Ferdinand Marsischky -- The Wagon Maker From Pomerania (Pommern) --- 52 Ancestors Challenge

Note: The 52 Ancestors Challenge is the creation of Amy Johnson Crow at www.nostorytoosmall.com.  She's bringing together family history writers to share ancestral stories each week in 2014.   There’s a weekly update on Amy's blog where participants leave comments linking to their stories.  Although I've not been able to keep to the once-per-week goal, I've noticed how this challenge is motivating and lots of fun to read the variation of stories of others.  Thanks again, Amy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     What's Pomerania?
     I've been exploring in Pomerania (German: Pommern) lately so that I could understand the region where my third great grandfather, Ferdinand Marsischky, lived.  What I have learned so far is that Pomerania history is complex!   As is the case with most of Europe, the governing powers, names and boundaries changed often as wars determined
new states.  In Ferdinand Marsischky's lifetime (approx. 1830-1900) and the timeframe that his children lived in the country, Pomerania was a province in the northeastern area of the Kingdom of Prussia (Germany).  The Baltic Sea creates its northern border. As I was saying, the history involves numerous invasions and changes in power. There are links at the bottom of this post where you can read more historic details.  For now, skip forward to a major upheaval that resulted in today's status: In 1945, long after the Marsischky sons emigrated to America and Ferdinand had died, the territory became part of Poland.
     Who were our Marsischkys?
     After looking at the history of Pomerania, I've decided that the Marsischky family could be Prussian/German, Polish, or Slavic.  In fact, there could be more ethnic possibilities since this region was under many rulers, even Sweden for a time. The surname Marsischky might be presumed to be Polish due to the spelling.  But, from the few pieces of information I have on the family, it appears that they were more likely German. The family was/is Lutheran, which also coincides with the history of many areas of northern Europe/Prussia after the Protestant Reformation and the Germanic influence.
    How and where did Ferdinand Live?  

     On the map I am posting of Europe in 1866, you can see from my red arrow the vicinity of the Marsischky home - in the eastern-most region of Pomerania (called Hinter Pommern, Farther Pomerania).  In the 1850s, Ferdinand Marsischky lived in the Kreis (district/county) Stolp.  From Ferdinand's son's marriage records I know that he was born in Dumrose, a rural village in Stolp.  (Of course, due to more wars there are border changes in 1866-1871 that change this map somewhat. But Pomerania remains a part of Prussia/Germany.  After World War II, if there were any living descendants of Ferdinand in this same area, they most likely migrated to other parts of Europe when the Russian Army forced most inhabitants out and the Poles took over. The name of the towns and districts were changed when it became Poland; Dumrose is now Domaradz, and Stolp is Slupsk.)
      The economy in Kreis Stolp was supported by fishing and agriculture in the 19th century. In addition to wheat and other crops, the farmers had cows, sheep, pigs, geese, chickens and hives for bees.  The Kreis was sparsely populated, and had small villages through the countryside.  Ferdinand Marsischky supported his family as a wagon maker, providing an essential service to his fellow Pomeranians.  The forests of Pomerania would have provided a good supply of timber for his trade.  His wagons were necessary for transporting products for sale, both in the surrounding villages and a short distance north to the Baltic Sea for sale or shipping to other ports.  If you were driving one of Ferdinand's wagons in Stolp you would pass through rolling hills with forests and farms.  And as you reached the small town of Dumrose the countryside became more flat.  That's when you might pass by the estate or manor house of the local nobility. I would guess that family purchased the upscale model of Ferdinand's wagons! 
     Here's a nice description of the area from http://www.genemaas.net/Pommern.htm:  "In the rural countryside, everyone lived in small villages often centered around the landed estates (Guts). The Guts generally consisted of a large manor house, several huge barns and stables and often a flour mill or distillery.  A majority of the villages had one church, the Evangelical Church, with an adjoining cemetery.  Most had less than a few hundred inhabitants living in a few dozen houses or households.  In some villages, homes simply lined both sides of the road (a plan followed by the Wends); in others, homes were clustered around a central commons with the manor house at one end and the church at the other (Germanic plan).  These communal villages not only provided protection for the residents but facilitated easy access to the fields that radiated outward from the village."
      I don't yet know Ferdinand's exact life span, but an estimate would be approximately 1830 to 1900.   We know he was living in Stolp County in the mid 19th century, when he would have seen Pomerania get its first overland railways, including narrow gauge railways to transport crops.  The railroad and other eventual means of transportation, of course, impacted Ferdinand's wagon-making business.  He could foresee his trade disappearing.   And probably these cultural changes were an influence on how the Marsischky family looked for the next generation's livelihoods. These developments and others involving politics, economic hardships and wars must have weighed on Ferdinand's mind as a father.  Can we think of the conversations with his children about joining the huge number of fellow citizens leaving their homeland for opportunities in America?  Presuming that Ferdinand and his wife, Charlotte, were still alive in 1881, we can only imagine the family conversation as their son, Wilhelm, sat with them to discuss the decision that he and his wife, Carrie, made to travel with their four children to America to establish a new home. But that's another story.
     Ferdinand Marsischky, the wagon maker, most likely remained in Pomerania until his death.  I have no indication that he came to America with his children. But, did he migrate to Berlin or another larger city for employment?  Or to Russia?  This place called Pomerania has captured my attention. I hope to have more of Ferdinand's story in time.   
     To see the Family Group details for Ferdinand and Charlotte Marsischky, CLICK HERE.   Do you have a Marsischky story to share?   Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties

My sources on Pomerania and Wagons:
The Long Island Museum of American Art, History & Carriages
Michiana History Publications, South Bend, Indiana, Central Europe map/information  
http://www.genealoger.com/german/pommern/kreis/stolp.htm
http://en.provinz-pommern.de/
Germanic Genealogy Society http://www.ggsmn.org
Wikipedia.org: Click here to read more about Pomerania.
http://www.genemaas.net/Pommern.htm
Other related posts and genealogy from Indiana Ties:
Wilhelm (William) F. Marsischky -- Where Did He End UP?
Ladies In My Line - Martha Marsischky Albers

Copyright © 2014  Nancy Niehaus Hurley

Rosemary and Robert Weber, About 1918 --- Wordless Wednesday, Almost

 

                This Almost Wordless Wednesday post will be close to wordless since it speaks for itself.  This is one of my favorite photos of my mom, Rose, and her brother Bob Weber.  At the time of this photo they would have been the only two children of Harry and Tillie Weber of Indianapolis.  Three more sisters and another brother would follow them.  Rose is two and Bob is four when they were posing for this studio shot.  Aren't they beautiful!

Harold "Norris" Niehaus - Veteran of World War II -- Wordless Wednesday, Almost

     With Veterans Day approaching I am including a Niehaus family veteran as my post for Wordless Wednesday - Almost.  In the center of this photo with his family is my uncle, Harold "Norris" Niehaus.  His mother and father, Ruth and John Niehaus are seated in front of him.  Norris wasn't yet married in this 1943 photo.  He's holding my brother, his nephew, Donny Niehaus.  I am presuming this was a farewell gathering for him before he was sent overseas.  This photo includes all of his siblings except one, Charles.  Since he was also a veteran, perhaps he was already shipped out. 
     Norris Niehaus was 18 years old when he enlisted in the U. S. Army on 20 February 1943 at Indianapolis, Indiana.  He was listed as single, without dependents.  And his description also included: 68 inches tall and weight, 129 lbs.  He served honorably in the Pacific and returned home to Indianapolis.  Norris married Betty Schmaltz in 1950 and their descendants thrive today.  We appreciate the service of this veteran and all who sacrificed with him.

     You will find more Wordless Wednesday posts by clicking on the link in the left column.  I welcome comments from the family on this and any of the photos that I am happy to share.

