Map of Early German Settlement in Northern Dobruja

The map below shows northern Dobruja in Romania.  Our family settled here beginning in 1842, and continued to migrate from Bessarabia until 1875. 

Our families are know to have lived for sure in the following villages:

Atmagea (Atmadja, Atmadscha)

Cataloi (Katalui, Catalui)

Kischla (Kischlar, Cischla) [by Tulcea]

Tichilesci (Tekele / Dekelia) [by Harsova]

Curugea (Corugea, Korusche, Korutschu)

(Click to enlarge image)  Early German Settlements in Dobruja





Johann Traugott Allmer, second marriage to Charlotte Glassmann

Johann Traugott Allmer, widower, married a second time to Charlotte Glassmann, on 29 April 1848, at Paris, Bessarabia. 

Alt Elft Parish Register, 1848 Paris Marriages

Michael Boettcher - 2nd marriage to Louisa Zimmer

Michael Boettcher, who was a widower, married a second time to widow Louisa Abraham, who was born Louisa Zimmer.  They were married on 30 Sep 1854 at Paris, Bessarabia.

Alt Elft Parish Register, Paris 1854 Marriages

Samuel Boettcher Family - Manuscript of Birth Records for Emigration

When Samuel Boettcher, his wife Anna Maria and their children emigrated from Romania in 1898, they brought with them a record of their children's births, as proof of Romanian citizenship.  Below are scans of this old document. 
It records the family as follows:

Extract from the Birth Register of the Baptist Parish of Catalui, Romania

The subject Samuel Boettcher and his wife Maria Boettcher (born Sperr) had the following children born and registered here in the parish birth register:

1.  On 20 Oct. 1877, a son with the name "Johann"
2.  On 15 Oct. 1880, a 2nd son with the name "Martin"
3.  On 22 Nov. 1882, a 3rd son with the name "Andreas"
4.  On 20 Feb. 1885, a daughter with the name "Anna"
5.  On 7 Jan. 1888, a 2nd daughter with the name "Susanna"
6.  On 20 May. 1890, a 3rd daughter with the name "Lena"
7.  On 19 Nov. 1892, a 4th daughter with the name "Maria"
8.  On 12 or 24 Jun. 1897, a 5th daughter with the name "Sofia"

In another handwriting and pencil is written:

Wilhelmine, born Oct. 1879, died 6 Nov. 1879.
Elisabeth, born 26 Jan. 1895, died 8 Nov. 1895.

On the back of the manuscript, is a testimony by Pastor Martin Issler, that the record is accurate.  It is dated 23 April 1898 and has the seal of Baptist Church in Catalui. 

Böttcher of Kulm, Bessarabia

I was re-reading through my Böttcher records the other day and I believe I have made a connection regarding Anna Rosina Böttcher who married Michael Radies in Paris.  The 1830 Family Book for Paris (LDS# 1766619/3, entry 104) lists the Michael Radies family. 

Anna Rosina "Betker" is listed as having been born 1813 in "Polen bei Menka".  She married Michael Radies in Paris having come from Kulm in 1830.  The record also indicates she was confirmed in 1825 in Kulm. 

Until recently, I could not locate any place called Menka.  However, now that the David Gilly map of South Prussia has been indexed by Jerry Frank, I find a cluster of villages just east of Sieradz called Menka (or "Męka" in Polish).  I don't know if this is the right place, but it's the only one I have found so far. 

Below are links to the index and the maps: 

Index

http://sggee.org/research/gilly_maps/Gilley%20Index%20L-M.pdf

Map

http://sggee.org/research/gilly_maps/C3.jpg

Boettcher Surname - German word for Cooper (barrel maker)




A cooper, 13th Century stained glass,
Chartres Cathedral



The basic term today for Cooper in German is Böttcher. Coopers produce wooden vessels  Use of these terms is typically based on the region as follows:

which have to bound together with staves.

