Reading help / Lesehilf - Osnabruck St. Johann

oldenburg-l
1

Hello all, Could anyone please give me their help/opinion on the mother's maiden name for the two baptismal entries pasted below? The entries are for two siblings (Ludwig Theodor - June 14, 1722 and Theodor Wilhelm - July 15, 1727), and both entries are at the top right hand corner of each image. The father is Johan Wilhelm Meyer and the mother is Anna Margaret [Speelbaum??]. I can't make out what her last name is or match it to a name in the Osnabruck farm list booklets that I have. Also, does anyone know or have a theory as to why the local nobles seem to be godparents to so many common people in this parish (and maybe it happens in Hagen too)? I haven't seen this phenomenon in other parts of Germany, and it's not just my family, since I have noticed it several times going through the records. Thanks,Don Taufen F003-2 - 0088 | Osnabrück St. Johann - Neustadt | Osnabrück, rk. Bistum | Deutschland | Matricula Online Taufen F003-2 - 0088 | Osnabrück St. Johann - Neustadt | Osnabrück, rk. Bistum | Deutschland | Matricula Online

2

I read Anna Margaret Speelbaum. For the others question I have not idea.
Werner

3

It seems to me that parents of new born babies always looked for the most
reliable, wealthy and authoritative god parents they could find for their
children. I mean being a God Parent meant that he or she would take
responsibility for the child if the parents died which happened often. They
weren't just witnesses. Also, such god parents were assumed to bring gifts
and stature to the child. It was a different time back then.
Fred

4

Hello Don,

the mother's name is SPERLBAUM in both entries.

The rest I can't answer but know this was usual in other places in Germany, too. It differs from Catholic to Protestant, though. As it has to be a very reliable and trustworthy person, it could be that the landlord/lord of the manor offered to take on this honourable duty to have an eye on his parishioners.

Kind regards,

Christiane (Feder)

5

Thanks Fred. Putting it in that context, it makes a lot more sense.

6

Thanks Werner

7

Hi,

I read Sperlbaum, you can see "r" also in the name Meier.

Bernd

8

Hi, I think the mother’s name is Sperlbaum. The fourth letter is for sure an “r” and not an “e”.
Susanne