Documents for Johann Michael Bachtle of Baden-Württemberg?

Question

I'm working on this family due to numerous DNA matches s leading me to think they are related either to the Hauff or Velte families. I was then astonished to find that Christopher Hauff b 1809 entered into a milk business with Michael Bachtle immediately after the latter arrived in Baltimore around 1849 (they dissolved the partnership a scant year later). Their connection must be in Germany. Can any documentation be found for MIchael in Germany? Where did the name of his birthplace come from? Where did the name of his wife, Anna Dollman, come from? Seemingly from thin air. Can anyone help? Thanks.

Answer 1

Hey Jane, the profile of Michael Bächtle seems to be a classical conflation to me, at least at first look. The given location of birth clerly is ment to be "Donnstetten" in Württemberg, which is now part of the parish of Römerstein, near Reutlingen in Baden-Württemberg. 

There indeed was born a Michael Bächtle, son of Christian Bächtle and Barbara, née Kirsamer in December 1824 (born 6th, baptized 8th) BUT this child died 24th Dec same year, and can not be the Michael in question. This parents are also in many online trees, but are false !!

There is however another hint popping up in Ancestry.com, showing a birth record for a Michael Bächtle, son of Christian and Eva Maria, née Luz. Born 29. Dec 1824 and baptized 31. Dec 1824 in Würzbach, parish of Altburg near Calw, in Württemberg. This would match the date in your profile (at least if you take the baptism).

The fact, that there is a "Frederick Lutz" on the attached passenger list right next to your Michael, traveling together with him, makes it very probable that your Michael Bächtle comes from Würzbach, parish of Altburg !!! It could be a cousin from his mother's side.

Of course the family would have to be researched closely to find a convincing proof. 

Comments

Thank you Danny! This was not my research and in fact I can't find any tree on ancestry that has data. This seems to be an example of Americans frightened of German records and throwing any old thing at the profile (which I recently adopted). I am one of those helpless idiots myself.

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The birth/baptism dates are not available from the USA end, they are back-inserted by people attempting to find parents. Al we have are civil war records that have him born in 1822 or 1825. !

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I finally got out a map and am liking your ancestry hint very much, because the wife of Christopher Hauff who went into business with this Michael, Rosina Velte, was born in Maisenbach, Calw, her mother (Eva Rosina Blaich) was born in Zavelstein, a stone's throw from Altburg. Her father Georg Friedrich Keppler was born in Wurzbach and died in Kentheim. These are all close to Altburg. I'm going to (at least temporarily) change the profile to indicate this new possibility. I made a map but can't figure out how to put it in this post.. It's at Map of small area where Velte and Bachtle came from

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Langenbrand, the village where the Hauffs are supposed to come from, is only 9 km away from Würzbach, where the above mentioned birth record points to for Michael Bächtle. I would assume that this nails it. At least it starts to get really interesting.

Unfortunately I am a bit restricted in time right now. Maybe someone else can help. If not, I might have a closer look at it later this week. Let's see.

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Danny, I looked up that Christian Bachtle just below Michael in the ship manifest and they were indeed brothers Christian was born in Altburg, And there is a birth record of another child of Christian Bachtle Sr giving Eva Maria Luz/Lutz as the mother, and as you pointed out these two young men, Michael (subject of this thread) and Christian Jr were traveling with a Frederick Lutz.

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Ok, I did a quick look deeper into the matter and found the proof that they are indeed the emigrants. I will put it on the profile later today. We will have to first fix the existing profile and than expand the whole family bit by bit, till the connection turns up. But lets do that via PM, not to annoy the people here to much :)

Please send me a PM stating the exact way you think the DNA match would go up the lines, so that we can see if it goes through the male or femal line. As far as I understood you think that Christopher Hauff and Michael Bächtle schould be related? Or could it also go though there respactive wifes?

Answer 2

Are there any bachtles near Langenbrand, Kapfenhardt, Wuerttembergmap whence the hauffs hailed? Or Maisenbach, Wuerttemberg where the velte family lived?