“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell
Monday morning I had a comment waiting to be approved on my post 52 Ancestors: #16 A Door Opens in the KREMER-WINANDY Brick Wall written nearly two years ago on 21 April 2017. The post on my husband’s 4th great-grandparents had attracted the interest of another researcher showing me once again that blogging is great cousin bait.
In a follow-up comment, I learned Nicolas’ son Anton KREMER (1836-1918) is the common ancestor Elodie shares with my husband. Anton was her 3rd great-grandfather and my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather making them 3C1R (third cousins once removed). Elodie and my children are fourth cousins; their common ancestors are their 3rd great-grandparents Anton KREMER and Anna Maria MERKES. I wrote about this couple in May 2015 in my post 52 Ancestors: #18 The KREMER-MERKES Family of Bettendorf.
Twelve children were born into the KREMER-MERKES family between 1860 and 1878. Only five of these lived to adulthood. Elodie’s ancestor was their oldest child Nicolas born in 1860 while my husband and children descend from the youngest child who lived, also a Nicolas born in 1875. In between, there was Maria born in 1862, Mathias born in 1865, and Peter born in 1869.
When I wrote about the family in May 2015 I knew the elder Nicolas had worked in the mines and died in Rumelange, in southern Luxembourg on the French border, in 1895 at the age of 35. Per his death record, he was the widower of Margaretha NAU. The informants were Nicolas’ bother Mathias KREMER (1865-1945) and their uncle Mathias MERKES (their mother’s youngest brother).1
The only lead I had on Nicolas’ wife was the name found on his death record. I found no marriage in Luxembourg (using Luxracines‘ marriage database) and no children for Nicolas KREMER and Margaretha NAU born in Rumelange where the father worked and died. Records for Luxembourg are not indexed making it difficult to find births of children when families didn’t stay in one place and when the families have not been researched by others. As far as I could tell the elder Nicolas’ line ended with his death.
Elodie’s reaching out to me has solved the mystery of Nicolas KREMER (1860-1895) and has added a twig to the KREMER branch in our family tree.
Nicolas had a son Mathias born on 4 September 1890 to his wife Catharina NAU in Dudelange.2 The name given on Nicolas’ death record for his deceased wife was a mistake. I had searched for a death record for her with the wrong name. Nicolas’ wife Catharina NAU died 7 February 1892 at the age of 21.3 Her son Mathias was only seventeen months old.
1890 Baptismal Record of Mathias Kremer (here seen as Krämer). Image courtesy of Matricula Online.
Mathias was baptized on 7 September 1890. His godparents were his paternal uncle Mathias KREMER and a maternal aunt Anna NAU.4 His baptismal record is annotated with the date and place of his marriage as well as the name of his bride. Mathias married Catharina EICH on 11 December 1919 in Audun-le-Tiche, Moselle, Lorraine, France. The civil records for the département de la Moselle are not yet online for this period. The tables décennales (ten-year lists for BMD) are online and I found the date on the list to be 1 December 1919.5(Something to look into…)
Mathias and Catharina were already parents of a son when they married. Their son Nicolas who was born on 19 November 1919 in Audun-le-Tiche and died in 1992 in Loudun, Vienne, Poitou-Charentes, France. Several GEDCOM files were found on Geneanet that include private living persons listed as siblings of this Nicolas. He had at least seven siblings, six of whom are married with children.6 Nicolas was Elodie’s grandfather.
Thanks to Elodie’s getting in touch through my Facebook page and by commenting on my post, another child of Anton KREMER and Anna Maria MERKES is known to have descendants.
At this time, only the fate of Peter born in 1869 is still unknown. Peter had been working in Esch-sur-Alzette for 18 months per his father’s 1890 census record.7 On the 1895 census record, he was found to be working in France – the actual place is not mentioned on the father’s census record.8 Normally only single children working away from home were listed in the parents’ census records in Luxembourg.
Elodie’s ancestor Nicolas (1860) was also listed as working away from home on his father’s 1890 and 1895 census. As I now know, he was not single at the time of either of the enumerations. When the 1890 census was taken on 1 December 1890 Nicolas was not only on his father’s census record but also enumerated in the Italian neighborhood of Dudelange in his own household with his wife and child. Also in Nicolas’ household was his mother-in-law Margaretha TIMMER who was not at home at the time and in Rumelange for the day on a visit.9
1890 Luxembourg Census for the KREMER-NAU family in Dudelange, Luxembourg.
If Nicolas was on his father’s census record when he should not have been, what does this mean for his brother Peter? Was he single in 1890 and/or in 1895? Could Anton have given information on his sons even though they were married and no longer his responsibility?
Serendipity
Hearing from Elodie not only pushed me to do new research on the KREMER family but also led me to another cousin. While checking FamilySearch for the records of Nicolas’ wife and son the site froze up on me. As I clicked around trying to solve the problem, I noticed a little red dot on the messages icon in the upper right corner. A researcher from Brazil had left a message for me on March 22 and I was only now seeing it two weeks later. Another one of my husband’s distant cousins from a line that had not been researched due to an unknown emigration in the 1820s.
Have you been reaching out to distant cousins or have distant cousins been getting in touch with you lately?
Christophe HASTERT and Barbara SCHMIT did not make it easy to research this set of 5th great-grandparents for my children. To begin with Christophe’s date of birth was not listed on their 1810 marriage record.[1] He was thirty-two years old, born in Grevenmacher, and his parents Mathias HASTERT and Anne NIEDERKORN were day laborers living Hollenfels.
1810 Marriage Record (part 1) for Christophe HASTERT and Barbe SCHMIT [1]
The Groom’s Family
Mathias HASTERT (1750-aft. 1810) and Anne NIEDERKORN (1755- aft. 1810) were the parents of two known children. No births of children were found in Grevenmacher in 1773 to 1777. On 1 April 1777 a daughter Catharina was born.[2] Twenty months later, a son Christianus was born on 13 December 1778.[3] This fits the age and place of birth for Christophe as seen in his marriage record. Were they the same person?
1778 Baptismal Record for Christianus HASTERT [3]Both of the HASTERT-NIEDERKORN children were born in Grevenmacher, the town the father Mathias was born in on 25 January 1750.[4] Although I have been able to find more information on the next generation back, I did not find a marriage record for Mathias and Anne. I suspected the family may have done some moving around after Christophe’s birth. How could I prove my suspicions and would any records found help to learn more about Christian/Christophe’s parents?
Let’s Analyze the Marriage Record
Christophe HASTERT married Barbara SCHMIT on 28 November 1810 in Nommern in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The groom’s father Mathias was present and consenting to the marriage. Down at the bottom of the marriage record were four witnesses. The fourth was a young man named Philippe HASTERT age 25 and from Mühlenbach.[1]
1810 Marriage Record (part 3) for Christophe HASTERT and Barbe SCHMIT [1]
Who was Philippe HASTERT?
Mühlenbach is part of the commune of Eich. This is on the outskirts of Luxembourg City and quite large compared to the towns and villages I have been researching. I took the chance that if he was living there in November 1810 he may, in time, also marry there. Surprisingly, I found Philippe married earlier in 1810. His parents were listed as Mathias HASTERT and Anne NIEDERKORN of Hollenfels, both present and consenting to the marriage which took place on 3 March 1810.[5] Christophe was not present or a witness to the marriage. The parents’ names and place of residence confirmed Philippe and Christophe were brothers. Did this help in locating other siblings?
