Nicholas Bertamus FamilySearch Request

JoanCuster

I am stuck on finding more information on my Great-grandfather, Nicholas Bertamus (other possible spellings: Bertemes, Bertemus)

The information I have so far, which maybe incorrect, is:

Nicholas Bertamus (1869-1928)

B: 01 NOV 1869, Ulflingen, Niederbesslingen, Clervaux, Diekirch, Luxembourg

D: 29 AUG 1928, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, USA

I have a couple of immigration dates based on census data – 1891, 1892, 1895.

I believe he came alone, and settled in Sioux County, IA (maybe Granville, Iowa).

He married Margaret “Maggie” Schwebach on 26 Sep 1896 in Granville, IA.

Because I am unable to read Luxembourg records, I am not able to verify Nicholas’ birth record, parents or siblings.

If anyone can assist in my research, it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Joan Bresson-Custer

Adrien Kintziger

@JoanCuster

This is the Luxemburg entry, he is nr 49 father Michel Bertemes and mother Maria Metz, you can browse the book to the index with the arrows

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6SL7-FZ1?i=836&cc=1709358&cat=66133

JoanCuster

I also have an additional question on this image. Someone in my family had the picture, but no description. Some think it may be my great-grandfather, Nicholas, or maybe his father.

Is this a Luxembourg military uniform?

Thanks,

Joan

Adrien Kintziger

Joan, I do not know,..luxemburg's uniforms are not very uniform.Luxembourg was sometimes Belgian, Dutch ,or German and French.Its depends a bit on the time-fork.

The lux army has a website, altough very archaic.I suppose you could ask at 'contact', i will drop it in your mailbox.

I think the uniform could be American, from the civil war.(Union)?

Adrie

JoanCuster

Thanks Adrien,

Appreciate the information. I am not sure it is American, as if this is my great-grandfather, he was born in 1869 and did not arrive in the US until about 1890. I will look at the website you referenced as well.

Joan

Adrien Kintziger

Joan, the picture itself is restored from a copy of a copy,...and the colors we think to see on it like sepia and blue or red, are in fact probably illusions.There are two main issues on the picture that work against us.

The emblems and signs are blurred, and colors of the uniform are absent.So, basically we should search for a better picture.

I tried to find you ancestor in the Belgian Military files yesterday, but he is absent,as is the name in the rest of the files.

I will give it another shot today,for the uniform,could well be a police uniform...

Adrie

Adrien Kintziger

@JoanCuster

No luck today with the uniform, but i found another son of Michel Bertemes&Maria Metz In the deceased section.Died at 48 yrs of age; entry 99

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97J-Y9X5?i=291&cc=1709358

JoanCuster

This is terrific. Thank you so much for your continued searching.

Would it be too much to ask for a transation?

When I clicked on the link, I think I also found a marriage license for Heinrich - do you think this is correct?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL2N-LJ27?from=lynx1UIV8&treeref=GSVF-6K9

In my search, I think both of Nicholas parents died soon after his birth. If so. I am just so curious to find out who raised him and if he know a Luxembourger in Iowa, which is where he came to. I also think there was a reference to a sister - maybe Eve or Eva.

I have tried to search records, but no luck.

I admit, I am lost when it comes to finding ways to search for them.

You have been fantastic. Sorry for the long response.

Thanks so much.

Adrien Kintziger

Joan, the first entry (99) is basically the same as the one you posted in the German room /translated by Robert; all what you have to do to be able to read it yourself, is simply type over Roberts translation, print it ,

then underline all what is manually written to see whom are involved and the dates and locations.

Use this template for the next....

That should give you the most of the needed content, as places and names are easy to read,dates and ages more difficult.The reason to give it a shot yourself is twofold,you will bump in on the same template often,

and you will learn part of the legal terminology.I'll make you a deal, if you try i will keep looking for the uniform.

The location in the second entry is Esch, short for Esch Sur Alzette or Esch an der Alzette; probably this will be an important location in your upcoming query, as Heinrich died there, so i would recommend to to place it in a file.

JoanCuster

Thank you for the tips.

I tried to use Google translate for some of the words in the first document that Robert translated.

I will try again for the the next two documents I have, looking at Roberts template as well.

Thanks again.

Adrien Kintziger

Joan, i have had a major surgery for clogged vains in my leg and a full replacement of the aorta in my belly.

