Report on BRILL research by Trudy Schenk:

Dear Jerry,

It is time for a detailed report on the Brill research. When I was in Germany, I searched in the Bad Hersfeld Lutheran archive which includes all the parishes south of Eschwege. I extracted all the Brill names in the time period we are searching for your Brills. I will include the list of towns. The village which included one Bruel family is Kruspis.

In Philippsthal, I found a marriage of one Hermann Bril in 1731, wife Susanna Meyer.

I was in Dorndorf Thueringen, just over the border from Philippsthal where I found a marriage entry of Johannes Briel, son of Martin Brill from Voelkershausen, married in 1693 in Dorndorf. I found no children for either couple and figured perhaps this Johannes Brill from Voelkershausen had his children here in Voelkershausen. I knew the church records of Volkershausen are on microfilm, so upon my return I searched those records, found no children born after 1693.

I was also in Hanau near Frankfurt doing research. This small Lutheran archive includes filmed records of district Hanau. While there I took the time to search all filmed villages for Brills again for the time 1720-1754 in the village of Ausbach. I found a Heinrich Brill having children, they never give a mother's name. From experience I know that people from this district emigrated to Pennsylvania.

When I returned from Germany and found your email with comments on the Kombach Briels, I looked into that possibility more and extracted all Briels from the parish Eckelshausen, including all deaths.

My hopes were vanished when I found Heinrich's death and Martin's death. This seems to be our lot with the Briels. It has looked good so many times to a certain point. I will keep on trying.

May I ask for $500 for my time in Germany and the family history library. Signed, Trudy Schenk [Trudy has been paid by donations from members of our Mower Family History Association]

Research Report by Linda K. Larson on Amelia Augusta Anderson research in Sweden:

Dear Jerry:

I am still researching at Ljusnarsberg parish in Orebro, on your many ancestors and relatives from this place. I have been able to further extend some of your lines here, and so I have printed up a complete new set of pedigree charts.

The first family group sheet is from Lars Larsson and his wife, Kerstin Johansdotter. There were from Stelberg in Ljusnarsberg parish. They are your 8th great grandparents. Lars Larsson was also the son of Lars Larsson, your 9th great frandfather. Two of the other children of the older Lars Larsson were married and had families as follows: Olof Larsson was married about 1686 and had at least six children. Rebecka Larsdotter was married in 1699 to Erich Ersson of Ljusnarsberg.

The next family group sheet is from Daniel Ersson and Kerstin Andersdotter who are your 7th great grandparents. This family is complete, except for the birth of the wife, which I have not yet been able to locate. Daniel Ersson was the son of Eric Danielsson Dunder and his wife Anna Andersdotter your 8th great grandparents. They were married in 1669 and were the parents of five children.

Eric Danielsson Dunder was the son of Daniel Pedersson Dunder and he had at least one brother, Daniel Danielsson Dunder. You will note that I have not determined the name of the wife in several of these families. One of the children of Daniel Danielsson Dunder, Kierstin Danielsdotter, was married in 1691 to Nils Erlandsson.

Also we have the family of Zachris Olsson who is your 8th great grandfather. He and his wife were the parents of nine children. I have located the christening of Zachris Olsson in 1643, the son of Olof Nilsson.

Next we have the family of Lars Svensson Grasten and Marie Larsdotter. They are your 6th great grandparents; there are likely other children in this family. Lars Svensson Grasten was born in 1716, the son of Sven Larsson and Margareta Mattsdotter. Their daughter, Bryta Svensdotter, was married to Erich Andersson. Research shows that Sven Larsson was the son of Lars Svensson of Gratorp. He had at least one sister and one brother. Lars Svensson is your 8th great grandfather.

Maria Larsdotter, wife of Lars Svensson Grasten, was the last child of Lars Joransson and his wife Elisabeth Hansdotter. They are your 7th great grandparents. I have now identified the spouses of several of the children:

Elisabeth Larsdotter was married in 1735 to Matts Johansson. Bryta Larsdotter was married in 1741 to Hindric Jansson Slitting. Erich Larsson was married, also in 1741 to Anna Torresdotter. Johan Larsson was married also in 1741 to Elisabet Andersdotter.

Further research is needed on most of these families, especially to identify the children and further identify the spouses. On the next generation back, Lars Joransson was the son of Joran or Gioren Grilsson who had at least seven children. Joran Grilsson was born in 1640 at Ljusnarsberg, the son of Grils Eskilsson. There were at least two other sons in this family.

I will now detail the lineage of Margareta Mattsdotter, wife of Sven Larsson, Previously listed. She was the daughter of Matts Mattsson of Kialberken in Ljusnarsberg. Matts Mattsson is your 8th great grandfather. Two of his other children were married as follows: Bryta Mattsdotter was married in 1695 to Per Hindersson. Matts Mattsson (the younger) was married in 1704 to Susanna Persdotter.

There are a few additional updated family group sheets which I will not detail at this time. I look forward to hearing from you again and continuing your research. Sincerely yours, Linda K. Larson. [Linda billed us for $570 for her research which was paid by members of our association descended from Amelia Augusta Anderson.]

Dear Friends and Members of the Mower Family History Association:

You can access our web site by going to www.mowerfamily.org on the internet. We have been very busy entering all of the research material into the computer and have in done now. I figured it was time to update you all. This work is proceeding. We are kind of stumped on the Brill family right now, but that will change and we will find our records if we can keep researching.

Some have asked how the family is doing. A short note here: Daniel is on a mission in Spain, serving in Seville at present with 115 degree weather. He loves his mission and is doing well. Matt is in the process of putting in his mission papers. He was just ordained an elder. Chris was just ordained an elder and is off to college at Powell, Wyoming where he got a scholarship in Speech. He will go on a mission next summer. Holly is our last bird in the nest and is a Junior at Star Valley High School. Tedi Jeen is healthy and enjoying a bounteous crop of raspberries this summer of drought. She is in the stake relief society. I am still in the high council in charge of the stake temple and family history work. Our lives are busy, but we wouldn't be happy any other way.

I thank you all for your contributions which keeps this work moving. We will send Trudy some more money to keep her looking for Brills and we thank those who keep Trudy working! I know we are accomplishing a great work. I look back over the last 11 years of research and find it hard to believe all that has been done with your support. I have temple names for anyone looking for some work to do. May you all have a wonderful Indian Summer as we move into fall........ the rains stopped our forest fires somewhat..... for that we are grateful. Thanks to all.

Jerry Mower
615 County Road 123
Bedford, Wyoming 83112