Hello Beth,
I have found in my ancestors this persons (see below) and I will try to translate. When you cannot understand my bad english, perhaps Fred Rump is so friendly to help. I have not enough words for difficult sentences. Please excuse me.
Pb. is the person, who about we speak.
UN is Udo Niemann from Berlin, he has had the Church records.
Natus = nee
Colonus is a farmer
nc = Church record catholic from Neuenkirchen in Oldenburg with the number of the record.
WIECHAUS NATUS PELLENWESSEL, Arend, röm.-kath., Colonus Halberbe in Nellinghof, * Rottinghausen, Ksp. Damme 1661, + Nellinghof (nc73) 14.12.1747
oo 06.11.1703 Anna Margaretha WIECHAUS/WIGHAUS
Der Pb. ist bei UN als Arend Pellenwessel, Col. Wiehues bzw. Wiechaus bezeichnet. Zeugen der Heirat waren Jacob Wighaus und Hermann Pellenwessel. Die Eltern sind nicht bekannt.
(This person is by UN named: Arend Pellenwessel, Colonus Wiehues or Wiechaus. Witnesses by the marriage: Jacob Wighaus and Hermann Pellenwessel. The parents are unknown
Laut Collectie Pohlsander erscheint der Name Wiechaus (und ähnlich) in folgenden Urkunden:
In the website: http://arch.vortmes.nl/documents/copo-024.pdf you can read these regests:
1664:
Wiechaus führte einen Prozess un die Sundern gegen seine Nachbarn Grote, Cavemann und Suhrenbrock.
Wiechaus carried on a lawsuit about an areal (named: Sundern) against his neighbors Grote, Cavemann and Suhrenbrock.
1748:
War Jacob Wiechaus Bauernrichter. Bei ihm war Einquartierung: 1 Quartiermeister mit 2 Reutern und 3 Pferden
Wiechaus was judge of the farmers. In his house were 1 master (I cannot found the word "Quartiermeister" in the internet for translating, please ask another person) with 2 horsemen and 3 horses.
1658-1659:
Arnold Wichuss cum uxore (mit Ehefrau) 5 liberis et ancillans. 5 Cath. 3 Minor.
Arnold Wichuss and his wife ... please ask another person.
Weiterhin gibt es einen Brief von Johann Berend Wichaus an seine Eltern, datiert vom "19. Mey 1770" aus Willerfang in Holland (als Hollandgänger), in dem es u. a. um einen Pferdeverkauf geht.
There is a letter, too, from Johann Berend Wichaus to his parents, dated 19.05.1770 from Willerfangin the netherlands, where he is writing about selling horses. Wichaus went to the netherlands to work there.
Quellen: BS (Bernhard Schräder, that was my father) and UN
I hope, these are good informations for you.
Best wishes
Maria Fröse