Hello to all,
I am not sure just how to do this but I am trying to find relatives in the Saxony area. My grandfather, Melchior Hartleib was born in Furstenhagen in the Eichsfeld area, in 1867. His wife, Anna Sophia Weske Hartleib (b. 1869) is said to have been born in Kripp am Rhein but her father, Martin Weske and wife, Katharina Anhalt, were born, I think in Furstenhagen. The genealogy records I have say Saxony, but I am not sure where the information came from.
Melchior Hartleib's father, Joseph, and mother Regina Mueller (b. 1851), were born in Furstenhagen. Joseph's second wife was Christina Koenigs, the mother of Melchior's half brothers and sisters.
My grandparents, Melchior and Anna Sophia, left Furstenhagen in the 1890s for Bonn and then Essen. They emmigrated to the USA - Northern Ohio in 1912. Melchior had two half brothers, Johannes and Heinrich, and maybe a third half brother. Johannes Hartleib was mayor of Furstenhagen from 1928 - 1935, I believe. I am not sure if that was Melchior's half brother or his half brother's son.
Melchior's two half-sisters also came to America, but they lived in New Jersey. I met one of their daughters, but I was about 2 or 3 years old at the time. Unfortunately, I wasn't very interested in family history until after my aunts, uncles and father died, so I didn't ask a lot of questions.
I wonder if any children of Johannes, Heinrich or the other brother - if there was one - are still in this area?
The Hartleibs (from Rustingen) and Weskes (from Eichstruth) went to Furstenhagen in the 1830s. They were some of the earliest settlers according to a magazine article I received from Hedwig Schmaus, who lived in Furstenhagen until she, her husband and children escaped in 1952. They then settled in the Munich area. I have been in contact with her children, but they don't know much about the ancestors. Hedwig Schmaus (now deceased) said she visited Furstenhagen after the Soviets left and that all the houses of her relatives were gone and no Hartleibs were living there. One of her relatives was Martin Stander, who she said was a cousin of my father or grandfather.
I know this is so much information and I hope it is not too confusing. I am sorry that I don't speak German and hope someone who speaks English can help me. Thank you very much.
CeCeile Hartleib
2030 Selby Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota, 55104
651-647-6078