GERMANY: Baker - from Nassau, Germany

[mazzie74]

Hi,

Me again,

You mentioned that you can't find a death for Christian Becker (Baker).

If the Christian Becker, naturalised in 1911 and living in Newport, Monmouth, is your ancestor, then this is his death detail:-

Deaths Mar qtr 1920
BECKER  Christian W  (Age) 62  Newport M.  11a 313

Thanks,

Darin.

[Pysie]

Hi, Darin and Bob,

Thanks for all the tips.

Sorry to be a damp squid, Darin, but Christian disappeared completely from all British censuses and BMD records after 1871. I can only assume that, being 'the baby', he went back to Germany. I'm not too worried about his story as it is his brother, Johannes, who is my ancestor. There is no evidence that Christian was Christian 'W' Baker, and certainly no evidence he had any contact with Wales. But who knows?

I checked out 'Ebbecke' on familysearch but it seems there is no obvious connection.

I have searched all the British records over seven years and can discount any similar names of Bakers born in Germany who lived in London or anywhere else outside of Sussex. Sorry, but my brothers are not on your list.

The names of the four brothers are quite specific - as listed in my original message - and, as far as I know, they only ever lived in the Worthing/Brighton area of Sussex. I am sure their address at the time of naturalisation would have been 'Worthing' or 'Sussex'.

Johannes, Phillipp and George all married shortly after their arrival in England and raised families in the Worthing/Brighton area. I can find no other conection with any other part of Britain.

I have trawled throught he websites you sent, Bob, (very frustrating!!!) and I have not found any trace of the brothers. (If only I spoke German!!!)

Wilsenthrop might be a red herring but it is all I have to go on. It is a name of a village in Nassau mentioned just once in a census return by Christian (or Phillipp? - I can't remember which without checking). Of course, if Christian/Phillipp was born in Wisenthrop, there is no guarantee the other brothers were born there, too. But it may be a start so I shall contact the registry and the Catholic church in Dornburg (the RC parich church of Wilsenthriop?).

I had hoped to find the brothers recorded together on a ship or something so I might learn their original German surname. But, whatever. I shall keep searching ..... .

Of course, I suppose it its just possible they were born in Gernamy of British parents with the name Baker ..... ? But even then, I can find no trace.

Thanks for your help,
Cathy

 

[Pysie]

Bob - for anyone interested in tracing family history in the old Nassau duchy, this link might be of use. 


http://www.davidrumsey.com/maps1318.html

[Rena]

Hi there,
I've looked to see if your brothers could have left their homeland without permission, unfortunately of the 45 pages of "Becker" your family is not yet noted on http://aidaonline.niedersachsen.de/

and perhaps made their way to Denmark - unfortunately they're not on any passenger list:

http://personal.inet.fi/yhdistys/centralin/swe/emi_ref.htm

nor are they on any Norwegian passenger list:-
http://www.norwayheritage.com/

I've looked in the Morman catalogue and searched for keyword "Wilsenroth, but it appears that there's only an Ev. Lutheran film available for Wilsenroth giving births/geburten up to the year 1851. (Evangelische Kirche Wilsenroth (Kr. Limburg).    My own ancestors were Catholic, being confirmed in a catholic church but baptised in the nearby Ev. Lutheran church.

  However Wilsenroth also appeared as being included in the Catholic church records for Frickhofen (Katholische Kirche Frickhofen (Kr. Limburg)).  Unfortunately on the surface the dates only cover the earlier generations and not the generation you're looking for.
 
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/

When I failed to find film of my Kingdom of Hannover Catholic branch I emailed the Catholic archives and received the information at a cost of £30 Sterling, from that start I could then hire earlier films for a fraction of the cost.

Good Luck,
Rena

[Pysie]

Thanks for trying, everyone. I've had no luck tracing natrulaisation papers, and no luck on the sites you all mentioned.

I think I shall have to contact the Catholic archives, or get a German-speaking friend to help out. I think I remember a web-site which listed the correct offices to contact for Frickhofen RC and Dornburg births. (Familysearch? Rootsweb? Cindy's List?- I'll let you know when I find it again.)


RENA -

 I note you have Pye, Munford and Smith in your list of names. So do I!!!Have you seen my names? Munford is not there - yet - but my daughter recently married a Munford!!!! Which part of the country do your Pyes, Smiths and Munfords come from?

