I have included this long document - my Roots Diary - in this Web site with the thought that this might provide some insights for those who may be considering a search for their own roots in Germany. If the visitor finds this two-part Web page half-way interesting, it might not be a bad idea to copy these into your harddrive so that you can read it at your leisure. And for the full story of our Schwenk family history, you can  click here.

 It occurred to me recently (Mar. 1995) that keeping a diary of my family history research of our ancestors in So. Germany would be beneficial in several ways. In keeping with this, I have, this date March 4, 1995, "reconstructed" this diary by referring to my various records and recording these events in a diary form.

Feb. 1991 Rec'd. 9 page letter, dated 23. Jan. 1991, from Cousin Richard Schwenk.  It summarized what is known of Johannes and Maria Schwenk, their children and the children of Johann "John" (The Immigrant).
Sept. 1991  Received Schwenk Fam. Tree from John R. Schwenk and a 12 page "Schwenk Family History", which shows all descendants of Johannes (b. 1798) & Maria as of June 24, 1991, and compiled by Juanita Schwenk of Excello, MO. These are wonderful documents and represent a great amount of research and work!!! I will hang up the Family Tree so that my children can get a glimpse into their ancestral past.

 Spring 1992.  Began studying the German language in earnest, mostly by reading novels. This is due in part to boredom (retired the bakery in April), in part to better communicate with a friend, of a friend, from Swizerland who speaks little English and who will visit her friend in Hailey this Summer.

Ca. Apr. 1993.   Milton Schwenk gave me a copy of "Emigrants' List" he had ordered from a Hamburg, Ger. research firm. It shows a Johann Schwenk and a Sophia Kurtz who were among 474 passengers aboard the ship Cimbria leaving Hamburg on Aug. 31, 1867. Unfortunately, their ages stated did not track with the dates of birth handed down to us in the above mentioned Schwenk documents. The disparity of ages was from 4 to 6 years. So it seems we have received the passenger list of the wrong Schwenk & Kurtz. The place of origin for Johann was shown as Demmingen, Wurrttemberg. (3/95. As it turned out, this attempt by Milton provided a stimulus for me to pursue our roots in S. Germany.)

July 1993 Rec'd letter from Juanita Schwenk. In that she gave me a clue re. Dettingen.  She referred to the map from the Hamburg firm, wherein the town of Demmingen was encircled (wrong town). She pointed out that there is a town of Dettingen near Heidenheim  (This letter may be what finally moved me to write a letter to Dettingen to  inquire about Johannes & Maria.)
23 July 1993 Wrote letter to City Hall of Dettingen.
26 Aug. 1993 Rec'd reply from above. Enclosed were Family Registers of Johannes & Maria  Barbara, of Johann Friderich & Maria Agnes Lieb, and the birth record of Maria Barbara!!! I am as excited as a child discovering wondrous things beneath the tree on Christmas Morn!!! But what is this archaic style of handwriting? I see I need to know more than the modern German script in order to translate this!
30 Aug. Sent letter to the office of the Burgermeister in Mundingen.
30 Aug.   Sent report # 1 to Schwenk Family relatives advising of findings.
15 Sept. Sent letter to Evang. Church in Dettingen/Erms requesting further info. on Lieb ancestors, and maps, info. on history of the community.
20 Sept Rec'd reply to the Mundingen letter from the city archivist, Mr. Ohngemach of the city of Ehingen (ca. 5 mi. E. of Mundingen. Ehingen administrates the village of Mundingen. He enclosed copy of F.R. of Konrad Schwenk, b. 1805, son of Conrad. And informed me that the Hirsch Inn, "Gasthof zum Hirsch" still stands!.  Also a detailed map of the Ehingen surroundings.
ca. 21 Sept.Thank you letter to Herr Ohngemach of Ehingen
Oct. '93 Son Gordon photocopied entire book, entitled, "The Genealogist's Guide to Fraktur" and sent it to me. This will help immensely with the deciphering of these old documents!
2 Nov. Received large packet of booklets, brochures, history info. from the City Hall of Dettingen/Erms. I'm in seventh heaven! Now I can become familiar with the town where Johannes & Maria and their first three children lived
3 Nov. Letter of gratitude to the above.
3 Nov.Letter to Hist. Emigration Office in Hamburg requesting maps of S. Württemberg.
6 Nov. Received wonderful book from Lotti, "Deutsche Schreibschrift". This and Gordon's book should really help me with the "Altschrift", and allow me to decipher these documents better!
10 Nov. Meine uralte Heimat" poem sent to Dettingen City Hall.
13 Nov. Second report to "Johann Schwenk Clan Members".
14 Nov. Letter to Luthern Church Mundingen (with 100 D.M. money order as an inducement to send me documents of our Schwenk ancestors.)
16 Nov. '93 Ordered bunch of detailed maps of So. Wurtt. from the Landesmessungsamt in Stuttgart. Cost upon prompt reply was 118 D.M. One more map then ordered.
13 Dec. 1993 Letter to the University of Tübingen re possible connection of our Schwenk lineage to the nobility of Württemberg.
5 Jan.  1994 Letter addressed to "Ros Kathedrale Berthold" in Ulm re. F. Reg. of Elias Schwenk, brother of our Johann.
20 Jan. 1994  Reply from the University of Tübingen. A polite, brief letter essentially saying, sorry, no connection to royality. The statement on Konrad Schwenk's F. Reg. death entry reading, "former Württemberger through descent" meant only that because  of  his birth in the Kingdom of Württemberg he was, by virtue of that, a citizen of that Kingdom. So much for that fantasy!
1 Feb. Reply from the Evang. Kirchenpflege in Ulm, re my inquiry for Elias. They enclosed a Fam. Reg. of Elias. It must be an efficient Postal System in Germany. They opened my letter to determine really where it should be directed.  There is no such animal  as, "Ros Kathedrale Berthold". I had misinterpreted words on the Fam. Register of his father, Johannes, where I thought they indicated that Elias had moved in 1863 to the Ros Cathedral Berthold in Ulm.  I could only speculate that perhaps he had converted to Catholicism, and worked for or served  the church there.  After receiving the F.Register and then going back to the document which I had misinterpreted, everything suddenly became clear.  The fact was that he married a Rosina Catharina Berthold in Ulm in 1863 and remained Lutheran!!!
2 Feb Thank you letter to Ulm.
18 Feb. Rec'd letter from the Evang. Church Reg. office in Dettingen/Erms.  Lieb ancestry info on 3 generations included.
