmother Elisabeta‘s youngest son Jean FRANTZ was a linen weaver when he married in 1870. On the 1900 census, my 2nd great-grandfather was listed as a master weaver. His daughter, my great-grandmother Catharina FRANTZ finally broke the streak by marrying a Rosenzüchter or rose grower in 1900. 

Joannes FRISCH left a legacy but no records that helped to determine his parentage. His wife Margaretha ZEIMES may have been the daughter of Nicolas ZEIMES and Regina HAUPERT. No further records have been found for them. Maybe one day…

© 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), Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 9 of 75. 1746 Baptismal Record (right, 3rd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WM-MXVR?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
2. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 10 of 75. 1747 Baptismal Record (left, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M6GJ?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
3. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 11 of 75. 1750 Baptismal Record (right page, 3rd entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M6PG?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
4. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 12 of 75. 1752 Baptismal Record (right, 3rd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-MXZK?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
5. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 14 of 75. 1754 Baptismal Record (left, 2nd entry); includes death annotation in margin. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-MX45?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : acccessed 15 January 2018). ↩
6. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 14 of 75. 1755 Baptismal Record (right, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-MX45?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 8 January 2018). ↩
7. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 6 of 75. 1757 Baptismal Record (left, 1st entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M6TR?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
8. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 66 of 75. 1773 Death Record (right page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-MXQR?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
9. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 67 of 75. 1775 Death Record. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-MX9W?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 23 April 2021), ↩
10. 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), Hüncheringen, KB-08 Einband defekt, Foliierung übernommen, (Fenningen) Taufen [1704-1796] S.2-31, Sterbefälle [1748-1765] S.81-83a, [1767-1775] S.79-80a, Heiraten [1748-1776] S.85-92a, Visitation [1755] S.84, image 6 of 47, p. 5. 1727 Baptismal Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/huencheringen/KB-08/?pg=6 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
11. Luxembourg parish records (FamilySearch), Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 64 of 75. 1759 Death Record (left, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-M61J?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
12. Luxembourg parish records (Matricula), GV.MF 172-285, Hüncheringen, KB-06 amtliche Abschrift, Formbuch, Sterbefälle (Hüncheringen) [1741-1796] S.2-56, image 12 of 30. 1759 Death Entry No. 56 (age 46). (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/huencheringen/KB-06/?pg=12 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
13. Luxembourg parish records (FamilySearch), Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 46 of 75. 1774 Marriage Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M62R?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
14. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 19 of 75. 1776 Baptismal Record (right, 5th entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M65Z?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
15. Ibid., Noertzange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1741-1796 > image 47 of 75. 1776 Marriage Record (right, 1st full entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-M6TV?cc=2037955&wc=STHC-Y4H%3A1501099673%2C1501108020 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
16. Ibid., Dudelange > Mariages 1775-1796 > image 7 of 38. 1777 Marriage Record (right, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-9NC1?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-MNR%3A1500943101%2C1501098244 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
17. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 106 of 168. 1789 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32402-680-82?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
18. Ibid., Weimerskirch > Mariages 1778-1796, sépultures 1778-1797 > image 213 of 238. 1792 Marriage Record (left page, middle).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-9QFV?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-WQ9%3A1500941701%2C1501018356 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
19. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 138 of 168. 1792 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32402-636-77?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
20. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 148 of 168. 1792 Death Record (right, 3rd entry from bottom).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-SVW?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 5 January 2018). ↩
21. Luxembourg parish records (Matricula), Mamer, KB-18 neuer Einband, Paginierung übernommen, Taufen, Heiraten, Sterbefälle [1779-1793] S. 1-349, image 168 of 172. 1793 Death Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-18/?pg=168 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
22. Ibid., GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, image 79 of 128. 1794 Marriage Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=79 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
23. Luxembourg parish records (FamilySearch), Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1790-1804 > image 7 of 30. 1794 Baptismal entry 14 (right page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32402-330-60?cc=2037955 : accessed 29 November 2015). ↩
24. Ibid., Dudelange > Baptêmes, sépultures 1774-1796 > image 125 of 132. 1794 Death Record (entry 21). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-9N6V?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-MJQ%3A1500943101%2C1501085980 : accessed 24 January 2018). ↩
25. 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 541 of 1497. 1800 Death Record (right page). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-121167-96?cc=1709358 : accessed 29 November 2015). Conflicting dates in the civil record (11 Mar 1800) and the burial record (7 April 1800). ↩
26. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1796-1833 > image 53 of 549. 1800 Birth Record, right, top (13 prairial an VIII). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XS4P-9J?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-L29%3A130065401%2C130303901 : accessed 8 January 2018). Conflicting dates. 13 prairial an VIII converts to 2 June 1800. The church records show she was born 5 April 1800 and baptized the following day. ↩
27. Luxembourg parish records (Matricula), Microfilm GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, Heiraten – Sterbefälle – Taufen – 1790 – 1804, image 50 of 128, page 93, entry 5. 1800 Baptismal Record No. 5. (http://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=50 : accessed 2 April 2021). ↩
28. Ibid., Microfilm GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, Heiraten – Sterbefälle – Taufen – 1790 – 1804, image 122 of 128, page 235 (stamped), 6th entry. 1800 Burial Record. (http://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=122 : accessed 2 October 2018). Conflicting dates in the civil record (11 Mar 1800) and the burial record (7 April 1800). ↩
29. Luxembourg civil records, Bettembourg > Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1885 > image 760 of 1479. 1816 Death Record (left, top). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XP7-BV9?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-K68%3A129623601%2C129637201 : accesed 26 January 2018). ↩
30. Ibid., Niederanven > Mariages 1814-1890 Décès 1796-1849 > image 1270 of 1503. 1834 Death Record No. 3. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DT3Q-2P4?cc=1709358&wc=9RYW-PTL%3A130132201%2C130239901 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩
31. Ibid., Eich > Décès 1816-1856 > image 685 of 1490. 1836 Death Record No. 21. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-X989-1LH?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-VZ9%3A129629601%2C129629602 : accessed 19 April 2021). ↩

