Tag: Mathieu

The Ancestors: Pierre Fournelle of Rodange, Luxembourg, and Jeanne Neu of Athus, Belgium

On 14 February 1743 my sixth great-grandfather Henri NEU died in Athus, today a part of the Province of Luxembourg in Belgium. He left a widow, my sixth great-grandmother, Madeleine (Magdelaine) BACLESSE and six known daughters. Three of the daughters were already married and the other three would marry by the next decade.

One marriage documented in four countries

Eleven days later, on 25 February 1743, in Herserange, today a part of the départment Meurthe-et-Moselle in France, lettres de mariage or permission of marriage was given to Pierre FOURNEL (later seen as FOURNELLE), son of Jean FOURNEL, a farmer domiciled in Rodange, and Jeanne BERQUIN, to be married in Aubange to Jeanne NEU, daughter of Henri NEU of Athus and Magdelaine BACLESSE.1:

In the church register of Aubange, the parish to which Athus was attached, we find the death/burial entry for Henri NEU.2, 3 Here is a rough translation of the French record:

The year 1743 on the fourteenth of February died in Athus Henry Neu aged around sixty he was married to Magdalaine Baclesse His body was buried in the cemetery of the place with the ordinary ceremonies. D. Lambinet, parish priest

The marriage entry for Henri’s daughter Jeanne to Pierre FURNEL (a variation of FOURNEL and FOURNELLE) is recorded below the death entry.

The year 1743 the twenty-fifth of February Pierre Furnel son of Jean Furnel and Jeanne Berquin his father and mother of Rodange parish of Herserange and Jeanne Neu daughter of defunct Henry Neu and Magdalaine Baclesse of Athus after the publication of a bann made in the church of Herserange and that of Aubange at the time that they were obtained in the court of Trier, the exemption from the three banns on the date of February 23 before me, not finding any impediment, given the letter of intent of the governor of the said Herserange was solemnized in public in front of the church in the presence of the witnesses who signed or marked with the spouses.

Pierre Fournelle, the groom, signed his name
Jeanne Neu, the bride, left her mark
Jean Fournelle, the father of the groom, left his mark
Nicolas Berquin, the maternal uncle of the groom, left his mark
Henri Reuter, the brother-in-law of the bride, signed his name
Jean Henrion, the brother-in-law of the bride, signed his name
Philippe Seylen signed his name
D. Lambinet, curé or parish priest, signed his name

Usually, banns were read on three Sundays in the parish churches of the bride and groom before the marriage. When Pierre and Jeanne married an exception was made and the banns were read only once, two days before the marriage. This dispense was granted by the diocese of Trier. The records for this marriage are located in places in four different countries: Trier, Germany; Rodange, Luxembourg; Herserange, France; and Aubange, Belgium.

Why the special treatment?

What might be the reason for the accelerated procedure for the marriage of Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU? Could it be the death of Jeanne’s father? Pierre’s father Jean FOURNEL was an elder synodal or member of the church council (ancien sinodal). Did he use his position to hasten the marriage procedure? The bride and groom were likely already well known to each other as Rodange and Athus are today separated only by the border between Luxembourg and Belgium and are a few kilometers from each other. The marriage may have been rushed due to pregnancy but this doesn’t seem too likely as a child was born eleven months into the marriage.

The FOURNELLE family in Rodange

Pierre and Jeanne made their home in Rodange where they earned their livings by farming. They had seven sons and a daughter born between 1744 and 1763, all in Rodange, Luxembourg. The children were baptized in the parish of Herserange, today in France.

After reading the history of the church of Rodange, I believe it’s likely that the children were baptized in the chapel of Rodange by the chaplain of Saulnes who was responsible for both branch villages in the parish of Herserange. The chapel of Rodange was built in 1677, had a consecrated altar in 1714, and was in good condition in 1737. Rodange received their own chaplain by decree in 1766.4

Jacques FOURNELLE (1744-1817)

The first child of Pierre and Jeanne was a son they named Jacques. He was born and baptized on 26 January 1744. His godparents were his paternal uncle Jacques FOURNELLE of Rodange and his maternal aunt Barbe NEU of Athus.5 Jacques married Marguerite SCHMIT (bef. 1747-1797) on 20 February 1770 in Rodange.6 They were the parents of eleven children. Eight of these died as infants between the ages of 0-6 years. Two more may have also died at a young age as no marriage or death records have been found. Only one child, their son Jacques, married and continued the line. Jacques died on 29 January 1817 in an unknown place. He was buried in Rodange the following day.7 He had been a widower for 20 years.

