SOUFFLENHEIM GENEALOGY RESEARCH

By Robert S. Wideen

Genealogy research in Soufflenheim need not finish in 1743, the year of the earliest surviving church records and the year that genealogy research in Soufflenheim typically ends. It’s possible to trace your ancestors back to the middle 1600's using inheritance, land, and other records. The population of Soufflenheim was not large at this time, as the Thirty Years War, which engulfed the area, had just concluded in 1648. Perhaps 40 or so families lived there. If you find the name you are researching you are likely related. Note that names in various records are sometimes spelled differently. Spelling was not as standardized in earlier times. Additionally, some of the original documents have deteriorated, affecting translation. Spelling can also be affected by errors or typographical mistakes.

The Ancient Archives 2

Religious Records 7

Emigration Records 22

The Ancient Archives

The oldest records in the archives department of Bas-Rhin are known as the Ancient Archives. Records pertaining to Soufflenheim begin in the year 1315 and end in 1793. Most of the documents are written in German. The records are primarily administrative in nature. They provide names of people engaged in various functions, activities, and events, but do not provide relationships. The records cover a variety of subjects, including:

· Fiefs and renewals of fiefs

· Taxes due to the Church

· Mayor of the village

· Administration of the Church's property

· Boundaries and uses of the forest

· Community of Soufflenheim

· Alsace public works

· House and land sales

Religious Records

Soufflenheim has always been overwhelmingly Catholic. Ninety-nine percent of the population was Catholic in the early 1800's. The remainder were Protestant or Jewish. Both Catholic and Protestant records are available for Soufflenheim. Church records prior to 1793 are found in the archives of Bas-Rhin in Strasbourg.

Index To The Parish Records: 1600's - 1792

The index to the Bas-Rhin parish records is found in the book Registres paroissiaux et registres des chapitres ruraux, 1600s-1792: repertoire numerique des sou-series 3E et 2E / par Christian Wolff, conservateur, sous la direction de Francois-Jacques Himly, directeur des Services d’ archives du Bas-Rhin. Author: Archives departementales du Bas-Rhin. Imprint: Strasbourg, Les Archives, 1980. This book is the official Bas-Rhin Department of Archives publication listing all Parish records, Catholic and Protestant, including duplicate Chapter Rural records, available for Bas-Rhin from the 1600's until 1792. Series 3E are Parish records. Series 2E are duplicate Chapter Rural records. The following records are listed for Soufflenheim:

SOUFFLENHEIM 3 E 472

Catholic

Depot de la paroisse, 1969:

· B 1748-1783

· Conf. 1761

· Serment des sages-femme 1758

· B 1783-1791

· BMS 1792

· NMD 1792 (12 Nov.- 26 Dec.)

Notes d’lgn. Hopp dit Lempfried, cure

refractaire sur son exil et B celebren

par la sage-femme durant son absence sept. 1792-1793

· M 1743-1754

· M 1788-1791

· M 1790 (double)

· S 1790

Depot de la commune, 1970:

· S 1788-1793

Protestant

· Voir Sessenheim, 3 E 465

CATHOLIC RECORDS

The Catholic church in Soufflenheim is named St. Michel. There are no Catholic church records, including duplicate Chapter Rural records, for baptisms, marriages and burials earlier than 1743. Records existed prior to 1743 but were either lost or destroyed. Other localities have church records older than those found for Soufflenheim. If a wife was from a community other than Soufflenheim it is possible to find a marriage record in that community. There are also religious records listing money and gifts contributed by the church community.

Index To The FHL Microfilms

Microfilms are no longer in use at the archives in Strasbourg. The original records have been digitalized. The new digitalized records correspond exactly to the microfilms. The following parish records are available on microfilm from the Family History Library and at the archives in Strasbourg:

Record	Years	FHL Film Number	Type	Language
Baptism	1748-1792	Film #740080	Parish Registers	Latin
Marriage	1743-1754	Film #740080	Parish Registers	Latin
Marriage	1788-1792	Film #740080	Parish Registers	Latin
Burial	1788-1793	Film #740080	Parish Registers	Latin

Duplicate Rural Chapter Records

From 1743 to 1788 the Bishop of Strasbourg required the Rural Chapters of Bas-Haguenau and Haut-Haguenau to maintain two copies of the parish registers for baptisms, marriages and burials. Each chapter is further divided, with some parishes having jurisdiction over others. The Rural Chapter collection includes duplicates of baptisms, marriages, and burials occurring in the catholic registers, which were deposited annually from 1743 to 1788 with the rural chapter seat. There are no Rural Chapter Records listed for Soufflenheim. However, the fact that the earliest surviving Soufflenheim Church records begin in 1743 suggests that perhaps some or all of them are duplicate Rural Chapter records.

Tombstones

There are no tombstones in Soufflenheim prior to 1800.

St. Michel Baptism Records

The earliest Soufflenheim baptism records begin in 1748 and end in 1792. They are found on LDS Microfilm 0740080. The records for each year begin on the pages listed below. Note that in 1783 and 1788 new ledgers were created. Beginning in 1788 the baptism, marriage and burial records are often co-mingled, and include some duplicate records.