52 Ancestors: #35 The Welter-Hennes Family of Ernzen, Germany

Anton WELTER (1773-1849)

Anton WELTER, son of Johann Bernard WELTER and Maria BRIMERS, was born on 15 December 1773 on Ernzerhof outside of Ernzen. He was baptized the same day in Ernzen.[1]

1773 Baptismal Record of “Antonius Welter”[1]

Anton was the only son, a middle child, but also the youngest as his two younger sisters died at an early age. His mother Maria died in 1781[2] leaving an 8-year-old Anton and his two older sisters. Her widower Bernard, as he was known, married again six months after her death.[3] He and his second wife Maria BARTZ had a daughter nearly nine months after the marriage.[4] The baby only survived two months.[5] Bernard and Maria did not have any other children. Anton’s step-mother died in 1791.[6] By this time Bernard’s children were nearly all grown. His oldest daughter Elisabeth had been married two years at the time and Catharina would marry in 1800. His only son Anton was nearly 18 years old. Bernard never married again.

Anna Katharina HENNES (1779-1845)

Anna Katharina HENNES, daughter of Johann HENNES and Magdalena MÜLLER, was born on 14 May 1779 in Holsthum.[7]

View of the village of Holsthum

Like Anton WELTER, Anna Katharina was a middle child and had two older sisters. Her father Johann died in 1786 when his wife was pregnant with their youngest child.[8] Matthias, their only son, was born two months later. Two months after giving birth to her deceased husband’s child, Magdalena MÜLLER married Johann TRAMPERT.[9] Magdalena was 44 and Johann was 27. With this marriage, her husband took on the responsibility of five step-children between 9 years and 2 months. Magdalena and her second husband did not have children of their own.

Anna Katharina and Anton marry in 1803

Anna Katharina HENNES married Anton WELTER on 23 March 1803 in Ernzen.[10] They had three children during their first seven years of marriage. Their first, Bernard was born in 1805 and named after his paternal grandfather. A record of baptism has not been searched for but it is likely his grandfather was his godfather as was the practice of the times. Their next two children were girls: Elisabeth was born on 31 January 1807[11] and Katharina WELTER on 21 July 1810.

Before they had more children there were several deaths in the family. Anna Katharina’s step-father Johann TRAMPERT died on 19 August 1812 at the age of 55 years.[9] Anton and Anna Katharina youngest daughter Katharina died on 5 December 1812 at the age of nearly two and a half years.[10] Anton’s father Johann Bernard WELTER died on 27 March 1813 at the age of 76 years.[3] Almost a week later the family would be attending another funeral. Anna Katharina’s mother Magdalena MÜLLER died on 2 April 1813 at the age of 70 years.[12] Three deaths in four months make me wonder if they were caused by disease or a hard winter.

A year later Anna Katharina and Anton named their son born on 4 April 1814 Peter. He lived only ten months dying on 6 February 1815. A little more than two years later another son was born and named Peter. He was born on 10 August 1817 and died on 12 May 1819 at the age of twenty months.[10]

Anton and Anna Katharina’s youngest child, Anna Maria was born on 3 April 1822.[10]  Anna Katharina was 43 and Anton was going on 49.

The WELTER children begin to marry

Their oldest daughter Elisabeth married Hubert WEIMANN, son of Bernard WEYMANN and Susanna MALAMBRÉ, on 11 February 1835 in Ernzen. Hubert was born on 13 July 1805 in Ernzen.[13]

Their oldest son Bernard married Katharina WEBER on 2 April 1837 in Aach (Eifel).[14] Katharina was born on 2 January 1795 in Aach to Peter WEBER und Susanna KREIN.

