This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Zabel, Wittchow (Wittschuh)
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/RgXBAEB/71.2
Message Board Post:
I have a great deal of information on the Zabel's from the Fairwater area. I
found your message when searching for information on John Carl Zabel (Johann Karl Zabel)
my great-father.
Parents of Johann Karl are Johann and Anna. I have very little info on them but
recently found the Civil War Pension listing for Carl Zabel also known as John C. Zabel,
Widow Anna W. Zabel and am trying to find a link.
Johann and Anna had two children - Henrietta and Johann Karl.
Henrietta was born in Tarnowke, Kreis Flattow, according to the Zion Church, Farwater
records. She died of a "weak heart" at the age of 70 years, 9 months and 10
days, according to Zion's Token -Register (death register). She was buried in the
Fairwater Cemetery next to husband, Christoph Zabel, on April 17, 1916.
I have not found any information on this Christoph; I do not know the relationship between
the two Zabel families.
Christoph and Henrietta had 5 children - John Zabel b: 2/16/1870 in Germany, Albert b:
4/11/1878, Auguste b: 11/20/1881 in Wisconsin, William G. b: 3/18/1883 in Wisconsin, and
August Julius b: 3/24/1887 in Wisconsin.
Johann Karl Zabel was better known by the English form of his name - "John Carl
Zabel"; John Carl Zabel was a farmer.
Translated from the Zion Fairwater records (Todten-Register):
Johann Zabel, born April 13, 1848 at Ternofky (sic), Kreis Flattow, West Prussia and
married October 9, 1881 by Pastor Burkhardt to Albertina Aug. Wittschuh, died on October
8, 1923 in Mackford. He was buried on October 10, 1923 at Fairwater The cause of death was
apoplexy. He had reached the age of 75 years, 5 months, and 24 days. Survivors include:
his widow Alb- Auguste geb (born) Wittschuh, one son, William Zabel, 7 children are dead,
1 sister, Henrietta Zabel and [illegible]
The wedding record at Zion, Fairwater uses the German spelling of his name, Johann Karl,
and wrongly records his date of birth as 1850. The marriage record lists the witnesses
as: Ferdinand Lore (sp.) and Wilhelm Zuelke.
William Zabel (Karl Wilhelm) was my grandfather.
I have a great deal more information and would be glad to share.