| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Lutheran Kirchenbuch, Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France; FHL INTL Film 769168, items 5-6.
2. Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1736-1758, 1758-1783; FHL INTL Film 770569, page 116 , entry 2. Death and burial of Eva Stocker, nee Staehlin of Goersdorf, origin of Sulz, age 53, 24 weeks. Wife of Michael Stocker.
3. Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715 and 1715-1736; FHL INTL Films 769168 item 4 and 5, Page 9, entry 3 Widower Hanns Michel Stocker of Goersdorf, married Eva Staehli of Sultz, daughter of deceased salter Johannes Staehli of Sultz.
4. Kirchenbuch Sulz unterm Wald, Taufen 1684-1747; FHL INTL Film 796891.
5. Registres Paroissiaux de Soultz-sous-Forêts, B. 1684-1712, image 63; Archives departementales du Bas-Rhin, http://etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr/adeloch/adeloch_flash/adeloch_flash.php
6. Eva's birthplace is believed to be the Soultz that is closest to Goersdorf -- Soultz-sous-Forets.
7. Modern DNA testing results provided by family researcher Noel Stoker suggest a 75% chance of relationship between the immigrants Johann Michael Stocker of Maryland and Hans Michael Stocker of Pennsylvania at the 9-generation level and 95% at the 12-generation level. The ancestry of the Pennsylvania Stockers was already partially known and so these DNA results were able to lead Noel to search Preuschdorf, Alsace, France (previously Germany), where the christening of Michael (the Maryland immigrant) was finally found occurring in 1730. The following explanation shows current generational ancestral research as of 19 Mar 2015 of the two parallel lines going back in the search for the common ancestor. The records lead back from the Preuschdorf area to about 110 miles south to the hamlet Gennenbach in the Feldberg parish in Baden and then finally to perhaps Kottwill in the Bern Canton of Switzerland. (In German a "G" and "H" were often interchangeable, hence we see "Gennenbach" sometimes rendered as "Hennenbach.") The earliest Feldberg Stockers seemed to have all been carpenters in Gennenbach. (Note also that Feldberg was anciently also rendered as Veldberg or Veldtberg.) The LDS Family History Library in Lucerne recently confirmed to Noel that there are 9 or 11 locations in Canton Lucerne alone where Stockers are known to have lived anciently. Other sources indicate Stockers are also found in Zurich and throughout Switzerland. Current research is bumping up against the earliest entries of existing church records; however, research is ongoing:
A. The ancestral line of our Johann Michael Stocker, immigrant circa 1752-1755 to Frederick, Maryland is as follows:
1. Johann Michael Stocker, b. 15 Apr 1730 in Goersdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France; chr. 16 Apr 1730 in Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. He married three times in Maryland.
2. His father is Hans Michael Stocker, b. in Goersdorf and chr. 10 Jan 1684 in Preuschdorf; d. 16 Feb 1756 in Goersdorf and bur. 18 Feb 1756 in Preuschdorf. He married 4 Jan 1721 in Preuschdorf Eva Staehli, chr. 12 Nov. 1693 at Sulz unterm Wald (Soultz-sous-Forêts), Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France; d. 28 Apr 1746 at Goersdorf and bur. 30 Apr 1746 at Preuschdorf. Hans Michael first married Nov 1712 at Preuschdorf Anna Fischer, b. 9 Jun 1691 and d. 26 Dec 1719 both at Goersdorf. The marriage records give his father's name as Johann Friedrich Stocker, carpenter, of Goersdorf.
3. His grandfather is Johann Friedrich Stocker, b. in Gennenbach village and chr. 22 Jul 1652 in the parish of Feldberg, Baden, Germany; d. 24 Nov 1708 at Goersdorf and bur. 26 Nov 1708 at Preuschdorf. He married 4 May 1680 at Wörth an der Sauer, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France, Anna Barbara ___, widow of Hans Friedrich Bartl; she d. 18 Apr 1695 at Goersdorf and bur. 20 Apr 1695 at Preuschdorf. Johann Friedrich married second 6 Mar 1696 at Preuschdorf Ursula Maria ___, widow of Jacob Dirzon(sp.?) The marriage record gives Johann Friedrich's origins as "a carpenter of Feldberg in der Oberman Grafschaft" and his father as the "Deceased Christian Stocker of Feldberg." Friedrich's christening record calls him Johan Fridelin with parents "Caspar Stocker of Gennenbach, [a] carpenter, [and] Margaretha." The name Casper occurs no where else in the parish records and is a probably clerical error for Christian in the context of Feldberg church records. Fridelin is variant form of Friedrich.
4. His great-grandparents are Christian Stocker and Margretha Wackerin (which may be the feminine version of Wacker). Christian was reported deceased in Feldberg prior to his son's 1680 marriage. His death at age 64 is recorded in Feldberg on 16 Apr 1669 calling him a "citizen and carpenter in Gennenbach." His birth calculates as about 1605. Besides his son Friedrich's 1652 christening in Feldberg, there are four other children of Christian Stocker "a carpenter of Gennenbach" and his wife Margaretha christened in Feldberg from 1650 to 1655. It is in one of these other christenings that we learn of Margretha's maiden surname. Christian most likely had some relationship with Hans Stocker, also a carpenter in Gennenbach, who d. 25 Jan 1649 per Feldberg records (see C-1 below); the relationship may be as siblings or even as father and son, but it has not yet be determined for sure one way or another. (Also see C-2 below for a discussion of a possible second Christian Stocker in early Feldberg.)
B. The ancestral line of Hans Michael Stocker, 1731 immigrant to Pennsylvania is as follows:
1. Hans Michael Stocker, b. 24 Nov 1701 at Mitschdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France and chr. 27 Nov 1701 at Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. He married 30 Jan 1725 at Preuschdorf to Anna Margretha Stephan, chr. 30 May 1708 in Preuschdorf. The marriage record gives the name of groom's father as Hans Michael Stocker.
2. His father is Hans Michael Stocker, chr. 28 Mar 1669 at Feldberg, Baden, Germany, d. 27 Mar 1739 at Mitschdorf and bur. 28 Mar 1739 at Preuschdorf. He married 25 Nov 1692 at Mitschdorf, Maria Remp, b. 21 Mar 1669 at Preuschdorf. There are no birth or christening records for Hans Michael in Preuschdorf and the age reported at the time of death would give a birth date of circa 1667. The marriage record indicates the father of the groom was Jacob Stocker residing at Goersdorf.