The mother of this family, Anna Katharina HENNES died on 9 March 1845 in Ernzen and was buried two days later.[10] Her widower Anton was left with three children, two of whom were married.

The youngest daughter Anna Maria married Peter STEIL on 18 February 1846 in Ernzen.[15] Peter was born on 3 January 1810 in Berdorf (Luxembourg).[16]

The father of this family, Anton WELTER died on 26 January 1849 in Ernzen and was buried two days later.

After their parents’ deaths

The oldest of the WELTER children, Bernard died on 1 February 1855 in Ernzen at the age of 55. His widow Katharina WEBER died two decades later on 30 April 1875 in Ernzen and was buried two days later. They may have remained childless.[14]

Anna Maria, the youngest of the WELTER children, died on 9 January 1861 and was buried two days later. She was 38 years old and left a husband and four children.

Elisabeth’s husband Hubert WEIMANN died at the age of 67 on 29 October 1872 in Ernzen and was buried two days later. He left her with three children.

Peter STEIL, Anna Maria’s widower, died on 21 December 1872 in Ernzen and was buried two days later. He was survived by two daughters and a son. The son emigrated to North America during the year and likely only learning of the death of his father after the new year.

A Peter STEIL, age 18, was found on a passenger list with an arrival in New York on 20 May 1872 via Liverpool, England. A match for Peter STEIL born 12 January 1854 in Ernzen was not found in America. He cannot be the same person as the Peter Steil 1852-1913 who lived in Stearns County, Minnesota, as he came over in 1867. Suggestions on other spelling for the STEIL name would be appreciated.

Elisabeth WELTER, the last living child of Anton and Anna Katharina, died on 24 September 1877 in Ernzen and was buried three days later. Elisabeth, my third great-grandmother, was 70 years old. She left three children who would live to see the outbreak of World War I. Only one of these would live to see the end of it.

How are the DNA matches looking for this branch?

One of the first Shared Ancestor Hints on Ancestry DNA for my brother’s test was for a match who descends from Johann HENNES, the father of Anna Katharina HENNES.

AncestryDNA

The person who matches was quick to reply to my short message sent in June 2016 and we have not corresponded since then. It’s been over a year since she has signed in. I really need to get in touch with her as I realized while writing this post that we have another set of common ancestors who do not show up as a hint. She does not have the parents of Mathias HENNES’ wife Elisabetha MALAMBRÉ. My 4th great-grandmother Susanna MALAMBRÉ was Elisabetha’s sister. This match is a 6th cousin through Johann HENNES and Magdalena MÜLLER and through Gérard MALAMBRÉ and Barbara BIESDORF.

1856 Passenger list for the Peter Hennes family. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957

Mathias HENNES, the brother of Anna Katharina HENNES, had two sons who went to America. The youngest son Michael went in 1837 at the age of 21. He appears to have not been married and therefore without known descendants. The older son Peter went in 1856 with his wife and their seven children. They had lived in Silberberg/Nusbaum since their marriage in 1836, the year before Michael left.[17] They met up with him in Lemont, Cook County, Illinois, and he was in their household at the time of the 1860 census.

At the time I found this match I did not know so many people with connections in my tree left the Eifel area for America. This gives me another reason which may convince people to upload their raw data to GEDmatch. I haven’t been able to map any of the maternal chromosomes as matches are few and hard to figure out. It would be nice to get this tiny 14 centimorgans segment labeled but with there being two sets of MRCAs I’d need more matches to triangulate.

A few photos to end this post

While I was working a stand at the 12th National Day of Genealogy and Family History in Leudelange on October 15th, my husband took a bike ride especially planned to go through the Nusbaum area so he could get some pictures for this post.

