From: fr@compu.com (Fred Rump from home)
Newsgroups: soc.roots
Subject: Re: Finding Peter Schubmehl in St. Wendel's Prussia
Date: 6 Sep 92 20:27:55 GMT
Organization: CompuData Inc.

daves@BRSPYR1.BRS.COM (Dave Schubmehl) writes:



>       Another scrap of information that I have indicates that he came
>       from "St.  Wendel's, Prussia".  Since the Schubmehl family has
>       always been Roman Catholic, this might be either the name of the
>       parish, or it could possibly be the name of a town in Prussia
>       which is now modern-day Germany.

>	1. Where can I find detailed maps of Prussia during the 1840s
>	   and 1850s?  Is someone aware of how I can find out where
>	   Roman Catholic parishes are located in Prussia/Germany?

Dave, you have to remember that Prussia ranged all over Northern Europe during 
1815 (after Napoleon) and until the final unification of Germany under the 
Prussian kings as emperors of Germany. It was the 'growth' phase.

For example, after the Congress of Vienna the basis of a Northern German 
Prussia was set which was completed after the Austro-Prussian war in 1866. So 
at that time Prussia extended from far to the east of Koenigsberg to Alsass 
and Lorreigne in the west. We're talking about the Catholic Rhineland, 
Westphalia, Silesia and vast other areas here where your folks may have come 
from. I know the feeling of trying to get a hold of something. Personally, 
I've never heard of any St Wendel, but this is the place to look.

Also as to your question about fighting WITH Napoleon. There were lots of 
sideplays and mercenary units switched as it was financially beneficial. Also, 
the Saxons, Hanoverians and Bavarians were not exactly the best of friends 
with the Prussians. At one point during these perilous times the British, 
Austrians, French, Dutch, Hanoverians and Bavarians concluded a secret 
alliance against the upstart Prussians and their Russian friend the Zar. Then 
there was contention for Saxony whose king Augustus was also king of Poland 
and Poland sat there for the taking. This was between the Russians and the 
Prussians. The Zar wanted Poland to be a kingdom under his sovereignty while 
Prussia wanted and got Saxony. A lot of these folks fought with the French. 
The Confederation of the Rhine troops were mainly German. That's how the 
Prussians got all that land. The Polish nobleman Marshal Poniatowski, Marshal 
of France, was killed (drowned) after the Battle of Leipzig were he and 
Napoleon were finally defeated in the so called Wars of Liberation.

So you ancestors may well have been on the losing end of the stick and 
eventually took off for America to start over. 

The Prussians kept lists and names of their troops and I've heard of these 
being available in Germany in a variety of sources, but I have no idea 
where as I've never had a direct need to find this. 

Keep looking. I would try to make contact with some German geneological groups 
for help as you may need it.

I'm off myself on 10/16 for a two week trip to do some further sleuthing. I 
got all these long lost relatives together for a bit of a family reunion. 
Since somebody from America is interested they are getting the feever too. 
Kind'a neat. I'm going to see if I can find my great-great-grandmother's tomb 
at St Martinis in Muenster. Supposedly it's there. We shall see. (And that is a 
Franke.) My big problems are in East Prussia where my mother's folks went way 
back from somewhere in France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in
1685. Probably a hopeless cause.

Fred
-- 
W. Fred Rump 	office:	   fred@COMPU.COM     'mans feet have grown/so big 
26 Warren St.   home: fred@icdi10.compu.com  that he/forgets his littleness'
Beverly, NJ. 08010                          		Don Marquis 
609-386-6846    bang:uunet!cdin-1!icdi10!fr   
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