EdnhrdrSchmsrDocs_1_files/Edenharder History

The History of the Edenharder Family, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany By Joan Hayes Edenharder - Trips to Bavaria 1977, 1984, 1992, 2006 The Edenharder family is one of the oldest families of Hohenfels area in the Oberpfalz, a highland region forested with spruce and fir. The Danube River roughly divides Bavaria into two halves and the Oberpfalz is in the northeast of Bavaria in that part north of the Danube which was called the Upper Palatinate. The name palatinate derives from the ancient and medieval office of Count Palatine, a nobleman who held judicial powers and had charge of the various imperial castles where German emperors stayed while traveling. So the term became associated with the districts where the count palatines were sovereign representatives. Hohenfels (Hohe=height; fels=rock) is a 1000-year-old town which did have a castle. However, I do not know if it was used by traveling German emperors. The little villages from which the Edenharders and their relatives came belong to the Parish of Hohenfels. The church records for births, marriages, and deaths of this parish are preserved complete from 1582 on. From 1582 to about 1700, there is no name register (index) so family names must be searched out page by page. From 1700 on there is an index. In the State Archives in Amberg are preserved a very important stock of old handwritten manuscripts for Hohenfels (town, castle, and manor estate) nearly from 1300 on. The Edenharders are very numerous in the church book of Hohenfels which is now kept in the Bischoflich Zentralarchiv at Regensburg (Petersweg 11, D 84, Regensburg). Edenharder is spelled Edenharter in Germany today and at times was spelled Edtenharder or Odenharder. To the north of Hohenfels were two villages called Oberodenhart and Unterodenhart. “Ober” means upper or higher and “unter” means below or under. The Edenharder name perhaps derives from these two villages: Ober-Odenhart and Unter-Odenhart. The villages in this narrative are not far from Hohenfels where the parish church of St. Ulrich’s was. The roads to Hohenfels must have been well traveled because all the important events in their lives that pertained to religion took place in the church. Babies on the very day of birth were christened in Hohenfels. These villages were very close to one another and to Hohenfels as the map shows.

To the north of Hohenfels was Unterodenhart and to its north was Oberodenhart. Due west of Unterodenhart was Harras. Between Unterodenhart and Harras but to the south of the line between them was Grossbissendorf… but it is northwest of

Hohenfels. Due west of Oberodenhart and then to the north a bit was Grossmittersdorf. On a north-south line at the west, the village farthest west is Harras, then to the east was Grossmittersdorf, then Grossbissendorf , then Kleinbissendorf, a village southwest of Hohenfels but not too far from it. To the east of Hohenfels is Butzenhof. Northeast of Butzenhof is Machendorf and to the southeast of Butzenhof is Haasla. Haasla is a little farther east than Machendorf but both are not that far from Butzendorf. Markof is northeast of Hohenfels, northeast of Schmidmuhlen. So far I have not found Pichendorf or Christmuhle.