Year	Page	Year	Page	Year	Page
1748	1	1763	301	1778	621 & 641
1749	13	1764	319	1779	643
1750	28	1765	337	1780	666
1751	56	1766	359	1781	697
1752	72	1767	378	1782	722
1753	88	1768	400	1783	749 & 1
1754	108	1769	424	1784	23
1755	132	1770	445	1785	49
1756	161	1771	461	1786	73
1757	192	1772	479	1787	97
1758	213	1773	498	1788	1
1759	232	1774	522	1789
1760	250	1775	547	1790
1761	265	1776	570	1791
1762	283	1777	594	1792

St. Michel Marriage Records

The earliest Soufflenheim marriage records are from 1743-1754 and from 1788-1792. They are found on LDS Microfilm 0740080. The records for each year begin on the following pages.

Year	Page	Year	Page	Year	Page
1743		1749		1788	Volume 4
1744		1750	431	1789	Volume 4
1745		1751	445	1790	Volume 4
1746		1752	459	1791	Volume 4
1747		1753	472	1792	Volume 4
1748		1754

St. Michel Burial Records

The earliest Soufflenheim burial records are from 1788 to 1793 and are found on LDS Microfilm 0740080. The records for each year begin on the pages listed below.

Year	Page	Year	Page	Year	Page
1788	Volume 5	1790	Volume 5	1792	Volume 5
1789	Volume 5	1791	Volume 5	1793	Volume 5

BAPTISM, MARRIAGE AND DEATH INDEXES

The indexes are the work of Rosa Raiman. They contain over 3,000 baptism records, 2,000 marriage records, and 7,000 death records. The Catholic records are from St. Michel's Church in Soufflenheim.

Soufflenheim Baptism Index

· Catholic baptism records from 1748-1793.

Soufflenheim Marriage Index

· Catholic marriage records from 1743-1754.

· Miscellaneous Catholic marriage records from 1788-1793.

· Civil marriage records from 1793-1882.

Soufflenheim Death Index

· Miscellaneous Catholic death records from 1787-1793.

· Civil death records from 1793-1882.

Brian Smith converted the data from these indexes into web pages which can be found at :

· http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/souffbapt/baptn.htm

· http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/souffmarr/marrw.htm

· http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/souffdeath/deathw.htm

· http://members.cox.net/smithgen/index.htm

PROTESTANT RECORDS

Soufflenheim Protestant Church records are found under the town of Sessenheim, 3 E 465. Microfilm numbers 0746031-0746036: 1626-1792. This film includes records for the communities of Soufflenheim, Auenheim, Dalhunden, Rountzenheim and Stattmatten.

Civil Records

Civil records begin in 1793 and are found in the archives at Strasbourg. They are written in old German until 1806. Printed forms are used beginning in 1811. There are ten-year indexes to the civil records, written in French, from 1793-1852, FHL Film # 740081.

Index To The FHL Microfilms

The following Soufflenheim civil records are available on microfilm from the Family History Library and at the archives in Strasbourg:

Record	Years	FHL Film Number	Type	Language
Birth	1793-1806	Film #740081	Civil Registers	German
Birth	1807-1812	Film #740082	Civil Registers	French
Birth	1813-1832	Film #740025	Civil Registers	French
Birth	1833-1852	Film #740026	Civil Registers	French
Birth	1853-1862	Film #740027	Civil Registers	French
Birth	1865-1872	Film #1165393	Civil Registers
Birth	1873-1877	Film #1733516 Item 4	Civil Registers
Birth	1878-1882	Film #1733867	Civil Registers
Marriage	1793-1806	Film #740028	Civil Registers	German
Marriage	1807-1832	Film #740028	Civil Registers	French
Marriage	1833-1871	Film #740029	Civil Registers	French
Marriage	1870-1872	Film #1767376 Item 8	Civil Registers
Marriage	1873-1882	Film #1733867	Civil Registers
Death	1793-1806	Film #740030	Civil Registers	German
Death	1807-1821	Film #740030	Civil Registers	French
Death	1822-1842	Film #740031	Civil Registers	French
Death	1843-1862	Film #740032	Civil Registers	French
Death	1870-1872	Film #1165394	Civil Registers
Death	1873-1878	Film #1733867	Civil Registers
Death	1878-1882	Film #1733868	Civil Registers

Potter Records

The production of pottery has always been an important activity in Soufflenheim and can be traced back to the second millennium BC. Potters and their families comprised about ten to fifteen percent of the population during the second half of the 17th century. Very little information is available about potters in the 17th and early 18th century. There are documents referring to potters, but it is unlikely they list names.

Town Accounts

There is little mention of potters in the town accounts. According to Soufflenheim Une Cite "The 1689 Town Account says that nine potters paid 30 sous each to extract potter’s clay” and that from 1696 to 1701 “potters were arrested for having taken potter's clay without paying the proper tax. At each time, nine potters are mentioned. So that just nine of them lived at this time in Soufflenheim”.

