Johann Christian was born in Suhl, Thuringen, Germany in 1781 and lived in Thuringen until 1822 where records show that he was living and working in Itzelberg.  He and his first wife Katherina Margaretha Graser had at least eight children born in Thuringen, Germany according to Family Record #99 on FHL#2271019 Konigsbronn, Wurttemberg.  He worked as a blacksmith in Thuringen and Itzelberg.

 

Johann Christian's marriage record of Jan 20 1829 reports him being a widower of Katharina Margaretha Graser who died March 8 1828 in Itzelberg.  In 1829 he married (2) Christina Margaretha Betzler, my great grandmother Eva Rosina's mother.  Christina Margaretha was born April 1 1790 was the widow of Benedict Keck.  In July of that year they were the godparents to Christiana, daughter of Johann Heinrich Koehler, and his wife Anna Elizabeth Weitz. This could be a brother to Johann Christian.

 

Johann Christian and Christina Margaretha had a daughter Anna Maria Oct 18 1829.  Anna Maria died April 1831.  She was a year and a half old.

 

Eva Rosina was born October 23 1830 in Itzelberg.  Her godparents were Heinrich Koehler, metal worker, with his wife Elizabeth Weitz and Eva Rosina wife of Christoph Getters.  When Eva was 8 months old her mother died from TB.  Her father married (3) Agatha Fischer.  Her stepmother, Agatha, died when Eva was about 3 or 4.  Then in 1834 her father died with meningititis in Itzelberg when she was 61/2.

 

I don't know who raised her, perhaps it was her godparents, Heinrich and Elizabeth Koehler, or one of her older half-siblings, who had also come to the Itzelberg area.  Perhaps it was someone from her mother's Bezler family.  However the Bezler family lived in Aalen and at the age of 14 Eva Rosina was confirmed at Konigsbronn, the parish for Itzelberg.  The Bezler family goes back to 1500's in Aalen and were quite prominent, being senators, council members, innkeepers and butchers.  The family legend is that Eva Rosina came from a well-to-do-family who owned a large factory.

 

 

 

Ref: Konigsbronn, Wurt. Family Records FHL# 2271019

        Konigsbronn,  Wurt. Lutheran Births & Marriages  1826-   1879FHL 1340178

        Konigsbronn,  Wurt. Lutheran Deaths 1657-1872fHL#1340179