Amanuensis Monday: Johann STROESSER’s death certificate

Last week we saw the birth of my great-grandfather Harry STROESSER’s younger brother Johann. Today we see that his parents’ joy lasted only a short while; Johann died just a year and a half later. Unfortunately, his death certificate does not name the cause of his death, so we can only speculate on what took the life of such a young child. Fatal diseases were more common in small children then than they are today, but it could as easily have been some sort of tragic accident.

This image has been trimmed from the original at FamilySearch.

Transcription (the italicized parts were handwritten on the record):

Im Jahre tausend acht hundert zwei und achtzig, den drei und zwanzigsten

des Monats November um Zehn Uhr Vor- mittags sind vor Uns

Johann Eduard Brassel, Bürgermeister Beamten des Civilstandes

der Gemeinde folscheid , im Kanton Redingen , Großher=

zogthum Luxemburg, erschienen Dominick Lamberto

alt sechszig Jahre, Taglöhner

wohnhaft zu Schwiedelbruch, Nachbar des Verstorbenen

und Johann Peter Stephany , alt dreiszig sieben Jahre

Notar=Gesuche [?] wohnhaft zu Rambruch

Diese haben Uns erklärt, daß Johann Stroesser

alt achtzehn Monate Jahre, –

geboren zu Schwiedelbruch , wohnhaft zu selben Schwiedelbruch,

Sohn der [words not yet successfully distinguished] Peter Stroesser, Eisenhändler und Barbara

Thinnes, ohne Stand

verschieden ist heute um vier Uhr Vor mittags,

zu gemeltem Schwiedelbruch

und haben beide Anzeiger gegenwärtige Urkunde, nachdem sie ihnen vorgelesen worden,

mit Uns unterschrieben.

Line by line Translation:

In the Year one thousand eight hundred eighty-two, the twenty third

of the Month of November at Ten o’clock Before- noon have before Us

Johann Eduard Brassel, Burgermeister Officials of the Civil State

of the Commune of folschette , in the Canton Redange , Grand-

duchy of Luxembourg, appeared Dominick Lamberto

aged sixty Years, Day laborer

residing in Schwiedelbrouch, Neighbor of the Deceased

and Johann Peter Stephany , aged thirty seven Years

Notary-Seeker [?] residing in Rambrouch

This has been declared to Us, that Johann Stroesser

aged eighteen Months Years, --

born in Schwiedelbrouch , residing in same Schwiedelbrouch,

Son of the [aforesaid?] Peter Stroesser, Ironmonger and Barbara

Thinnes, without Occupation

deceased is today at four o’clock Before noon,

in same Schwiedelbrouch

and have both Informants the present deed, having been read to them,

with Us signed.

You will note that in the transcription of this certificate I have a few uncertainties. Firstly, my translation of “Notar=Gesuche” as “Notary-Seeker.” I am not at all sure that I have correctly transliterated the second part of that word, but it is the only way I have managed to come up with that made any sort of sense whatsoever. Little enough sense it makes, though.

Secondly, there are a few words identifying Johann’s parents which I have yet been unable to recognize; however the context implies that they would mean something in the nature of “aforesaid.” I have no doubt that, given a few hours, I could ferret out what the exact words are, but I have deemed it more important at this point (since their meaning is not vital to the comprehension of the certificate) to finish the blog post.

Source:

Folschette, Redange, Luxembourg, death certificate no. 34 (1882), Johann Stroesser; digital image #53 of 142, Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Décès 1879-1889," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 21 Nov 2014).

Amanuensis Monday: Johann STROESSER’s birth certificate

The stork visited my great-great-grandparents Peter STROESSER and Barbara THINES for the sixth time on 14 May 1881.

This image has been trimmed from the original at FamilySearch.

Transcription (the italicized parts were handwritten on the record):

Im Jahre tausend acht hundert ein und achtzig, den fünfzehnten

des Monats Mai um neun Uhr Vor mittags ist vor Uns

Joahnn Edouard Brassel, Bürgermeister Beamten des Civilstandes

der Gemeinde folschette , im Kanton Redingen , Gross=

herzogthum Luxemburg, erschienen Peter Stroesser

alt vierzig sieben Jahre Eisenhändler

wohnhaft zu Schvidelbrouch , welcher Uns ein Kind mannlichen

Geschlechts vorgestellt hat, geboren Schvidelbrouch gestern

um zehn Uhr Vor mittags, im Hause Nr. -- Gasse,

erzeugt von Zie Conparentan und seiner Ehegattin Barbara Thinnes

alt dreißig sieben Jahre, ohne Stand, wohnhaft in selben Orte

und welchem er den Vornamen Johann

geben zu wollen erklärt hat.

Diese Erklärung und Vorstellung sind geschehen in Gegenwart des Johann Peter Kloth

-- , alt vierzig acht Jahre Handelsmann

wohnhaft zu Folschette und des Johann Claren

Sohn , alt zwanzig sieben Jahre Aus rufer

wohnhaft zu Rambrouch und haben die Comparenten diese

Urkunde, nachdem sie ihnen vorgelesen worden, mit Uns unterschrieben.

Line by line Translation:

In the Year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-one, the fifteenth

of the Month of May at nine o'clock Before noon is before Us

Johann Edouard Brassel, Burgermeister Officials of the Civil State

of the Commune of folschette , in the Canton Redange , Grand-

duchy of Luxembourg, appeared Peter Stroesser

aged forty-seven Years Ironmonger

residing in Schwiedelbrouch , which to us a child of the male

Gender has presented, born in Schwiedelbrouch yesterday

at ten O’clock Before noon, in House No. -- Street,

begat by The Appearing Party and his Wife Barbara Thinnes

aged thirty-seven Years, without Position, residing in the same place

and which to him the First Name Johann

has declared to want to give.