Jean FOURNELLE (1746-1818)

The second child of Pierre and Jeanne was born on 6 January 1746. The child was baptized on 8 January 1746 and named Jean. His godparents were Jean TOQUES and his maternal aunt Catherine NEU, both of Athus.8 At the age of 40, Jean married Agnès ALZIN (abt. 1758-1836) on 5 October 1786 in Rodange.9 They were the parents of 10 children. Five died in infancy, three have not been traced, and two continued the line. Jean died at the age of 72 years in Rodange on 12 April 1818.10 His wife outlived him by 18 years.

Pierre FOURNELLE (1748-1816)

Pierre and Jeanne’s third child was my 4th great-grandfather Pierre. He was born on 12 December 1748 and baptized the following day. His godparents were Pierre FRANCQ and his maternal aunt Elisabeth NEU, both of Athus.11 Pierre was 34 years old when he married Marianne SCHMIT (1760-1824) on 1 April 1783 in Rodange.12 She was a dozen years younger than Pierre. They were the parents of 10 children. Their firstborn died at the age of 16 months. One son has not been traced after his birth. Eight children married and seven continued the line. Pierre died suddenly in Soleuvre about a dozen kilometers from his home in Rodange on 17 October 1816 at the age of 67.13 He was buried on the 19th.14 His wife was the informant on his civil death record. Marianne died nearly eight years later.

Pierre and Marianne’s story can be read here: 52 Ancestors: #40 The Fournelle-Schmit Family of Rodange

Henri FOURNELLE (1751-1837)

The fourth child of Pierre and Jeanne was born on 10 September 1751. He was baptized the following day and named Henri. His godparents were his maternal uncle by marriage, Henri DE CHEVE of Rodange and Jeanne BOULANGER, wife of Joseph KEMP, of Sonne.15 Henri married Catherine GLOUTIN (1757-1923) on 25 November 1779 in Rodange.16 They were the parents of eleven children. No information has been found on three of the children after their baptism. Three children died young. The remaining five children married and four of them continued the line. Henri had been a widower for fourteen years when he died on 8 November 1837 in Rodange.17

Philippe FOURNELLE (1754-1827)

Philippe, the 5th son of Pierre and Jeanne, was born in Rodange and baptized on 22 July 1754. His godparents were his maternal uncle by marriage, Philippe MICHEL, husband of Barbe NEU, and Catherine GRANRY, wife of Dominique FELTEN.18 Philippe married Marie Julienne MATHIEU on 27 December 1787 in Halanzy, Province de Luxembourg, Belgium.19 They were the parents of nine children. Four of these married and continued the line. A son died at the age of one month. Four daughters have not been traced after their baptisms and may have also died young. Philippe died at the age of 73 years on 24 December 1827 in Rodange.20 His widow was still living four years later when their youngest child married.21

Marie Jeanne FOURNELLE (1757-1813)

The sixth child and only daughter of Pierre and Jeanne was Marie Jeanne baptized on 7 March 1757. Her godfather was Pierre FONTAINE of Rodange; her godmother was Jeanne LADURELLE of Rodange.22 Marie Jeanne married Laurent THIRION (1752-1817) in Rodange on 10 February 1782.23 Their first child was born in Rodange and died two and a half months later.24 They lived in Laurent’s birthplace, Mont-Saint-Martin, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, from before 1792 until their deaths in 1813 and 1817. Three children born between 1792 and 1799 were found. Gaps between the births of all known children suggest several still need to be found. Marie Jeanne died on 15 April 1813 in Mont-Saint-Martin.25

Michel FOURNELLE (1760-aft. 1788)

Michel the second to last child of Pierre and Jeanne was baptized on 13 October 1760. His godparents were Michel GERVAIS and Marie DOMANGE.26 Michel was the godfather of three of his siblings’ children. On 9 October 1788, a few days before his 28th birthday, Michel signed his name to the baptismal record of Marie, the daughter of his brother Jean.27 No marriage or death record has been found for him after this date.

Philippe Christophe FOURNELLE (1763-aft. 1792)

The youngest child of Pierre and Jeanne was their son Philippe Christophe born and baptized on 21 October 1763. His godfather was a priest named Philippe Christophe SCHMIT and his godmother was Susanne SCHMIT, wife of Nicolas ETTINGER.28 Philippe Christophe was the godfather of two of his siblings’ children. On 20 February 1792 became the godfather of a PHILIPPART child.29 He was 28 years old. No marriage or death record has been found for him after this date.