The winding road to Nusbaum

A view of Nusbaum from afar

Willkommen in Nusbaum – Welcome to Nusbaum

Sources:
[1] Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Echternach > Baptêmes 1761-1797 > image 66 of 131. 1773 Baptismal Record, right page, 3rd entry. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32399-12771-29?cc=2037955 : accessed 9 November 2016).
[2] Ibid., Echternach > Baptêmes, mariages, décès 1779-1783 > image 102 of 177. 1781 Death Record, right page, bottom. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32400-11740-46?cc=2037955 : 9 January 2015) and part 2 of 1781 Death Record, left page top. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32400-11629-47?cc=2037955 : 9 January 2015).
[3] Richard Schaffner, compiler, Familienbuch 2 der Pfarrei St. Marcus Ernzen bei Irrel, Daten bis 1798 aus den Kirchenbüchern der Pfarrei Echternach (damals fur Ernzen zuständig); mit: Ernzen-Hof, Fölkenbach und teilweise auch Prümzurlay (Häuser der rechten Flußseite) 1680-1899 (compiled in 2000), p. 237-238, Family #839. Welter-Brimers and Welter-Bartz.
[4] Luxembourg Church Records, Echternach > Baptêmes, mariages, décès 1779-1783 > image 122 of 177. 1782 Baptismal Record, left page. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32400-11658-39?cc=2037955 : 9 January 2015).
[5] Ibid., Echternach > Baptêmes, mariages, décès 1779-1783 > image 140 of 177. 1782 Death Record, right page, 2nd from bottom. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32400-11497-19?cc=2037955 : 9 January 2015).
[6] Ibid., Echternach > Baptêmes, mariages, décès 1788-1797 > image 118 of 331. 1791 Death Record, left page. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32401-8336-15?cc=2037955 : 9 January 2015).
[7] FB Ernzen, p. 234, Family #830. Welter-Hennes.
[8] Werner Neumann, Familienbuch der ehemaligen Pfarrei Schankweiler mit dem Pfarrort Schankweiler und den Filialen Holsthum und Peffingen, pg. 79, Family #485. Hennes-Mühler.
[9] FB Schankweiler, pg. 238, Family #1377. Trampert-Müller.
[10] FB Ernzen, p. 234, Family #830. Welter-Hennes.
[11] Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898 / Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898, (index), FamilySearch, FHL microfilm 462714. Elisabetha Welter, christened 31 Jan 1807 in Sankt Markus Katholisch, Ernzen, Rheinland, Prussia; father Antonii Welter; mother Chatarinae Hennes.(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NTJ5-T7S : accessed 15 October 2017).
[12] FB Ernzen, pg. 219, Family #775. Trampert-Müller.
[13] Germany Marriages, 1558-1929 / Deutschland, Heiraten, 1558-1929, (index), FamilySearch, FHL microfilm 462,714. Hubertum Wayman and Elisabetham Welter, married 12 Feb 1835; citing Sankt Markus Katholisch, Ernzen, Rheinland, Prussia. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JH8P-DBZ : accessed 15 October 2017).
[14] FB Ernzen, p. 235, Family #832. Welter-Weber.
[15] FB Ernzen, pg. 203, Family #719. Steil-Welter.
[16] Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Berdorf > Naissances 1799-1858 > image 84 of 534. 1810 Birth Record No. 1. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6S5H-ND?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-HZ9%3A129626101%2C129760301 : accessed 22 October 2017).
[17] Richard Schaffner, compiler, Familienbuch der Pfarrei St. Petrus Nusbaum in der Südeifel mit Nusbaum, Nusbaumerhöhe, Freilingen, Freilingerhöhe, Enzen, Silberberg, Stockigt, und Rohrbach 1722-1899, PDF (Kordel bei Trier, 2001), pg. 113-114, Family #464. Hennes-Hostert.

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

52 Ancestors: #25 The Old Homestead: From Weaving Linen to Farming in Mamer

Week 25 (June 18-24) – The Old Homestead: Have you visited an ancestral home? Do you have photos of an old family house? Do you have homesteading ancestors?

Homesteading, Ancestral Home, and a Famous Cousin

None of my American ancestors took advantage of the Homestead Act. But homesteading is not restricted to settling on goverment land and farming it. Homesteading was and is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. The farther back we go in our families trees the more independent our ancestors were. They provided for themselves through farming, hunting, home preservation of foodstuffs, and, in the case of my 2nd great-granfather Jean FRANTZ, a linenweaver, the production of textiles.

While we are on the subject of homesteading and ancestral homes, when I was a child we visited a FRANTZ family in Mamer, Luxembourg, to watch a bicycle race. I have no idea if the house was lived in by my FRANTZ ancestors, i.e. an ancestral home.

At the time I was also unaware of the significance and the connections between FRANTZ, the town of Mamer and cycling. Family tradition, once we genealogists get involved, is often debunked. However the story of my grandmother being a cousin of the famous Tour de France winner was proven true. My grandmother Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE (1909-2005) and Nicolas FRANTZ (1899-1985) were 3rd cousins – not quite as close as the story told.  Their common ancestors were Paulus FRANTZ (1763-1847) and his wife Susanne KEIFFER (1754-1808).

Nicolas FRANTZ took second place in the Tour de France in 1924 and 1926 and was the winner of the tour in 1927 and 1928. In 1928 Nicolas was the first, and to date only winner of the Tour de France, to wear the maillot jaune, the yellow jersey, during the entire 20 days of the race, from the first day, due to his being the previous year’s winner, to the last day.

Having a Tour de France winner as a cousin is amazing. Even more so is I actually enjoy the same sport he excelled in. This is quite a statement for a girl who did everything to get out of doing sports while growing up.

