The Children of Jacob Hamman and Barbara Clement

 

As I begin to piece together the lives of my ancestors I am continually searching for additional records. Records of their lives and that of their children can help me better  understand the family.  Locating all the records possible of the children of Jacob and Barbara (maternal 3^rd great grandparents) helps me see their family structure.  This may also help me piece together some of the family dynamics and what may have led to my maternal 2^nd great grandfather Jacob (see posts The Birth of Jacob Hamman, My First Naturalization Papers-Jacob Hamman, Searching for the Will and the Land of Jacob Hamman, Tombstone Tuesday-Jacob Hamman, etc,) deciding to emigrate to the United States.

These records, from Luxembourg, found in German and now translated, help tell the story of my 3^rd great grandparents, Jakob Hamman and Barbara Clement, and their children. 

Children:

1825 Frederic Birth

(click on images to enlarge)

1828 Elisabeth Birth

1830 Peter Birth

 1831 Joseph Birth

     1832 Peter Death

1834 Mary Birth

1836 Catherine Birth

     1837 Mary Death

1838 John Birth

1840 Jacob Birth (my 2nd great grandfather)  

1844 Nicholas Birth

     1850 Nicholas Death

     1867 Joseph Death

     1868 Mother-Barbara Clement Hamman Death

     1876 Elisabeth Death   

The records were all created in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, then under evolving administrative structures following its independence in 1815.

 

Family Insights:

• Nine children were born to Jacob and Barbara (6 boys & 3 girls) between 1825 and 1844.  Three died in early childhood (Peter, Mary, Nicholas).
• Elisabeth (48) and Joseph (34) lived to adulthood but appear to have remained unmarried.
• Jacob (born 1840), my paternal 2^nd great grandfather, was the 8^th child.  When he was 10, after the death of the longest child Nicholas, he became the youngest again.  Jacob emigrated to the United States, continuing the family line. I am always interested in seeing names repeated over generations.  My 2nd great grandfather Jacob would have children named Jacob, Nicholas, John, Joseph and Peter.  I wonder if they were named after his siblings?
• Jakob Hamman, my maternal 3^rd great grandfather, may have emigrated as well, as suggested by Elisabeth’s death record noting her father’s emigration to America.  

The family lived primarily in Pfaffenthal and later Hesperange in Luxembourg.  (distance of about 35 miles apart). The father’s consistent occupation and locations suggest stable residence and modest working-class status.

Questions to research:

• How many of the four remaining children emigrated to America?
• I will need to check census records to see if Elisabeth and Joseph lived with their parents in adulthood?
• Did my 3^rd great grandfather Jacob actually emigrate to America also?  What can I learn about his life in America?   I have been unable to find any death record for him in Luxembourg.  Where did he live and die?

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

The Marriage of Jacob Hamman and Barbara Clement

After years of searching for records in Luxembourg I have found many of the family records I thought I’d never find and so many more. A mystery until 2024 when I learned Jacob Hamman and Barbara Clement were the parents listed on the birth record of my maternal 2^nd great grandfather, also named Jacob Hamman (b 1840). Next the search to find a marriage record.

The marriage record of my 3^rd great grandparents was finally located and translated from German:

                                                (click on image to enlarge)

Translation from German:

In the year 1824 on 8 September at six in the evening, before us Mayor, registrar of the civil status records of the municipality of Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, have appeared Jacob Hamann, day laborer, aged 22 years, born in Luxembourg on 16 pluviôse year 10 of the Republic (=5 February 1802), as noted in record delivered by us, residing in Luxembourg, major son of the late Sabastian Hamann, retired military, residing in this municipality where he died on 24 February 1814, as noted in record delivered by us, and of Barbara Raipmann, widow of the above-mentioned Sebastian Hamann, without profession, residing in this municipality, here present and consenting. Finally, the future husband states by certificate that he has complied with the militia law,

And Barbara Clement, without profession, aged 23 years, born in Bissen, in the month of May 1801, as evidenced by record of notoriety set up in front of the justice of peace of Luxembourg 10 Aug 1804, residing in Luxembourg, major daughter of Francis Clement, day laborer, and of Elizabeth May, married couple, both residing in this city, here present and consenting.

Who requested us to proceed to the celebration of the marriage agreed amongst them and the publications of which have been done, namely in Luxembourg on the Sundays 29^th of last August and 5^th present September, at the hour of noon.