The death of Pierre Fournelle

Pierre FOURNELLE died less than two years after the birth of his youngest child. Pierre was 45 years old when he died on 23 July 1765. This is not consistent with the age calculated from his 1713 baptismal record. Pierre was nearly 52 years old, 7 years older than stated in his death/burial entry in the church register. A farmer, he died in Rodange and was buried the next day in the Rodange cemetery.30

Jeanne was left with eight children between the ages of 19 months and 21 years. For the next five years, her older sons likely helped her with the farm.

A farmer for Baron d’HUART

In the records of the census of hearths found in dwellings in the Duchy of Luxembourg for taxation purposes, Jeanne NEU, the widow of Pierre FOURNELLE, was enumerated as a farmer in Rodange in 1770.31 The family lived in a house on the farm and cultivated nearly five and a half acres of land.

Our ancestors did not use the same weights and measures as we do today. The measurement on the cadastre for land was 160 verges de 16 pieds de Saint-Lambert or 1 jour. Information on old surface measurements was found online.32 I used them to calculate the amount of land Jeanne farmed in acres.

1 Jour = 160 Verges de 16 pieds de Saint-Lambert (measurement of reference on the cadastre)
1 Verge carrée de 16 pieds de Saint-Lambert=21,80 m²
160 Verges = 3,488 m²
6.25 jour = 21,800 m² = 5.39 acres

The cadastre or land register sheet with the different categories of land and their use. The declarants on the land register were not necessarily the owners.

Jeanne cultivated 5 and a half jour = 19.184 m² = 4.74 acres of arable land planting in three cycles. The first season she planted rye, the second oats, and the third the field lay fallow to allow it to become more fertile. She tended a garden of half a jour = 1,744 m² = 0.43 acres. A meadow of a quarter jour = 872 m² = 0.22 acres produced 750 bales of hay. She also had the use of a communal pasture.

The death of Jeanne NEU

Jeanne died on 9 March 1783 less than a month before her son Pierre married. She was buried the following day in the cemetery of Rodange in the presence of witnesses including her son Henri FOURNELLE and her son-in-law Laurent THIRION who signed her burial record. Per this record, she was 60 years old. This cannot be confirmed as her baptismal record has not been found. The record included interesting information about her occupation. Jeanne was a fermière (farmer) for the Baron d’HUART.33

1783 Death and Burial Record for Jeanne Neu, widow of Pierre Fournelle. Image courtesy of FamilySearch

Baron Jean-François-Henri-Gérard d’HUART, known as Baron Henri d’HUART, died 1 January 1781 two years before Jeanne.34 His son Charles-Elisabeth-François, known as Charles, inherited the forges of Lasauvage and Herserange and was likely the owner of the land in Rodange that was farmed by Jeanne NEU at the time of her death.

My 5th great-grandmother Jeanne NEU worked the land for eighteen years following the death of her husband Pierre FOURNELLE, raising her family of eight to become fine members of the community.

In 1795 at the beginning of the French rule in Luxembourg, the church of Rodange was desecrated and closed. An upright man stood up to save what could be saved. Jeanne’s oldest son, Jacques FOURNELLE, bought the church furniture for 6 francs in a public auction on 23 January 1800. He later gave back the altar, communion bench, and pews to the church.35

This article completes the series on the FOURNELLE family from the 1600s to 2005 when my maternal grandmother Marie Marcelle FOURNELLE died. The complete list of FOURNELLE articles can be found in The FOURNELLE Book.

Genealogy Sketch

Name: Pierre FOURNELLE
Parents: Jean FOURNEL and Jeanne BERKIN
Spouse: Jeanne NEU
Parents of spouse: Henri NEU and Madeleine BACLESSE
Whereabouts: Rodange and Athus
Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: 5th great-grandparents

1. Pierre FOURNELLE and Jeanne NEU
2. Pierre FOURNELLE and Marianne SCHMIT
3. André FOURNELLE and Marie Catherine PHILIPPART
4. André FOURNELLE and Odile Lucie SCHLOESSER
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

A change of plans

With this post, I’ve completed half of my maternal fifth great-grandparents. Next week, I’d like to talk to you about why the second half are being put on hold.

