At some point every genealogist comes to a point where the church books end, whether it is due to losses in the 30-year war (1618 to 1648) or in the first (1914-1918) or second world war (1939-1945) everything was destroyed. In my research in Posen I get in some places up to the 18th century, in others I get only up to the middle of the previous century. But just throw in the towel and give up is out of the question – there is always something to find, even if it is the smallest bit!
But what is the next step? Of course I search the state archives for land register master record, personnel files and similar sources, but an important and unfortunately somewhat tedious approach is the radius search. A self-defined radius is searched around the place of the searched family and all data on name bearers are collected. Possibly a cousin or uncle has moved a little further away and gives the researcher the decisive clue to bring two families together. This can then result in new connections and approaches for research that can lead to further successes.
For my Hertzke family I have completely or also only partially rummaged through the church books. Thereby were the parishes Weißensee, Ober Görzig, Kurzig, Schweinert, Zirke, Prittisch and Pieske. Hundreds of persons with the same name have crossed my mind, but by this I could find a few ancestors of my (thought to be finished) table.
Results and theses
So that my work is not only with me on the computer, but others can also use it, I have my compilations here for download as PDF of the various surnames. Please note that it is in German.
Hertzke, Hertel, Münzer
Schneider, Nischalke, Schulz
Schulz
Pöhlchen, Jäschke, Knittel
Hohmann
Baudoch, Preuß, Stürmer
And lastly, a few theories I drew from the perimeter search in a brief overview to show how I went about it:
1st case
Eva Rosine Schulz *approx. 1800, married Johann Gottfried Hohmann, †1864 Vorwerk Weißensee
Parents: unknown, death entry says: father was Hohm (farm manager) in Grunzig
Problem: Parents?
Way:
– All Schulz searched from surrounding towns
– found: Paul Schulz, *ca. 1756, †1832 Ober Görzig, been Hohm in Grunzig
– directly after his death a younger Paul Schulz, who was a coachman before, becomes Hohm in Grunzig
– I have not found any other Schulz who were Hohm in Grunzig
– one sister could be Maria Elisabeth Schulz * ca. 1799, but she is described as the youngest daughter at her marriage (years are always very misestimated, maybe Eva Rosina is the older sister after all)
Thesis: Paul Schulz is the “first” Hohm in Grunzig and the father of Eva Rosina, after his death he is possibly replaced as Hohm by his son Paul.
Probability in my opinion: 90%.
2nd case
Christiane Härtel, *approx. 1770-1773, married Gottfried Stürmer, †1804 Reinzig Hauland
Parents: Unknown
Problem: Parents?
Way:
– all Härtel from Politzig searched
– Identified a single family that could fit the birth period 1770-1773:
Christian Härtel & Maria Gebauer with the children.
Dorothea Elisabeth (1766-1831)
Maria Elisabeth (1768-1839)
Christina (born circa 1770-1773)
Anna Maria (1773-?)
Gottfried (1775-?)
Johann Christian (1778-1833)
– for Anna Maria I could not find a death or marriage record
– Christina appears only once as godmother of the child of her sister Maria Elisabeth
– but the death entry 1824 of the possible mother, Maria Härtel née Gebauer, with the addition: “because. Christian Härtel, owner Reinzig Hauland wife, surviving children Dorothea Elisabeth Dach, Maria Elisabeth Lode, Christian Härtel, grandchildren: Gotthilf & Gottfried Stürmer”.
– Daughter Christina aka Christiane is no longer alive, therefore not listed, but was a married Stürmer and leaves two children Johann Gotthilf and Johann Gottfried
Thesis: Christiane Härtel was baptized as Christina, but called Christiane all her life.
Probability in my opinion: 75%.
3rd case
Gottfried Schneider *ca. 1769 (death entry) – 1778 (marriage entry), †1848 Schierzig
Parents: father was Friedrich Schneider (ca. 1734-1813), mother unknown
Problem: Mother?
Way:
– All Schneider from Schierzig searched in KB Bauchwitz and Tirschtiegel.
– found: Elisabeth Dobernack, *ca. 1746, wife of Friedrich Schneider, †22.1.1812 Schierzig.
– Friedrichs children about marriage and death entries
KB Bauchwitz: Maria Elisabeth (ca. 1773-1807), Dorothea Elisabeth (ca. 1777-1853) and Gottfried (ca. 1769/1778-1848)
KB Tirschtiegel: Christian (1778-1782), Johann Christoph (1781-?), Martin (1785-?), Johann Siegmund (1798-?)
– KB Bauchwitz starts too late for the baptism entry of Gottfried
– mother is mentioned for the first time only with the last child Johann Siegmund
– possibly Elisabeth Dobernack is not the mother of Gottfried, but the stepmother (age difference to the husband 12 years)
– no death or marriage of a first wife in Bauchwitz from 1708, no marriage or death of a wife in Tirschtiegel between 1775-1794
Thesis: Elisabeth Dobernack is the biological mother of all children and the husband had no first wife.
Probability in my opinion: 65
4th case
Anna Dorothea Knittel*ca. 1773-1775, married Christian Pöhlchen, †1847 Dürrlettel
Parents: father was Christian Philipp Knittel, mother unknown
Problem: Mother?
Way:
– All Knittels from Dürrlettel searched for.
– found: Anna Rosina Grielich, †before 1791 Dürrlettel.
– Christian Philipp’s children on marriage and death entries
Anna Dorothea (ca. 1773/1775-1847), Anna Rosina (1783-1858), Theresia (1788-?)
– KB Dürrlettel starts too late for the baptism entry of Anna Dorothea
– Mother is mentioned for the first time only with the last child Theresia
– 1791 the widowed Christian Knittel marries a 2nd time
– possibly Anna Rosina Grielich is not the mother of Gottfried, but the stepmother
– no marriage of Christian Knittel between 1776-1791
Thesis: Anna Rosina Grielich is the biological mother of the three daughters.
Probability in my opinion: 60%