From all we know Theodor may have gotten on the next boat
to China or settled in Rotterdam to open some kind of business. The
latter being the more likely.
<<There was a bakery Taphoorn in Rotterdam, but it's renamed now. The family
name comes from the Dinkslage Taphoorn family.
So my questions and requests for help have been about local records
in Rotterdam. What exists? Are there any city directories which list
all residents and/or businesses? We have those both in German and
American cities. Just how big was Rotterdam in the 1880s?
<<I'm not good at Rotterdam history but I think it was an industrial city in
that time with an important harbour. Since I'm from Amsterdam and there is
always a rivalry between Amsterdam and Rotterdam I'm not good at Rotterdam's
history. I really have to seek an brief English history.
Did people have to register when arriving there? Or could anyone just
hang up a sign on the door and be in business? Or move into any house
or apartment without telling a soul? The latter is not the case in
Germany but is appropriate in America. What about Holland?
<<The same, we both under the administrative rules of Napoleon. There are in
Rotterdam the following (public) registers:
A De belangrijkste bronnen voor stamboomonderzoek zijn:
1. Burgerlijke Stand (Baptise, Marriage and Death) from 1811 on
2. Bevolkingsregister (Municipal registration from 1850 on with a lot
more information compared with the Burgelijke Stand
3. Wijkregister (A register of each town quarter; registration per
address from 1850 on)
4. Volkstellingen (two censuses 1929 1839) per address
5. Doop-, trouw- en begraafregisters (Baptise, Marriage and Death)
until 1811 already web enabled
B Andere bronnen die u voor uw onderzoek kunt gebruiken zijn bijvoorbeeld:
1. Adresboeken Those are the indexes per occupation, not complete
because only the more well-to-do citizen were registered
2. Telefoonboeken Telephone index
3. Lidmatenboeken Indexes of church memberships only until 1850
4. Poorterboeken Citizen index
5. Notari�le archieven Notary archives
6. Archieven van de Weeskamer Orphan's court archives
As far as I can imagine A1, A2 and maybe B1 seems to be of interest.
I already checked A5. But if he doesn't marry between his arrival and depart
there will be nothing registered in A1, maybe his arrival is in A2. I have
to go to Rotterdam to check it.
Are there any census records?
<<Not public
Just what would a Dutch genealogist do if he were looking for an
ancestor or relation who went to Rotterdam during this time period in
order to find him?
<<What we already did is post your question on a bulletin board at the
Rotterdam Municipal archives.
Mieke Gooselink did that. She is from the Dinkslage connection and has done
some research.
I put your request on a dutch mail list and some responded that he will
visit the archive and take a quick look.
I will send a request to the Rotterdam genealogic society as I once did to
the Oldenburger society. The latter worked perfect.
I've not really received any answers from our Dutch friends on this
list to these questions. I've gotten lists of various Taphorns all
over the Netherlands.
<<I will give you the mail address of Mieke Gosselink: <techdm@iae.nl>
She send me this information:
Gerhard Taphorn from Essen Oldenburg born approx. 1920.
son Herbert. Parents of Gerhard: unknown.
Theodoor Heinrich born in in 1754 Cloppenburg married with Catharina Schade
born 1766 Essen.
Two sons and two daugthers.
Son 1: Joan Gerhard Heinrich born 1801. This is Mieke's connection to the
Taphoorn's
Son 2: Johan Friedrich born 1804 married 3 times. 1th marriage with Maria
Meijer in
1834 From this marriage was born Theodoor in 1838. They had two or three
more children.
She is very busy at the moment but I can visit her and run through her
files.
They once had a family reunion and went to the Taphorn hotel in Cloppenburg
I suppose you've seen this already on
My great grandfather, Clement Henry Taphorn born 1839 in Dinklage, Germany
came to US in 1851 with his parents: Johann Heinrich Taphorn & Anna Maria
Dorothea & 2 brothers & 5 sisters: John Henry born 1836; Frank Henry born
1843; Anna Catherina Elisabeth born 1827; Margaretha born 1829; Anna Maria
Dorothea born 1833; Anna Catharina born 1834; Elisabeth born 1840. They went
to Cincinnati, OHio and then to Covington, KY. I have information on the 3
males & am searching for information on the female siblings. I would be glad
to trade information. I go back to the 1500's.
Velma L. Schonder (875126@tampabay.rr.co)
And this
Dear Mr. Taphorn:
I live in the City of Fairfax in Virginia and have been involved with the
American Civil War research connected to a local house. More than 100 Union
soldiers signed the walls of the house and I am working with a team of
researchers to decipher and research soldier and pension files in our
National Archives in nearby Washington, D.C. The house and land will become
a public museum in the next few years.
I recently deciphered the name of Theodore Taphorn who was with the 54th New
York State Infantry. He appears to have been born in Oldenberg and returned
there perhaps by 1880. Do you happen to have any relationship to this man?
We would like to find as much information as possible about his life before
and after the war.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Cordially,
Andrea Loewenwarter
Need more time to go deeper.
Paul