Document: Ziverts Church Book Conundrum

**update: these findings have led me to take a closer look at Indriks’ baptismal record, and I’ve decided that I have the wrong one! I believe the surname here is “Straute” or something, (there are more of them in Embute) but not “Sivards” like I thought. Ziverts is usually “Sihwerts” or “Siewerts” in German anyway… Back to the drawing board for Indriks’ baptismal record!**

Going through the church books to find my Ziverts ancestors, I’ve come across a little bump in the road. Indriks Ziverts, my great great grandfather, is listed as the son of Karlis and Karline, of Backhusen estate. I have found a birth record (previously posted) for a Karlis Ziverts that fits the time period, a marriage for a Karlis Ziverts, and possible siblings for Indriks. Everything fit together at first glance… Except that the “siblings” and marriage I have found belong to a Karlis and KATRine(Ozolnieks), not KARLine. Also they’re listed at Dinsdorf estate, not Backhusen. No other signs of Karlis and Karline Ziverts. A transcription error by the priest who wrote the entry? Am I reading the name “Karline” wrong? Did the family move briefly to Backhusen, then back to Dinsdorf? Definitely not enough to hang my hat on.
I am going to check through the Gramzdas draudze church book, as some of the residents of some estates in the area seem to have attended this church instead of the further Embute, but I’m not sure what results this will yield as Backhusen is definitely closer to Embute.

**Sometimes making sure you have all the details, and a straight story can really help save you from making a big mistake and wasting a lot of time - good thing I didnt elaborate too far based on the first baptismal record I wanted to believe was Indriks’!**

More on Indriks Ziverts:
http://chelli11.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/indriks-ziverts/

Those Places Thursday: Embute Castle

http://www.geneabloggers.com
Embute Castle was built sometime in the 1200′s by the bishop of Kurland as a residence. Embute as a location had been occupied by Couronians for centuries and was a strong centre for resistance against the German Christian Crusaders (who ultimately prevailed). Over the centuries the Castle had been occupied by many German land barons, and Embute became a cultural centre for the area it is situated in, with it’s Lutheran church and fortified castle.
The castle was destroyed during the Great Northern War (1700-1721) but rebuilt as a manor a few decades later. It survived as a manor until 1920 when it burned down. The last owners of the manor were Hans von Hahn, and later his widow, who returned to Germany after the manor burned. The rumour mill spun word that she had burned the manor down in an effort to avoid it’s nationalization by the Latvian government during it’s land ownership reforms of 1920-1930 (ownership of land and buildings was given to the peasants who lived and worked on it.)
This is what is left of the castle/manor today:

Wordless Wednesday: Bensheim Auerbach

http://www.geneabloggers.com

Bensheim Auerbach c. 1953

Resource: Family Search Centres

The Church of Latter-Day Saint (LDS church) keeps Family Search centres at their churches. Apparently, they have access to a huge number of genealogical records from around the world on microfilm, including a massive collection of Latvian records. I guess you can order these microfilms to your nearest search centre and access them. I haven’t tried this yet and am not sure when I will have time to do so, but perhaps it is a future path for me to follow.
https://www.familysearch.org/locations

Place of Interest: Embute Lutheran Parish

There are a few books, even on Google (e-books) that detail the Baltic German nobility and their estates and manors in Kurland. They are written in old German for the most part, but can be understood.

“Das curländische Privatrecht, wissenschaftlich dargestellt” By Friedrich Georg Bunge is just one such book. According to which, Ambothen Kirchspiel (Embute Parish) in 1617 consisted ofthese estates/manors/farms (which I will attempt to identify in contemporary Latvian names):

Abelnieki	Abelneeken
Alšu	Allschof
Nīkrace	Klein Nikrazzen
Asīte	Assieten
Bakūze	Backhusen
Bāta	Bathen
Brinki	Gross Altdorf
Dāma	Gross Dahmen
Dēsele	Deseln
Dinzdurbe	Diensdorff
Dzelzgale	Dselsgaln
Elkuzeme	Alt-Elkesem
Elkuzeme	Elkesem
Embūte	Amboten
Galķinte	Galkitten
Grieze	Groesen
	Bergbathen
Krōna	Krohnen
	Lathen
Lieldzelda	Gross Dselden
Mazdāma	Klein Dahmen
Mazdzelda	Klein Dselden
Meldzere	Meldsern
Mugurkaula	Muggerkaul
Nīgrande	Nigranden
Nīkrace	Gross Niekratzen
Nodegi	Nodaggen
Pikuļi	Pikeln
Priekule	Preekuln
Sepene	Seppen
Tukummuiza	Tuckumshof
Vaiņode	Wainoden
Vartāja	Wartagen
Vībiņi	Wibingen
Vormsāte	Gross Wormsahten
Ventinieki	Gross Windaushof
Ventinieki	Klein Windaushof
	Aswinden
	Gulben
	Schmaisen
	Rauden
Plepju	Pleppen
Dziras	Dsirgen

Matrilineal Monday

Blogging promt courtesy of: http://www.geneabloggers.com 

At one point in my interest in genealogy I considered exploring genealogical DNA testing. You can have your DNA analyzed, and this will tell you of a certain haplogroup you belong to. A haplogroup is sort of like an ancient ethnicity, like Slavic or Turkic or the like. Since there are certain mutations that take place in chromosomes that rarely change from generation to generation, scientists are able to use Y-chromosomes to determine all the males in your patrilineal lineage (your father’s, father’s, father’s, father… etc) and mtDNA determines your mother’s, mother’s, mother’s, mother’s mother… etc).

