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.

Amanuensis Monday: Joseph HEYMANNS’ birth certificate

My great-grandfather Harry STROESSER’s sister Anna STROESSER married Peter HEYMANS in 1898, and ten months later their first daughter Susanna arrived. This is the ordinary course of events in the STROESSER family, according to my research: A couple marries, and has their first child within about a year. To continue in this ordinary, and probably socially expected, routine, Anna should have delivered another child every year and a half or so. However, according to my records, it was eight years before she and her husband received another visit from the stork.

I have no explanation for this surprising circumstance, unless they moved out of the commune of Folschette for a period of time, having their other children there, and then moved back in time for the birth of Joseph. The other likely theory, though much gloomier, is a series of miscarriages. Of course there are numerous other possibilities, but I consider the two I mentioned as the most probable.

In Folschette during that period of time, other HEYMANS (or the alternate spelling HEYMANNS) families did have some children; their fathers were named Stephan and Jean. Perhaps they were brothers or cousins of Peter, but I haven’t done the research to connect them.

At any rate, on 7 Feb 1907 Anna STROESSER presented her husband Peter HEYMANNS (that is the spelling recorded on this certificate) with a son, and the following day Peter went to the proper authority to have the birth recorded.

This image has been trimmed from the original at FamilySearch.

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

Im Jahre tausend neun hundert sieben, den achten

des Monats Februar um ein Uhr vor mittags ist vor Uns

André Miller, Bürgermeister Beamten des Civilstandes

der Gemeinde Folscheid , im Kanton Redingen , Großher=

zogthum Luxemburg, erschienen Heymanns Peter

alt drei Zig zwei Jahre Maurer

wohnhaft zu Rambruch , welcher Uns ein Kind männlichen

Geschlechts vorgestellt hat, geboren zu Rambruch, gestern

um vier Uhr vor mittags, im Hause Nr. -- Gasse,

erzeugt von ihm Comparenten und seiner Ehegattin

Anna Stroesser, ohne Stand alt dreizig

Jahre, wohnhaft zu selben Rambruch

und welchem er den Vornamen Joseph

geben zu wollen erklärt hat.

Diese Erklärung und Vorstellung sind geschehen in Gegenwart des Alphonse

Schnachtgen , alt zwanzig neun Jahre Lehrer

wohnhaft zu Folscheid und des Nicolas

Berg , alt vierzig sechs Jahre Wagner

wohnhaft zu Hostert und haben die Comparenten diese

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

Line by line Translation:

In the Year one thousand nine hundred and seven, the eighth

of the Month of February at one o'clock before noon is before Us

André Miller, Burgermeister Officials of the Civil State

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

duchy of Luxembourg, appeared Heymanns Peter

aged Thirty two Years Mason

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

Gender has presented, born in Rambrouch, yesterday

at four O’clock before noon, in House No. -- Street,

begat by the Appearing Party and his Wife

Anna Stroesser, without Occupation aged thirty

Years, residing in the same Rambrouch

and which he the First Name Joseph

has declared to want to give.

This Statement and Presentation are done in the Presence of Alphonse

Schnachtgen , aged twenty nine Years, Teacher

residing in Folschette and Nicolas

Berg , aged forty six Years Coach-builder [or wheelwright]

residing in Hostert and the Appearing Parties have this

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

Source:

Folschette, Luxembourg, birth certificate no. 5 (1907), Joseph Heymanns; digital image #350 of 699, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, “Naissances 1882-1923 Mariages 1831-1850,” FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 Nov 2014).

Amanuensis Monday: Susanna HEYMANS’ birth certificate

Ten months after the 1898 wedding of (my great-grandfather Harry STROESSER’s eldest sister) Anna STROESSER and Peter HEYMANS, their first daughter Susanna arrived. 

This image has been trimmed from the original at FamilySearch.

 

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

[Following four lines are stamped in corner]

Décédé le 19.3.1983

à Luxembourg

No. 382

Commune

Im Jahre tausend acht hundert neun und neunzig, den siebenzehnten

des Monats Februar um zwei Uhr nach mittags ist vor Uns

Glesener Michel, Bürgermeister, Beamten des Civilstandes

der Gemeinde Folscheid , im Kanton Redingen , Großher=

zogthum Luxemburg, erschienen Heymans Peter, Maurer,

alt zwanzig vier Jahre Vater des Kindes,

wohnhaft zu Koetschette , welcher Uns ein Kind weiblichen

Geschlechts vorgestellt hat, geboren zu Koetschette, gestern

um elf Uhr nach mittags, im Hause Nr. -- Gasse,

erzeugt von ihm, Comparenten und von seiner Ehefrau

Anna Stroesser, ohne Stand, alt zwanzig zwei

Jahre, wohnhaft zu Koetschette,

und welchem er den Vornamen Susanna

geben zu wollen erklärt hat.