The 1689 Town Accounts were checked and the names of the nine potters extracting potter’s clay are not listed. They were also checked from the years 1696 to 1701 and the names of the nine potters arrested are not listed.

Legal Documents

The earliest names of potters are found in the inheritance records. Marriage records, which begin in 1743, list the occupation of the fathers of the bride and groom. Many of the fathers would have been born before 1700. Occupations are also listed in birth and baptism records, etc.

Guild Records

There are documents from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries about the "Schüsseldreher" (the pottery throwers) of Soufflenheim. They were admitted to the potter’s guild of Alsace in 1622. The archives at Strasbourg has no guild records from the 17th and 18th centuries for potters or other professions in Soufflenheim.

Tax Records

The tax records for Soufflenheim are found in the Town Accounts. They list money paid by citizens to the local government of Soufflenheim, the Royal government of France, and the Prefecture of Haguenau (religious). Royal and religious authorities also placed various taxes directly on Soufflenheim which were paid in either cash from the general revenues of the village, or in goods or labor.

Tax records are useful in identifying people who lived in Soufflenheim at a particular time. They also provide indications of age and marital status. If a person pays taxes he is probably an adult. If he is an adult he is probably married. An older person will likely pay more taxes than a younger person. The only tax records prior to 1765 that list a substantial number of names are found in the in the years 1680 and 1701.

SOUFFLENHEIM TAXES

The revenue from these taxes and fees was spent by Soufflenheim. Part of the income was spent on the needs of the community and some was passed on to Royal and religious authorities to fulfill the tax obligations they imposed on Soufflenheim. With the exception of a special religious tax in 1680, the income listed in the earliest Town Accounts are not taxes on individual property or income, but income derived from other sources such as grazing rights or wood.

Religious Tax

Soufflenheim paid for all the expenses of the church, including the priests in charge and the celebrations. The 1680 Town Account includes a Religious Account that lists a special tax to which most parishioners contributed. The 66 names on this list, which mention some people more than once, are reduced to 46 names. These 46 names represent an estimated 76% of the total households. This is the earliest list of people living in Soufflenheim and is the only surviving religious tax record to be found in the Town Accounts prior to 1765. The Accounts were searched from 1695 to 1765 and no additional religious tax records were found.

Burgergeld Tax

Burgergeld taxes are found in the Town Accounts. According to Soufflenheim Une Cite, “In several instances the communal accounts name new burghers who pay a tax (Bürgergeld) to be allowed to settle in the city. In 1670 there are two new burghers. In 1671 nine men and three boors give 4 or 8 florins, the boors just 1 florin 5 pence. In 1672 there are named 5 boors and one burgher who pays 4 florins. This amount seems to be the average one. In 1681 a Swiss gave 3 florins to be allowed into the community. In 1684 new burghers are admitted for 40 florins 5 sous (pennies), so ten more new burghers. After the War of the Augsbourg League in 1702, a number of young men pay more than 200 florins. They would so be around 50. In 1707 eleven new burghers pay 45 florins and two foreign women pay 16 florins for this right”.

The references to new burghers in the years 1670, 1671, 1672, 1681, 1684, 1702, and 1707 were checked and in only one case was a name given, and that is in 1672 when a man named Barthel Jorger paid 4 florins for citizenship. Nor was any other information provided such as occupation, origin, or previous residence. In 1702 for example it simply says "Pour droits des nouveaux bourgeois etrangers" (For rights of new burghers - foreigners).

Clay Tax

According to Soufflenheim Une Cite “In 1689 nine potters paid 30 sous each to extract potter’s clay. After the troubled times and disturbances, they believed they could be rid of this tax. A big mistake on their part, as from 1696 to 1701, they were arrested for having taken potter's clay without paying the proper tax. At each time, nine potters are mentioned. So that just nine of them lived at this time in Soufflenheim”. The 1689 Town Account was checked and the names of the nine potters extracting potter’s clay are not listed. The Town Accounts were also checked from the years 1696 to 1701 and the names of the nine potters arrested are not listed.

ROYAL TAXES

These taxes and other obligations, such as labor and forage, were placed on Soufflenheim by the French government. They were collected by Soufflenheim and deposited with the appropriate authorities. The Town Accounts were searched from 1695 until 1765 and the only French government taxes listing residents of Soufflenheim were the 1701 Capitation Tax records.

Capitation Tax

The 1701 Town Accounts list 117 people who paid a tax called Capitation (on each head), initiated for the first time in 1695. These individuals, with the possible exception of the servants, are presumably heads of household. Of the 117 people listed, 16 are servants or valets (13.6%).

Other Taxes

The Subvention Tax (Quarterly Tax) was first levied in 1670 and is the first tax the French administration placed on the residents of Soufflenheim. The contribution was paid four times a year, or quarterly, to the Zinsmeister [receiver] of Haguenau. The Forced Labor Tax began in 1672 as a tax due for forced labor for those in the village who had to go to Philippsbourg to work on the fortifications. The Foraging Tax, begun in 1680, was primarily meant for the cavalry. The Winter Garrison Tax began around 1690 to pay for the cost of maintaining soldiers during the winter. The Safeguard Tax started around 1690 to pay for soldiers to protect the goods of the village. The Militia Tax was begun in 1691 to equip and maintain the local militia.

