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On opening the Baptismal Register from the Church in Blücher near Boizenburg/Elbe in Germany, this is the first Stebens record. Though difficult to read it translates as, **9th February 1701: "Johan Ste?ens (surname became Stebens in later entries) of Blücher has a son baptised. The Godparents are M. Wilhelm Golt, Miller of Blücher and Miller Hans Ulrich Burmeister; (Mrs)Maria Manke of Blücher. The child is named Wilhelm .............." ** It was usual for there to be 3 sponsors or Godparents for a baptism. In the case of a boy there would be 2 males and 1 female. The child was usually named after 1 or 2 of the sponsors, hence Wilhelm for this child. Knowing the sponsors is important for it enables us to reconstruct the important friendships of our antecedent families. Note that Goldt and Burmeister were millers in Blücher in 1701. The main mill, where the grain was ground, was located in the forest on the northern side of the village, on the bank of the River Schaale. This mill was known as the "Waldmühle" and was water-powered. A millstone is still to be found lying in the grass beside the millrace on the River Schaale, about a kilometre upstream of Blücher. The site of the watermill was visited by Ian Stehbens (Australia) and Thomas Stebens (Besitz, Germany) and Otfried Steben (Bad Doberan, Germany) together in May 2005.
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