Fey Family Ancestry and History

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Bundenbach is a small town located in the Rheinland-Pfalz region of Southwest Germany. However, in 1823 it was part of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. The nearest large town is KIRN, located about 30 miles to the southeast. It is not far from France or Luxembourg. It would probably take only 90 minutes to drive to either country. It's almost directly west of Frankfurt, about 100 miles.

I have placed an entry on my Rootsweb database for researching some of the Fey individuals born and christened there from 1700 to 1850. They are mainly male and their parents names. Most of the names are legibile, but the names are written in the Latin style common in those centuries.. For example, Maria would become Mariae, Henry would be Henricus, etc.

The link to this: Cary Williams Ancestors and Genealogy Pages

Why is this village of such interest, you ask?

My ancestor Nicholas Fey was born in Bundenbach on March 15, 1823.² I still haven't located his ancestors yet, but hopefully with help with researchers in Bundenbach, I can find them. They were commonly Roman Catholics, which was commonplace in that part of Germany.


Nicholas immigrated to the United States sometime around 1845.


He was married to Katharina Bittlinger, also from Bundenbach. She was born there in January, 1828¹


Nicholas and Katharina lived in Cincinnati, OH.

Cincinnati City Directory of 1859 lists Nicholas as a horse shoer at Harrison Avenue near C.H.D. railroad in the 24th Ward of Cincinnati.

1860 Census of Hamilton County, OH

NAME

AGE

SEX

OCCUPATION

PROPERTY

CASH

BIRTHPLACE

Nicholas

36

male

beer saloon

1000

200

Germany

Catherina

31

female

keeping house

   

Germany

Catherina

9

female

at home

   

Ohio

Peter

2

male

at home

   

Ohio

1870 Census of Hamilton County, OH

NAME

AGE

SEX

OCCUPATION

PROPERTY

CASH

BIRTHPLACE

Nicholas

47

male

blacksmith

7000

300

Oldenburg

Catherina

42

female

keeping house

   

Oldenburg

Peter

11

male

at school

   

Ohio

Mary

9

female

at school

   

Ohio

Magdalena

7

female

at school

   

Ohio

Nicholas, Jr.

5

male

at school

   

Ohio

John

4/12

male

at home

   

Ohio

1880 Census of Hamilton County, OH (soundex)

NAME

AGE

SEX

OCCUPATION

PROPERTY

CASH

BIRTHPLACE

Nicholas

57

male

not given

not given

not given

Germany

Catherina

52

female

not given

not given

not given

Germany

Peter

21

male

not given

not given

not given

Ohio

Magdalena

17

female

not given

not given

not given

Ohio

Nicholas, Jr.

13

male

not given

not given

not given

Ohio

John

10

male

not given

not given

not given

Ohio

A book I found in the library in Cincinnati reports the following marriages took place at St. Bonaventure Church, Queen City Avenue.

Restored Hamilton County Marriages 1850-1900, R929.377178 qC5745zh:

NAME

MARRIAGE DATE

SPOUSE NAME

MARRIAGE LOCATION

Magdalena Fey

November 29, 1883

William Vogel

St. Bonaventure

Mary Fey

May 15, 1879

Bernard Bucher

St. Bonaventure

Peter Fey

September 21, 1882

Maria Faehr

St. Bonaventure

The Cincinnati Freie Presse reported the sad news of the passing of Nicholas Fey on April 7, 1896 as follows:

Todes Anzeige

Wohlverleben mit den heiligen Sterbesakramenten, starb am Dienstag, den 7. April, morgens 11:45 uhr, Nikolaus Fey im Alter von 73 Jahren und 25 Tagen, geborn zu Bundenbach in Grossherzogstum Oldenburg. Die Beerdigung findet statt am Freitag, den 10. April 1896, morgens un 7:30, vom Trauerhause aus No. 1393 Harrison Avenue, worauf um 8 uhr in der Sankt Bonaventura Kirche, ein Seeleamt abgehalten wird.

Rough translation:

Death Notice

Blessed with the Holy Rites, died on Tuesday, April 7, 1896 at 11:45am, Nicholas Fey at the age of 73 years and 25 days. Born in Bundenbach, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. The funeral will take place on Friday, April 10, 1896 at his residence, 1393 Harrison Avenue, thereafter at 8:00am, a requiem Mass will be held at the St. Bonaventure Church.