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

  1. Archives départementales de Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), browsable images of microfilm collection of parish and civil records (online http://www.archives.cg54.fr/), Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 200 of 328. New terms of use: En application du règlement sur la réutilisation des données publiques adopté par le conseil départemental de Meurthe-et-Moselle (délibération de sa commission permanente n°17, en date du 16 janvier 2017), je m’engage à mentionner la source du document téléchargé (Arch. dép. de Meurthe-et-Moselle, [suivi de la cote complète]), en cas de réutilisation. 1743 Pierre Fournelle and Jeanne Neu marriage record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f070323 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  2. Belgique, Luxembourg, Registres paroissiaux, 1618-1868, (images), FamilySearch (original records at België Nationaal Archief, Brussels / Belgium National Archives, Brussels), Paroisse d’Aubange (Luxembourg) > Film #619924 DGS #007944121 > Baptêmes 1729-1783 Mariages 1729-1776 Sépultures 1729-1776 > Image 342 of 605. 1743 Death Record – age about 60 years (right, middle). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS5T-F?i=341&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  3. Ibid., Paroisse d’Aubange (Luxembourg) > Film #619924 DGS #007944121 > Baptêmes 1729-1783 Mariages 1729-1776 Sépultures 1729-1776 > Image 342+343 of 605. 1743 Marriage Record, part 1 (right, bottom). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS5T-F?i=341&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017) and Marriage Record, part 2 (left, top). (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-FS55-K?i=342&cat=74664 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  4. Geschichte. In: T’Hémecht. Die kirchlichen Kunstdenkmäler des Dekanats Esch, 1 April 1957, p. 124. [Digitised by the National Library of Luxembourg, https://persist.lu/ark:70795/cm0nrp2xp/pages/126/articles/DTL1191%5D ↩
  5. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 187 of 328. 1744 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st full entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f067fe6 : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  6. Luxembourg, registres paroissiaux, 1601-1948 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 6 of 102. 1770 Marriage Record (page 4, bottom entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WS-3NZG?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W32%3A1501084779%2C1501084780 : accessed 25 December 2019). ↩
  7. Diözesanarchiv Luxemburg / Archives diocésaines Luxembourg (images), Matricula Online, http://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/, Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (citing original records in the Luxembourg Diocesan Archives, Luxembourg City), GV.MF 122; GV.MF 166, Rodange, KB 10, image 61 of 63 . 1817 Death/Burial Entry. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/rodingen/KB-02-10/?pg=61 : accessed 2 November 2021). ↩
  8. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Herserange > 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 491 of 529. 1746 Baptismal Record (left page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b53808b424f : accessed 3 September 2020). ↩
  9. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 58 of 108. 1786 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3FYM?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  10. Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1199 of 1497. 1818 Death Record No. 67. Note: His wife was the informant but her name and age were omitted. She did not sign and a remark was included about her not being able to write. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12304-174226-37?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 22 August 2013). ↩
  11. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 179 of 328. 1748 Baptismal Record (top, right). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f063157 : accessed 24 November 2017). ↩
  12. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 35 of 108. 1783 Marriage Record. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32463-14058-91?cc=2037955 : accessed 13 November 2015). ↩
  13. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1190 of 1497. 1816 Death Record No. 13. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-1045-93?cc=1709358&wc=M9M6-LZB:n289380544 : accessed 23 March 2010). ↩
  14. Diözesanarchiv Luxemburg, GV.MF 122; GV.MF 166, Rodange, KB 10, image 61 of 63. 1816 Death/Burial Entry. (https://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/rodingen/KB-02-10/?pg=61 : accessed 2 November 2021). ↩
  15. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 154 of 328. 1751 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f050c9d : accessed 3 September 2020). ↩
