Return to the Parents of Johann Schömbs (*1744)

Chapter D

The LAUBENHEIMER SCHEMBS

Introductory Remark:

The immediate ancestors of the Laubenheim Schembs come from the "Schömbs" line of Zacharias Schömbs (1645-1707) from Undenheim/Rheinhessen.

There was only one emigrant who came to Laubenheim, that being Johann Schömbs (1744-1793). All Schömbs/Schembs in Laubenheim descend from Johann.

Like the Herrnsheim Schembs Family, are also the Laubenheim Schembs with the same family name spelling of "Schembs" for over 200 years. Not only in the Churchbooks, but also as the Civil Registry came into existence, the name was written as "Schembs" or "Schems". So Johann Schömbs (1744-1793) became Johann Schembs from the scribes at the Church.

Article in the local Laubenheim Newspaper from 4 November 1999 about the Research of the Family History

The LAUBENHEIMER SCHEMBS

	Johann Schömbs (1744-1793)			1.
		Johann Peter Schembs (1769-1839)		2.1
			Valentin Schembs (1795-1865)	2.1.1
			Catharina Schembs (1797)	2.1.2
			Maria Rosina Schembs (1799-1826)	2.1.3
			Maria Magdalena Schembs (1801-1857)	2.1.4
			Sophia Schembs (1803)	2.1.5
			Josef Georg Schembs (1810-1828)	2.1.6
			Caspar Schembs (1812-1875)	2.1.7
			Anna Maria Schembs (1815)	2.1.8
			Barbara D. Schembs (1818)	2.1.9
		Anna Catharina Schembs (1772-1835)		2.2
			Anton Hefftrich (1806)	2.2.1
			Anton Hefftrich (1812)	2.2.2
			Maria A. Hefftrich (1814)	2.2.3
			Andreas Hefftrich (1817)	2.2.4
		Johann Schembs (1774-1805)		2.3
			Johann Schembs (1803)	2.3.1
			Anton Schembs (1805-1821)	2.3.2
		Andreas Schembs (1777-1841)		2.4
			Catharina Schembs (1803)	2.4.1
			Anton Schembs (1805)	2.4.2
			Johann Schembs (1809)	2.4.3
			Elisabeth Schembs (1812)	2.4.4
			Peter Schembs II (1816)	2.4.5
			Regina Schembs (1819)	2.4.6

Return to the Parents of Johann Schömbs (*1744)

Johann Schömbs (1744-1793)1.

Overview:

Johann Schömbs is the founder of the Laubenheim branch of the Family Schembs. An exploration of all the Laubenheim side-branches confirms that all Laubenheimers descend from Johann, and therefore he has particular interest for this branch of the Schömbs family.

Birth Record 1744 KB Undenheim – Auszug

Johann Schömbs was born on 14.l0.1744 in Undenheim as the seventh child of Johann Schömbs senj.[1] Godfather was Johann Schömbs, a grandson of Hermann Schömbs.

The move by Johann Schömbs from Undenheim to Laubenheim began a stretch of over 200 years that Schembs have lived in Laubenheim. But it also is interesting regarding the spelling of the family name. The first documentation of the spelling "Schembs" is actually from Undenheim, where a priest recorded this new spelling in the church-book.

The first Catholic priest in Undenheim following the Church division of 1707, Father Panthaleon Häffner, died in 1745. He had always written the family name in the church-book as "Schömbs". His successor, Placidus Schmitt, born in 1713 in Mainz and who became a monk of St. Jacob, wrote our family name as "Schembs", similar to the later entries of the priests in Ober-Olm (Marriage record)[2], and in Laubenheim (Death record)[3]. The transition was not immediate, however. Some of the Laubenheimer Schembs continued to sign their names as "Schömbs"[4].

Father Schmitt, a rather shady priest with an authoritarian adminstration which, in the end led to his dismissal in 1763 as been previously described in Chapter B – Undenheim. In the commemorative volume of the restroation of the Catholic church and school in Undeneim[5] reports Dr. Curschmann, that Schmitt neglected his church duties regularly.

One episode involved his billeting a french Husarenoffizier (some kind of an army officer), which caused extreme distress among the parish members. This was during the same period in which he failed to wear his priestly robes, preferring to wear lay dress, was known to be seeing several parish women, and having sired three illegitimate children. A complaint was raised by Undenheim mayor Mattheis Schömbs, which led to a review and dismissal of Father Schmitt.

We can only speculate about he reasons for Johann Schömbs (1744-1793) to emigrate from Undenheim to Laubenheim when he was about 40 years old (about 1785). By today's standards it was not far – about 16 kilometers (10 miles), about the same distance as from Undenheim to Herrnsheim. But Laubenheim is northeast of Undenheim, while Herrnsheim is southeast. Johann Schömbs was not following his cousins Johann Schömbs (1713-1785) and Andreas Schömbs (1725-1796) who had both previously moved to Herrnsheim (in 1738 and 1756 respectively) when they married women from Herrnsheim. Perhaps it was the difficulty of younger children to remain in the family home and hometown, since the parents possessions and work tended to be distributed to the oldest by tradition. Some found it easier to leave their hometowns to start a new life in another town. Perhaps it had something to do with his wife Gertrud Hermes, who was from Ober-Olm, another village near Mainz. Another possiblilty is that one of the family members from Undenheim had become a member of the abbey at St. Alban, and perhaps he arranged for the move of Johann Schömbs to Laubenheim.

Johann Schömbs was married in 1769 in Ober-Olm[6], but apparently continued to live at least until 1774 in Undenheim. In this year year their third child was born in Undenheim according to the church-books.

Marriage Record from the 1769 Church-book of Ober-Olm

His next and last child, Andreas Schembs, was apparently not born in Undenheim. No record of the birth of Andreas exists in the Undenheim church-book. But also there is no birthrecord for Andreas in Laubenheim. His birthplace is unfortunately a mystery. The move to Laubenheim had to have happened between 1780 and 1786, for on 21.12.1786 Johann was the godfather at the christening of his nephew, Johann Eberhard (the son of Johann's sister Catharina). It is recorded that the godfather was Johann Schömbs from Laubenheim.[7]

In 1769 and in the two following years there were crop failures in the Palatinate (the area west of the Rhine) with cold and wet springs and summers. There was little grain and fruit in the harvests. Also the grape crop was small and tasted of vinegar.

The difficult conditions continued. In 1781 there was a bad drought, then in 1782 and 1783 floods and cold weather. Later in 1786 and 1788 the winters were particularly severe, leading to poor harvests.

Death Record in the Church-book in Laubenheim 1793

Johann Schömbs was barely 50 years old when he died in 1793. From the church-book entry by Father Johann Franz Mees in the Catholic church in Laubenheim that Johann had farmed on the island of Herr Fürstenberg.[8]

A Section of the Map by Nicolaus Person (1690-1695)

The mentioned island was not an island in the usual sense, but rather a peninsula at the time into the Rhine in front of Laubenheim called the "Fürstenberger Meadow". It also was known as the "Molsberger Meadow" and the "Sinzelsce Meadow", but today still known as the Fürstenberger Meadow. It lies between the gristmill of Franz Anstatt and the former resort which today is a campsite[9]. The Meadow owes its name to the former owners, the three brothers Fürstenberger from the Westphalian aristocracy. From the period between 1690 and 1695 a Nicolaus Person produced a map (shown at the right) of the Kurmainzer showing an island to the east of Laubenheim.[10]

Johann Schömbs was the leaseholder of the farm on the island. In the civil marriage document of his grandson Peter Schembs' marriage from the year 1842[11], it is entered that Johann and his wife Gertrude were the "Hofleute" (literally farm people) of the Fürstenberger Meadow. Possibly there were multiple families leasing the Meadow at this time, for the name of Sinzel is also passed down as as leaseholders. Members of the Sinzel family appear on several occasions in the church records as godparents at the christenings of Schembs children.

Where the Hofgut (farm) stood is not exactly known, but it surely was threatened constantly by flooding and destruction from the sometimes high waters of the Rhine. There were such catastrophes in the years 1784 and 1789 in particular. The Fürstenberger Meadow lay far from the village of Laubenheim. Like the University Meadow near it, as well as the Mill at Ginsheim, the Fürstenberger Meadow came to be taken care of by the Catholic parish of Laubenheim.

Johann Schömbs came to Laubenheim during a period of political change. Following the French Revolution in 1789, many noblemen came as refuges to Germany, and many to Mainz in particular. In 1791 and 1792 there were many French emigrants in the Mainz area. This had an effect upon the system of the aristocracy selecting the local administrators and judges. This system was to come to an end. The proclamations of the so-called "Mainzer Republik" began, through which the "Jakobin" clubs spread the propaganda to the neighboring area of the ideas of revolution and the violations and infringements which had been common in the French state. This first happened with the publishing of revolutionary literature, later with the collection of signatures from the common people for more freedom.