3. His grandfather is Hans Jacob Stocker, b. abt. 1630 of Kottwill, Bern, Switzerland, d. 31 Mar 1690 at Goersdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France; bur. 2 Apr 1690 in Preuschdorf. He married 21 Jan 1661 at Feldberg to Margaretha Schinbein, chr. 17 Sep 1643 at Feldberg, "dau. of the late Fridlin Schinbein, judge" of Feldberg. In the marriage record, the pastor recorded that the groom was the son of Jacob Stocker who is a citizen of Kottwill near Bern, Switzerland. His first appearance in Goersdorf is in 1682 when as a widower he married Magdalena Linder, who was a widow. (He may also be the same "Jacob Stockert" who with his wife Maria, residents of the hamlet Hermersweiler, had a son Hans Philipp chr. 28 May 1681 in the parish Sulz unterm Wald (Soultz-sous-Forêts), Alsace, France, which is nearby to Goersdorf. The christening record says that Philipp's parents were of the Pontif religion (Catholic). If this is the same Jacob, then Maria may have died in childbirth in 1681 and Margaretha would be the first wife, Maria the second, and Magdalena the third. This may also mean that he was Catholic and Jacob married an Evangelical, then a Catholic, and then finally an Evangelical wife.)
4. His great-grandfather is Jacob Stocker of "Kottwill, Switzerland near Bern" (penmanship difficult but could alternately Rottwill). (The exact location of Rottwill is undetermined; however, searching ancient Switzerland, Noel Stoker discovered a Rotwill which he believes is the current Rottweil in Baden, Germany. Noel indicates that in the 1600s and for several centuries before and after, it was part of Switzerland. When Napoleon conquered the area in 1803, the alignment changed and it was ceded to Germany. It is about 50 miles from Baden and borders the Black Forest. Further professionally-hired research shows no Stockers in Rottweil..)
C. Loose ends:
1. Hans Stocker: The first recording of a Stocker in the Feldberg parish records which begin in 1639 is in 1649 for a Hans Stocker, a carpenter, who lives in the village of Gennenbach and dies 25 Jan 1649 with no age stated. The Feldberg record provides specific names of some of Hans children as follows -- a son Heinrich who marries Ursula Müller in 1656 and a daughter Verona who has an illegitimate daughter named Elizabeth chr. in 1656 (with Peter Hertzogen). Another son, even though not so identified in the record, may be Hans Stockher at Gennenbach who was married 4 Nov 1661 to Elisabeth, dau. of Baltzer Dinger. Being these three children of Hans are marrying or producing children starting in 1656, it may indicate that Hans may have died in 1649 relatively young.
2. Zacharias Stocker: Zacharias first shows in Goersdorf where he is named a new citizen in 1674. He along with Hans Jacob Stocker, grandfather of the Pennsylvania immigrant, were the only two Stockers in the earliest Preuschdorf parish records. Zacharias is reported having died in 1692 at Goersdorf. In Feldberg, we find his two first marriages: Zacharias and Maria Keller on 27 Jun 1659; Zacharias and Katherine Schum on 4 Apr 1667. In the 1659 marriage record, he is identified as the son of Christian; in the 1667 marriage record he is identified as a widower and carpenter; and in both records "of Gennenbach." This information shows that he was possibly the son of Christian Stocker and Margretha Wackerin (see A-4 above). Based on Zacharias being first married in 1659, his birth would probably be no later than about 1634 assuming being age 25 or older at the marriage. Five of Christian and Margretha's children are documented being born from 1650 to 1655, which is a large gap from Zacharias' assumed birth date. This may mean that Christian (1605-1669) was married twice with Zacharias being of the earlier marriage. Another problem may be the age difference between Christian and Margretha -- Christian would have been 45 in 1650 and Margretha 10 to 20 years younger to be in her child-bearing years. Such large gaps in years between spouses in this era is a bit unusual but perhaps not impossible. There is also the possiblity that there may have been an earlier generation Christian for which no mention has yet been found in the records. (Price and Associate's report of 17 Feb 2014, p. 4, discusses another Hans Michael Stocker who died in the Preuschdorf in 1762, at age 73, making a birth of 1689. There were then three Hans Michael Stockers in the Preuschdorf area at the same time. The youngest, the Pennsylvania immigrant born in 1701, the younger born in 1689, and the "older" born in 1684 who was father of the Maryland immigrant. Noel Stoker has indicated the one born in 1689 was the son of Zacharias (who married Anna Catharina Naegelin on 21 June 1681 in Preuschdorf); this Zacharias is probably the same Zacharias who was the son of Christian.)
8. Per Price and Associates, Inc., (c) Research Report, prepared for Noel Stoker and used by his permission. Report dated 31 July 2015. File name: Staehli2015May/1333. A transcript of the report:
"PROJECT SUMMARY
OBJECTIVE
• Focus on finding the correct ancestry of Eva Staehli of Sulz.
RESULTS
• Identified the correct family of Johannes and Eva Stähle.
• Identified the second wife and family of Johannes Stähle.
• Developed two theories concerning the ancestry of Eva, wife of Johannes Stähle.
• Traced two additional generations for the probable ancestry of Eva.
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Search death records of SoultzÂ-lesÂ-Forêts for information on the Wilhelm and Straub families.
• Continue searching earlier records of Schwabwiller for the Straub family.
• Contact city archives in SoultzÂ-lesÂ-Forêts to identify potential record sets that may help in identifying the origin of Johannes Stähle.
• Search for additional descendants of Johannes Stähle for further clues that may show up in the baptismal sponsors.
Introduction
Previous research indicated that Eva Stähle was born in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts, Bas Rhin, France in 1693, the daughter of Johannes Stähle and his wife Eva. A preliminary search in the parish records of SoultzÂ-lesÂ-Forêts revealed the presence of two HansÂEva Stähle couples having children at the same time. Research began with a focus on these two couples in order to learn if children of the families could be separated, and the identity of the correct ancestral couple could be ascertained.
Stähle family in SoultzÂ-sousÂ-Forêts
Eva Stähle was born and baptized in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts in November 1693, the daughter of Johannes Stähle and his wife Eva.1 Fortunately, the baptismal and marriage records of Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts have been indexed and were available for consultation.
Unfortunately, it was discovered that there were two Hans and Eva Stähle/Stelle families having children in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts at the same time. Spelling for the two families varied for each record, making it difficult to ascertain the two separate families on that basis alone. A closer study of the two families proved successful in identifying which children belonged to each Hans Stähle/Stelle. The ancestor, Johannes Stähle, was consistently referred to by his occupation, a salter. Furthermore, by tracing the families through the early 1700s and looking through the indexed records, it was ascertained that the descendants of each Hans went by slightly different spellings of the surname. The ancestral line was later known as Stähle, while the descendants of the ‘other' Hans later went by Stell.
Eva Stähle's father, Johannes Stähle, was a salter in the town of SoultzÂsous Forêts. He first appears in town in 1686, where he, as a bachelor, witnessed the baptism of Johann Schora on 25 August.2 The entry mentioning of him was written, "Johannes Stöll, of ___ [left blank], the single salter here." This indicates that Johannes Stähle did not originate in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts, as the priest left a space to later write his town of birth. The priest did not go back and fill in the entry. Johannes Stähle appears as a baptismal sponsor an additional five times between 1686 and 1688.
