Family Genealogy - Engert Family Genealogy

Maria Anna ENGERT immigrated to Rochester, Monroe County, New York about 1831 acco Maria Anna ENGERT WATTEL rding to the information recorded on the 1855 New York State census. Unfortunately immigration records have not been located to support this information. Additionally it is not known if she traveled alone or came with family or friends.

According to her obituary, Maria lived on a farm in Irondequoit (a small town made up of many farms outside of Rochester) prior to her marriage to JEAN THIEBAUD WADEL (aka JOHN THEOBOLD WATTEL). There were three men living in Monroe County at this time and while there is no proof at this time, I strongly suspect that they were her brothers. They were all born in the same time period as Maria and one of them, Valentine ENGERT, lived in Irondequoit according to the 1860 US Federal Census. The other two men were John ENGERT and Michael ENGERT.

Based on the information in her obituary which stated that Maria had resided in Irondequoit prior to her marriage and also that Valentine ENGERT resided in Irondequoit proven by census records, it is possible to presume that Maria and Valentine were related.

Additionally, the 1870 census provides one possibility of a link between Maria and Valentine ENGERT: Valentine's son John was living with and employed by Gustavus GRIEBEL who was one of Maria's son-in-laws. Also, Valentine and Barbara (BURGER) ENGERT were the godparents of John and Maria's daughter, Maria Magdalena WATTEL. Countless times research has shown that godparents were often related in some way to the parents of the child. While at this point this evidence is not strong enough to make a determination that Maria Anna ENGERT and Valentine ENGERT were related, the evidence does seem to point in that direction. Hopefully more research will provide the information needed to connect them.

An extensive search has not produced a marriage record, but based on the date of birth of their first child Catherine WATTEL on 11 November 1834, it is believed that Maria married Jean Thiebaud WADEL in late 1833 or early 1834. They had 11 children, one did not survive.

Maria was widowed in 1857 when her husband, John Theobold WATTEL, died suddenly when he drowned in the Eire Canal. At the time of his death, their youngest child was under the age of two and the three oldest children were married, but that left Maria with the difficult task of raising seven children between the ages of 17 and 1 1/2 on her own.

Maria was born in Germany, the exact location has not been determined, but evidence indicates that she came from Baden. If a connection can be established between Maria and Valentine, then it is possible, based on a church record for the baptism of his son Francis Anthony ENGERT that states Valentine's town of birth as Bischofsheim, Baden, Germany, that it was also her place of birth. If so, then it will be possible to search for the names of Maria's parents and ancestors. Hopefully, with time, many of these questions will be answered.

Maria lived a long life, dying at the age of 89, leaving 8 of her children, 30 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren, according to her obituary. It was stated that she was in good health until a few short weeks prior to her death and was mentally clear of mind, receiving visitors during the last days of her life, enjoying their company and recalling the events of her life.

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