The Edenharder name was in the records in Amberg prior to 1580. Lacking access to a history of Hohenfels or to the church records of Saint Ulrich’s, I’ll include just bits and snatches of information, a little view of some of the history of this town. The Koller (also Kholer and Koler) family is a very old and distinguished family of Hohenfels. In 1579 Paul Kholer was Burgermeister (Mayor) of Hohenfels and in 1583 Curator (Head Administrative Official) of the Castle of Hohenfels, belonging to the Dominion District. Hohenfels was caught in the religious upheaval and hostilities which followed the Protestant Reformation, of which the Thirty Years War was a part. Hohenfels was protestant from 1538 to 1626. After that time about two thirds of the residents again turned Roman Catholic. Some of the names listed in 1967 in an article in the periodical “Blatter des Bayerischen Landesvereins” fur Familienkunde (Newspaper of Bavarian Region Association for family information (issue 3, 30. in the year 1967, Regensburg, pp.317-27) called “Parish Hohenfels 1626 Index of those becoming Catholic”: Georg Achamer of Hasslach, Anna, his wife Ulrich Achamer of Haaras, Anna, his wife Margarethe, Ulrich Achamer of Haarass (Dienstmagd – Maid) Georg Stigler of Ober-Ettenhardt (that is Ober Odenhart) The following bit of information is not yet established as part of the family history but it very likely is. Georg Koller was born about 1635. He married Anna _______ and was Burgermeister of Hohenfels and (Operarius) of Oberodenhart. The church book of Hohenfels indicates that Georg Koller died at 75 years of age in Oberodenhart on 2 September 1710. Georg and Anna had at least one son and daughter. The son, Johann Koller, a farmer (colonus) of Oberodenhart, married at Hohenfels on 22 January 1686 to Anna Aichenseer (today Eichenseer), the daughter of Michael Eichenseer and his wife Barbara. Witnesses at this wedding were Adam Ebenhoch and Ulrich Praler. The daughter of Georg and Anna Koller was Maria Agnes Koller, born in Oberodenhart on 11 October 1687. At 20 years of age, Maria Agnes married Peter Edtenharter at Hohenfels on 27 February 1707. Witnesses of the marriage were Wilhelm Geissenthaller and Georg Edtenharter, farmer of Grossmiedersdorf. It is guessed that this Georg is the father of Peter for it seems that fathers often were witnesses at the marriage of their sons. If not, Georg could surely be a brother of Peter. The reason that I think these Edenharders are part of our family tree is that our Edenharders were from Grossmiedersdorf also and the village only had about seven or eight houses in it from what we know. Be that as it may, this is the story of the family as we know it. My husband George’s great-great-greatgreat-great grandfather was Ulrich Achamer (Ach(h)ammer, also written Eichhammer) of Hasla in Bavaria, Germany. Ulrich was probably born in the early 1700s and had a daughter Barbara Achamer who married before 1762 to Georg Edenharter of GrossMiedersdorf. (Therefore, Georg and Barbara were probably born before 1742.) Their son, Peter Paul Edenharter, is my husband George’s greatgreat-great-great grandfather. Peter Paul Edenharter was born in 1762, probably in Gross Miedersdorf. His father Georg was already dead when Peter married on 19 April 1796 in Hohenfels Catholic Church, St. Ulrich’s. Peter was 34 years old when he married Walburga Schmid. Walburga must have been from Markof because she

was the daughter of Michael Schmid and Maria Anna Scharl and the granddaughter of Christoph Scharl, all of Markof. Peter and Walburga probably lived in GrossMiedersdorf because the next year their eldest son, Andreas Edenharter, was born there on 21 January 1797. That same day Andreas was christened at the church in Hohenfels. His baptismal sponsor was Andreas Sollner of Unterodenhart. It is likely that he is his namesake for it seems a custom to ask the person for whom the baby is named to act as Godparent. It is thought that the siblings of Andreas may have been Georg, Johann, and Margaretha Edenharter because these people, all of GrossMiedersdorf, all acted as sponsors and namesakes for his children. In any case, Andreas married at the age of 22 on 16 February 1819 at Hohenfels to Anna Margarita Koller of GrossBissendorf. The witnesses to this wedding are Peter Edenharter, stated as the father of the groom, and Johann Eckl of Christmuhle. The 18-year-old bride of Andreas is Anna Margarita Koller, the daughter of Johann Georg Koller, a farmer, who had himself married his wife, Anna Maria Ostermann of Butzenhof, on 18 February 1799 at Hohenfels. This Johann Georg Koller was the son of Michael Koller of GrossBissendorf and Margarita Sollner, and the grandson of Georg Sollner of Pichendorf. Johann’s wife, Anna Maria Ostermann, is the daughter of Johann Wolfgang Ostermann of Butzenhof who had married his wife, Maria Barbara Pirzer on 7 September 1761 in Hohenfels, and the granddaughter of Johann Ostermann of Butzenhof and wife, Veronika ____, and also the granddaughter of Johann Pirzer (Pierzer) of Butzenhof and Margarethe _______. The bride of Andreas Edenharter, Anna Margarita Koller, was born the 19th July 1800 in GrossBissendorf and was christened the same day in Hohenfels. Her sponsor was Margarita Koller of Hasla, probably the sister of her father. Apparently Andreas, a farmer, and Anna Margarita lived in Grossbissendorf in house #8, the village of her parents and grandparents, the Kollers. Their oldest son, Georg Edenharter, was born the following year on 2 February 1820 in GrossBissendorf. His sponsor that same day for his baptism was Georg Edenharter, a farmer of GrossMiedersdorf and perhaps a brother of Andreas and the namesake for the baby. It is this baby who will grow up in GrossBissendorf and leave for America with his brother Johann Edenharter. Johann, the second son, was born there on 27 November 1821. His sponsor was Johann Edenharter, a resident of GrossMiedersdorf, and perhaps another brother of Andreas. The priest who baptized Georg was Fr. Paul Vogl, Coop. and the one who baptized Johann was Fr. Alois Schuderer, Coop., both at St. Ulrich’s. Anna Margarita Koller, wife of Andreas Edenharter, died at age 21 or 22 about 1821 –22. Perhaps it was in childbirth or from complications of the birth of Johann. She was buried in Hohenfels. Now Andreas at age 25 is a widower with two young sons, one about 2 years of age and the other a baby. So Andreas Edenharter married again soon after to Katharina Koller on 19 November 1822. The 22year-old bride Katharina was born 4 December 1799 and is the daughter of Adam Koller, a farmer of KleinMiedersdorf, house #2, and Katharina Muller. In this second marriage of Andreas, he and Katharina have five children in GrossBissendorf. Their oldest, Margaretha Edenharter, is born 15 October 1823 and her sponsor and probable namesake is Margaretha Edenharter of GrossMiedersdorf. This is probably the sister of Andreas. Their second child, Anna Margaretha, probably named after Andreas’s first wife who died so young, was born 27

