Hello Bob and Sophie,
While everything Bob said is true, I think that it is possible and even likely that your husband's ancestors came from Rieste. It is a small village in Hannover, right over the border from the Neuenkirchen that Bob mentioned. Also, the sacramental recrods for the people of Rieste are located at Kloster Lage, at least in the mid-1700's. Since your birth information contains a reference to both Rieste and Kloster Lage, I think Rieste is your likely location.
I had some records researched for my Rieste ancestors by Falk Liebezeit (a professional researcher who is also a member of this list) a little over a month ago, and the records were held at Kloster Lage. Only a small amount of the town's vital records were filmed by the Mormans. From the dates (1808 - 1811 (i.e., Napoleon) and after 1854 to abt 1871), I believe the only records filmed were some type of civil records. The Diocese of Hannover did not let the Mormans film their records like the Diocese of Munster did.
If your husband's ancestors had come from Bieste, Bob is correct that there records would be held in Neuenkirchen's churchbooks and they are available from the Mormans.
I have seen the name Tangemann in the church records in Oldenburger Munsterland, but I can't remember which town for sure off the top of my head. I believe it was in Damme's churchbooks. I can check my copy of Pagenstert when I get home, or perhaps somebody else on the list has a copy handy and can look up what village the Tangemann farm was in. That would at least suggest a good place to start looking.
I think that I have seen the Becker name in Neuenkirchen's churchbooks. Also, I'll mention a point you might already be aware of. Since the father's name was Gortemoller nee (i.e., born) Becker, the father changed his name to Gortemoller, probably when he took over the Gortemoller farm. This most commonly occured when a man married the daughter of a farm owner who had no sons and the farm was inherited by or through (I have never been completely clear on that point) the daughter/wife. I have also seen a name change once in the Munster Diocese (Hochstift) where a man purchased a farm.
Hope this helps,
Don
Bob Niehaus wrote:
<<My Niehaus ancestors are also from Archduchy of Oldenburg. Your <Rieste> is
likely<Bieste>, which is a village about two miles west of Neuenkirchen,
Damme, in the southernmost part of Oldenburg. There was a <Lage Kloster> or
Lage Cloister or Monastery, about two miles SW of Neuenkirchen. The
monastery was begun in the 13th century by the Knights of St. John to care
for indigents and the sick, and it was owned and run by the Benedictine
Order as a monastery and school in the latter 18th into the19th century, and
may still be, today. A considerable number of emigrants from southern
Oldenburg came to Cincinnati, western Ohio and southern Indiana, and some to
Illinois and St. Louis. Our hometown is Cincinnati.
I can provide you with LDS (Mormon) tape numbers that you can arrange to
rent from the nearest LDS Family History for the Neunkirchen Catholic
Kirchenbucher (parish record books) These will provide, in original
handwriting of the pastors, baptisms, marriages and deaths for the parishes
there. Since you know the name and birth, death and approx. marriage dates
of your husband's Gortemoller ancestors you may find more generations and
names without much trouble. I suggest a you buy a soft bound Websters New
World German Dictionary. With some patience you can translate many passages
and words yourself. Also, the Catholic Church records were written at least
partially in Latin, another solvable puzzle. The handwriting and old German
script is another challenge, requiring patrince.
Werner Honkomp in that region of Germany is much more expert than I. He
will likely also respond with more helpful information for you.
Regards, Bob Niehaus>>