In Which Parish Was Karl Preusch Baptized in 1835?

Gary Knecht

Family Search has copied two parish books for Karl Preusch/Pausch/Poeusch. Please look at both "original documents" and see if you can answer either of my two questions:

1. What is the spelling of his surname? Once he got to Philadelphia (1854?), his name became Charles/Karl PREUSCH. I can't read the handwriting on either "original document" so please see if you can tell me how he was baptized on 25 Jan 1835.
2. In what parish was he baptized? The Family Search citation says "various parishes" and the index says "Eppingen, Baden, Deutschland". Can you please point me to the page in each "original document" that identifies the parish where Karl was baptized?
3. Bonus question: who are the godparents?

Here are links to Film # 102543368, image 389 of 848 and Film # 102078097, image 33 of 1137:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark%3A/61903/1%3A1%3AQPDQ-W6TM

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSWF-J99G-B?cc=3015626&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQP6J-D9DS

Robert Seal_1

Hello @Gary Knecht,

Question 1: In both records I read the surname as: Preusch.

Question 3: Baptismal sponsors: Michael Thomä, citizen and farmer here, and his wife Katharina.

Witness: Heinrich Bihler, citizen and master tanner here. [Note: in one record Heinrich Bihler is identified as a master tanner; in the other record he is identified as a master red tanner.)

The following link from the German Wikipedia may help explain what a "red tanner" is: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lohgerber

Use your browser's translate function to translate to English.

Gerbermeister = master tanner.

Rot(h)gerbermeister = master red tanner.

Gary Knecht

Thank you @Robert Seal_1 for your answer to Question 1 and for addressing the bonus question. I really appreciate the link to German Wikipedia where I learned a lot. Fascinating piece of history!

Your answer to Question 3 makes me curious about the difference between a "baptismal sponsor" and a "witness". Any thoughts? And I still what to know where "here" is. This will also answer Question 2.

@Áine Ní Donnghaile comment confirms which church book is the "original" and which is the copy, Thank you for that. But I still need to know the name of the parish where Karl PREUSCH was baptized. And I'd like to see the page (image #) where that information can be verified. Any ideas?

Robert Seal_1

You're welcome, @Gary Knecht. cc:@Áine Ní Donnghaile

Karl Preusch's birth/baptismal record is a Protestant record. Technically Catholics call the people who stand with the child being baptized "godparents"; Protestants call them baptismal sponsors. This record is a Protestant record so I used "baptismal sponsors." Baptismal sponsors are the people who hold or otherwise present the child to the minister doing the baptismal ceremony. The witness witnesses the baptismal ceremony.

This record https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSWF-J99G-B?i=32&cc=3015626&cat=71669 states that the child was born on 25 January 1835 "u[nd] heute in der Kirche getauft" = and today in the church baptized. Then the record is signed by the minister with the following phrase above his signature: "Eppingen d[en] 5 Februar 1835 = Eppingen, on the 5th of February 1835. The word "heute" (today) is the day the baptism took place in the church in Eppingen = 5 February 1835.

Here is the link to the title-page of this parish register: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSWF-J995-M?i=5&cc=3015626 It is image 6 of 1137 on FHL Image Group Number (DGS) 102078097.

Here is a translation of this title-page: Birth Book of the Evangelical Protestant City Parish of Eppingen. Beginning with the year 1834-1841.

Finally, here is the link to the microfilm title frame of this same digitized film: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSWF-J99P-M?i=3&cc=3015626&cat=71669 It is image 4 on this same film. Note on the right side at the top the "Locality of Record" is: Eppingen.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

And the name of the parish/town is also printed on the Title Board of each film section.

Gary Knecht

Great answers @Robert Seal_1 -- And thank you @Áine Ní Donnghaile also. I have great answers to all my questions and have much more knowledge about tanners, red tanners, and making leather. Thank you!

Áine Ní Donnghaile

Both books are for the same parish. 102078097 is labeled Kirchenbuch and the 102543368 is Kirchenbuchduplikat, or copy.