Having not been notified of any opposition to said marriage, we do justice to their request, after having given lecture of all the above mentioned documents and of Chapter 6 of the Civil Code, bearing the title “Of Marriage”, we have asked the future spouses, whether they take each other as husband and wife, each one of them having answered separately and affirmatively, we declare in the name of the law that Jacob Hamann and Barbara Clement are united by marriage.

Of all this we have set up record in the presence of the witnesses enumerated below, namely:

Of Francis Reuter, aged 50 years, weaver, residing in Luxembourg

Of Martin Zangerlé, aged 38 years, low wage worker[1], residing in Luxembourg

Of Dominic Jusion(?), aged 67 years, messenger/delivery man, residing in Luxembourg

And of Frederic Wirtgen, aged 28 years, nail smith, residing in Luxembourg.

Who after also having been given lecture, have signed with us and the contracting parties, with the exception of the bride, her father and mother, and the mother of the groom, who have declared to be ignorant of writing.

Done at the Hotel de Régence [designation of City Hall at that time] on the day, month and year as above.

Translators note: As per article 70 of the Cicil Code, the bridal couple has to submit a birth record in order to get married. In some cases, those births were not documented, which happened frequently at the time of the introduction of the law on the civil records. For this eventuality article 70 provided that in order to replace such missing record an “acte de notoriété” had to be set up by the justice of peace. In accordance to article 71 of said Code a declaration of seven persons testified about the identity of the individual concerned and that is/was of public notoriety that such individual was born on the date of xxx in the locality yyy and was the child of the parents fff and mmm. That declaration was then signed by the deponents and the justice of peace]

Wow, I now have not only the marriage record of my 3^rd great grandparents but I also know the names of four of my 4^th great grandparents. This record tells me where they were all living and the occupations of all the men.  How fascinating to see the careers of my ancestors in 1824.  I also now know that I will probably not be able to find an actual record of Barbara’s birth.  Luxembourg has such wonderful records and how great that I was able to locate these on FamilySearch.

Now to learn more about the family of Jacob and Barbara.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

---

 

The Children of Willhelmus/Wilhelm and Maria Petesch Bentz

 

When looking for the birth record of my 2^nd great grandfather John Bentz in Luxembourg I also found records for his parents (Willhelmus Bintz and Maria Petesch) and siblings.  What did his family unit look like in Luxembourg and what new information can I find?

After searching and getting the records I found translated (see post The Birth of Jacob Hamman for translations in Luxembourg) I can now put together a fairly good idea of John’s parents and siblings, their family unit:

Parents:  Wilhelmus Bintz and Paria Petesch

Children:

1814 Peter Birth

No birth record found.  Birth year based on age at time of death.

     1816 Peter Death

1816/7 Maria Birth

Birth based on year of birth (1817) stated in 1871 census.  At her marriage in 1852 she was 36 years of age putting her birth year about 1816.  According to her death record Maria was 80 (information given by son-in-law) at time of death in 1906 which would have made her birth year 1826, the same year sister Ana was born?  My guess is 1817 for her birth.

     1906 Maria Death

1819 Catherine Birth

1820 Pierre Birth

      1821 Pierre Death

1822 Michel Birth

     1825 Michel Death

1824 Catherine Birth

1826 Anna Birth

1828 Johan Birth- my 2^nd great grandfather (see blog post The Birth of Johan Bintz)

Thoughts:

• I believe this is a fairly accurate record of the family unit based on the information I was able to locate  
• Eight children were born to Wilhelm and Maria
• Four of eight children died at a young age
• All were born in Weiler-la-Tour, Bettemboug, Luxembourg
• Only one son lived to adulthood
• My ancestor Johan was the only son to grow to adulthood and was the last child born
• Wilhelm’s occupation was listed as a day laborer from 1816 until 1826 when his occupation became that on a linen weaver
• Wilhelm's age listed on each record is not consistent with what I would expect them to be based on his birth year of 1782.  The records may have been difficult to read, there could have been a transcription error or Wilhelm might have given the incorrect age at the time of the record.
• I wonder if there were other children I was unable to find records for?

 

Now that I have a good idea of John’s family, I wonder if any of his sisters also came to America?  If they stayed behind in Luxembourg, will I be able to trace them to descendants still living there?  I hope to take a research trip to Luxembourg and would love to meet descendants of Wilhelm and Maria.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

The Birth of John Bentz

       

Recently, I was able to find and have translated the civil birth record, in German, for my maternal 2^nd great grandfather John Bentz.

