Hello List,
I have been on the hunt for a place of birth for my great-grandfather, Ferdinand Friedrich Geissler/Geisler (but also went by Friedrich Ferdinand Geissler/Geisler) for close to 30 years now.
It's been a difficult process as I am related to Ferdinand through his third marriage to Christine Rilling of Gomaringen.
I have collected all sorts of info on my family with Ferdinand; traced his second family (wife Marietta Boesch of Switzerland) and have even accumulated quite a bit of info on his first family (wife Minna, last name unknown).
Have located the New York Passenger Arrival List stating Ferdinand Geisler, age 33, his wife Minna,
I believe age 28, his son Richard, age 7 and his daughter Martha, about 9 months old arrived February, 1857 and later settled in Chicago.
In all my searching, I have never been able to find even the littlest inkling of a birthplace for anyone!!
United States records only mention Saxony (not sure if kingdom or province), Prussia, Germany and once even Bavaria!! My aunt insists he's from somewhere in Saxony but is unsure if it is kingdom or province.
Now, for the last 4 years I've been on the hunt for info on Ferdinand's daughter who seemed to just disappear but by pure luck when I was playing around on the computer I came across who I believe to be the elusive Martha Geisler.
I've spelled her name as GEISLER as this seems to be the way it was spelled by Ferdinand and his first family.
I searched the Lutheran Church records here in Chicago and it lists her place of birth as:
Acshenlebens, Deutschland
I have looked on all the old German maps I have from the 1800's and even tried Mapquest.de to see if it is a town that might still be in existance but have not had any luck.
I would truly appreciate any and all assistance in trying to locate this place as I may finally be able to continue the search for my elusive GEISSLER/GEISLER family in Germany.
Thanks for your time and patience. This is really a great list.
Peggy Geissler
Chicago, Illinois
