Hi Robert,
Thank you for taking the time to write all that information for me. I greatly appreciate it.

To answer your question: The family was primarily Jewish. The reason I say "primarily" is that some of my ancestors broke away from the faith.

You make mention of the Civil Registration imposed by the French. I've been lucky enough so far to find most of my ancestors through these records that were microfilmed by the Family History Library (FHL) at the LDS.

Thank you for explaining the region/area to me. It's hard for me sometimes to locate where the civil registration for a small town or city may have recorded the event.

For example, I know that Elisabetha Grunewald died in Sippersfeld on 7 Sep 1863, but I don't know where to look for her death registration at, as the FHL doesn't have death registrations for Sippersfeld?

Additionally the government of Mehlingen (Enkenbach-Alsenborn) informed me that I should be able to find Elisabetha Grunewald's birth registration in Münchweiler. (Calculating her birth from her son's marriage registration she should have been born around 1808-1808, and as you stated the Civil Registration may have not yet been fully imposed yet).

Again I thank you for the information. I have been able to prove other branches of my family line in Mehlingen back to the late 1700's using Civil Registration... but anything before that I'm at a lost for where to go.

If it helps, I can grant you access to my tree, as I have most of my documents listed and they may answer your questions.

Thank you,
David