Philippe was born 29 September 1784 in Dudelange.[6] His baptismal record was enlightening. Mathias HASTERT was listed as militis incliti Regimis Kaunitz. Did this mean Mathias was in Franz Wenzel von Kaunitz-Rietberg’s infantry regiment? Being in the militia would explain his not remaining in Grevenmacher were his parents were from. Christian, as Christophe was seen in his baptismal record, was born in 1778 and Philippe in 1784. Six years in which one or two children could be missing. And for the years following Philippe’s birth until his marriage, where did the family live? This question will remain to be answered.
Getting Back to the Marriage Record
Christophe’s bride Barbara SCHMIT was the daughter of Jean SCHMIT (1752-1810) and Maria LENTZ (1759-1824) of Nommern. Barbara was born on 4 December 1783 in Schrondweiler, a part of the commune of Nommern.[7] Her father was not present at the marriage on the 28 November 1810 as he had died only four days earlier.[8]
1810 Marriage Record (part 2) for Christophe HASTERT and Barbe SCHMIT [1]In the last paragraph seen in this part of the marriage record above, the banns were read on November 11 and November 18 which shows the wedding was planned before the bride’s father passed away.
Barbara’s parents had been married only a little more than three months when she was born.[9] She was the first of nine children born to them. Four of these died very young and only two of Barbara’s sisters are known to have married.
Only Daughters Born to the Couple
Christophe and Barbara were the parents of five daughters. Their not having sons makes it all the more difficult to follow possible descendants who may have already researched the family.
Ch 1: Anna Catharina was born on 15 December in Schrondweiler[10]
Ch 2: Catharina was born 16 July 1815 in Niederglabach[11]
Ch 3: Susanna was born 17 May 1818 in Niederglabach[12]
Ch 4: Apollonia was born 31 March 1821 in Niederglabach[13]
Ch 5: Margaretha was born 30 October 1823 in Niederglabach[14]
The girls’ maternal grandmother Maria LENTZ lived long enough to witness their births. She died on 4 April 1824 in Oberglabach.[15] Niederglabach, Oberglabach, and Schrondweiler were parts of the commune of Nommern.
Christophe and Barbara lost their youngest daughter Margaretha on 22 March 1827 at the age of nearly three and a half years.[16] Five years later their oldest daughters began to marry.
Within ten years of each other three of the daughters of Barbara and Christophe married. Their oldest daughter Anna Catharina HASTERT married Peter MERKES (1805-1867) on 28 February 1832 in Nommern.[17] Anna Catharina and Peter were my children’s fourth great-grandparents. Their story: 52 Ancestors: #35 MERKES-HASTERT Family – Back to School or Back to Work?.
Barbara and Christophe’s second daughter Catharina married Johann Nicolas STROESSER on 19 January 1836 in Nommern.[18] Their third daughter Susanna married Johann RITGEN on 10 August 1841 in Nommern.[19]
The Family Moves to Oberglabach
In 1832 and in 1836 when the first two daughters married Christophe and Barbara were living in Niederglabach. At some time before the 1841 marriage of their daughter Susanna their residence changed to Oberglabach.
On 16 December 1843 when the census[20] was taken in Oberglabach as expected we see Christophe and Barbara with their only single daughter, Apollonia, living at home. However, their married daughter Susanna was listed as well as a young boy named Nicolas RITGEN who was born in 1842 in Useldange. The birth record confirms he was Susanna’s son. The whereabouts of her husband are unknown.
On the 6 December 1846 census[21] Apollonia age 24 was still living with her parents Christophe and Barbara in Oberglabach. Susanna was no longer in the household.
Apollonia HASTERT married Joseph GALLION (1823-1854) on 26 September 1847 in Nommern.[22] She and her husband remained in her parents home and were seen with them on the 31 December 1847 census.[23] The enumerator omitted the location on this census record. The grandson Nicolas RITGEN who had been with his mother in Christophe’s household in 1843 was listed but then marked out.
On the December 1849 census[24] no distinction was made between Niederglabach and Oberglabach and we see only that Christophe and Barbara were living in Gladbach. Apollonia, her husband Joseph, and their nine months old son Nicolas were living in the home as a second family.
Apollonia had another son six months before the 31 December 1851 census.[25] He was listed with the same name as his three years old brother Nicolas. They were living with their parents in their maternal grandparents’ home in Oberglabach. This would be the last time Christophe would be seen on the census. He died on 1 October 1852. His death was reported by Peter LENTZ, a relative of his wife Barbara.[26]
Lenzen House in Oberglabach
In December 1852 the widowed Barbara SCHMIT was living in the household of her son-in-law Joseph GALLION and daughter Apollonia. The two sons were both identified as Nicolas.[27]
Barbara and Christophe’s daughter Susanna at some time went to Paris as she died there on 22 May 1854.[28] Not only Susanna but also Apollonia’s husband Joseph GALLION died while in Paris. Joseph was a mason living in the 9th arrondisement in impasse Putigneux No. 2 and died at 7 in the evening of 1 July 1854 at Parvis Nôtre Dame No. 4.[29]
The address Joseph died at is likely that of Paris’ Hôtel Dieu hospital which is on the square of the Nôtre Dame. Joseph’s death record was acquired in 1860 and recorded in the Nommern death register at the time of his widow’s remarriage. The records for Paris for the years prior to 1860 are missing however some have substitutes in the form of cards with the name, date, and arrondisement. Susanna’s card indicates she also died in the 9th arrondisement. Could she have also been a patient in the hospital? During 1854 there was a cholera epidemic within the walls of the city of Paris.
On 1 December 1858 the widowed Apollonia was the head of household with her three sons and her mother Barbara SCHMIT.[30] Since the 1852 census the house they were living in was named Lenzen. This was very likely the home of Barbara’s mother’s LENTZ family.
1858 Luxembourg Census sheet for the Lenzen house and its occupants.[30]The name GALLION is seen (above) as GALGON. Last week while working on the marriages in the 52 Ancestors: #18 The Merckes-Wagener Family of Bettendorf, one of the Merckes sons married a GALION lady. Her name was also seen in some records as GALGON. There may even be a connection between these two individuals who married into the Merckes and Hastert families.
Apollonia married Johann SCHAUS (1830-1869) on 29 December 1860 in Nommern.[31] It was at the time of this marriage that the death record of her first husband was sent for in Paris and recorded in the death register of Nommern.
Luxembourg, Registres d’état civil, 1662-1941 (images), FamilySearch (original records at Luxembourg National Archives, Plateau du Saint-Esprit, Luxembourg), Nommern > Décès 1849-1890 > image 84 of 341. An extract of the French civil record found in the 1860 Nommern death register. (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6PXS-453?cc=1709358&wc=9RYQ-GPD%3A130145901%2C130066702 : accessed 8 May 2017).
Barbara SCHMIT continued to live with her daughter Apollonia in the Lenzen house until death. She died at 3 in the afternoon on 29 August 1861 in the home. The death was reported by her new son-in-law Johann SCHAUS. Johann, or the official who recorded the death, incorrectly gave the place of residence of Johann as Niederglabach but correctly noted Lenzen house being in Oberglabach.[32]
Apollonia remained in the Lenzen house after her mother’s death. She gave her second husband two sons, a third was stillborn. Johann SCHAUS died in 1869[33] leaving her to raise her sons on her own. She died on 30 October 1878. Her death was reported by her son Jean GALLION.[34]
Ten years later the oldest daughter of Christophe and Barbara, Anna Catharina HASTERT, died on 9 May 1888 in Rumelange.[35]
None of the daughters had children who carried on the HASTERT name. Their children were born with the surnames MERKES, RITGEN, GALLION, and SCHAUS. Catharina, the second oldest daughter, married a STROESSER but nothing has been found for her after her marriage. Were there also grandchildren with the STROESSER surname? If you know of any, please get in touch.
