MARCH 1994 NEWSLETTER
Research Update Report on the BRILL Family Last year I wrote a series of letter to Historical and Genealogical Societies in Virginia hoping to make some connections on the BRILL families we have been studying. One society wrote that they kept a file of persons who inquired reqarding various surnames and they supplied me with a list of individuals who had inquired over the years regarding the BRILLs. I wrote each of the persons on the list and only one person responded. Her name was Joanne BAKER and the name of her father was Ray BRILL. Joanne and I have shared a lot of information since that time and she has put together all of her father's work including what I gave her into a book called: "The Brill Family in America and Their Allied Families". I told her when the book was published that I wanted to have a copy of it and she just recently sent me one hot off the press. What a gold mine it is. Over 600 pages of documentation on BRILL families! Much of it is of lines that I have had trouble finding information on. There will be many valuable items for us in this book. One such item involves the LAMBERT family. Henry Mower Jr. did some Temple work in the Salt Lake Temple in 1893 for LAMPERT cousins, but we have never been able to tie them into the family. Perhaps now we can tie them in. This could be what we needed on those lines. If you are related to Henry MOWER Sr., then you are related to the BRILL family at least once and possibly twice. Once through Michael MAURER's daughter who married Christopher BRILL and twice if you descend through Mary AMICK, because her mother was a BRILL. There were only 200 of these books printed. If you want one send $34.50 (which includes s+h) to: Ray BRILL, 374 Daycotah Avenue, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740.
Research Report from Trudy SCHENK "Dear Jerry, Enclosed is another group of family group sheets I have tried to make logical connections. Another group will be ready soon. Did you get an answer from the Mayor's office yet? [We wrote the Mayor of Goetzis] I will go to Germany on a research trip in 1994. If tax or land records exist this may be the time to go to Goetzis and check on it. I wish you and your family a very happy and successful new year. Sincerely, Trudy Schenk
"P.S. Now the Priest adds an occupation occasionally and the house number. This helps in making more correct connections. You will notice that in places he will say the family lives in Goetzis Unterdorf, or Goetzis Oberdorf order Tobel. So the Oberdorf must have been Tobel."
>From Jerry: I wondered if we should investigate the feasibility of having Trudy go to Goetzis for 2 or 3 days since she will be in Germany and not far from our ancestral home of Goetzis. I asked her for a cost estimate and will share that with you folks. She wrote another report and replied:
"Dear Jerry, At first I want to reply to your questions of a possible on-site visit. Research at the Landesarchive may only be productive as far as possible land and tax records. All other research can only be done in the parish records and we are doing that right her. A parish priest will have no other records and will have no knowledge of anything in his parish except the present...
"Now, I have worked many days on your lines. I have searched births, marriages and deaths. I am now in the 19th century. The pastor gives house numbers and ages in many entries. This helps to put families together, although the priest is not always consistent and mixes up house numbers. So much for today. Liebe Gruesse, Trudy Schenk.
"P.S. I found the book on Giesingers very interesting. We may be able to pull more names in the surrounding parishes."
>From Jerry: It seems to me that although it would be wonderful to have some on-site research, pictures, contact living relatives, etc., that it is not wise to spend so much money doing what admittedly will produce very few names. If we took the same amount of money (if we even had that much) and spent it on extracting names from the Church Paris Registers, we would find many hundreds of ancestors' names. If any of you feel differently, please let me know. Perhaps someone in our extended newsletter family plans a trip to Europe in the near future and would stop by Goetzis for us....? Anybody out there have a missionary in Austria?
I would now like to continue on with the interesting history of the GISINGERs which I started last month:
Paul Giesinger Research continued... "On the 15th of May, 1448, Hartmann Gisinger was invested with (put in authority of) the estate of the cloister of Goetzis, by the Abbot Friedrich von Pfaefers... document No. 548.
"To the inhabitants of Maeler (bei Altach, Vorarlberg) in the estate Kriessern (Schweitzer Rheintal) having the right of pasturage according to public documents of the 10th of June 1521, belonged Hensel and Ulrich Gisinger... document No. 3351
"Among the Church members of Goetzis, who put up a bond to the Abbot of St. Johann in Turtal for the purchase of the patronage by the community (municipality) was a Claus Gisinger von Goetzis. (Until about 1820, Altach belonged to the community and parish of Goetzis)... document No. 5464 dated 23rd of December 1528.
"On the 10th of November, 1535, this Klaus Gisinger and his wife Anna Ellensun sold various acreages in Goetzis to the brothers Leonhard and Benedikt Jonas of Goetzis for 133 pounds of pennies... document 3363.
