May 27, 2008

• Part One of my Genealogy

  Thanks to a Mr. Roller and the Brodnax family tree, I was able to find the roots of my family on my father's side. 

  Our family had its beginnings in Reichshoffen, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France, in the late 1600's with Peter/Pierre CONNET.  He was born between 1662-1705 and died between 1702-1785.  His wife was Catherine GEORG (or Catharina Joerger/Georger) who was born between 1668-1708 and died between 1702-1792.   They were married in Reichshoffer between 1702-1742. 

  Peter and Catherine had three children (all males) as follows:

  1.  Joseph CONNET who was listed in 1773 as a citizen and a farmer.  He was born between 1702-1731 and died between 1757-1816.  He married Anne Elizabeth WACKERMAN.  This is the root that my family tree follows.

  2.  Francois CONNET was born between 1692-1743 and died between 1728-1821.  He married Catharine WACKERMAN who was born between 1693-1749 and died between 1728-1828. 

  3.  Jean CONNET was born between 1692-1723 and died between 1728-1821.  His wife was Barbe WACKERMAN who was born between 1693-1749 and died between 1728-1828. 

  Reichshoffen is a small town and commune in the Bas-Rhin region of France.  The commune is a small gathering of people sharing a common life and is the rough equivalent to incorporate municipalities in the US.  Before the French Revolution the lowest level of administrative division was the parish.  The parish was essentially a church, the houses around it (known as the village) and the agricultural land around the village.  Among other things the priest in charge of the parish was required to record baptisms, marriage and burials and it is from these records that genealogy may be traced. 

  The name France comes from the Latin Francia which means "land of the Franks."  The Rhine river forms the eastern boarder of Bas Rhin and the area is also home to some of the foothills of the Vosges.  Mr. Roller pointed out in his research that ore mines were common in the Reichshoffen area similar to those in Pennsylvania.

  Sources of information on the genealogy for the Gunnett/Connet family come from Catholic parish records of Reichshoffen, Alsace, France.  Also church records of Conewago Chapel,  McSherrystown, Union Township, Adams County, PA, and St. Paul's PE Parish, Baltimore, MD.  Donald Gunnet of York, PA had a professional genealogist in Strasbourg, France, research the family in Alsace, France.

  • 8:10 pm
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