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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Johann Christian Maier was born April 10, 1819 in Bissingen, Wurttemberg, Germany. A Maier Genealogy was written in the 1930's while a family member was living in Germany. However, I also have a copy of the Protestant church records of Bissingen microfilmed by the LDS library. The handwriting is in old German and the spelling varies but the detail matches what had been discovered in the 1930s.

Johann Christian was the son of Johann Friedrich Maier and Maria Barbara Kaufmann. They were also from Bissingen. The  Family Record Book, pages 381, 283 are held in Ratshous in Bissingen.  I have the complete record of this family.  Details are noted below.  The family records in that village date back to 1577.  They were most likely farmers.  The farmers lived in the villages.  The houses contained barns for equipment, storage and some animals.  The village is surrounded by orchards.

Johann Christian married Barbara Gienger on Oct. 17, 1843 in Bissingen, Wurttemberg, Germany. They had ten known children, all born in Bissingen:
1. Eva Rosina born Oct. 14, 1842 stillborn.
2. Eva Rosina born Nov. 25, 1843 wed Vinzenz Aloys Schwenk in Dischingen, Bayern
this entry especially stated she was born in Bissingen a.d. Teck, all other just say Bissingen.
3. Johann Daniel born Oct. 3, 1845 wed Wilhelmina Hartmann in Wilmington Delaware, USA "in America"  from Family Record
4. Anna Barbara born April 2 or 7, 1848 wed Christian Christof Veil in Schlaitdorf in 1870
5. Anna Katharina born June 26, 1850 wed Johann Jakob Sprandel in Bempflingen in 1873
6. Johannes born April 26, 1852 wed Amelia ? "in America" from Family Record Book
7. Maria born March 20 or 24, 1854. She was christened in 1868, she died Oct. 1907 in the family home.
8. Friedrich born Dec. 18, 1855 unwed, died in USA
9. Margareta born Nov. 18, 1858 wed Karl Kohlbecker & they immigrated to Wilmington Del.
10. Johann Jakob born unknown month 8, 1861 wed Anna Degenhart in Mindelheim on March 15, 1892, died in Denklingen, Germany Feb. 6, 1934.

With the exception of #7 Maria, all left Bessingen an der Teck after 300 years in this village.  We were told it was a very poor village in the nineteenth century.  The world was more mobile, making it easier to leave to find work. 

In the area around Stuttgart, there are 3 towns that could fit the name "Bissingen". They are Bissingen, Bisingen, and Bissingen an der Teck. After a careful study of the 1930's document we determined it is the Bissingen an der Teck. This village is south east of Stuttgart. The village lies at the base of the mountain Teck upon which is a old castle also named Teck.  A visit to the village in 2003 confirmed without doubt that this was the home village of our line of Maiers.

Barbara died in Bissingen on April 18, 1891. Johann Christian Maier lived until Oct 12, 1902. Their daughter Maria probably cared for him.  She died in the Maier house in 1907.  These dates are also in the Family Record.  If you want a copy, CONTACT US.

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Date Last Edited: 9/1/2004