October 1824. Again Margaretha Edenharter of Gross Miedersdorf was the sponsor. The third child Walburga was born 1 May 1826 and once again Margaretha Edenharder was the sponsor. Eight months later, Andreas’s father, Peter Paul Edenharter, died on 3 January 1827 in house #3 of GrossMiedersdorf, perhaps the family homestead. A year and a half later, Andreas and Katharina have twin girls in June of 1828. One girl was stillborn and the other Theresia lived only five weeks and died on 30 July 1828. Both are buried at Hohenfels. In the meantime Andreas had to once more bury a young wife because on 28 June 1828 Katharina Koller died of gangrene after a difficult childbirth. She is buried on 30 June 1828 in Hohenfels. Now Andreas at age 31 is once more a widower with five children: Georg 8, Johann 6, Margaretha 4, Anna Margaretha 3, and Walburga 2. The following April, Andreas Edenharter married for the third time on 28 April 1829 in Hohenfels to 29-year-old Barbara Stiegler. Witnesses at the wedding were Michael Stigler and Mesner Pimann. Genealogy Some genealogical information from our Edenharder and Mundschau families: The Edenharder name was in the records in Amberg prior to 1580. We do not yet have those names recorded in our records. We do have these: George’s great-great-great-great-great grandparents _ Ulrich Achamer of Hasla, born in about the early 1700s Christoph Scharl of Markof Georg Sollner of Pichendorf Johann Ostermann of Butzenhof and wife Veronika Johann Pirzer (Pierzer) of Butzenhof and wife Margarethe Mundschau: Adolph Monschauer aus Lonsheim in der Pfalz – still living in April of 1749. Georg Schaberger – deceased by April of 1749. George’s great-great-great-great grandparents – George Edenharter b. before 1742 m. before 1762 to Barbara Achamer of Hasla b. before 1742 Michael Schmid of Markof m. Maria Anna Scharl of Markof Michael Koller of Grossbissendorf and Margarita Sollner of Pichendorf Johann Wolfgang Ostermann of Butzenhof m. on 7 September 1761 in Hohenfels to Maria Barbara Pirzer of Butzenhof Mundschau: Arnold Monschauer (c1723 – 2 Sept. 1798 – age 75 GauAlgesheim) m. 20 April 1749 GauAlgesheim to Apollonia Schaberger (c1724 m. about age 25, d. 22 Dec. 1762 at 38 yrs. GauAlgesheim) (on 7 Feb. 1763 Arnold m. again to Maria Anna Pfeifer) Nicolaus Reitz m. Suzanne George’s great great great grandparents were— Peter Paul Edenharter (1762- 3 Jan. 1827) lived in Gross Miedersdorf, married on 19 April 1796 in Hohenfels to Walburga Schmid of Markhof, Bayern. Johann Georg Koller lived in Gross Bissendorf and married on 18 Feb. 1799 to Anna Maria Ostermann of Butzenhof, Bayern. Mundschau: Johann Heinrich Monschauer (15 May 1759-3 Dec. 1811at 52 yrs.) * m. on 26 April 1802 in Gau Algesheim, Germany to Anna Maria Reitz (c1773- 17 Dec. 1813 at 40 years GauAlgesheim) *Johann Heinrich had married twice before to 1. 20 Sept. 1789 Susanna Katherina Desoy and 2. 11 May 1795 Magdalena Ambach George’s great great grandparents were –