Posing with my bicycle when I hit the 5,000 km mark last year. I was so pleased it happened at this particular spot – a reminder of my “other” hobby – genealogy.

Jean “Johann” FRANTZ and Marie “Maria” MAJERUS

My 2nd great-grandfather Jean FRANTZ was born in Mamer on 3 December 1837 to Jean FRANTZ (1794-1880) and his wife Elisabeth “Elise” FRISCH (1800-1880).[1] On 16 February 1870 he married Marie MAJERUS.[2] Marie was born in Mamer on 19 June 1850 to Jean MAJERUS (1817-1887) and his wife Marie TRAUSCH (1820-1875).[3]

The young couple lived with Marie’s parents in 1871[4] and with her widowed father in 1875.[5] Census records indicate Marie was the only child of the MAJERUS-TRAUSCH couple. By 1880 Jean FRANTZ and his wife had their own household. Marie’s widowed father lived with them in 1880[6], 1885[7], and 1887[8]. Jean and Marie continued to be enumerated as a family in Mamer in the census in 1890[9], 1895[10], and 1900[11]. From 1858 to 1900 Jean’s occupation was a linen weaver. They lived in the “Brücke bis Weweschgâss” area of Mamer. At the time mostly farm land, today this is a residential area.

When Jean and Marie’s children married the occupation of the parents was consistently listed as farmers, Ackerer or Ackerleute, on the marriage records for the period 1892 to 1916.

When Jean died on 23 February 1929, in his 92nd year, his occupation was cultivateur or farmer in his obituary.[12]

Luxemburger Wort [12]

Jean was survived by his wife Mrs. Jean FRANTZ, née Marie MAJERUS; his children Mrs. Jos. FOURNELLE, née Cath. FRANTZ; Mrs. Paul GERSTEL, née Joséphine FRANTZ; Jean FRANTZ; Mrs. François VESQUE, née Pauline FRANTZ; Jean-Pierre FRANTZ; Mrs. Théophile HILBERT, née Marguerite FRANTZ; and Joseph FRANTZ.

His wife Marie died two years later, on 13 September 1931 in her 82nd year.[13]

Escher Tageblatt[13]

For Jean’s widow Marie, the same children were listed. Missing in both obituaries is the oldest daughter Marie FRANTZ who predeceased her parents. Suzanne MIETTE and Guy HOSTERT, listed after the children of Jean and Marie, were Marie FRANTZ’s children.

The FRANTZ Children

1. Marie FRANTZ 1871-bef. 1929

Marie FRANTZ was born 11 January 1871 in Mamer.[14] She lived at home with her parents and siblings until about 1885 when she went to Metz, France, to work as a servant. In February 1887 she was still in Metz and by the next year, she took a position in Reims, France, where she was working in 1890. By 1895 she was no longer mentioned in her parents’ household on the census suggesting she married between 1891-1895. Her marriage to Eugène Léon MIETTE was found in the 2e Arrondissement of Paris. They were married on 21 June 1892 and divorced on 16 July 1906.[15] They had a daughter Suzanne Léonide Jeanne Marie MIETTE born in 1895.[16] After her divorce, Marie married Mr. (given names unknown) HOSTERT and had a son Guy HOSTERT who was photographed in Paris, France, at the time of his Communion in 1921. Marie died before 23 February 1929.

Guy HOSTERT, son of Marie FRANTZ, 1921

2. Catharine FRANTZ 1872-1934

Catharine FRANTZ, my great-grandmother, was born on 17 November 1872.[17] She lived at home with her parents and siblings until about 1889 when she went to Arlon, Belgium, to work as a servant. Soon after December 1890, she began working in Reims, France, where she lived when the census was enumerated in December 1895. She was back home in Mamer on 9 July 1900 when she married Jean Joseph FOURNELLE, my great-grandfather.[18] She went with her newlywed husband to live in Echternach where she raised three children. She died 16 March 1834 in Echternach.[19]

The FOURNELLE-FRANTZ family (ca. 1906) before my grandmother was born. The children André (left) and Lucie (right) with (from left to right) Joseph FOURNELLE, his wife Catherine FRANTZ and her sister Pauline FRANTZ.

3. Catharina Joséphine “Joséphine” FRANTZ 1874-aft. 1945

Catharina Joséphine FRANTZ was born 25 September 1874.[20] She went by Joséphine. She lived at home with her parents and siblings until about 1893 when she went to work in Reims, France. She married Paul GERSTEL in 1900 and had two sons, Pierre and Jean. Her husband died before 23 February 1929. The family lived in Paris, France. Joséphine was living with her younger son Jean and his family on 1 January 1946.[21] It is not known when she died.

