My great-grandfather was J. Peter (Jempi) ZENNER (19 Jun 1885 - 21 Jan 1981).
His parents were Jean Peter ZENNER (8 Jan 1838 - 21 Nov 1900) and Anne-Marie BISSEN (1840 - May 1915).
Jean Peter Zenner's mother was Barbara FORCEE.

My g-grandfather J. Peter ZENNER left Luxembourg to work in France and then England. He came to the U.S. in 1908, settling in Idaho where he remained until his death in 1981.

He states in his biography, "[Great?] Uncles Peter, Nickolas, and J. Peter came to Caledonia, MN, in about 1860...Uncle John Peter had learned the tinsmith trade and moved to Chicago, IL." "We were there several times and some of them here [in Idaho]." To me, that means that my great-grandfather visited with his ZENNER relatives in Caledonia, MN.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Hi Deborah;
I am working on a BISSEN family at the Houston Co., MN village of Feeburg (near Caledonia). Could be just coinkydink, buuut...

Peter BISSEN b. 1844 along with his father, Theadore BISSEN b. 1811 settled in Freeburg after 1875. They had briefly settled at Johnsburg, Mower Co. MN after leaving Lemont, Cook Co. IL. Peter m. Katherine PETERS, of Lemont, in 1871. (Peter is the brother of my ggm, Anna Marie BISSEN KRELL, b. 1846.)

These BISSENs are Luxembourgers, from the Brachtenbach area and nearby Daleiden, Germany.

Your Anne-Marie does not appear in this line, even though I have a reliable genealogy going back to Johann BISSEN b. 1775.

Do you know what part of Luxembourg Jean Peter and Anne-Marie were from?

If you want to learn more about the BISSEN line in Luxembourg, I suggest you contact Chuck Van Den Eeden. We worked at connecting our two lines a few years ago, without success. I don't have an address at hand, but I'm sure you can get it from RSL.

My Grand father Jempi had 6 son's... One of which must be your grandfather.. Harrold is my father... but uncles include Paul, Peter, Joe, Andy, and Al (deceased). J. Peter lived long enough to meet my youngest sibling... Dana Rian Zenner born in 1980. I presently farm in Craigmont Idaho.. About 5 miles west of Uncle Joe's farmstead ( referred to as the Breier Place)... Yes much sounds familiar.............

Jean Peter ZENNER & Anne-Marie BISSEN were from Diekirch, Luxembourg if I'm not mistaken. That's where they're buried at least.

Hi Gary I am still out here pluging away at the BSSEN surname. I came across Debi's posting re Anne Marie Bissen today and also found your response.

I recently had some good fortune and found a person in Vichten, Lux. who had access to some detailed records and it now appears our BISSENs are not related even though Goesdorf and Brachtenbach are about 12 km apart. I am having a hard time accepting it but it appears true at this time.

I recently have been touch with your Hawaii Bissens on another matter.

I have several Anne Marie Bissens but not with the 1840 birth year
I note Debi indicates the birth in Victhen and death in Gi[?]lsdorf, Lux. [Goesdorf?] so I thought there might be a connection w/ my research and will check with Debi re birth year for Anne

Best wishes to you

Chuck Van Den Eeden
Lombard, Illinois

Debi I came across your posting with a reference to Anne Marie BISSEN of Vichten, Lux. - I know of one or more but not with an 1840 birth. I am researching the BISSEN name in Vichten and Goesdorf [not Gilsdorf] and thought there might be a connection.

Are you firm on the May 1840 birth?

Chuck Van Den Eeden
Lombard, Illinois

Hi, thanks for replying! I don't have a birth certificate for Anne-Marie BISSEN, so I can't be sure. Her son (and my great-grandfather), J. P. ZENNER, listed her birth date as 1840 with no month.

The only "documentary" evidence I have of her possible birth year is from her gravestone in Luxembourg. I've attached a photo of it. It's in french, but translated it states that she died on May 25, 1915, at 70 years of age. According to this, she may actually have been born in 1845.

So, let me know if this fits better with the info. you've found.

Thanks!

Deborah Babb