Search on Meffers Family

hannover-l
1

The mailing list reveals there are also U.S.American members, therefore
I would like try to find answers on another way:

Father: Henry (Heinrich) Mefers (Mafers) born about 1807 in the
territory of the later Kingdom of Hannover
Mother: Dorothea Mefers - nee ? born about 1808 in the territory of the
later Kingdom of Hannover,

daughter Dorothea (Dora) born abt. 1837 Kingdom of Hannover, died
3-13-1905 Louisville, Kentucky U.S.A.
               she married 9-30-1856 at rom. cath. St. Martin of Tours
Church, Louisville, Kentucky to
                  Paul Schaefer.

daughter Caroline, born abt. 1842 Kingdom of Hannover, died 7-19-1910
Louisville, Kentucky U.S.A.
               she married in 1863 to Charles Eith,

daughter Elizabeth, born 3-25-1845) Kingdom of Hannover, died
6-13-1902 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.
                 she married 11-19-1867 at. St. Boniface Roman Catholic
Church, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.
                   to David Stengel

According to the 1850 U.S. census this family lived in New Orleans,
Louisiana. Father's last name is spelled as Mafers.
According to the 1860 U.S. census Caroline and Elizabeth lived in the
household of her sister Dora with husband Paul Schaefer
and their daughters. census spells the last name of Caroline and
Elizabeth as Mayfors

Later Death Certificates, issued for children Schaefer and Eith reads
Meffers.
Even other records reads Meffers or other different spellings

David Stengel was a brother of my g grandfather, he was a roman
catholic.
marriage records does not mention there was a mixed marriage, therefore
I would assume, this Meffers were also roman
catholics, means from the Diocese of Hildesheim.

If someone may have this Meffers among his/her ancestors or may hit
them, please let me know.

Heinz E. Hennige
Haigerloch, Germany

2

Beruf: Nachrichterknecht in Uepsen, Halbmeister bzw.
Nachrichter in Syke.
?
Can someone translate the above or is it something that can be said in different German words?

3

http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~cd2/drw/e/ha/lbme/iste/halbmeister.htm

4

Hello Janice,

The articles published by Hans Witts are very exactly and detailed,
but perhaps it doesn't really explain your question.

the terms in German means the executioner
Scharfrichter = that who pass the judgement by the sharpness of the
sword
Nachrichter = (literally after-judge) means that who executed the
judgement.

Knecht in this way means "hand, servant".

Let me tell also: some executioners works also as flayers for
generations
the term for it was Abdecker (flayer) or "Wasenmeister" literally = lawn
master
because he had to bury the animals that has died by diseases on a
Wasen = grassland that was not used for farming opposit, = meadow (Rasen
in standardized German)
what results they became knowledge in the physic of the animal and
worked
also as vets. in the first half of the 19th century here in Haigerloch a
Mr. Joseph Steinmayer
son of one of the last executioners and flayers was eployed as official
veterinary for nearly 50 years
and highly respected in his job.

Heinz (Ernst Hennige)

"Janice Rinne" <mailto:rinnejk@aol.com> schrieb:

5

Hallo!

Nachrichterknecht ist der Gehilfe des Scharfrichters ( Henkers ).

Gru�
Thomas

6

Dear Janice,

The Nachrichter or Halbmeister is the hangman or executioner,
and the Nachrichterknecht is his servant

The Nachrichter/Halbmeister also had to care for cattle that had died
of a disease.

Greetings

Falk Liebezeit
Diepholz