RELIGIOUS TAXES

Soufflenheim contributed money to the religious authorities through the Bethe Tolls and Frohngeld Tax. The Town Accounts were searched from 1695 to 1765 and no Seigniorial (religious) taxes paid to the Prefecture of Haguenau were found listing residents of Soufflenheim.

Bethe Tolls

The Bethe Tolls (Christmas Toll, Harvest Toll, and Grazing In Meadows Toll) began in the Middle Ages. They are not mentioned in the Town Accounts until 1670.

Frohngeld Tax

The Frohngeld tax began in 1685 and was a tax on forced labor, raised every three months, and supplemented by the population.

Town Accounts

The Town Accounts are the general ledgers of Soufflenheim. They list all sources of income and expenses for each year beginning in 1665. The Town Accounts are kept in the archives at Strasbourg, which is where the town halls, with the exception of some large towns, are required to send their archives. The Town Accounts have been searched for tax records in 1665, 1680 and from 1695 to 1765. The town accounts provide three types of information useful to genealogy research: tax records, mayors, and residents.

Index To The Town Accounts

The oldest Town Accounts are found in series:

· 1E3.158, 1 and 2: 1666 to 1720

· 1E3.158, 4 and 5: 1721 to 1765

Tax Records

Only the 1680 and 1701 Town Accounts contain tax records that list names.

Mayors

The names of the various mayors, the Schultheiss, Heimburgers and Burgermeisters, are listed every year in the Town Accounts with the exception of the Schultheiss in 1672-1679 and 1686 -1689, and the Heimburgers and Burgermeisters from 1675-1679 and 1686-1689. The town accounts in these years have been lost.

Residents

With the exception of tax records in 1680 and 1701, the Town Accounts do not list groups of people such as heads of household or land owners. However, many people are mentioned, sometimes with occupation. In 1665 for example, 24 individuals are mentioned. Most, possible all, of these 24 people resided in Soufflenheim. As some individuals are described as residing in another place, anyone not listed as a resident of another community presumably lives in Soufflenheim.

Census Records

There are no census or other documents in the 17th century that list the name of every adult living in Soufflenheim. The Town Accounts have been checked in 1665, 1680 and from 1695 to 1765 and no lists of people have been found other than the Religious Account in 1680 and the Capitation Tax records in 1701. The following documents provide either a total number of people or the names of certain groups of people, such as heads of household.

1500

According to Soufflenheim Une Cite, "a document in the year 1500 indicates 116 inhabitants were obliged to pay taxes... [and] another document in the Archives of Haguenau compiled in the year 1476 lists the population as 126 heads of households. Assuming five people per household, the population would have been between 600 and 650 inhabitants, plus a certain number of valets, servants, and apprentices, especially apprentices of the potters, bringing the total number of inhabitants of Soufflenheim in the year 1500 to about 700".

1666

In 1666 a representative of the bishop of Strasbourg visited the parish at Soufflenheim and counted 40 people. The document containing this information is found in “Visitationsberichte des Bistums vom Jahre 1660”, p. 1527, Archiv fur elasassische Kirchengeschichte 1943, p. 223 et., by M. Barth. The document was checked and only the number 40 is given. No names are listed.

1680

The 1680 Religious Account, found in the 1680 Town Account, lists a tax paid by the majority of parishioners. The 66 names on this list, which mention some people more than once, is reduced to 46 names. It's estimated about 300 people lived in Soufflenheim in 1680. Three hundred people divided by five people, an average size family, is 60 families. Sixty families minus 46 families leaves 14 households not paying this tax. Five people per household multiplied by 46 names is 230 people; about 76% of the population.

1693

According to Soufflenheim Une Cite "The 1693 Town Account states that the parish counted 60 catholic families and mentions 200 people receiving communion". The 1693 Town Account was checked and no names are listed.

1701

The 1701 Capitation Tax , found in the 1701 Town Accounts, lists the names of 117 people. They are presumably heads of household, with the possible exception of the servants and widows. If the 16 servants and 7 widows are subtracted there remain 94 names. Five people per household multiplied by 94 names is 470 people. Add in servants, apprentices, etc. and the population in 1701 would be about 500 people.

Potters: 1680-1701

Potters and their families comprised about 10 percent to 15 percent of the population during the second half of the 17th century. About 60 families lived in Soufflenheim in 1680, about 65 families in 1693, and about 94 families in 1701. Nine potters are mentioned (not named) several times from 1689 to 1701 regarding taxes. Taxes are probably paid by adults (not apprentices) and adults are likely to be married. The nine potters and their families (assuming all nine were married), would have been about 15 percent of the population in 1680 and about 10 percent in 1701.

Parish Census: 1761

There is a list of names in the 1761 baptism records of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Soufflenheim that appears to be a census of the entire parish.

