Lucky me, I have German ancestors on both my maternal and paternal lines! I am currently researching the names SICK and SELL in Schleswig-Holstein, SCHNEIDER in Hessen and KUNDERS (Conard) in North Rhineland - Westphalia. I enjoy doing German research and trying to remember some of the high school German language that I took oh so long ago.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Was sagt das? Why I wanted a German speaking helper


Yes, that's why.  Of course I could make out the dates and some of the names, but I just didn't have the expertise to decipher all the other words!

Here is the translation I received from my angel in Germany:

Nr. 82
date of birth                 14. June 1885
date of baptism            04. Sept. 1892
baptism in the house of the family
Sell, Emma Bertha Anna, daugther, born in wedlock, of the butcher Hans Hinrich August Sell in Pocatello state of Idaho in North America and Bertha Friederike Jacobine nee Sick.
Godfathers:
1. Christine Magdalena Johanna Sick 
2. The mother of the child
3. Anna Christine Henriette Ewers, all from Neustadt

Nr. 83
date of birth                 24. March 1887
date of baptism           04. Sept. 1892
baptism in the house of the family
Sell, Otto Heinrich Carl, son, born in wedlock, of the butcher Hans Hinrich August Sell in Pocatello state of Idaho in North America and Bertha Friederike Jacobine nee Sick.
Godfathers:
1. Otto Heinrich Friedrich Sick
2. Wulf Johann Heinrich Ewers
3. Wilhelmine Ernestine Dorothea Sick, all from Neustadt

Notice on the right side of the record:

Notice to 82 a. 83.
These two children were born in America and not baptised until now. While staying here with her mother for visit in her grandfathers house they were baptised. 

After I received the translation, another mystery was solved.  According to the baptism record, Emma Sell's mom's name was Bertha Frederike Jacobine Sick. Earlier in my research, I came across a passenger list with Emma and Otto, but they were traveling with someone with a name that looked like "Tacobine." My mom and I wondered who in the heck this Tacobine was.  Taco Beana, not very German sounding.   Well, I made a rookie mistake by not thinking what might make sense.  J's and T's look a lot a like, duh.  After many a joke about our Taco Beana, great great grandma Sell finally got recognized!

No comments:

Post a Comment