  16. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 6 of 108. 1779 Marriage Record (right). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3F56?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  17. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1343 of 1497. 1837 Death Record No. 24. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-3304-1?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 30 March 2010). ↩
  18. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 138 of 328. 1754 Baptismal Record (right page, 1st entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f048b6b : accessed 3 September 2020). ↩
  19. Belgique, Luxembourg, Church Records, Paroisse de Halanzy (Luxembourg) > Baptêmes 1658-1803 Mariages 1682-1803 Sépultures 1674-1803 > image 317 of 615. “.” 1787 Marriage Record (right page, top).(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLF-KH5B?i=316&cat=80875 : accessed 14 November 2021). ↩
  20. Luxembourg Civil Records, Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 1268 of 1497. 1827 Death Record No. 20. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12304-173693-14?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed 30 March 2010). ↩
  21. Ibid., Pétange > Naissances 1878-1886 Mariages 1796-1890 Décès 1796-1858 > image 558 of 1497. 1831 Marriage Record No. 3; online https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12305-3-52?cc=1709358&wc=M9QN-BMX:n289380544 : accessed ‎29 Mar ‎2010. ↩
  22. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 115 of 328. 1757 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f03be8d : accessed 5 September 2020). ↩
  23. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 29 of 108. 1782 Marriage Record (left, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3NMF?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : 9 January 2015). ↩
  24. Ibid., Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 37 of 108. 1783 Death Record (4th entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3F1J?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  25. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Mont-Saint-Martin > 1793-1832 > 5 Mi 382/R 3 > image 250 of 695. 1813 Death Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10eb9defa/54aebba08fc0f : accessed 4 November 2020). ↩
  26. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 92 of 328. 1760 Baptismal Record (right page, 2nd entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f03087c : accessed 5 September 2020). ↩
  27. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes 1767-1777, 1779-1796, confirmations 1791, mariages 1767-1777, 1779-1795, sépultures 1767-1777, 1779-1797 > image 54 of 102. 1788 Baptismal Record (left page, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3FGV?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W32%3A1501084779%2C1501084780 : accessed 5 Novembr 2020). ↩
  28. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange > 1743-1791 > 5 Mi 259/R 3 > image 74 of 328. 1763 Baptismal Record (left page, bottom entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3ebca/54b536f0278ad : accessed 5 September 2020). ↩
  29. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 95 of 108. 1792 Baptismal Record (right, bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-3F68?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : acessed 26 November 2017). ↩
  30. Archives Meurthe-et-Moselle, Herserange 1668-1773 > 5 Mi 259/R 1 > image 416 of 529. 1765 Death Record (left page, 1st complete entry). (http://archivesenligne.archives.cg54.fr/ark:/33175/s0054ad10ea3e74c/54b538087141a : accessed 8 July 2020). ↩
  31. Dénombrements des feux, aides et subsides 1473-1806, FamilySearch (Digitial copy of the microfilm of originals in Archives de l’Etat, Luxembourg. Censuses of hearths found in dwellings in the Duchy of Luxembourg for taxation purposes), Regime A, section 14: cadastre de Marie-Thérèse 1767, Film 2271568, DGS 8014687, liasse 60 (Rodange, La Madeleine), images 273 and 274 of 689. No. 17 Janne Neye veuve de Pierre Fournelle laboureuse demeurante à Rodange.(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSX4-K96W-9?i=273&cat=1152016 : accessed 25 February 2019). ↩
  32. Ernest Gravy, Comment comptaient nos ancêtres, published in 1989. (http://www.patrimoinepreslois.be/ernest-gravy-et-le-patrimoine-preslois-asbl/dossiers/comment-comptaient-nos-ancetres : accessed 15 November 2021) ↩
  33. Luxembourg Church Records, Rodange > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 37 of 108. 1783 Death Record (right page, first entry). Note: age at death 60 years. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WS-3F1J?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-W3G%3A1501084779%2C1500913302 : accessed 14 November 2015). ↩
  34. Jules Mersch, Biographie nationale du pays de Luxembourg Les barons d’Huart, (Biographie nationale du pays de Luxembourg ; vol. 9, fasc. 17), p. 232, 247. ↩
  35. Gremling, Ferd. “Pfarrei Rodange Im Werden Und Wachsen.” Fête Du 150e Anniversaire De La Paroisse: 1808-1958 / Paroisse Rodange, published 1958, p. 31. ↩