Johannes Stähle married Eva around 1688 or 1689, as indicated by Eva's 1699 death record.3 Unfortunately, the extant marriage records for Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts have a gap between 1681 and 1737. The couple had three daughters: Margaretha (1690), the ancestress Eva (1693), and Maria Barbara (1697). Johannes Stähle's wife, Eva, died 24 January 1699.4 Johannes Stähle remarried shortly after his wife's death, as he and his second wife Catharina have their first daughter, Magdalena Stähle, on 9 April 1700 in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts.5 By 1702, the Stähle family had moved to nearby Retschwiller, where Johannes continued his trade as a salter, but between 1706 and 1714, the family moved back to Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts. Johannes Stähle and his second wife had five children, including four sons, before his death on 28 December 1719.6 His age at death gave a calculated birth date of 7 March 1659; however, he was not born in SoultzÂsous Forêts. Godparents for the children initially seemed to point to the Rempen family as perhaps related, as members of this family showed up in several children's baptisms. A closer look at other baptismal records in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts shows that the Rempen family was particularly popular as sponsors for numerous families, indicating a social connection rather than a familial one.
The origins of Eva Stähle
The death record of Eva Stähle and the one following hers are rather interesting documents that potentially provide clues into her parentage. Eva, wife of Johannes Stähle, died 26 January 1699 in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts.7 The document is difficult to read and in parts is illegible; this is the best translation of the entry:
"the 26th January 1699, died Eva, a devout working quiet housewife: Hans Stelle, the local salter, his wife of ten years, after which she until the 9th day, when began pricks in her [illegible], after which she had endured extreme pain, finally, with faith in God her savior, and very beautiful patience, her soul having believed in Him, after the 24th, in the night, softly and with a [illegible] departed, and the day following was buried.
Let such a soul rest, and give this body a happy resurrection. Her age 32 years."
Following her entry is this entry, for the death of Barbara Straub, also difficult to read and in parts illegible, and translated thus:
"Here, amazingly, after which was received word, and amazingly [illegible] her faith, died, only 5 days after the previously mentioned soul had died [illegible], died on the 31st of the same month and in the night, the same's mother: named Barbara, age in her life was a wife of [?Gadelsf.] after [illegible] was 5 days of illness; Hans Georg Straub, citizen and miller from Keffenach, County of Zweibrücken, [illegible] a surviving widow, otherwise originally from Wirtzberger Land [i.e. Württemberg], in holy rites was buried."
From this translation, it seems that Barbara, the mother of Eva, was the widow of Hans Georg Straub of Keffenach at the time of her death. Keffenach at the time belonged to the parish of Birlenbach. A search of those records revealed some conflicting information. Hans Georg Straub of Keffenach and his wife Barbara were the parents of three children baptized in the parish: an unnamed daughter in 1674,8 a daughter Margaretha on 15 April 1683,9 and a son Jacob on 30 July 1684.10 The only Straub death record found in Birlenbach was for Hans Georg Straub, "the old miller," who died 25 May 1683 in Keffenach.11 This death for Hans Georg Straub, "the old miller" seems impossible to be the same person as the Hans Georg Straub who married Barbara and fathered a child born in July 1684. Additionally, by calling him "the old miller" this may indicate that there was a young miller, i.e. Hans Georg Straub who married Barbara. The death records of Birlenbach between 1683 and 1691 are missing; perhaps Hans Georg Straub, husband of Barbara, died in this time period.
It is very strange that there are no entries of baptism for the Straub family prior to the 1674 entry, even though other children's entries show up from Keffenach in the 1660s and 1670s. Nor is there a marriage in the records for Hans Georg Straub and Barbara. If Eva is the daughter of Hans Georg Straub and his wife Barbara, her baptismal record should be in the records of Birlenbach, but may show up in other places. According to her death record, Eva was born approximately 1666 or 1667. There are two theories for the parentage of Eva, wife of Johannes Stähle:
1. A search through the parish registers of Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts shows only one Eva baptized between 1665 and 1667 - Eva Wilhelm, daughter of Hans Wilhelm and his wife Barbara, baptized on 25 November 1666. Hans Wilhelm was a salter in Retschwiller, where he and his wife had four children between 1666 and May 1673. Several things make this a strong possibility - Hans Wilhelm has the same occupation as Johannes Stähle, the family lived in Retschwiller where Johannes Stähle later lived, the age of birth of this Eva would put her as age 32 years, 2 months at the time of death of Eva, wife of Johannes Stähle. There are some problems with this theory, however. For this relationship to work, Barbara, mother of Eva, would have to subsequently marry Hans Georg Straub of Kessenach, which would make him Eva's stepfather rather than her father. Hans Wilhelm would have had to die sometime in 1673 or 1674, after which Barbara marries Hans Georg Straub early enough to have a child with him in 1674 - or Hans Georg Straub had two wives named Barbara, the first of which had the child in 1674. Furthermore, there are no Wilhelms as baptismal witnesses in Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts between 1684 and 1689, indicating the family had died or moved by then.
2. Hans Georg Straub and his wife Barbara had three children baptized in Kessenach, the first of which was an unnamed daughter between August and December 1674.12 Based on the death record of Hans Georg Straub in 1683, and a subsequent baptism of a Straub child in 1684, it seems likely that there were two Hans Georg Straubs, probably father and son, both millers in Kessenach, living in Kessenach at the same time. The miller Hans Georg Straub of Keffenach (uncertain of which of the two) appears first in the parish as a baptismal witness on 20 October 1667.13 Barbara, wife of Hans Georg Straub, miller of Keffenach, shows up first as a baptismal sponsor on 21 December 1668.14 She witnesses two more baptisms, but does not appear as a witness between 1672 and 1683.15 Baptismal records in Birlenbach are spotty in the 1660s, with only one appearing in 1664, but seem fairly complete after August 1667. It is possible that Eva was born in Keffenach in 1666 or early 1667, during the gap, and that the family had difficulty having children, with one child born in 1673 and two in short succession in 1683 and 1684. It is also possible that Barbara, the witness of the three baptisms in 1668Â1672, was the wife of the earlier Hans Georg Straub. A search through the baptismal sponsors in Birlenbach through 1689 failed to show any Straubs, other than Hans Georg Straub the miller and Barbara, as witnesses. Nor was the marriage of Johannes Stähle and Eva found in the parish.
Conclusion
Through careful analysis of the records, the family of Eva Stähle was successfully identified in the parish of Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts. A second marriage was identified for her father, Johannes. Descendants were found to be living in the town through the 1790s but were not researched. Due to missing records, there is some question about the identity of Eva Stähle's mother, Eva. Both theories were evaluated, and it seems likelier that Eva was born Eva Straub, the daughter of Hans Georg and Barbara Straub of the town of Keffenach.
Recommendations
• Search death records of SoultzÂ-lesÂ-Forêts for information on the Wilhelm and Straub families.
• Continue searching earlier records of Schwabwiller for the Straub family.
• Contact city archives in SoultzÂ-lesÂ-Forêts to identify potential record sets that may help in identifying the origin of Johannes Stähle.
• Search for additional descendants of Johannes Stähle for further clues that may show up in the baptismal sponsors.