For me, since I am female, the only tests that could be done are the mtDNA based ones discerning my matrilineal ancestors (a female would have to have a brother or her father tested to find her Y-DNA haplogroup, since we lack the Y-chromosome).

For me, my mother’s, mother’s, mother’s mother (great, great-grandmother) was Matilde Ozols, who I know very little about. One of her daughters, my great-grandmother, was born in 1914. So knowing that, I could say Matilde was likely born somewhere between 1872 and 1896 and married Fricis Ozolins somewhere between 1890 and 1913. My great-grandmother was born in Talsi, Kurzeme, but that is not to say for sure that Matilde originally came from there. She had 4 daughters, I believe, and 2 sons. A family story is that one of the sons was shot and killed by Soviet occupiers for hunting and killing a deer for food for his family, when food was scarce.

Combing through the Talsi church books will be my best bet for further discovering my matrilineage. Or mtDNA testing. The Talsi church books are cheaper… free ☺. I have a strong feeling that Matilde was an ethnic Latvian, so chances are she could be grouped into haplogroup H, a large, common European group. DNA testing is an option though, for those interested. One of my favourite websites, http://www.ancestry.com offers a test, complete with explanations of your results.

More on European mtDNA haplogroup distribution: http://www.eupedia.com/europe/european_mtdna_haplogroups_frequency.shtml

Record, Write Down, Make Note of…

When I first became interested in genealogy, several times I read “cite your sources!” and “keep record of what you find and where!” but hungry for information I just stormed through records grabbing only key facts like names and birth dates. Later on as I tried to remember where I had found this information, sadly I couldn’t. I now write everything down.

While I’m going through church books on Raduraksti, I keep a spreadsheet of any entry for the surnames I am looking for, regardless if I can prove they are related or not, and what page in what book they can be found. This is immensely helpful, and just short of having a nice, searchable database.

While combing through church books too, take note of some of the other surnames you see. In Embute draudze, there is a “Martinelli” family. Sounds Italian right?? Interesting anyways. You just never know when or if the information might become relevant to your research as well.

Timeline: Indriks Ziverts

**update: I have decided that this is not the birth record of Indriks Ziverts. The surname looks to me more like “Strasds” or something to the like. There’s more of this surname in Embute. The rest of the info about Indriks here is accurate, but I do believe the search for his baptismal record is back on**

Indriks Straute

 

To me, it looks like this record has some Russian cyrillic letters mixed in with the German, but Indriks, as well as everyone else listed on the page has a “someone Von Lundberg” named in their baptism. A landowner/baron? The pastor? Sounds pretty German to me, so that would be my best guess. Along with Von Lundberg, I can make out Lize Berzins, and Indriks and Bille Jankowski (sp?) Jankowski is a guess, but there are other Jankowskis in the area. These 3 are godparents I assume? Not very helpful just yet but they may be good clues later.

Indriks married Jule Dzerve around 1895. From then on, they resided at Skrundenieki (according to the 1941 census).

Their first child, Klavs Schanis (sp?) was born one day in April 1896 at 11pm, at Skrundenieki. (I haven’t made out the exact day yet). He was baptised at Embute. His parents are both listed as Lutheran, and his godparents are Klavs Schanis Ziverts and Karlis Jekabsons.

Their second child Peteris was born November 28, 1897 at 10 am. He was baptised December 26, 1897 at Embute and his godparents were Peteris Ziverts, Karlis Jekabsons and Lawise Dzerve.

Their third child Fricis was born June 9, 1900 at 5am. He was baptised June 24, 1900 at Embute.

Their fourth child Arturs was born November 2, 1901 at 7pm. He was baptisted December 2, 1901 at Embute.

Their fifth child Lucija was born in Agugust of 1904 at 6pm (havent made out the day yet). She was baptised that October at Embute.

There were more children, the youngest, Ida was born in 1919 I believe. Again their birth information does not yield much useful information yet, but the godparents may be helpful later when I know more.

Combing through the Embute church books from 1852 back seems to be my only lead. I may finally have to take a crack at the revision lists on Raduraksti too. It does look positive that I may be able to find the next generation here. All I need to do is find the time to go through the records!