18 Feb. Thank you letter to the above. Enclosed $25. cash.
19 Feb. Second request to Mundingen Pastor.
20 Feb. Report # 3 sent to "J. S. Clan members".
12-19 May.  Visit to Schwenk "Heimat" in So. Germany.
13 May. Pastor of Mundingen presented me with a book written about the history of Mundingen. It proved to be extremely significant for my reseach. "Mundingen Ein Altwürttembergischer Grenzort" written in 1983 by a Dr. Rudolph Kiess. Among many fascinating  facts about our Schwenks in that village (pop. 300), the most significant was that Conrad came there in about 1797 from Feldstetten. While there I obtained dates of births and deaths of the children of Conrad and Felicitas directly from the old church record books.  I visited the communities of Feldstetten, Schopfloch and Dettingen/Erms in the following few days.  I paid my respects and offered my gratitude in person to the personal in the Dettingen City Hall and to the Evang. Church in the person of a Miss  Zötsch.
22 May Letter to Schwenk Family Hahngarten Str. # 4 in Feldstetten, inquiring as to a common ancestry.
24 May Letter to the Evang. Church in Feldstetten.
24 May Letter to the Evang. Church Pastor Fritz Braun in Schopfloch.
25 May Letter to Eberhard Schwenk of Schelklingen (no. of Ehingen) regarding possible common ancestor. The four above letters sent while still in Swizerland.
30 May Letter to Herr Ohngemach of Ehingen requesting info for Friedrich and his father Johannes. Said I was disappointed I had missed him while I was in Ehingen.
30 May Report # 4 to "J.S. Clan".
20 July  Letter of gratitude sent to Pastor Moskalink of Mundingen.
20 July  Rec'd reply from Ehingen archivist. He sent F. Reg. of Friedrich and of a Jakob Schwenk, son of Konrad and first cousin of Friedrich (and of our Johann).
23 July 1994 Thank-you letter to Ehingen re above. Asked for F. Reg. of Elias and Katharina and/or of Albert Mayer I re. Ernst Mayer, founder of ERMA of Mundingen. Only if he had the time.
19 Aug. Letter received from Elsbeth Schwahn, born Schwenk from Zell u. Aichelberg, not far from Feldstetten. She is the sister of the deceased Eberhard Schwenk to whom I had written in May. She enclosed her Family Chart (Ahnentafel) and an interesting history of the siblings of her father! Her Schwenk ancestors came from Laichingen, a town 5 km's east of Feldstetten. Whether we are "cousins" can be only be determined by a search in the church books of both communities and/or help from the Feldstetten Pastor.
20 Aug. Rec'd letter and 7 photo copies of documents of Lieb. ancestors from Pastor Braun in Schopfloch.
21 Aug. Thank you letter sent to above!!!
21 Aug. Thank you letter to Elsbeth Schwahn and sent my Schwenk "Ahnentafel".
12 Sept. Sent my Report # 5 to "J.S. Clan members".
23 Sept. Send 2nd request letter to Feldstetten Pastor.
29 Sept. Letter to Feldstetten Rathaus re. Conrad and history of community.
28 Nov. Sent letter to Dr. Rudolf Kiess re. his book on the history of Mundingen, expressing my admiration for his scholarship and how very much information this book has provided us regarding the Schwenks.
28 Nov. Sent cover letter to the City Admin. of Ehingen for I did not have any address for Dr. Kiess. Encl. $5. to cover mailing and nuisance costs.
4 Feb. 1995 Reply from Dr. Kiess. Warm and friendly.  Offered to assist with my desire to obtain documents or data from Feldstetten Church. Offered to meet me in Mundingen when I do make a return visit.
4 Feb. I replied to above and took up offer to assist re. Feldstetten.
5 Feb. Sent inquiry letter to the family members of the Schwenk Zementwerke in Allmendingen (just north of Ehingen), seeking info on common ancestry. Incl. Fam Charts.
7 Feb. Letter to Elsbeth Schwahn bringing her up to date on my research.
13 Feb. Letter to Rathaus of Lauterach re. history of that village and Neuburg, just south of there, where Johannes and Maria moved to (Neuburg or Lauterach not clear to me) in ca. 1835 and where daughter Luise was reportedly born in 1836. Asked for any info. re this family, how long they may have lived  there or in Neuburg, etc., etc.
22 Feb. Visited LDS Morman family history center in Hailey.Astonished to find that the huge Family History Library in Salt Lake City contains microfilms of apparently all of the church books on vital statistics of all the Lutheran and Cath. churchs in at least the State of Württemberg!!! I ordered M.F.s of Mundingen, Feldstetten and Laichingen. Two computers and three microfilm viewers are available for Mormans and non-mormans alike. I was welcomed warmly.  C.D. Roms there contain vast family history data.  I began learning how to work with a computer (new experience). Was there two hours.
23 Feb. Two hours at L.D.S. learning how to operate the computer and search for data contained on perhaps 30 or more C.D. Roms.
23 Feb. Rec'd letter from Dr. Kiess. Said things don't look real promising with the Feldstetten Church. He wrote to Hans Schwenk of that town (whom I had written to in May with no reply) asking if he might go to the church and at least get Conrad's Fam. Register or birth data
23 Feb. Rec'd letter from Elsbeth Schwahn. Long friendly letter. Informed me of unfriendly pastor of above church. She had phoned him last Sept. She enc. 2 photos of herself and husband and their back yard view. What attractive and warm people!
23 Feb Replied to Dr. Kiess. Advised him of astonishing find at LDS church.
24 Feb. '95 Replied to Elsbeth Schwahn. Told her of above find. Sent two photos.
26 Feb. Letter to Herr Ohngemach, advising him of LDS archives. Relieved him of any further "moral obligation" to go to Mundingen to secure promised data for me. Invited him to dinner in Ehingen when I return.
