In researching my fiancee's genealogy I have come across a very old Wagner Family Bible from 1871. The patriarch of the family appears to be Daniel Wagner b. 1805 who immigrated from Germany in 1825. My fiancee's great grandfather Ebbert Alonzo Albin b. 1872 married Mary Margdalene Mossler b. 1874, whose grandfather was Daniel Wagner.

The bible is in German. We cannot identify who is in the pictures in the back pages. Any help with this would be enormously appreciated. Also, there is a family info page written in German. If anyone can help translate it it would help us immensely.

I have scanned the most interesting pages as a PDF. It contains the first few pages and preface, new testament intro, last pages with pictures and info, and loose papers that were in the back of the bible. You can download the PDF from my web server at:

http://www.jimvajda.com/genealogy/Wagner_Family_Bible.pdf

it isn't so much the German in the vital record section as the handwriting, but I'll give it a shot...
...est Geboren = is born
what looks like "Mrynnr" is Wagner.
I think the given names are, with months of birth, which are not much different from ours;

Elizabetha May
Louis? April
Margaretha Nov
Marvin Dec
Daniel Apr
Johannes Oct
Georg Feb
Daniel Dec
Carolina Oct
Wilhelm Nov

I suspect what is scrunched up in front of 3 names is a notation of them having died young? just a guess.

it gets more difficult for me after this, as my German isn't great, just enough to understand vital records and I've got a good background in translating handwriting.

that said, the next name, possibly the father of the above, is Daniel, and I think it says was instead of is, but I'm not sure. a lot of the Germanic language uses the same word for many of the small connective words (is/was, etc.) so I really cannot say for certain. then it gives a place, and again, I'm guessing at it-C_huhuffen. then another place, possibly Vihouburg? I think the word in front of 1834 is Jahren, which is year. then shortly after that is Jahren 1838 with Anna Elizabeth born Lauft??? and then shortly after that 13 May 1840 or more likely 1890 because it says 85 years and what is probably 1 month, 18 days but my eyes are getting tired...Altrophanihn appears to be the next word. it then says Elizabeth Wagner born in/on 22 Mar 1813 in Ziphrim?
well, that's a start, anyway, the rest is beyond me due to my minimal knowledge of German.
I didn't see the record for the birth of Daniel, only the transcript.
you are extremely fortunate to have all of this. my Wagner came with no history, no known family, left a difficult paper trail and is said to have changed his name...no-one thought to say what he changed his name from or to!

I forwarded your request to the Ger-Poland-Volhinian list because I knew there were translators there. Ed Sonnenburg transcribed the handwriting, so that's a start...

Page 15

Elizabeth Wagner ist geboren 25. Maerz 1839
Louis Wagner ist geboren 9. April 1840
Margarethe Wagner ist geboren den 28. November 1842
Marvin Wagner ist geboren den 27. Dezember 1843
Jakob Daniel ist geboren den 8. April 1845
Johannis Wagner ist geboren den 16. Oktober 1846
George Wagner ist geboren den 11. Februar 1849
Jakob Daniel Wagner ist geboren den 18. Dezember 1852
Karolina Wagner ist geboren den 11. Oktober 1854
Jakob Wilhelm Wagner ist geboren den 5. November 1856

Daniel Wagner wurde geboren den 25. Maerz 1805
In Kuhhaffen? In Schonbach? Damit Zingsheim? Kam
Nach Amerika I'm Jahr 1834 verehelichte sich im Jahr
1838 mit der Elizabeth geb(oren) Larst? Starb den 13. Maerz
1890 von Altersschwaeche sein Alter war 85 Jahre, 1 Monat 18 Tage
Die Elizabeth wurde geboren den 22. Maerz 1813
In ______ ______ _____ ____ ____ kam nach
Amerika I'm Jahre 1833 ihr Vater starb auf der Bahn?I'm Juni 183_?

Page 16 (with man's picture)

Dort versenkten Torpedos und minen an den Hafen

(below picture)

Kommodore Delvet?

Hinein und die Kreuzer (cruisers) "Baltimore" und "Boston"
Wie auch die Kanonenboote "Concord und "Netrel"?

Page 17

Abrechnung fuer Rev. J. Eichem?

New Middletown Harrison Co. 4th d(istrict)?

In Rechnung mit J. J> Ruetenik
991 Scranton Ave, Cleveland 1. February 1802

Page 20

Die Einsetzung das Abendmahl steht geschrieben:

Mathai Kapitel 26 (Mathew Chapter 26)
Das Gleichnis vom grossen Abendmahl steht geschrieben
I'm Evangelium Lukas I'm 12. Kapitel 16. Die? Worten

he will translate it to English soon.
I'll continue to assist as data comes in...

Wow! Thank you so much for your help. I can't wait to see the translation.

here's what he sent.

The paragraph reads that Daniel was born 1805 and he came to America in 1834. He married Elizabeth in 1838,
Died 1890 at the age of 85.
Elizabeth was born 1813 and came to America in 1833.

I looked at all other pages again.

Page 2 - picture of Martin Luther
Page 5-8 Vorrede (Foreword of the bible)
Written in gothic script. I can read it and translate if necessary.
Page 9 - picture of Jesus
Page 11 - small words say "ICE MOUNTAIN" not sure where that is
Page 12 - top left pic
Picture says J. FUCHS (could be name of studio)
And GLOCKENGASSE
Glocke is a bell - Gasse is "guest house" or hostel
So maybe he had his picture taken when he first arrived at that location.

Hope this helps

If you need anymore help let me know.

Ed

another person chipped in, here's their take on it.

The note before three of the children says Gestrb, short for "died"
(as Cornelia thought).

I think I got all but one or two words in the paragraph below,

Daniel Wagner was born on the 25th March 1805
in Kuhrhessen in Schorbach, Kreis Ziegenheim, came
to America in year 1834, married in year
1838 with Anna Elisabeth nee Berst [?] He died the 13th May
1890 of old age, his age was 85 years 1 month and 18 days.

Anna Elisabeth Wagner was born 22 March 1813
in Hessheim, Rein Saieon [??], Kanton Frankenthal, came to
America in year 1833, her father died on the [trip?] 20 Jun 183...

------------

The other interesting bit is the translation of Daniel's baptism certificate on page 19, it gives his parent's names as the veteran John Wagner, and Anna Catharine Oppermann, you've probably seen it already.

Thanks to all that contributed to this. It has been a huge help.