Agnes BOUR alias HEITZ and Johannes HAMES of Mamer

Agnes BOUR alias HEITZ (1755-1836)

On 29 October 1755 twin girls were born in Luxembourg in the town of Septfontaines.1 Maria Catherina and Agnes were the daughters of Nicolas HEITZ and Anna Catharina RONAS. Agnes was my fifth great-grandmother and her parents my sixth great-grandparents.

1755 Baptismal Records of Maria Catharina BOUR and Agnes BOUR

In Maria Catharina’s baptismal record the priest gave her parents’ names as Nicolai BOUR alias HEITZ and Anna Catharina RONAS. In Agnes’ record, he wrote Nicolai HEITZ and Anna Catharina BOUR alias RONAS. The difference in how the names are listed is due to the use of the house name BOUR. In the first record, it’s associated with the father while in the second it’s associated with the mother.

The twins were the first children of Anna Catharina RONAS and Nicolas HEITZ who married on 6 February 1755.2 However, these girls were not Anna Catharina’s first children. She was the widow of Dominique MAMER with whom she had eight children. Dominique died on 20 May 1753 in Septfontaines.3 Anna Catharina and her first husband’s house name was BOUR. Her second husband Nicolas HEITZ would also be known by the same house name (BOUR alias HEITZ or HEITZ domo BOUR) in later records.

A view of the castle of Septfontaines

Following the births of the twins, Anna Catharina had four more children with Nicolas. In all, she had a dozen children between 1741 and 1762.

In 1766 Maria Theresa of Austria implemented the first modern cadastre and census in a large part of the territories under the rule of the House of Habsburg. This included Luxembourg, along with Belgium, a part of the Netherlands.

The household of Nicolas HEITZ in Septfontaines in the 1766 census.

Nicolas HEITZ was found on the 1766 census with his wife Anna Catharina, her two sons Antoine and Dominique MAMER from her first marriage, and their daughters Agnes, Maria Catharina, and Marie HEITZ.4 They were living in Septfontaines in the Bourhouse near the pond.  A complete history of the house can be found in a book on the house and family history of Septfontaines for the years 1654-1985.5 Anna Catharina’s father Leonardus RONAS, a stonemason and builder, was mentioned as early as 1713 in a Septfontaines record.6

This line is of special interest to me as Agnes HEITZ and her mother Anna Catharina RONAS are my matrilineal ancestors. The continuation of my mitochondrial DNA line is stuck at this point as the name of the wife of Leonardus RONAS is unknown to me at this time.

Johannes HAMES (c1756-1826)

Town sign of Schoenfels (Schëndels in Luxembourgish) with a partial view of the church in the distance.

On 15 October 1755 Jacob HAMES of Schoenfels and Magdalena MATHIEU of Septfontaines were married in the chapel of Schoenfels Castle.7 They were my sixth great-grandparents.

Schoenfels Castle in the village of Schoenfels in the Mamer Valley between Kopstal and Mersch

Jacob and Magdalena would make their home in Mamer from at least 1759. The baptismal dates and godparents of nine of their children born between 1759 and 1776 are recorded in the alphabetical family group register of births/baptisms and marriages for Mamer.8 Actual baptismal records for this time period are missing.

Two pages out of the Family Register of the Paris of Mamer with the Hames-Mathieu and Hames-Heitz families

Their oldest son Johannes born after their marriage in 1755 and before 1759 appears to have been added as an afterthought in the entry but without a baptismal/birth date. Following Jacob and Magdalena’s family group there is an entry for my fifth great-grandfather Johannes, his wife, and their children. In Latin the compiler added filius praedictorum conjugum, indicating Johannes was the son of the couple in the previous entry.

Although my fourth great-grandfather Michel TRAUSCH indicated his father-in-law Johannes HAMES was born in Mamer when he reported his death in 1826, I think it unlikely. Baptismal records for Septfontaines, where his mother hailed, and Mersch (the parish Schoenfels was part of), where his father was from, have been checked without avail. Could his parents have been on the move after the marriage and before they settled in Mamer?

As Jacob and Magdalena were having children in Mamer, their household on the census would include their oldest son Johannes as well as Nicolas, Catherine, Willibrod, and Anton who were all born before 1766. The last two have been found in records after 1766. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to locate the Mamer census for 1766 in the browse-only collection on FamilySearch. As I understand Mamer was part of the Decanat Mersch which I have looked through several times.

Johannes and Agnes likely met as children

Although the 1766 listing for the HAMES family in Mamer wasn’t found, Johannes HAMES’ maternal grandmother was. Marie Jeanne ENDRÉ, the mother of Magdalena MATHIEU and the widow of Mathias MATHIEU, was living with her son Jean MATHIEU in Septfontaines next door to Nicolas HEITZ and Anna Catharina RONAS.

This means my fifth great-grandmother Agnes HEITZ was living next door to the grandmother of her future husband Johannes HAMES and they likely knew each other as children.

An aside concerning Marie Jeanne ENDRÉ

Johannes HAMES’ grandmother Marie Jeanne ENDRÉ came from Marienthal to Septfontaines in 1722 when she married Mathias MATHIEU alias BODEN. Their first child’s godmother was Ursula de Manteville, a religious lady from the convent of Marienthal. At that time, Marie-Catherine de Manteville was the prioress of the convent.

Former Abbey Marienthal

Marie Jeanne’s parents are at this time unknown. Could this connection to the convent, founded in the 13th century for daughters of nobility, mean she was of nobility, a convert, or only a servant? Will further research lead to records with her parents’ names?

