The village of Felsönána was situated on the von Mercy Domains in Tolna County and
was settled by Hessian settlers beginning in the mid 1720s. The majority of these
pioneering families were Lutherans although there was sizeable numbers of Reformed
among them. They formed a “united” congregation and related to the Lutheran
congregations and pastors in Varsád and Kistormás where there are numerous entries
with regard to the families in Felsönána in their church records. The early
schoolmasters were untrained men and served in an emergency capacity because they
also functioned as lay leaders in worship. Later trained teachers served the
congregation but did so secretly until the Edict of Toleration. Several of them
began the church records and copies of many of the entries in those church books
can be found in the Kistormás records as well.
The following is information gathered from several sources
and the church records in an
attempt to discover what we can about the early settlers and their origins.
Bach, Johann Heinrich emigrated
from Dauernheim, Kreis Büdingen in Oberhessen to Hungary and settled in
Felsönána. In 1734 he returned back home. He had to deal with some property
rights or inheritance issues. He offered such a rosy picture of the situation on
the von Mercy estates in Hungary that a wave of would be emigrants followed in his
wake from the whole area and Dauernheim soon belonged to those
communities where a majority of its inhabitants went in search of their fortune in
Hungary. His wife was named Anna Margaret, born 25.11.1695 and died in Felsönána
22.09.1770.
Becker, Anna Elisabeth was born
in Oberhessen in Reimenrod, Kreis Alsfeld. She was born there on 03.03.1741 as
the illegitimate daughter of Anna Margaret Becker. Her grandfather was named
Johann Becker. She married Johann Martin Euler in Kistormas on 07.07.1767.
Birkenstock, Johann Heinrich was
born 06.05.1709 in Hopfgarten, Kreis Alsfeld and died 17.09.1792 in Ráckozár in
Baranya. His parents were Johann from Altenburg by Alsfeld and his second wife
Anna Margaret Jürgen the daughter of Hans Jürgen of Hopfgarten born there
02.02.1707. Johann Heinrich emigrated with his half-brother or uncle named
Johannes from Rainrod, Kreis Alsfeld to Hungary and settled in Felsönána. As the
trusted agent and administrator of Prince Eszterházy he played an important role
in the settlement of Ráckozár and the surrounding villages in 1756.
Daupert, Johann left for Hungary
in 1721 from Oberlais Kreis Büdingen and settled in Felsönána. His 51 year-old
widow Katharina died there in 20.11.1735.
Dörmer, Johann Heinrich came to
Felsönána from Birklar Kreis Giessen. He died on 31.10.1738. He was from among
the countless colonists who succumbed to the rigors of the heavy work required to
clear land and drain the swamps and died at an early age. He was 45 when he
died. Two sons had emigrated with him, Johann Jakob and Johann Peter. Johann
Jakob was born in 1722 and married in Felsönána 22.11.1746 and his bride was Anna
Christina Schmied the daughter of the master blacksmith Andreas Schmied and his
wife Anna Clara. Following her death, Johann Jakob remarried 30.11.1749 and his
second wife was Elisabeth Deckert who had been born in Mucsfa 22.04.1730 the
daughter of Johann Deckert a fabric dyer from Mucsfa. She died in Felsönána
20.11.1749. The other son Johann Peter Dörmer married in Felsönána 28.11.1741 and
his bride was Peter Eberhard’s daughter Barbara.
Enckemayer, a carpenter came from
Neukirchen in the Stift Fulda.
Faulhaber, Johann from Grebenau
Kries Alsfeld married Elisabeth Jäckl the daughter of Johann Jäckl in Felsönána in
1765.
Fuchs, Johann David was from
Reichenbach but there are approximately 60 or more villages with that name in
Germany.
Funck, Anna Elisabeth from
Sinnerod (but could also be Winnerod, Kries Giessen). Her parents were Johann
Heinrich Funck and Anna Maria. She married Johann Konrad Koch of Nagszékely who
was a widower. They married on 08.04.1735.
Graulich, Johann Heinrich came
from Burggemünden, Kreis Friedberg. In 1758 he married Anna Maria Beck. He
immigrated to Hungary with Johann Peter Graulich who also settled in Felsönána and
was probably his brother.
Hänsel, Anna Maria from
Eichelsachsen, Kreis Büdingen born on 11.11.1723. Her parents were Hanns Hänsel
and Anna Maria. She married Johann Lein in Felsönána on 17.10.1754.
Jäckl, Anna Katharina from
Heubach, Kreis Alsfeld born 04.11.1728 and married in Felsönána on 18.06.1754 to
Jakob Schäfer from Varsád. Her parents were Ludwig Johann Jäckl and Anna
Katharina Weiss. The parents had married on 16.10.1710. The grandparents were
Dietrich Jäckl and Johann Welten Weiss.
Jäckl, Johann was the brother of
Anna Katharina.
Kring, Johann Karl from
Isenburg-Fürdingen was married to Anna Maria Sauer. Among his relatives was
Johann Friedrich Kring who acted as a Godfather in 1740.
Kühnle, Michael was from
Rühlingshausen (but where?)
Lang, Johann came from Walldorf,
Kreis Grossgerau by Frankfurt or Walldorf in Baden by Heidelberg.