1 March 3 hours at LDS on computer with I.G.I. (International Genealogical Index) and Ancestral Files searches.
2 March 6  hours LDS. Began viewing M.F.s Did not find much on Mundingen M.F. Found no record of Johannes & Maria, death of him, nor any Fam Reg. Perhaps they never did move back to Mundingen from Neuburg? Did find that Elias, b. 1869, the cooper, who married his 2nd cousin, Katharina Schwenk died of a lung infection. That they had only one child, still-born 12 Dec. 1904. That being the case, it was not their son, Ernst, who later founded ERMA, a furniture, Window whatever factory in Mundingen, Mundingen's only industry.During the afternoon I viewed the Feldstetten M.F. Found entry in the birth records (Taufbuch) for the date of 15 April, 1773 under the Infantes column, "Cunrad". Under the Parentes column, "Cunrad Schwenk, Weaver, Septugenarian,  and Anna Ursula, born Ostertag." Beneath the Sponsores (Godparents) column"Jacob Hilzenbatt, Schultheiss (like a village mayor but with much more authority than a present day mayor)  Angelica, Matteus Bonacker's wife." Someone much later made a special entry, in pencil, above his birth entry, something reserved for someone out of the ordinary. "This Cunrad, later beerbrewer and innkeeper of the Hirsch in Mundingen, died an  14 Feb. 1868, apparently in Metzingen." Eureka! Photocopy this!!!  Two extraordinary things here. One, his father was in his  seventies when this child was born. Two, this child lived to the age of two months short of 95! Shortly after this discovery, I found the marriage info. on the father, Cunrad (I will use the word Conrad hereafter, for that is how the name was spelled apparently in the following century). Here it is:"Conrad Schwenk, court administrator and weaver, locally, widow,  and with him, Anna Ursula Ostertag, Andreas Ostertag Farmer and City Hall Administrator in Laichingen, legitimate single daughter, married the 29th of October, 1771."
3 March Three hours IGI computer work. Found dates and names on the Lieb line and  a line branching off the Lieb family with the marriage in 1659 of our earliest known Lieb,  Johann  Christoph Lieb (also former pastor of the church in Schopfloch as was his son, Samuel Christoph Lieb in the early 1700s) to a Maria Margarete Bansovius. That branch traces back to a est. birthdate of a Samuel Bansovius of 1580. This data has been entered onto the Five-Generation Charts. Worked half an hour on Feld.M.F. Found  a Conrad Schwenk born 1702 to a Bernhardh Schwenck. Don't know yet if this is Conrad "the weaver". Some things don't add up. On Mar. 6th, I'll start working on the Laichingen M.F.
4 March  Went through records back through 199l to "reconstitute" this diary and typed in up.
6 March ca. 6 hours at LDS. Searched Laichingen MF under births 1695-ca. 1710. Schwenks here are spelled Schwenck or Schwenckh. This is also the case with Bernardh Schwenck in early 1700 in Feldstetten.  Found no Conrad in the time span indicated above. Conrad Schwenck, wife Christina had child in 1745.  Not the right Conrad it seems. Total births: 1740: 69. Total births 1746: 81.  Many Schwencks in Laichingen. Decided to work on IGI in that I was not satisfied with what I had found here. Got a printout of Johann Friedrich Lieb. Born 1692. This date we were missing prior.  Father shows Sam. Christ. Lieb which checks. Mother is shown as Anna Margarethe Eberhardt. I believe this is our Lieb. Another printout was of Johann Erhard Lieb, b. 26 Sept 1706 in Schopfloch, father again Sam. Christ. Lieb. This checks exactly with the birth record photocopy which Rev. Fritz Braun sent me.  This Johann Erhard Lieb is the only surviving child of Sam. Christoph Lieb's second marriage of 1705.  It follows then that Anna Margarethe Eberhardt is our direct ancestor, the mother of Joh. Fried. Lieb.  Checked out Sophia Kurtz of Prussia. Nothing except person of same name born in Westfalen in western Germany, not Pommern.  Also the age, dob, did not check out.
7 March Letter from Pastor Nonnenmache of Feldstetten. Sent me same info. I had discovered last week about Conrad dob of 1773 and dod. 1868 and parents' names.
7 March I replied to above with $25 cash "offering". Sent copy of letter to Dr. Kiess.
7 March Wrote letter to Dr. Kiess with copy of letter above.
8 March  6 Hrs. at LDS. Feldstetten MF all day. Found marriage date for Cunrad, that is his first marriage, in 173l to a widow, Ursula. His brother Johannes married on the same date also to a widow, an Anna. I found a death entry for Cunrad, the father, of  6 July 1775. With the two marriages and their entries and the death entry of this Cunrad, born 1702, 1 have concluded there is no doubt that this Cunrad (Court Admin.) is the son of the Bernhard Schwenk (Judge) and Maria, Now the search goes on for Bernhard, This will have to be in Laichingen.  That is because of the following.  I searched birth records in Feld. from 1660 on.  Found not one Schwenck born until 1696, an Andreas Schwenck, (b. 20 Aug. 1696, died 28 June 1700) born to Bernhardt & Maria Schwenck.  This suggests that the Schwenks did not arrive here in Feldstetten until ca 1696. I checked marriages just prior to this year.  Found no Schwenks. What happened to the first marriage of Cunrad in 1731? 1 found no children born of this marriage, nor any further entry of wife Ursula.  From the years of 1739 through 1755, this Cunrad appeared as a Patten, Sponsores, Godparent (along with various other females as co-godparents) nineteen times!  His wife's name, Ursula, never was mentioned.  The entries of his name show only Cunrad Schwenck, Weaver.  In 1751 and again in 1753, Master Weaver.was shown as his occ.
9 March.  LDS.  Searched marriage of Bernhard & Maria in Feld.  M.F. from ca., -1696.  No Luck.  Marriages very few in this time period, prob. as a lasting result of the 30 Years's War which ended 1648.  For example: in 1693: one; 1694: 0; 1696: two; 1697.- 6 or 7; 1699: one; 1700: four. While with the Feld.  Microfilm, I checked out a possible remarriage of the widow of Cunrad, d. 1775.  She, Anna Ursula m. on 30 Jan. 1776 a Jacob Hilzenbeck, beerbrewer (Bierwirt shown) in Feldstetten.  This is significant in that this is where Conrad then age 3, later most certainly must have learned the brewery trade. Then I searched the Laichingen records under marriages, Found marriage of Bernhard and Anna Maria. 15 Oct.1695.  His father is  Andreas Schwenck (no occ. shown). Mother's name is Barbara.  Anna's father is Phiipp Hilsenbeck, then deceased.Then I searched for all children born to this union. Found about 10. Only Bernhard and sister Ursula survived infancy.  I then looked for birth record of Bernhard.  Found it.  Sept. 8, 1672 in Laichingen.  My search then for marriage record of Andreas proved fruitless.  Went thru years of about 1665-1672.  Nothing.  Perhaps they married in Feldstetten, then moved to Laich. as did Bernhard after marrying Anna Marie, though they m. in L. and moved to Feldstetten, her hometown.Above data on births & marriages entered onto Fam.  Records, 5 Gen..Charts.