Footnotes:
1. Registres Paroissiaux de Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts, B. 1684Â1712, image 63; Archives departementales du Bas Rhin, http://etatÂcivil.basÂrhin.fr/adeloch/adeloch_flash/adeloch_flash.php <http://etat/>.
2. Ibid., image 19.
3 Registres Paroissiaux de Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts, S. 1686Â1728, image 24; Archives departementales du Bas Rhin, http://etatÂcivil.basÂrhin.fr/adeloch/adeloch_flash/adeloch_flash.php <http://etat/>.
4. Ibid.
5. Registres Paroissiaux de Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts, B. 1684Â1712, image 102.
6. Registres Paroissiaux de Soultz-Âsous-ÂForêts, S. 1687Â1728, image 61.
7. Ibid., image 24.
8. Evangelische Kirche Birlenbach, Taufen 1667Â1745, FHL Film 721154, item 1, page 83. No name given.
9. Ibid., page 93.
10. Ibid., page 97.
11. Registres Paroissiaux de Birlenbach, MS. 1614Â1706 image 55; Archives departementales du BasÂRhin, http://etatÂcivil.basÂrhin.fr/adeloch/adeloch_flash/adeloch_flash.php <http://etat/>.
12. Evangelische Kirche Birlenbach, Taufen 1667Â1745, FHL Film 721154, item 1, page 83.
13. Ibid., page 63.
14. Ibid., page 66.
15. Ibid., page 75, where she witnesses the baptism of Wendel Finck on 25 January 1672."
The same report was accompanied by a research calendar of sources searched arranged by Call Number and Source Description:
"1. FHL INTL Book 944.3835/S7 K29s; Soultz-sous-Forêts, printed parish registers - found several spellings of Stähle; two Hans and Eva Stähle families having children at the same time.
2. www.etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr <http://www.etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr>; Bas-Rhin Archives online; Evangelische Kirche Soultz-sous-Forêts. Found the following documents: Baptism of Eva Stähle (1693) Death of Eva [Straub] Stähle (1699) Death of Johannes Stähle (1719)
3. FHL Film 1761549 item 3; Evangelische Kirche Birlenbach, record indexes. Found entries for Straub family.
4. www.etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr <http://www.etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr>; Bas-Rhin Archives online; Evangelische Kirche Birlenbach. Found: Death of Hans Georg Straub (1683)
5. FHL Film 0721154; Evangelische Kirche Birlenbach, baptisms. No baptism for Eva Straub, but found other records; added to PAF.
6. www.etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr <http://www.etat-civil.bas-rhin.fr>; Evangelische Kirche Oberbetschdorf - looked through 1665-1681. No people with surname Straub."
9. Per Price and Associates, Inc., (c) Research Report, prepared for Noel Stoker and used by his permission. Report dated 6 Jan 2014. File name: MichaelStocker2013Nov. Price and Associates also prepared a PAF file for Noel, which I have; this PAF file has the death of Maria Margretha. A transcript of the report:
OBJECTIVE
• Verify birth and death of Michael Stocker, born and died 1727
• Search for other potential ancestors with this name in or near Mitschdorf
RESULTS
• Verified the birth and death of Michael Stocker, born and died 1727.
• Extracted all Stocker christenings, marriages, and deaths from the Preuschdorf Lutheran church records, 1715-1736. The original entries were carefully and individually read in order to assure accuracy since the birth index proved to be largely incomplete.
• Found two Johann Michael Stockers, of which one would qualify to be the direct ancestor. This is Hanss Michel Stocker, born 15 April 1730, son of Hanss Michel, the older of Goersdorf, and wife Eva.
• Discovered marriage of widower Hanss Michel Stocker of Goersdorf to Eva Staehli, daughter of the deceased Johannes Staehli of Sultz.
• Created a PAF-file for the potential ancestral Stocker family as well as for those where no relationship has been established at this time
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Continue research after 1736 in compiling the complete family of Hanss Michel & Eva Stocker as well as determining if the potential ancestral Hanss Michel Stocker born in 1730 likely emigrated from Preuschdorf.
Stocker, Noel: MichaelStocker2o13Noc
• Pending above results, continue extension of the Stocker lines in earlier generations, identifying the most recent common ancestor for the ancestral Johann Michael (Hanss Michel) Stocker of Frederick, Maryland and the Johann Michael Stocker born 1701 who settled in Pennsylvania.
• Pending above results, also seek ancestry of Eva Staehli, daughter of Johannes Staehli of Sultz.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The research task on the Michael Stocker line was twofold. The client's DNA has shown that his ancestor Johann Michael Stocker is related within one to four generations to Johann/Hans Michael Stocker who was born in 1701 in Mitschdorf, Germany, which is today in France. This information was provided by the client. The most recent common ancestor between these two individuals has not yet been identified. There was a Michael, son of Hans Michael Stocker and Anna Margretha, nee Stephan, born in 1727, but this child supposedly died three months after birth.
The first task was, therefore, to verify the death entry of Michael Stocker, born in 1727. If this entry was verified, the years between 1715 and 1733 needed to be researched to find any other Michael or Johann/Hans Michael Stockers who could be the potential ancestor. Each finding of such a name needed to be verified in the death and marriage entries to see whether this/these individual(s) could be eliminated or remained as ancestral candidates. This part of the research was the second task to perform.
The town of birth of the 1727 Michael Stocker was Mitschdorf, Alsace, Germany, since the end of WWII belonging to France. The Lutheran parish was located in the neighboring village Preuschdorf, which lays about one mile south-east of Mitschdorf. The parish records of Preuschdorf are available at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City back to 1660. These early records include a name index for births, marriages, and deaths. During the research process it was discovered that only about half of the persons are recorded in the birth index (the marriage and death indexes were not cross-checked). Therefore, it was necessary for the research to be completed in the actual records, examining each entry. This made the research slower than expected, but was a necessary step to ensure research quality and accuracy.
It was decided to extract all individuals with the family name Stocker, afterwards arranging them into family units in better revealing the familial relationship and qualifying a potential ancestral line. While research was completed previously and family groups compiled, it appeared some individuals might have been missed.
Unfortunately there was no electronic genealogy file provided, allowing quick screen views of families. Therefore, the new extractions were entered into the most recent version of Personal Ancestral File in order to evaluate, change, and submit names for temple work electronically. The new database reflects births/christenings, marriages, and deaths/burials 1715-1736 from the original Lutheran records of Preuschdorf
REPORT
As mentioned in the introduction, the first task was to verify the birth and death of Michael, born and died in 1727, son of Hans Michael Stocker and Anna Margretha, nee Stephan. This information was confirmed [LDS-microfilm 769168 item 5-6: Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1715-1736, Tote 1715-1736]. Michael Stocker was born on 31 August 1727, baptized on 25 September 1727, died on 19 December 1727 and was buried on 31 December 1727. With this proof he was definitely disqualified as the potential ancestor.
The baptismal entries of this time frame were researched for other individuals with this name. For an individual to qualify, the ancestor had to be born between 1718 and 1733, with emphasis on the 1729-1731 years for Johann/Hanss Michael Stocker.