Diese Erklärung und Vorstellung sind geschehen in Gegenwart des Mores

Peter , alt fünfzig ein Jahre , Taglõhner,

wohnhaft zu Koetschette und des Nauert

Michel , alt fünfzig sechs Jahre , Sekretär,

wohnhaft zu Folscheid, und haben die Comparenten diese

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

Line by line Translation:

[Following four lines are stamped in corner]

Died on 19.3.1983

in Luxembourg

No. 382

Commune

In the Year one thousand eight hundred and ninety nine, the seventeenth

of the Month of February at ten o'clock after noon is before Us

Glesener Michel, Burgermeister, Officials of the Civil State

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

duchy of Luxembourg, appeared Heymans Peter, Mason,

aged twenty four Years Father of the Child,

residing in Koetschette , which to us a child of the female

Gender has presented, born in Koetschette, yesterday

at eleven O’clock after noon, in House No. -- Street,

begat by he, the Appearing Party and by his Wife

Anna Stroesser, without Occupation, aged twenty two

Years, residing in Koetschette,

and which he the First Name Susanna

has declared to want to give.

This Statement and Presentation are done in the Presence of Mores

Peter , aged fifty one Years , Day laborer,

residing in Koetschette and Nauert

Michel , aged fifty six Years , Secretary [or clerk]

residing in Folschette, and the Appearing Parties have this

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

Conveniently, a stamp in the upper left-hand corner of the document denotes the date and place of her death. The “No. 382” probably refers to the number of her death certificate. Currently it is not possible to view death certificates from 1983, so this is valuable information that might otherwise be impossible to ascertain.

There is also a familiar name as a witness on Susanna’s birth certificate. Michel NAUERT, the secretary or clerk, also appeared as a witness on Susanna’s cousin Johann-Peter STROESSER’s birth certificate the following year in 1900. It would seem that he was a friend of the family. He does not seem to be a relative; his name appears nowhere in my family tree.

Source:

Folschette, Luxembourg, birth certificate no. 5 (1899), Susanna Heymans; digital image #238 of 699, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, “Naissances 1882-1923 Mariages 1831-1850,” FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 21 Nov 2014).

Amanuensis Monday: Anna STROESSER’s death

This was trimmed from the original at Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg.

Transcription:

Il a plu au Tout-Puissant d’appeler à une meilleure vie notre bien-aimée et regrettée épouse, mère, belle-mère, belle-soeur, tante et cousine

Madame Pierre HEYMANNS

née Anne Stroesser

décédée à Rambrouch, le 28 octobre 1946, à l’âge de 70 ans, après une longue et pénible maladie, munie des Secours de notre Mère la sainte Eglise. – L’enterrement suivi du service funèbre, aura lieu à Rambrouch, le jeudi, 31 octobre, à 10,30 heures du matin. --De la part de M. Pierre Heymanns, M. et Mme Jules Ries-Heymanns, M. et Mme Marcel Stroesser-Kieffer et des familles apparentées. – Rambrouch, Esch-Alz. Et Amérique, le 28 octobre 1946.

Translation:

It has pleased the Almighty to call to a better life our late beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt and cousin

Mrs. Pierre HEYMANNS

née Anne Stroesser

who died in Rambrouch, Oct 28, 1946, at the age of 70, after a long and painful illness, equipped with the help of our mother the Holy Church – The burial followed by the funeral service will be held at Rambrouch will be held at Rambrouch on Thursday, Oct 31, at 10:00 A.M. – On behalf of Mr. Pierre Heymanns, Mr. and Mrs. Jules Ries-Heymanns, Mr. and Mrs. Marcel Stroesser-Kieffer and related families – Rambrouch, Esch-Alz. and America, Oct 28, 1946.

As you can see, my great-grandfather Harry STROESSER’s sister Anne or Anna died in Rambrouch, Redange, Luxembourg. She was survived by her husband Pierre HEYMANNS, or Peter HEYMANS as he appeared on the marriage certificate. Of her other survivors, Mr. and Mrs. Marcel STROESSER-KIEFFER are readily identified as her nephew Marcel and his wife, but Mr. and Mrs. Jules RIES-HEYMANNS are still, as yet, a mystery. I suspect that the Mrs. may be Anna’s daughter Susanna (whose birth record we shall see next week), but have found no evidence to support that idea. My attempts to find a marriage announcement in a newspaper have thus far been in vain.

There is also one phrase in this obituary that vexes me. I translated “L’enterrement suivi du service funèbre” as “The burial followed by the funeral service,” but in my experience the funeral service usually comes first. Perhaps it should be translated as “The burial that will follow the funeral service,” but my miniscule amount of French grammar could not make it read that way. Fortunately it is a slight point that does not affect the genealogical points of the article.

Source:

“In Pace: Madame Pierre HEYMANNS,” Luxemburger Wort, 29 Oct 1946, p. 5, col. 2; digital images, Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg (www.eluxemburgesia.lu : accessed 15 Nov 2014), Digitized by the National Library of Luxembourg, www.eluxemburgensia.lu.