A very interesting document is photocopied from the Laubenheim archives, in which one of our family members, Johann Peter Schembs (1769), the brother of Andreas Schembs, with the comments of Johann Peter. It deals with a list from 22.11.1792 in which 77 Laubenheim citizens (men) signed their names:

"nach vorhergängigem gehörigen Unterricht, was Freiheit und Gleichheit ist" erklären, für diese Ideale "leben und sterben" zu wollen[12].

The document expressed their demand, after thorough instruction, for Freedom and Equality, for these ideals of life and death.

On this same day a freedom-tree was erected in the setting of the old customs. Despite these recordings of these positive innovations, the republican and democratic attitudes of the Laubenheimers, were not deeply rooted. In March, 1793, the Laubenheim citizens refused to swear to the oath and accept incorporation into the French state. The Laubenheimers had demanded compensation for the damages caused by the French troops, which was not forthcoming. It was not until 1797 that the left bank of the Rhine was transfered to France, with the signatures of 102 on the document.

Johann Schömbs died in 1793, the same year in which the French King Louis IV was beheaded for high treason. Politically, the city of Mainz was taken back from the French by Hessian and Prussian troops. But the devastation of Mainz was severe. Just a year later the French again came, this time besieging Mainz for twelve months before the defenders prevailed in 1795. Then in 1796 the French once again laid siege to Mainz for several months. The warfare, especially the shelling of Mainz in 1793, was observed by Johann Wolfgang of Goethe from a rise south of the city, and recorded in a detailed writing for posterity. The smaller communities surrounding Mainz similarly had to suffer during these long periods of French assaults. The lives of the inhabitants were exacerbated by constant looting. Perhaps the early death of Johann Schömbs had something to do with the warfare. Then again, perhaps Johann died as a result of the 1792-1793 dysentery epidemic throughout the Rhine/Hesse region, which claimed many fatalities. As the French departed, in one month alone as many people died as would normally die in an entire year. The list of deaths in Mainz for the year was 114% higher than the prior year[13]. The population of Mainz at the time was about 27,000, and the population of Laubenheim about 500. Many of the supporters and patriots of the "Mainzer Republik", such as the Mayor Spies and the farmer Stephan Diehl, were prosecuted and incarcerated in the Fortress Königstein. Some had a more serious outcome, such as the leader Olmer Klubist Lutz, who paid for his conviction with his life. Lutz was hanged, after a short trial by the Prussians.[14]

As the Century came to an end, there were tremendous advances taking place in technology. James Watt had developed the steam engine in 1765, and in 1783 came the first steamship. In the same year the brothers Montgolfier performed the first balloon flight. In 1796 were the first lithographs.

Enumeration of some of the famous contemporaries of Johann Schömbs:

• Georg Washington (1732-1799)
• Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
• Freiherr von Stein (1757-1831)
• Katharina II. die Große (1762-1796)

• Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
• Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1805)
• Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

Children of Johann Schömbs (*1744): (4)

Johann Peter Schembs (1769-1839)2.1

Overview:

Johann Peter Schembs was born 21.03.1769 in Undenheim. He died 26.03.1839 in Laubenheim.

Signature List from Laubenheim 1792 with the Signature of Peter Schembs (right column, fifth from the last)

On 16.08.1795 he married Catharina Siegling (1774-1853) in Bodenheim. It appears that the couple lived in Bodenheim for some period thereafter, for their first child Valentin Schembs was born there on 28.08.1795, twelve days after the marriage. Most of his adult life Johann Peter lived with his family in Laubenheim. His last address as specified in the record of his death was 101 Obergasse, Laubenheim. In the death record of his brother Johannes from the year 1805, still during the French occupation and written in the civil records in French, the occupation of Johann Peter Schembs is stated as farmer. Johann Peter has signed the document as a witness for his brother Johannes.

It is interesting that the family name in the French times was recorded as "Schembs", such as in the marriage record of his brother Andreas from the year 1803. Meanwhile his two brothers Andreas and Johannes signed their names as "Schömbs".

In 1792 Johann Peter Schembs signed his name as one of the 102 Laubenheim citizens in the Freedom list in expressing their sympathy for the ideals of the French Revolution.

Johann Peter stands out as one of our prolific ancestors with a family of nine children. Another statistic is that he is the ancestor of several of the Schembs emigrants to Amerika.

Children of Johann Peter Schembs (*1769): (9)

Valentin Schembs (*28.08.1795 Bodenheim, +1865)2.1.1

Valentin Schembs was born in Bodenheim. He died 05.08.1865 in Laubenheim. On 21.01.1827 he married Barbara Spies (1800-1870).

By profession Valentin Schembs was a plowman, as we know from the remark on the death document of his father Johann Peter Schembs in the year 1839. Like his father, Valentin also had a large family. There were 12 children born to Valentin and Barbara Schembs, with at least 3 and possibly more who died as infants.

Children: (12)

Josef Schembs (*1827, +25.10.1827 Laubenheim)2.1.1/1

Anna Maria Schembs (*18.10.1828 Laubenheim)2.1.1/2

Agnes Schembs (*1832, +02.05.1832 Laubenheim)2.1.1/3

Nikolaus Schembs (*1833, +15.07.1834 Laubenheim)2.1.1/4

Catharina Schembs (*11.06.1835 Laubenheim)2.1.1/5

Catharina Schembs married Bartholomäus Mattes on 30.10.1861 in Laubenheim.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Sophia Schembs (*28.08.1859 Laubenheim, illegitimate)

2.2.....Georg Schembs (*07.06.1861 Laubenheim, illegitimate)

Georg Schembs died presumably about 29.01.1918 in Menen (Belgium), and is buried there with other German soldiers -- Kriegsgräberstätte Menen: Georg Schembs (Block C, Grave 1492).

Peter (Josef) Schembs (*23.02.1837 Laubenheim, +14.02.1893 Philadelphia)2.1.1/6

1859 Emigrant to Philadelphia, USA Click for the Story of Peter Josef Schembs

Peter (Josef) Schembs emigrated in 1859. His destination was first New York, but soon after he went to Philadelphia where he settled and lived the rest of his life. Peter went into the business of barbering, and spent many years doing this. His first wife Sarah, an Irish immigrant, died following the birth of their fourth child in 1871. Peter married again that same year. His second wife was Catharina Meitzler, a German. With Catharina, Peter had five more children, of whom three died young.

Familienbild John Joseph Schembs, cir. 1915 in Ventnor, New Jersey v.l.: Walter (1891), Marian (1897), Emma (1868), Celine (1896), Adele (1894), John II (1887), John I (1862), Lillian (1901)

Children: (8)

8.1.....John Joseph Schembs (1862-1930)

8.2.....Wiliam Henry Schembs (1865)

8.3.....Mary V. Schembs (1868-1920)

8.4.....Magdalena Schembs (1872-1873)

8.5.....Magdalena Schembs (1874)

8.6.....P.J. Schembs (1875-1876)

8.7.....Peter Joseph Schembs (1877)

8.8.....Jacob Valentin Schembs (1879)

Barbara Schembs (*21.06.1838 Laubenheim)2.1.1/7

Children: (2)

2.1.....Barbara Schembs (* 01.07.1868, illegitimate)

2.2.....Anna Maria Schembs (*12.02.1874, illegitimate)

Christine Schembs (*13.01.1840 Laubenheim)2.1.1/8

Christine Schembs was twice married, the first time to Georg Engmann with whom she had a son in Oppenheim. On 28.10.1866 she was married in Laubenheim to Philipp Boos, who perhaps is the father of her second son.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Stephan Engmann (*16.11.1864 Oppenheim)

2.2.....Philipp Schembs (*. 27.05.1866)

Anna Margaretha Schembs (*20.04.1841 Laubenheim)2.1.1/9

Anna Margaretha Schembs probably, like her brother, emigrated to Amerika. At least it appears that she went to Amerika. In the State Archives in Mainz is a record of Anna Margaretha Schembs booking ship passage to Amerika on 04.10.1865 to see her brother Peter Schembs. If she in fact emigrated and stayed in Amerika, at this time we have found no trace of her in her new country.

Sebastian Schembs (*19.07.1844 Laubenheim)2.1.1/10

Sebastian Schembs was married in 1872 to Margaretha Raber.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Andreas Schembs (*02.02.1873 Budenheim)

2.2.....Sebastian Schembs (*22.02.1874 Budenheim)

Philipp Schembs (*22.06.1847 Laubenheim)2.1.1/11

Elisabeth Schembs (*?)2.1.1/12

Little is known of Elisabeth, including exactly when she was born. There is an entry in the church-book suggesting that she too emigrated. But given the apparent date of the entry is 10.11.1856, there is some confusion. She would have been a small girl at that date.

Catharina Schembs (*23.01.1797)2.1.2

Catharina Schembs was married 03.09.1815 to Martin Kirch.