 Last week, as I began searching these microfilms, and saw that the name Schwenk was spelled variably as, Schwenck or Schwenckh, I said "oh no!  A different tribe." As I got back into the early 1700s and the 1600s, I saw no spelling of this name as Schwenk. Because the c and h are really silent letters in this position, they became gradually dropped from the spelling as we get into the 19 Century.  This is true of many other words.  Wirt was always spelled "Wirth" even late in the 19th Century. You may  have noticed that Bernhard (b. 1672), the father of Cunrad, was spelled "Bernhardt" on his birth entry.  His father's last name was spelled there as "Schwenckh".  In Cunrad's birth entry, Bernhard's name was spelled, "Bernhard Schwenckh." Because the "t"  is also silent following a "d", this also became dropped in time.  After I discovered this spelling oddity, I breathed a sigh of relief...... this is the right tribe after all.!!
Mar. 12.  Wrote letter to Pastor Fritz Braun of Schopfloch, advising him of Morman microfilm archives, and thanking him once again for his kindness. $20 encl. as "offering."
Mar. 13.  Letter to Milton with copy of diary and copy of Chart # 2, giving him a "scoop" on my progress with the LDS microfilms, etc.
Mar. 14.  On Mar. 2nd with the Mundingen M.F. I found born to Conrad and Felicitas. on 26 Aug. 1799 an Elias.  Died at birth or infancy.  He was born abt. one year after Johannes, Significant because this makes eight Elias children born in this and the two following generalizations, and this was the first born and named presumably after Elias Fischer, Felicitas' step father. 3hrs. at LDS on March 14, 1 searched Feldstetten M.F. for marriage of Andreas & ara.  Found none.  Found an Claus  Schwenckh who married an Ursula in Sept. 1618. Found no births in subsequent years of this union.  Found later in the Laichingen M.F.that these were not the parents of Andreas.  The Taufen and Ehen go back to about 1589 in Feldstetten church books.  The birth numbers in first half of 1600's: 11 in 1620; 1 in 1630; 1 1633; 1 in 1639; 1 in 1640; 3 in 1641; 4 in 1642; 5 in 1643; 1 in 1646; 5 in 1647.  This small number of births gives us a clue as to the effects of the 30 Yr.  War.
     In Laichingen found marriage entry of Andreas & Barbara. 17 May 1664.  His father is: Conrad Schwenkh, Weaver.  Her father is Jerg Sauter.  Entered into Charts and Fam.  Records.  Photocopied this marriage entry.
At the bottom of this marriage register's page, appears the marriage  Sept 24, 1665, of "young" Conrad Schwenk, son of "old" Conrad Schwenk, Cabinetmaker and  Heiligen Pfleger's lawful son, and Elisabetha Baumeister, the late Wolfgang Baumeister's dau. This young Conrad may be the brother of Andreas above, though the occupation of the father, Conrad, does not track with the occ. shown for Andreas' Father.  The names Conrad, above are spelled that way and not Cunrad. The birth records begin in ca. 1657 in Laichingen.  I think this is true for the other records.  It may be that the 30 Yr.  War destroyed the church's records prior to this date.  If so, this appears to be as far back as we can trace the Schwenks of Laichingen.
Mar. 15. 4 hrs.  LDS.  Mundingen microfilm.  Found date of death for Johannes.  This was 5 Jan. 1869. Died in Neuburg!  Buried in Mundingen. Found marriage date of Conrad & Felicitas: 16 May, 1797. Found an eighth child born to Johannes and Maria.  Elisabeth,  6 Aug. 1846 in Mundingen.  Died after 13 hours.  Parents still lived in Neuburg! My theory of Johannes & Maria having moved to Mundingen in perhaps ca. 1870 has fallen flat.  He died in 1869 While in Neuburg.  I searched birth records for births of Luise, Johann & August.  Found none, in spite of Elisabeth having been born in Mundingen in 1846.
     Found death date of Heinrika, wife of Jakob Schwenk, d., 1907 (I had this info already).  His occ.shows as Gutspächter auf der Maisenburg  nunmehr Privatier hier. Found death entry for Elisabeth Mayer.  d. 31 Oct. 1904.  Born 17 May 1841 in Sondernach. Her 2nd husband is Joh.  Heinrich Mayer, Mason from Mundingen. lst husband was Elias Schwenk (d. 1869 in Mund.). She died of complications of cancer in Tübingen. In a birth register: born Johann Ferdinand Schwenk, b. in Sondernach 1 May, 1868, died 16 Dec.1869. Parents: Elias Andreas Schwenk, son of Konrad (sp. with a "C" here) & Elisabeth.  Elias died 18 Feb. 1869.  Their second son, Elias Friedrich, was born 26 Oct. 1869.
     Found an Eva Lepplen, died 1848, born 1810 in Dettingen/Erms dau. of Johann Fried. Lieb, town councilman.  This was a younger sister of our Maria Barbara Schwenk, born Lieb.  Found under death entry; Johann Friderich, d. 22 Mar. 1828, b. 22 May 1827. Mother  was Elisabetha Schwenk, dau. of Conrad Schwenk, Hirschwirt.  Father of child was Feldschutz Ampfer. Elisabeth is the only surviving daughter of Conrad and Felicitas.
     Photocopied death entry of Wolfgang F. Blifers, 10 Oct 1752.  Found dob. of his dau.  Anna, 24 Aug. 1733, who was the mother of Felicitas Breymayer.  Copied also marriage entry of Conrad & Felicitas; death entry of son Johannes, 1869 and of Friedrich, 1917, and a marriage entry of an Elisabeth Schwenk, dau. of Jakob Schwenk (son of Konrad) who was born 1879 in Odenwaldstetten.  She married a Jakob Mayer, farmer of leased land.
16 March  5 hrs. at LDS.  Feldstetten MF.  Found m. date of Johann Jacob Breymayer and Anna Elisabetha Blifers: 20 Nov  1753. Found dob of daughter, Felicitas Breymayer under the Confirmation List of 1778: 21 Feb. 1764.
