The Heckenbachs of Niederzissen

There were formerly many Heckenbachs living in Niederzissen, Oberdürenbach, and Niederdürenbach, not to mention Gönnersdorf and Wehr. These villages are close together so that the records are often found mingled. Jurisdictions changed over the years. Most of the source materials were in German, but the French ruled for a period of years, and church records were in Latin

I show different date formats because I compiled the records from different sources. A lot of the typing and organization was done by Volker Durben on his excellent website durben-web.de. I basically combined his information with what I had gleaned from the old record books years ago in Trier. The overlap between my data and Volker’s was over 90%, and combining it all led to further insights. As you can see there are still plenty of blanks to fill.

I’m certain that many of the persons named here moved on to other towns. We tend to assume that families back then stayed in one village for generations, and many did, but there was a lot of commerce going on and a surprising number of citizens relocating for work or upon marrying. They were not all farmers, some being masons, carters, or other tradesmen who went wherever the work was, or went off to seek their fortunes. The Rhine River flowing from Switzerland to the North Sea was the most important corridor for trade, since Roman times. Minerals, grain, livestock, and salt going north, fish and manufactured goods going south.

There had to be at least four distinct families in these villages so we named them as Line 1, etc, the order reflecting nothing but the number of individuals. Individuals who have not been placed are listed under Miscellaneous Facts. The early years are confusing because we are at the beginning of the record-keeping in the town. Whether Anton, Johann and the two Daniels stemmed from the same parents, were cousins, or were unrelated might never be known  We don't even know if they were born in Niederzissen. I did not include most of the records from the villages of Gönnersdorf and Wehr. Volker Durben has a website that covers Wehr pretty well.

There were Heckenbachs living in many towns, but Niederzissen had the most especially in the early 1700s. Elsewhere you might find one or two distinct families with that name. That and the town's proximity to the two little towns Niederheckenbach and Oberheckenbach suggest that the family name originated here. 

Note: the question mark after born, married, or died just means the date is unknown.  I hope others come forward with more information to add. I would like to do the same for the Heckenbachs in other villages, but the Niederzissen and Brohl files are by far the most extensive, and the only two I have compiled. There were also several families in Linz on the opposite side of the Rhineand a few km just downstream (north) of Niederzissen.

Line 1

Daniel Heckenbach
born ? died 09.06.1733 in Niederzissen
married ? Gertrud Drösslich born ? died 29.09.1729 in Niederzissen. children:

1. Wilhelm Heckenbach, born ? died 15.04.1761 in Niederzissen
   married 15.05.1729 in Niederzissen Luzia Radermacher, (born in Galenberg died 18.02.1765 in Niederzissen, the daugther of Arnold Radermacher) 

1. Tochter todgeburt 1728
2. Maria Margarete Heckenbach born 16.06.1729 in Niederzissen, died 20.05.1730 in Niederzissen
3. Anna Heckenbach born 10.02.1731 in Niederzissen
4. Judoris (or Jodocus) Heckenbach born 23.04.1735 in Niederzissen
5. Eulalia Heckenbach born ?, died 11.08.1736 in Niederzissen
6. Margarete Heckenbach born 14.03.1738 in Niederzissen, died 06.03.1742 in Niederzissen
7. Agnes Heckenbach born 25.08.1740 in Niederzissen, married 06.02.1769 in Niederzissen Matthias Berend
8. Johann Heckenbach born ?, married 09.02.1768 in Niederzissen Maria Margarete Breuer born April 1741 in Niederdürenbach. They had two daughters Margaretha Heckenbach born 13.2.1769, and Anna Margaretha Heckenbach born 25 Jan 1773, both in Niederzissen
9. Margarete Heckenbach born 19.04.1743 in Niederzissen, married 09.05.1775 in Niederzissen Heinrich Werff
10. Michel Heckenbach born 13.06.1746 in Niederzissen died 12 Apr 1748 in Niederzissen
11. Matthias Heckenbach born 22.08.1748 in Niederzissen
12. Josef Heckenbach born ?,  married 06.10.1761 in Niederzissen to Christine Lenz, the daughter of Peter Lenz and Gertrud Jeup, widow of Matthias Schneider

2. Peter Heckenbach, born ? died ? married I. 17.01.1730 in Niederzissen
   Apollonia Kehrig born ? in Oberweiler died 1732 in Niederzissen
   children: ? married II. 05.06.1732 in Niederzissen Elisabeth Jennen, daugther of Lorenz Jenn and Cäcilia Jeupen born ? died ?
   1. Paul Heckenbach born 1733 in Niederzissen, married 01.02.1752 in Niederzissen Anna Maria Kempenich of Niederzissen, daugther of Philipp Kempenich and Gertrud Winkel.