Census Records: 1819

A census was taken in about 1819 that lists heads of households.

Census Records: 1836-1866

From 1836 to 1866 there was a census every five years in Bas Rhin. The census includes all people, not just heads of households. In the 1836 census, residents are grouped into families, and names, first names, age, religion, profession, civil status, addresses are noted for each resident. The 1836 Census can be purchased on CD-rom at: http://www.census1836.fr/

Land Records

Land records are useful in solving a genealogical problem or adding evidence to a particular theory. They often provide definitive evidence of relationships. The lack of genealogy records prior to 1743 makes land records found in the inheritance records one of the few avenues of research available.

Land records are helpful to research in the 17th and early 18th century due to the small population of Soufflenheim. Although some people had the same first and last names, these individuals were often differentiated in various ways such as "Wolff Frey the eldest" or "Jean Wagner the younger".

Soufflenheim Land Records

Inheritance records in the early 1700’s refer to particular pages in "the land records" when identifying land transferred to a beneficiary. The Soufflenheim town records kept in the archives of Strasbourg were checked and there is no mention of land records. They may well be lost. The Soufflenheim town hall does not keep these records. Their own collection starts around 1800.

Inventory Land Records

Inherited land is described by the owners of adjacent land and features such as a river, path or forest. Useful information in the land portion of the Inventory (inheritance) records includes the names of people living in Soufflenheim at a particular time and the names of people who lived in Soufflenheim in the past and have died.

Land is often described as bordering on people who are deceased such as "deceased Paul Kieffer" or "heirs of deceased Jacob Kieffer". Relationships are also sometimes listed, such as "Hans Martin Kieffer's son Jacob". A description like this also indicates that more than one Jacob Kieffer lived in Soufflenheim at this time.

Individuals listed as deceased are sometimes recently deceased, but in general they passed away over a wide range of time, often within the past five or ten years, but sometimes much longer. An extreme example is Gertrude Kieffer. She died in 1708 and is mentioned forty-three years later, in 1751, as the "heirs of Gertude Kieffer" in the inheritance record of her half brother Hans George Kieffer.

Almost all people mentioned in the land portion of the inventory records are residents of Soufflenheim. The names of all fifteen land owners mentioned in Hans Kieffer's 1687 Inventory (see below) are found in other documents of the period that are specific to Soufflenheim, such as inventory records or the 1680 and 1701 tax records.

Land Owner	Name Found Elsewhere	Source
Diebold Ertz Heirs	Diebolt Ertz Diebold Ertz	1665 Town Account 1687 Inventory of Diebold Ertz
Martin Brucher	Martin Bruckhard’s widow	1701 Capitation Tax
Diebold Irr	Diebolt Irr Diebold Irr	1665 Town Account 1686 Inventory of Diebold Irr
Hans Vögele	Jean Voguele	1701 Capitation Tax
Hans Peter Stiffelmeyer	Hans Stifflmeyer Hans Peter Stieffelmeyer	1680 Religious Tax 1687 Inventory of Diebold Ertz
Jacob Mäyers Heirs	Hans Peter Meyer Jean Pierre Meyer	1693 Inventory of Elisabeth Bernhard 1701 Capitation Tax
Lorentz Schaeffer	Lorentz Schaeffer Lorentz Schaeffer	1665 Town Account 1681 Inventory of Odile Schaeffer
Hans Vögelin	Hans Vogelin	1699 Inventory of George Irren
Adam Hördtel	Adam Hertel Adam Hertel,	1701 Capitation Tax 1699 Inventory of George Irren
Simon Ulrich	Simon Urich Simon Ulrich	1685 Inventory of Anna Anstätt 1693 Inventory of Andreas Goetz
Johann Jeckh	Johann Jäck Jean Jäeck	1680 Religious Tax 1701 Capitation Tax
Hans Wagner	Johannes Wagner Jean Wagner	1677 Inventory of Jacob Wagner 1701 Capitation Tax
Veltin Ulrich	Velten Urich Veltin Urich	1681 Inventory of Catherina Urich 1685 Inventory of Anna Anstätt
Friedrich Kackprenner	Fridrich Kalckbrenner Friedrich Kalckenbrenner	1680 Religious Tax 1691 Inventory of Friedrich Kalckenbrenner
Lorentz Schmidt	Lorentz Schmitt	1682 Inventory of Otillia Kan

Emigration Records

Emigration records are helpful in tracing your ancestors to Soufflenheim and linking family members that emigrated at different times. Soufflenheim emigrants can be found in the Alsace Emigration Index, the Alsace Emigration Records: 1828-1837, and Brian Smith's Soufflenheim Emigrants.

Alsace Emigration Index

An index of emigrants from and through Alsace, including Soufflenheim, from 1817 to 1866 and their place of origin. They are listed by last name in the following FHL microfilms:

· A-C Film # 1125002

· D-G Film # 1125003

· H-K Film # 1125004

· L-P Film # 1125005

· Q-S Film # 1125006

· T-Z Film # 1125007

Alsace Emigration: 1828-1837

Alsatian communities were required to list emigrants to the United States from 1828 to 1837. These records are found in FHL Film #1070234. Emigrants are listed by community and include the emigrant's name, occupation, marital status, number of family members, and money taken out of the country.

