Hello,
I am trying to find more information on my family. If you have any information on them I would greatly appreciate it.
I have been able to go as far back as Johann who appears to be born in 1729. Perhaps he was born in Heiligenfelde, because Gerke Zimmermann might be his father who seems to be from Heiligenfelde. They were all farmers but didn't own a farm. It appears they may have moved around frequently. Their children were in Bahlum; Martfeld, Kleinenborstel, Emtinghausen and Thedinghausen.
If you have any information on them I would greatly appreciate it. This is the details of what I have so far:
1 Seite 69 Nr. 72 (1796) (Kirchenbuch Lunsen † 1780-1811)
Burial of Johann Zimmermann
»D. 4 Nov. Joh. Zimmermann zu Embd. [Emtinghausen] u. Witwer, alhier beerd. Gest. d. 1 hujus [the same month], an der Brustkrankh. 67 Jahr.«
2 Seite 17 Nr. 3 (1757) (Kirchenbuch Thedinghausen 1750-1809)
Marriage of Johann Zimmermann and Beke Alheit Sump
»Eod. [04.02.] ist Johann Zimmermann von Bahlen [Bahlum] mit Becke Adelheid Sumps alhier copul. worden.«
3 Seite 174 Nr. 10 (1735) (Kirchenbuch Thedinghausen * 1703-1749)
Baptism of Beke Alheit Sump
»Den 31 Jan: Johann Sump zu Bahlen [Bahlum] eine Tochter Becke Alheit tauffen laßen. Gevattern sind: Johann Söller, Trine Kehlenbeck, Beecke Imhorst.«
4 Seite 77 Nr. 14 (1772) (Kirchenbuch Lunsen († 1725-1779)
Burial of Beke Alheit Zimmermann nee Sump
»Becke Adelheit Zimmermanns aus Bahlen [Bahlum] alt 37 Jahr, beerdiget d. 4ten Apr.«
Johann and Beke Alheit Zimmermann had follow children (without date of death):
1 Becke Zimmermann * Bahlum 18.09.1757
2 Johann Zimmermann * Bahlum 13.05.1759 (died young)
3 Johann Zimmermann * Bahlum 13.08.1760
4 Gerd Zimmermann * Bahlum 16.11.1765
5 Albert Zimmermann * Bahlum 14.11.1767
6 Johann Dirk Zimmermann * Bahlum 21.04.1770
There appear to be no godfathers from the Zimmermann family. Perhaps Johann Zimmermann came from Heiligenfelde near Bahlum because a Gerike (Gerd) Zimmermann from Heiligenfelde married a Beecke Bellmers from Bahlum in Thedinghausen on 5 October 1727. The first (and second) son from Johann Zimmermann called Johann like their father of Beke Alheit Sump. The next one called Gerd probably like the father of Johann Zimmermann which would be his grandfather. To call the elder children like the grandfathers and grandmothers was an old tradition in the north of Germany.