Maria Barbara Raicher 1745-1745

Maria Barbara Raicher was born 18 January 1745 and died 29 April 1745. Her parents are Friderich Wilhelm Raicher and Margaretha Barbara Weidmann. She was their 5th child. Maria lived 3 months 11 days.

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 Marie Barbara Raicher. 

Maria Barbara baptism 18 Jan 1745 film 102078348 page 369

Translation by Robert Seal:
1745. On the 18th of January a little daughter of Frieder[ich] Wilhelm Raicher, local citizen and bathhouse operator/barber, from his wife Margar[etha] Barbara, was born into the world and thereafter baptized and named Maria Barbara.
Baptismal sponsors are: myself F. Chr. H. [Francs Christoph He(i)nrich] Beck, pastor, with wife; Jo[hann] Frieder[ich] Negelein, local citizen and innkeeper at the sign of the crown, with wife; and Jo[hann] Simon Cammerer with wife.
Comment: The pastor's forenames come from your "long" list of Graben pastors. From 1737-1757 Francs Christoph Henr. Beck was the pastor or Pfarrer in Graben. He was born in 1712 in Durlach, where his father was preceptor at the grammar school and cantor. "He laid his foundations in Karlsruhe, where he also belonged to lectiones publicas until ad annum 1732, when he went to Hall in Saxony and on to Jena.
Note: Pastor Beck is not found in FS but is found in Ancestry:

 

 

Maria Barbara Raicher burial 29 Apr 1745 film 102078348 page 497

Translation by Robert Seal:
1745. On the 29th of April the youngest little daughter of Wilhelm Raicher, juryman and bathhouse operator/barber, from Margaretha Barbara, named Maria Barbara died, so thereafter, following a sermon, was buried with singing and ringing [of bells]. Age: 3 months, 10 days.