I still use morfine,and a load of other meds, and it is difficult for me to be on the computer for a long time.

so my searches for now are shallow,and the time i spend here also.Still want to help on my good moments.

I found the sister, Eva, born in Weiswampach ,Clerf,Diekirch , Lux..born on 21 may 1866 =>drop in your mailbox , as links are very difficult to post sometimes.Please, bookmark , or store in a file , with the locations that come with it,.. as i do not store or bookmark for other people.Feel free to ask for a translate in the German room, I'm not the papal bull here,..use your talents.

Adrie

JoanCuster

Adrie,

Thank you for sharing your personal information. I offer my thoughts and prayers for your recovery.

I am truly grateful for the research you have found for me! You are amazing, and I only want you to spend time assisting when you want to, or are able to. I want to be respectful of your time.

The information on the sister, is fantastic and I have saved all the information provided in my FamilySearch tree and in my computer.

Take care,

Joan

Adrien Kintziger

Joan , the marriage record for Heirich and Josephine,entry 86 is clipped , the above part is missing in the snapshot.I went to the file itself,to give you the full page.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897V-9TSS?i=89&cc=1709358&cat=235949

Adrien Kintziger

I'm still in the woods about the uniform,possibly Dutch/Austrian, possibly it is present in a Belgian collection,altough maybe it is not on display there,as most of their posessions are stored.And they do not share online catalogue's; one has to the spot to check.It is a museum that i have visited frequently for WW2

components.Will show you tomorrow, not that it willl gain somehing; but it could spur other spin-off.

I have some suspicion that the uniform could belong to Guillaume Bertemes altough it is unclear where to find Guillaume and how to connect him to this branch of intrest.Currently i'm searching for his military

documents.Could take weeks, as Belgium also is having a province called Luxemburg,and parts of Luxemburg proper where part of Belgium itself as well as Luxemburg proper also was included in the First French republic as well in the Dutch/Austrian empire.I already have some evidence that Guillaume visited Belgium,but not in a military capacity.robert already mentioned in the German room, "ackerer"=> farmer ,and on the immigrationform in 1890 Nikolas was mentioned as farmer.(I checked); found no other clues there.

As you mentioned earlier on,he went to Iowa?; Possibly he could use his German there on Amish land,as Pennsylvania Dutch is basically German(you have to read Dutch as German here)(comes from Dietz)

I do assume he mastered German, as most Luxemburgers do.They are tri-lingual ;like many Belgians.

in Belgium we use Luxembourg(French part) as well as Luxemburg(Flemish part) I am Flemish btw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Dutch

JoanCuster

Thanks so much Adrie,

I am also trying to get a better picture, as I believe my cousin may have one.

The information you are providing is so great.

I did not know anything about this side of my family tree.

Joan

Adrien Kintziger

@JoanCuster

Information from the surrounding areas, stories and the locations history all contain search terms.

You do not have to limit the searchprompt to Eva Bertemes only, you can write Eva Bertemes Luxembourg Luxemburg etc, sometimes it provides a lot more hits to explore.So i made a query like this

"Eva Bertemes Weiswampach" to find her in the database of Deltgen,but i have no acces , just applied for

a subscription/entry and approval. The site is free of charge,no need for cardinfo,no banners or ads.

For as far as i can remember,(i used it in the past many times) they should and would have most of the full Bertemes-clan, around 250 names in their d-base.The reason that i like to find Eva there ,is that i suspect she did not die in Luxemburg; could well have emigrated in fact.If i can acces the site in an easy way, then i will show you how to ask for a subscription for you.

I was reading the obituary,in the header the term Platten is used to denote_Flat Flat Grossherzugtum Lux.

Kinda typical, the flat part , the Guttland part is regarded as better, more important, people do and stiil do not like the connotation "Oesling" which is the other side of the country, and is more mountainous.

Several familymember are born in the Oesling altough Esch-Sur-Alzette is Guttland.

Guttland is for you to search on wiki.The more you learn,the faster your skills will work for you

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oesling

Adrien Kintziger

Btw, most of my ancestry is also from Luxemburg, the area is the former Hobscheid/Septfontaines, the todays name is Habscht.I'm searching in these archives for 40 years.Even found relatives in Amerika,also departed from here.One of the best tools for explores is the use of google maps/streetviev.You can move around the churches of intrest in a magnificent way.Also,much becomes clear if the geographical setting is in the fingertips.