Week 35 (August 27 – September 2) – School Days:Many kids have returned to school by this time. What do you know about your ancestors’ school days? Do you have any yearbooks? Have you found him or her in a local school census? (Certainly nobody knows about any senior pranks they pulled )
A School Teacher for the MERKES Children
On 1 September 1863 Jean THOMES, the mayor of Bastendorf, placed an advertisement in the Der Wächter an der Sauer for a teaching job in Bastendorf, Luxembourg. Adam (14) and Mathias (12), the youngest sons of Peter and Anna Catharina MERKES-HASTERT, may still have been going to school at this time.
Concurs am 2. September nächsthin, Vormittags halb neun Uhr im Schulgebäude zu Diekirch, für die Lehrerstelle der Knabenschule zu Bastendorf, mit welcher: a) Ein jährlicher fixer Gehalt von Fr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 b) Die Schulgebühren der nicht schulpflichtigen Kinder von circa Fr. . .50 c) Eine freie geräumige Wohnung und d) Das Holzrecht verbunden sind. Bastendorf, am 21 August 1863. Der Bürgermeister: Jean Thomes.
Advertisement for a new teacher [1]Competition
On September 2next, in the morninghalf past eightclockin the school buildingin Diekirch, for theteaching jobof theboys’ schooltoBastendorfwhich includes: a)An annualfixedsalary ofFr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600 b) Theschool feesof (non-compulsory) childrenof approximatelyFr. . . . 50 c) A freeandspacious dwelling d) The right to collect firewood Bastendorf, on 21 August1863rd The Mayor: JeanThomes.
In the three-quarters of a century before World War II onlythree teacherstaught school in the village due to the goodconditions offered them. The teacher hired in 1863 very likely was the first of the three. Mr. Hermes, who was the school teacher in 1949, had been teaching in Bastendorf since 1916. During the time he held school in Bastendorf the town was hard-hit by the Germans – twice, during both world wars.
The Rundstedt or Ardennes Offensive ended on 19 January 1945 for the people of Bastendorf leaving their town in ruins. The Bastendorfers’ once beautiful “village Cathedral” as they thought of their church was disfigured, leaving only the church tower standing. The school building which hardly differed fromastable was in ruins. It took nearly five years to rebuild the damaged buildings. A new church and school building were inaugurated on Sunday, 28 August 1949. The new school building was a modern promise to the children of the town.
Pierre “Peter” MERKES was born at one o’clock in the afternoon of Tuesday, 10 September 1805 in Bettendorf to Nicolas MERKES (b. 1763) and Magdalena WAGENER (b. abt. 1773). His father was 40 years old at the time, a farmer, and was able to sign his name on the birth record.[2] Peter was the 6th of a dozen children.
Anna Catharina HASTERT 1810-1888
Christope Haster
Anna Catharina HASTERT was born at three o’clock in the morning of Saturday, 15 December 1810 in Niederglabach, commune of Nommern, to Christophe HASTER(T) (1778-1852) and Barbara “Barbe” SCHMIT (1784-1861). Her father was 35 years old, a day laborer, and was able to sign his name on the birth record.[3] I have not researched Anna Catharina’s siblings.
Peter and Anna Catharina Marry in Nommern
On Tuesday 28 February 1832 in Nommern a marriage took place between Peter MERKES and Anna Catharina HASTERT. Peter was 27 years old, a tailor (Schneider) and lived in Bettendorf. Anna Catharina was 22 years old, a day laborer (Taglöhnerin) and lived in Niederglabach. The parents of the bride and groom were present and consenting to the marriage. Banns had been proclaimed on Sunday the 12th and 19th of February in Bettendorf and Nommern. Four witnesses from Schrondweiler and Nommern were present. Their relationship to the bridal couple was not given. The groom and his father signed their names to the marriage record. The bride, mother of the bride and the mother of the groom declared not being able to write and did not sign.[4]
Peter MerkesNicolas Merkes
The inability of the ladies present to sign their names to the marriage record in 1832 makes me wonder when girls were allowed and/or required to attend school. The 1863 advertisement seen above was for a boys’ school and children who were not required to attend school had to pay for their attendance.
The Children of Peter and Anna Catharina
Peter and Anna Catharina’ s first child was born 10 months after their marriage. Barbara, also called Barbe, was born on 21 December 1832 in Niederglabach in the commune of Nommern.[5] Sometime after her birth the family moved to Obereissenbach in the commune of Hosingen where their second child, Anna Maria (1835-1920) was born on 14 August 1835.[6] The family of four then moved to Bastendorf were the rest of the children were born. The move must have taken place when Anna Catharina was expecting her third child as the 1851 census indicates the family had lived in Bastendorf for 12 years. Their third child, Nicolas MERKES was born on 17 November 1838 in Bastendorf[7] and died there on 30 December 1838.[8] Two more children were born before the 1843 census: Pierre on 27 October 1839[9] and Marie, also known as Margaretha, on 26 April 1842.[10]
On 16 December 1843 Pierre, his wife “Catharine” and their children Barbe, Pierre, and Marie were enumerated on the census taken in Bastendorf.[11] Their daughter Anna Maria who was 8 years old at the time was not listed with the family. Was this an omission or was Anna Maria visiting with her grandparents? I have not done census work on the parents of Pierre or Anna Catharina.
Mathias MERKES was born 18 July 1846[12] and was listed with his parents Pierre and “Catherine” on the 24 December 1846 census along with his siblings Pierre, “Anne Marie” and “Marguerite”.[13] His sister Barbe was 12 years old and working as a servant for farmer Pierre Steichen and living with his family.[14] It is not unusual to see the given names written in French on one census and in German the next time.
Little Mathias died at the age of 2 years on 11 November 1848 in Bastendorf.[15] By the time the next census was taken on 3 December 1849[16] another son Adam had been born to Pierre and Anna Catharina on 5 July 1849.[17] The MERKES-HASTERT household included father Pierre, mother “Cath.” and children Pierre, Adam, Barbe, and Marie. Their 14 years old daughter Anna Maria was not with the family and has not been located in another household.
On 7 October 1851 Pierre and Anna Catharina’s 8th and youngest child, a son, was born.[18] They named him Mathias after their 6th child who died in 1848.
On 31 December 1851 the MERKES-HASTERT household included father Pierre, mother Anne Cathérine, and children Pierre, Adam, Mathias, Barbe, Anna Marie, and Marie.[19] A peculiarity of the census, also seen in other years, was the listing of the sons in order of birth followed by the daughters in order of birth. A remark was added concerning Anna Marie – she was absent from home and working as a servant in Tandel, a neighboring village.
On 2 December 1852 when the census was taken Pierre and Anna Catherine had 5 of their 6 living children living at home: Pierre, Adam, Mathias, Barbe, and Marie.[20] Anna Maria was not living at home and her location at the time is unknown.
In 1855 the MERKES-HASTERT family appears to have been missed when the census was taken on 3 December. Their oldest son Pierre was found in the Schroeder-Schütz household. He was 16 years old and working as a shepherd (berger).[21]
The first grandchild was born on the last day of 1856 in Bastendorf. The oldest daughter Barbe who was 23 years old gave birth to an illegitimate son she named Johann. The grandfather Pierre did not wait for the New Year to have the birth registered. The child was born at 6 o’clock in the evening and Pierre met with the Johann Thomes, the mayor, an hour later.[22]
By 3 December 1858 the oldest son Pierre had “disappeared” from the MERKES-HASTERT household and from Bastendorf. His brothers Adam and Mathias were still at home with their parents who were also keeping Barbe’s young son “Jean”[23] while his mother was in the Fonck-Bourg household in a house called Mühlen and working as a servant.[24]
Pierre and Anna Catharina’s second daughter was also missing from the 1858 census but she did not disappear like her brother Pierre. On 1 September 1859 Anna Maria MERKES married Anton KREMER (1836-1918) in Bettendorf.[25] Anna Maria could not sign her name on her marriage record. Could this mean she did not attend school?