From left to right: Jean GERSTEL, Pierre GERSTEL, and their mother Joséphine FRANTZ

4. Johann “Jean” FRANTZ 1876-1946

Johann FRANTZ was born 22 July 1876.[22] He lived at home with her parents and siblings until about 1894 when he went to work in Reims, France. In December 1900 he had been in Esch-sur-Alzette for three months. A half a dozen years later he married Pauline VESQUE on 27 August 1906 in Contern.[23] They had one daughter Daisy. Jean died 20 May 1946 in Dudelange. He was a retired postal worker decorated with the Order of the Oak Crown (l’Ordre Grand Ducal de la Couronne de Chêne).[24] His wife Pauline died on 29 November 1956 in Hastière-Lavaux, Belgium.[25]

Daisy, daughter of Jean FRANTZ and Pauline VESQUE

5. Jean Pierre FRANTZ 1878-1879

Jean Pierre FRANTZ was born on 28 June 1878[26] and died 8 February 1879 at the home of his parents. He died at the age of 2/3 year per his death record.[27]

6. Paulina “Pauline” FRANTZ 1880-1966

Paulina FRANTZ was born on 29 June 1880.[28] In December 1880 when the census was enumerated she was listed as a son named Paul. She went by Pauline. She lived at home with her parents and siblings until about 1897 when she went to work in Reims, France. She may have lived with her sister Catharine and her family in Echternach around 1906 as she was included in a family portrait (seen above under #2). On 15 May 1910 Pauline married Johann Peter François “Franz” VESQUE.[29] Franz worked for the railroad, Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois. Pauline and Franz had one daughter Maisy who served time in prison for killing a man and never married. The family lived in Oetrange in the commune of Contern. Franz died 11 Feb 1964 in Oetrange[30] and Pauline died 27 December 1966 in Luxembourg City.[31] Their daughter Maisy died in April 1969.[32]

The VESQUE-FRANTZ home in Oetrange ca. 1954

7. Johann Peter FRANTZ 1882-1970

Johann Peter FRANTZ was born 14 October 1882.[33] Johann Peter married Hélène KILL on 2 April 1913 in Mamer.[34] They were the parents of three children: Jos[35], Paul[36], and Anna Maria.[37] Their son Paul continued the family tradition of cycling. In 1936 he participated in the Olympic Games in Berlin, representing Luxembourg along with three other cyclists in the individual and team road race events. Johann Peter died 1 December 1970 in Luxembourg City.[38] His widow Hélène died 12 October 1972, also in Luxembourg City.[39]

Johann Peter FRANTZ and Hélène KILL

8. Maria Margaretha “Marguerite” FRANTZ 1885-1977

Maria Margaretha FRANTZ was born 12 March 1885 in Mamer.[40] She went by Marguerite. She married Johann Theophile “Théo” HILBERT on 25 October 1908 in Mamer.[41] In 1915 their only daughter Margot Thea was born.[42] Marguerite’s husband Théo was the driver of the car owned by Nicolas Frantz I (Tour de France winner) involved in two accidents in 1927, the first resulting in the death of a young boy and the second in the death of Nicolas Frantz II. Théo died 3 January 1946 in Mamer.[43] His widow Marguerite died 22 March 1977 in Mamer.[44]

Marguerite FRANTZ with her daughter Margot Thea HILBERT

9. Nicolas FRANTZ 1886-1886

Nicolas FRANTZ was born 16 April 1886.[45] He lived only a month, dying on 18 May 1886 at his parents’ home in Mamer.[46]

10. Johann-Joseph “Jos” FRANTZ 1888-1940

Johann-Joseph FRANTZ was born 4 September 1888.[47] He married Marguerite BERWICK on 24 April 1916 in Mamer.[48] They were the parents of two sons, Erny[49] and Germain[50], born in Dudelange where the family lived. Johann-Joseph, also known as “Jos” was a teacher. He died 23 April 1940 in Dudelange.[51] His widow Marguerite died seven months later on 28 November 1940.[52]

Marguerite BERWICK, wife of Jos FRANTZ

New Lessons Learned

Without the photographs, newspaper clippings, thank you notes, funeral cards and other memorabilia saved by my maternal grandmother I would not have been able to tell their story in such detail.

Questions remain and may lead to new stories. I want to know more about Maisy VESQUE who served time in prison for killing a man. I’ve found newspaper articles about the deaths caused by Theo HILBERT when he was driving the car owned by Nicolas FRANTZ. A third question, I was able to answer and in doing so learned a new lesson.

I don’t know how many times I have asked myself who are “Mr Eugène Raymond, Mme, née Suzanne Miette et leur(s) enfant(s)” mentioned in Jean and Marie FRANTZ-MAJERUS’ obituaries? I knew Guy Hostert was the son of their deceased oldest daughter, Marie. Eugène or Suzanne had to be their grandchild and, since great-grandchildren were also mentioned, he or she had to have been born to one of the oldest daughters.