Agnes and Johannes marry in 1785

1785 Marriage Record of “Joannes Hames” and “Agnes Heutz”

Agnes HEITZ married Johannes HAMES on 18 January 1785 in Mamer.9 Two weeks short of their first wedding anniversary their first child was born followed by five others in ten years.

The children of Johannes and Agnes

Willibrodus was born 4 January 1786. He was baptized the following day with Willibrod HAMES of Mamer and Catharina TRAUSCH, wife of Anton MANGEL of the Koerich quarry, being named as his godparents.10 Willibrodus died less than a month later on 30 January.11

Susanne was born 28 December 1786 at 6 o’clock in the morning. She was baptized the same day with Susanna MULLER, the wife of Wilhelm MAMER of Septfontaines, and Anton HAMES of Mamer serving as her godparents.12

Catharina was born 16 May 1789 and baptized the following day. Her godparents were Catharina HAMES and Joannes GOEDERS both of Mamer.13

Antonius was born 22 December 1790 at 2 o’clock in the morning and baptized the same day. His godparents were Anton MAMER of the Koerich quarry and Maria HINTGEN, wife of Nicolas KNEPPER of Mamer.14 Antonius died at the age of two years on 20 December 1792.15

Petrus was born 14 September 1792 and baptized the same day in the presence of his godparents Peter HEBER of Mamer and Maria BRAUSCH, wife of Willibrod HAMES of Bertrange.16 Petrus died at the age of a year on 10 October 1793.17

Baltasar was born 29 January 1795. He was baptized the same day with Baltasar WAGENER and Catharina FREYMAN both of Mamer being his godparents.18

Only the girls survived to marry

Susanne and Catharina grew up with their little brother Baltasar. Sadly, he died at the age of nearly 19 years on 4 January 1814 in Mamer.19

A year later on 11 January 1815, my 4th great-grand aunt Susanne married Michel KOLBACH, the half-brother of my 3rd great-grandfather Johannes FRANTZ. Michel was the son of my 4th great-grandmother Susanne KIEFFER (1754-1808) and her first husband Michel KOLBACH (1748-1796). The groom’s parents were both deceased. The bride’s parents, as well as two of her paternal uncles, were present at the marriage.20

The connections between the Hames, Trausch, and Kolbach families

Catharina, my fourth-great-grandmother, likely lived alone with her parents for two years following her sister’s marriage. Like her sister Susanne, she married a man named Michel whose parents were both deceased. Michel TRAUSCH, son of Remacle TRAUSCH and Theresia BRAUN (also seen as COLLING), married Catharina HAMES on 18 February 1817. Her parents Johannes and Agnes were present at the marriage as well as her brother-in-law Michel KOLBACH.21:

The family grows as grandchildren are born

Susanne gave Agnes and Johannes six grandchildren between 1816 and 1827, five granddaughters and a grandson. The two youngest granddaughters did not live past the age of 2 and 4 years. The four older grandchildren all married and continued the KOLBACH line.

Catharina gave Agnes and Johannes seven grandchildren between 1818 and 1829. Six granddaughters and a grandson. The oldest and the youngest died as infants. The grandson was last seen in 1855 with his parents – no trace of him has been found thereafter. The three oldest granddaughters married and had children. The youngest granddaughter never married and died at the age of 73 years in 1900.

Johannes and Agnes lived long lives

Johannes HAMES did not live to see the births of his three youngest grandchildren. He died on 13 May 1826 in Mamer at two o’clock in the morning at the age of 71 years. His death was reported by his son-in-law Michel TRAUSCH.22

Agnes HEITZ lived another ten years dying on 23 February 1836 in Mamer at four in the afternoon at the age of 80 years. Her death was also reported by her son-in-law Michel TRAUSCH.23 She was survived by her two daughters, their husbands, and nine grandchildren.

Susanne24 and her husband Michel KOLBACH25 died within a month of each other in 1855 at the ages of 68 and 70. Catharina lived until the age of 75 dying in 1864.26 Her widower Michel TRAUSCH died four years later in 1869.27

I would like to end this post with a very special thank you to my husband for the wonderful photographs he took last week. He planned his 140 kilometer bike ride around the towns where my HEITZ, RONAS, HAMES, and MATTHIEU families lived in the 1700s.

