Due to health issues I have slowed down - so please be patient! I will eventually get to the requested updates and photo acknowledgements. Thanks

%%%%%%%%%%%

~ BIRTH/DEATH/MARRIAGE RECORDS ~

For those frustrated by LACK OF EXACT INFORMATION bear in mind these were PIONEERS.

Mass immigration occurred 30 or more years PRIOR to U.S. Independence. Most U.S. births, deaths and marriages occurred AT HOME, and may or may not have been documented by Church Records or the Family Bible, but were not a requirement of the BRITISH EMPIRE.

The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.

Outside of the largest cities, there were no churches, schools, hospitals, stores, or CEMETERIES. Most pioneer graves occurred near where the individual died and were generally marked only by piles of stone or wooden crosses that disintegrate over time.

Early cemeteries did not bury families together – that is a modern day concept. Pioneer cemeteries originally buried people next to each other in the order of death, with separate locations for adults, children and ethnicity.

Foreigners who could not read or write in the native language where they live were functionally illiterate, but the backbone of this nation, building as they traveled.

Illiteracy was the norm, and only the wealthy were able to afford to send their progeny off to the city for several years to be educated.

During pioneer times quill and paper were not standard household items, blackboards and chalk were, which is why there are so few paper documents and the Bible used to document family history.

It isn't that we "FAILED" to find the documents; very few actually exist, and due to illiteracy and language barriers, their accuracy is highly questionable and information often conflicting.

I offer known, but unsubstantiated, optional dates in the files - not to confuse - but to reflect the diversity in record keeping of that era.

Be thankful we have the pre-independence records available, instead of critical of their inaccuracies.

~~~~~~~ FENSTERMACHER ~~~~~~~

After immigration a wide diversity occurred in the spelling of the name Fenstermacher.

Since immigrants usually couldn't speak, read or write English, their name changed as often as the person writing it - and was often phonetic.

Accents, and the fact that other languages do not have the same 26 letter A-Z alphabet that English does, also contributed to making translations tricky and documentation difficult.

As if that wasn't enough the spelling of names is complicated by relocation. As they moved, individuals in one county or state would be taught the spelling of their name differently than the same family members in another.

In addition, names eventually were Anglicised, making it difficult to determine which is the actual, correct, version, so for the most part I have used the spelling of the name the family has agreed upon or where possible the name on the headstone.

%%%%%%%%%%%

~~~~~~~~~ OBITUARIES ~~~~~~~~~

I have no problem adding obituaries and newspaper photos to this site, because I do contact the source and request permission - even after the fact, such as for those that were already in the files when I obtained them. Please be sure to site the source if you have it.

%%%%%%%%%%%

~~ SUGGESTIONS & CORRECTIONS ~~

All suggestions & corrections MUST be accompanied by file number, as there are multiply individuals with the same first and last name. If you wish to have files linked, provide the file number for each individual!

NOTE: I reserve the right to verify information prior to annotating any file. Please include source of information.

FYI: Original file links only. I WILL NOT link family members to duplicate or triplicate files.

%%%%%%%%%%%

I am reviewing every Fenstermaker record, or derivative of, and would be happy to accept management of any or all, if you are interested in transferring. It is not my intention to just "collect" them - I intend to spend at least a year or so "connecting" them. I do not expect everyone to just hand over their records. Feel free to transfer, or "politely" advise me you decline.

%%%%%%%%%%%


I am the 9th great granddaughter of Conradt Fenstermacher c1627 Hillscheidt, Rhenish Bavaria, Germany.

MY LINE OF DESCENT:
GGF-9: .. Unknown - Fenstermacher, Conradt
GGF-8: .. 1650-1678 Fenstermacher, Conrad
GGF-7: .. 1678-1761 Fenstermacher, John M
GGF-6: . c1715-1790 Fenstermacher, Philip
GGF-5: .. 1749-1831 Fenstermacher, Michael
GGF-4: .. 1777-1849 Fenstermaker, Philip
GGF-3: .. 1803-1881 Fenstermacher, Michael
GGF-2: .. 1836-1911 Fenstermaker, Aaron
GGF-1: .. 1878-1959 Fenstermaker, Daniel
GMthr: 1906–1978 Oakes, Rose Fenstermaker
Mother: 1930-pres Martin, Lillian Oakes
ME: ...... 1954-pres JMartin

Due to health issues I have slowed down - so please be patient! I will eventually get to the requested updates and photo acknowledgements. Thanks

%%%%%%%%%%%

~ BIRTH/DEATH/MARRIAGE RECORDS ~

For those frustrated by LACK OF EXACT INFORMATION bear in mind these were PIONEERS.