Between 1828 and 1837 1,256 men, women, and children emigrated to the United States from the district of Bischwiller, comprised of 21 towns and villages, including Soufflenheim. Of these people, 173 (14%) were from Soufflenheim.

Brian Smith's Soufflenheim Emigrants

Brian Smith has compiled a list of emigrants from Soufflenheim. Provide him with information about your ancestors and he will add their names to his list. You can find this information on his website at http://members.cox.net/smithgen/sitemap.htm.

Notary Records

Notarial documents came into general use after 1648. Soufflenheim notary records were usually recorded in the towns of Haguenau and Roeschwoog. Most notary records were written in German until 1792 and many are still in German until 1806. French is used beginning in 1807. Money listed is in gulden prior to 1792 and francs thereafter. In 1873, notaries were required to send in all their pre-1791 files to the departmental archives with the exception of the court clerks, whose records remained with the city archives. Post-1791 documents are still with the notary offices, up until 1870. The archives in Strasbourg has an index of available old Bas-Rhin notary records in the book Ancient Notorials.

Notary records for Soufflenheim and the surrounding area are generally organized into four categories: inventory (inheritance) records, wills, marriage contracts, and contracts (sales, debts, guardianship records, etc.).

Inventory

Inventories were usually written within a month or so after a person’s death. However, some were written a few years after death or even at the time of the last widow's death. Some inventories were probably lost, never made, or the division of assets was agreed to privately. Some were not made when everything had been agreed upon in a marriage contract, will, or donation.

The information in these documents is more general until the 1720's. Around this time they begin listing the age of children who were younger than 25 or not married. References to marriage contracts become more common by the 1760's; important information as it provides the year of marriage and the parents of the deceased. Inventories usually do not list the parents of the deceased, nor do they provide the age of children who are married or age 25 or older. They list the husband of a beneficiary but not the spouse. If the deceased had no children their assets go to their siblings, and if a sibling is deceased, to the children of their sibling.

In the 17th and 18th centuries a man became "major of years" when he was either married or 25 years of age. Major of years for women was age 21. Guardians were elected, and so were trusted by others in the community. It's possible that a young man, perhaps even as young as 17, who was very closely related (a cousin or uncle) could be the guardian selected by the community if he was mature and trusted.

Inventories also list residents of Soufflenheim in the land and debt sections. The vast majority of land owners in the inheritance records are from Soufflenheim. Debts owed by the deceased will state if the person owed money is from a community other than Soufflenheim. If they are not listed as living elsewhere, they presumably resided in Soufflenheim.

Wills

Wills can provide information not found in Inventories. The distribution of assets in an Inventory follows local law and custom plus special instructions, if any, given prior to death. In a Will assets can be distributed to anyone. Consequently, beneficiaries and relationships may be listed that wouldn't ordinarily be found in an Inventory.

Marriage Contracts

A marriage contract has a long section of legal language but the essential information is within one page. An ordinary marriage contract is about three to four pages and usually has about seven articles. Marriage contracts give the names of the parents on both sides, determine how property will be shared upon the death of each, and if there is a gift to the bride (house, field etc.).

Contracts

Guardianship contracts typically do not have much genealogical information, just accounts of how the inheritance is kept from year to year. A sales contract is from half a page to one or two pages, more if several pieces of land are concerned. Contracts such as sales, debts, etc., do not give much genealogical information other than the name of the contractants and wives. Sometimes the parents were present as a precaution.

HAGUENAU NOTARY RECORDS

The index for the notary records of Haguenau is found in the book Ancient Notorials under the title of HAGUENAU 6E16. The notary records are grouped into bundles. The contents of the bundles are described by locality, type of document and years. Some bundles have only inventory records for one locality. Some have only marriage contracts for all localities. Some bundles have marriage contracts and contracts mixed together, etc. No bundles have an index listing the names of people. Finding a document requires searching from page to page.

Haguenau Inventory Records

The Haguenau inventory records begin in 1620 and continue into the 1800’s. There is only one bundle of inheritance records specific to Soufflenheim and that is Bundle #269: 1674-1740. There are no bundles of inventories in the Haguenau notaries specific to Soufflenheim after 1740. Only inventories mixed together from different localities.

Haguenau Contracts

Haguenau contracts, marriage contracts and wills begin in the year 1655 and continue into the 1800’s. There are no bundles of contracts, marriage contracts or wills specific to Soufflenheim. A search for the name Kieffer in bundles 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 68, 69, and 70 took four hours.

Index To the Haguenau Notary Records

The following information is from HAGUENAU 6E16, the index of the Haguenau notary records. Any of these bundles may contain contracts for people from Soufflenheim. There are additional bundles not listed that contain contracts for a locality other than Soufflenheim. The years 1677 and 1678 are not found in bundles 56 or 57 but are present in other bundles.

