The prompt
for this week is “oldest”, so I am writing about the oldest documented ancestor
I have my fifth great-grandfather Johann Jacob Burbach.
Johan Jacob
Burbach was born about 1732 in Oberselters, Hesse-Nassau, Germany. Oberselters
is now a suburb of Camberg, a metropolis about 40 kilometers northwest of
Frankfurt, Germany. Currently Oberselters is known for its mineral waters,
although in the 18th and 19th centuries it was primarily
a farming and mining community.[i]
As part of Germany’s “Golden Triangle”, it is valued for the fertile land and
favorable weather for crops.
St Anthony
Catholic Church in Oberselters is where the births, marriages, and deaths of
Johann Jacob Burbach and his descendants would be recorded for the next century
and a half.
On 23
November 1756, Johann married Helena Müller, the daughter of Johann Müller and
Anna Bauer in Kamberg, Hesse-Nassau.[ii]
They would make their home in Oberselters until 1782 when Johann died, Helena
having preceded him in 1775.
Johann and
Helena had six children Anna Maria, born 5Feb, 1758;[iii]Maria
Elisabetha born 7 Dec 1759[iv];
Wilhelm, my fourth great-grandfather, born 29 Oct 1764, married first Catherine
Gross (1763-1800) they had eleven children. He married second Helena Michels
(1770-1817) they had five additional children before died 30 May 1819[v];
Maria Elisabetha born 11 Aug 1767, married Phillip Görz13 May 1783 in Kamberg,
Hesse-Nassau[vi];
Johann Burbach, born 13 Sep 1770[vii];
Anton Burbach born 2 Dec 1773, died 25 Aug 1795 in Oberselters.[viii]
Given the
location of the family, I believe the family was engaged in agriculture of some
kind. Occupational records of the time were scarce but I will go back and
review the church Baptismal records since I recently learned that the father’s
occupation was noted there.
The Burbach
saga has just begun!
[i]
Wikipedia
[ii] Katholische
Kirche, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Kamberg,
Hesse-Nassau), Kirchenbuch, 1598-1900, , marriage of Johann J Burbach and
Helena Müller; FHL microfilm 1200886.
[iii] Kirchenbuchduplikat
1818 - 1874, Dupilcate Church Book 1818-1874: 8 May 1819, St Anthony Catholic
Church, Oberselters, Hessen-Nassau, Germany.
[iv]
ibid
[v]
ibid
[vi]
ibid
[vii]
ibid
[viii]
ibid
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