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Errors in the Search for our Ancestors

A short while ago I had to remove some Hillebrechts out of Hevensen from my ancestors who I was certain belonged to my forefathers. How did it happen?

We have to start with a Johan Henrich Hillebrecht who was born on 14th March 1714 in Ellierode and - proven through documents and church entries - is certain to be one of our forefathers. In the search for his ancestors the places of Ellierode, Hettensen and Hevensen soon caught our full attention.

First lets have a look at the map showing the relevant places Ellierode, Hettensen und Hevensen. All are now incorporated into the city of Hardegsen and are situated about 15 Km northwest of Göttingen in Germany:


In the churchrecords of ELLIERODE the following wedding was recorded on the 10th April 1711

the 10th April Andreas Hillebrecht and Maria Elisabeth Kulp were married in the church of Hettensen.
(den 10. Aprill sind in der Hettenser Kirch Andreas Hillebrecht aus Hevensen und Jfr. Maria Elisabeth Kulp copuliret.)

Then and still today, the "church of Hettensen" in HETTENSEN was administered by the Pastor (Minister) in Ellierode, although it constituted an independent congregation. Nevertheless, the  Pastor recorded all official acts in the common church book in Ellierode.

Three years later, on 14th March 1714 he recorded the following baptism in the church book of Ellierode:

the 14th March Andreas Hillebrecht has his son christened named Johan Henrich. Godparents were Hans Heinrich Sprenger and Elisabeth Hillebrecht Relicta (Widow) Heisen
(den 14. Marty hat Andreas Hillebrecht aus Ellierode ein Sohn tauffen laßen Johan Henrich genanndt. Gevattern waren Hans Henrich Sprenger und Elisabeth Hillebrecht Relicta (Witwe) Heisen)

It appeared without doubt that the child Johan Henrich Hillebrecht was a son of Andreas Hillebrecht, originally  of Hevensen (see marriage record above) and now living in Ellierode.

In further research into the ancestors of Andreas Hillebrecht in HEVENSEN I came across the following baptism entry in the church records of Hevensen dated 12th March 1714:

the 12th March Andr. Hillebrecht has his daughter Cath. Maria christened. Godmother is his mother-in-law Maria Kulb of Hettensen.
(den 12. Marty hat Andr. Hillebrecht seine Tochter, Catha Maria, tauffen laßen. Die Gevatterin sein seine Schwieger-Mutter Maria Kulb von Hettensen.)
 

Here the succession is convincing. Andreas Hillebrecht has his daughter Cath. Maria christened and asks his mother-in-law to become godmother. The entry corresponds with the marriage entry of 1711. The family name Kulb of the mother-in-law (not Kulp as in the marriage record) can be explained through the phonetic writing.

Here is the problem: How can Andreas Hillebrecht have his daughter Cath. Maria Hillebrecht christened in Hevensen on 12th March 1714 and two days later a son Johan Henrich Hillebrecht christened on 14th March 1714 in Ellierode?

There is only one conclusion: we deal with separate families and Johan Henrich Hillebrecht of Ellierode does not have Andreas Hillebrecht from Hevensen as father but an Andreas Hillebrecht from Ellierode who was subsequently found . He was born on 12th July 1678 and married a A. Cath. Wische on 23rd October 1703. Johan Henrich Hillebrecht was their third child.

Therefore, we took out the early Hillebrechts of Hevensen although we had been quite attached to them in the meantime. We replaced them with ancestors from Ellierode that have now been incorporated into the list of our ancestors.

Were we right? Or is there a different explanation? Email