ROESCHWOOG NOTARY RECORDS

The index to the Roeschwoog notary records is found in the book Ancient Notorials. All Roeschwoog notary records are listed under 6E33. Included in the Roeschwoog notaries are the notaries of Fort Vauban (Fort Louis), Fleckenstein-Soubise, Sessenheim, and the Roeschwoog district or bailliage. Although the Sessenheim notaries are included in the Roeschwoog notaries, there is a separate bundle just for Sessenheim inventories.

Roeschwoog Inventory Records

The Roeschwoog inventory records for Soufflenheim begin in 1701 and continue into the 1800’s. Most inventory records for Soufflenheim after 1700 will be found in the Roeschwoog notorials. The Roeschwoog inventory index does not list the names of the deceased. The following bundles of Roeschwoog inventories are for Soufflenheim only:

Notary Records	Bundle #	Years
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	58	1701-1728
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	59	1729-1740
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	60	1741-1746
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	61	1747-1754
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	62	1755-1759
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	63	1760-1762
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	64	1763-1769
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	65	1770-1774
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	66	1775-1778
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	67	1779-1784
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	68	1785-1787
Roeschwoog 6 E 33	69	1788-1793

Roeschwoog Contracts

There are many bundles of contracts with certain years in each bundle. There is an index for all contracts, but not by bundle. The index lists the name of the person(s) in the contract, the locality of the transaction, the type of contract (usually) and the date. The index for all contracts refers to a date and not a bundle number. The type of contracts in the vast majority of bundles are sales related documents.

Index To The Roeschwoog Contracts

The following information is from 6E33 #183, the index to the Roeschwoog contracts. All of the Roeschwoog indexes, including Sessenheim, were checked for the name Kieffer. Twenty-one Kieffer listings were found. Seventeen of the twenty-one documents exist and were translated. They can be found on this site. Two listings were incorrect (wrong name) and three others were not found. None of the listings are prior to 1753 except for two people living in Fort Louis.

Name	Residence	Document	Date	Status
Marie Eve Kieffer	Fort Louis	Will	03 Jun 1718	Found
Christian Kieffer & Wife	Fort Louis	Debt	10 Feb 1723	Found
Laurent Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Debt	26 May 1753	Found
Jacob Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Debt	01 Jun 1754	Found
Marie Esther Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Debt	15 Mar 1760	Found
Marie Esther Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Debt	13 Mar 1760	Found
Eve Kieffer (Marie Esther Kieffer)	Soufflenheim	Will	13 Mar 1760	Incorrect Name
Jacob Kieffer (Jacob Kessler)	Soufflenheim	Debt	17 Apr 1762	Incorrect Name
Barbara Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Debt	04 Dec 1762	Found
Philipp Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Loan	23 Mar 1764	Found
Philipp Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Loan	24 Apr 1764	Not Found
Laurent Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Contract	22 Mar 1766	Found
Laurent Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Not Listed	11 Feb 1768	Found
Laurent Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Contract	23 Feb 1771	Found
Richarde Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Contract	16 Feb 1776	Found
Laurent Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Contract	16 Feb 1776	Not Found
Laurent Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Contract	06 Feb 1777	Found
Laurent Kieffer & Wife	Soufflenheim	Not Listed	30 Dec 1777	Found
Michel Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Not Listed	20 Oct 1779	Found
Joseph Kieffer & Wife	Soufflenheim	Not Listed	10 Dec 1781	Found
Joseph Kieffer	Soufflenheim	Not Listed	11 Mar 1782	Found
Laurent Kieffer & Wife	Soufflenheim	Not Listed	19 Feb 1792	Not Found

SOUFFLENHEIM NOTARY RECORDS AFTER 1792

Beginning in 1792, most notary records for Soufflenheim are found in the Roeschwoog notary records. A few can also be found in the Haguenau notaries and perhaps the Bischwiller notaries as well. The notaries are in German until 1810. There appears to be no specific date in which the records were required to be written in French. Some records are in French beginning in 1810 and others begin in 1820. There are no indexes for inventory records before 1848. There are indexes for some records beginning in 1830.

In the Soufflenheim Civil marriage records from 1792-1806, Soufflenheim is listed as part of the following Districts:

· 1792-1803: Department of Bas Rhin (No District listed).

· 1802-1804: District of Strassbourg.

· 1805 and 1806: District of Bischwiller.

Haguenau Notary Records

HAGUENAU 7E20.1, Bundles 1-12 and 52-58 (1792-1815)

These bundles are suppose to contain inventories of the various towns and villages of the district. However, all of these records were searched for any inventories or marriage contracts relating to the Kieffer families of Soufflenheim (a VERY large group of families) and only one inventory (no marriage contracts) was found. The records of these localities are mixed together and organized by year. There are no bundles of records specific to Soufflenheim.

HAGUENAU 7E20.1, Bundles 13-51 (1792-1815)

These bundles contain all types of contracts. They were not checked for the name Kieffer, so the value of doing research in these records is not known. The records of the various localities in the district are mixed together and organized by year. There are no bundles of records specific to Soufflenheim.

