Seeking information on my ggrandmother, Catherine (possibly Catharina) Denninger. Verbal family history indicates she was born in Alsace-Lorraine on April 15, 1854. She married my ggrandfather, Sebastian Englert b. 1850, who was from Gutenberg, Germany. I don't know when or where they married or when they immigrated to America. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Brigette, thank you for responding. No, I am not positive that Catherine's surname was DENNINGER. As you surmise, it is quite possible her surname was mistranslated at some point in time. I have spent several years contacting various surviving relatives and searching internet genealogy sites but have been unable to uncover any more information than what I gave in my original posting. My best leads are her place of birth, Alsace-Lorraine, and her birth date of April 15, 1854 which I have to hope is correct. After arriving in America, they turned up in Chillicothe, Missouri around 1881, where Catherine raised their five surviving children. My ggrandfather, Sebastian Englert, mysteriously dissapeared the night the family arrived in Chillicothe (for more on this story, see my postings at http://genforum.genealogy.com/englert). Therefore, it has been difficult obtaining information on Sebastian's German family as well. I will continue to search and hopefully with the assistance of good-hearted people like yourself I will one day find the missing links. I would certainly appreciate any futher information or suggestions you might supply.

are looking for DENNINGER Catherine. Are you sure about this surname ? Because it might be DEHLINGER. DEHLINGER is a surname from LORRAINE. My own surname is DEHLINGER. There are DEHLINGER families in Moselle area in the villages of ETTING, RAHLING, KALHAUSEN, etc.
Could you check this surname ? It might be bad translated as your ancestor were boarding on boat. It was current. List of embarkations were not so well written than today.
The most important is to find where she was born because it will be too difficult to go on your search.

Please tell me more, I'll try to help you with my own informations. I have a lot about the village of ETTING.

Sincerely,

Brigitte DENLINGER - TERRASSE
Guyancourt, March 7th, 2001

Hi Roger

To complete your information about DEHLINGER surname : it may be written under different ways : DELLINGER or DELINGER.
As for me, it was converted into DENLINGER.

In church books and civil documents, you can find : DEHLINGER, DELLINGER or DELINGER and often in the same family.

The most important is to locate Catherine's birthplace. Alsace-Lorraine is meaning an area of France but not a village. Have you ever checked immigration documents, decease certificate or passengers lists ? Have you find any information about Sebastian Englert ? His certificate of decease might have given inquiries about his wife ?
I think it would be worthy to explore immigration documents and passengers lists because at the end of the XIXe century, these lists were better filled. Perhaps have you ever done this kind of search ?

When first immigrants from Alsace-Lorraine went to America, there was a big confusion according to their place of birth with people coming from Germany or SWITZERLAND. They were speaking the quite same language. That's why Alsaciens and Lorrains got married German people.

Anyway, I am at your disposal.
Sincerely
Brigitte
Guyancourt, March 8th, 2001

Brigitte, thank you for the additional information. I will certainly expand the search for my ggrandmother utilizing the variations on Denninger which you have supplied. Yes, I have checked and will continue to look for immigration documents, death certificates, and passenger lists for Catherine and Sebastian, both in Europe and in the States. I appreciate your offer to assist me in the future and I will definitely take you up on it as soon as I can supply you with more information.

Hi

Thank you for your message.

As soon as it will be possible for you, I'll try to help you on my own. I hope it'll be possible to find a connection between my DEHLINGER ancestors and yours. Though we must be cautious as this surname was well known in the Lorraine area.

Well, good luck in your searching and more later.
Sincerely
Brigitte
Guyancourt, on March 11 th, 2001

I am just starting out and wondering if you ever found more info on Sebastian Englert or Katherine Dinninger? I have been reading your posts from several years ago. Francis William Englert is my Great Grandfather.

Kind Regards,
Michele Pennington
michelepennington13@gmail.com

Might there be alternate spellings for Englert? I have an Engelter in my tree, born in Lorraine. Sounds like French word for England, 'Angleterre?'

I don't recall ever coming across Engelter but in the world of genealogy anything is possible.

Interestingly enough within the last week I was given a letter written years ago to my Dad by one of his sisters that indicates Katherine Dinninger/Denninger had a sister named Margaret Derlinger who was married to George Augustus Weisz. They lived in or near Norborne, MO. In limited searching I have located the death record for George and Margaret's son, George Sebastian Wiesz, and I plan to pursue this new lead soon. The letter also mentions two other previously undiscovered items. First, that Sebastian Englert and Katherine came to America separately and that they probably were married here rather than in Europe and secondly, that Sebastian was in the German army and deserted. I'm wondering if German army records can be located on-line that may shed more light on our Sebastian? Anyway, I will keep you posted and I would love to add your personal info to my family tree. I'm guessing David, Ronnie or Jim Bill Pennington is your father which should make us 3rd cousins. I will scan Sebastian's outline descendant tree and email it to you next week. Then after review I would appreciate you sending me whatever family data you can add. Enough for now. Thank you for contacting me.