I don’t give up easily and the question took me to the online archives of the cities of Reims and Paris, France. Finding records in large cities is daunting. My persistence paid off. I found the records I needed to prove the relationship of Suzanne MIETTE and in doing so also learned how to use the Archives of Paris database.

If anyone is interested, feel free to leave a comment and I may write a post on how to use the Archives de Paris site.

Sources:
[1] Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1793-1923 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > images 76  of 1504. 1837 Birth Record No. 58. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-49242-69?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-L31:496689502 : accessed 09 Feb 2013).
[2] 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).
[3] 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).
[4] Luxembourg, Volkszählungen 1843-1900 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Mamer > 1871 > image 518 of 840. Majerus-Trausch household No. 56. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32379-26802-46?cc=2037957&wc=M5G9-SPN:345860401,345869501 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[5] Ibid., Mamer > 1875 > image 462 of 795. Johann Majerus household No. 29. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32374-4220-81?cc=2037957&wc=M5LB-K6V:345860401,345870501 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[6] Ibid., Mamer > 1880 > image 231 of 803. Frantz-Majerus household No. 65. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32391-9005-98?cc=2037957&wc=M5G7-16N:345860401,345872201 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[7] Ibid., Mamer > 1885 > image 41 of 829. Frantz-Majerus household No. 11. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32390-5896-81?cc=2037957&wc=M5G7-GP8:345860401,345873701 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[8] Ibid., Mamer > 1887 > image 715 of 828. Frantz-Majerus household No. 30. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32393-787-37?cc=2037957&wc=M5GC-Y4J:345860401,345875201 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[9] Ibid., Mamer > 1890 > image 352 of 822. Frantz-Majerus household No. 24. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32393-2887-86?cc=2037957&wc=M5G4-PT1:345860401,345876401 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[10] Ibid., Mamer > 1895 > image 820 of 841. Frantz-Majerus household No. 34. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32395-6413-90?cc=2037957&wc=M5G6-L27:345860401,345878001 : accessed 18 June 2015).
[11] Ibid., Mamer > 1900 (n 1662) > images 332 of 564. Frantz-Majerus household No. 33. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32398-5686-98?cc=2037957&wc=M9MV-9T2:1997661504 : accessed 21 June 2015).
[12] Luxemburger Wort, digitized by the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg, http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu (Verlage der St-Paulus-Druckerei, Luxembourg), No. 56, February 25, 1929, p. 4 column 5. Avis mortuaire for Jean Frantz. (http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIRECTLINK&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=1360603&search_terms=Frantz#panel:pp|issue:1360603|article:DTL341|query:Frantz : accessed 20 June 2015).
[13] Escher Tageblatt, digitized by the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg, http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu (Verlag Editpress S.A., Esch-sur-Alzette), No. 243, Monday, 14 September 1931, p. 4 column 5. Avis Mortuaire for Madame Jean Frantz née Marie Majerus. (http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIRECTLINK&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=510394&search_terms=Frantz#panel:pp|issue:510394|article:DTL278|query:Frantz : accessed 20 June 2015).
[14] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 713 of 1504. 1871 Birth Record No. 4. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-52216-6?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed  23 March 2010).
[15] Registres d’actes d’état civil 1860-1902 (images), Archives de Paris (original records in the Archives de Paris, Paris, France. Images from this site are not allowed to be shared with others, used on the internet, or for commercial purposes without permission), Mariages, 2e arr., 21/06/1892. V4E 5486 image 67 of 141. 1892 Marriage Record No. 396. (http://canadp-archivesenligne.paris.fr/archives_etat_civil/1860_1902_actes/ : accessed 20 June 2015).
[16] Ibid., Naissances, 3e arr., 14/08/1895. V4E 8167 image of  66 of 159. 1895 Birth Record No. 1164. (http://canadp-archivesenligne.paris.fr/archives_etat_civil/1860_1902_actes/ : accessed 20 June 2015).
[17] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 746 of 1504. 1871 Birth Record No. 57. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-52481-73?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[18] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 547 of 819. 1900 Marriage Record No. 18. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32045-16170-78?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LQS:415858536 : accessed 6 March 2015).
[19] Lettre de faire-part, Mme. Joseph Fournelle, née Catherine Frantz, 16 March 1934
[20] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 788 of 1504. 1874 Birth Record No. 53. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-48262-71?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 17 August 2011).
[21] Postcard dated 1 January 1946 signed by Joséphine Frantz
[22] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 828 of 1504. 1876 Birth Record No. 42. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-51331-4?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[23] Ibid., Contern > Mariages 1895-1923 > image 80 of 195. 1906 Marriage Record No. 7. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32037-2967-13?cc=1709358&wc=9RTB-MNB:129626701,129649201 : accessed 7 March 2015).
