Saturday, September 5, 2015
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Eselere -> Flesgin -> Fliess -> Flies ancestors
Abbe Joseph Henri Flies is a third cousin twice removed of my great-grandmother Anna Flies Junius. I heard that he was very interested in family history. I procrastinated writing to him. When I finally did it was the day he died. I received a letter from his niece, Annik Chatellier-Schon several weeks later. She provided me with information about the family but not enough to resolve the questions I posed.
I have a book he wrote, "Ein Deutungsversuch unserer Gottes-, fluss-, Orts-, flur-, und familiennamen." Obviously, it was written in German. A friend translated part of it. An excerpt showing the history of the name follows.
In 1285 Theoderich, Knight, called Buista, Lord of Notzingen, sold the farmland in
Notzingen to the Marienthal Convent. In exchange, Marienthal gave him their serf Johann,
called Eselere of Huncheringen, with all his belongings, and all his descendants, with all movable and unmovable possessions, so that, if this obligation should not be covered through
this guarantee, defense and compensation, then the Convent should own the said Johann and said
properties, for peaceful use. Therefore, We (Theoderich), or any of our descendants, shall not be
permitted to lease or sell said serf.
In 1290 Johann, called Eselere, belonged to the Marienthal Convent.
Around 1294, Heinrich IV, Count of Luxembourg, asked his subject, the Noble Godfried of
Saarbruecken, to build a Water Castle and a Manor House. Godfried had married Kunigunde,
daughter of Arnold of Rodemacher and Anticonia von Ouren, Lords of Huncheringen. These
Lords asked to build a new fortified castle on the old “Kaylbach in Kautwinkel,” near the
“Motteburg” [castle] of Count Heinrich III of Luxemburg. On the advice of his wife Kunigunde,
Godfrid of Saarbruecken now built a barnlike castle in the forest near the cemetery of Durenthal.
This castle is still recognizable by its foundations, the cemetery, the bed of a creek, and the
“Schlossbusch” [castle bush?], the Klatzebusch and the Scheuerbusch. [apparently locally known
landmarks].
When the hostile rulers of Bar moved further into the County of Luxembourg, they forced
Geldart, first Lord of Durendal, to build further defensive positions, which are still remembered
by the local names of Kloeppel, Esch (iron), Goilden (moats) and Fassburch. Fassburch includes
the Silbe Castle and the “Silbe Fass”, i.e. Kas, House (with an S for Sirona). This house should
be the residence of the castle keeper.
The old castle on the “Cherhuegel” in the center of the village became useless, because of the
much stronger Rodemacher-Huncheringer castle in Kautwinkel. Therefore the former castle
keeper Johann Eselere, as appropriate, was named castle keeper of Fassburg by Geldart, Lord of
Durendal. After this, he [Johann Eselere] assumed the name of Flesgin.
For more than two centuries the Flesgin family stayed on the Fassburg as keepers of the
castle.
When, during the 17th century, the two Lords of Mittendal did not want to continue paying
their castle keeper Johansen Flesgin, he moved with his family to Liwingen, where he entered
the service of the Lords of Weiler-zum-Turm, specifically as the miller of the Liwingen Mill.
After this, he shortened his name from Flesgin to Fliess. With the permission, and possibly the
assistance, of the Lords of Weiler-zum-Turm Johannes Fliess (a) built a home, near the mill, and
died shortly thereafter.
I have a book he wrote, "Ein Deutungsversuch unserer Gottes-, fluss-, Orts-, flur-, und familiennamen." Obviously, it was written in German. A friend translated part of it. An excerpt showing the history of the name follows.
In 1285 Theoderich, Knight, called Buista, Lord of Notzingen, sold the farmland in
Notzingen to the Marienthal Convent. In exchange, Marienthal gave him their serf Johann,
called Eselere of Huncheringen, with all his belongings, and all his descendants, with all movable and unmovable possessions, so that, if this obligation should not be covered through
this guarantee, defense and compensation, then the Convent should own the said Johann and said
properties, for peaceful use. Therefore, We (Theoderich), or any of our descendants, shall not be
permitted to lease or sell said serf.
In 1290 Johann, called Eselere, belonged to the Marienthal Convent.
Around 1294, Heinrich IV, Count of Luxembourg, asked his subject, the Noble Godfried of
Saarbruecken, to build a Water Castle and a Manor House. Godfried had married Kunigunde,
daughter of Arnold of Rodemacher and Anticonia von Ouren, Lords of Huncheringen. These
Lords asked to build a new fortified castle on the old “Kaylbach in Kautwinkel,” near the
“Motteburg” [castle] of Count Heinrich III of Luxemburg. On the advice of his wife Kunigunde,
Godfrid of Saarbruecken now built a barnlike castle in the forest near the cemetery of Durenthal.
This castle is still recognizable by its foundations, the cemetery, the bed of a creek, and the
“Schlossbusch” [castle bush?], the Klatzebusch and the Scheuerbusch. [apparently locally known
landmarks].
When the hostile rulers of Bar moved further into the County of Luxembourg, they forced
Geldart, first Lord of Durendal, to build further defensive positions, which are still remembered
by the local names of Kloeppel, Esch (iron), Goilden (moats) and Fassburch. Fassburch includes
the Silbe Castle and the “Silbe Fass”, i.e. Kas, House (with an S for Sirona). This house should
be the residence of the castle keeper.
The old castle on the “Cherhuegel” in the center of the village became useless, because of the
much stronger Rodemacher-Huncheringer castle in Kautwinkel. Therefore the former castle
keeper Johann Eselere, as appropriate, was named castle keeper of Fassburg by Geldart, Lord of
Durendal. After this, he [Johann Eselere] assumed the name of Flesgin.
For more than two centuries the Flesgin family stayed on the Fassburg as keepers of the
castle.
When, during the 17th century, the two Lords of Mittendal did not want to continue paying
their castle keeper Johansen Flesgin, he moved with his family to Liwingen, where he entered
the service of the Lords of Weiler-zum-Turm, specifically as the miller of the Liwingen Mill.
After this, he shortened his name from Flesgin to Fliess. With the permission, and possibly the
assistance, of the Lords of Weiler-zum-Turm Johannes Fliess (a) built a home, near the mill, and
died shortly thereafter.
Saint Boniface Cemetery
Saint Boniface Cemetery is located at Lawrence and Clark in Chicago. According to Find a Grave, "St. Boniface cemetery was consecrated in 1863. Named for the apostle of Germany, it was the first cemetery servicing the needs of the German Catholic community in Chicago."
It was about a three block walk from our home on Winthrop Avenue. I remember climbing over the wall on the Magnolia Street side and wandering around. I did this at least once, but maybe a couple more times. Little did I know how important it was to our family.
My great-uncle John Junius and great-aunt Annie Junius are buried there. Both died in early childhood. There are thirty-one relatives or relatives of relatives buried there.
My great-grandfather's brother, Jean Nicolas Junius worked there for awhile before he returned to Luxembourg.
It was about a three block walk from our home on Winthrop Avenue. I remember climbing over the wall on the Magnolia Street side and wandering around. I did this at least once, but maybe a couple more times. Little did I know how important it was to our family.
My great-uncle John Junius and great-aunt Annie Junius are buried there. Both died in early childhood. There are thirty-one relatives or relatives of relatives buried there.
My great-grandfather's brother, Jean Nicolas Junius worked there for awhile before he returned to Luxembourg.
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