Children: (1)

Catharina Kirch (*24.08.1816)2.1.2/1

Catharina Kirch married Sebastian Müller on 18.01.1837.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Maria Rosina Kirch, (*30.11.1821)

2.2.....Peter Joseph Kirch, (*10.10.1825)

Maria Rosina Schembs (*14.04.1799, +1826)2.1.3

Maria Rosina Schembs was married 28.05.1826 in Laubenheim to Nikolaus Schneider. We know nothing more about her life.

Maria Magdalena Schembs (*17.06.1801, +23.06.1857)2.1.4

Maria Magdalena Schembs was married 25.03.1822 in Mainz to Joseph Hoss I. (*19.06.1796, +20.01.1860). Joseph was a hairdresser by trade.

Children: (7)

Martha Hoss (*17.06.1822)2.1.4/1

Martha Hoss married Johann Form of Dornheim on 16.01.1845 in Laubenheim.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Johann Adam Hoss (*01.07.1844) (illegitim)

Children with Johann Form

4.2.....Johannes Form (*20.12.1845 Laubenheim)

4.3.....Sebastian Form (*06.09.1847 Laubenheim)

4.4.....Margaretha Form (*21.02.1853 Laubenheim)

Peter Hoss (*17.11.1823)2.1.4/2

Peter Hoss was married 21.07.1856 in Laubenheim to Felicitas Steiger (*1824).

Children: (6)

6.1.....Sophia Hoss (*09.09.1856, +20.02.1864 Laubenheim)

6.2.....Georg Hoss (*12.09.1857 Laubenheim)

6.3.....Johann Adam Hoss (*16.03.1859 Laubenheim)

6.4.....Laurentius Hoss (*15.04.1860 Laubenheim)

6.5.....Peter Hoss (*19.02.1863, +31.12.1945 Laubenheim)

6.6.....Katharina Hoss (*13.02.1865, +05.04.1947)

Katharina married Mathias Mueller (*25.09.1863) on 29.05.1890 in Laubenheim.

Catharina Hoss (*29.09.1825)2.1.4/3

Catharina Hoss and Caspar Markloff (*1823) were married 08.02.1848.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Johann Adam Hoss (*10.12.1847) (illegitim)

Sophia Hoss (*04.07.1827)2.1.4/4

Sophia Hoss married Franz Walter (*1828) on 25.01.1857 in Laubenheim.

Johann Adam Hoss (*05.07.1830) 2.1.4/5

Adam Hoss married Anna Maria Hedderich (*25.04.1837, +23.09.1870 Mainz). Adam was a laborer and later a Markler (professional clerk).
Following the death of Anna, Adam married her sister Helene Hederick (*05.12.1838 Bodenheim) on 27.05.1872 in Mainz.

Children: (7)

Children with Anna Maria Hedderich:

7.1.....Johann Gregor Hoss (*11.06.1860 Laubenheim, +24.04.1896 MZ-Kostheim)

Johann married Katharina Dörr (*01.04.1856, +15.03.1925 Mainz). By profession Johann Gregor was a locksmith in Laubenheim.

Children: (7)

7.1.....Albert Hoss (*29.10.1880, +08.03.1955)

Albert Hoss married Gertrude Schuh (*09.03.1880, +23.09.1960). Albert was like his father a locksmith.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Michael Hoss (*18.04.1905, +10.05.1980)

Michael Hoss began his career as a locksmith, then changed to a policeman. He married twice. His first marriage was to Susanne Becker (*10.03.1912, +29.05.1951).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Albert Hoss (*1930)

Albert Hoss was an electrician. He married Helene Marquardt (*Mai 1936).

Children: (1)

1.1.....Robert Hoss (*1956)

Robert married Marion Heussner (*Sep 1955).

After the death of Susanne in 1951 Michael re-married. His second wife was Gertrude.

2.2.....daughter

2.2.....Franziska Hoss

Franziska Hoss married a man by the name of Sander.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Gerti Sander (*27.06.1927 MZ-Kastel)

Gerti was a commercial clerk.

2.2.....Carola Sander (*19.07.1933 MZ-Kastel)

7.2.....Fritz Hoss (*01.12.1883 MZ-Kastel, +24.02. 1962 Köln)

Children: (2)

2.1.....Fritz Hoss (*Köln)

2.2.....Werner Hoss

Werner married Trude.

7.3.....Elisabeth Hoss (*17.02.1886, +05.11.1942)

Elisabeth married Sebastian Zerbe (*17.02.1886, +05.11.1942), Magdalena's brother-in-law.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Albert Zerbe (*08.03.1907 Mainz/Kastel)

Albert married ....

Children: (2)

2.1.....Klaus Zerbe

2.2.....

3.2.....Otto Zerbe (*09.03.1911 Mainz/Kastel, + )

Otto married Charlotte Jaetzkowitz (*1922 Schulzenhof, East Prussia) in May 1942 in Berlin.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Michael Sebastian Zerbe (*1942 Berlin)

Michael married Karin Röll (*1940) 1970 in Frankfurt. They have two adopted children.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Timothy Zerbe (*)

2.2.....Robin Elizabeth Zerbe (*)

3.3.....daughter (*,+)

The children of Joh Gregor Hoss (*1860). Back from left: Maria(*), Michael (*), Jacob (*1892), Fritz (*1883). Front: Magdalena (*1895), Elizabeth (*1886) and Albert (*1880).

7.4.....Jakob Johann Hoss (*29.03.1892, +26.02.1953 Rochester NY)

Jakob Hoss (*1892) Click to enlarge

In the First World War Jakob was a soldier in the German army. After the war he married Margaret "Gerda" Porzelt (*13.05.1888, +20.04.1969 Rochester NY). They decided to leave Germany and go to Amerika because of the economic difficulties after the War. By profession Jakob was a machinist. In Rochester he became a sausage maker and founded the Hoss German Sausage shop.

~1925 Emigrant to Rochester, New York, USA Click for the story of Jakob Johann Hoss

Children: (2)

2.1.....Ferdinand Hoss (*08.10.1919 Köln-Mülheim +29.10.1952 Rochester NY)

Ferdinand married Ruth Cockburn in about 1946. He drowned while duck huntin near Rochester. Nach Ferdinand's death Ruth married again. Her son by Ferdinand was adopted by her new husband.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Michael Hoss Rossiter (*~1942)

2.2.....Margaret Hoss (*1927 Rochester NY, +2011)

Margaret "Marge" married Carsten Borglum (*03.03.1924, +2004).

Hoss-Borglum Weltseite

Children: (6)

6.1.....Keith Borglum (*1951)

Keith married in 1986 Diane Marie Cate (*1948).

6.2.....Donna Christine Borglum (*1954)

Donna married Fred Macklin (*1955).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Jessica Macklin (*1983)

2.2.....Tyler Macklin (*1986)

6.3.....Craig Borglum (*1956)

Craig married twide. His first marriage was with Ruth Losoviz (*1970) and the second in 2003 Kay Fortinberry.

6.4.....Kurt Borglum (*1957)

Kurt married Carol Lessard (*1959).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Danielle Borglum (*1990)

2.2.....Stephanie Borglum (*1993)

6.5.....Kenneth Borglum (*1960)

Kenneth married 1991 Susan Williams (*1962).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Kelly Borglum (1992)

2.2.....Brooke Borglum (*1995)

6.6.....Chris Borglum (*1968)

Chris married Karen Frey.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Mackenzie Jean Borglum (*2001)

7.5.....Maria "Magdalena" Karoline Hoss (*19.4.1895 bei Luxemburg, +5.11.1971 Hamburg)

Magdalena was the youngest child of Johann and Katharina Hoss. Due to circumstances surrounding her death in 1971 her small estate went to auction and many of the Hoss family photos and documents went with it. Neither birth nor marriage certificate for Magdalena were ever found. Before her death however, she shared her stories and photos with her great-grand daughter Kathleen "Kate" Rittner who visited from Canada in 1970. In Magdalena's oral history she said she was born and raised in the Luxembourg area. She traveled north to become a nanny as she spoke French as well as German, and there she stayed.

Magdalenas Passport foto 1967 Click to enlarge	Gramma Magdalena and great-grand-daughter Kathleen "Kate" (*1959) in 1962

Through out her life she remained a practicing Catholic even though she was excommunicated when she married Evangelical Lutheran Gustav Hermann Wittke (*29.3.1892 Fischhausen, East Prussia, +11.2.1925 Hamburg) in 1914. Gustav died of wounds sustained in World War 1 as his lungs were badly damaged from mustard gas. He left Magdalena and three young children behind.

Magdalena's children Gerd, Margot and Helmut Click to enlarge	Death certificate of Gustav Wittke Click to enlarge	Kate (*1959) at graveside of Gustav Wittke (*1892) Click to enlarge

Children: (3)

3.1.....Margot Anna Maria Wittke (*27.10.1915 Hamburg, +20.3.1958 Hamburg)

Margot loved horses becoming and rode dressage. She succumbed to cancer in 1958. She is remembered for her bravery during the allied air raids of Hamburg during the Second World War.