     Found dob of Friderich Breymayer, father of Joh.  Jacob: 17 July, 1700.  Father and Mother are Georg and Maria. Could not find birth entry of Georg, est. to be ca. 1670.  Found an occ. listed for a George Breymayer to be Heiligenpfleger in Mundingen.  Found an interesting old word for godfathers or godparents in the 1600s, that being "Gevattern". Under a Family Register List in the 1800s, found a Johannes Schwenk, Merchant, and his father Gottlieb Heinrich Schwenk, Weaver.  Johannes was born 1860 in Mundingen.  Also was listed a Ludwig Friedrich Schwenk.  Johann Christoph Schwenk, Shoemaker. I could  find no connection of these four Schwenk with Conrad (Brewer) and his descendants!  Perhaps they moved down from Laichingen after 1800.  Perhaps the Johannes Schwenk, b. 1910, d. 1984 and buried in the M. Church cemetary was a descendant of one of the above Schwenks (Editor: Wrong!  In Aug. 1997 I realized that these Schwenks were from Münsingen, a city north of Mundingen. It seems that part of that city's church records were included in the first part of MF 2 of the Mundingen records.)

    Ordered M.F. of Neuburg Cath.  Ch.  Records and M.F. of the History of Feldstetten.
    In Laichingen, the church books are from 1657 onward.  There are some entries made in late 1500s and very early 1600s.  I feel that the missing records may be due to losses due to the 30 Years's War 1618-1648.
    In the Feldstetten MF, I searched for possible children born of the marriage of Anna Ursula (widow of Cunrad Schwenk) to Jacob Hilzenbeck, Beerbrewer, in 1776.  Beginning on 5 Jan. 1777 thru 29 May 1785, 6 children were born.  Only two did not die in infancy.  A (Dort)hea (sp.? because of ink spot at front of name) b. 8 Jan. 1778; A son Christian, b. 23 Dec. 1783.  A Jacob Hilzenbeck, Schultheiss, served as godfather at all or most of the Christenings.  This is probably father of Jacob, Beerbrewer and Innkeeper, though there were no indications of this. The Jacob Hilzenbeck, Schultheiss, served as godfather of Conrad at his christening in 1773. 1 could not find death entries for Anna Ursula nor of Jacob Hilzenbeck. Found death date of Bernhard Schwenk 16 Apr. 1740, age 67.
17 March 2 3/4 hrs.  LDS.  Mundingen MF.  Searched death entry of a Gottlieb or Gottlob Schwenk who died 1916 as soldier and who appeared questionably on the F.R. of Friedrich Schwenk, but whose name had been lined out??  I found no entry at all for this Gottlieb.  Also under the birth register no Schwenks born between 1862 and 1915 except for those of Friedrich (7) and the stillborn infant of Elias and Katherina in 1904.
    Again under the death reg. from 1917 thru 1945 found not one Schwenk except for stillborn infant born in 1945 to a Joh.  Schwenk and wife Pauline, born Haydt.  This may be the Johannes Schwenk, b. 1910, d. 1984 whose gravestone I photographed in Mundingen.
    Searched Laichingen MF. for birth of Anna Ursula Ostertag.  Began in 1739.  Found about three births, 1740-1743 to Andreas Ostertag and F. or J. Andreas Ostertag.  Found on 28 May, 1749 an Anna Ursula, born to J. Andreas Ostertag and wife Maria, b. Mangold. Godparents were Joh.  Georg Frank, Townhall Adm. and Catharina, Johannes Elsenhanser's (sp.?)wife. I believe this is the same Anna Ursula who married Cunrad Schwenk on 29 Oct. 1771, he at age of 69, she at age of 22 1/2.  When Cunrad married he was local court admininstrator, while the father of Anna Ursula was then Townhall Admin. in next door Laichingen. How did the widow and age 69 Cunrad Schwenk win the hand of this young Mädchen?  We will never know, I suppose.  He must have had charm, some wealth, and certainly considerable esteem.  We can add to this vigor, as he fathered our Conrad in 1773 and a daughter  in 1775.  He was asked to be Godfather 19 times for christenings from 1739-1755, so it follows that he was highly respected in this village.
Mar. 18 & 19. 1 wrote a 5 page "Report # 6" to J.S. Clan members.  Began translating the Laichingen doc. of 1658 to 1664 to learn more about Altschrift and of the customs of that time period. They used the latin word, "vulgo" particularity when a person of lower station married one of much higher status. I don't think I noticed this in the next century.  Month names, at least as used by the pastor in the years above, were Weinmonat, Brachmonat, Heumonat, etc.  Preceeding this was e.g., Tuesday before Peter  & Paul the Baptist, the 30 of Weinmonat.
Mar. 20.  Recd. letter from Rudolph Kiess.  I replied w/ handwritten letter and enclosed this with my "Report # 6".  He said he would try to get me a copy of a book written about village life in Feldstetten by a woman.  Mailed Report # 6 to "Clan".
Mar. 21.  LDS 3 1/2 hrs.  Searched Laich.  MF. to find connection between Elsbeth Schwenk Schwahn and me.  Wrote her letter and encl. copies of birth entry of Jacob Schwenk, b. 1757, showing his father as Peter and mother as Christina.  This info. shows on Elsbeth's Fam.  Chart, so I could not give her anything new.  Could not find a marriage date for Peter, in Laichingen or later in the Feld.  MF.  Found a birth entry for him in 1719 (Laichingen) which showed his father as a Conradt.  Found a m. entry Oct. 1711 of a Conradt and Anna Maria.  His father also named Conradt.  If the Peter born 1719 is the same as the Peter who married Christina in ca. 1755, then I have found Peter's father and grandfather, but no connection for Elsbeth and me.
    Found a death entry 23 July 1666 of a Conrad Schwenckh, died at age 56, maried 30 years, had 5 sons.  Very hard to read because the ink used in entry of this one of 5 death entries was inferior, or the quill tip was bad.  This tracks with our "Patriarch"  Conrad.  The dob of the above Conrad would be 1610.
    Found marr. entry 24 Apr. 1742 of Andreas Ostertag and Anna Maria Mangold. His father was Ulrich Ostertag, court adminstrator; hers was a Johann G. Mangold, deceased.  Have not yet been able to translate his occ., but it sounds like an important one.
    The Schwenk name is very common here, esp. in Laichingen.  On nearly every page, and a page might contain 6-12 entries, one finds a Schwenk, usually sp.  Schwenck.  It seems to me that our Bernhard Schwenk was the first one to go to Feldstetten and founded  a family, although an Andreas had a child born there in ca. 1708, 12 yrs. after Bernhard and Anna Maria had their first child.
Mar. 22  3 hrs.  LDS.  Read the 34 pg. book on the history of Feldstetten.  Copied the cover pg. and the first 11 pages.  Looked up the death entry of Conradt Schwenkh again.  I found (which did not print well on the photocopy earlier) his occupation as Schreiner (cabinetmaker) and Heiligenpfleger.  This does not jive with "our" Conrad's occ. of weaver as shown on Andreas' marriage in 1664! 1 fear this is not our Conrad.