"In the Provincial Archives of Vorarlberg there is a paper seal of the Magistrate of Rankweil and Sulz--- Johann Kasper Gisinger, of the 16th of April, 1778 who was resident of Altenstadt (Feldkirch)... document No. 2845.
"The following communities, which were mentioned in the quotations from ancient documents or which were otherwise mentioned in the preceding pages are shown on the maps of Germany, Switzerland and the provinces of Vorarlberg and Tyrol in Austria--Giesing, Munich, Frankfurt, St. Gallen St. Johann, Sargans, Werdenberg, Stans, Engwilen, Gisingen, Feldkirch, Nenzing, Bludenz, Neuburg, Goetzis, Franstanz, Walgau, Pfaefers, Maeler, Altach, Kriessern, Altenstadt, Rankweil and Sulz. Most of these communities are located in Vorarlberg and Sulz. Most of these communities are located in Vorarlberg east of the Rhine River and South of Lake Constance (Ger. Bodensee) Quite a number of these communities are located in eastern Switzerland and immediately west of the Rhine and South of Lake Constance. Since these Swiss communities were close to the Austrian communities and since both areas have always been German speaking, there was no doubt considerable migration back and forth across the border which was the Rhine River. It may well be that the border between Switzerland and Austria was not definitely established at that time. It is clear from the preceding quotations that many lordly estates and the estates of cloisters had possessions on both sides of the Rhine and straddled what is now the boundary between the two countries.
"In order to better understand what the terms in quotations mean, we must remember that during this period in Europe there was a politico-social system known as the feudal system. This system came into existence after the fall of Charlemagne's empire. It lasted for about 500 years, from about 900 A.D. to 1400. At the head of the system was the king, who gave land grants to some of his subjects in return for military or other service and an oath of allegiance. Beneath the king was a group of nobles holding land grants from him directly, lesser nobles received grants in turn, but their services were given to overlords and not directly to the king, and so on, down to the holder of a single manor. (A manor was a district over which a feudal lord held authority and subject to the jurisdiction of his over-lord. It had a large dwelling similar to a castle but surrounded by farm buildings and not always fortified). The duty of the overlords in the feudal contract was the protection of the lesser nobles or tenants.
"In the quotation about the Gisinger family members, terms such as bailiff, magistrate, parish abbacy and cloister are used. When we speak of a bailiff, today we mean a sheriff's officer who serves processes, etc. As the term is used here it would mean a man in authority over a parish or community. He was an overlord or steward of an estate. The term magistrate means much the same. It means a man in authority, who has certain judicial and executive powers. By the word parish, in this day we mean an ecclesiastical district under the particular charge of a priest or minister. It usually comprises an approximate area and sometimes has specific geographical boundaries. It exists primarily for the purpose of religious worship and religious instruction. The clergyman is supported by free will contributions by the parishioners. The parish, in the middle ages, was a landed estate or manor held under a feudal superior or noble. The one in authority over the parish derived revenues from the property within its boundaries and collected taxes from the people of the parish. Out of these funds, among other responsibilities, he supported the priest and perhaps built and certainly maintained the church in the parish. Much of the same applies to the abbacy and cloister. To these belonged a large estate and this was held by a feudal lord who would derive revenues from the estate and support and maintain the abbey or cloister. Sometimes the abbot would, with the support of the people, purchase the patronage or right to receive revenues from the estate belonging to the abbacy. This was done by the abbot of St. Johann in Turtal in 1528 as quoted in document No. 5464.
"These members of the Gisinger family were, as indicated by the quotations, bailiffs, magistrates and lords of the manor.
"It is important to note the period in history with which these documents deal, in order to gain a proper historical perspective of this era in our family history. To realize better how far back in history this period is, we should relate it to other significant historical events with which we are familiar. Our Giesinger (Gisinger) ancestors were historically important in their own communities in 1348, one hundred and forty-four years before Columbus is credited with having reached the Americas, 428 years prior to the Declaration of Independence in the United States...
"It is interesting that the names of Gisinger and Giesinger both are found today in the Vorarlberg, with the latter spelling being the most popular. Both names usually exist in the same communities. It is also interesting that the Gisinger (Giesinger) names have existed continuously since 1348 A.D. to the present in the province of Vorarlberg. In this region the Giesinger name is still prominent in business, trades and the professions.