The father of Margot's first child Ricarda is not known. He was called to war and never returned.

Margot Wittke, 1941 Click to enlarge	Ricarda Wittke, 1958 Click to enlarge

Children: (2)

2.1.....Ricarda Anna Maria Wittke (*9.12.1938 Hamburg, +11.4.2006 Edmonton AB Canada)

1962 Emigrant to Canada The story of Ricarda is told here

Kate Rittner (*1959) as a 23 year old meets her father Kurt for the first time Click to enlarge

Ricarda was the beautiful daughter of Margot. Margot never married Ricarda's father, who was called to war and never returned. Becoming a fashion model in Hamburg in the mid-1950's, Ricarda and her artist/photographer Kurt Augustus Rittner (*7.7.1920 Berlin, +1.5.2007 Flensburg) had a great, forbidden romance. They married in Hamburg; had one child and divorced in 1960.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Kathleen "Kate" Andrea Rittner (*1959 Hamburg)

Kate Rittner Werkman (*1959), Julia (*1996) and Jesse (*1992) Click to enlarge

Kate Rittner married Glenn Werkman (*1960 Edmonton AB Kanada) am 21. September 1991 in Sidney, B.C.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Jesse Alexander Harmon Werkman (*1992 Victoria BC Canada)

2.2.....Julia Kathleen Werkman (*1996 Yellowknife NWT Canada)

Ricarda then married Gary (Gerd) Bernhard (*24.8.1934 Cologne, +13.6.2013 Calgary AB Canada) in Cologne 1961. Gerd, Ricarda and Ricarda's daughter Kate emigrated to Canada, arriving in 1962 and settled in Malton, Ontario.

Ricarda englized her name and becoming 'Mary-Anne.' They moved west to the Alberta Rockies, then British Columbia; and finally back to Alberta living first in St. Albert and then Edmonton in 1969. Gerd and Ricarda had two children together and divorced in 1998. Moving to Calgary, Gary became an avid mountaineer also volunteering for Calgary Avalanche Search and Rescue.

3.2.....Margaret Anne Bernhard (*1963 Calgary AB Canada)

Margaret was married in 1990 to Hannes Mohr in Köln.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Hella Mohr (*1990 Cologne)

3.2.....Severin Mohr (*1992 Cologne)

3.3.....Lena Mohr (*1998 Cologne)

3.3.....Daughter Bernhard

Margot then married Georg Fredrick Wilhem Siat (*20.6.1891 Forbach, +22.1.1970 Cologne) after she had had her first child with another man. She and Georg had a son.

2.2.....Torsten Siat (*1945 Hamburg)

Torsten Siat, 1998 Hamburg

As a young man, Torsten was compelled by the lure of the sea and was in the navy from 1961-71. He visited countries in Europe and saw most harbours in Russia, South America, Haiti, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Australia, Canada, the United States, Africa. After sailing on 12 different ships; 10 cargo ships; 1 fishing ship and 1 tanker ship; he met and married Ursula "Uschie" Heuer in Hamburg, Germany,1971. Ursula has a daughter.

Helmut Wittke, circa 1943 Click to enlarge

3.2.....Gerd Gustav Wittke (*09.02.1917 Harburg, +09.04.1946 Hamburg

3.3.....Helmut Wittke (*~1918 Harburg, +unknown)

Helmut was in the German Army in World War II. He was missing in action in France.

7.6.....Maria Hoss

Kate Werkmann believes there was another daughter based upon the family Fotos. Need to try to find in the birth records.

7.7.....Michael Hoss

Michael Hoss married Elise Roeder.

Children: (5)

5.1.....Barbara Hoss (*29.12.1909)

Barbara married Gustav A. Richter.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Ingeborg A. Richter (*1936 Wiesbaden)

Ingeborg married Engelbert Hocheder (*1936 Berchtesgarden).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Stephen E. Hocheder (*1961 New York City)

2.2.....Martin V. Hocheder (*1965 The Bronx, NY, +1995)

2.2.....Michael G. Richter (*1945 Wiesbaden)

5.2.....Adolf Hoss (*~1911)

5.3.....Anna Hoss (*~1913)

5.4.....Anneliese Hoss (*~1916)

Anneliese married Kippert.

5.5.....Emmi Hoss (*~1918)

7.2.....Leopold Hoss (*22.12.1862 Laubenheim)

7.3.....Johannes Jakob Hoss (*20.12.1863 Laubenheim, +30.12.1863 Laubenheim)

7.4.....Johannes Hoss (*22.01.1865, +27.02.1865 Laubenehim)

7.5.....Katharina Hoss (*29.03.1866 Laubenheim)

Children of Joh. Adam Hoss (*1830) (2.1.4/5) with his second wife Helena Hedderich (*1838).

7.6.....Helena Hoss (*08.03.1873 Mainz)

7.7.....Anna Maria Hoss (*04.03.1875 Mainz, +16.01.1933)

Sebastian Hoss (*16.06.1832 Laubenheim)2.1.4/6

Joseph Hoss (*11.08.1834 Laubenheim)2.1.4/7

Barbara Hoss (*11.04.1840)2.1.4/8

Barbara Hoss was married 29.03.1868 in Laubenheim to Jacob Jacobi. Their first three children were born before their marriage.

Children: (7)

7.1.....Jacob Jacobi (*12.12.1862, +03.08.1863 Laubenheim)

7.2.....Catharina Jacoby (*08.04.1864)

7.3.....Johannes Jacob Heinrich Jacoby (*24.06.1865)

7.4.....Bartholomäus Jacoby (*27.06.1867 Laubenheim)

7.5.....Catharina Jacoby (*21.03.1869)

7.6.....Jacob Johann Gregor Leopold Jacoby (*24.12.1870)

7.7.....Maria Magdalena Jacoby (*04.04.1872)

Sophia Schembs (*22.04.1803)2.1.5

Sophia Schembs was married 10.02.1833 to Anton Binger (*10.03.1805 Laubenheim), the son of David and Odilia Bastian Binger. Anton Binger was a vintner by trade.

Children: (7)

Peter Binger (*16.06.1833 Laubenheim, +07.03.1927 Wellington Point QLD) 2.1.5/1

Peter Binger married Margarethe Amelia Kundel (*23.05.1832 Gundersheim, +25.05.1889 Wellington Point QLD) on 05.08.1860 in Laubenheim . Peter Binger emigrated in 1863 with his wife and son Georg Friedrich Binger (*07.09.1859) to Queensland (QLD), Australia. Their first child Anton must have passed away before they emigrated as he is not listed on the ship's passenger list.

1863 Emigrant to Wellington Point, Queensland, Australia Click for the Story of Peter Binger

Children: (8)

8.1.....Anton Binger (*18.4.1862 Laubenheim, +17.03.1863 Laubenheim)

8.2.....Georg Friedrich Binger (*17.5.1863 Laubenheim, +1864 Brisbane Australia)

8.3.....Elizabeth Sophia Binger (*1865 Brisbane Australia, +1949 QLD)

8.4.....John William Binger (*1866 QLD, +1953)

8.5.....Peter Binger (*1867 QLD, +1911 QLD)

8.6.....Frederick Binger (*1869 QLD, +1948 QLD)

8.7.....Margaret Emmelia Binger (*1870 QLD, +1953 QLD)

8.8.....Henry Binger (*1872 QLD, +1875 QLD)

Barbara Binger (*20.11.1834 Laubenheim, +1.12.1834 Laubenheim) 2.1.5/2

Anna Maria Binger (*19.02.1836 Laubenheim, +08.07.1893 Mainz) 2.1.5/3

Anna Maria and Joannes Julius Jungermann (*12.09.1837,+before 15.09.1866 Mainz) were married 22.04.1863 in the Cathedral in Mainz.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Joannes Julius Jungfermann (*24.04.1863 Mainz)

3.2.....Gustav Heinrich Anton Jungfermann (*13.11.1864 Mainz)

We have not yet found a record of the marriage of Gustav Jungfermann. We have, however, the record of his emigration in 1893. In the passenger list for the ship "Rhynland", which sailed from Antwerp to New York City, arriving 21 April 1893. Gustav was 29 years old. With Gustav was a woman entered as M. Jungfermann, age 38, and children Anna, age 5 and Julius, age 2. M. Jungfermann is probably the wife of Gustav and mother of the children. Perhaps she was nine years older than Gustav. More likely, her age was entered incorrectly. Very interestingly, they indicated in the ship's list that their destination was Nebraska, where Gustav's Uncle Sebastian had settled!

While it is certain they arrived in Amerika (they were passengers on a ship which docked in New York City), we have not yet found records of them living in the United States. Until we do so, we will not add them to the Emigrants Book and give them a chapter.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Anna Jungfermann (*1888 Mainz)

2.2.....Julius Jungfermann (*1891 Mainz)

3.3.....Georg Jungfermann (*15.09.1866 Mainz)

Georg was born after his father had died. Georg was born in the home at #119 Schlossergaße in Mainz.