    I have had a few lingering doubts if Andreas or J. Andreas (entered alternatively in birth register) in the m. entrv was for certain the father of our Bernhard.  I studied the years following 1664 in the birth register.  Found children born 1665, 1666,1667 (a Conrad who lived to 1754!), 1670, 1672 (our Bernhard)1673 (Ursula who lived to 1741), 1674 and 1679.  The pastor entered the occ. as weaver in the early entries only.  He entered Barbara's maiden name, Sauter in all entries.  Found an Andreas and Barbara from 1676 thru 1686 but her maiden name was not Sauter or was omitted.  I have therefore concluded that our Andreas and_Barbara had no children after 1779, a span of about 15 yrs.  Now I have no doubts that we have documented the "correct" Andreas as the father of Bernhard.
Mar. 23 About 3 hrs.  LDS.  I tried to connect Andreas' son, Conrad, with Peter Schwenk, earliest known ancestor of Elsbeth Schwenk Schwahn.  No luck. Did find this Conrad's marriage and entered this on Andreas' Fam.  Record.
    Found birth entry of Andreas,Ostertag 19 Apr. 1717.  Father is Ulrich and mother is Waldburga (have not yet,  deciphered maiden name.) Entered onto records.
    Found marriage of Ulrich and Waldburga: 25 July 1712. Searched birth of Andreas' wife, Anna Maria Mangold with no success.  The same search for her parents marriage showed nothing.  Did not check Feldstetten for this.
    Found birth entry of Anna Maria Hilsenbeck, wife of our Bernhard Schwenk.  It was on 3 Mar. 1668 in Feldstetten.Photocopied these three discoveries.
    Family name Schwenk is as common as "fleas?" in Laichingen in the above and later time period.  A rough estimate of frequency of the name would be one of every five marriages involve a male or female Schwenk.
Mar. 27. 3 hrs.  LDS.  Mundingen MF.  Found death entry of Felicitas Schwenk, born Breymayer: 26 Sept. 1842 in Mundingen, age 78.  Photocopied.
    Found marriage of Albert Mayer I and Katharina Schwenk, dau. of Friedrich and widow of Elias Schwenk. 23 Oct. 1911. They had a son, Konrad Albert b. 18 June, 1914. died 27 March 1918. (Dr.  Kiess's 85 yr., old neighbor in Mundingen, widow of Albert Mayer II, (son of Friedrich) told him that this child was handicapped) This couple not long after this adopted Ernst Mayer son of Jacob, brother of Albert I, again according to Dr. Kiess' neighbor.  The father of Ernst, Jacob, had gone to Swizerland.  I could not find his marriage date (perhaps it was in Swizerland. Went from 1871 thru 1889.  His parents, Jacob Mayer and Maria B.B. born Schwenk had 13 children. (Ed. note: I learned later that Jacob was born 29 Jan. 1864 out of wedlock, the son of Jacob Mayer.  He carried the family name of Rupp until he had this changed legally to Mayer when he was around age 45. Thus this Jacob carried no Schwenk genes).
    Found no Family Registers for these Mayers.  These may well be on a second MF of Mundingen, which I can still order.  This is true for our Schwenks also.
    Found marriage entries for Albert's brother, H. Friedrich 17 Nov. 1900. Found no marriage of Maria Agnes Schwenk to Baumeister (m. in May, 1854 according to handed-down records.  May have married in Neuburg?)
    Conrad Schwenk was shown as Tauf Zeugen in christenings from 1808-1815 (may be more later ones?).Shown as Hirschwirt in 1808 & 1810.  Shown as Hirschwirt and Ratsverwandter, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1814 & 1815. 1 need to get this term defined precisely.  No help  from dictionary.  I had translated this as meaning town administrator.  It may mean town council member (Ed. note: It does).
    Checked birth and death date of Patriarch Conrad in Laichingen.  No success.  Some of pages were extremely difficult to read.  A Christoph Schwenk, age 88, died 10 Oct. 1680.  He was a weaver.  This could be brother of "our Patriarch, Conrad".  Death records  searched 1666-1684.
 29 Mar 2 1/2 hrs.  LDS.  Feldstetten M.F. Found marriage date of Philipp Hulsenbeck and Barbara, (?) Jan. 1665.
    Johannes Schwenk, younger brother of Cunrad II, who married on the same date and place with Cunrad, died at age of 27 on 26 Feb. 1732.
    Georg Schwenk, another brother of the above, married on 25 Nov. 1738 to Margarete Schmidt, dau. of the late Caster Schmidt.
    Anna Maria, wife of Bernhard Schwenk, died at age of 39 on 7(?) April 1707. Bernhard remarried on 27 Oct. 1707 to Anna, dau. of Johann (sp?,).
    The most interesting entry was the death entry of Ursula Schwenk, wife of Cunrad Schwenk, Bürgermeister and Ct.  Admin.  She died 26 January 1771 at age of 71 years and 10 months.  And so now we know that this marriage of 1731 lasted 40 yrs. and quite apparently without children.  We knew that Cunrad remarried in Jan. 1771 but did not know until now when his first wife died. All the above data entered onto charts and family records.
    I searched marriage of J.G. Mangold from ca. 1715 forward.  Found no Mangolds anywhere under any of the 3 registers in Feldstetten.
30 Mar. 4 1/2 hrs.  LDS.  Mundingen MF.  Searched Breymayer line.  Found wife of M. Wolfgang F. Blifers, she being Anna Agnes.  She died 3 Apr. 1762.
    Found Friedrich Breymayer's death date of 30 Dec. 1734.  Found his marriage date of 6 Nov. 1726 to Felicitas (maiden name not ledgible) Her father was I think a Schulmeister in Odenwaldstetten.(Ed. note: Maiden name was Geckeler und the father was Jacob Geckeler, the local Schultheiss in Ödenwaldstetten).
    Found remarriage of Felicitas Breymayer, widow of Friedrich, to Johann Jerg Kotz on 24 Apr. 1736.