Index found on FamilySearch:

Original register:

Translation:

In the year 1828 of 14^th February, at 10 a.m., before us Peter Alesch, registrar of the civil status records of Weiler-la-Tour, canton of Bettembourg in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, has appeared Willhelmus (William) Bintz, aged 42 years, linen weaver, residing in this municipality, who presented us a child of male sex, born of him and of his wife Maria Petesch, on this day at one a.m., and whom he declared to give the first name of Johan.

Which declaration and presentation were done in the presence of Nicolas Hengen, schoolteacher, aged 28 years, and of Nicolas Kries, aged 37 years, field warden, who are residing in this municipality. And have the father and the witnesses signed the present birth record, with us after having been given lecture thereof.

[signatures]

At times I have come across information in someone else's tree or on a data base.  I use this information as a 'lead' but still want to prove what I see elsewhere.  With the information in John's birth record I can now verify information previously seen and possibly learn something new:  

• a confirmation now on the birth dates (7 years off from what I previously believed) and time of Johan Bintz’s birth.  Interesting that only 9 hours after Johan's birth his father registered the birth.
• a confirmation on Johan’s parents (my 3^rd great grandparents) - Willhelmus [William] Bintz and Maria Petesch
• a confirmation that Johan’s parents lived in Weiler-la-Tour, Bettembourg, Luxembourg
• new information that Willhelmus was a linen weaver
• name change from ‘Bintz’ in Luxembourg to ‘Bentz’ in the United States

The translator I used in Luxembourg also informed me that “In some records Weiler-la-Tour is mentioned to be part of the canton of Bettembourg, in other records of the canton of Luxembourg. This goes back to the partition of Luxembourg in 1839 (London Treaty at the end of the Belgian Revolution). The partition went right through some of the cantons, with some municipalities becoming Belgian and others remaining Luxembourgish. There was an urgent need for administrative redistricting, which was done by the royal-granducal decree of October 12, 1842. Esch-sur-Alzette then became the seat of the canton of Esch, which was formed with some eastern parts of the cantons of Messancy (the remaining parts formed the canton of Messancy in Belgium) and  some parts of the canton of Bettembourg. Some other parts of the canton of Bettembourg  (including Weiler-la-Tour) were reattached to the canton of Luxembourg. The canton of Bettembourg ceased to exist as of 1841."

Important information to be aware of as I do further research.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

See also post The Wedding of Johan Bintz and Margaretha Rovin.  

For information on translation of German records in Luxembourg see post The Birth of Jacob Hamman.

Tombstone Tuesday-Jacob Hamman

Jacob Hamman

Years ago I began telling the story of my maternal great great grandfather Jacob Hamman.  The following posts help tell the story of Jacob's life: Jacob Hamman's Land Deed, Sunday Obituary-Jacob Hamman, My First Naturalization Papers-Jacob Hamman, Searching for the Will and the Land of Jacob Hamman, Finding Jacob Hamman's Land-First Understanding Iowa Land.  This post was started over four years ago and never finished.  Now, I can finally finish it.

The tombstone inscription reads (in German):

Jakob Hamman

Geb.  8. Mai 1830.

Gest. den 18. Nov. 1900.

 

"Hier wo der Geist sein Staub-

kleid fallen läßt.

Beweint das Kind des Vaters

Aschenreste"

The tombstone inscription reads (in English):

Jakob Hamman

Born 8 May 1830

Died 18 Nov 1900

"Here where the spirit/soul drops his dust gown

The child mourns the father's remaining ashes"

It took over four years to complete this post because I wanted to understand the quote at the end of the inscription.  I was able to guess at the name, birth and death information but I wanted to understand the rest.  If the quote was important enough to inscribe on the tombstone then I wanted to understand what the inscription said.  Sometimes our research takes a long time. Finally, now I do know what the quote says!

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

The Wedding of Johann Bintz and Margaretha Rovin

 The Wedding of Johann Bintz and Margaretha Rovin

 

My maternal 2^nd great grandparents were married in Luxembourg, the land of their births, before immigrating to the United States of America in the 1850s.  Locating and transcribing a marriage record could provide new valuable information. 

After years of searching, a civil marriage record was located on FamilySearch…yea! 

There are parents listed (Wilhelm Bintz, Maria Petesch and Anne Marie Rovin) so that will take me back yet another generation…Yea!! 

(click on images to enlarge)

But what additional information is in the record and oh, yea, it’s in German. 