Cathy

[Baker Family]

Greetings from Canada.!  I am the Great Granddaughter of George Boniface Baker b. Germany 1853 and lived in Worthing, Sussex, England.  Wow, have we made a connection here!  I'm new at the genealogy business but also made an incredible connection with Phillip Baker's Great Grandson & his family last week.  George Baker was a musician & composer (violin & piano) and was married to my Great Grandma Harriet Naomi Grevatt.  He died in England in his early 40's and GG H. Naomi came to Canada with her 4 children.  According to my new found cousins in England, Christian never married and never left England, living with his Mother, Renee Baker.  Phillip had 6-7 children and lived out his life in Worthing.  Later in his life, he played piano at the Olympic theatre.   All four brothers played in a band called "The Rhine Band" and played at the Worthing bandstand.  In fact, I found a reference in Oscar Wilde's writings stating that the Rhine Band brought a bit of culture to Worthing.   They were apparently born in the Black Forest area of Germany and according to Renee Baker's notes (she was in her mid 80's at the time of writing), the name was originally BAIKER.  I had been on the trail of Beckers but I am confident in this new found information.  In the past week, I have received several fabulous pictures of the Baker Boys, one or two I believe containing Johannes (John) Baker.  I was so excited when I googled and found this posting that I signed up and didn't read the instructions for beginners, etc.  Hope I haven't overstepped any of the boundaries here!  Cathy, I am extremely interested in hearing back from you or anyone else on this forum, related to our Baker/Baiker ancestors.  Regards from Canada, Ann

[Rena]

Wow Ann,
Welcome to the fascinating journey of finding your roots and welcome to rootschat.

I was interested to see mention of music as that was what brought my Hannovarian gt grandfather and his extended family to England where they settled amd opened a music school after touring mainland Europe.

Good luck to you and Cathy,
Cheers,
Rena

[Pysie]

Wahoooo!!!! Weyhey!!!!

Hi there, Ann!

I have been trying to trace descendents of Phillipp and George for some ten years without success. I have a full Baker tree from Johannes, George and Phillipp, and I am touch with relations (from Johannes) in England, USA and Canada. This Canadian branch has produced a comprehensive 'Baker Book'.

My computer is on the blink so please excuse any delays in messaging. I have a new one on order and this should be up and running in a week or so.

Yes, the brothers Johannes (John), Phillipp and George were all musicians in Worthing and also played at the Theatre Royal in Brighton. I'm intrigued to learn that Christian lived with his mother, Renee, in England. Does that mean that Joseph and Renee emigrated with their sons from Germany? I have not been able to find a death certificate for Christian.

I have some photos of the brothers, too, which I can send.

If I can work out how to do it, I shall send you a personal message with my email address.


Rena - many thanks for your support and messages of luck. I may not have tracked the Bakers/Baikers back to Nassau, but it looks as though I have found some 3rd cousins!

Best wishes,
Cathy

[Stuart888]

Hi Cathy,

I have been researching my family tree, and  have found my 2x great grandfather Johann Lassman  came over from Nassau, Germany aged 17, and was a profesional musican with 'The Rhine Band'.

He & his fellow musicians resided at  28 Cumberlain Place,  Brighton in the 1861 Census and in 1872 he got married and stayed in England.

I am trying to trace information about The Rhine Band, & also Johan Lassman, as I know the  band performed in Worthing bandstand and Brigton in the 1860's.

Also I have traced a local book about Worthing, 'A Town's Pride: Victorian Lifeboatmen & their Community' by Rob Blann. and there are  several references to the Rhine Band.

I will be buying a copy this week, & would be happy  to share any info or photos with you , as I am trying to find any  photo's of the band myself.


Stuart

Wahoooo!!!! Weyhey!!!!

Hi there, Ann!

I have been trying to trace descendents of Phillipp and George for some ten years without success. I have a full Baker tree from Johannes, George and Phillipp, and I am touch with relations (from Johannes) in England, USA and Canada. This Canadian branch has produced a comprehensive 'Baker Book'.

My computer is on the blink so please excuse any delays in messaging. I have a new one on order and this should be up and running in a week or so.

Yes, the brothers Johannes (John), Phillipp and George were all musicians in Worthing and also played at the Theatre Royal in Brighton. I'm intrigued to learn that Christian lived with his mother, Renee, in England. Does that mean that Joseph and Renee emigrated with their sons from Germany? I have not been able to find a death certificate for Christian.

I have some photos of the brothers, too, which I can send.

If I can work out how to do it, I shall send you a personal message with my email address.


Rena - many thanks for your support and messages of luck. I may not have tracked the Bakers/Baikers back to Nassau, but it looks as though I have found some 3rd cousins!

Best wishes,
Cathy