While Andreas and Elke were working on the emigration list in the Gemmingen Burial Register, I was working on the baptisms of the Joseph Weber family. (All of this was from the November issue of Beyond Germanna .) Perhaps I was prejudiced in picking on the Joseph Weber family for a study in detail as Joseph and his wife Susanna Klaar are my ancestors. Another motive was to develop my reading skills (I use that word lightly), especially in the sponsorship section in the baptismal record where the writing is poorest.
The first child was Hannss Martin baptized 26 April 1707 [he died about a week later]. He was named for one of the sponsors, a very common pattern there. The particular sponsor was Hannss Martin Zehendbauer with his wife Anna Maria. [One of my little pleasures is that I have since been contacted by a descendant of Martin Zehendbauer.] Joseph Weaver was a farmer. The second child was Johann Geörg, baptized 23 March 1708 [no death record was found but the name was used again]. Joseph was a farmer again. Hannss Martin Zehendbauer, wine grower, and his wife Anna Maria were sponsors, as was Anna Margaretha, Clausenberger’s wife. The third child was Hannss Geörg, baptized 7 May 1709 [he died two days later]. Joseph was a farmer. To the three previous sponsors, Geörg Clausenberger of Gemmingen was added. The fourth child, Hannss Dieterich, was baptized 8 Nov 1710. The father was described as a day laborer this time, a step down from farming. To the Zehendbauers as sponsors were added Abraham Vischer, resident of Gemmingen, and his wife (not named). This child became Peter Weaver in Virginia. The fifth child was Maria Sophia, baptized 26 October 1713. Joseph is again a farmer. The sponsors were Abraham Vischer, day laborer, and his wife Maria Sophia. Anna Maria Zehendbauer was also a sponsor. This child became the wife of Peter Fleshman in Virginia. The sixth child was Johann Georg, baptized 17 Dec 1715. [He died in 1717.] The father was a Gemmingen resident and a wine grower. The sponsors were Martin Zehendbauer, a resident straw cutter for thatching, and Maria Sophia, Abraham Vischer’s wife.
En route to Virginia, “Burga” was born. She married John Willheit. In Virginia, it appears Susanna was the mother of four Crigler children, two boys and two girls.
The writer preferred to write what we would say was Hans as Hannss. From the occupations, it does not look as if Joseph Weber was a big money earner. The choice of sponsors seems to be influenced more by social class and occupation than by being a relative. It must have been a real struggle for the Webers to make it to America, all the more reason to admire them for their decision and follow through.
The Vischer name would be spelled by us as Fischer. Except for the appearances here, I did not encounter the name.
(18 Nov 03)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.