Tag: L-Vianden

The Ancestors: Nicolas Traudt and Maria Barbara Bill of Vianden

On Sunday, 22 January 1747, a young couple was married in Vianden, Luxembourg.

Castle of Vianden from a collection of 10 framed prints of castles in Luxembourg owned by our family.

The 1747 marriage record

The marriage index card

The marriage of Nicolas TRAUDT and Barbara BILL was recorded in the Vianden church register volume 2 page 105. It was the first entry for the year 1747.1

Nicolas TRAUDT was 25 years old. Barbara BILL, his bride was 23. The entry in the church register of Vianden included the names of their fathers, Henri TRAUDT and Theodor BILL.2 The three lines give no additional information not already abstracted on the marriage index card.

1747 Marriage Record of Nicolas TRAUDT and Maria Barbara BILL

The mother of the groom was Margaretha HEICKEL.3 The mother of the bride was only known as Maria.4 These names were not mentioned in the marriage record.

The children of Nicolas TRAUDT and Maria Barbara BILL

Nicolas and Barbe made their home in Vianden where all of their children were born. Nicolas made his living as a clothes tailor or tailleur d’habits. 

1766 Luxembourg census reflecting the family group before the birth of their last child.

Henri TRAUDT was born on 24 February 1748.5 He was listed as Nicolas Henri TRAUDT on the 1766 census.6 No marriage or death record has been found.

Nicolas TRAUDT was born on 13 January 1750.7 He was living at the time of the 1766 census. No marriage or death record has been found.

Théodore TRAUDT was born on 11 March 1752.8 He died on 11 October 1785 at the age of 33.9 He married Susanna WAGENER on 27 April 1777 in Vianden.10 Like his father, he was a clothes tailor.

Maria Magdalena TRAUDT was born on 17 June 1754.11 She married Michel WIRTZ on 13 May 1776.12 They were both living in January 1793 when their 8th child was born.13

Barbe TRAUDT was born on 19 March 1757.14 She died in der Unterstadt on 14 January 1794 at the age of 36.15 She married Johann MANDT on 7 April 1777 in Roth.16 They were the parents of nine children, all born in der Unterstadt.

Michael TRAUDT was born on 25 Jan 1759.17 He may have died before 1766 as he is not included in the household of Nicolas and Barbe in 1766.

Maria TRAUDT was born on 20 September 1761.18 A daughter named Anna Maria was with Nicolas and Barbe at the time of the 1766 census. No marriage or death record has been found.

Elisabeth TRAUDT (speculation!) was enumerated with Nicolas and Barbe on the 1766 census. She was listed in the under 14 years column. A baptismal record for this child needs to be found to prove she was a child of this couple with this name. It may have been an error on the census and meant to be Maria Clara, the next child born to the couple.

Maria Clara TRAUDT was born on 2 April 1764.19 She was not listed on the 1766 census with her parents although she is known to have lived. She married Jean METZ in Vianden on 6 May 1787.20 They had children who have not been researched. Clara died on 18 February 1828 at the age of 63.21

Margaretha TRAUDT was born on 8 August 1766.22 She died at the age of 43 on 30 November 1809.23 She married Jean-Népomucène SCHLOESSER (1764-1833) on 26 April 1790 in Vianden.24 Margaretha and Jean-Népomucène were my 4th great-grandparents.

Nicolas is widowed and remarries

After 22 years of marriage and giving birth to nine children, Barbe died on 18 May 1769 at the age of 45.25 Nicolas remarried on 1 October 1769 to Barbara KÖNIG.26 They did not have children. Nicolas died on 19 April 1799 in Vianden.27

Research Manager

I used the Familienbuch von Roth / Vianden 1718-1797 as a guide for this family. The family book includes the register number, page number, and entry number of church records (baptism, marriage, burial) of Vianden and Roth used by the compilers to determine the family groups. Vianden records are online at FamilySearch. The records for Roth are indexed on FamilySearch but access in Europe is limited to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kirchenbuch, 1718-1900 (Katholische Kirche Roth (Kr. Bitburg).

Jean-Paul Hoffmann’s Familienchronik der Stadt Vianden needs to be consulted for any further information available for this family group. A copy is available in the Luxracines archives in Walferdange.

A bit of history: Grafschaft Vianden

I wasn’t able to find records for individuals in this family group who were born, married, or died in der Unterstadt of Vianden. I had to study the history of the Grafschaft Vianden or County of Vianden to understand where the records were recorded.

Vianden lies on the Our River that divides the city into the upper town (on the left) and lower town (on the right).

During the Middle Ages, the fortified city of Vianden was the capital of the County of Vianden and included villages as far as Prum and Bitburg in present-day Germany. The county was as large as the present-day Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The way into Roth from the Luxembourg side.