Magdalena Binger (*26.06.1838 Laubenheim, +1905 Queensland, Australia) 2.1.5/4

Magdalena married Jacob Wetzel (*15.10.1835 Pfaffen-Schwabenheim) in Germany prior to their emigration. On 7 November 1863 Magdalena and Jacob Wetzel embarked from Hamburg to Moreton-Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Johan Cesar". As seen, the passenger list from the voyage lists the hometown of Jacob and Magdalena as "Pleitersheim, Hessen-Darmstadt". Pleitersheim is a village just to the east of Bad Kreuznach, about 25 Km southwest of Mainz/Laubenheim. It is believed that the name of the town was entered in error and should have been Laubenheim.

1863 Emigrant to Queensland, Australia Click for the Story of Magdalena Binger

Children: (4)

4.1.....Elizabetha Wetzel (*1864 Australia, +1937)

4.2.....Emma Wetzel (1866 *Australia, +)

4.3.....Louisa Wetzel (*Australia, +1875)

4.4.....Edward Wetzel (*1874 Australia, +1958)

Katharina Binger (+27.03.1840 Laubenheim, +27.03.1840 Laubenheim) 2.1.5/5

Katharina Binger was declared dead one hour after she was born in the family home at #44 Hintergasse. The english translations of the birth and death documents are linked.

Sebastian Binger (*05.01.1842 Laubenheim, +1921 Nebraska City NE) 2.1.5/6

Sebastian Binger followed his older brother Peter and his sister Magdalena in emigrating from Germany. Unlike them, however, he decided to go to Amerika. The American Civil War had ended in 1864. Emigration from Deutschland to the United States resumed.

The Passenger List for the ship "Newton" includes more information than most passenger lists. Specifically, it indicates that Sebast Binger, age 23, came from the town of Laubenhein, Hessen. It is this information which confirms that this is the same Sebastian Binger. He embarked on 16 September 1865 from Hamburg for New York.

1865 Emigrant to Omaha, Nebraska, USA Click for the Story of Sebastian Binger

From U.S. Census records we know that Sebastian later married. At this time we are not aware of any descendants.

Caspar Binger (*21.12.1843 Laubenheim, +28.12.1843 Laubenheim)2.1.5/7

Caspar was born in the home at #32/2 Hintergasse in Laubenheim. He died seven days later. Links to the original documents of his birth and death are here along with the complete english translations - birth and death.

Josef Georg Schembs (*1810, +1828)2.1.6

Josef Georg Schembs was born 26.01.1810. He died 22.10.1828 at the age of 18.

Caspar Schembs (*1812, +1875)2.1.7

Caspar Schembs was born in Laubenheim 16.05.1812. He died 29.01.1875 in Darmstadt. On 10.11.1839 he was married in Laubenheim to Catharina Spies (1815-1855).

Caspar Schembs grew up in Laubenheim and was married there. In the marriage record his occupation is listed as plowman, although there is some indication that he was later a letter carrier. Caspar then moved to Darmstadt, where he died in 1875. He is the forefather of two Schembs emigrants to Amerika – Johann Adam Schembs (1842-1920) and Otto Schembs (1901-1973).

Children: (5)

Johann Schembs (*13.09.1840) 2.1.7/1

Johann Adam Schembs (*29.07.1842 +1920)2.1.7/2

1872 Emigrant to Buffalo, New York, USA Click for the Story of Johann Adam Schembs

Johann Adam Schembs was born in 1842 in Laubenheim. He died in 1920 in Buffalo, New York (Amerika).

There is an 1872 entry in the "naturalization" book in Wiesbaden of the arrival of a seamstress Anna Schembs, born Nießen on 02.02.1838 in Alf/Mosel. She is identified as the wife of the tailor Johann Adam Schembs. There also is a marriage record of the two on 29 May 1869 in Mainz. This probably is the same Johann Adam, for there are no other Johann Adam Schembs known to have lived in the Mainz/Wiesbaden area during this period. If this is true, then Johann Adam must have emigrated soon thereafter. Apparently she died or the marriage ended in divorce. Whether Anna Schembs emigrated with Johann Adam is not known.

In 1874 Johann Adam married a woman with the first name Caroline (Kate), born 1854 in New-York, the daughter of German immigrants. Johann Adam Schembs emigrated to Amerika probably in 1872. He first went to Ohio, although the location in Ohio is not known. Then in the 1880-1883 time period they moved to Buffalo, New York. Later U.S. Census records indicate that their first three children were born in Ohio, and the rest of the children in Buffalo. Johann Adam and his wife Kate had a total of 14 children according to the 1900 Census, of whom 12 were living at the time. Of these, we only know of four who married, leading to only three grandchildren. Today there are no known descendants from this Buffalo Schembs family.

Children: (11)

11.1.....Joseph Schembs (*1876)

11.2.....Adam Schembs (*1878)

11.3.....Susie Schembs (*1880)

11.4.....Andrew Schembs (*1883)

11.5.....Arthur G. Schembs (*13.05.1886, +06.1971, Springville, Erie, NY)

11.6.....Bertha Schembs (*1888)

11.7.....Edna Schembs (*1890)

11.8.....Edward Schembs (*1892)

11.9.....Pearl Schembs (1894)

11.10.....Harry Schembs (1896)

11.11.....Albert Schembs (1900)

Peter Josef Schembs (*16.07.1845 Laubenheim, +05.01.1904 Darmstadt) 2.1.7/3

Peter Josef Schembs (Foto about 1887)

Peter Josef Schembs was by profession a shoemaker. The family lived first in Friedberg. On 08.07.1870 Peter Josef Schembs was married to Katharina Berta Burkhardt (1839-1918). A year later Peter with his family moved to Darmstadt and established the familiar Shoe House Schembs there. The children of Peter Josef and Katharina were, contrary to Schembs family tradition, baptised Protestant.

Children: (7)

7.1....."Karl" Friedrich Schembs (*03.02.1871 in Friedberg, +16.10.1951 Darmstadt)

Karl Schembs was twice married. His first marriage was to Dorothea Muth (1878-1936) on 24.03.1900. After the death of Dorothea, Karl married a second time to Grete Klipstein.

untere Reihe 2 v.r.: Karl Friedrich Schembs Außerdem: obere Reihe v.l. Thea Schembs geb. Barkhausen, Friedrich Schembs Mitte: v.l. Erika Schembs geb. Diez, Wolfgang Otto Schembs, N.N. Otto Schembs Unten: v.l. links Hans-Otto Schembs, N.N., Karl Friedrich Schembs, N.N.

Karl Schembs was by profession an architect. He began working teaching masonry. Then he became a draftsman, then lead draftsman in different architectural offices. In 1893 he began his studies at the Technical University of Darmstadt to become an architect. He opened his own architectural firm in 1899, and over the following decades designed many homes and offices, and factories in Darmstadt.

Karl Schembs was versatile and dedicated, being active in various professional and civic organizations during his career. His special love was for nature, however. As an active member of the Odenwaldklub, he liked to hike and did so often in the forests of the local Odenwald Mountains to the east of Darmstadt. Furthermore he engaged himself for decades in the Traffic and Beautification Club of his hometown, and was the never tiring keeper of the structures, temples and benches in the forest. After his death, the fellow members of the Club in 1952 had erected a monument in his memory for his many years of service.

Newpaper Article "Darmstädter Tageblatt"

Shown to the left is a newspaper article from 1952, with the photograph which is included in the Introduction to this book (Chapter A).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Wilhelm "Otto" Schembs (*12.02.1901 Darmstadt, +20.07.1972 Frankfurt)

Otto Schembs married am 19.12.1936 die Bibliothekarin Thea Barkhausen (1910-1991).

Otto Schembs with wife Thea and son Hans-Otto (1949)

Otto Schembs was by degree and profession an engineer. He began his career in 1924 with the firm Dunlop in Hanau. In 1929 he changed to the Technical Oversight Group in Frankfurt. There for the balance of his career he was a test engineer, senior trade advisor and official. Otto Schembs was a recognized, diligent and dutiful official. Privately he engaged himself for over 40 years in the Darmstadt Burschenschaft (fraternal organization) "Germania", and for most of those years functioned as its treasurer.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Hans Otto Schembs (*1942 Frankfurt)

Hans Otto Schembs grew up in Bad Homburg and Frankfurt. He then went to the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, where he studied history, particularly of Germany. Since the middle of the 1960s Hans Otto has been a noted historian of the Frankfurt area, and is very active in many clubs and organizations dealing with these questions. The number of his articles and publications exceeds 1000. His writings and books include such

Hans-Otto Schembs (1977)

diverse topics as: Architecture of Frankfurt homes and buildings; History of the Jews in Frankfurt, 1781-1945; the "Frankfurt Dictionary"; and "Frankfurt, 1945-1960".

