Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Margaretha Scholl 1654 -

Margaretha Scholl could be the fourth child of Joss Scholl and Barbara Dietrich. Her record is one of the first we have in Graben.

Translation. " The young daughter baptized, these are the witnesses; Anna Margaretha Scholl, Joss Scholl. Hans Michael possible, Joss Scholl his brother of the parents, (in French) Because Joss and Margaretha are both witnesses, they could be father and daughter or siblings. 

The baptismal record is unusual in a number of ways. It is one of the earliest records we have for Graben. There appears to be water damaged on the edges. We are fortunate the people who photographed it didn't skip it because of it appalling condition. Also it is one of the few documents we have regarding Joss Scholl.

Before and during her lifetime:
30 Years War
The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) brought much hardship and misery to the ditch. The population loss around Bruchsal averaged 80 percent. “In 1622, 1150 acres of arable land were cultivated, after peace in 1648 only 296 acres. 135 buildings were destroyed, in 1622 the ditch had 145 citizens, in 1648 there were only 42 left. ”The wars related to France's reunion policy under Louis XIV and the Palatinate Succession War also had devastating consequences for Ditch. So destroyed on March 31st / 1st April 1675 the French dug the castle from the Philippsburg fortress, which had been in French hands since the Peace of Westphalia (1648), and in spring 1689 they burned down the entire village "except for one old house". Quiet. (Graben Gemeinde Website)
1653        Sep 1, Johann Pachelbel (d.1706), German organist and composer, was born. He is best known for his "Canon in D."

Possible Graben Pastors who filled out Margaretha's birth record:
1652-1654 Augustin Langer von Bamberg (The witch trials of the 17th century claimed about one thousand victims in Bamberg, reaching a climax between 1626 and 1631, under the rule of Prince-Bishop Johann Georg II Fuchs von Dornheim. The famous Drudenhaus (witch prison), built in 1627, is no longer standing today.)
1654-1656 Ludwig Bach von Durlaw (Durlach) (Durlach was chosen by the margrave Charles II in 1565 as residence of the rulers of Baden-Durlach, and retained this distinction though it was almost totally destroyed by the French in 1689.)

 Documents related to Margaretha Scholl:


 The young daughter baptized, these are the witnesses; Anna Margaretha Scholl, Joss Scholl. Hans Michael possible, Joss Scholl his brother of the parents, (in French)
27 February 1654  Graben Record, film 4137289 page 203


 The young daughter baptized, these are the witnesses; Anna Margaretha Scholl, Joss Scholl. Hans Michael possible, Joss Scholl his brother of the parents, (in French)
27 February 1654  Graben Record, film 4137289 page 203 film 102078348 page 145




It appears Graben Pastor Augustin Langer von (from) Bamberg  who served in Graben from 1652-1654 filled out her birth record. Margaretha's entry in February 1654 on the right has handwriting much different than Ludwig Bach's 1654 May to December entries on the left. Apparently this church book was falling apart before it was photographed and some kind soul took the loose page on the right and placed it in the book (out of order) so it could be photographed. We are happy they did so.