In the first half of the 13th century, the Count of Vianden donated the parish church of Roth, the adjacent building, and land to the Order of the Templars.

St. Peter’s Church in Roth with the churchyard.
Entrance gate to Schloss Roth (Castle Roth), originally an outpost of Castle Vianden and adjacent to St. John’s Church of Roth.
Schloss Roth
The garden at Schloss Roth

In the middle of the 13th century, a dispute between the Templar knights and the Count of Vianden had to be settled by arbitration of the Archbishop of Trier. The Trinitarian monks ran the hospital for the count and had started building a church with a monastery and churchyard across from the hospital. This did not bode well with the Templars as Vianden was affiliated to the Templar parish of Roth as the city did not have its own church.

The city of Vianden was a divided city with a lower town (in der Unterstadt) and an upper town. Although residents of both sections of the town had the same rights, the lower town was more of a secondary town. This became more clear with the settlement of the dispute.

The dispute was resolved by attaching the lower town to the parish of Roth and creating a new parish assigned to the Trinitarian monks in the upper town.

The Templars built a small chapel on the parish boundary near the bridge in 1256 to accommodate the disgruntled lower town dwellers. The residents in der Unterstadt had to make do with a chapel with an open roof for their Sunday services.

Entrance of St. John’s Church in Roth

They were, however, required to celebrate holidays (Christmas, Easter, Pentecost) as well as the sacraments of baptism, the first communion, and marriage at the church in Roth. They have to trek down and up to the church to attend these high masses as well as transporting the corpses of their deceased to the Roth churchyard for burial.

Inside the St. John’s Church in Roth, Germany.

Thank you to my husband

We have two routes on our riding itinerary that take us through Roth, one on the German side and the other coming into Roth from the Luxembourg side.  My husband and I rode our bikes through Roth on Tuesday in search of the church and castle. I had located them on the map, off our usual paths.

I didn’t realize that the buildings were located on the top of a wooded hill. The road up to the church is not well paved and the last piece was a 17% climb. My husband rode to the top while I had to walk my bike for the last part. It was worth the effort. The photos of the church and castle are my husband’s contribution to this post. Villmols merci.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Nicolas TRAUDT
Occupation: Tailleur d’habits or clothes tailor
Parents: Henri TRAUDT and Margaretha HEICKEL
Spouse: Maria Barbara BILL
Parents of spouse: Theodorus BILL and Maria _____
Whereabouts: Vianden, Luxembourg
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 5th great-grandparents

1. Nicolas TRAUDT and Maria Barbara BILL
2. Margaretha TRAUDT and Jean-Népomucène SCHLOESSER
3. Jean Joseph SCHLOESSER and Anna Maria “Maria” CONSBRÜCK
4. Odile Lucie SCHLOESSER and André FOURNELLE
5. Jean Joseph FOURNELLE and Catharina FRANTZ
6. Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE and Nicolas WILDINGER
7. Living WILDINGER and Fred Roosevelt DEMPSEY
8. Catherine Ann “Cathy” DEMPSEY and Living MEDER
9. Our children

