A Genealogy Blog

Category: Families

Belgian Ancestors in an Excerpt of the 1656 Census

When researching ancestors in the area of Belgium and Luxembourg, “Dénombrements” that have been preserved in the Archives of Luxembourg are a gold mine of information. You might think of these enumerations as a kind of census. You can find names, but you also get great detail about the condition of the people mentioned.

The catch is that digital images of these exist, but they aren’t indexed. They have to be read, and the handwriting used is a style of cursive that takes time to learn. I have been practicing, with the help of the genealogy community online, and present here an excerpt of that translation.

The Thines Family: From Freylange to Landeck

In January of 1976, an unexpected letter arrived at the desk of the mayor of Covington, Kentucky. It was sent by Eudore Dominicy, the mayor of Saint-Legere. Dominicy was seeking help locating the relatives of music professor Sylvester Eifert. He thought there may be a family connection. Soon thereafter, a postcard made it’s way from Saint Leger to Summit Drive in Covington. “Meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle année,” it said – best wishes for the new year. For over forty years that postcard lived in a shoebox until in 2020 it saw the daylight once more and a family line stretching back to 1600s Belgium was found.

A Peasant Revolt in Arlon, 1681

For those studying Belgian genealogy, specifically in Wallonia, a small but detailed account of a peasant revolt from the pages of The London Gazette in 1681 provides a glimpse at what life might have been like for your ancestors.

St. Goar Flieden, Fulda, Hesse

Heil Marriage Records from St. Goar, Flieden, Fulda, Hesse (1724-1754)

If you’re a descendent of the Heil family, or of somebody who married into the Heil family in the Fulda district, these marriage records might help in your research. All of these records can be found in the church books of St. Goar in Flieden. In these books you’ll also find further baptisms, marriages, and deaths not mentioned in this post.

Jacob Eifert and Family

New Photos of Jacob Eifert’s Family

About a month ago, I received an email from somebody who had stumbled upon this website when she searched on Google for “Jacob Eifert.” She’d seen the name on the back of an old photograph she’d found when cleaning out the storage locker of a recently departed family member.

Victor Eifert & General Sherman’s March to the Sea

As is so often the case with ancestors, I don’t have letters or other artifacts to confirm Victor Eifert’s exact location at various times. However, I think there is enough circumstantial evidence to confirm that Victor did join the Union forces after the siege of Atlanta. With this and information from other sources, I hope to paint a picture of what his life may have been like during this time.

Joseph Eifert's home in Mercer County Ohio Around 1905

Joseph Eifert

Joseph Eifert was the son of Michael Eifert, a German immigrant. He was born in Knox County, Ohio and died in Mercer County, Ohio. He married Sophia Weis and was the father of eight children.

Sylvester Victor Eifert

The son of Joseph Eifert and Sophia Weis Eifert, Sylvester Victor Eifert was born in St. Joseph, Ohio. He was a long-time organist at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Covington, Kentucky.

Eifert History in St. Joseph, Mercer County, Ohio

Around 1860, Michael Eifert and his sons, Joseph and Victor, purchased land in Mercer County, Ohio. They were part of a large westward movement of German immigrants likely seeking better land, freedom from anti-Catholicism and the ability to give their children a Catholic education.

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