This record was also sent off to the Luxembourg American Cultural Society (LACS) where I requested a translation to determine what additional information there was.  (See post Birth of Jacob Hamman for translation information for Luxembourg records)

Translation:

In the year 1855, on November 20th, at 11 a.m., before us Johann (John) Berens, mayor, registrar of the civil status records of the municipality of Weiler-la-Tour, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, appeared before us Johann (John) Bintz, linen weaver, aged 27 years, born in said Weiler-la-Tour, February 14, 1828, residing in Weiler-la-Tour, municipality of this name, major son of Wilhelm (William) Bintz, here present and consenting to this marriage, linen weaver, aged 57 years, and of Maria Petesch, aged 58 years, married couple residing here in Weiler-la-Tour, afore mentioned birth is recorded in the civil status registers of this municipality, one side, And the spinster Margaretha Rovin, without profession, aged 19 years, born in Remich, in this Grand Duchy, on August 8, 1836, residing in Weiler-la-Tour, illegitimate (1) and minor daughter of Anne Marie Rovin, here present and consenting to the marriage, aged 48 years, midwife, residing in Weiler-la-Tour; said birth documented by attached certificate, on the other side. Who requested us to proceed to the wedding agreed amongst them, and the publications of which were done in this municipality on the Sundays 4th and 11th of this month, as this comes forth from the register of marriage announcements of this municipality. 

As we have not been notified any opposition to the intended marriage, we do right to their request; and after having read out all the above mentioned records and chapter 6 of the Civil Code, bearing the title “Of Marriage”, we have asked the groom and the bride, whether they take each other as husband and wife, as both have answered, each one separately and affirmatively, we declare in the name of the law that Johann Bintz and Margaretha Rovin are united by the bonds of marriage. Of all this we have set up this present record , and this in the presence of Nicolas Diedier, farmer, aged 42 years, residing in Dippach, municipality of this name Of Johann Kayl, farmer, aged 70 years, residing in Abweiler, municipality of Bettembourg, Of Johann Kayl, farmer, aged 74 years, residing in Weiler-la-Tour, And of Nicolas Goerges, farmer, aged 70 years, residing in Filsdorf, none of the witnesses related to the bride and groom. Who, after been given lecture thereof, signed it with us, except mentioned Maria Petesch, mother of the groom, who, when requested, declared to be ignorant of writing. [signatures].

• Translator’s note-(1) The original text speaks about » natural daughter ». In Luxembourg, and French law (and some other European , as well), this legal term designates a child born out of wedlock. In order, to avoid any ambiguity in regard to American legislation, where « natural born citizen » (Constitution art. II, section 1) means born in the country, in America, the translator opted for « illegitimate ».

 What a wealth of information this is:

• Johann’s profession was that of a ‘linen weaver’.
• Johann’s mother, Maria Petesch, was unable to write/sign her name.  Margaretha and Johann were able to write their names.
• Margaretha was considered a ‘minor child’ at the age of 19.
• Previously, I have been unable to locate a birth record for Margaretha Rovin.  Now I have her birthdate, the town she was born in as well as her mother’s name.  If the translator is correct then the possible reason there is not a father listed for her is because she was illegitimate.  I wonder if I will be able to locate a birth record for Margaretha?
• The Banns of Marriage for Johann and Margaretha were published on February 4^th and 11^th
• Anne Marie Rovin’s profession was that of a ‘midwife’
• The witnesses for the marriage of Johann and Margaretha were Nicolas Diedier, Johann Kayl, Johann Kayl, and Nicolas Goerges and that none of them were related to the bride or groom

This is a very valuable piece of information to add to the life stories of my ancestors.  Having the translation added so much additional information.

Johann and Margaretha would immigrate and live in Iowa.  The surname would change in the United States to Bentz.  Johann would be referred to as John and Margaretha would be referred to as Marie, Mary or Margaret in records over her lifetime.  Margaretha’s Surname would also at times be listed as Robin.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

Other posts you may be interested in: An Unusual Find for Sunday Obituary-Mary Robin Bentz, Who Was Mary (Margaret) Robin Bentz, The Luxembourger Statue, St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Remsen, Iowa 

The Birth of Jacob Hamman

When doing genealogy on our immigrant ancestors we are always advised to gather all the information possible before we start looking for information in the country that ancestor came from.

Over the years I have gathered information on my maternal 2^nd great grandfather Jacob Hamman in the United States.  I possibly have Jacob on a passenger list, I know when he filed his immigration paperwork, when he obtained his US Citizenship, when he purchased land and when he died.

There are still questions to be answered but I always wondered about his life in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg prior to his immigration to the United States in the late 1850s.  Who were Jacob’s parents and siblings?  Where exactly was he born in Luxembourg and when?