    Could not, once again, find the birth entry of Georg Breymayer, father of Friedrich.  Found birth entries of a Jacob (b. 26 Mar. 16541) and Johannes (b. 26 Mar. 1658, died 1722).  These were born to a Jacob and Catherina Breymayer.  I am sure they are  brothers of Georg. (Ed. note: Wrong!) George and Johannes in 1713 inherited the farm from their father.  It was split up into two parts at that time.  Johannes rec'd the bulk of the acreage, George "9 Morgen Acker, 2 Morgen Wiesen and the Haus # 7." 1 am assuming that the father, Jacob, died at about this time.  Have not found (nor looked for) his death entry.  Was Jacob's father also a Jacob?  I think so because in 1649 a Jacob Breymayer bought this large farm from Kloster Urspring, the first farm then owned by a peasant farmer in Mundingen.  To have the means to buv this land, this Jacob must have been at least 50? in age and so would have been born circa 1600.  That means it was his son, Jacob, who fathered Johannes, Georg and Jacob in tile 1650s. Am I confused?  Jawohl.!
April 1 Mailed Reports 5 & 6 and Ancestry Chart to Kyle Schwenk.
April 3 Ca. 3 hrs.  LDS.  Searched for death dates of Conrad and Andreas, from year1664 up to 1703.  Nothing found for certain. 21.  Jan. 1674 Peter Schwenckh, Schulmeister for 48 years, died age 77 (born 1597). 10 Oct. 1680 Christoph Schwenckh, Weber, died age 88. 3 Oct. 1681 Christian Schwenck age 77. 1 Oct. 1682 Verfried(?) Andreas Schwenck, Richter u. Anwald, age 78 (born 16O4); 13 Sept. 1689 Magdalena, widow of Conrad Schwenck, age 82.  This is the only entry which may belong to our Schwenk line! (Ed. note: I learned later that this Magdalena Schwenk was indeed our Matriarch!). 29 July 1693, Georg Schwenck, Ct.  Adminstrator, age 83. 20 Nov. 1695 Andreas Schwenckh the older and widower, died age 74 years, 7 monthes (b. 1621).  This could be our Andreas, but no occ. shown, and his wife, Barbara Sauter Schwenk, did not show up in death reg. in the preceeding years.  Also, this Andreas, if ours, would have been age 43 when he married. 5 Sept. 1699 Barbara Schwenck, widow, age 89 (b. 1610).  If our Barbara, she would have been age 54 upon marriage and in following ten or so years bore 7-8 children.  When I later searched death records fr. 1703 on, I may find Andreas' and Barbara's entries.  As for our first Conrad's death date???

    In Mundingen, I found no death entries for Jacob Breymayer (should have been in 1669) nor for his son, Jacob (should have been in 1713). Found birth entry for Johann Jacob Breymayer, father of Felicitas, of 30 Aug. 1726 (think I already had this date). It showed also his death date of 29 Jan. 1767 which I entered onto Chart.  I may earlier have photocopied the birth of the wrong Friedrich, son born to George Breymayer, Gemeindepfleger, in 1700.  Now I don't know if this George is the son of Jacob, son Jacob???  Now did I earlier find a birth record of our Georg??
Apr. 7. Ca. I hr.  LDS.  Viewed MF. of Neuburg.  Luise, Johann and August may have been born there, and it is very likely they were, but thev were not christianed in the Catholic Church there in Neuberg!  I then ordered addititional  MF of Mundingen which contains  Fam. Registers of the 18th century and fr. 1808 ff. I had noticed recently on the death entry of Johannes that a Fam. Reg. # 66 showed in the right hand column of the page; this I had not observed about 3 weeks ago when I photocopied it.

19 March 3 hrs.  LDS. Laichingen. Searched for death entries of Andreas and father, Conrad.  Found an Andreas Schwenckh, Raths?, died age 68 on 10 Apr. 1709.  That would make his birth year 1641.  This is probably our Andreas.  Found Barbara, widow of Andreas Schwenckh, died age 69 in 8 Mar. 1714.  Her birth year would be 1645.  This tracks with what I understand of her age when she married Andreas in 1664, being "under age", and this is probably our ancestor. No way to prove this in view of the sparce data entered by the pastor.  These entries found from years 1703 thru about 1720.  Copied both documents. (Ed. note:  You were correct Donald!).
    Found in birth register Sept. or Oct 1664 about 3-4 mos. after marriage of Andreas and Barbara the birth of Johannes a child whom I had not earlier recorded.  The child died in 1667 on St.Thomas Day. Pastor made a special entry which I have only partially translated.  He did the same entry on the marriage entry in May 1664.  At the death of this child, Barbara did a 12 day atonement in the local "Häuslin".  Also, from what I can translate, this couple made a pilgramage to Urach before their marriage but were denied whatever their request had been, perhaps to marry earlier than May 1664.  It is imperative that I get these passages translated.  Andreas, on the marr. entry was shown as "Jung Andreas Schwenckh", and so the "F" initial, which I had earlier noticed, may have stood for "Jung" and was a "J" not an "F".  This may mean that he had a brother Andreas who was older, because his father was Conrad.  This recalls the b. entry of their son, Johann Georg, born 20 Oct. 1665; there the father is called, "Andreas  Schwenckh, der Jüngst, Weber u. Haus Mrtzg(?).  Could that mean Haus Metzger?  I copied the 1664 born Johannes document.

 25 Apr. Ca. one hr. at LDS.  Searched Laichingen 1712 - ca. 1720 for death of Barbara, wife of Andreas.  Found nothing!  P.copied 8 pages of the first entry pages of the L. church books.  The earlier records were indeed destroyed by soldiers during that war in ca. 1634.  Much of these 8 pages are describing the importance and basic method of starting and maintaining of birth and marriage registers.The author makes no mention of any destruction of the church itself, but mentions the widespread destruction, robbery, fire and destruction of the land.  I have translated all those pages except for about two which are totally in Latin.  These are recorded in a "translation notebook."
27 Apr 95.  Mundingen Fam.  Reg. microfilm arrived today. 2 hr. at LDS.  Made ten photocopies.  Found Family Register of Johannes and Maria.  They had another infant boy who died in infancy, a Johannes, born Dec. 1835 in Rosenau, I think.  The document, in places, is very hard to read, and the pastor did not do a thorough job, because failed to enter the birthplaces of the last three children, Luise, Johannes and August. Our Johannes (John), and it was spelled Johannes, not Johann, was born 23 Jan. 1839 in Kayh. August, born Karl August, was born 3 Aug. 1840 (not 1841 per the naturalization document of his); and Elisabeth born 6  Aug.1846 who died within one day.  Beside Johannes' name is entered for place of birth, Kayh.  So, to be precise, I must now change Johann's name everywhere to Johannes.  And add this ninth infant, Johannes (who died as infant) to the records.