[24] Luxemburger Wort, digitized by the Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg, http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu (Verlage der St-Paulus-Druckerei, Luxembourg), No.142, Wednesday, 22 May 1946, p. 3 column 2. Avis mortuaire for Jean Frantz. (http://www.eluxemburgensia.lu/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIRECTLINK&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&pid=798376&search_terms=jean%20frantz#panel:pp|issue:798376|article:DTL479|query:jean frantz : accessed 20 June 2015).
[25] Collection of newspaper clippings in the possession of Marie Marcelle Fournelle (dec’d).
[26] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 867 of 1504. 1878 Birth Record No. 25. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-48039-70?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[27] Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1466 of 1497. 1879 Death Record No. 4. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12143-119884-11?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9:130065401,130130201 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[28] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 911 of 1504. 1880 Birth Record No. 35. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-49264-59?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[29] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 659 of 819. 1910 Marriage Record No. 4. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32045-18508-90?cc=1709358&wc=9RTB-L2D:130065401,130400801 : accessed 7 February 2013).
[30] Collection of newspaper clippings in the possession of Marie Marcelle Fournelle (dec’d).
[31] Ibid.
[32] Ibid.
[33] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 960 of 1504. 1882 Birth Record No. 47. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-52416-80?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[34] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 693 of 819. 1913 Marriage Record No. 3. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32045-18126-68?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LQS:415858536 : accessed 20 June 2015).
[35] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 350 of 819. 1914 Birth Record No. 1. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32045-17474-71?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LQS:415858536 : accessed 21 June 2015).
[36] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 375 of 819. 1915 Birth Record No. 29. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32045-17296-67?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LQS:415858536 : accessed 21 June 2015).
[37] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 403 of 819. 1917 Birth Record No. 15. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32045-16310-62?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LQS:415858536 : accessed 21 June 2015).
[38] Collection of newspaper clippings in the possession of Marie Marcelle Fournelle (dec’d).
[39] Ibid.
[40] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1012 of 1504. 1885 Birth Record No. 15. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-49798-98?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[41] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 641 of 819. 1908 Marriage Record No. 21. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32045-18301-7?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LQS:415858536 : accessed 7 February 2013).
[42] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances, mariages 1895-1923 > image 379 of 819. 1915 Birth Record No. 41. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32045-16366-78?cc=1709358&wc=9RTB-L2D:130065401,130400801 : accessed 21 June 2015).
[43] Collection of newspaper clippings in the possession of Marie Marcelle Fournelle (dec’d).
[44] Ibid.
[45] Luxembourg Civil Records, Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1037 of 1504. 1886 Birth Record No. 25. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-52526-85?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[46] Ibid., Mamer > Décès 1881-1890 > image 75 of 144. 1886 Death Record No. 17. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12699-120456-21?cc=1709358&wc=9RY8-GPF:130065401,129686301 : accessed 20 August 2011).
[47] Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1092 of 1504. 1888 Birth Record No. 56. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12585-49208-71?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9:130065401,130365601 : accessed 23 March 2010).
[48] Ibid., Dudelange > Mariages 1910-1920 > image 313 of 548. 1916 Marriage Record No. 14. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32026-13839-79?cc=1709358&wc=9RTY-JWG:129625901,129908301 : accessed 5 March 2015).
[49] Ibid., Dudelange > Naissances 1915-1923 > image 273 of 611. 1919 Birth Record No. 102. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32040-5639-58?cc=1709358&wc=9RTB-4W1:129625901,130608101 : accessed 21 June 2015).
[50] Ibid., Dudelange > Naissances 1915-1923 > image 406 of 611. 1921 Birth Record No. 86. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32040-5586-45?cc=1709358&wc=9RTB-4W1:129625901,130608101 : accessed 5 March 2015).
[51] Collection of newspaper clippings in the possession of Marie Marcelle Fournelle (dec’d).
[52] Ibid.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Jean “Johann FRANTZ
Parents: Johannes “Jean” FRANTZ and Elisabeta “Elise” FRISCH
Spouse: Marie “Maria” MAJERUS
Parents of spouse: Johann MAJERUS and Maria TRAUSCH
Whereabouts: Mamer, Grand Duché de Luxembourg
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 2nd great-grandfather

1. Jean “Johann FRANTZ
2. Catharina FRANTZ
3. Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE
4. Living (Mom) WILDINGER
5. Cathy Meder-Dempsey

© 2015 Cathy Meder-Dempsey

This is my weekly entry for Amy Johnson Crow’s challenge:
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – 2015 Edition. It was so successful in 2014 that genealogists wanted to continue or join in on the fun in 2015. Be sure to check out the other great posts by visiting Amy’s blog No Story Too Small where she’ll be posting the weekly recap on Thurdays and allowing all participants to leave a link to their post(s) in the comments.