"In about 1628, a new Chapter in the history of our (Geissinger) family begins. There was born in the community of Goetzis in Vorarlberg, a baby boy to be named Hans Georg Giesinger. Nothing is known about this Hans Georg's early life. We do know that by 1653 he had left his beautiful homeland and made his way to Sellingen bei Durlach where he went to work for Herr Friedrich, the Margrave (Marquis or Marquess) of Baden and Fachberg, Landgraf (landgrave or earl) of Sausenberg, Count of Spanheim and Eberstein, Lord of Eottlen, Badenweiler, Lahr and Mahlberg. We learn of this from a book written by Pastor Wilkins.
"There are a number of facts we discover about our ancestor who is the founder of that branch of the Giesinger family whose descendants live in Baden, Germany, in Russia, and in the Americas. We can be reasonable certain that Hans Georg was born into a Catholic family since the Austrian province of Vorarlberg is still a staunchly Catholic province today, and the Giesingers living there today are definitely Catholic. We can safely assume that Hans Georg Giesinger was Catholic when he left his homeland and migrated to Sellingen (this is how the word was spelled at that time--- but is Soellingen today) by Durlach in the German province of Baden. Herehe found himself in an area that was no longer Catholic in religion.
"The Protestant reformation lead by Luther took place in 1519. As is well known, some princes chose to follow Luther for various reasons. In many cases, certain German princes chose to support the Reformation as an attack on the power of the papacy. In addition, it might buy a way out of financial difficulty by confiscating ecclesiastical property. In many cases these princes had virtually exhausted their treasury by warring with neighboring princes and it became very tempting to seek to enrich themselves by acquiring church lands and other church property. The Church was rich in lands and buildings, and no doubt, also in money, art treasures, etc. and if a prince wanted to confiscate the church's wealth, it was desireable to get into a dispute with the Church. The easiest way to accomplish this was to support Luther and his movement. In doing so, the prince would be excommunicated by Rome. When a prince was thus excommunicated, he retaliated and confiscated the wealth of the Church and made it mandatory for all his subjects to accept the Lutheran faith because this was now the religion of the prince and his realm. The Margrave of Baden-Durlach was one such ruler who proceeded in this manner.
"It was into this realm that Hans Georg Giesinger migrated in or before 1653 less than one hundred and thirty-five years after the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Having chosen this area in which to live, he also accepted its religion. Indeed, it was almost impossible to be a Catholic here, even if the laws had permitted it, because if the Catholic churches and priests were tolerated at all at this time they would have been few and far between. All the Catholic Churches which existed here at the time of the Reformation had been confiscated by the state, along with all other Catholic Church property and these churches were now the property of the state church, the Lutheran or Evangelical Church. It is doubtful that Catholic priests were legally tolerated and allowed to officiate as priests at the time that our ancestor Hans Georg Giesinger settled here."
This explains how many of the GEISSINGERs became Lutheran. The original family was, and many remain Catholic. I thought you might like to know a little of the history of the family. Our Charles GEISSINGER comes of course from the Goetzis, Vorarlberg, Austria branch of the GEISSINGER family. He was born in 1740 and sometime around 1763 he joined a military effort in Portugal to fight for one of the German princes. A soldier of fortune you might call him. It is supposed that he became a prisoner of war and was sold as an indentured servant to America where he arrived in Philadelphia, Pa on October 1766 on the ship, Cullodian. He was Catholic.
By the way folks, we now have nearly 22,000 individuals on that file--- all of whom are related to the Mower line through blood or marriage. I have a huge descendancy for each of these individuals: Michael MAURER (father of Andrew MOWER); Martin BRILL (son Christopher md. Michael MAURER's daughter, Margaret); John AMICK (dau. Mary md. Henry MOWER Sr.--- she was also a BRILL descendant); Charles GEISSINGER (dau. Catherine md. Michael MOWER); Samuel DIEHL (wife Molly was dau. of Andrew MOWER).
Thanks for your support. I will be putting a week of research together at the FHL during our Spring Break, the last week of March. Hope to be able to make some progress.
