die weber Familie in Rheinland-Pfalz und Bayern, Deutschland

Prepared byDr. John V. Richardson Jr.

Historian, Weaver Family Reunion (Ohio) for the 176th Reunion of the Weaver Family

At the Jerusalem Lutheran Church, OHOn 25th July 2009 and in honor of my father’s 91th

birthday

STEPE Approach

• What do you know about where the Weaver Family came from in Germany:

• The major Social event of their village?• The Technology available to them?• The Economy (and currency)?• The Politics and why would one want to leave?• And the Ecology (i.e., geography)?

Kusel Kreis

Politics

• The Weber family lived in the Kusel Kreis• The Kreis is composed of several villages

including:– Neunkirchen am Potzberg– Reichenbach– Gimsbach

• The Weber family came from these towns.

Neunkirchen am Potzberg 66887

Their Small Village

• Is located southwest of Mainz,• In the Pfalz,• Called the Palatine,• Also, known as Bayern,• What we often call Bavaria…• Be sure, though, not to confuse it with a larger

town nearby also called Neunkirchen…

Neunkirchen am Potzberg

• Nestled under the Potzberg Mountain, which rises 562 meters

• So, what was life like the early 19th century?• What important holiday did the town

celebrate?• And, the women cook a special cake?

Neunkirchen am Potzberg

• Under French influence until 1816; then several Bavarian princes/kings

• Popular Saint Cyriakus• Popular market fair, including cattle, music,

and a parade, on 28 July, called Jakobskerwe (Jacob’s Day)

• Women baked Kerwekuchen (a kind of cake)

• Source: Jan Fickert, Dieter Zenglein, Rudolf Bleiching, Chronik Neunkirchen am Potzberg (2004)

Neunkirchen 66887

Village Life

• We now know the answers to such questions as:

• What house number did they live in?• Were they rich?• Why would they want to leave Germany?• Where would they go?– Yes, some came to America, but what about the

other branch of the family in the southern hemisphere?

Protestant Kirche

• Many Germans are Catholic or Lutheran:

• So, what was their religious affiliation?• What did they believe?• Was that a problem for them?

Union Church in Neunkirchen am Potzberg, 1825

Reichenbach-Steegen 66879

Another Village?

• We now know that part of the family lived nearby:

• What is the importance of this town?• What did the Weber family do for a living

there?• Who was the Mayor and what was the

political situation?

Reichenbach 66879

ITA Press

• ITA Press of Los Angeles is pleased to announce the forthcoming publication:

• The Weber, Wollschläger, and Kempf Families in Early 19th Century Palatine Germany: Celebrating the 175th Weaver Family Reunion in Ohio, July 2008

• By Dr. John V. Richardson Jr., Historian, Weaver Family Reunion (Ohio)

• To Place email orders: jvrjvr@att.net