Ain't the Internet Great!

About a week ago, I was cruising Ancestry.com and saw that a particular tree (by a German woman) had a specific date for an Eichenauer's birth that I only had a guesstimate for. Out of curiousity I contacted her and asked if she has a source for her information. She not only provided me with the source for that one, but for several others. Additionally, she told me of three websites in Germany where records are archived. Two are free and have most of what can be found on ancestry.com and familysearch.org. They are civil records, none of which go back further than 1878 when civil records began.

The 3rd site charges for viewing and downloading files. 

I took three days off of work this week and decided to get a 30 day pass that allowed unlimited viewing and 50 pages to download. I have only 7 pages left on my pass.

From somewhere I hear a voice whispering "choose wisely, Grasshopper."

So, I have now achieved what I never anticipated: more records than I can keep up with.

But while I am assimilating as much as I can, I will pass on to you an observation about the Eichenauers in Germany. 

I think I already mentioned that the Rödigers were pretty much stuck in Tann for centuries. Our line of Eichenauers came to Tann between 1824 and 1826. Before that they lived at Hof Trunsbach near Niederthalhausen. But while looking at the Niederthalhausen records, I noticed that there were no records pertaining to Eichenauers there before the 1790s.

With the help of the German woman's tree I discovered that Johann Friedrich Eichenauer's (1824-1881) great grandfather, Johann George Eichenauer died in Niederthalhausen in 1822, but was born in Grebenau in 1727. His death record says that he was the "Conductor" of the Hof Trunsbach. I am guessing right now, but from old maps, Hof Trunsbach looks to be a large farm estate. And apparently the owner hired a manager to run the place. I am hoping that someone has written more about Hof Trunsbach.

So, where are Hof Trunsbach, Niederthalhausen and Grebenau in relation to Tann?

Time for you to pull out Google Maps. Hof Trunsbach still exists. If you google map "Hof Trunsbach, Ludwigsau, Germany" it should take you right to it just off of the L3254 (Road). If you follow the L3254 SE less than 3 miles (4.4 km) you will arrive in Tann where the Rödigers and Eichenauers met. If you follow the L3254 NE 1.6 km you will arrive in Niederthalhausen. Or if you feel like walking there is a more direct path that is 1.2 km and would be about a 15 minute walk. Anybody want to do that? I'm up for it. Anyway, Niederthalhausen was the closest Lutheran church and that is why the records are found there.

Now let's take a look at where Grebenau is located. Just google map "Grebenau, 36323, Germany." If you get directions from Grebenau to Hof Trunsbach you will see that it is about 40 km (24 miles). About a 40 minute drive on today's roads. That was a fur piece back in the day. Somehow Johann George Eichenauer heard about, and was able to secure the Manager job and moved his family there.

After I finish perusing the Niederthalhausen records, I plan on heading over to Grebenau (figuratively) and finding out how long the Eichenauers resided there.