Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
Hello again,
First, thank you for the personal messages sent to my e-mail on this one--it was a difficult mystery to solve. In the 1880 census, George Wachtel, born 1832 and married to Mary Elizabeth Lemke on October 01, 1872 in Olney, Richland County, Illinois, listed his place of birth as "ELKSA." After a lot of research (you genealogists know how you just can't let something like this go without solving the puzzle!)I realized that he meant "Elsass" which is actually Alsace--one of the 26 regions of France. Although it now borders Germany, I think that since about 500 A.D. it had been primarily inhabited by Germans. Also, during (or just after) the Franco-Prussan War, Alsace was ceded to Germany and remained German until W.W. I ended. George Wachtel's father (Jean-Pierre/John Peter Wachtel-abt. 1875 - January 1876) and his mother (Anna Holtz b. abt. 1816) were also born in Alsace. And although Jean-Pierre/John Peter Wachtel was highly educated for his time and spoke at least 3 languages, his children did not have that luxury as they grew up under harsh and demanding conditions on the prarie in Illinois. George signed his marriage certificate with an "X." So I believe that explains the incorrect spelling of "Elsass." Now--on to the next genealogy puzzzle.
All the best from Anna
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:No followups yet |
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/wachtel/messages/90.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|