The research in the baptismal records produced two individuals that might qualify as potential ancestors. A third Johann Michael Stocker found, born in 1715, was disqualified since he died in 1717.
Of the two candidates, one was named Johann Michael Stocker (born sometime between 27 September and 15 October 1723 - exact date could not be recognized) and the other was Hanss Michel Stocker, born 15 April 1730. Hanss is the short form for Johann and Johannes. Both of these individuals are siblings and have the same set of parents. The first individual was found previously, but the second was evidently never found as he was not listed in the family's printout. Even though the death entry of the older 1723 sibling was not found in the Preuschdorf death records, it can be assumed that he died because of the re-use of the same first names. The parents are Hanss Michael Stocker and Eva Staehli (her maiden name was found in her marriage record). This family was from the neighboring Goersdorf, which is about 3/4 of a mile west of Mitschdorf. Because of missing information about the younger generations it cannot be judged whether this younger sibling qualifies to be the ancestor. The time approved for this research was too short to go through all the death records until the 1760s, when he should be at last married. Also, since it is not known how the Stocker line continues within the younger generations, it is a difficult task to judge the chances of ancestry.
For the potential ancestral family in question following individuals were found [LDS-microfilm 769168 item 5-6: Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1715-1736].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France:
- [No birth or chr. date stated, between 27 Sep. and 15 Oct. 1723]: Johann Michael Stocker; father: Michael Stocker, the older, of Goersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 80, entry #3. (Doc. 1)
- B. 26 Jan. 1726, chr. 27 Jan. 1726, d. 1749: Maria Margaretha Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker, the older, of Goersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 114, entry #3.
- B. Mar. 1728, chr. 11 Mar. 1728: Maria Elisabetha Stocker; father: Michael Stocker, the older, of Giersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 139, entry #3.
- B. 15 Apr. 1730, chr. 16 Apr. 1730: Hanss Michel Stocker [potential ancestor]; father: Hanss Michel Stocker, the older, of Goersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 170, entry #1. (Doc. 02)
- B. 29 Apr. 1733, chr. 30 Apr. 1733: Maria Eva Stocker; father: Hanss Michel Stocker, the older, of Giersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 204, entry #4.
The children very likely went by their middle names since all the first names are the same. There is the chance that more siblings were born after 1736, but the time approved did not allow any research past 1736 since the death and some marriages needed to be researched too. Thus far, a death record was not found, but it needs to be mentioned that no research in the death record was performed past 1736.
The marriage record of the parents was sought and found [LDS-microfilm 769168 item 6: Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1715-1736]. This record provided the maiden name of Eva and her town of origin, information not known before.
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France:
- M. 4 Jan. 1721, The Widower Hanss Michel Stocker of Goersdorf with Eva Staehli; parents of the groom: [not stated]; parents of the bride: The deceased Johannes Staehli of Sultz. Page 9, entry #3.
At this time it is not clear whether the town Sultz (town of origin of the Staehli family) is the same as Soultz-Sous-Forets (about four miles west of Goersdorf) or the Soultz near Strassburg, today both in France. Staehli is a typical Swiss family name. Future research will solve this mystery.
Time did not allow additional research in original records. All those where no relationship to the direct ancestry could be proven at this time were grouped together into separate family units. All individuals were all entered into a new Personal Ancestral File.
CONCLUSION
In this research session it was the initial task to prove that Michael Stocker, son of Michael Stocker was born and died in 1727. The second task was to research the baptismal entries to find another Michael or Johann/Hans Michael Stocker that could qualify as a potential ancestor. Both tasks were accomplished with a positive result.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It would valuable to receive and enter all information on the immigrant ancestor after his arrival in America into the new PAF that has been created. This would facilitate a better evaluation of appropriate records to search in the Preuschdorf area and tracking emigration.
At the same time the birth, death, and marriage entries (after 1736) need to be checked to eliminate or allow the ancestral candidate to remain for further consideration.
It was a pleasure to research the ancestral lines of the client and we look forward to continuing according to the directions of the client."
10. Price and Associates, Inc., (c) Research Report, prepared for Noel Stoker and used by his permission. Report dated 17 Feb 2014. File name: Stocker2014JanNE. Price and Associates also prepared a PAF file for Noel, which I have. A transcript of the report:
"OBJECTIVE
• Research baptismal, marriage, and death entries for the years past 1736, to determine if Hanss Michel Stocker (born 1730) lived to adulthood and possibly emigrated
• Search the family members of the older Stocker generation who was born before 1715
RESULTS
• Two additional children of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) and Eva Staehli were found
• Children of the first marriage of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) were found
• The Hanss Michel Stocker (Jr.) found in the last research session qualifies to be the one who emigrated since no marriage or death record was found for him in the parish records of Preuschdorf
• One additional generation on the Stocker line was established
• Prepared all new-found individuals for temple work (as far as it was not already done)
RECOMMENDATIONS
• An area search in several Lutheran parishes around Preuschdorf is needed to find the marriage of Friedrich Stocker with Anna Barbara [no maiden name known] - this finding would very likely establish the names of the next generation in the Stocker line
• Also a search needs to be performed in the Sulz Lutheran parish records for the Staehli line
HEADING
The research on the Stocker line had several tasks. First, any children of Michael Stocker and Eva Staehli born after 1736, if any, needed to be found.
Second, the death and marriage entries past 1736 needed to be checked whether the Hanss Michel Stocker who was born in 1730 qualifies as the ancestor.
Third, all the records prior to 1715 needed to be checked to deepen the ancestral tree.
The research was performed in the microfilmed Lutheran parish records of Preuschdorf, which is available at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City back to the year 1660. These early records include a name index for births, marriages, and deaths.
REPORT
As mentioned in the introduction the first task was to find any additional children born after 1736 to Michael Stocker ,(Sr.) of Goersdorf and his wife Eva Staehli. One more child was found. Following is his entry [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1736-1754; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 6].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. [about] 9 Dec. 1736, chr. 12 Dec. 1736: Hanss Georg Stocker; father: Hanss Michel Stocker, the older, of Goersdorf; mother: Eva [no maiden name]. Page 6, entry #1.
The exact date of birth could not be recognized because it was in the fold of two pages and therefore blackened out.
The next task was to check the marriage entries whether the potential ancestor Hanss Michel Stocker (Jr., born 1730) married in this parish. If he did, he would disqualify as being the direct ancestor. Even though several Stocker marriages were found, no such entry was found for Hanss Michel / Johann Michael Stocker [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1736-1780; FHL INTL Film 770569].
The third verification was to search the death records. All the death entries up to 1788 were checked, but no Hanss Michel / Johann Michael Stocker died [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1736-1758, 1758-1783; FHL INTL Film 770569]. All the parish records past 1788 are not microfilmed and are available only at the parish in France.
While in the death records, two related entries were found. These are those of the parents of Hanss Michel / Johann Michael Stocker. Following are their entries.
