Since my last post, I’ve been working away on the next blog post, presumably about Abraham Adolph Rothschild. I mean, that was the plan. And then this morning, I received an email response to an inquiry I’d sent to the Kirchengemeinde in Mörfelden, Hesse, Germany. Mörfelden is where Wilhelm Eberwein served the Lutheran community from 1878 until he retired in 1895, and continued to live until he died in 1899. The information I received was wonderful, and I am extremely grateful to Pastor Andrea Schätzler-Weber for getting back to me.
She provided me with a copy of Wilhelm and Friedericke’s youngest daughter’s marriage record, along with a transcription, which is great because the handwriting is a mess!
What’s great about this record is that all of that writing in the margin is about their 4 children. Hilmar Ernst Wilhelm Friedrick Bindewald was born 23 August 1885, died 2 September 1893, just a week or two after his 8th birthday. Otto Hans Friedrich Bindewald was born 18 August 1886, and then disappears. I’m hoping he grew up, married, and had a bunch of kids. Unnamed Daughter Bindewald was born 19 January 1890 and lived just 2 1/2 minutes. Those three I knew about, but I was surprised to learn about Karl Gustav Hilmar Bindewald, born 26 February 1893, and died 1 August 1909, at the age of 16.
This is the document I got really excited about because it provides a timeline of his postings as a pastor, and provided me, finally, with an answer to a question that’s been pestering me for awhile now: How did a Lutheran Pastor from Sellnrod meet a nice Jewish girl from Vöhl? Because he was in Vöhl!
Pastor Eberwein graduated from the Universitätbibliothek Gießen on 25 May 1840. His first posting was to Vöhl. From 1840 – 1849, he was the pastor, or assistant pastor (still sorting that out) of Martinskirche. Friedericke’s father, Ascher financed the construction of the building. Following the death of his first wife, Sprinza, Ascher’s younger children were sent to live with Ascher’s nephew, Ruben Rothschild, and Ruben’s wife, Helene Sternberg, who was Sprinza’s sister. While the first mention of this arrangement is in 1840, I believe the children went to live there shortly after Sprinza’s death, and probably just stayed there, even after Ascher married his second wife, Blümchen Sternberg. In late 1847, Ruben officially resigned from the Jewish Community Board, and in January of 1848, he wrote to the Grand Duke Hesse asking that his name be permanently revoked from the Jewish Community. This request was granted toward the end of the year, and in 1849, he was named guardian of a young Christian child named Andreas Kalbfleisch. This implies Ruben was Christian.
With Christianity in the home, I’m certain Pastor Eberwein visited the family often, so there was plenty of opportunity for Friedericke and Wilhelm to get to know each other, fall in love, and get married. I’m currently working on tracking down a marriage record for them, and am curious to know if they got married in Vöhl before he left to his next posting or after.
From 1849 – 1860, he was the pastor of Ulrichstein. Located in the Vogelsberg Mountains, Ulrichstein is the highest town in Hesse, Germany. It’s interesting to note that the River Ohm originates just northwest of town. Downstream is the town of Homberg/Ohm, where the Sternberg sisters — Sprinza, Helene, and Blümchen –were from.
From 1860 – 1867, Wilhelm was in Burg Gemünden. On 1 June 1860, in his official capacity as Pastor, he baptized Friedericke’s brother Abraham, and gave him the Christian name of Adolph. Camille and I were lucky to be able to spend about 3 minutes here. Had we known, we’d have taken the time to walk around to the back where there is reported to be a gorgeous rose window. Next time.
From 1867 – 1878, he was the pastor in Ober-Ramstadt. I haven’t yet been able to find out any information about this church. Ober-Ramstadt is located south and a little east of Frankfurt.
Finally, in 1878, he was appointed pastor in Mörfelden, where he served the Lutheran community until he retired in 1895, and where he and Friedericke stayed until he died in 1899. You can read more about his posting in Mörfelden in the last blog post.
And now, back to work on my first post for Adolph Rothschild. Stay safe and stay happy!
Rothschilds of Vöhl and Their Relatives 