Thanks to the work of Jean Strand back in 1989, I had been aware that there was at least one Blankenbaker who did not emigrate to America when the others did. Information about him was to be found in the records of the Lutheran church in Unteroewisheim. As I copied out the indexes, I came across two references which seem to indicate even more Blankenbakers. Of course, you can imagine my excitement. Unfortunately, the index had an error and the reference to a Blankenbaker in it was the one that I knew about.
To recap, there is a marriage record for Nicolaus Blanckenbuehler, journeyman weaver, who married Catharina Barbara Weyland, Jacob Schneider’s surviving widow. The year was probably late 1738. [Note the use of the maiden name in the record!]
In February 1740, at the baptism of Maria Susanna, the d/o Johann Peter Oberst and his wife Catharina Barbara, one of the sponsors was Nicolaus Blanckenbuehler. The other sponsor was Maria Susanna, Jacob Herlaus' wife.
On 20 April 1740, Maria Catharina was born to Nicolaus Blanckenbuehler and his wife Catharina Barbara. The sponsors were Jacob Koenig, weaver, and Anna Catharina [note a slight change in the name], Peter Oberst’s wife, and Anna Maria, Friederich Tuebach’s wife.
In 1741, at the baptism of Johann Peter, the s/o Johann Peter Oberst and his wife Catharina Barbara, one sponsor was Jacob Keerdlen (but note the sponsor in the baptism second above) and the other sponsor was Catharina Barbara the wife of Nicolai Blanckenbuehler.
On 2 September 1742, the death register carries the record that Nicolaus Blanckenbuehler, citizen and weaver, died in his 34th year. [Therefore he was born ca 1708.]
In 1743, Johann Michael Huefnagel married Catharina Barbara Weiland, the surviving widow of Nicolai Blanckenbuehler.
It is extremely interesting that the maiden name of Nicolaus B’s wife was Weyland or Weiland. In America, there was a fairly close relationship between the Blankenbakers and Waylands. Though the Waylands are said by some to have come from a village an appreciable distance to the east, one wonders if there was a closer connection.
How does Nicolaus Blanckenbuehler fit the larger picture? Apparently, the immigrants from Austria had at least one more son than the John Thomas who married Anna Barbara Schoen. There is some reason to think he might even have had three sons.
(25 Oct 06)
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.