Only a suggestion, but if i was you , i would give it some try

JoanCuster

I love your suggestions. My other Luxembourg ancestors are Schwebach and Ludowese (Ludowisi, and other spellings). One of my ancestors, Mary Elizabeth Heins, my 5th great-grandmother lived in a home called the Rauschen House of Oberplaten. It later became a hotel.

This later became a hotel.

Many settled in Western Iowa (Alton, Granville, Hospers, etc.) and others in eastern Minnesota (Caledonia)

I am leavingon a trip tonight until Friday night, so if I do not respond right away, you know why.

My cousin Mary and I are hoping to travel to Luxembourg, France and maybe Germany, to see where our ancestors came from.

Adrien Kintziger

Okay, thanks, that gives me some time to try to find Eva,or a possible connexion to Guillaume.

Have a nice trip!

Adrien Kintziger

Joan, I found some additional info and you were correct that both parents died a young age.

--Metzen Anne Marie (Maria Metz) born on 09/03/1827

in Sengerich , Rheinland Pfalz , Germany. Overleden

(19)*/07/ 1871 . Aged 44 yrs at death. Died in Troisvierges.

Sengerich=25 inhabitants/census.

(Town is just above Luxemburg’s border with Belgium)

Elisabetha , The second daughter is born 13 Juli 1871 at Troisvierges here,…(birthcert)

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6SL7-417?i=868&cc=1709358&cat=66133

Only to live for 8 days to her death the 21 th of July 1871 the very day after her mother , Maria died on 20th

Of July 1871,.. although Deltgen.com makes 19/07/1871 as annotation, her death is in the catalogue as 20 july, and also indexed as such.

So , she died after childbirth, followed by her daughter Elisabetha, ‘the day after’. Michel survived until 1874.

Deathcertif of Elisabeth Bertemes , daughter of Michel and Maria Metz,

Only lived for 8 days.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6PFQ-5JB?i=45&cc=1709358&cat=66133

*(20 Juli although mentioned at Deltgen The 19 th. 1871)

Eva Bertemes is born, Weiswampach, Clervaux on 21 may

1866; but stays elusive until now.

The father Michel is born in Asselborn, Clervaux on 20/01/1837

Overleden-09/04/1874 , so 37 yrs of age

Died in Troisvierges, Clervaux

—Barbara Bertemes/daughter of Michel Bertemes and, Kirtz Margaretha. —much later 1923 deceased, possibly somehow related—

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3SH-P9B9-V?i=117&cat=3757584

Kept her here because born at Weiswampach.It is nr 37 on the Deltgen list, contains all info on her.

Barbe=Barbara.

Berg Josephine ? Other spouse=> Goeleven family name- death certificate/check parents—

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DB1S-QLD?i=1286&cc=1709358&cat=235949

Probably other person, Josephine married Heinrich later than the date on this deathcert; no info about Josephine’s ancestry on Deltgen.

Also has a sister Margaretha died later

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DB19-Y1X?i=1428&cc=1709358&cat=235949

The father of both is Johann Peter Berg

JoanCuster

You are amazing.

I can't believe you found all this information. Makes me wonder who Nickolas lived with after his parents died.

I just returned from my trip, so I will look at these discoveries tomorrow, when I am less tired and can focus much better.

Thank you so much for what you have found to help me better understand this side of my family.

Joan

Adrien Kintziger

The parents of Michel would be mother= Gertrude Heinen, and father Bertemes Jean, Asselborn 29 July

1798

JoanCuster

I have found some Bertemes in Iowa and then in Minnesota.

There was a Henry Bertemes in Iowa for a while and he died in Avon, IA. He was born in Luxembourg.

I found a John Bertemes, Taunton, MN

Also found a Ann Marie Bertemes was born in Clervaux, Luxembourg on May 10, 1878 to Mr. and Mrs. Pierrce Bertemes.

She married Fred Girres, who was also born in Clervaux, Luxembourg.

So maybe these are Nick's relatives he came to live with in the US (or in Luxembourg).

The search continues.

I am now working on the translations for some of the records you provided.

Thank you.