• Northern Germany:  Bädeker, Baedeker, Böde(c)ker, Bödiker, Böttger
• Northern and East Central Germany:  Böttcher
• Franken, Böhmen, Schlesien, Sachsen, Thüringen, Hessen:  Büttner
• Northwestern Germany: Küpper
• Rheinland:  Fassbender
• From Southwest to Southeast:  Kiefer,Küf(n)er, Schäffler, Binder, Binter

Many different terms evolved regionally, most of them derived from the different words for the vessels they made:


• a) terms borrowed from Bode (barrel): Bätjer, Bettcher, Betcher, Betger, Bettger, Bettker, Betker, Bädeker, Bädker, Bättger, Bättcher, Bitger, Boddeck, Boddek, Boddeker, Böddecker, Böddeker, Bödeker, Bödecker, Böddicker, Bödiker, Bödicker, Bodniker, Böker, Böcker, Bottiger, Bottner, Bötjer, Bötger, Böttcher, Bötticher, Böttiger, Böttger, Böttner, Böttjer, Böttker, Kleinböttcher, Buddiger;
• b) terms with Tonne (ton): Tonnenbinder, Tonnenmacher, Tunnenmaker;
• c) terms borrowed from cupa (Latin for barrel, partly introduced to Germany from the Netherlands as cuyper, cuper): Kuper, Küper, Küppenbender, Küpper, Küppers, Cuiper, Cuyper, Kuiper, Kuyper, Keifer, Keiffer, Kiefer, Kieffer, Kiefner, Küfer, Kuffer, Kufer, Küfler, Küffner, Küfner, Kaufner;
• c) terms borrowed from Fass, the recent term for barrel: Fassbender, Faßbinder, Faßhauer, Faßmann, Faßschlupfer, Fäßler, Fassler, Fässer, Fasser, Fathauer, Fatheuer, Fatmann, Fatthauer, Fattmann, Fatmoker, Vathauer, Vatheuer, Vatthauer, Vattmann, Feßler, Fätteker;
• d) terms borrowed from Schaff, an old High German word for barrel and Schedel, another old word for barrel: Schaffler, Schäffler, Schäfler, Schaffmacher, Scheffler, Schöffler, Schädler, Schedler, Bindschedler;

• e) terms for cooper producing small barrels also mainly derived from different terms for the vessel: Becherer, Bechermacher, Bekerer, Bekemacher, Bekemaker, Bekerwerker, Bekewert (from Becher - cup); Bödenmeker, Büddenbender, Büdeker, Bütenbender, Butgenmaker, Buttgenmaker, Bütmacher, Bütner, Büttemacher, Büttenmacher, Büttenmaker, Büttekenmaker, Büttenbinder, Butticher, Büttichenbinder, Büttger, Büttler, Büttner, Püttner, Pütner, Puttner, Putner, Bittner, Pittner, Weißbüttner (from Bütte = vessel in form of a tub); Kiebler, Kibler, Kübler (from Kübel = bucket, pail); Lägeler, Lägler, Lägelner, Legeler, Legler (from Lägel - small barrel);
• f) often the occupation term includes -binder (a person who binds something), like Altbinder, Fassbinder, Tonnenbinder or Büttenbinder; this terms are sometimes reduced to Binder: Bender, Binder, Pinder, Pinter, Grobbinder, Kleinbinder, Rotbinder, Weißbinder;
• g) other terms for cooper: Bennenmacher, Benner, Biener, Bitschenmacher, Holzbitschenmacher, Becharius, Banzenmacher, Bareler, Beckenmacher, Einleger, Imiträger, Kümmer, Kümper, Royer, Stünschenmacher, Schroder, Schröder, Schröter;

• h) Latin terms for cooper: Cuparius, Doliarius, Ligator, Tunnarius, Viego, Vietor, Vinctor;
• i) stave maker and other assisting occupations: Daubenhauer, Daubenmacher, Daugenhauer, Daugenheuer, Bentmaker, Bentschneider, Bentsnider, Bendheuer, Bendschweicher, Bandhauer, Bandreißer, Bandriter, Bandschläger, Bandschneider, Küperholzmacher, Stabschläger, Staffhauer, Stabholzhauer, Kimker, Kemker.