On the drive from Wissembourg, you will come upon Lampertsloch, then Preuschdorf, followed by Goersdorf.  In his will, Jacob left money to the three Catholic churches in each village.  The drive in between each is about 2-3 minutes - about the time … [Read more...]

Fourth Great Grandfather Mathias, son of Jacob, marries Maria Catharina Huener of Freckenfeld, Germany in October of 1786.   By now, he has moved to Jockgrim, but that story will be part of the Jockgrim post. They marry in Minfeld, which is the next … [Read more...]

Jockgrim, Germany is the last place the Berger line lived prior to leaving for eastern Russia.  Research shows they spent about 20 years here.  Jockgrim is a mix of old houses, new houses, the old church, and a new church built in the late 1960's. … [Read more...]

Jockgrim opened a new church in 1968.  I really liked this place.  This church was stunning!  The churches built around Seattle at the same  time are pathetic in comparison.  This was the only new church I saw.  The rest were renovations that were … [Read more...]

The place in Jockgrim I really wanted to get into was the original church in town - St. Dionysius (there are variations on the spelling).  This church's tower dominates the city skyline.  This was the church our ancestors attended prior to leaving … [Read more...]

After I had completed all my explorations around the Ancestral Homeland, I made one last trip through Jockgrim.  It was to say good bye to the place where our journey from our homeland had begun.  Our ancestors did not come back here when they left … [Read more...]

The tour started in Wissembourg, France.  This is where it is believed that 6th GG Grandparents Peter and Magdalena lived when they died.  It is here that 5th GG Grandfather collects his inheritance.  It is believed that he may have lived and/or … [Read more...]

Third Great Grandmother, Katharina Senn Berger, wife of Johannes Dionysus Berger, was born in Seebach, France in 1800.  She probably met Johannes in Russia since they were just toddlers when we know the Berger clan took off.   All of Katharina's … [Read more...]

Now we are to the people born in Russia/Ukraine.  George is the son of Johannes and Katharina Berger and was born in what is now Ukraine.  Elizabeth is born in Ukraine.  Her father was also born there.  (George was born to his parents when they were … [Read more...]

Mathias, son of George and Elizabeth, married Rosalia Jahner, both of whom were born in Ukraine and died in North Dakota.  Rosalia's parents, Peter and Appolonia,  were born in Ukraine.  I am not sure where her grandparents,  Jakob and Franziska, … [Read more...]