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- D. 28 Apr. 1746, bur. 30 Apr. 1746: Eva Stocker, nee Staehlin of Goersdorf, origin of Sulz; age 53 years, 24 weeks; Wife of Michael Stocker. Page 116, entry #2. (Doc. 01)
- D. 16 Feb. 1756, bur. 18 Feb. 1756: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdorf, age 72 years, 1 month, 6 days; Son is Johann Georg Stocker. Page 244, entry #1. (Doc. 02)
There was a second Hanss Michael Stocker who died in 1762, being 73 years of age. In theory he would also qualify to be the ancestor, but three facts were found that disqualified him. One fact was that the ancestral Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) had a son Johann Georg (=Hanss Georg). The second fact was found later when searching for the ancestral baptismal entry. There was recorded in a different handwriting that his death entry is found on page 244, which coincides with the entry found above. The third fact was that the Hanss Michael Stocker (Sr.) who died in 1762 had a daughter with the name Maria Catharina, who was recorded in his death entry as a witness. The ancestral Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) did not have a daughter by that name.
Before moving to the older entries, another marriage needed to be mentioned. The marriage record of Hanss Michael Stocker with Eva Staehli was already found during the last research session, but it was not evaluated because at that time it was not sure that they are indeed the ancestral line. This proof was now delivered based on the records available. The marriage mentions that Hanss Michael Stocker was a widower when he married Eva Staehli. Both marriage entries of Hanss Michael Stocker were found in the Preuschdorf Lutheran records [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715 and 1715-1736; FHL INTL Films 769168 item 4 and 5].
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- M. Nov. 1712: Johann Michael Stocker of Goersdorf and Anna Fischer of Goersdorf; father of the groom: Johann Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf; father of the bride: Hannss Georg Fischer of Goersdorf. Page 220, entry #5. (Doc. 03)
- M. 4 Jan. 1721: Widower Hanss Michel Stocker of Goersdorf, married Eva Staehli of Sultz; father of the groom [not mentioned]; father of the bride: Deceased salter Johannes Staehli of Sultz. Page 9, entry #3. (Doc. 04)
While in the marriage records, an additional entry for a child of Hanss/Johann Michael Stocker was found, a child not found in the baptismal entries. His name was Hanss Leonhard Stocker. Following is his marriage entry [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1736-1780; FHL INTL Films 770569].
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
M. 19 Jan. 1745: Hanss Leonhard Stocker of Goersdorf, married Maria Barbara Jacob of Preuschdorf; parents of the groom: Hanss Michel Stocker of Goersdorf, married Eva Staehli; father of the bride: Hanss Heinrich Jacob of Preuschdorf. [Forgot to record page #.]
Other children of Hanss / Johann Michael Stocker also married. Their names are already known, but their marriage data and the names of spouses were recorded into the PAF-file of the client.
Two additional children of Hanss / Johann Michael Stocker were found who were born into this first marriage Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1660-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4] before 1715. Three additional children were already found during the last research session. These are now also connected into the ancestral tree.
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. Aug. 1713, chr. Aug. 1713: Johann Theobaldt Stocker; father: Joh. Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Fischer. Page 172, entry #6.
- B. 7 May 1715, chr. 9 May 1715 [died 1717]: Hannss Michael Stocker; father: Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna [no maiden name]. Page 179, entry #6.
- B. 18 Oct. 1717, chr. 18 Oct. 1717: Johann Georg Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdof; mother: Anna Fischer. Page 18, entry #4.
- B. 25 Dec. 1719, chr. 26 Dec. 1719: Christina Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Fischer. Page 34, entry #4.
- B. 1 Oct. 1721, chr. 3 Oct. 1721: Maria Salome Stocker; father: Hanss Michael Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Fischer. Page 55, entry #1.
For the last child in this table the name of the mother was recorded incorrectly. Anna, nee Fischer had already died one day after her child Christina was born because of complications during birth. Her death entry was found. Therefore the last child has to be connected to the second marriage because it was born 9 month after the second marriage of Hanss Michael Stocker was performed.
Following is the death entry of the first wife [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1715-1736; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 5].
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- D. 26 Dec. 1719, bur. Dec. 1719: Anna Stocker of Goersdorf; age 28 years, 6 months, 2 weeks, 3 days; Wife of Hanss Michael Stocker; died because of complications during birth. Page 9, entry #4.
With this completion the research moved to the older parts of the Lutheran records of Preuschdorf. All the baptismal entries prior to 1715 were checked. Since the birth could be calculated on the age stated in the death entry of Hams Michel Stocker (Sr.), the task to find this entry was an easy one. If the parish priest calculated correctly, he was born on 10 January 1684. His baptismal entry was found at this very day, but his birth date was not recorded there. Also two siblings were found [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1660-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. [not recorded], chr. 10 Jan. 1684: Hanss Michel Stocker [direct ancestor]; father: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf; mother: Anna Barbel [no maiden name]. Page 46, entry #6. Annotation in record: death on page 244. (Doc. 05)
- B. [not recorded], chr. 4 Mar. 1686: Catharina Barbara Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Barbel [no maiden name]. Page 60, entry #2.
- B. [not recorded], chr. 2 Nov. 1688: Maria Barbara Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf; mother: Anna Barbel [no maiden name]. Page 70, entry #4.
The marriage of Johann Friedrich Stocker to Anna Barbara (Barbel is the pet name for Barbara) was not found in Preuschdorf [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4]. Very likely she was from another parish. There is the chance that this couple had older children born and baptized in the parish the mother was from. As it will be proven shortly, she was born in the year 1645 +/- 1 year. It is rather unusual starting having children at the age of 39 years. Only an area search for the marriage entry between Friedrich Stocker and Anna Barbara would produce more certain information on this. There is even the chance that Anna Barbara was a widow when she married Friedrich Stocker because, as will be shown shortly, she was nine years older than him.
The death entry of Anna Barbara was found and with it the information about her birth year. Also the death entry of the father, Johann Friedrich Stocker, was found. Based on these records the age difference can be seen. Also found was an additional child of this couple, a stillborn son. Because he was stillborn, he was not recorded in the baptismal entries. Following the three entries [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Tote 1659-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- D. 18 Apr. 1695, bur. 20 Apr. 1695: Anna Barbara Stocker of Goersdorf, age 50 years; Wife of Friedrich Stocker. Page 261, entry #2. (Doc. 06)
- D. 24 Nov. 1708, bur. 26 Nov. 1708: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf, age 54 years; relationships [not mentioned]. Page 290, entry #1. (Doc. 07)
- D. [not mentioned], bur. 25 Nov. 1687: Stillborn son; Son of Friedrich Stocker of Goersdorf. Page 247, entry #6.
After the first wife of Friedrich Stocker died in 1695, he remarried one year later. Following entry was found [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- M. 6 Mar. 1696: The widower Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf, married Ursula Maria, widow of Jacob Dirzon [his family name is hard to read], who was a shepherd in Preuschdorf; parents of the groom: [not stated]; parents of the bride: [not stated]. Page 201, entry #1.
Hanss/Johann Friedrich Stocker and his second wife Maria Ursula had two more children [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Taufen 1660-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4].