HAGUENAU 7E5.2, Bundles 1-53 (1792-1813)

Other Haguenau notary records. They were not checked for the name Kieffer, so the value of doing research in these records is not known. The records of the various localities in the district are mixed together and organized by year. There are no bundles of records specific to Soufflenheim.

Roeschwoog Notary Records

Roeschwoog Bundles 7E44 Bundles 4-98 (1792-1850): These bundles contain inventories and other records of the various towns and villages of the Roeschwoog district. There are no bundles of records specific to Soufflenheim. The records of these localities are mixed together and organized by year. Roeschwoog 7E44 ends in 1850.

Bischwiller Notary Records

There are probably a few inventories relating to Soufflenheim in the Bischwiller notary records. The Bischwiller records contain inventories of the various towns and villages of the district. The records of these localities are mixed together and organized by year. There are no bundles of records specific to Soufflenheim. These records were not checked for the name Kieffer, so the value of doing research in these records is not known.

· BISCHWILLER 7E5.1, Bundles 5-56 (1792-1818)

· BISCHWILLER 7E5.2, Bundles 1-50 (1792-1820)

Lauterbourg Notary Records

Another possible source, but not a good one, of notary records for Soufflenheim is Lauterbourg. The Lauterberg notaries are a separate group of records with indexes. As Lauterbourg is an important town in the area and had its own Notary, its records were checked for the name Kieffer, but without success.

Military Records

Series R at the Archives in Bas Rhin list the military conscription of boys age 20 beginning in 1796. The records provide the conscript's name, parents, place of birth, and what he was allotted if he left. Regiments are not usually mentioned. Church and civil records occasionally mention a person’s occupation as soldier. The St. Helen's Medal Database provides information on soldiers serving during the reign of Napoleon.

Saint Helene's Medal: 1792-1815

The Saint Helene's medal was created in 1857 to reward 390,000 soldiers still living in 1857 who served in the French Army from 1792 to 1815. All of these soldiers were born around 1765 to 1797. Information includes name, birth date, home in 1857, rank and regiment. This information can be found on their website at http://stehelene.geneactes.org/anglais.htm

Publications

Books

The following books can be purchased from Soufflenheim's tourist office at 20B Grand ' Rue, BP 33, Telephone 03 88 86 74 90, http://www.tourisme.fr/tourist-office/soufflenheim.htm

· Soufflenheim, Une Cite A La Recherche De Son Histoire

By Societe D'histoire Et D'archeologie Du Ried Nord, 300 pages, written by Sittler and Elchinger, historians.

· Soufflenheim, Terre De Potiers

240 pages, 950 photographes, 250 francs.

Websites

Sites of interest for genealogy research in Soufflenheim.

Archives Department of Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin church and civil records have been digitalized and placed on the internet with free access. Soufflenheim church records are available through 1792 and civil records through 1902. http://archives.bas-rhin.fr/

Rosa Raiman

Rosa Raiman has compiled indexes of names from the Soufflenheim microfilm records. They are available at these web locations:

· Baptisms: http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/souffbapt/baptn.htm

· Marriages: http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/souffmarr/marrw.htm

· Deaths: http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/souffdeath/deathw.htm

German Genealogy: ELSASS / ALSACE / ALSATIA

Alsatian history and genealogy research: http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/ELS-LOT/alsace.html

The Communities Of Alsace A-Z

Genealogy research in all Alsatian communities. Managed by Brian Smith: http://www.rootsweb.com/~fraalsac/alsaceaz/admin.htm

MAPS

Soufflenheim 1885, 1887, 1902

http://www.bnu.fr/

At the top of the page, click the 'images & cartes' tab, type in 'Soufflenheim', and click the 'OK' button. You should get a window with several images of photos and maps. Click on the desired map. You should get a map that you can zoom in on. All three maps are in German.

· The 1885 map shows Soufflenheim and the surrounding area.

Title: Soufflenheim: Cartographic Document. Edition: Berlin: Plan Chamber of the Royal Prussian State Recording, 1885. Notes: Country recording in 1883, released 1885. Recorded in 1850 by the Royal. Prussian General Staff, 1868-1878 published by the Royal Prussian Ministry of Trade and Industry, since 1878 by the Royal Prussian land survey.

· The 1887 map is based on Soufflenheim land registry established in 1838 and revised in 1887.

Title: General Plan Of The District Sufflenheim. Notes: Land registry established in 1838, revised in 1887 .- See Reichsland Das Elsass-Lothringen: Landes-und Ortsbeschreibung / HRSG. vom Statistischen Office Ministry for Elsass-Lothringen. Zweiter Theil: Statistische Angaben .- Strassburg: Heitz, 1901 .- P. 60ff.

· The 1902 map is based on the map created in 1885 and shows Soufflenheim and the surrounding area.

Title: Soufflenheim: Cartographic Document. Edition: Berlin: Plan of the Royal Chamber. Prussian state recording, 1902. Notes: Edit partly updated between 1889 and 1902. Collected between 1880 and 1885.

Soufflenheim 2012

http://www.cadastre.gouv.fr/scpc/rechercherPlan.do#