The following article is from the Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung (newspaper) in May, 1987, expressing the importance of his work to the local community.

2.2.....Friedrich Karl Schembs (*27.01.1907 Darmstadt +27.07.1966)

Friedrich Karl Schembs was married on 17.03.1934 to Erika Dietz (1909-1967). He, like his father was an architect. He had an architectural firm in Darmstadt, and was very active in the reconstruction of the city following the bombing destruction of the Second World War. He was a lecturer at an institution in Darmstadt. During his youth he had been active in the organization "Germania".

Erika Dietz, Friedrich Karl's wife, was very active in politics. She continued this interest into her later years.

Children: (2)

2.1....."Wolfgang" Otto Schembs (*15.12.1934 Mannheim, +18.10.2000 Tuafkirchen)

On 13.10.1961 Wolfgang Schembs married Hannelore Bangert (*1940, +15.08.2025 Grasbrunn) in Darmstadt.

Hannelore und Wolfgang Schembs

Following his graduation from high school in 1956, Wolfgang Schembs began his studies at the University in the area of Physics. Following this degree he went to work for Siemens as a physicist in the area of semiconductors, ultimately working in development, distribution, and quality systems for semiconductors and integrated circuits.

Obituary from the Fraternal Organization "Germania" in 2000

Wolfgang retired at age 58 and spent more time with his hobbies of classical music, dance, mountain climbing, hiking, and skiing with Hannelore and his friends. He, like his father, uncle, and cousin, was also active in "Germania" as a young man. Throughout his adult life he was active in and pursued the ideals of the Burschenschaft "Germania". To the left is the obituary in the organization's magazine.

Wolfgang Schembs lived with his wife and daughter in Taufkirchen (Munich), where he was also active in the local civic organization DJK Taufkirchen, first as President and then as Chairman. His energy and ideas contributed greatly to the group.

About ten years after Wolfgang's death, Hannelore married Hermann Schwalb, an old friend of Wolfgang and Hannelore's. Hermann then passed away in about 2016. And Hannelore then suffered from a significant stroke. For most of the rest of her life she was largely bedridden. By 2025 her health had completely collapsed.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Petra Schembs (*1969 München)

Petra Schembs was adopted by Wolfgang and Hannelore Schembs. She lives in Munich.

2.2....."Reiner" Franz Schembs (*1946 in Darmstadt)

Reiner Franz Schembs was married in 1967 to Hannelore Gärtner (1947).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Thorsten Schembs (*1973)

Thorsten Schembs

Following his studies in Economics and Computer Science, Thorsten Schembs was co-founder of the firm Heisch-Solutions GbR, Computer und Informationstechnologie. Today he manages the firm in Berlin with his partner.

2.2.....Sabrina Schembs (*1981)

7.2.....Franz Schembs

7.3.....Sabina Schembs

7.4.....Johanna Schembs

7.5.....Otto Schembs (*1872 + 1951)

Otto married Marie Haack (1871-1947).

Children: (4)

4.1.....Otto Schembs (*12.04.1901 Darmstadt)

Otto Schembs was born in 1901 in Darmstadt. In 1926 he emigrated. In Darmstadt his address had been Mühlstraße 23.

Otto operated a small knitting and embroidery business in Darmstadt, making and selling sweaters. In 1921 Otto contacted his Aunt Susi in Buffalo, New York. Still he had to wait several years for a visa to go to the United States.

1926 Emigrant to New Jersey, USA Click for the Story of Otto Schembs

In 1926 his visa arrived and Otto emigrated to New York. Upon his arrival he started arrangements for Louise Euler (*13.02.1906 + 02/1974 Millburn, NJ), his girlfriend, to follow him. She received her visa in only five months. When she arrived on the ship in New York, they were married the same day. Actually it was a condition of her visa that they be immediately married.

They first went to Buffalo, New York, and there lived with Aunt Susi and her husband. There Otto and Louise started a small shop selling food to tourists at Niagara Falls. Five years later they, with their new son Roger, moved to New Jersey where they purchased a delicatessen in South Orange.

Gloria und Roger Schembs

After the Second World War Otto and Louise sent hundreds of "Care" packages to their relatives in Germany with food, clothing, cigarettes and other things they could trade for their necessities of life.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Roger Otto Schembs (*1930 Buffalo).

4.2.....Karl Schembs

Karl Schembs married Elisabeth Koch.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Karl Schembs (*1918 Darmstadt)

Karl Schembs married Anni Ross.

v.l. standing: Otto Schembs (1901), Karl Schembs, Maria Schembs; sitzend: Tina and Karola and Otto Schembs (1872)

4.3.....Karola Schembs

4.4.....Tina Schembs

7.6.....Henriette Maria Dina "Tine" Schembs (*21.06.1874 Darmstadt)

Tine Schembs married Ludwig Fischer.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Bertha Fischer

7.7.....Caroline Philippine Schembs (*06.08.1876)

Barbara Schembs (*11.09.1847)2.1.7/4

Barbara Schembs married Franz Bullmann (*17.02.1873 Laubenheim).

Children: (1)

1.1.....Clara Dorothea Katharina Bullmann (*24.10.1875 Laubenheim)

Maria Anna Schembs (*17.10.1853)2.1.7/5

Anna Maria Schembs (*29.10.1814 Laubenheim)2.1.8

Anna Maria Schembs married Johann Kertz (*12.06.1812 Laubenheim) on 20.01.1839 in the Catholic Church in Laubenheim. Johann was the son of Nicholas and Catharina Mueller Kertz.

Children: (7)

Caspar Kertz (*04.06.1839 Laubenheim)2.1.8/1

Johann Kertz (*15.11.1841 Laubenheim)2.1.8/2

Philipp Kertz (*09.08.1843 Laubenheim)2.1.8/3

Philipp was married 20 June 1869 in Laubenheim to Katharina Schreiner, the daughter of Nicholas and Anna Maria Hochthorn Schreiner.

Anna Maria Kertz (*24.05.1846 Laubenheim)2.1.8/4

Katharina Kertz (*15.08.1848 Laubenheim, +11.01.1930)2.1.8/5

On 13 February 1878 Katharina married Cornelius Fack (*17.10.1855), the son of Johann Anton and Bernarda Sand Fack.

Johann Kertz (*30.04.1852 Laubenheim)2.1.8/6

Georg Kertz (*25.10.1855 Laubenheim)2.1.8/7

Barbara D. Schembs (*19.12.1818) 2.1.9

Barbara D. Schembs was born 19.12.1818 in Laubenheim. On 26.11.1843 she and Johannes Mohr II. (*15.09.1815 Laubenheim), son of Bartholomäus Mohr and Maria Anna Ditt, were married.

Children: (6)

Bartholomäus Mohr (*27.05.1844 Laubenheim)2.1.9/1

Georg Leonard Mohr (*27.05.1844 Laubenheim) 2.1.9/2

Bartholomäus and Georg Leonard were twins.

Ursula Mohr (*02.12.1845 Laubenheim) 2.1.9/3

Ursula married on 21.11.1869 in Laubenheim Anton Solms (*08.06.1845 Laubenheim), son of Anton Solms and Elisabeth Marbeck.

Children: (9)

9.1.....Joseph Solms (*24.03.1870 Laubenheim, +04.07.1943)

9.2.....Anton Solms (*22.12.1871 Laubenheim)

9.3.....Sophia Solms (*07.02.1874 Laubenheim)

9.4.....Bartholomäus Solms (*08.06.1876 Laubenheim)

9.5.....Helena Solms (*03.04.1878 Laubenheim)

9.6.....Johannes Solms (*29.10.1880 Laubenheim)

9.7.....Margaretha Solms (*16.02.1883 Laubenheim)

9.8.....Philipp Solms (*26.03.1886 Laubenheim)

9.9.....Anna Maria Solms (*23.03.1888 Laubenheim)

Bartholomäus Mohr (*08.02.1848, +12.12.1876) 2.1.9/4

Philipp Mohr (*14.05.1850 Laubenheim)2.1.9/5

Joseph Mohr (*04.09.1854 Laubenheim, +21.05.1915 Brooklyn NY)2.1.9/6

He was married on 27.01.1878 in Laubenheim to Helena Kiefer (*23.05.1849 Laubenheim, , +29.12.1912 Brooklyn), daughter of Johannes Kiefer and Helena Müller. Joseph Mohr emigrated 22.11.1883 on board the SS Amsterdam from Amsterdam to New York. His wife Helena followed him on 19. May 1884 with their children Philipp and Margaretha aboard the steamship "W.A. Scholten" from Rotterdam to New York.