Lorch, David emigrated from
Wolleroth in Hessen/Kassel to Felsönána where he married. Wolleroth cannot be
located in any contemporary geographical atlas of Germany. It was most likely
the local variation of the proper name of the community that was given orally and
the recorder had to use his imagination. This happened frequently in the church
records.
Nagel, Anna Julianna born in
Niedergemünden, Kreis Alsfeld 26.01.1730. She married in Felsönána to Johann
Heinrich Zarth. Her father was Matthias Nagel. He married in Niedergemünden on
26.02.1722 and his wife was Anna Julianna Pabst the daughter of Johann Heinrich
Pabst. Anna Julianna’s grandfather was Konrad Nagel.
Rückert, Ulrich came from
Eberbach probably in Baden by Heidelberg.
Schleining, Anna Veronica came
from Mohlstein, Hessen Darmstadt and married in Felsönána on 06.06.1755. Her
husband was Johann Schnabel. The parents of the bride were Johann Schleining and
Anna Elisabeth.
Schindler, Konrad came from
Nordheim (Main) in Bavaria.
Walther, Johann Christoph was
born in Reichlos, Kreis Alsfeld on 10.11.1732. He married in Felsönána 28.11.1758
and his bride was Anna Margaret Birkenstock. The parents of the groom, Johann
Heinrich Walther baptized on 24.08.1709 married in Reichlos, filial of Freienstein
on 07.08.1732 to Eva Katharina Jäckl born in Reichlos in 1704. Grandparents:
Johann Walther who married Regina Bätz on 25.09.1708. The maternal grandparents
were Hans Andreas Jäckl from Guntzenau, who married Anna Katharina Höll in
Reichlos on 12.06.1702.
Weitzel, Johann Friedrich son of
Johann came from Grumenau (in the neighbourhood of Hessen Darmstadt). On
15.12.1771 he married Anna Margaret Schell.
In addition among the earliest settlers we can also identify
the following although their places of origin are unknown.
Arzt, Friedrich was a Godfather
in 1740.
Beck, Ludwig Andreas arrived
before 1744. His son, Johann Georg was confirmed in 1757.
Blätzer, or Plätzer Johann and
Anna Maria. Their daughter Anna Maria married 12.04.1751 and her husband was
Johann Wilhelm Bach, son of Johann Heinrich Bach of Dauernheim. Witnesses
included the grandfather of the bride, The Richter of the village: Johann Heinrich
Plätzer and Church Father Heinrich Krähling (Dauernheim?) and an elder of the
congregation: Heinrich Raab.
Eberhard, Johann Peter born
before 1693 and his wife Anna Margaret born 20.08.1693 and died in Felsönána.
Children: Maria Angelika who married Johann Lang of Kalaznó in 1736.
Buch, Johann Adam born
around 1696. He died in 1769 at the age of 73 years. His wife was Margaret
Katharina. Children: Johann Georg married in Kistormás. Came from Wiesbaden-Schierstein.
Lived in Kistormás first.
Eichhorn, Johann Kaspar was the
schoolmaster from 1732-1740. His daughter was baptized on 22.02.1740.
Fuchs, Heinrich married Anna
Elisabeth Dörmer on 14.01.1745.
Habitz, Johann had a son Simon
baptized in 1740
Heineck, Johann Jakob born around
1726 died in Felsönána 13.08.1780 and his wife Katharina Margaret born 18.05.1726
died on 03.08.1780.
Heineck, Johann Franz (probably
the brother of Johann Jakob) and his wife Katharina Maria had a child baptized in
1739. On 02.02.1758 their son Johann Jakob married Margaret Katharina Wentzel the
daughter of Hartmann Wentzel and Anna Margaret.
Hütter, Johann Jakob is listed as
the father of Anna Maria on her confirmation in 1757.
Jahnson, Johann Georg a locksmith
the son of Johann Georg Jahnson married Maria Barabara Wegmann from Nagyszékely on
18.01.1746.
Lux, Heinrich and his wife Maria
had a child baptized in 1740.
Landmann, Peter and his wife
Maria Dorothea’s son was born around 1753/1754 and married Anna Barbara Schmied in
Felsönána. The grandparents of the groom were Zacharias Landmann and Anna
Margaret who was born around 1697 and died in Felsönána on 04.06.1747. A Jakob
Landmann from Udvari married Katharina Barbara Walther in Kistormas.
Nagel, Johann and his wife had a
daughter born in 1743.
Nagel, Johann Georg and his wife
had a child on 09.01.735 and the Godparents were Johann Georg Kirchner and Johann
Heinrich Wagner.
Reit, Georg Christoph and his
wife Susanne Maria were Godparents in 1757 for Johann Christoph Schmidt’s daughter
Elisabeth Katharina.
Schmied,
Andreas master blacksmith may have
come from Eichelsdorf, Kreis Büdingen married Anna Clara.
Treger,
Christian married 07.02.1741 in Kistormás to Anna Maria Jahnson the daughter of
the Johann Georg Jahnson the local locksmith.
Weissling,
Hans Nickel married on 22.11.1745 to Anna Katharina Becker the daughter of Adam
Becker.
Thörig,
a widow born around 1683 and died in 1736.
Weylandt,
Johann Konrad married in 1739. His wife was Johanna Margaret widow of Johann
Philip Schnabel.