More Goetzis, Austria Marriages (from Trudy SCHENK)
31 Jan 1785 in Buoch #71: Gabriel ENDER, 26 to Maria Anna GISINGER, 20. 7 Feb 1785 in Altach, Johannes ENDER, 24 to Anna Maria Walser, 24. 7 Feb 1785 Franz Carle BENZER in Bauern, 34 to Elisabetha BUSCHAUER, 33. 6 Sep 1787 in Schwendi Joseph RINDERER, 40 to Magdalena WALSER, 38. 28 Jan 1788 in Altach #56 Michael FEND, 50 to Magdalena WALSER, 40. 30 May 1785 in Altach Georg GISINGER to Catharina Nachbaur (Wit. Joseph GISINGER) 11 Nov 1788 Bauern #17 Hans Jakob BUSCHAUER, 60 to Anna Maria FEUERSTEIN, 27. 26 Jan 1789 Kommingen #7 Johann Martin GISINGER, 31 TO Katharina BOECKLE, 22. 29 Jan 1789 Bauern #14 Johannes LOACKER, 24 to Josepha WALSER, 27. 24 Nov 1789 Altach #76 Franz Peter WALSER, 25 to Genovefa FRICK, 23 fr. Meining. 11 Jan 1791 Altach #95 Johannes FEND, 24 to Anna Maria WALSER, 23. 5 Nov 1792 Kommingen Joseph GISINGER, 64 to Anna Maria KLEIN, 23. 11 Apr 1796 Goetzis Unterdorf Johannes ELLENSOHN, 64, wid. to Theresia WALSER, 48. (Wit. Kaspar WALSER, brother) 15 Jan 1801 Goetzis #69 Leonhard Walser 47, to Barbara Nussbaumer. 19 Jan 1801 Altach #30 Johannes Kopf, 27 to Anna Maria Walser, 32. 27 Jul 1801 Goetzis #157 Johann Michael Fleisch, 25, sackmaker to Anna Maria Walser 22. 27 Apr 1802 Goetzis #162 Jakob Ellensohn, former soldier, 44, to Anna Maria Walser 26
Goetzis Death Records FHL #1729811 14 Sep 1784 in Buoch #71 Ulrich Gissinger, 64, of a hot fever, hus. of Agnes Sonderegger 7 Nov 1784 Altach #18 Joh. Georg Gisinger, 55, of side pain. 1 May 1785 Altach #20 young boy, 9, Joh. Michael Gisinger. 3 May 1785 Goetzis Unterdorf #41 Katharina Gisinger,52,stroke, wf. of Franz Ludescher. 12 Nov 1785 Kommingen #12 Anna Maria Heinzle,66, stroke, wf. of Jos. Gisinger. 21 Nov 1785 Altach #18 Magdalena Walser, wid. 59. 27 Feb 1786 Altach #12 Jungfrau Lucia Walser, 37, of side pain. 16 Aug 1786 Goetzis Oberdorf #30 Anton Lengle, hus. of Anna Gisinger, 54, hot fever. 22 Jan 1787 Goetzis Unterdorf #22 Anton Walser, 80, hus. of Margretha Hemmerlin, hot fever 27 Jan 1787 Goetzis Unterdorf #22 wid. Margretha Hemmerlin, 72, chest tightness. 30 Mar 1787 Altach #33 young man Johannes Giesinger, 25. 21 Apr 1787 Kommingen #12 wid. Joseph Gisinger, 75, of side pain. 29 May 1787 Goetzis Unterdorf #53, spinster, Anna Maria Gisinger, 60, pneumonia 23 Nov 1787 Altach #33, wid. Johannes Gisinger, 58. 2 Apr 1788 Goetzis Oberdorf #55, Agatha Walser, 15, pneumonia 7 Sep 1788 Altach #4, batchelor Michael Walser, 74, chest tightness. 11 Dec 1788 Altach #20 wid. Michael Gisinger, 75, long illness, died of stroke 2 Jun 1789 Altach #63 young man Johann Jakob Walser, 30 of a fever. 25 Sep 1789 Goetzis Unterdorf #72, wid. Anna Gisinger, 79. 13 Mar 1790 Altach #63 Joseph Walser, 68, of old age weakness. 1790 Gebhard Gisinger, soldier, 60, was recorded with 2 other soldiers who died place and date unknown. Report came by eye witnesses. 4 Dec 1792 Kommingen #7 Joseph Gisinger hus. of Anna Maria Klein, 64, tightness chest 6 Jan 1793 Altach #53 young man Jakob Gisinger, 20, of a long illness. 8 Aug 1793 Altach #67 wid. Anna Maria Gisinger, 70, of old age. 10 Oct 1794 Goetzis Unterdorf #8 wid. Katharina Gisinger, 74, suffered from terrible earaches and finally died of a stroke. Two days previous she had attended Church. 16 Oct 1794 Goetzis Unterdorf #39 Katharina Spalt, wf. of Michael Buschauer, 71, of tightness. 23 Nov 1794 Bauern #13 wid. Anna Maria Buschauer, 84. 5 Dec 1794 Goetzis Oberdorf #2 wid. Jakob Buschauer, schulmeister, 82. 17 Dec 1794 Altach #39 Katharina Walser, wf. of Kaspar Walser. 29 Jan 1795 Magdalena Ludescher, 44, wf. of Leonhard Walser.