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Preuschdorf, Bas Rhin Alsace, France:
- B. 19 Jul. 1699, chr. 21 Jul. 1699: Hanss Jacob Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf; mother: Maria Ursula [no maiden name]. Page 109, entry #4.
- B. 30 Jan 1703, chr. 2 Feb. 1703: Margaretha Christina Stocker; father: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter in Goersdorf; mother: Maria Ursula [no maiden name]. Page 125, entry #5.
The death entry of the second wife of Johann Friedrich Stocker, Maria Ursula [no maiden name known], was not found in the Preuschdorf records.
The question about the names of the next generation is impossible to answer at this time. Since the first marriage record of Johann Friedrich Stocker was not found in Preuschdorf, and there are no baptismal entries available before 1660 (Johann Friedrich Stocker was born in 1654), no final proof is possible yet. The available information suggests either Jacob Stocker or Zacharias Stocker to be the father of Friedrich. Both had children that married in the 1690s. Both were from Goersdorf. For both were found death records. Based on these they were born just two years apart. There is even the chance that they are siblings.
Only an area search for the first marriage entry of Friedrich Stocker to Anna Barbara [maiden name not known] could possibly clarify this next generation. This area search was not performed during this research project. The following Lutheran parishes border the Preuschdorf parish: Diefenbach (no LDS microfilms before 1793), Worth an der Sauer (microfilms from 1572 to 1792), Langensulzbach (microfilms from 1689 to 1787), Lembach (microfilms 1603 from to 1792), Wingen (microfilms from 1648 to 1792), Rott (no LDS microfilms before 1701), Birlenbach (microfilms from 1614 to 1822), Sulz unterm Wald (microfilms from 1595 to 1793), and Niederkutzenhausen (no LDS microfilms before 1714). As can be seen from this list, only a few parishes do not have the older records. The reason might be that the parishes were established later.
Also seen in this list is the parish Sulz, which was mentioned as the town of origin of the ancestral Staehli family line. The research in the parishes listed as well as the research for the Staehli family could be the research topic in the next research project.
The individuals who could be connected to the ancestral tree were entered into the PAF-file. Among those were also several individuals not mentioned in this report (such as nieces, nephews, cousins, and a few in-laws). All those where no relationship to the direct ancestry could be proven at this time were grouped together into separate family units. These individuals were entered into a separate PAF-file. Both PAF-files were prepared for temple work (as far this work was not done yet).
CONCLUSION
During this research session one more child was found of Michael Stocker (Sr.) and Eva Staehli of Goersdorf. Also, the first marriage of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.), as well as the children of this first marriage was found.
It was shown that the potential ancestor Hanss Michel Stocker (Jr.) found in the last research session qualifies to be the one who emigrated since no marriage or death record was found for him in the parish records of Preuschdorf.
For the father of Hanss Michel Stocker (Sr.) the baptismal entry as well as those for his siblings and half-siblings was found. Several death records were found for the direct ancestry as well as one marriage record. The marriage entry for Johann Friedrich Stocker with Anna Barbara [no maiden name known - parents of Hanss Michel Stocker, Sr.] was not found in Preuschdorf. An area search needs to be performed to find it.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended to perform an area search in several Lutheran parishes around Preuschdorf for the marriage of Friedrich Stocker with Anna Barbara [no maiden name known]. This document will hopefully clarify which of the two candidates is the father of Friedrich Stocker. Most of these parishes are available on LDS-microfilm at the FHL in Salt Lake City.
Also a search needs to be performed in the Sulz Lutheran parish records for the Staehli line. The Sulz parish records are available on LDS-microfilm.
It was a pleasure to research the ancestral lines of the client and we look forward to continuing according to the directions of the client."
11. Price and Associates, Inc., (c) Research Report, prepared for Noel Stoker and used by his permission. Report dated 19 Apr 2014. File name: Stocker2014Mar/1333. A transcript of the report:
"OBJECTIVES
• Continue from the previous project by researching the Stocker ancestry.
• Research the Staehli ancestry.
RESULTS
• Found the marriage for Friedrich Stocker and Anna Barbara [no maiden name known].
• Identified four siblings of Friedrich Stocker.
• Located the death entry of Christian Stocker, the oldest ancestor in this line at this point.
• Found the baptismal entry of Eva Staehli.
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Determine whether pre-1639 records exist for Feldberg.
• Conduct an area search around Wörth for the first marriage between the ancestor Anna Barbara [no maiden name known] and Hans Heinrich Bartl.
• Continue research on the Staehli line for about 100 additional years back to 1595.
[BACKGROUND]
This research started where the previous project ended by following the Stocker line of Goersdorf, Alsace. This area was for a long time German territory, but since the end of World War II it has belonged to France. The ancestral Stockers spoke German, and the Lutheran parish books are recorded in German.
Several extractions were made in 1993. The family group sheets created based on the extractions were provided by the client.
Before the research started, a few questions from the client needed to be answered.
Question 1: Does the marriage record of Hanss Michael Stocker to Anna Margaretha Stephan on 30 Jan 1725 at Preuschdorf specifically list his age or his father/parents as Hans Michael Stocker and Maria Remp? If not, how do we know the correct parents of the Hans Michael who married in 1725?
Answer: The marriage record of Hanss Michael Stocker to Anna Margaretha Stephan lists the day of marriage, the names of groom and bride, and the parents of the bride and the father of the groom (being Hans Michael Stocker). It does not list the name of the mother.
Question 2: How do we know the Hanss Michael Stocker who married Maria Remp in 1692 at Mitschdorf was born in Oct 1669 at Mitschdorf? Did the 1692 marriage entry provide Hanss Michael's parents or his place of residence?
Answer: The 1692 marriage entry for Hanss Michael Stocker and Maria Remp states that the groom was the son of Jacob Stocker, [the father] residing in Goersdorf; and the father of the bride was listed as Jacob Remp, the mother as Maria Stephan, both of Mitschdorf. This record does not state whether the groom was born in Mitschdorf or Goersdorf or anywhere else. Since this was not a direct line, his information was not double verified during the previous project. The Preuschdorf parish entries were checked this time, which include Mitschdorf and Goersdorf. The birth entry for him was not found in these parish records. At this point, it is not sure where the birth in October 1669 came from. It definitely needs to be removed. His death entry states his age, but according to this he was born in 1667 (+/- 1 year). If all the Stocker families did move from Feldberg to Goersdorf and Mitschdorf, as suggested by the researcher who worked on these lines in 1993, the data found back then for him could be correct. The only conflicting information that would stay in that case is the given name of the mother. Her name was either Magretha or Magdalena. There is a chance that either the parish priest recorded it wrong or she had indeed two given names.
STOCKER LINE
The researcher who performed the research in 1993 came to the conclusion that the Stocker ancestry moved from the town Feldberg, Grand Duchy of Baden, to Goesdorf, Alsace, but did not deliver any solid proof for it. The distance between these two towns is between 110 and 120 miles in a straight line. For the late 1600s, this was quite a distance to move. On the other hand, between the 1650s (a few years after the end of the Thirty Years War) and the 1680s, many people moved wider distances because the black plague wiped out one-third of Europe; in some areas whole villages were left completely empty. Especially children that did not inherit the family farm took advantage of this and moved to other areas. Also the local nobility often made promises of a lower tax to new settlers.