    The mystery of who the Johannes Schwenk, b. 1910, d; 1984 was, is now solved!  I copied his Fam.  Register.  He was the greatgreat-grandson of our Conrad Schwenk, Hirschwirt. Here is the lineage:  Conrad > Konrad > Jakob > Anton > Johannes, and he would be the third cousin of say, Lloyd, Earl, Evelyn and Milton.  This Johannes and wife Pauline, born Haydt, had twin daughters Barbara and Gertrude b. on 25 Mar. 1947 who both married in 1966.  What is really remarkable here, which I just discovered as I was translating this F.R., is that wife Pauline is a sister of Babette Mayer, the 85 year old lady whom I wrote a letter to about 3 days ago.!!! Mrs. Mayer's three living children are 4th cousins, and this letter to her was also to them.  I sent them my Schwenk Paternal Chart and a chart showing them our common ancestry from Conrad Schwenk, Hirschwirt.  So my connection to Barbette Mayer, born Haydt, comes through two Schwenk lines, both descending from two children of Konrad Schwenk, son of Conrad.  They were: Maria Barbara Brigitte and Jakob!!!
    Photocopied Friedrich Schwenk's Fam.  Register.  What was remarkable is that this is a different version from that sent me by Herr Ohngemach.  The last entry is a Gottlob but this was not lined out as in the earlier one.  Birth date shows as 25 Dec. 1896, 8 yrs. after the preceeding child, Maria Barbara.  To the left of his name was the Latin word, "Spur", meaning illegitmate.  Mother of child does not show, but I will look this up later in the birth register of 1896.  Gottlob died as soldier in 12 Aug. 1916. (Editor:  Mother of Gottlob was Maria Barbara above).
    Confirmation date of Gottlob was10 Apr. 1910.  Confirmation dates are shown for all the children, almost always at age 14.  So it seems he was raised with his uncles and aunts, that is, the children of his Schwenk grandparents.  So we did have a Schwenk youth from Mundingen who died as one of 18 youths in WW I.  I must work further to decipher the entry made beneath his name, which does state his death date and that  he was a "Gefallenen."
    Photocopied Fam.  Registers of about four Mayer generations, starting with Jacob Mayer; son Friedrich; son of F, Albert II and have entered all dates on Charts.
    Found F.Reg. of Ernst Mayer, son of Jacob, the brother of Albert I and of Friedrich.  Ernst was adopted by Albert I and later found the ERMA enterprise in Mundingen.  Ernst born 12 July 1921 in Swizerland.  The F.R. does confirm that Albert I and Katherina, b. Schwenk, dau. of Friedrich Schwenk did adopt this child.  Ernst married on 5 Feb. 1949 to a Ruth, born van Laak.  Ruth died 23 Dec. 1968 in Ulm.  Three children were born: Albert 23 March 1950; Marie-Luise 10 Apr. 1951; Rolf-Dieter in 1955, all in Mundingen.
    This Jacob, father of Ernst, was born 29 Jan. 1864, 6-7 yrs. before father Jacob married Maria M.B. Schwenk.  The following was found in birth register dated 29 Jan. 1864: "Jacob Spur, Mutter Margeretha, ledig, Tochter des Johann Jacob Rupp, Burger u. Beck hier." Below the entry was written:"Durch eine erklarung des Vaters, Schreiner Jacob Mayer all hier am 17 Nov. 1910 vor dem Standesamt, wurde dem Jacob Rupp die Berechtigung erteilt den Namen Mayer zu freilen (sp?)" The Godparents were: Jacob Rupp, single, and a sister of his, also single.  This Jacob Mayer (b. 1864) then apparently moves to Chur, Swizerland and marrys, though there is a Fam.  Reg. for Mundingen shown, # 52b.

May 9, 1995 3 hrs.  LDS.  Did some tracing of the Haydt Family of Mundingen, the maiden name of Barbette Mayer.  Made a 5 Gen.  Chart later at home of the Haydt line.
    Found, by chance, marriage entry of our Johannes and Maria Schwenk.   It showed their marriage took place in Dettingen, as we knew.  Showed his occupation as Hirschwirt in Dettingen!!!  Johann Frid.  Lieb, his father-in-law, was shown as Burgermeister and Hirschwirt in Dettingen O/Urach.  That is interesting.  Because J.F. Lieb died 13 June 1828 and our Johannes married  on 16 Nov. 1828,  it would seem that he took over the Hirsch Inn in Dettingen?  In addition, J.F. Lieb's father-in law, was a judge but also Hirschwirt. It is odd that the Hirschwirt occupation of J.F. Lieb was not mentioned on his Fam.  Reg.  So here we have another facet of Johannes' life and that of his father-in-law.  Perhaps Johannes was not a saddlemaker when he married.  This occ. was not entered on M. Register in Mundingen, though it was on his Fam.  Register made in Dettingen not long after his marriage. Only Saddlemaker was shown on his later F.R. in Mundingen, the one showing all nine births in this marriage.
    Found marriage of Elisabeth, dau. of Conrad, brewer/Hirschwirt.  I copied this.  Married on 2 March 1829, about three mos. after her brother Johannes' marriage.  Married a Johann Fried.  Ampfer a Waldschutz in Hohenwittlingen. His father was Forster in Dürrenwaldstetten, a Johann Heinrich Ampfer.  I believe this husband of Elisabeth was the father of her child, Johann Friedrich born 22 May 1827 and died 22 Mar. 1828.  The Fam.  Reg. of this couple is # 63 in Mundingen.

May 10.  Could not locate the above F.R. 3 hrs. at LDS today.  Traced back the Haydt family lineage from Babette Mayer, born Haydt in 1909 to a Jeremias Haydt, born 1744 in Pfullingen, who came to Mundingen as a young man and served as Forester.  I recorded vital statistics for each marriage from Babette to Jeremias and put on a chart. Her grandfather, Otto Haydt was a saddlemaker and Gemeindepfleger, a contemporary of our Johannes, though 44 yrs. younger.
    By chance finally found F.Reg. for Conrad and Felicitas.  It shows beneath his name, "Nach Metzingen übergeben von 24 May 1866." So he either moved there at that time, two years before his death, or that was when the records were transferred from Mundingen to Metzingen - if the churchs did that in those days?
    Found to my surprise, that Elias, b. 1799, was confirmed in Mundingen church in 1813.  No other entries appear for him other than that and the dob.  So he did not die as an infant as I had thought and written in Report # 6. Searched the death entries after 1813 for him, but with no success. As one might guess, death entries are the hardest to find.