Mathias Stephani of Confeld, Prussia

In January, I once again visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. I was eager to take a look at the Confeld (aka Konfeld) Parish Registers from Prussia (now Germany). 

A few years ago, I found an immigration record showing that a family of eight, headed by Mathias Stephany, a 40-year old farmer, immigrated in 1843 from Konfeld, which is about 20 miles from Trier, Prussia. I thought this might be my great-great-great-grandfather, who emigrated in 1843 and went by "Mathias Stephens" in the U.S.

Confeld, Merzig, Trier, Rheinland, Preussen

The Confeld Catholic Parish Registers showed that the Mathias Stephany who lived in Confeld is the same as the one who emmigrated to America and settled in New Berlin, Wisconsin.

Here is what I found in the registers:

On February 2, 1826, Mathias Stephani, son of Joannis Stephani and Catharina Ruhl, and Eva Schuh, daughter of Nicolas Schuh and Eva Huorst, were married in Confeld. 

Joannes, son of Mathias Stephani and Eva Schuh was born and baptized January 25, 1827. Godparents were Joanne Schuh and Susanna Stephani.

Petrus, son of Mathias Stephani and Eva Schuh was born and baptized February 25, 1829. Godparents were Peter Schutz and Maria Katz(?).

Nicolaus, son of Math. Stephani and Eva Schuh was born and baptized November 26, 1831. Godparents were Nicol. Shuh and Magd. Stephani of Confeld.

Joan. Petrus Stephani, parents Mathias Stephani and Eva Schuh, was born and baptized December 24, 1933. Godparents Joan. Petrus Schuh and Eva Sritz(?). I believe this child is my great-great-grandfather, Henry Stephens, based on the birthdate, and the death of his mother about one week later, which matches the family story passed down about the sad circumstances of Henry's birth.

Eva Schu, wife of Matthias Stephani of Confeld, age 27, died January 2, 1834 and was buried January 4, 1834. 

On December 16, 1834, Mathias Stephani, widower of Eva Schu of Confeld, married Barbara Hubschen, widow of Joannis Schmitt of Thailen.

Barbara Stephany, daughter of Math. Stephany and Barbara Hubschen was born and baptized August 24, 1835. Godparents Joan. Kohr of Thailen and Barbara Lernhoffe of Confeld.

Mathias Stephany, son of Mathias Stephany and Barbara Hubschen was born February 10, 1837, baptized February 11, 1837. Godparents Mathias Besker? of Confeld and Margaretha Haas of Thailen. 

Joannes Stephany, son of Mathias Stephany and Barbara Hubschen was born September 22, 1838, baptized September 23, 1838. Godparents Joannes Lauer of Thailen and Susanna Stephani of Confeld. 

Matthias Stephany, son of Mathias Stephany and Barbara Hubschen was born March 3, 1840, and baptized March 4, 1840. Godparents Mathias Spanier and Theresa Becker of Confeld.


SOURCES

Kirchenbuch, Katholische Kirche Confeld (Kr. Merzig): Heiraten [Marriages] 1801-1903 items 11-12.: Tote [Deaths] 1810-1876. FHL Microfilm # 466486 (International Film Collection), Family History Library, Salt Lake City.

Kirchenbuch, Katholische Kirche Confeld (Kr. Merzig): Taufen [Baptisms] 1798-1895. FHL Microfilm # 466485 (International Film Collection), Family History Library, Salt Lake City.

Note: If you are related to any of these people, I'd be happy to share images of the parish register pages with you. 

The Stephens Family Immigrates to America

Henry Stephens, my great-great-grandfather, immigrated to the U.S. in the 1840s when he was a boy. The Stephens family was part of an increasing tide of German immigrants who came to America during the 1800s to escape crop failures, political unrest, and a widespread lack of opportunity. Many German immigrants went to Wisconsin, where the population grew from 11,000 in 1836 to over 305,000 in 1850. The soil and climate in Wisconsin was similar to that in Germany, and suited immigrants like Henry's father, Mathias, who had been a farmer. A biography of Henry's older brother John said he was from Trier, Germany, and immigration records show that a family of eight, headed by Mathias Stephany, a 40-year old farmer, immigrated in 1843 from Konfeld, which is about 20 miles from Trier, Prussia. This may very well be our Mathias Stephens.   

Henry Stephens, born about 1833 in Prussia, died in 1908 in Waterloo, Iowa

Matthias and his first wife Eve (Schuh) Stephens had four sons. Henry, their last son, was born about 1833, but sadly Eve died a week after he was born. Mathias then married Eve's sister, Barbara, and in 1843, Mathias, Barbara, and six children, immigrated to America, arriving in New York City after a ship's voyage of sixty-three days. 

Upon arriving in America, the family traveled to Milwaukee by way of the Hudson River, Erie Canal and the Great Lakes. There, Matthias paid $62.50 for forty acres of timbered land in the town of New Berlin. 

The Peck cabin, the first house in Madison
(no connection to the Stephens family)

According to the biography of John Stephens, "Their first home was a log cabin, the floor of which was mother earth; snow would sift through the shake roof until it would be an inch or two deep on the beds in the morning, while the chimney was a stove pipe thrust through the roof. Indians were almost as numerous as the white inhabitants." (Portrait and Biographical Record of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, 1894)

Another biography, of Henry's brother Nicholas, reports: "The family lived under a tree while building a log cabin, with Indians, deer, wolves, etc., for neighbors." (History of Waukesha, 1880)

The red border shows the 80 acres Matthias purchased in 1846, the West half of the
Southeast quarter of Section 14, Township 6 N, Range 20 E.

John Stephens recalled deer were plentiful. One of the men would take an old-fashioned cow-bell and station himself in their 'runway,' and at the approach of the deer he would ring the bell, thus attracting their attention, while his comrades would slip up and shoot them from the opposite direction."

Mathias and Barbara appear to have been fruitful in their new home. By 1870, their land was valued at $6,000 and they had $600 worth of personal property. Mathias had numerous children - possibly more than 12, and several of his children had large families, ensuring that the descendants of Mathias in the U.S. are many. They are now spread all over the country.

The gravestones of Matthias and Barbara Stephens, Holy Apostles Cemetery,
New Berlin, Waukesha, Wisconsin

There are numerous Stephens family members buried in the beautifully kept Holy Apostles Cemetery in New Berlin, Wisconsin.