There were two possible ways to perform the next research steps. One would be to conduct an area search in parishes nearby to find the marriage entry of the direct ancestor, Johann Friedrich Stocker, and Anna Barbara [no maiden name known]. The other possibility would be to verify the Feldberg parish records and retrace the steps performed in 1993. It was decided to analyze the research report from 1993 and the family group sheets based on this. The researcher found a marriage for Friedrich Stocker and Anna Barbara listed as 4 May 1680, married in Goersdorf. This marriage was not recorded in the Preuschdorf parish records (Goersdorf belonged to Preuschdorf). [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1661-1715; FHL INTL Film 769168 item 4.] In fact, no marriages at all were recorded there between 1674 and November 1683. None of the other entries in these previously mentioned family group sheets gave any other clue than the connection to the town Feldberg. Therefore, the Feldberg marriages were checked. Even though many Stockers married there, the desired marriage entry was not found. [Kirchenbuch Preuschdorf, Heiraten 1639-1793; FHL INTL Film 1189398 item 5.]
If the wife, Anna Barbara, was not from Feldberg, the couple could have married somewhere near Goersdorf/Preuschdorf. Therefore, an area search was begun. The first place to check was the neighboring Lutheran parish of Lembach. The marriage entry was not found there. [Kirchenbuch Lembach, Heiraten 1651-1684; FHL INTL Film 717154, item 6; and Heiraten 1656-1689; FHL INTL Film 717154, item 7 (two different records with overlapping years).] Also the baptisms did not list a Johann Friedrich Stocker born in or about 1654 (calculated based on his death entry). [Kirchenbuch Lembach, Taufen 1649-1674; FHL INTL Film 717154, item 6.]
The neighboring Langensulzbach Parish was ignored since their marriage records do not begin until 1689; baptisms begin in 1674.
The third neighboring parish was in Wörth an der Sauer. Finally, the correct marriage was found. [Kirchenbuch Wörth (an der Sauer), Heiraten 1572-1635, 1641-1694; FHL INTL Film 1069776.] The date is the very same as found in 1993, just the town name was recorded wrong. The entry states Goersdorf on the left and could be an indicator to where the marriage might have been performed, but it could also be understood as an annotation to the place of residence of bride and groom. This was very likely where the mistake came in. Following is the record.
Marriage Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Wörth, Bas-Rhin Alsace, France:
- M. 4 May 1680: Friedrich Stocker, a carpenter, of Feldberg in der Oberman Grafschaft, married Anna Barbel of Görsdorf; parents of the groom: Deceased Christian Stocker of Feldberg; parents of the bride: [Parents not stated, but the following information was stated:] Widow of the deceased Hanss Friedrich Bartl, a former tailor in Goersdorf. Page 224, entry 4/1680. (Doc.1)
The first marriage between Hanss Friedrich Bartl and Anna Barbel (=Barbara) was sought in this parish, but not found. This record would provide her maiden name. Very likely she was again from another parish and the couple married there. Only an area search might produce this record.
The marriage entry above gives the town of origin as "Feldberg in der Oberman Grafschaft." A "Grafschaft" is a countship. In the 1600s and 1700s, Baden was a countship. It did not become a Grand Duchy until 1806. No reference was found in printed or online sources to the Oberman entry related to the Baden countship. There are at least five different Feldbergs in the former German Empire, but none of them relates to Oberman. The Feldberg in Baden is closest to Goersdorf in spite of its 110 to 120 miles linear distance. This is not absolute proof that the Stocker ancestry came from there, but the evidence pointing into this direction can't be denied.
While analyzing the early parish records of Wörth, it was realized that this parish must have been responsible for the people who belonged since 1660 to the parish Preuschdorf. Since the calculated birth year for Anna Barbel/Anna Barbara was known from her death entry, the baptisms were searched in spite of the possibility that she might have been from another parish. She was born in or about 1645. The baptisms produced three Anna Barbaras born in 1644, but none in 1645 or 1646. Any or none of them could have been the ancestor.
The children of (Johann) Friedrich Stocker and Anna Barbara were found during the last research project. Therefore, the research turned back to the Feldberg parish records. In 1993, the researcher found four children, with an additional one born 18 years before the rest. The four children previously found could be confirmed; the oldest one was not confirmed since his birth took place before Wörth Parish kept records. The direct ancestor (Johann/Hans) Friedrich Stocker was not among those found. If this is the correct ancestral line - and this is the only family where Christian Stocker was the father - then the direct ancestor must have been baptized in another parish or his baptism was not recorded. Following are the four children mentioned (note two sets of twins). [Kirchenbuch Feldberg, Taufen 1639-1793; FHL INTL Film 1189398, item 5.]
Birth Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Feldberg, Baden, Germany:
- Chr. 6 Jan 1650: Hans Stocker (twin); father: Christn. Stocker of Hennenbach; mother: Margretha [no maiden name]. No page #, entry 139. (Doc. 2)
- Chr. 6 Jan 1650, died 15 Apr 1725: Maria Stocker (twin); father: Christn. Stocker of Hennenbach; mother: Margretha [no maiden name]. No page #, entry 140. (Doc. 2)
- Chr. 6th of Trinitatis 1655 [= 22 Jul. 1655]: Adam Stocker (twin); father: Christian Stocker, a carpenter in Hennenbach; mother: Margaretha [no maiden name]. No page #, entry 12. (Doc. 3)
- Chr. 6th of Trinitatis 1655 [= 22 Jul. 1655]: Eva Stocker (twin); father: Christian Stocker, a carpenter in Hennenbach; mother: Margaretha [no maiden name]. No page #, entry 12. (Doc. 3)
The marriage entry of the parents, Christian Stocker and Margaretha, was not found in Feldberg. There is a chance that they married before 1639, the year the parish records start. Only a search in neighboring parishes would produce this document - if the neighboring parishes have such old records.
The researcher from 1993 also found the death entry of a Christian Stocker. It cannot be proven that this pertains to the direct ancestor, but the name and profession fit. Also this Christian Stocker died before 1680, which would be confirmed in the marriage entry of the son. If he was the correct ancestor, his wife Margaretha must have been his second wife, because she would not have had all her children in her mid- to late 40s and none in her 30s. Following is the death entry. [Kirchenbuch Feldberg, Tote 1639-1793; FHL INTL Film 1189398, item 5.]
Death Register. Source: Lutheran Church Records of Feldberg, Baden, Germany:
- D. 16 Apr. 1669: Christian Stokher [note different spelling], citizen and carpenter in Hennenbach; age 64 years; relationships [not stated]. No page #, entry 75. (Doc. 4)
An area search around Feldberg was not done. A first look at the records available revealed that only one of the parishes in the wi
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1693 - 1746 (~ 52 years)