© 2019, 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), Septfontaines > Baptêmes 1735-1797, confirmations 1774-1791, mariages 1738-1797, sépultures 1738-1788 > image 34 of 208. 1755 baptismal records for twins Agnes and Maria Catharina, 3rd and 4th entries on left page. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32463-3785-56?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-4WR:1501152901,1501459884 : accessed 7 June 2015). ↩
  2. ibid., Septfontaines > Baptêmes 1735-1797, confirmations 1774-1791, mariages 1738-1797, sépultures 1738-1788 > image 155 of 208. 1755 Marriage Record, 1st entry on left page. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32463-3700-90?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-4WR:1501152901,1501459884 : accessed 7 June 2015). ↩
  3. Ibid., Septfontaines > Baptêmes 1735-1797, confirmations 1774-1791, mariages 1738-1797, sépultures 1738-1788 > image 194 of 208. 1753 Death Record (left page entry for 20 May 1753). (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32463-4937-58?cc=2037955&wc=STHD-4WR:1501152901,1501459884 : accessed 7 June 2015). ↩
  4. Luxembourg, Dénombrement, 1766 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Archives Générales du Royaume, Bruxelles), Film/DGS 1781981 > Film # 8182018 > Decanat de Mersch v. 2-3 > Septfontaines (paroisse de Septfontaines) > Image 328 of 556. Hietz family including Mamer step-sons. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS21-FQ85-S?i=327&cat=1184675 : accessed 16 January 2018). ↩
  5. Haus- und Familienchronik Simmern 1654-1985, herausgegeben anlässlich des 75. Stiftungsfestes der Feuerwehr Simmern und des Kantonalverbandes Capellen (unter der Schirmherrschaft der Gemeindeverwaltung Simmern), page 75, Nr. 41a. ↩
  6. Ibid., page 15. ↩
  7. Luxembourg Church Records, Mersch > Mariages 1749-1772 > image 19 of 88. 1755 Marriage Record (left page, last entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WS-938P?cc=2037955&wc=STH6-168%3A1500963301%2C1500969860 : acccessed 26 June 2019). ↩
  8. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes 1718-1940, familles alphabétique > image 102 of 375. Jacob Hames and Magdalena Mathieu family group information with 10 children, p. 193-194. (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32402-4-51?cc=2037955 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  9. Ibid., 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). ↩
  10. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 70 of 168. 1786 Baptismal Record (right, 1st entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-92HN?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  11. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 77 of 168. 1786 Death Record (right, 2nd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-92Q2?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  12. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 73 of 168. 1786 Baptismal Record (right, last entry).(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-9KF7?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
  13. 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). ↩
  14. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 114 of 168. 1790 Baptismal Record (left, 1st entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-SKW?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  15. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 149 of 168. 1792 Death Record (left, 3rd entry). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99WM-SN1?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  16. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 139 of 168. 1792 Baptismal Record (bottom left and upper right). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WM-SJV?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  17. Ibid., Mamer > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1779-1793 > image 168 of 168. 1793 Death Record (left, 2nd entry from bottom). (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WM-SXT?cc=2037955&wc=STHZ-C6G%3A1500941501%2C1500913302 : accessed 5 January 2018). ↩
  18. 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 (original records in the Luxembourg Diocesan Archives, Luxembourg City), Microfilm/-fiche GV.MF 356-443, Mamer, KB-01, Heiraten – Sterbefälle – Taufen – 1790 – 1804, page 56, image 30, right page, last entry. 1795 Baptismal Record (right page, last entry). (http://data.matricula-online.eu/de/LU/luxemburg/mamer/KB-01/?pg=30 : accessed 14 May 2019). ↩
  19. 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 644 of 1497. 1814 Death Record No. 1. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-DVK?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 15 January 2018). ↩
  20. Ibid., Mamer > Naissances 1834-1890 Mariages 1796-1837 > image 1259 of 1504. 1815 Marriage Record No. 1. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-61F9-R26?cc=1709358&wc=9RY7-FM9%3A130065401%2C130365601 : accessed 8 October 2015). ↩
  21. Ibid., 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). ↩
  22. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 770 of 1497. 1826 Death Record No. 20. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-639?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
  23. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 874 of 1497. 1836 Death Record No. 6. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-X8M?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 August 2011). ↩
  24. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1119 of 1497. 1855 Death Record No. 15. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-X88?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
  25. Ibid., Mamer > Mariages 1838-1890 Décès 1796-1880 > image 1118 of 1497. 1855 Death Record No. 11. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6XPQ-XXV?cc=1709358&wc=9RY3-VZ9%3A130065401%2C130130201 : accessed 22 December 2017). ↩
  26. 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). ↩
  27. 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). ↩