Mass immigration occurred 30 or more years PRIOR to U.S. Independence. Most U.S. births, deaths and marriages occurred AT HOME, and may or may not have been documented by Church Records or the Family Bible, but were not a requirement of the BRITISH EMPIRE.

The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.

Outside of the largest cities, there were no churches, schools, hospitals, stores, or CEMETERIES. Most pioneer graves occurred near where the individual died and were generally marked only by piles of stone or wooden crosses that disintegrate over time.

Early cemeteries did not bury families together – that is a modern day concept. Pioneer cemeteries originally buried people next to each other in the order of death, with separate locations for adults, children and ethnicity.

Foreigners who could not read or write in the native language where they live were functionally illiterate, but the backbone of this nation, building as they traveled.

Illiteracy was the norm, and only the wealthy were able to afford to send their progeny off to the city for several years to be educated.

During pioneer times quill and paper were not standard household items, blackboards and chalk were, which is why there are so few paper documents and the Bible used to document family history.

It isn't that we "FAILED" to find the documents; very few actually exist, and due to illiteracy and language barriers, their accuracy is highly questionable and information often conflicting.

I offer known, but unsubstantiated, optional dates in the files - not to confuse - but to reflect the diversity in record keeping of that era.

Be thankful we have the pre-independence records available, instead of critical of their inaccuracies.

~~~~~~~ FENSTERMACHER ~~~~~~~

After immigration a wide diversity occurred in the spelling of the name Fenstermacher.

Since immigrants usually couldn't speak, read or write English, their name changed as often as the person writing it - and was often phonetic.

Accents, and the fact that other languages do not have the same 26 letter A-Z alphabet that English does, also contributed to making translations tricky and documentation difficult.

As if that wasn't enough the spelling of names is complicated by relocation. As they moved, individuals in one county or state would be taught the spelling of their name differently than the same family members in another.

In addition, names eventually were Anglicised, making it difficult to determine which is the actual, correct, version, so for the most part I have used the spelling of the name the family has agreed upon or where possible the name on the headstone.

%%%%%%%%%%%

~~~~~~~~~ OBITUARIES ~~~~~~~~~

I have no problem adding obituaries and newspaper photos to this site, because I do contact the source and request permission - even after the fact, such as for those that were already in the files when I obtained them. Please be sure to site the source if you have it.

%%%%%%%%%%%

~~ SUGGESTIONS & CORRECTIONS ~~

All suggestions & corrections MUST be accompanied by file number, as there are multiply individuals with the same first and last name. If you wish to have files linked, provide the file number for each individual!

NOTE: I reserve the right to verify information prior to annotating any file. Please include source of information.

FYI: Original file links only. I WILL NOT link family members to duplicate or triplicate files.

%%%%%%%%%%%

I am reviewing every Fenstermaker record, or derivative of, and would be happy to accept management of any or all, if you are interested in transferring. It is not my intention to just "collect" them - I intend to spend at least a year or so "connecting" them. I do not expect everyone to just hand over their records. Feel free to transfer, or "politely" advise me you decline.

%%%%%%%%%%%


I am the 9th great granddaughter of Conradt Fenstermacher c1627 Hillscheidt, Rhenish Bavaria, Germany.

MY LINE OF DESCENT:
GGF-9: .. Unknown - Fenstermacher, Conradt
GGF-8: .. 1650-1678 Fenstermacher, Conrad
GGF-7: .. 1678-1761 Fenstermacher, John M
GGF-6: . c1715-1790 Fenstermacher, Philip
GGF-5: .. 1749-1831 Fenstermacher, Michael
GGF-4: .. 1777-1849 Fenstermaker, Philip
GGF-3: .. 1803-1881 Fenstermacher, Michael
GGF-2: .. 1836-1911 Fenstermaker, Aaron
GGF-1: .. 1878-1959 Fenstermaker, Daniel
GMthr: 1906–1978 Oakes, Rose Fenstermaker
Mother: 1930-pres Martin, Lillian Oakes
ME: ...... 1954-pres JMartin