1883 Emigrant to Brooklyn, New York USA Click for the Story of Joseph Mohr

Children: (6)

6.1.....Philipp Mohr (*11.06.1878 Laubenheim)

6.2.....Katharina Margaretha Mohr (*08.01.1880 Laubenheim)

6.3.....Martin Mohr (*12.01.1882 Laubenheim)

6.4.....Henry Georg Bernhard Mohr (*09.04.1885 Manhattan NY, +07.02.1907 Brooklyn NY)

6.5.....Mary Mohr (*~3.1887 Laubenheim)

6.6.....Helen Elizabeth Mohr (*03.02.1889 New York, +15.07.1910 Brooklyn NY)

Anna Catharina Schembs (1772-1835)2.2

Overview:

Anna Catharina Schembs was born 14.02.1772 in Undenheim. She died in Laubenheim 27.06.1835. In the death record is noted her address as Hintere Gasse Nr. 21.

Birth Record Anna Catharina Schembs, Kath. Kirchenbuch Undenheim, 1772

Anna Catharina Schembs was married on 20.10.1805 in Laubenheim to Anton Hefftrich.

Children: (4)

Anton Hefftrich (* 21.08.1806)2.2.1

Anton Hefftrich (*29.03.1812)2.2.2

Anton was married on 04.05.1837 to Katharina Kaiser.

Maria A.Hefftrich (*07.12.1814)2.2.3

Andreas Hefftrich (*28.03.1817)2.2.4

Andreas married on 22.06.1845 Margaretha Balzer.

Nr. 10 ... In the year 1836, the 27th of June, about 12:00 noon, before me, Martin Stenner, Mayor and Public Official of the community of Laubenheim, Canton of Nieder-Olm, appeared:
1) Anton Hefftrich, 59 years old and a winegrower and resident of Laubenheim, and husband of the deceased, and
2) Anton Heeb, 51 years old and a winegrower and resident of Laubenheim, and relative of the sibling

and declared that Katharina Schembs, 64 years old and wife of the still living Anton Hefftrich of Laubenheim, born in Undenheim whose parents are
1) Johann Schembs, plowman in Laubenheim, deceased, and
2) his wife Gertrude Schembs, born Hermes in and resident of Laubenheim, deceased,

that on the 27th of June, 1836, at about nine in the morning Katharina Schembs died in the house at Nr. 21 in the Hinteren Gaße, and have, after having read this document, with me sign this declarative present-day act.

The DeclarationThe Civil Official and Mayor Stenner

Transcription of the Death Record of Katharina Schembs 1835

Johann Schembs (1774-1805)2.3

Overview:

Johann Schembs was born 12.11.1774 in Undenheim. He was twice married.

On 09.05.1802 in Laubenheim Johann married Anna Maria Anderhub. Following her death only four months later, Johann married for the second time. On 09.01.1803 He married Elisabeth Solms. With Elisabeth, Johann Schembs had two children, neither of whom lived to be adults.

The marriage record of Johann Schembs is copied below, together with the document of his death in 1805. Johann Schembs only lived to be 33 years old, dying three years after his first wife and two years after his first son died as an infant. His second son, born in the year of his father's death, only lived to be 16 years.

Marriage Record of Johann Schembs 1803

Children: (2)

Johann Schembs (*19.12.1803, +1803) 2.3.1

Anton Schembs (*12.02.1805, +18.03.1821)2.3.2

In the above document it is interesting to note that Johann has signed his name "Schömbs", while in the document itself the name was spelled "Schembs". His wife Elisabeth could not write, obviously, for she signed her name with the X's.

The (untranslated) text of their marriage document reads:

Mairie Laubenheim Gemeinde Laubenheim vom zwölften Nivose elften Jahres der fränkischen Republik Heiratsakt von J o h a n n S c h e m b s , zwanzig sieben Jahre alt, Sohn des Bauern Johann Schembs, fünfzig ein Jahre alt, und der Gertrude, geborene Hermes, beide verstorben und die E l i s a b e t h S o l m s , zwanzig drei Jahre alt, Tochter des Bauern Anton Solms, fünzig Jahre alt, und der Margaretha geborene Marnet, sechzig Jahre alt, beide jungen Eheleute sind also volljährig.
Die Präliminarakten sind eingezogen und beim Register der Heiratsverständigung, welche stattgefunden zu Laubenheim am zehnten Nivose um zwei Uhr des Nachmittags und am nämlichen Tage nach dem Willen des Gesetzes an dem Gemeindeplatze angeschlagen und die Geburtsscheine, alles in gehöriger Form, von allen eingesehen Akten von mir dem öffentlichen Beamten gemäß dem Gesetzes Losung ertheilt worden ist. Opposition war keine da. Gesagten Eheleute, anwesend, haben erklärt, dass sie ehelichen wollen, der eine Johann Schembs die Elisabetha Solms, die andere Elisabetha Solms den Johannes Schembs in Gegenwart der Zeugen Anton Solms, fünfzig Jahre alt, Adam Schwab, fünfzig Jahre alt, Peter Reitz, vierzig fünf Jahre, und Philipp Klein, vierzig zwei Jahre alt, die drei ersteren wohnhaft in Laubenheim, letzterer in Weisenau.
Worauf ich, Martin Steingäßer, Maire gesagter Gemeinde, das Amt eines öffentlichen Beamten des Zivilstandes versehend gesprochen habe, dass im Namen des Gesetzes besagten Eheleute im Stande der Ehe vereinigt sind und haben dieselben samt Zeugen mit mir unterschrieben.

Anton SolmsJohannes Schömbs
Peter Reitz +++ Zeichen der Elisabetha Solms
welche des Schreibens unkundig

P. KleinM. Steingäßer
Adam SchwabMaire

Death Record of Johann Schembs 1805

The death record for Johann also comes from the period of French occupation. The first name of "Johann" is written as "Jean", and the name of his brother Peter is entered as "Pierre."

Andreas Schembs (1777-1841)2.4

Overview:

Andreas Schembs was born in 1777. In his death record from the year 1841 it is recorded that he was born in Laubenheim. However, in the Laubenheim church-book no record of his birth has been found.

So it is not clear whether the family had moved to Laubenheim by 1777, since there is only secondary reference to his birthplace. A specific church or civil record made at the time of his birth would be conclusive. Andreas would have attended school at the Church, where the parsonage is today. In the birth-year of Andreas Schembs, Laubenheim barely counted 400 inhabitants. By 1793, the year of the death of his father Johann, the population had increased to 500.

Andreas Schembs was the first member of the family to be a winegrower. This follows from the record of his death in which he is identified as a "Wingertsmann". His address at the time of his death was recorded as Obergasse Nr. 19 in Laubenheim.

Andreas' early adult years were during the period when the French occupied Laubenheim several times. For Laubenheim, the years from 1793-1795 (when he was 16-18) were the worst. The attacking French destroyed Mainz during the winter seige of 1794-1795, burning many of the wooden buildings in Laubenheim around the

Catholic Church in Laubenheim

Church, parish school, and town hall. It too was a year of extreme cold, with the Rhine icing over and the grape vines freezing. In 1797 the entire left bank of the Rhine came under French control, remaining so until the liberation in the years 1813/1814.

A law in 1800 divided the left bank of the Rhine into departments, districts, and communities. Mainz became the capital of the Mont-Tonnere Department ("Thunder Mountain"). The city was represented by a "Maire" (Mayor). Laubenheim belonged to the Nieder-Olm Canton. The village of Undenheim was in the Wörrstadt Canton. The first Laubenheim Schembs had become French subjects, and remained so for over 10 years. Since male youths were drafted into the service of the French army and had to participate in the Napolean wars, it is possible that Andreas Schembs, during his 20's and early 30's, was a French soldier (or perhaps we should say a soldier for the French).

An important decision of the French under their famous emperor Napolean Bonaparte involved the introduction of the French law, the so called Civil Code, in our region. The civil authorities began recording and maintaining registers of life events – births, marriages, and deaths – which supplements the records which previously had been the domain of the Church. From a genealogy perspective, this is a valuable additional resource. In the documents from this time our forefather's names are written in French. From the german "Johann" we see "Jean", from "Wilhelm" "Guillaume", from "Peter" "Piere", and so forth.

Marriage Record of Andreas Schömbs in the French Time, 1803

From the printed documents is to be seen, that they are written completely in the French language. They show also the Seal of the French Revolution with the "Freiheitsgöttin" (Goddess of Freedom). Also the recording of dates is interesting, for the Napoleonic era dated events from the time of the Revolution. The customary calendar starting with the birth of Christ was abandoned, which confused and irritated the German subjects.

In the civil documents of this time the present day writing of our name "Schembs" is recorded. In the churchbooks, the spellings "Schömbs" and "Schems" were also entered. It is also noted that on the marriage document for Johann Schembs, his wife signed her name with an "X". During this time there were many people who could neither read nor write.