Adrien Kintziger

I found no brothers or sisters of Michel, but most of his ancestry,along with several people also born in Sengerich, Asselborn etc;..but it is a big onion to peel altough not so difficult,- do you like to be more engaged

in the search?..btw , i found a cluster of them in Belgium's german speaking part,in the time-frame of your target person, and guess what, they still have a presence there.The place is Amel.

Or specific Deidenberg. Basically you can add the term to the prompt along with Bertemes.

Like in Amel Bertemes Deidenberg, then count the possible hits,gives clues.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amel

JoanCuster

Thanks - I will try this.

You have been a great help in solving some of the mystery of the Bertemes. I noticed Nick changed the spelling of his last name once he was in the U.S.

Adrien Kintziger

The changing of the spelling of names is very often even within decades within the same family,It depends

on the Scribe, clerck, office,moment in time....In my humble opinion,the best way forward for most people is the official spelling on the certificate.If and when the query stalls in time, you can always add additional spellings.They tend to expand the search dramatically.I have 3 different spellings in my ancestry, depending on the locality.Also seem to have a Ludowese somewhere in Luxemburg.

Do you use google and chrome as browser? would make it easy for you as the browser itself translates full pages-, in order to make an account for you at Deltgen.com.

Its free of any charge,add, banners etc, its a private one, you have to be allowed by the owner, will take about

2 days or so,-and the reward is a treasure trove of Bertemes' ancestry. (250 entries)

You can take a look at it to see if google translates the page....

Deltgen.com

JoanCuster

Thanks Adrie,

I do use Google and Chrome when I search.

I was just re-reading all the information you sent, as I copy it into a document on my computer. I don't want to lose any links or info.

And, I came across your mention of Deltgen.com. I will try to request access now, as you mentioned many entries.

Maybe my other ancestors will be there too - Ludowise/Ludowese and Schwebach.

I will let you know how it goes.

Joan

JoanCuster

I was able to request access to Deltgen.com.

Thanks for the referall.

Adrien Kintziger

I used it frequently for my ancestry.Takes about two days, comes with a fair-play question- to mention the source if used and do not use to copy big chunks of data to other site's

JoanCuster

Adrien,

I did a Google search for Henrich Bertemes and found this link:

https://de.geneanet.org/fonds/bibliotheque/?go=1&nom=BERTEMES&prenom=&prenom_operateur=&size=40&with_variantes_nom=&with_variantes_prenom=

I am assuming these are links to articles or records?

Within this link, I see the name of many Bertemes, but Eva Bertemes stood out. This appears to be article, in a French paper maybe?

I tried using Goolgle translate and got this:

... Metz. - Alphonse-V. Goire and Eva Bertemes, in Metz. - Guillaume-F. Wendt, master locksmith, and Otti-lie-E. Bublitz, in Metz. -...

I am trying to search for more information on Alphonse Goire now.

Is this good information?

Thanks,

Joan

Adrien Kintziger

Joan, these names passed my eyes some days ago, but you need a premium account for full acces.

Metz is not far from Luxemburg.And the publication is a sort of newspaper, political content , religion, etc.

There are three main reasons that i did not engage to chase this rabbit.

1) As well Eva and Bertemes are very common, as well in France as in Belgium/Luxemburg.

2)Altough Alphonse is in the same sentence as Eva, this does not imply that they are married,could be article related.

3)Possibly there is more gain in finding Eva in Deltgen .com; as it contains about 250 Bertemes's, still not certain she is not in in, perhaps even under partronym.

In your case, i would keep the lead in a desktop file, for cold winter evenings, as all other events are stalling.

(I always do that),.. lol, will show you the link to the Guillaume Bertemes that was a high ranking military

infanterist doktor,...maybe somehow he could be on Deltgen, or be the man with the military uniform.

But i did not find anything at all that could tie him to your ancesters.Anyway, Here,observe how i

was backflipping on the military abbrevations,not even possible to translate.The document is in French

The reason i would prefer you to bookmark him, is that he is born in Clervaux,fathers name is also Nikolas

and born in 1875 , so he could be the uniform guy.This is an upcoming onion to peel for you on Deltgen,or in the archives!

https://de.geneanet.org/archives/registres/view/372212/4?idcollection=372212&legacy_script=%2Farchives%2Fregistres%2Fview%2Findex.php&page=4