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

  1. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Vianden > Tables des mariages 1691-1803 Bettendorff-Z (index organisée par l’époux) > image 351 of 596. 1747 Marriage Index Card. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9XZQ?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-N32%3A1501150301%2C1501195002 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  2. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 107 of 166. 1747 Marriage Record (1st entry for 1747). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9ZZ1?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  3. Heinrich Wagner and Willibald Reichertz, Familienbuch von Roth / Vianden 1718-1797 (1991). Family Book of the Parish of Roth / Vianden (today Roth an der Our, Germany) including Bauler, Gaymühle, Obersgegen, Rodershausen, Roth, Scheuerhof, and the lower town of Vianden. A PDF of the book is available for download to members of Luxracines for a small fee. ↩
  4. Luxembourg Church Records, Vianden > Baptêmes 1679-1696, 1698-1739, mariages 1691-1707, 1721-1739, sépultures 1679-1706, 1721-1727, 1739-1741 > image 124 of 212. 1724 Baptismal Record (left page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9CDK?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-443%3A1501150301%2C1501348334 : accessed 24 August 2019). ↩
  5. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 28 of 166. 1748 Baptismal Record (left, 1st entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9HFW?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 13 December 2017). ↩
  6. Luxembourg, 1766 Dénombrement (census), (images), FamilySearch (Digitial copy of the microfilm of originals in the Archives Générales du Royaume, Bruxelles, includes localities now in Luxembourg and Liège, Belgium), Film 1781981 , DGS 008182018, Decanat de Mersch: Vianden, image 420 of 556. “.” Niolas Traudt household 120. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS21-FQ8K-L?i=419&cat=1184675 : accessed 24 August 2019). ↩
  7. Luxembourg Church Records, Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 32 of 166. 1750 Baptismal Record (left, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9CM4?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  8. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 36 of 166. 1752 Baptismal Record (right, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9CX8?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 13 December 2017). ↩
  9. Wagner & Reichertz, Familienbuch von Roth / Vianden 1718-1797. ↩
  10. Luxembourg Church Records, Vianden > Baptêmes 1771-1774, 1779-1795, confirmations 1789-1794, mariages 1771-1778, 1787-1795, sépultures 1771-1797 > image 175 of 265. 1777 Marriage Record (right page, 5th entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9XPS?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-JWY%3A1501150301%2C1501252502 : accessed 19 June 2021). ↩
  11. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 41 of 166. 1754 Baptismal Record (right, 5th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9CSR?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 14 Decmeber 2017). ↩
  12. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1771-1774, 1779-1795, confirmations 1789-1794, mariages 1771-1778, 1787-1795, sépultures 1771-1797 > image 175 of 265. 1776 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9XPS?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-JWY%3A1501150301%2C1501252502 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  13. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1771-1774, 1779-1795, confirmations 1789-1794, mariages 1771-1778, 1787-1795, sépultures 1771-1797 > image 122 of 265. 1793 Baptismal Record (right page, bottom entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-9F81?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-JWY%3A1501150301%2C1501252502 : accessed 8 September 2021). ↩
  14. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 49 of 166. 1757 Baptismal Record (right, 4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9CD3?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 13 December 2017). ↩
  15. Robert Deltgen, Genealogie Rob Deltgen, online http://www.deltgen.com/. I have been unable to confirm this date since the records in der Unterstadt of Vianden were recorded in Roth, a parish with restricted online images. ↩
  16. “Deutschland, Rheinland, Bistum Trier, katholische Kirchenbücher, 1704-1957”, database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D6F6-4ZMM : 3 November 2020), Barbarae Bill in entry for Joannes Mandt, 7 Apr 1777; citing Marriage, certificate , Roth, Daun, Rheinprovinz, Preußen, Deutschland, Bistumarchiv (Diocese Archive), Trier, Germany. ↩
  17. Luxembourg Church Records, Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 57 of 166. 1759 Baptismal Record (right, 3rd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9C6N?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : 14 December 2017). ↩
  18. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 69 of 166. 1761 Baptismal Record (left, 1st entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9H6K?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  19. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 83 of 166. 1764 Baptismal Record (right, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WS-9HZC?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 13 December 2017). ↩
  20. Ibid., Vianden > Tables des mariages 1691-1803 (index organisée par l’épouse) > image 557 of 639. 1787 Marriage Index Card. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-98KZ?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-D5S%3A1501150301%2C1501221376 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  21. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Vianden > Mariages 1834-1890 Décès 1797-1866 > image 869 of 1406. 1828 Death Record No. 5. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DTQS-FW3?cc=1709358&wc=9RY9-DP8%3A130504801%2C130555401 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  22. Luxembourg Church Records, Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 94 of 166. 1766 Baptismal Record, 2nd entry on left page. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32461-9066-76?cc=2037955 : accessed 18 November 2015). ↩
  23. Luxembourg Civil Records, Vianden > Mariages 1834-1890 Décès 1797-1866 > image 645 of 1406. 1809 Death Record, right page bottom entry. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11584-74474-75?cc=1709358 : accessed 29 August 2021). ↩
  24. Ibid., Vianden > Naissances, mariages, décès 1779-1793 > image 184 of 241. 1790 Marriage Record, top of left page. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12876-10821-89?cc=1709358 : accessed 18 November 2015). ↩
  25. Luxembourg Church Records, Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 139 of 166. 1769 Death Record (right, 3rd entry from bottom). Note: age at death 49 years.(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-9CR1?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 14 December 2017). ↩
  26. Ibid., Vianden > Baptêmes 1705, 1739-1771, confirmations 1756-1769, communicants 1769-1770, mariages 1741-1770, sépultures 1742-1771 > image 122 of 166. 1769 Marriage Record (right page, first entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-9ZCP?cc=2037955&wc=STH8-4WG%3A1501150301%2C1501398358 : accessed 24 August 2019). ↩
  27. 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), GV.MF 316; GV.MF 351, Vianden, KB-01, Heiraten – Sterbefälle – Taufen – 1794 – 1807, image 71 of 164, last entry on page 77. 1799 Death Record. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/vianden/KB-01/?pg=71 : accessed 19 June 2021). ↩