On July 2014 I wrote about the
oldest Schochenmaiers ever. I was really surprised that they had lived near to place where I am actually living. That's why I decided to check in the local archives. What I found out was even more interesting.
First, I remind you what is to be seen on FamilySearch about the oldest Schochenmaiers:
The oldest notice on the FamilySearch refer to Maria Schochenmeyer born on the 2nd March(baptized on the 7th March) 1652 in the family of Leopold Schochenmeyer and Anna Seueber at the Britzingen village (Lörrach area, in Baden):
If the information is right, then Leopold Schochenmeyer should be born between 1620s-1630s, it's the beginning of the 17 century. So, we may suggest that the company had been found earlier, maybe between late 16th - early 17th century, or during the 16th century.
I was so proud of that information for it was pretty "ancient" and believable that I went to the local archives of the Freiburg University Library in order to take a picture of this notice. Below you'll find what I found in the historical book of Britzingen (village within Müllheim):
Well, as you may see, we've got "Schahenmeyer" but no "Schochenmeyer". For a handwritten text, the difference is of small account. a is twisted up with oc. Who's wrong?
Let's compare the resources of the both notices.
The first one is from FamilySearch:
The FamilySearch.org website offers free access to digital images of genealogical records. These images can be searched along with a number of databases. The library holds genealogical records for over 110 countries, territories, and possessions, including over 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical records; 742,000 microfiche; 310,000 books, serials, and other formats; and 4,500 periodicals. The microfilm and microfiche can be ordered and viewed at over 4,000 library branches (called Family History Centers) worldwide. FamilySearch also offers research help through the FamilySearch Wiki, Forums, digitized books, and online free family history courses through the Learning Centre.
Ok, but who is transcribing the images from parish books?
FamilySearch is in the process of digitizing its entire microfilm collection and making those images available online. The searchable indexes are created by volunteers using FamilySearch Indexing software developed by the LDS Church. To ensure greater accuracy, each batch of records is indexed by two separate indexers and any discrepancies are sent to an expert arbitrator. FamilySearch Indexing volunteers need not be members of the LDS Church. FamilySearch is currently working with genealogical societies all around the world to index local projects. At the end of 2010, 548 million vital records had been transcribed and made publicly available through the FamilySearch website. In April 2013, FamilySearch Indexing completed their goal to offer 1 billion indexed records online.
Let it be!
The second resource is a historical work from 1973 containing 4.896 families within 1602-1973 on 580 pages titled
Ortssippenbuch Britzingen mit den Ortsteilen Dattingen, Muggardt und Güttigheim, Landkreis Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald/ Baden
The Ortssippenbuch is a book of the compiled records from a parish and sometimes from other local sources that organize people and their events into family groups. Each family group is usually assigned a number within this book and that family number leads to other family numbers so that you can connect numerous family generations together. Dates are given for births/baptisms, marriages and deaths and burials. It lists all the children that are born in this village and also if parents have come from elsewhere as well as other useful information. You might even find a reference if your ancestor immigrated to another country.
by Rolf Eilers (genealogist from Freiburg, http://www.rolf-eilers.de/)
and Eugen Eble, and Albert Hofmann.
So, if you asked me, who I believe and what is more plausible, I would prefer the German genealogical work. Choosing between American indexers / expert arbitrators and German family researchers, I'd vote for the latter ones. I think they have more experience in the German Gothic handwriting.
Besides that, let's pay attention to what is in.
Leopold Schahenmeyer - full name
in Dattingen - local area, neighbor village of Britzingen, part of Müllheim
aus dem "Ländlin ob der Endtz" - this inscription is the most interesting because it corresponds to "
aus dem Ländlein ob der Enns" or "aus Österreich". It means that this person had come to Britzingen from Austria!!!! In this regard, in the book I found the following: "The village was then populated by people from the "Ländlein ob der Enns", whcih is today a part of western Austria". Those people came to Germany after the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).
Well, we may conclude that Leopold SchAhenmeyer was not of the German SchOchenmaier origin. He was Austrian.
May I remind you that I have already explained the origin of Scha(c)henmeyers in the post on the solved
puzzle. It was based on the work of
Wolfgang Petz,
Die Familie Schachenmayer in Kempten und Isny vom ausgehenden Mittelalter bis zur Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts (Schachenmayer Family in Kempten and Isny from the Late Middle Age up to the middle of the 19th century), Typoskript Kempten 2003. It probably traces back to the field name of Schachen in Langenegg, a municipality in the
district of Bregenz in the
Austrian state of
Vorarlberg where we can find the very first mention in 1506 about the hunter Michael Schachenmmayer.
So, we stated that there was no German Leopold Schochenmeyer but Austrain Leopold Schahenmeyer. I've learnt that I should be careful with the data from FamilySearch. Now the palm of victory is going to Johann Schochenmajer
here:
Chronologically, the second mention on the oldest known Schochenmaiers refers to Johanna Christina Schochenmajer born on September 19, 1716 in Kornwestheim to Johann Schochenmajer and Anna Maria Schochenmajer.
If so, Johann Schochenmajer should be born in 1680s-1690s.
Kornwestheim is a town in the district of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated about 10 kilometres (6 miles) north of Stuttgart, and 5 kilometres (3 miles) south of Ludwigsburg:
That town is a lot older; Ludwigsburg was only founded in 1704, while Kornwestheim is, as far as I know, more than 1.200 years old, and while Ludwigsburg was carefully planned by the duke of Württemberg's court architects, Kornwestheim is a place that grew naturally, starting out as an Alemannic settlement with farms and not much else.
It's almost one hundred years later and 140 miles (230 km) northward. It means we should start again searching deeper and it's good that we could cast out the wrong persons from our family tree.
Let's go on!!!
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