During my recent “vacation” break, I took along about 30 print copies of the Neuenbuerg baptismal records plus Ernest Thode’s “German - English Genealogical Dictionary”. There are three villages that are not far apart, Neuenbuerg, Oberoewisheim, and Unteroeweisheim. The first of these, Neuenbuerg, was the home of several 1717 emigrants. This village is Catholic in nature, being a part of the lands of the Bishops of Speyer. The other two villages have Lutheran churches. The Protestants who lived in Neuenbuerg went to church in Oberoewisheim, where the pastors kept records for them in a separate section of the Church Book. There is one fundamental difficulty in reading the Neuenbuerg and Oberoewisheim records. The writing extends deep into the gutter of the book and often cannot be read. On the other edge of the page, the paper is worn by a variety of causes, including serving as food for mice.
Let’s jump in and take a look at the first baptismal record of 14 March 1664.
[Baptisms for Neuenbuerg - 1664.]
The parents were Nicolaus Schaiblin, a citizen, and Catherine his wife. The child was named Anna Margaretha who is noted as having died. The sponsors were Georg Martin Boger, an apprentice, and Anna Catherina, the wife of Herr Philipp _____. From other records we learn that Herr Philipp _____ was the mayor. The use of the word Herr is restricted to persons of some importance. [Nicolaus Schaiblin was of the broader family which became the Scheibles in Virginia. I am convinced that the Schaiblins came from Gresten, Austria, and were perhaps related to the Planckenbuehlers there.]
One month later on 16 April, Nicolaus Engsch (Calvinist) and his wife Anna Catharina (Catholic) brought Agness Elisabetha for baptism. The sponsors were Matthaus Fuerst, citizen of Neuenbuerg, and Agnes Elisabeth, the wife of Michael Ruekher of Neuenbuerg. This is an unusual case because neither of the parents is a Lutheran; instead one is a Calvinist, or Reformed, while the other is Catholic. The baptism is being performed in a Lutheran church. [Notice the Rucker name.]
On April 25, 1664, Gregorius Vroesser and Gertrauta his wife, who was Catholic, brought Maria Barbara for baptism. The sponsors were Quirinus Schoene and Anna, the wife of Jerg Steinmeyer of Neuenbuerg. This is close to home for many of us as the Schoenes are ancestors. [My great x7 grandparents.]
On July 4, 1664, Joachimy Christoph Berger (Cath.) and his wife Anna (Evang.) brought the child Hanss Jerg. The sponsors were Mattheus Fuerst, citizen of Neuenbuerg and Jerg _____, and Catharina [perhaps Amtmees] of Oberoewisheim. Again, we have mixed religions and some evidence that the residents of the different villages interacted.
I will repeat it in the next Note but the baptism on 4 September 1664 records the baptism of Anna Barbara Schoene, my great x6 grandmother. Seeing ones like this get the juices flowing.
(10 Nov 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.