I Have a question about researching my ancestors in Affeltrangen. I have traced my ancestor Georg Conrad Wiesendanger born 23 Nov 1867 in Affeltrangen and his wife Bertha Lenggenhager. Date of marriage is unknown. They had children born in Sankt Gallen. Bertha is from Sankt Gallen. I wrote to Sankt Gallen and found a birth record of one of their children. I understand that there are family records or perhaps citizenship records in the Canton of Thurgau that would list the entire family as well as birth dates of children and marriages. Do any of you know to write for such records or how I can find the marriage of Georg and Bertha without a date of marriage.

Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ira

Contact the Civil Registry Office in Weinfelden, which is taking care of Affeltrangen, and ask
- if your ancestor can be identified in their register;
- what you are expected to do (and pay) to get a "Familienschein".

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Wolf Seelentag, St.Gallen

Thanks Wolf for all your help. I had good results writing to Sankt Gallen for information about Max Wiesendanger the son of Georg Conrad Wiesendanger. I didn't have the first name of Max's father. I've since been able to extend the line a few more generations.

Thanks again

Ira

Ira, I am also researching the Wiesendanger family in Affeltrangen. My ancestry is through Joh. Konrad b. 1847--Joh. Jakob b.1827--Johannes b. 1797--Hs. Conrad/Marg. Frey m.1783. May I ask who George's parents were? Fabus

Fabus, I have found the family of Georg Wiesendanger and his ancestry. Georg b. 1867 in Affeltrangen was son of Johannes Konrad b. 1825 m. Maria Barbara Buehler. he is the son of Hans Conrad b. 1789 m. Anna Barbara Allenspach. Hans is son of Hans Conrad
b. 1762 m. Anna Margaretha Frey. Hans is the son of Hans Conrad b. 1727 in Waengi, m. Anna Barbara Frisch. Hans is the son of Hans Ulrich b. 1690 m. Anna Jung. The line ends there. He was married 4 Dec 1717 in Waengi, but there is a 40 year gap in the records. His birth was found in the family records.

Do you have any further information about the ancestry beyond Hans Ulrich. Thanks, Ira

Dear Ira,
I have found Theophilus b. 1878, d. 1947
of Joh. Conrad (b.1847) m.1871 to Marg. Muehlemann(b. 1854) Imm. to US 1883
of Joh. Jakob (b.1827) m. 1847 to A. Barbara Stieger (b. 1820)
of Johannes (b.1797) m. 1826 to A. Dorothea Brenner (b. ?)
of Hs. Conrad (b. 1762) m. 1783 to A. Marg. Frey (b. ?)
of Hs. Conrad (baptised 1/5/1727) m. 12/5/1754 to Anna Barbara Frisch (b.3/30/1735, d.1779--Wangi, Achnang, Gerlikon; her father was Adam Frisch and mother was Eva Baumer)
of Hs. Ulrich WISENDANGER (b. 1692, d. 1764 buried Eueli Wengi) married to Anna Jung (b. 1686, d. 1756) I have found nothing further back... yet. I did see twins of Ulrich and Anna, Johannes and Hans Conrad, who were born and died in 1725, buried Eueli. Perhaps you have the same information. I have used Family Search and Ancestry mostly. I have found that same gap which you mentioned

I am in the US in Wisconsin. Joh. Conrad located in Northern Wisconsin and then came to Milwaukee as a carpenter. He patented some things and this creativity lasted in his kids. He died in 1899. In 1900 his sons were landlords, cigar makers and one continued in carpentry with inlaid woodwork. His grandson was an inventor and manager for a tool company and his great grandson, my husband, is an electrical engineer who worked (read: played) in research and development. We live in the Kettle Moraine of southeastern Wisconsin.

What has come of George's family? Did they remain in Switzerland? Do you know of any Wiesendangers in Affeltrangen? Does Affeltrangen derive from the term for apple cider? I do find the research fascinating but the coming upon possible distant connections is certainly the most rewarding. Thank you so much for the information you have shared. I regret I don't speak German as all of the content in this forum is very informative but it takes me forever to translate it roughly! Thank you, Fabus

Greetings again Fabus,

Very interesting story about your connection to the Wiesendanger's. I'm also here in the US - Utah to be exact. I do quite a bit of genealogy and most of the records that I sourced for the Wiesendanger family come from the actual parish registers in Affeltrangen. They have been microfilmed and are available through the LDS Church Family History centers.

I am actually doing the research for my son-in-law. His grandmother who is still alive is a Wiesendanger and living near Sacramento CA. Georg had a son named Max who came to America about 1920. The oral history is that Max worked for a man in Switzerland who was quite mean to him and dishonest. He decided that it was time to leave and make a new life for himself in America. He had married in Sankt Gallen before he left Switzerland. I have found quite a bit on her family as well in Hundwil, Appenzell. After arriving Max changed his name to Wiseman for some reason.

I've only taken the line back to 1690's for the Wiesendanger's. Some of the branch lines off of Anna Barbara Frisch born in 1733 go back into the 1500's. I haven't verified any of that research however. Most of it comes from Familysearch/Ancestry.com etc.

Nice to know that there are other Wiesendanger's here in the States. I'll have to report back to the family about this.

Thank you for the information.

Ira