Timeline: Jekabs Grinbergs, alias Akerfelds

Jekabs Grinbergs alias Akerfelds was born around 1870, judging from his death record in 1904 at age 34. He married Ieva Sedols on November 14, 1892 at Embute Lutheran church.

Their first child Ernests was born April 1st, 1893 at 2 in the morning at Muizaraji farm in Lieldzelda (a little north of present-day Nikrace). He was baptised April 17th at Embute. Jekabs is listed as a worker, and both he and Ieva are recorded as Lutheran. His godparents are listed as Ernests Akerfelds (Hakenfeld) and his wife Annlise (was Ernests Jekabs’ brother?)

Their second child, Anna was born September 2nd, 1894 at 5 in the morning, also at Muizaraji farm. Her godparents are listed as Janis Sedols, worker and Katrine Sedols, servant. (Siblings of Ieva?)

Their third child is my ancestor Janis. He was born September 30th, 1898 in Nikrace pagast, according to his DP card. This has to be incorrect, as Nikrace did not exist at the time of his birth, rather it would have been Lieldzelda or Brinki. I cannot find his baptism record anywhere.

Their fourth child Martins was born in 1902 in Tomsk, Siberia. What were they doing in Siberia? Tomsk is a city, but also a region. This is the Martins that would eventually be deported back to Siberia.

Jekabs died back in Latvia in July 1904, leaving behind his four young children and a pregnant Ieva. His cause of death is listed as either lung or kidney disease.

 

 

 

Their fifth and final child Katte, was born November of 1904 at Cepli farm in Lieldzelda, a few months after her fathers passing.

It would be great to find some kind of clue to look for Jekabs’ baptismal record, or what farm/estate he was on prior to living at Muizaraji with Ieva. Anything really, to help point to his father. Likely, his father was a Grinbergs, and decided to call himself and his sons Akerfelds to help differentiate from the multiple other unrelated Grinbergs families. We will see, I guess!

 

Document: Akerfelds Deportations

Martins, Ernests and Mikelis of Nikrace pagast were all deported to Siberia by the Soviet government for their political beliefs and their involvement with the Aizsargi. There are a collection of books documenting these deportations, “These Names Accuse”, “Political Action in Latvia: NKVD to KGB”, and more. 

Martins was related, but what of Mikelis and Ernests?

 Case Number: 218688/2: Martins, son of Jekabs Akerfelds and Ieva Sedols was born in 1902. He owned Jaunzemji farm in Nikrace. He was accused of being part of the Peasant’s Union government, as well as the commander of the local Aiszargi unit. He was arrested on June 14, 1941 and deported to Vyatlag, Kirov Oblast, Siberia. Here there was a “correctional labor camp” set up for deportees and political prisoners. His wife Anna Zveja and daughter Skaidrite (Rita) Akerfelds (Case Number: 21867/2)  were also arrested on June 14, 1941 and deported to Krasnojarsk, Manas Oblast, Siberia.  Skaidrite was released in Krasnojarsk October 15, 1946. Anna was released Sept 11, 1947. “Released” simply means released. They were not shipped back home. They were basically dropped off in the middle of Siberia to fend for themselves. Note that mother and daughter were also released a year apart. Skaidrite was born in 1937, and would have been 9 years old, separated from her mother and with no idea what happened to her father, or where he was. Martins was not so lucky, and perished in Vyatlag May 17, 1943. 

Mikelis Akerfelds, born in 1897 in Nikrace pagast. After WWII, when Soviet Russia once again had control over Latvia, another wave of Siberian deportations took place. Mikelis was arrested
December 19, 1949, his crime was being a part of the Aizsargi, and a local “policeman” (this is a poor translation courtesy of me).  His fate is not listed. In the 1935 Latvian census, this Mikelis was living with his wife Elizabete and their son Arnolds at Muizaraji farm. Muizaraji was originally owned by Anna Vainovskis, a widow, but by 1941 ownership had passed to Mikelis, who had been living there since November 26, 1921 (likely the date Elizabete and Mikelis were married). Mikelis’ father is not listed, however, prominent Embute parish Akerfelds family Ernests and Annlise already had a son named Mikelis born in 1893. So it is not likely that Ernests was his father. It is entirely possible that my Jekabs was his father, as I have no record of Jekabs and Ieva from 1896-1904. Supposedly my Janis was also born in Nikrace in 1898, but there is no baptismal record for him either. That will remain speculation until I come across further information. What became of Mikelis, and whether or not Elizabete and Arnolds were deported with him I do not know.

Case no. 4046: Finally, Ernests Akerfelds was born in 1905, son of Alberts. He was living at Krogaraji farm in Rudbarzu (north of Nikrace). This is the curveball, since I have not yet found an Alberts Akerfelds born of Jekabs’ generation. He and his wife Anna (daughter of Karlis, born 1903) were arrested March 25, 1949 and deported to Omsk, Siberia. They were released May 21, 1955.