Tied Back to Germany

Yesterday, Jessica, at Jessica’s Genejournal posted this about looking for her German Ancestors since it was German-American day. Unfortunately, I was not able to post about my Germany ancestors so will be a day late with this one.

Most of my ancestors originated from somewhere in Germany (or what is now Germany).  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to pinpoint exact locations.  My great-grandmother, Mary Angelina (Annie) Werts, was descended from Wilhelm Wurtz born in the early 1700’s in Tauberbischofsheim, Germany.  It is located in the Baden-Württemberg area.  Wilhelm traveled via the ship Neptune to Philadelphia.  (Footnote 1)

My great-grandmother, Martha Jane Stern, is descended from Hans Peter Raudenbusch and Maria Bremm.  They were both born in the early to mid 1600s in Reihen, Heidelberg, Germany.  It has been reported that the flour mill that Hans Peter operated through the Thirty Years War is still in operation. It was their grandson, Hans Henrich, who emigrated to Pennsylvania upon the Dragon in 1732. He was a founding member of the Abbottsville, Pennsylvania Upper Conowago Church of the Brethren (Mummert’s Church). After Hans Heinrich’s sons were married, the name went through a variety of changes. My direct ancestor’s name was Roudebush. She was the granddaughter of Hans Heinrich and my 4th great-grandmother. Other name variants include Ruebush, Roudebush.  (Footnote 2 & 3)

My 2nd great-grandmother, Malissa Goul, is the granddaughter of Adam Goul.  As a child, he traveled with his parents and sister, aboard the Rawley, from Frankfurt, Germany to Philadelphia.  It has been reported that he was the only one of his family to live to see America.  The rest perished on board ship.  Frankfurt am Main is the largest city in the German state of Hesse.

Footnote 1: Virts Vertz Virts Virtz Werts Wertz Wirts Genealogy; Gary E. Virts

Footnote 2: Wikipedia; 2008

Footnote 3: Hans Heinrich Raudenbusch, THE RAUDENBUSCH FAMILY; John Robert Frank; 2003

Little Women

An article in one of my husband’s magazines explained how Family Tree DNA began. It spelled out the differences between mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) and paternal DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from a woman to her children (both sons and daughters) but only to her daughter’s children through the female line. The paternal DNA is passed from father to son to son and so on.

Reading this, I decided to follow the female line to see where it would take me – both in personal terms (how they are related) and geographical (where were they born and lived) to get a clearer picture on where my female ancestors originated.

Me – born in SW Ohio

Mary – born in Eastern Indiana (mother)

Vesta Christena Wilt – born 1898 in Noblesville, Hamilton County, Indiana;
died Jan. 1984 Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio (gr-mother)

Martha Jane Stern – born 1872 in Clarksville, Hamilton County, Indiana;
died Nov. 1956 Lane County, Oregon (gr-grandmother)

Nancy Caylor – born 1840 in Wayne County, Indiana;
died Dec. 1900 in Noblesville, Hamilton County, Indiana (2nd gr-grandmother)

Susannah Miller – born bet. 1800-1804 in Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio;
died Nov. 1859 in Noblesville, Hamilton County, Indiana (3rd gr-grandmother)

Catherine (or Katherine) Botafield – born 1780 in Pennsylvania;
died Oct. 1855 Washington Twp, Tippecanoe County, Indiana (4th gr-grandmother)

Now it’s time to start researching the Botafield family and especially Katherine in order to find her mother.  I also need to do some documentation in order to verify that Katherine was indeed Susannah’s mother.