The information have I been able to gather about Jacob’s birth, parents and siblings:

• According to the 1880 US Census for Jacob in Iowa he was 40 years old and born about 1840 in Luxembourg.
• According to the 1900 US Census for Jacob in Iowa he was 60 years old and his birth date was July 1839 in Luxembourg.
• According to Jacob’s obituary in 1900 he “was 64 years old and born at Hesper, Grandduchy, Luxembourg on the 25^th day of August 1836”.
• According to Jacob’s Iowa death record he was born in Luxembourg about 1835.
• According to Jacob’s tombstone his birth is listed as 1830 and at his death in 1900 he was 70 years old.

Based on this information I can narrow down Jacob’s birth from 1835 to 1840.  That is definitely a discrepancy.  Is the birth date and location reported in his obituary, correct?  Can I locate a birth certificate in Luxembourg?  Will this tell me his parents’ names?  Is it possible to determine his siblings?  Did any of them also immigrate to the United States?

Reminder:  just because a record isn’t in an online database you are searching today it doesn’t mean it won’t be there tomorrow or ...years from now.  Keep searching!!

Fast forward many years of searching and I happened to find the following record on FamilySearch:

 

Wow!  Major Happy Dance!!  I think that is my ancestor and WOW there are his parents’ names.  I begin to search under their names and believe I have found Jacob’s siblings.  Major excitement!

After justifiably being excited about finally finding what I think is my ancestor’s birth record and other family records including Jakob’s parents’ names I realize that the index has only basic information and I don’t know about you but…this is never enough for me.  I can see the actual ledger in the photo but I want to know more of the information that is there but …I don’t read or write German.  UGH!  What do I do next? 

I need someone to translate these for me and I’m up to about 25 records now.  Where to go?  I could post this on a genealogy site or try to find someone who speaks German.  An idea starts to develop.  These are records from Luxembourg.  Several years ago I joined and visited the Luxembourg American Cultural Society and Center in Belgium, Wisconsin.  I wonder if they’d have any suggestions? 

How exciting it was to learn that yes, they could definitely help me.  They actually contract with someone in Luxembourg and they informed me of the fee for services.  All the records were emailed to LAC and then all I had to do was, not so patiently, wait for a reply.  At last, this was the reply for Jacob’s birth record:

Translation:

In the year 1840, on July 28, at 7 a.m. before us Mayor, registrar of the civil status records of the municipality of Hesperange, canton of Luxembourg, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, has appeared Jakob Hamman, aged 37 years, road maintenance supervisor, residing in this municipality, who presented us a child of male sex, born on the 27^th of this [month], at 11 a.m. of him deponent and his wife Barbara Clement, both residing in Hesperange, and whom he declared to give the first name of Jakob.

Which declaration and presentation took place in the presence of Nikolas Zahlen, aged 45 years, farmer, and of Johann (=John) Didesch, aged 64 years, day laborer, who are residing in this municipality, and they have all signed this present birth record, after having previously been given lecture thereof.

[signatures]

Wow! WOW!! 

From the translation I now know that:

• Jakob was born on 27 July 1840 at 11 am.
• His parents were Jakob Hamman (37 years old and a road main supervisor) and Barbara Clement.
• They lived in Hesperange.
• Witnesses were Nikolas Zahlen (45 year old farmer) and Johann Didesch (64 year old day laborer) who lived in the Hesperange.

Interesting that the 1880 US Census was the only record with his correct year of birth.  The obituary showed his birth date but was several days, a month and four years off.  I’m sure birthdays were not remembered and celebrated the way we do today. There were language and cultural differences and so many adjustments when traveling and becoming established in the United States that I’m sure your actual date of birth was just not that important.  Reminder: know that dates may be off by months, days or years as you are researching.

The amazing translator I had even provided the following additional information:

The spelling of the name is nowadays Hammang. On the Hammang family and descendance, see: Prosper Kayser & Paul Vanolst: Familienchronik der Gemeinde Hesperingen. Um 1650-1923. Publ. 2018 pp. 169-170.

Someone who spoke German could have translated the document but this additional information is extremely valuable for further research.

Being connected to Historical Societies from locations your ancestors lived or to Cultural Societies whose goals are to help preserve the cultures of the countries your ancestors immigrated from are very valuable sources of information.  I would definitely recommend LAC if you have ancestors from Luxembourg to provide another level of support as you research your ancestors.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

The following posts help tell the story of Jacob's life: Jacob Hamman's Land Deed, Sunday Obituary-Jacob Hamman, My First Naturalization Papers-Jacob Hamman, Searching for the Will and the Land of Jacob Hamman, Finding Jacob Hamman's Land-First Understanding Iowa Land.