Copyright © 2014, Nancy Niehaus Hurley

Julianna Weber Micol: She's Our Third Great Grandmother & Third Great Grand Aunt

     When I discovered my second great grandparents marriage record it came with more surprises than usual.  The 1856 marriage record was within the Civil War Widow's Pension application documents for Amelia (Micol) Weber that I located at the National Archives a few years ago. (I wrote in this earlier post about Amelia's Pension Quest.)  Those pension records were so overflowing with amazing information that it took me a while to digest it all.   But as I sorted through and began to absorb the affidavits, personal letters, church and military records, I came across the translation from German of a church record from the Catholic Church in Vilbel.  There I found a good deal more about the couple's immediate family than I would have imagined.  Here's a short excerpt that includes those pieces:
Translation of Adam Weber and Amelia Micol's marriage record, from the records of the local Catholic Church in the Community of Vilbel:
"In the year one thousand eight hundred fifty six (12 May 1856) according to the authority of the local Catholic parish and in the parish of St. Johannes church in Bremen, and after receiving dispensation because of the second degree of blood relation, and after the official approval of the regional court with regard to the civil and clerical conditions of the union that there were no problems with proceeding with the marriage; and with the approval of both sets of parents, Adam Weber,  citizen and policeman in Bremen, the legitimate unmarried son of Adam Weber, citizen and sheep herder in Altenstadt, and his wife, Katharina, nee Gunsst, of the Catholic religion, and at the age of 36 ½ ; and Maria Amalia Micol, the legitimate unmarried daughter of the late local citizen and master tailor, Frederick Ludwig Micol and his wife, Julianae, nee Weber, of the Catholic religion, age 22 and 7 months."  (For those who can read and translate the script and the Latin, I am posting the actual church record on the right.)
     I reread and studied this information to be sure I was understanding it fully.  There were, of course, pieces to pull apart and analyze.  What is "dispensation because of the second degree of blood relation?" Why have official approval of the civil and clerical conditions of the union? There's some further information in the last line of this paragraph that sheds a little light on those issues.  When Amelia Micol's mother is listed, it states her name as Julianae, nee Weber.  Adding the dispensation and the maiden name together seemed to say that Adam Weber was already related to his wife's mother.  But I still wasn't sure that I knew the story.
     I did some online research to try to understand the meaning of and what was involved in the Catholic Church's dispensation for "second degree of blood relation" used in the 1856 marriage record. Here's information that most clearly explained this situation: (See note 2 below also.):
      Relationships, through either blood (consanguinity) or marriage (affinity) were recorded, and marriage dispensations were granted, by "degree". A first degree relationship would indicate siblings; a second degree relationship would indicate first cousins; third degree meant second cousins; and fourth degree indicated third cousins. Relationships more distant than third cousins (fourth degree) were not recorded in the marriage records.
     Researchers must remember that marriage dispensations of consanguinity/affinity were not granted as a matter of course. And, not all priests had the rights to grant marriage dispensations.  The power to grant a marriage dispensation was, to my understanding, held by the Diocese (ie: the Bishop or Arch-Bishop) and not by the individual priest. However, priests were sometimes extended the powers to grant dispensations to a particular degree without having to apply to the Diocese in every case. But, should the priest not have been granted those powers, or the dispensation in question was outside of the limits set for him, then an application to the Diocese would have to be made.
      Then, I also found Wikipedia background on consanguinity and affinity:  Consanguinity ("blood relation", from the Latin consanguinitas) is the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that aspect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person.  In law and in cultural anthropology, affinity, as distinguished from consanguinity (blood relationship), is the kinship relationship that exists between two or more people as a result of somebody's marriage. It is the relationship which each party to a marriage has to the relations of the other partner to the marriage; but does not cover the marital relationship of the parties to the marriage themselves.
       I have concluded from the records and research that, thanks to her nephew, Adam Weber, and her daughter, Amelia Micol,  Julianna Weber Micol was both an aunt and a mother-in-law to Adam as of May 12, 1856.    Some day I'll have to investigate to see if there are any more church records with the diocese in Bremen about the dispensation.   Or, if the priest of the Catholic Church in Vilbel recorded any correspondence with the bishop of the diocese.
     This is yet another fascinating piece of the Weber Family History that I'm happy to pass along.  I can tell all my Weber cousins that  Julianna Weber Micol is our third great grandmother as well as our third great grand aunt.  And to the many children of all of my cousins: Did you know that you are BOTH a fourth great grandchild and a fourth great grand niece or nephew of Julianna (Weber) Micol?! 
     To see how my Roots Magic genealogy software would handle this dual relationship, I produced a relationship chart for my cousin, Joyce Holzer, who is celebrating a birthday this month.  Of course, the third great grandmother trumped the third great grand aunt when this kinship is calculated.  You can see the generations traced back on the chart at the left.  There's more to it though, isn't there?!    
     Happy Birthday Joyce!!!
     Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties.  Let me know if there is more you might have to add about this relationship with Julianna.  Especially if you are one of our Weber relatives!  I will be glad to share more information about our ancestors.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1:  The Weber/Micol marriage record at its original source:Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, microfilm #939213-4, Catholic Church of Vilbel (Friedberg District) (Vilbel, Hessen, Germany), Church Registers, 1655-1876, 1856 marriages,  No. 2, May 12, 1856, Adam Weber and Maria Amelia Micol.
Note 2:  For online information on consanguinity and affinity and marriage dispensations, I found this website helpful: http://www.islandregister.com/consanguinity.html 
Copyright 2014 © Nancy Niehaus Hurley