Andreas Edenharter (1797- 1881) Gross Miedersdorf, Bayern and married on 16 Feb. 1819 to Anna Margarita Koller (1800-1883) of Gross Bissendorf, Bayern. They lived in house #8 in Grossbissendorf. Andrew Schweiger, Bayern m. Margaret Sigler of Bayern. Michael Wolfel, baker of Parsberg, Bayern m. to Margaret Prantl of Bayern. Mundschau: Nickolaus Monschau (Mundschau) (1803-1879) of Gau Algesheim , Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany m. to Anna Marie Freund (1807-1875) Lorenz Bischel of Mainz, Germany m. Margaret Vogel of Mainz, Germany. His great grandparents were – George E. Edenharder (2 Feb. 1820 Gross Bissendorf, Bayern – 22 Jan. 1890 – age 69, died of old age and consumption, Jefferson, Wisconsin).. Married on 29 July 1850 St. Mary’s, Milwaukee, Wisconsin upon getting off the boat to Katherine Achhammer ( 6 June 1818 Otterzhofen, Bayern – 10 July 1887 Jefferson, Wisconsin). Blasius Schweiger ( 1818 Bayern – c1855 Jefferson, Wisconsin). Farmer. Married on 4 March 1851 in St. Lawrence Parish, Jefferson, Wisconsin to Theresia Wolfel (11 Nov. 1820 Parsberg, Bayern – 3 March 1895 Jefferson, Wisconsin). Mundshau: John Mundschau (1831 Darmstadt, Hesse – 1915 Dousman, Wisconsin). Farmer. Married on 8 Sept. 1855 Town of Ottawa, Waukesha County, Wisconsin to Clara Bischel ( 1831 – Sept. 1884 Dousman, Wisconsin). Valentin Fa(e)rber (20 March 1820 Hesse-Darmstadt – 11 Nov. 1886 Ottawa Township , Waukesha County, Wisconsin). Farmer. Married (in Germany) to Mary Eva Mueller ( 29 Sept. 1827 Hesse-Darmstadt – 13 Nov. 1894 Ottawa, Wisconsin). His grandparents were – George Edenharder ( 15 January 1856 Helenville, Wisconsin of east side of Paradise Road – 2 April 1923 St. Lawrence Cemetery, Jefferson, Wisconsin). Farmer. Worked for carpenters. Married on 22 October 1889 St. Lawrence Church, Jefferson, Wisconsin to Katharina Schweiger (9 November 1852 Helenville, Wisconsin, east side of Paradise Road on next farm south, - 18 Sept. 1938 St. Lawrence Cemetery, Jefferson, Wisconsin). Cook, farm wife. Nicholas Conrad Mundschau (19 Feb. 1866 Ottawa, Wisconsin – 29 Jan. 1940 Old St. Bruno Cemetery). Merchant of general store in Dousman and fire chief of Dousman, Wisconsin. Married on 28 Nov. 1893 at old St. Bruno Church, Dousman, Wisconsin to Barbara G. Farber (11 Nov. 1869 Ottawa, Wisconsin – 24 Nov. 1937 old St. Bruno, Cemetery). George’s parents were – Joseph George Edenharder (2 April 1893 Helenville, Wisconsin, west side of Paradise Road, across from his grandfather’s house –28 Feb. 1968 St. Lawrence Church, Jefferson, Wisconsin). Farmer. Built house on the farm next to the old loghouse in 1920. Moved into the new house on the day before Christmas 1921. Married on 3 May 1941 at old St. Bruno Church in Dousman, Wisconsin to Helene Clara Mundschau (15 Sept. 1903 Dousman, Wisconsin – 10 Jan. 1979 St. Lawrence Church, Jefferson, Wisconsin.) George Leon Edenharder ( 23 Feb. 1942) college mathematics professor m. Holy Name Catholic Church, Rochester, New York on 18 August 1973 to Joan Margaret Hayes (24 June 1938), teacher, daughter of Clarence Francis Hayes and Mary Aileene Hunt, both of Rochester, New York and Tyendinaga Township, Ontario, Canada.