This Statement and Presentation are done in the Presence Johann Peter Kloth

-- , aged forty-eight Years Merchant

residing in Folschette and Johann Claren

Junior , aged twenty-seven Years Town crier

residing in Rambrouch and the Appearing Parties have this

Deed, having been read to them, with us signed.

Incidentally, I love that one of the witnesses on this certificate is the town crier. It certainly reminds one that this was another time and another place!

Oh, and if you have found a birth certificate from Luxembourg that you would like to try to transcribe and translate, I am starting to get a fair-sized collection of templates posted. In honor of Johann STROESSER I have added one for the year 1881.

Source:

Folschette, Luxembourg, birth certificate no. 17 (1881), Johann Stroesser; digital image #938 of 1489, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, “Naissances 1821-1890 Mariages 1800-1823, 1797-1830,” FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 11 Jul 2010).

Amanuensis Monday: Nicolas STROESSER’s birth certificate

Again we return to the growing family of my great-grandparents, Peter STROESSER and Barbara THINES, residing in Heispelt, Wahl, Redange, Luxembourg. Time has passed since the last time we visited them, and it is now January of the year 1880. Their four children have grown a bit: Michel is six years old, Baltasar is four, Anna is three, and little Johann—who will much later become my great-grandfather Harry—is fourteen months.

On January 9^th, the family grows by one more member: Johann Nicolas arrives.

This image has been trimmed from the original at FamilySearch.

Transcription (the italicized parts were handwritten on the record):

Im Jahre tausend acht hundert achtzig, den zehnten

des Monats Januar um vier Uhr Nach mittags ist vor Uns

Theodore Welbes Bürgermeister Beamten des Civilstandes

der Gemeinde Wahl, im Kanton Redingen, Gross=

herzogthum Luxemburg, erschienen Peter Stroesser Eisenhändeler

alt vierzig sechs Jahre

wohnhaft zu Heispelt, welcher Uns ein Kind männlichen

Geschlechts vorgestellt hat, geboren zu Heispelt Gestern

um zwei Uhr Nach mittags, im Hause Nr. ----- Gasse,

erzeugt von seiner Ehefrau Barbara Thinnes ohne Gewerb

Alt dreißig fünf Jahre wohnhaft zu Heispelt

und welchem er den Vornamen Johann Nicolas

geben zu wollen erklärt hat.

Diese Erklärung und Vorstellung sind geschehen in Gegenwart des Philippe

Hendel Ackerer, alt dreißig neun Jahre

wohnhaft zu Kuborn und des Peter Simon

Pächter, alt fünfzig vier Jahre

wohnhaft zu Kuborn und haben die Comparenten diese

Urkunde, nachdem sie ihnen vorgelesen worden, mit Uns unterschrieben.

Line by line Translation:

In the Year one thousand eight hundred and eighty, the tenth

of the Month of January at four o'clock After noon is before Us

Theodore Welbes Burgermeister Officials of the Civil State

of the Commune of Wahl, in the Canton Redange, Grand-

duchy of Luxembourg, appeared Peter Stroesser Iron Merchant

aged forty-six Years

residing in Heispelt, which to us a child of the male

Gender has presented, born in Heispelt Yesterday

at two O’clock After noon, in House No. ----- Street,

begat by his wife Barbara Thinnes without Occupation

Aged twenty-five Years residing in Heispelt

and which he the First Name Johann Nicolas

has declared to want to give.

This Statement and Presentation are done in the Presence of Philippe

Hendel Farmer, aged twenty-nine Years,

residing in Kuborn and Peter Simon

Leaser, aged fifty-four Years

residing in Kuborn and the Appearing Parties have this

Deed, having been read to them, with us signed.

Nick, as he was later called among my family, though I rather doubt if any of them (apart from his brother, of course) had ever met him. He traveled to to U.S. aboard the S.S. Finland, which left Antwerp on 13 July 1907. He seems to have traveled alone on that long voyage; no other STROESSERs appear in that ship’s manifest. He lists his brother H STROESSER (my great-grandfather Harry) as the relative he will be joining. Interestingly, this is the only document I have yet seen that records Harry’s residence as Estherville, Iowa. This may be a clue for where to find some of those records for which I still seek. Even more interestingly, this manifest records that Nick has been in the U.S. before, in 1905. Apparently Nick was doing well enough to travel back and forth across the Atlantic.

By U.S. Navy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

He waited until he reached U.S. before marrying, therefore his birth certificate is the only Luxembourgish record I have regarding Nick STROESSER. His children were born in the U.S., and he probably also died in the U.S.

Sources:

Wahl, Redange, Luxembourg, birth certificate no. 3 (1880), Johann Nicolas Stroesser; digital image #166 of 1475, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, “Naissances 1867-1890 Mariages 1796-1797, 1800-1804, 1805-1823, 1796-1803, 1805-1890 Décès 1797-1803, 1805-1828,” FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 30 May 2010).

“New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957,” online images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Feb 2010), manifest, S.S. Finland, 24 July 1907, Nicholas Stroesser, line 21, pages 102-103. Citing Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, Microfilm Roll: Roll 0950. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C.