A Church, Bells, a Statue and an Amazing Adventure

 Sometimes when you make a mistake it can lead to a great adventure.  Such was the case when I returned to Remsen, Iowa in 2021.

In 2020 I traveled and visited St. Mary’s church in Remsen, Iowa and the Basilica of St.Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa. (See previous posts).  I knew that my maternal great grandparents John & Marie Bentz and Jacob & Katie Hamman had immigrated from Luxembourg, settled first in eastern Iowa and then made their way to Remsen, Plymouth County in western Iowa.  I was so grateful that I was able to visit the churches they were involved with.

Due to Covid many research facilities were closed to the public.  I was not able to visit the DyersvilleHistorical Society while I was there but I did leave a message on the phone. Later we talked and a researcher from the Society sent me a copy of a sermon one of the priests had written that talked about the Luxembourg connection that she thought I’d enjoy reading.  From Father Petty’s sermon I learned a little more about St. Mary’s, the Basilica and the Luxembourg stained glass window.  How interesting.  I looked back through my 2020 pictures of St. Mary’s and did not find one.  Bummer!  Guess this means I MUST go back.  It sure would be interesting to know which window it was and have a picture of it to better understand the connection of the people of the parish to their motherland of Luxembourg.

When I made it this spring to LeMars, Iowa I called the church office to ask if the church would be open on Saturday when I would be in town.  Well, there was going to be a wedding that day …so, no, I couldn’t go in…but I’m only there for a few days and drove from California, etc. etc…but after some checking they said if I was there at 9 am on Saturday I would be able to go in.  (If they’d said 6 am you can believe I would have been there!)  I asked specifically about the Luxembourg window and was told there was information in the back of the church that talked about the windows.

click on images to enlarge

I was there at the appointed time and parked out in front of the church.  The information in the rear of the church had to do only with donations to restore the windows, so, I walked around the church and began taking pictures of all the stained glass windows.  I caught the attention of a gentleman walking through the rear of the church and asked if he was a member of the Parish, and asked "Gee, do you know which of the stained glass windows is the Luxembourg window?"  He hesitantly replied, “well no” and explained that he and another gentlemen where just there to service the bells and quickly asked if I wanted I could go up and see the bells?  I gladly accepted.  This may not have anything to do directly with my ancestors but shouldn’t we always be open to new experiences?  And what an exciting adventure it was!

Up we went.  First we climbed on several levels of regular stairs and then up straight wooden ladders and through trap doors.  I was able to see where the original ropes had gone through the levels of flooring to ring the bells that are all now automated.  Wow, we made it up to the bells. 

1884 stamped on the bells

While the church may have been rebuilt I am guessing these were the original bells that hung in the church when my ancestors, three generations of them, attended this church.  What an amazing piece of history this was!  The men did their servicing of the bells and I was ready to descend when they said, “ But don’t you want to go up a few more levels to the highest point and look out the clock faces?”  Well, sure, I’ve come this far why not go up and look out?  Wouldn’t you?

Looking out the four windows-

I know Jacob owned land out in one direction.  Last year I had gone and found his farm land.  Now I was looking out from the clock and seeing it from a different vantage point.  I knew where the wives (Katie and Mary) had lived, the next block over from the church, and looked in that direction also.  What amazing views!  What an amazing vantage point to see the area where my great great grandparents and great grandparents and my grandfather had lived!  Looking down at my camper showed how high I was.

Now it was time to descend.  Down the narrow stairway, 

down the horizontal ladder missing the rung, past a beautiful window,

down, down.  That process seemed a little slower but we all made it safely. How many people can say they have been up in the church tower and seen the bells that were there when their ancestors were there well over 100 years ago?  Pretty amazing and an adventure that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been there at that particular time and hadn’t reached out to ask for help.  I am so grateful for this opportunity!  Always be open to those new experiences, things that perhaps were not on your agenda but are just as wonderful to discover.

One of the men had called the Deacon of the church while we were climbing and asked him about the Luxembourg window for me.  Turns out there wasn’t a window at St. Mary’s but something else that came from Luxembourg- the ‘Luxembourg statue’:

Not what I was looking for but so very beautiful!  At least I found something that connected the immigrants from Luxembourg to their homeland.  What is this statue all about and why was I so wrong about the window being there?

Later, I went back and reread Father Petty’s sermon and realized ...

(to be continued)

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby