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Author: karyng01
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.ziegler/687.1.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
Hi, Robert,
I guess those 6 years of high school and university French are going to come in handy
now!
I had tried to use this site Archives Departemental du Haut-Rhin site before, but I
didn't get very far with it. I think I need to spend some more time with it to really
understand how to get to the level of detail you were able to find. I will go back and try
to find the same marriage record you found, so that I can learn to use the website
better.
This is great information, thank you so much for finding it for me. There are family
stories that George ("Jean Georges") owned a textile mill, but it's also
possible he worked in a mill as a weaver. You know how family stories can get exaggerated
over time! We wondered how 5 children could have afforded to leave Alsace during the 1871
"Options" period, and knowing people's occupations and if the family owned a
business might lead us to understand where the money came from. (I know Kientzheim is a
wine region, but I don't know that my family worked in that industry.)
The family clearly had a dedication to being French Alsatians, even after 1871. In the
1880 USA census, the brothers say they were born in France, not Germany/Prussia. Letters
written by family members are in French as well.
Again, thank you for your help!
Warmly,
Karyn
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