Elberfeld Archives, City Hall where?

bonniesamuel1

I know Elberfeld is now a district of Wuppertal, but I'm looking for records that would have originated in Elberfeld ... at least I am pretty sure! the timeframe is about 1848-1889. Johann Arnold and Laura Windfuhr lived in Elberfeld, where they had 10 children. Arnold was very active in helping the needy, may have been involved with The Elberfeld System for the Poor." He was also the Sexton for the Old Lutheran Church as of 1873. Arnold died in 1882 and his death record describes his funeral with BELLS RINGING 40 MINUTES and that there was a SERMON. All this happened in Elberfeld. Research says funeral sermons, obits were often filed at city hall and State Archives could have duplicate church records and probate.

So where would any records about Arnold and Laura Windfuhr be found today? Wuppertal or ?

Thanks much, Bonnie Samuel

A van Helsdingen

I have also been looking for records from Elberfeld- though I'm looking for 18th century Catholic records.

The FamilySearch Catalog has a number of records for Elberfeld: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=44888&query=%2Bplace%3A%22Germany%2C%20Preu%C3%9Fen%2C%20Rheinland%2C%20Elberfeld%2C%20Elberfeld%22&subjectsOpen=332215-50

However many of those records can only be accessed by those at Family History Centers (FHCs) or Affiliate Libraries, or those at the FHL in Salt Lake City, or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For example the Catholic records I'm trying to access can only be viewed either on microfilm or CD at the FHL.

If the records you want are only viewable at the FHL or at FHCs, then the FHL lookup service may be useful: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/FHL_Lookup_Services

Ulrich Neitzel

@bonniesamuel1

Hello Bonnie,

some starting points for your research:

• City Archive Wuppertal: https://www.archive.nrw.de/en/stadtarchiv-wuppertal
• State Archive Nordrhein-Westfalen: https://www.archive.nrw.de/en/department-rhineland-duisburg

They have certainly documents about the "Elberfeld System".

It would also be good to know the exact name or designation of the parish Johann Arnold Windfuhr belonged to. This should be on the title page of the death register you posted recently. Here is a list of all churches in Elberfeld: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_von_Sakralbauten_in_Wuppertal. Older church documents may be in a central archive of the respective church branch.