1. Elisabeth Heckenbach 1762
2. Another child                                           

3. Lorenz Heckenbach ex Oberdürenbach, born ?, died 15.11.1769 in Niederdürenbach, married Aug 26 1734 Katharina Horn of Kell, daugther of Johann Peter Horn and Katharina

1. Anton Heckenbach born 28 Feb 1735 in Niederdürenbach, parish Niederzissen, married 25.05.1762 in Niederzissen Gertrud Kisten of Niederdürenbach, daugther of Matthias Kisten

1. Anton Heckenbach 24 Dec 1764 Niederdürenbach
2. Anton Heckenbach 1766
3. Hubert Heckenbach 31 Oct 1770 Niederdürenbach
4. Anna Gertrud Heckenbach 24 May 1786 Niederdürenbach

2. Gertrud Heckenbach born 1739 in Niederdürenbach, parish Niederzissen, married 14.06.1763 in Niederzissen Hermann Jeup of Niederzissen, the son of Hermann Jeup and Christine Enge

Line 2

Daniel Heckenbach born ? died 6 Dec 1756 married ? Eva Pesch (or Pasch) ex Kaltenborn? born ? died 19 Nov 1762. children:

A. Peter Heckenbach born 1 Sep 1728 in Niederdürenbach, parish Niederzissen, married 02.03.1756 in Niederzissen Cäcilia Bley or Caroline Bley of Niederdürenbach, daugther of Peter Bley and Christine Kisten

1. Christina Heckenbach 17 Jun 1756 Niederdürenbach

2. Agnes Heckenbach born ca. 1757 in Niederdürenbach, parish Niederzissen, died 25.02.1844 in Wehr, married 12.04.1785 Michel Scharrenbach of Wehr, son of Johann Scharrenbach and Katharina Weiler

3. Peter Heckenbach born in Niederdürenbach, married 25.10.1791 in Niederzissen Dorothea Stenz of Burgbrohl born in Burgbrohl died ?

1. Matthias Heckenbach 1792
2. Peter Heckenbach 17 Mar 1795 in Niederdürenbach, married 02.11.1816 in Niederzissen, Eva Seiffert of Engeln, parish Kempenich, daugther of Jacob Seiffert and Luzia Bell

1. Maria Catherina Heckenbach 19 Sep 1817 Niederdürenbach
2. Elisabeth Heckenbach 27 Feb 1820 Niederdürenbach
3. Peter Joseph Heckenbach 1822 Niederdürenbach
4. Anton Heckenbach 1822 Niederdürenbach
5. Matthias Heckenbach 1824 Niederdürenbach
6. Gertrud Heckenbach born 10 Sep 1825 Niederdürenbach married I. 12.11.1844 in Niederzissen, Anton Rörig of Niederzissen, son of Peter and Anna Maria Schmitt, married II. 12.11.1861 in Niederzissen Josef Kempenich of Niederzissen, son of Michel Kempenich and Maria Katharina Schäfer
7. Anna Maria Heckenbach married 04.11.1851 in Niederzissen, Anton Kraut, son of Matthias Kraut and Margarete Zepp

3. Anna Maria Heckenbach 24 Oct 1802 Niederdürenbach
4. Margaret Heckenbach 14 Aug 1804 Niederdürenbach

4. Anna Heckenbach born in Niederdürenbach, married 24.02.1796 in Niederzissen Peter Keller of Kell, son of Jacob Keller and Elisabeth

2. Anna Heckenbach born 1733 in Niederdürenbach, parish Niederzissen, married 04.05.1762 in Niederzissen Lorenz Schneider of Spessart, parish Kempenich
3. Johann Heckenbach born 23 Jul 1735 in Niederdürenbach, parish Niederzissen, married 05.02.1765 in Niederzissen Maria Katharina Weber of Niederzissen, daugther of Georg Weber and Maria Gertrud Kerich

1. Peter Heckenbach born 1769? died? married 1793 Margaret Schneider Niederzissen

1. Anna Catherina Heckenbach born 1794 in Niederzissen
2. Helene Heckenbach born 18 Sep 1798 in Niederzissen
3. Marg. Heckenbach born 1800 in Niederzissen
4. Anna Maria Heckenbach 23 Aug 1800 Niederzissen
5. Peter Heckenbach 28 Feb1804 Niederzissen
6. Johann Heckenbach 3 Apr 1806 Niederzissen m 1837 Anna Maria Kraut (5 kinder)
7. Peter Heckenbach 2 Sep1809 Niederzissen m 1842 Anna Marg. Siebert/Siewert (10 kinder, 4 died young)
8. Margaret Heckenbach 27 Aug 1813 Niederzissen
9. Joseph Heckenbach 3 Sep 1819 Niederzissen m 1842 Maria Anna Weber (3 kinder)

