Death seen as natural
If a woman died after the birth of a child (this was a dangerous process because of infections), her younger sister stepped in as new wife, or replacement. The husband (here farmer in the country) absolutely needed a wife to look after the children and farm house (cooking etc.). So he normally got remarried a second, or third time within a few months; later a one year period was recommended. Often these wives were widows themselves. So there was constant giving births and dying on the farms, similar to what happened in the stable with the animals. Death was seen as natural. Only medicine and hygienic measures lowered the infant and childhood mortality rate. However, there were very bad pestulenza waves in the 17th century in our regions. Many villages lost 30 to 40% of the population. (Peter Bertschinger)
Documents related to Jacobina Elisabetha Raicher:
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| Jacobina Elisabeth Raicher birth 10 Jun 1738 film 004137289 p 376 |
[Record no.] 45. Jacobina Elisabetha.
On the 10th of June [1738] in the evening between 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm a little daughter of Wilhelm Reichert from his wife Margaretha Barbara was born (in)to the world, so on the 3rd day thereafter was baptized and named Jacobina Elisabetha.
Baptismal sponsors are: Fr. Chr. Heinr. Beck, temporary local pastor, and Miss Jacobina Creglingerin, Mr. Creglinger's ___ ___ ___ unmarried maiden daughter, and Joh[ann] Simon Cammerer with wife Elisabetha.
My comment: The abbreviation "p. t." = pro tempore = temporary. This birth and baptism took place in 1738, which is the year Pastor Beck began his pastoral tenure in Graben. At this point in time, he may have been the temporary pastor not having been fully appointed yet. We know that he remained in Graben as the pastor until 1757.
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| Jacobina Raicher burial 6 Jan 1739 film 102078348 p 490 |
On the 5 January, 1739 died Jacobina Elisabetha, little daughter of the local baker Wilhelm Reichertat 8 pm, cause smallpox and was buried the following day with a sermon. She was 5 months and 6 days old.
Translation Robert Seal:
Re: Jacobina Elisabetha Reichert's 6 January 1739 death/burial record:
One correction and one addition to Marion Wolfert's translation: The child's father's occupation is "Baader" = bathhouse operator/barber; he is not a baker.The child died from "Blattern": this can be smallpox as Marion translated but it can also be measles.Best regards, Robert