1900 Census of Hamilton County, OH (soundex)

NAME

AGE

SEX

OCCUPATION

PROPERTY

CASH

BIRTHPLACE

Catherina

72

female

not given

not given

not given

Germany

Nicholas, Jr.

33

male

not given

not given

not given

Ohio

The Cincinnati Freie Presse reported the sad news of the passing of Catharina Bittlinger Fey around October 10, 1908 as follows:

Todes Anzeige

Am 8. Oktober, 1/210 uhr abends, starb Frau Katherina Frey (Fey) geb. Bittlinger, Witwe des verst. Nikolaus Frey, (Fey), im Alter von 81 Jahren. Die Beerdigung findet statt am Montag, den 12. Oktober, um 8 Uhr morgens, von der Residenz 1393 Harrison Ave. Requiem hochmesse in der St. Bonaventura Kirche um halb 9 Uhr morgens.

Rough translation:

On the 8th of October, at 9:30 pm did pass Mrs. Catherina Fey, neé Bittlinger, widow of the late Nikolaus Fey at the age of 81 years. The funeral will be held on Monday, the 12th of October, 1908 at 9:00am, at the residence: 1393 Harrison Avenue. Requiem High Mass will be held at the St. Bonaventure Church at 8:30am.

The 1913 directory lists the following Fey family members:

NAME

OCCUPATION

WORK ADDRESS

HOME ADDRESS

Alexander Fey

clerk

 

1643 Westwood Avenue

Clara Fey

phone operator

2265 Spring Grove Avenue

1643 Westwood Avenue

Mary Fey (widow Peter)

at home

 

1643 Westwood Avenue

Nicholas Fey, Jr.

blacksmith

2812 Spring Grove Avenue

2816 Spring Grove Avenue

Frank C. Fey

blacksmith

 

2816 Spring Grove Avenue

Richard Fey

clerk

 

1643 Westwood Avenue


Now we come to Peter Fey, son of Nicholas and Catherina Bittlinger:

Peter was born in December, 1858 in Cincinnati more than likely. He married Maria Faehr on September 21, 1881 at the St. Bonaventure Church on Queen City Avenue in Cincinnati.

1900 Census of Hamilton County, OH (soundex)

NAME

RELATIONSHIP

BIRTHDATE

AGE

BIRTHPLACE

Peter

self

December 1858

41

Ohio

Mary

wife

September 1862

37

Ohio

Alexander

son

April 1886

14

Ohio

George

son

December 1887

12

Ohio

Mamie

daughter

November 1889

10

Ohio

Clara

daughter

January 1892

8

Ohio

Flora

daughter

October 1893

6

Ohio

Hilda

daughter

January 1896

4

Ohio

Richard

daugther

March 1898

2

Ohio

Peter and Mary's son George married Philomena Stoffers on April 10, 1910. They had four children. One of whom was my dear grandma, Esther Marie Fey. My grandma just passed away on June 1, 2000 and I am still very sad for her. I miss her terribly and she was instrumental for me to find out this information about the Fey family.

One time I had asked her, *what was your grandfather's name*. She actually had to think for a split second, because at 85 years old, she might not have had that name on the tip of her tongue. She replied, *Peter Fey*. Therefore, her great memory at her advanced age and the stories she told me, were priceless in my research of my ancestors.


1920 Census of Hamilton County, OH (soundex)

NAME

RELATIONSHIP

BIRTHDATE

AGE

BIRTHPLACE

George

self

December 1887

32

Ohio

Philomena (Minnie)

wife

September 19, 1895

25

Ohio

Ruth

daughter

June 5, 1911

8

Ohio

Esther Marie

daughter

October 15, 1913

6

Ohio

Howard *Bud*

son

April 11, 1915

4

Ohio

Charlotte

daughter

January 3, 1917³

died in infancy

Ohio

Virginia

daughter

November 18, 1918

1

Ohio

see additional Fey history on

Esther and Ralph Williams

¹ Census of Hamilton County, OH 1900

² Obituary in Cincinnati Freie Presse, April 10, 1896

³ Charlotte died in infancy and is buried in the St. Mary cemetery where the other Fey's are buried, including my grandma.