Line 3

Anton Heckenbach born? died?, married? Anna Gertrud Degen born? died? children:

1. Anna Heckenbach born 17 Oct 1720 Niederzissen
2. Johann Heckenbach born in Niederzissen, died ?, married 22.01.1737 in Niederzissen, Barbara Fronert of Niederzissen died 17 Oct 1761 , daugther of Johann Fronert and Christine Ritzdorf , died ?

1. Heinrich Heckenbach born?, m 1768 to Anna Cath Meyer

1. Marg Heckenbach 20 Aug 1772
2. Cath Heckenbach 5 Oct 1774

2. Hieronymus Heckenbach born in Niederzissen?, married 14.01.1777 in Wassenach Christine Seibert of Wassenach, daugther of Christian Seibert and Katharina Keller, Christine Seibert born 17.03.1743 in Wassenach died 03.04.1795 in Wassenach.

1. Anna Maria Heckenbach born 20.10.1777 in Wassenach, died 16.05.1810 in Wassenach, married 26.04.1804 in Wassenach Peter Glees of Wassenach, son of Johann Glees and Anna Maria Mönch
2. Michel Heckenbach born 08.03.1779 in Wassenach
3. Peter Josef Heckenbach born 09.03.1781 in Wassenach
4. Peter Josef Heckenbach born 08.02.1782 in Wassenach
5. Maria Anna Heckenbach born 09.10.1784 in Wassenach

3. Antonius Heckenbach 28 Nov 1752
4. Peter Heckenbach 21 May 1757 Niederzissen

3. Maria Heckenbach born 23 Jun 1723

Line 4

Johann Heckenbach

born ? died ? married ? Anna Maria Dietzler born ? died 1738 in Niederzissen. children:

1. Margarete Heckenbach  b 1699? m1 before 1719 to Joannis Esten from Oberzissen, m2 12 April 1739 in Niederzissen Johann Prinz from Trier, the widower of Anna Maria Brück and Eva Beitsch. One son Andrew Esten b. 3 May 1719. 
2. Veronika Heckenbach married 5 Oct 1734 in Niederzissen Johann Mahlberg of Effelsberg
3. Anna Heckenbach married January 30 1742 in Niederzissen Jakob Schneider
   

Miscellaneous Facts from Niederzissen

-Christina Heckenbach was born 1699 and married Johann Heinrich Spey in 1720. They had four children in Niederzissen.

-Serras Heckenbach aus Hain m 1671 Maria Gasper

-Henrius Heckenbach ex Hain died 4 Apr 1736 Margarethe Ritzdor

-Theodore Heckenbach ex Oberdürenbach died 28 Jan 1738. He m Maria Nick on 29 May 1731 in Niederzissen

-Paul Heckenbach born 20 Jun 1726 in Niederdürenbach

-Sebastius Josef Heckenbach m 1768 Anna Cath. Meyers Niederlützing

-Margaret Heckenbach born 20 Aug 1772

-Cath. Heckenbach born 5 Oct 1774

-Daniel Heckenbach ex Niederzissen m 1796 Cath Gasper in Niederweiler

- Anton Heckenbach age 24 and his wife Elisabeth Schuld had a son Josef 1839-1912 who married Anna Maria Pütz. This couple had 9 children.

Miscellaneous Facts from Gönnersdorf

found in the 1 August 1807 census and corroborated elsewhere:

-Johann Heckenbach, miller, born 28 Jun 1770.

-Johann Anton Heckenbach, farmer, born 9 May 1776. He was a farmer (Ackerer) married to Gertrude Marx the daughter of Mathias Marx age 60. Johann Anton "Anton" and Gertrude Heckenbach had a daughter Katharina Heckenbach, born Aug 18 1804, died  Jan 27 1854 in Spessart, parish Kempenich, was married to Johann Gilles of Spessart on Jan 20 1834.

-Mathieu Heckenbach, farmer, born 21 August 1778.

-Germain Heckenbach, farmer, born 28 Nov 1780.

© by Jim Heckenbach
Posted Jul 9 2002
Last Updated Sep 18 2024