In the marriage record of Andreas Schembs and Maria Margaretha Sutter (in her birth record "Sutor"), she is referred to as the sister of the then school teacher Anton Sutter. His small residence (the so-called "Sutter ‚sche Haus" served starting with the destruction of the school house by the French in 1794, for 35 years until 1830 as the Laubenheim schoolhouse. The building stood at the end of the alley "Sachgasse" to the left of the present-day Pfarrer-Goedecker-Straße in front of the former Gasthaus "Zur Heilburg". It was destroyed in World War II. The father of the Sutters, Anton Sutter, a plowman from Wörrstadt, came originally from Sulzheim bei Wörrstadt. From this place in about 1709 a Catharina Elisabeth Suthers married a son (Johann Philipp Schömbs) of Zacharias Schömbs. One may assume that Wörrstädter Sutters were extended relatives of this earlier "Suthers". For with all early documentation, most names (including the Sutters) had spelling variations depending which church scribe or civil servant was making the entry.

1798 and 1799 again saw high waters and flooding of the Rhine. In 1803 a particularly interesting event took place in Mainz which must have been a conversation topic among our forefathers. It was the execution of the bandit leader Johann Bückler, also know as "Schinderhannes". He was first imprisoned in the wooden tower, and then with 20 of his comrades condemned to a public death by guillotine on the site of the of the former Lustschlosses Favorite.

According to oral history, Kaiser Napoleon I spent a night in Laubenheim in 1812 and 1813.

Death Record of Andreas Schembs 1841

In the time of Andreas Schembs, in the first half of the 19th Century, there were numerous inventions:
1800	First mechanical sewing machine
1807	First steam-powered ships (initially only in Amerika)
1808	Invention of matches
1817	Drais invents the wheel (the forerunner of the bicycle)
1824	First steamships on the Rhine River
1825	Stephenson builds the first locomotive
1826	Invention of the propeller, which gradually replaces the paddle wheels
1827	Photography invented
1830	The steel pen replaces the quill
1845	Invention of pneumatic tires

Enumeration of some of the famous contemporaries of Andreas Schembs:
1769 - 1859	Alexander von Humboldt	1787 - 1862	Ludwig Uhland
1770 - 1843	Friedrich Hölderlin	1787 - 1862	Turnvater Jahn
1773 - 1859	Fürst Metternich	1792 - 1868	Gioachino Rossini
1770 - 1827	Ludwig van Beethoven	1797 - 1856	Heinrich Heine
1777 - 1811	Heinrich von Kleist	1797 - 1828	Franz Schubert
1786 - 1826	Karl Maria von Weber	1801 - 1851	Albert Lortzing

Children of Andreas Schembs: (6)

Katharina Schembs (*1803, +05.03.1858 Laubenheim)2.4.1

Katharina Schembs was born on 30.05.1803, two months after the marriage of her parents (06.03.1803), in Laubenheim. She was the first child of Andreas Schembs and Maria Magdelana Sutter.

Catharina Schembs was married on 04.10.1843 to Martin Stenner II in a civil ceremony. The church ceremony was the following day at St. Ignaz Church in Mainz.

Children: (1)

Jacob Stenner (*18.12.1843 Laubenheim, +23.08.1910 Laubenheim)2.4.1/1

The name Stenner is still today quite familiar in Laubenheim. Presumably some of these present day Stenners are descendants of Katharina Schembs in her marriage with Martin Stenner.

Anton Schembs I (1805 - 1875)2.4.2

Anton Schembs I. was the second child of Andreas Schembs. He was born 11.10.1805 in Laubenheim. He was by profession a shoemaker and lived in the house at Nr. 78.

Signature of Anton Schembs (1830)

Anton Schembs has a very special meaning for the family history of the Laubenheim Schembs, because he is the ancestor of most of the present day Schembs, including both Germans and the descendants of Laubenheim Schembs who emigrated to Amerika.

Anton Schembs was married on 08.11.1829 in Laubenheim to Elisabeth Spang (1798-1873).

Children: (7)

Jakob Schembs (*15.10.1830 Laubenheim, +21.02.1895 Albany NY)2.4.2/1

Birth Record of Jakob Schembs 1830

In 1850 Jacob Schembs, who was a shoemaker like his father, emigrated to America at the age of 20. As the passenger list of the ship Wilhelm Tell shows, the journey went from Havre to America on 30 May 1850. The list erroneously indicates Bavaria as the birth state of Jacob.

Excerpt from the WILHELM TELL passenger list, 30.10.1850

1850 Emigrant to Albany, New York USA Click for the Story of Jakob Schembs James

Jacob Schembs settled in Albany, the capital of the US state of New York. As the research revealed, Jacob initially lived with his cousin Anton Spang. In the 1855 census, he is listed as the cousin of Anton Spang, named Jacob James. Albany is located in the northeastern United States, about 240 km from New York City. Jacob worked there as a shoemaker. Jacob Schembs is not listed in the City Directories of 1853 and 1854. In 1861, as well as later in 1863, the Albany City Directory shows Jacob James, residence 4 Alexander and shoemaker by profession.

	In Amerika Jacob changed the family name to "James"

Probably between 1855 and 1860 Jacob Schembs was married to Elisabeth (*ca. 1834 in Deutschland).

Jakob died at the age of 64 on 21.02.1895 in Albany, New York.

Children: (8)

8.1.....Mary J. James (*1857 Albany NY)

8.2.....Delia James (*1859 Albany NY)

8.3.....Mathilda James (*1860 Albany NY)

8.4.....Gottlieb James (*1864 Albany NY)

8.5.....Edward "Eddy" James (*1867 Albany NY)

8.6.....Elisabeth "Libbie" James (*1870 Albany NY)

8.7.....John James (*April 1874 Albany NY)

8.8.....Georg James (*May 1879 Albany NY)

2017 Note:
For a long time the story of Jakob Schembs of Laubenheim was incorrect. Research into family history had shown that in 1850 two members of the family emigrated to America under the name of Jacob. Jacob Schembs, born in Laubenheim in 1830, was erroneously believed to be the Jacob Schembs who settled in Peoria, Illinois. It was not until 2017 that DNA tests of descendants in America showed Jacob Schembs in Peoria was not Jakob from Laubenheim, but rather the Peoria-Schembs family had originated from Jacob Schömbs, born in Hahnheim/Rheinhessen in 1827.

Martin Schembs (*21.06.1832 Laubenheim, +07.05.1878 Finthen)2.4.2/2

On 24.10.1861 Martin Schembs was married in Laubenheim to Anna Maria Andres from Finthen (*1834, +14.06.1902 Bretzenheim). Martin was a stonemason by profession. The original assumption that Martin Schembs, like his brother Jacob Schembs, emigrated to America has now turned out to be wrong. The Martin Schömbs who emigrated in 1859 and settled in Brooklyn, New York was Martin Schömbs, also born in 1832 but in Hahnheim.

Children: (8)

8.1.....Barbara Schembs (*24.02.1863 Laubenheim)

8.2.....Klara Schembs (*18.04.1864 Laubenheim, +23.04.1865 Finthen)

8.3.....Frederick Jacob Schembs (*16.04.1865 Finthen)

8.4.....Martin Schembs (*16.04.1865 Finthen, +08.01.1866 Finthen)

Martin died in January 1866 at the age of 9 months. Therefore he was the twin brother of Frederick Jacob. We do not have the specific record of his birth.

8.5.....Georg Schembs (*10.06.1866 Finthen, +29.11.1866 Finthen)

8.6.....Eva Schembs (*5.04.1868 Finthen)

8.7.....Elisabetha Schembs (*23.09.1869 Finthen, +13.06.1903 Brezenheim)

On 30 September 1893 Elisabetha and Johann Lemm (*30.10.1870) were married in Bretzenheim.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Johann Lemm (*25.10.1891 Bretzenheim)

8.8.....Franz Joseph Anton Schembs (*25.09.1871 Finthen, +21.04.1872 Finthen)

Peter Schembs (*01.08.1833, +11.08.1855 )2.4.2/3

Peter Schembs died as a young man at the age of 23 years.

Elisabeth Schembs (*26.03.1835)2.4.2/4

On 20.06.1875 Elisabeth Schembs in Laubenheim married the Nackenheimer Mathias Fay (*13.01.1848).

Children: (2)

2.1.....Dorothea Fay (*05.12.1875 Laubenheim)

2.2.....Heinrich Fay (*11.11.1880)

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FOOTNOTES:

[1] Birth Record, Catholic Churchbook, Undenheim 1744

[2] Marriage Record, Johann Schömbs, Catholic Churchbook Ober-Olm 1769

[3] Catholic Churchbook Death Record Johann Schömbs, Laubenheim 1793

[4] siehe Anm. 5 (A)

[5] siehe Anm. 39

[6] siehe Anm. 50

[7] siehe Anm. 34

[8] Catholic Churchbook Death Record Laubenheim 1793

[9] see map Laubenheim, reprinted in Appendix 4, page 63

[10] vollständig abgedruckt in Kneib, Das Kurmainzer Amt Olm

[11] Civil Marriage Record Peter Schembs 1842

[12] 1200 years Laubenheim Town Chronicle, list from year 1792, see imprint S 64

[13] siehe Anm. 35

[14] Dumont, Republik, S. 649-651

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