Barbe and her son “Jean” were living with her parents on 3 December 1861 in the MERKES-HASTERT household along with her brothers Adam and Mathias.[26] The household remained the same on 3 December 1864[27] with the exception of Adam who was living with the Kremer-Zenner widow and working as a house servant (domestique).[28]
Peter and Anna Catharina’s third daughter Marie “Margaretha” MERKES had also been missing from MERKES-HASTERT household since being enumerated with them in 1852. She was once again found when she married Dominique “Dominik” HEUARDT (1836- ) on 3 May 1865 in Bastendorf.[29] As was the case for her sister Anna Maria, Marie could not sign her name on her marriage record.
The next marriage in the family was on 7 January 1867 in Bastendorf. The oldest daughter Barbe MERKES married Nicolas KELLER (1837-1878).[30] Her son Jean MERKES was not mentioned on their marriage record and his surname remained MERKES. As was the case for her sisters Anna Maria and Marie, Barbe could not sign her name on her marriage record. Did the girls in this family not attend school because their parents could not afford to pay the school fees?
Not long after Barbe married, her father Pierre “Peter” MERKES died on 22 February 1867 in Bastendorf.[31] He left his wife, three married daughters, two unmarried sons, and a son whose whereabouts are unknown.
Whereabouts of the Family After the Father’s Death
On the 3 December 1867 census the mother of this family was seen as Anna Maria HASTERT and had in her household son Adam and oldest daughter Barbe, son-in-law Nicolas KELLER, grandchildren Johann MERKES and Margaretha KELLER.[32] Her son Mathias was living in Tandel in the Nicolas KELLEN household and working as a servant (Knecht).[33]
On 1 December 1871 Anna Catharina HASTERT was alone on the census in Bastendorf.[34] Her son Adam and Mathias were listed on the back page as working in Rumelange. This remark came in very handy during further research as Anna Catharina was seen by herself on 1 December 1875.[35]
Very early in my research I called the civil records office in Bastendorf for more information on the MERKES-HASTERT couple. The person on the phone was very helpful but was not able to find the death record in Bastendorf for Anna Catharina HASTERT. At the time all I knew was her daughter Anna Maria was living with her husband Anton KREMER and their children in Bettendorf. I did not know about her other children and had no idea where to search futher.
Nearly twenty years later while preparing to write this post I searched for the all of the birth, marriage, death, and census records. The information on the location of the two youngest sons in 1871 was the breakthrough I needed.
From Rob Deltgen’s site I knew Adam MERKES married Anne Marie KUNNERT on 22 December 1873 in Consthum in the canton of Clervaux.[36] I found their marriage record as well as that of his brother Mathias MERKES who married Susanne KAUFMAN on 11 August 1875 in Bastendorf.[37] Adam and Mathias were both able to sign their names on their marriage records.
Adam Merkes[36]Mathias Merkes[37]Mathias was living in Bastendorf in 1880[38] however his mother, his sister Barbe, and his brother Adam were missing.
The notation on the 1871 census about Adam and Mathias MERKES working in Rumelange brought all the pieces together. It’s a good thing that I checked the Tables Décennales for Rumelange before jumping into the birth and death records. At the very front of the book was this remark:
Remarque: Rumelange records begin in 1891, avant 1891 s’était la commune de Kayl!
It pays to be able to read more than one language. Before 1891 Rumelange was part of the commune of Kayl. In the Kayl records I found Adam MERKES living in Rumelange in 1880[39], 1885,[40] and 1887[41] per the census. His mother Anna Catharina HASTERT was in his household. His sister Barbe was living in Rumelange at the same time and has, so far, only been found in the 1885 census.[42] His brother Mathias also moved to Rumelange by 1885. His sister Marie “Margaretha” MERKES died on 30 December 1884 in Rumelange in the commune of Kayl.[43]
The birth records of the children of Adam MERKES show his re-location from Bastendorf to Rumelange very likely took place following his marriage in 1873. Children were born in Rumelange between 1874-1891.
Adam’s sister Barbe went to Rumelange before 1871. She had three children born between 1871 and 1876 in Rumelange and her husband Nicolas KELLER died there on 27 October 1878.[44]
Anna Catharina HASTERT died in Rumelange on 9 May 1888.[45] She had been living with her son Adam; her daughter Barbe and son Mathias were living in the same town. Only my husband’s 2nd great-grandmother Anna Maria MERKES, who was the first to marry in 1859, remained in Bettendorf, her husband Anton KREMER’s hometown. But this didn’t mean her ties to her family were broken. Three of her sons went to Rumelange to work in the mines, most likely along side their uncles Adam and Mathias.
And the Search Continues….
The census records for the children of Anna Catharina HASTERT and Peter “Pierre” MERKES who lived in Rumelange still need to be found for the period 1890-1900. Adam died in 1924[46]; the deaths of Barbe and Mathias are unknown. Another question which remains to be answered is: what happened to son Peter after 1855?
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.
Week 34 (August 20-26) – Non-Population:While we’re on the subject of special census schedules, have you found an ancestor on a non-population census — agriculture, industry, manufactures, or 1890 Union veterans? Tell us about him or her.
“Putting Flesh on the Bones”
If the birth, marriage, and death records are the bones of your ancestors then the Non-Population Schedules and Special Censuses are the muscles and flesh we need to cover the skeleton. They provide information about the communities in which our ancestors lived making their stories more interesting. One difference between U.S. and Luxembourgish research is the lack of these special schedules.
I would be happy to have agriculture, industry, manufacturers, mortality, and veterans schedules for my Luxembourgish ancestors. I make do with the birth, marriage, death and census records for Luxembourg as they usually include enough information to substitute for misssing records and, at the same time, give more substance to the story of the entire family.
By analyzing the records of all persons in this week’s family I made some very interesting discoveries and found stand-ins for some of the missing key records.
Visiting the Ancestral Towns
While out on our bikes last week my husband and I rode through the German and Luxembourgish countryside. I often think of the families who lived in the towns we ride through. We passed through Vianden (above), the canton where the KREMER family lived before coming to Bettendorf, and rode into Dillingen (below), where the FRIEDERICH family lived, crossing over this old cobblestone bridge.
Nicolas KREMER 1797-1867
My husband’s 3rd great-grandfather Nicolas KREMER was born in Hosingen, Clervaux, Luxembourg, on the 11 Ventôse Year 5 of the French Republic. Ventôse is the “windy” third month of winter and the date converts to 1 March 1797. The date and place were found on his 1830 marriage record.[1] Other dates were seen on the census: 29 December 1800 (1846)[2] and the year 1795 without a day or month (1849)[3].
I searched the Hosingen birth records and found the years 1794-1797 were missing. To further complicate matters the 1843 census[4] shows his place of birth as Stolzembourg and the 1846[2] and 1847[5] census list Wahlhausen, part of the commune of Hosingen. I checked Putscheid as Stolzembourg belongs to this commune and, once again, I found records were missing from 1794-1816. I’ve nearly given up on finding the birth record.
Nicolas’ marriage record[1] is the substitute I use for his date of birth as well as the names of his parents. He was the son of Wilhelm “Guillaume” KREMER and Madelaine “Magdalena” WINANDY. The marriage record gives his father Wilhelm’s date of death as 28 January 1814 in Weiler, part of the commune of Putscheid. A death record was not found as this year is missing. I checked the Tables Décennales (the 10 year lists of births, marriages, and deaths) for Putscheid and Vianden and did not find him in the 1813-1822 lists. Can I trust the date and place given in the marriage record?
Nicolas had two sisters, Eva and Marie, and two brothers, Paul and Jacques. Marie never married. What did I find on the marriage records of Eva and her brothers? Wilhelm died 28 January 1814 in Weiler. Four marriage records with his date of death. Are these substitutes enough for his death record?
Sib 1: Eva (1793-1867) born 10 Sep 1793 Putscheid (Vianden).[6] She married Nicolas DIFFERDING (1792-1869) on 15 October 1822 in Landscheid (Vianden).[7] Eva died 3 July 1867 in Gralingen (Putscheid).[8]
Sib 3: Marie (1801-1840) born about 1801 Walhausen. She died 12 May 1840 in Bettendorf.[9]
Sib 4: Paul (1808-1859) born 30 May 1808 Weiler (Putscheid).[10] He died 9 March 1859, both in Bettendorf.[11]
Sib 5: Jacques (1813-1848) born 9 November 1813 Weiler (Putscheid).[12] He died 23 July 1848 in Bettendorf.[13]
As with Nicolas, I had to rely on the marriage records of Paul[10] and Jacques[12] as a substitute for their birth records. Eva’s baptismal record was located in the collection of church records and confirms her parents were Wilhelm KREMER and Magdalena WINANDY.[6] Next on my research list is to locate the marriage record of Wilhelm and Magdalena.
Eva’s baptismal record confirms her parents were Wilhelm KREMER and Magdalena WINANDY [6]
Elisabeth FRIEDERICH 1802-1871
My husband’s 3rd great-grandmother Elisabeth FRIEDERICH (1802-1871) was born 14 April 1802, per the 1846 census[2], or 15 April 1803, per 1849 census[3], in Dillingen, Luxembourg. Can these conflicting records be used as substitutes for her birth record? Per her 1830 marriage record[1] her parents were Mathieu “Mathias” FRIEDERICH dite THIVELS (1771-1812) and Maria OLSEM (1763-1828). Elisabeth had a brother who was stillborn in 1794 and a sister born in 1796. Rob Deltgen, who has access to more than the Luxembourg church and civil records, includes the full dates in his database. I was not able to locate the records in Beaufort, the commune Dillingen belongs to. Mathias[14] and Maria’s[15] death records were found in Beaufort.
While looking at the map of our ride, I remembered I had found information on the FRIEDERICH family (also seen as TIVELS and THIVELS) coming from Wallendorf in Germany. Across the river from Wallendorf is the Luxembourgish village of Wallendorf-Pont which lies only 4 km from Dillingen. On an off chance Wallendorf-Pont may have kept church records I browsed the database at FamilySearch and located the 1791 marriage record of Elisabeth’s parents.[16] This wonderful find made up for the lack of records for their children’s births.
The index card which led to the religious marriage record of Mathias Friederich and Maria Olsem [16]1791 Religious marriage record [16a]
KREMER Marriages Solve Dilemma
What do you do when you find an error in someone else’s database? What if you are not sure it’s a mistake?
1830 Marriage Record No. 10 (top portion) [1]Nicolas KREMER (seen here as KREMESCH) married Elisabeth FRIEDERICH on 17 February 1830 in Bettendorf. This is the famous marriage record (above, top half) which contains the information missing due to lack of documents concerning births and deaths. Elisabeth’s parents were both deceased and their dates of death were included. If these were known why was the age and date of birth of the bride not included?
Nicolas’ father was deceased and his mother was present and consenting to the marriage. Her residence was “Eisback” or “Eisbach,” neither a place in Luxembourg. I wonder if the person who wrote up the record meant “Eisleck” which is the northern region of Luxembourg and covers a third of the country. Years ago when I obtained the marriage record from the civil hall in Bettendorf I thought it might even be the name of a German town. Today I believe it should be Eisenbach (Eesbech) which lies north of Wahlhausen, Weiler, Putscheid, and Stolzembourg.
A little over a month later Nicolas’ brother Paul married Marie DIEDERICH (1811-1847) on 27 March 1830 in Bettendorf.[10] Again the mother of the groom Magdalena WINANDY a resident of Merscheid was present for the marriage. Christian DIEDERICH and his wife, the parents of the bride, were also present and consented to the marriage.
Five years later the third KREMER son was married in Bettendorf. Jacques KREMER married Cathérine KORB (1813-1895) on 27 February 1835.[12] Both of Jacques’ parents were noted as deceased. Wilhelm died on 21 January 1814 as opposed to the 28th seen on Eva, Nicolas, and Paul’s marriage records. Magdalena died on 31 March 1814 in Weiler. As seen in the marriages records of Nicolas and Paul, this is a mistake.
Marie KREMER, the daughter who never married, died on 12 May 1840 in Bettendorf in the house of Christian DIEDERICH, her brother Paul’s father-in-law.[9]
After studying the marriage records and finding Magdalena WINANDY living in 1830 and present at two of her sons’ marriage, I had to find her death record. First stop, the reliable online database maintained by Rob Deltgen. Unfortunately, he had the 1814 date found in Jacques’ marriage record. I was back to searching the towns seen as her residence when her children married.
Since my success rate for the records in the Putscheid was near zero I was not surprised I was unable to find the death record there. As several of the families in this branch of my husband’s tree lived in the Bettendorf area, I took a chance and searched for her death in the Tables Décennales of Bettendorf. I found a lady of the same name but the death record showed she was born in Bettendorf and 73 years old at the time of death. At first, I did not believe I had the right person even though Wilhelm KREMER was the name of her deceased husband. She would have been 56 in 1813 and too old when her son Jacques was born. But once I realized she died in the home of her son Paul’s father-in-law and only a few days after the marriage I was sure there must be an error in her age at death.
Madelaine “Magdalena” WINANDY died at the home of Christian DIEDERICH in Bettendorf on 31 March 1830, four days after the wedding.[17] Did she plan to stay a while after the marriage or was she not well enough to go home?
I’ve contacted Rob with the correction and will continue to search for the other missing records.
Nicolas and Elisabeth’s Family
Three months after the marriage of Nicolas and Elisabeth, twins boys, Jean[18] and Paul[19], were born on 18 May 1830 in Bettendorf. On 6 June at 11 o’clock in the morning, Paul died[20] and was followed by his older twin Jean at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.[21] The death of the second twin must have been expected as Nicolas waited to report the deaths at the same time, an hour after the second death.
Following the births and deaths of the twins more children were born:
Peter was born at 5 o’clock in the morning. Six hours later his brother Johann died at age 5 years.[27] From 1843 to 1851 Peter was seen as Jean on the census. In 1858 and 1871 he was seen as Pierre. Was he known as Jean during his childhood in remembrance of his brother Johann who died the day he was born?
Another set of twins was born on 2 October 1841.The boy was given the name Paul[28] , a name used with the first set of twins, and the girl was named Marie.[29] Paul, like his namesake, died young, only a month old, on 4 November 1841.[30]
Following the twins’ births, Catherine was born on 1 March 1844.[31] She died on 15 February 1847, two weeks before her 3rd birthday.[32]
Marie, Paul’s twin, died on 20 March 1850.[33] By this time Elizabeth had given birth to 10 children and 6 of these were now deceased. Jacques, Anna Maria (known as Marie), Anton and Pierre were the four remaining children.
Jacques married Elisabeth PROMMENSCHENKEL (1832-1892) on 10 May 1854 in Waldbillig.[34] They lived for a short time in Christnach, a town in the commune of Waldbillig, where they had two daughters in 1854[35] and 1858.[36] The little family may have gone to Paris following the birth of the second daughter.
In 1858 Nicolas KREMER and his wife Elizabeth FRIEDERICH had only 19 years old Pierre living at home.[37] An annotation to the census indicates one of his sons was working in Paris and his daughter was “en condition” in Luxembourg City. As Jacques was married he would no longer be mentioned on his father’s census listing. This could mean my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather Anton KREMER may have been the son who was in Paris.
If it was Anton who was working in Paris in December 1858 he did not stay for long. Anton was in Bettendorf on 1 September 1859 when he married my husband’s 2nd great-grandmother Anna Maria MERKES (1835-1920).[38]
Anna Maria “Marie” KREMER was last seen with her parents on the 1861 census[39] and was single. Her brother Jacques was last heard of when he reported the death of his second daughter on 18 November 1865 in the 19e arrondissement, Paris, Île-de-France, France.[40] On 2 November 1892, his wife Elisabeth PROMMENSCHENKEL died at the same address. Her husband Jacques was listed as deceased.[41] These death records, found online in the Paris archives, help estimate his death at between 1865-1892.
Nicolas KREMER died 8 February 1867 Bettendorf.[42] Nicolas, who had worked as a day laborer (Journalier or Taglöhner) his entire adult life, left his wife Elisabeth and sons Anton and Pierre. Were Marie and Jacques still living? Further research may uncover their whereabouts or death records.
Elisabeth FRIEDERICH died 28 October 1871 in Bettendorf. Her son Anton was the informant.[43] Later in the year her son Pierre was listed on the back page of Anton’s census record[44] as being in service (in dienst) but without a location. He was most likely still single. If he had been married at the time he would have been listed in his own household. No further record was found for Peter/Pierre and I estimate his death at after December 1871.
Anton KREMER, the last living child of Nicolas KREMER and Elisabeth FRIEDERICH, died 28 April 1918 in Bettendorf at the age of 81.[45]
Make Do With What You Find
I hope you’ve enjoyed the photographs taken for this week’s post as well my twist on the theme. No special census records for this family. And even though I’m missing key documents for the KREMER and FRIEDERICH families the list of sources used is still quite long. I thought this would be such an easy post but while writing and reviewing the documents I noticed facts I’d missed and had to do more than the usual amount of re-writing.
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.
Week 18 (April 30 – May 6) – Where There’s a Will:Do you have an ancestor who left an interesting will? Have you used a will to solve a problem? Or, what ancestor showed a lot of will in his or her actions?
The KREMER-MERKES Family of Bettendorf – Timeline
1835 August 14: Anna Maria MERKES (1835-1920) was born in Obereissenbach, Hosingen, Luxembourg. She was the daughter of Michel MERKES and Anna Catherina HASTERT.[1]
1836 June 5: Anton KREMER was born in Bettendorf, Diekirch, Luxembourg. He was the son of Nicolas KREMER and Elisabeth FRIEDERICH.[2]
1859 September 1: Anton KREMER married Anna Maria MERKES in Bettendorf.[3]
1860 July 14: Child #1 Nicolas KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[4]
1861 December 3: Anton, Anna Maria, and Nicolas were living in the house called “Schneidisch” in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[5]
1862 April 27: Child #2 Maria “Marie” KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[6]
1864 May 18: Child #3 Adam KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[7]
1864 December 3: Anton, Anna Maria, Nicolas, Marie, and Adam were living in the “Fenton” house in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[8]
1865 December 3: Child #4 Mathias KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[9]
1867 December 3: Anton, Anna Maria, Nicolas, Marie, Adam, and Mathias were living in the house called “Schneidisch” in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[10]
1867 December 24: Child #5 Eva KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[11]
1869 January 9: Child #6 Peter “Pierre” KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[12]
1870 July 5: UPDATE (as of 26 Sep 2015): a female child was stillborn in Bettendorf.
1871 June 25: Child #7 Maria KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[14]
1871 July 31: Child #7 Maria died in Bettendorf.[15]
1871 October 29: Anton KREMER was the informant for the death of his mother Elisabetha FRIEDERICH.[16]
1871 December 1: Anton, Anna Maria, Nicolas, Marie, Adam, Mathias and Peter were living in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[17]
1872 August 12: Child #8 Michel KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[18]
1872 October 14: Child #8 Michel died in Bettendorf.[19]
1874 August 5: Child #9 Maria KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[20]
1874 September 28: Child #9 Maria died in Bettendorf.[21]
1875 November 18: Child #10 Nicolas KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[22]
1875 December 1: Anton, Anna Maria, Nicolas, Marie, Adam, Mathias, Peter and young Nicolas were living in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[23]
1878 April 1: Child #11 Anna KREMER was born in Bettendorf.[24]
1878 July 22: Child #11 Anna died in Bettendorf.[25]
1880 December 1: Anton, Anna Maria, Mathias, Peter, and young Nicolas were living in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[26]
1885 December 1: Anton, Anna Maria, Marie and young Nicolas were living in Bettendorf at the time of the census. Nicolas, the elder, and Adam (seen as Emil) were working in Rumelange.[27]
1886 April 13: Child #3 Adam died in Bettendorf.[28]
1887 February 1: Anton, Anna Maria, Peter and young Nicolas were living in Bettendorf at the time of the census.[29]
1887 December 28: Child #2 Marie married Michel ERNZEN in Bettendorf.[30]
1890 December 1: Anton, Anna Maria, Mathias, young Nicolas, and a nephew Johann Müller were living in Bettendorf at the time of the census. Peter had been working in Esch-sur-Alzette for the past 18 months.[31]
1895 December 2: Per the census, Anton and Anna Maria were living alone in Bettendorf. Their sons were listed as follows: 1. Nicolas (the elder) working in Rumelange for 21 years. 2. Mathias working in Rumelange for 3 years. 3. Peter working in France for 7 years. 4. Nicolas (the younger) working in France for 1 1/2 years. [32]
1895 December 7: Child #1 Nicolas, the elder, died in Rumelange. His brother Mathias and his uncle Mathias MERKES were informants on his death. Nicolas was the widower of Margaretha NAU.[33]
1900 February 26: Child #4 Mathias married Louise “Elise” SCHOCKMEL in Rumelange.[34]
1900 November 28: Child #10 Nicolas married Cathérine GRISIUS in Bettendorf.[35]
1900 December 1: Anton, Anna Maria, and their daughter-in-law Cathérine GRISIUS were seen in a household in Bettendorf when the census was enumerated. Nicolas, Cathérine’s husband, was in Oberanven for the past two days on business.[36]
1914 June 28: Beginning of World War I
1918 April 19: Cathérine GRISIUS, wife of Nicolas, died in Moestroff.[37]
1918 April 28: Anton KREMER died in Bettendorf.[38]
1918 November 11: End of World War I
1920 June 3: Anna Maria MERKES died in Bettendorf.[39]
1936 November 29: Louise “Elise” SCHOCKMEL, wife of Mathias, died in Esch-sur-Alzette.[40]
1939 September 1: Beginning of World War II.
1945 March 4: Child #4 Mathias died in Rumelange.[41]
1945 August 14: End of World War II.
1951: Child #10 Nicolas KREMER, the younger, died in Moestroff.[42]
Through the records they left, our ancestors are reaching out to open doors in brick walls.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
Anton KREMER and Anna Maria MERKES had a family of eleven children. Five died before the age of two. The causes of death of these children who died between 1869-1878 are not revealed on the civil death records. Was the age of the mother at the time of the pregnancy of importance? Were they preterm births? Did they die of malnutrition or other diseases?
Anton KREMER was a tailor (Schneider) and very likely did not have a large clientele in the small town he lived and worked in. Anton and Anna Maria’s older children were Nicolas (the elder), Marie, Adam, Mathias, and Peter. By the end of the 1860s, they had five growing children who needed to be fed.
My husband’s great-grandfather, also named Nicolas, was the baby of the family. He was the only child of five born in the 1870s to live. His older siblings began leaving home to work when he was still quite young.
Nicolas (the elder), Adam, and Mathias went to Rumelange located in southern Luxembourg on the French border. As the area was rich in iron ores they worked in the mines. Peter worked as a servant or farmhand (Knecht), first in his hometown and later in France. Nicolas, the younger, also went to France to work for a while when he was old enough. Anton and Anna Maria’s sons most likely sent part of their pay home to help with the family expenses.
Mine workers faced high health and safety risks. In December 1885 Adam had been working for 8 months in the mines in Rumelange. Four months later he died at home in Bettendorf. It is not known if his death was related to his working in the mines. His oldest brother Nicolas, also a mine worker, died at the age of 35 years in Rumelange. At the time of his death, he was widowed; it is not known if he had children.
I wonder if Adam and Nicolas’ death gave Mathias a kind of wake up call. Did he think of the danger of working in the mines? He married at 35 and had two sons. Of the three miners, he was the one to live the longest, dying in his 80th year.
The fate of Peter who went to France is unknown.
Anton and Anna Maria’s daughter Marie took the path of most girls at the time, marrying at age 25. She gave birth to 8 children, only 3 lived to adulthood. Her first child died at 5 years of age and, as with her mother, four of her youngest children did not survive. In 1920 at age 58 she was present at the marriage of her oldest daughter. It is not known how long she lived.
Nicolas, the baby of the family, remained near his parents after his marriage and likely cared for them in their old age. While preparing this post I found Nicolas and his wife Cathérine GRISIUS had a son Théodore (1916-1917) who was missed during earlier research bringing the total number of children in his family to 10. Once again, as with his parents and sister, the three youngest children in his family did not survive. Nicolas who died at 75 had a long life but not quite as long as his parents.
Anton died about 6 weeks short of his 82nd birthday and Anna Maria two months short of her 85th birthday.
Anton and Anna Maria KREMER-MERKES may not have been very well off but they raised children who worked hard and learned where there’s a will, there’s a way.
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.
Week 7 (Feb 12-18) – Love.Which ancestor do you love to research? Which ancestor do you feel especially close to? Which ancestor seemed to have a lot of love?
The KREMER-GRISIUS family had a lot of love. Two daughters loved enough have sons without marrying. A daughter loved God and the Catholic Church enough to become a nun. A daughter was killed in the City of Love during World War II in the bombardment of a train. A daughter married and moved to Manosque, a townin the heartof the French Provence. A son died in his 6th month only days after Valentine’s Day. Son Fritz, who loved to fish, married and had two children he dearly loved, one of them was Maisy, the mother of my husband, the love of my life.
The KREMER-GRISIUS Family of Bettendorf and Moestroff (1875-1996)
Nicolas
Nicolas KREMER, son of Anton (Antoine) KREMER and Anna Maria MERKES, was born at one o’clock in the morning on 18 November 1875 in Bettendorf, Canton Diekirch, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. His parents were 40 and 39 at the time of his birth.[1]
Catherine
Catherine GRISIUS, daughter of Heinrich GRISIUS and Elisabeth WECKERING, was born at 5 o’clock in the afternoon on 7 September 1879 in Hoscheid, Canton Diekirch, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Her parents were 40 and 29 when she was born.[2]
In 1895 Nicolas was with his brother Peter working as a servant (Dienstknecht) in France. Nicolas had been there a year and a half while his brother Peter had been there five years. By 1900 Nicolas was back in Luxembourg and planning to marry.[3]
An Early Marriage for Nicolas and Catherine
1900 Marriage Record No. 21
Catherine, a 22 years old maid (Dienstmagd), and Nicolas, a 25 years old worker (Arbeiter) must have gotten up very early to get married at 8 o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, 28 November 1900. Banns had been read only once on Sunday the 18th of November in Bettendorf as both the bride and groom had their residence in that town. They brought with them a copy of the birth record from the register of Hoscheid for the bride. Catherine’s parents were from Hoscheid, a village about 17 km from Bettendorf, and Nicolas’ parents were from Bettendorf where the marriage took place. Nicolas’ brother Pierre KREMER, one of the witnesses, lived in Mersch, 26 km from Bettendorf. Another witness was the 63 years old Nicolas KREMER, a first cousin once removed of the groom. The two other witnesses were not related to the bridal couple. The mother of the groom and the parents of the bride did not sign the marriage record and it was noted they they could not write.[4]
What gifts, if any, did the bridal couple receive? What would they need to buy for their life together? Did they need or own a bedroom, living room, or dining room set?
Ad in the Dec 1, 1900 issue of Luxemburger Wort.[5]Would they have to buy a matress for their bed? Would the bride bring sheets, duvets, pillows, and blankets to keep them warm in their bed?
Ad in the Dec 1, 1900 issue of Luxemburger Wort.[5]Would they have a fancy oven to heat their home?
Ad in the Dec 1, 1900 issue of Luxemburger Wort.[5]Would they even have their own home from the begining? Apparently not, as Catherine was seen with her parents-in-law in the 1900 census. This was taken three days after their marriage and Nicolas was seen as not living with his bride and parents. He had been in Oberanven, a town near Luxembourg City, for two days on business. What a way to spend a honeymoon![6][7]
1900 Luxembourg Census. Persons in the household.[6]1900 Luxembourg Census. Persons absent from household.[7]
The Children of Catherine and Nicolas KREMER-GRISIUS
Elise
Child 1: Elise KREMER was born 26 September 1901 at 11 o’clock in the morning in the Kremer house in Bettendorf. It is very probable that this was the home of her grandfather Anton KREMER was was one of the witnesses on her birth record. Elise’s parents were 25 and 22 at the time. Her father Nicolas, a worker (Arbeiter), was the informant. Elise’s grandfather, also a worker, signed his name Antoine KREMER rather than Anton as his name was written on the record by the second witness Georges MORES, farmer (Ackerer).[8]
Anna
Child 2: Anna KREMER was born 20 November 1903 at 9 o’clock in the evening in the Kremer house in Bettendorf. Her father Nicolas, a railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth the next day at 9 o’clock in the morning. Her grandfather Anton KREMER, town crier/messenger (Gemeindebote), was one of the witnesses. The other witness, Georges MORES, was the secretary who did the clerical work for the mayor, Michel CONZEMIUS. Anna’s parents were 28 and 25.[9]
Franz
Child 3: Fritz KREMER was born 6 March 1905 at 2:30 in the morning in the Kremer house in Bettendorf. His father Nicolas, railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth the same day at 10 o’clock in the morning. Georges MORES, secretary (Sekretär) took care of the paperwork for the mayor who was listed as Michel CONZEMIUS. The mayor may not have been available as the record was signed by M. ERNZEN. The parents were 29 and 25.[10]
Margaretha
Child 4: Margaretha KREMER was born 11 February 1907 at one o’clock in the afternoon in the Kremer house in Bettendorf. Her father Nicolas, railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth four hours later. Georges MORES, secretary (Sekretär) took care of the paperwork for the mayor Michel CONZEMIUS. As was the case when her first three siblings’ births were reported, the 71 years old grandfather Antoine was a witness. The parents were 31 and 27.[11]
Marie
Child 5: Marie KREMER was born 7 December 1909 at 2:30 in the morning in the Kremer house in Bettendorf. Her father Nicolas, railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth at 10 o’clock the same morning. Georges MORES, secretary (Sekretär) took care of the paperwork for the mayor Michel CONZEMIUS. Grandfather Antoine was a witness. The parents were seen as 33 and 30. In 1996 a civil official annotated the record in the left top margin with the date and place of death and the death record number.[12]
Johanna
Child 6: Johanna KREMER was born 2 December 1910 at 3 o’clock in the morning in the Kremer house in Bettendorf. Her father Nicolas, railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth at 10 o’clock the same morning. Georges MORES, secretary (Sekretär) took care of the paperwork for the mayor Michel CONZEMIUS. Grandfather Antoine was not present this time. Instead Franz GRISIUS, named as an acquaintance, actually the brother of the mother of the newborn child, was the witness. The parents were 35 and 31.[13]
Theresia
Child 7: Theresia KREMER was born at 7 o’clock in the evening of 13 July 1912 in Moestroff, the neighboring village to Bettendorf. Her father Nicolas, railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth at 9 o’clock the next morning in Bettendorf and his 76 years old father Antoine was present as a witness. Georges MORES, secretary (Sekretär) took care of the paperwork for the mayor Michel CONZEMIUS. The parents were 36 and 32. In 1987 a civil official annotated the record in the left margin with the date and place of death and the death record number.[14]
Nicolas, birthNicolas, death
Child 8: Nicolas KREMER was born at 11 o’clock in the evening of 14 September 1913 in Moestroff. As with Theresia, the name of the house he was born in is not given. His father Nicolas, railroad official (Eisenbahnbeamter), reported the birth at one o’clock the next afternoon in Bettendorf. Georges MORES, secretary (Sekretär) took care of the paperwork for the mayor Michel CONZEMIUS. The parents were 38 and 35.[15] A little over five months later his father Nicolas had the sad duty of reporting little Nicolas’ death at 7 o’clock in the evening of 20 February 1914, an hour after the death took place. A railroad colleague, Nicolas MULLER from Moestroff, came with the father to report the death.[16]
Child 10: Catherine GRISIUS gave birth to a stillborn female child at 3 o’clock in the morning of 19 April 1918 in Moestroff.[17] An hour later she died at the age of 38. Her husband Nicolas KREMER had the responsibility of reporting the deaths of his wife Catherine and their 9th child at 3 o’clock that afternoon. Nicolas’ occupation was a bit different than it had been when he reported the births of his children from 1903-1913. He was now seen as a switchman (Weichensteller). Theodore Doffing, a farmer and acquaintance of Nicolas, accompanied him to the town hall in Bettendorf and served as a witness.[18]
Deaths of Mother and Child
Transportation Between Moestroff and Bettendorf
My husband and I have ridden through Moestroff and Bettendorf many times on our racing bikes. It’s a short distance between the two towns, less than 2 km. The building (below) is the former train station of Moestroff and is now a private home. The bike route follows the path where the railroad tracks used to be.
Below the bike route is a rural road, now strict access only, used to connect the two towns. The main road used today is on the other side of the Sauer River which runs through both towns.
Train station in Moestroff. Photo used with permission.
While writing this I wondered if Nicolas walked or rode a bike on the rural road from Moestroff to Bettendorf when he went to register the births of the children born in Moestroff and his wife’s death. Or, since he was a railroad worker, did he take the train from Moestroff to Bettendorf?
Train station in Bettendorf. Photo taken and used with permission.
We took a special trip to Moestroff and Bettendorf this morning to take these photos of the former train stations. The building in Bettendorf is also now a private home. A person who was at home gave us permission to take this picture as well as one of the back side of the building where the railroad tracks used to be. A collections of photos of the stations in Luxembourg can be found on The Railways in and around Luxembourg (D’Eisebunn zu an ëm Lëtzebuerg) and includes some older photos of the stations in Moestroff and Bettendorf.
Life After Catherine’s Death
Nicolas was left with 7 children, 6 daughters between 6 and 17 years of age and a 13 years old son Franz. Nine days later Nicolas once again reported a death, his 81 years old father Anton KREMER.[19]
Elise, Nicolas and Catherine’s oldest daughter, raised her siblings in place of her mother. Her son Nic. was born out of wedlock in 1919 and raised along with her siblings who considered him a brother. Elise never married and died at the age of 40 in 1941.[20]
Luxemburger Wort[20]Elise’s sister Anna went to Paris to work and during World War II was killed when the train she was on was bombarded. This is a family story and no record has been found as yet to support it. Paris was listed in Elise’s death notice as one of the residences of a family member. This could mean that Anna died after 7 April 1941 and before the end of World War II in 1945. Another of Elise’s siblings was living in Sfax in Tunisia, most likely Johanna, who went by Jeanne, and was married to Frédéric DE GIORGIO.
World War II brought many changes. In Nicolas’ case it meant that the first name he was given at birth was changed to Nikolaus. I would not have known this if I hadn’t obtained a photocopy of his original birth record from the town hall in Bettendorf in 1995. During World War II Luxembourg was occupied by the Germans and all administrations were headed by them. They went through the birth records of the people living in a town and placed a stamp in the margin changing the name to the German equivalent. Luckily KREMER was German enough for them not to change it. After the war the Luxembourg authorities added their own stamp making the first nul and void.
Photocopy of the original birth record found in Bettendorf birth register.Stamps seen in the left margin of the birth record
Translation (first stamp): Due to theregulation of theC.d.Z.* from31 January 1941to change the first
and surnames inLuxembourgthe
designated person (in this record) Name: Nikolaus Certificateof DiekirchDistrict from 21 December 1942 Diekirch, the 1 March 1943
Registrar: representative signature of the registrar Translation (second stamp):
Declared nul and void
in Bettendorf on [date omitted]
The civil officer: signed J. Pierre Goebel
*C.d.Z. = Chef der Zivilverwaltung or Head of Civil Administration.
Nicolas KREMER died in 1951.[21] The year of death was found on the family gravemarker in the cemetery (Kirfecht) in Moestroff. I have not taken steps to obtain his death record. He left a son, four daughters, three grandsons, a granddaughter, and two great-grandsons.
His son Franz KREMER married Suzanne PEFFER on 7 January 1931 and died in 1972.[22]
Nicolas’ daughter Margaretha, also known as Gréit, died in 1975 as seen on her birth record.[11] I have not been able to find out if she ever married. She did not have children living in 1987 when her sister Thérèse died.
His daughter Theresia, or Tatta Thérèse, became a nun when she was young, left the order at some time, and worked as a nurse with the same doctor she had worked for as a nun. Tatta Thérèse died on 2 November 1987 leaving two sisters, Jeanne and Marie.[14]
Jeanne was living in Manosque, a townin the heartof the French Provence, at the time that Thérèse died.[23] No trace of her has been found after 1987 when the succession of Thérèse’s estate was settled.
Jeanne must have died before 1996 as she was not mentioned in the obituary her sister Marie, Tatta Marie, as she was known to her niece, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. In her obituary at right the surname Schneider is an error and should be Schleider.Tatta Marie never married and had a son.[24]
Name: Nicolas KREMER Parents:Anton KREMER and Anna Maria MERKES Spouse: Cathérine GRISIUS Parents of Spouse:Heinrich “Henri” GRISIUS and Elisabeth WECKERING Whereabouts: Moestroff, Bettendorf, Diekirch, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Relationship to Cathy Meder-Dempsey: husband’s great-grandparents
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.
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Opening Doors in Brick Walls 