The HECKENBACHs of WITTLICH

Wittlich is a city of 18000 people located north of the Mosel River, east of Trier, in the Rhineland. There is a concentration of Heckenbach families living in Wittlich beginning around 1796. There are still many names to work into the chart. See list at bottom. Also, living persons are excluded.

Johann Heckenbach, the "founder" of the Heckenbach family appeared in Wittlich around 1796. He has now been traced by Gabriele Afzal. He was born 13 April 1768 in Franken, a village near Ahrweiler on the  Rhine River. He had a brother Peter Heckenbach (1 Dec 1765 in Franken - 12 Oct 1829 in Franken, m Maria Gertrude Mohr) and two sisters Catharina Heckenbach 21 Jun 1770 - 20 Dec 1831 in Franken, m Mathias Adams) and Anna Maria Heckenbach 25 Feb 1773 in Franken - 18 Jun 1819.

Their parents were Johann Wilhelm Heckenbach (b abt 1730, d 11 Jan 1777 in Franken) and Gertrud Kempenich (b 17 Jun 1732, d 14 Nov 1801 in Franken). They were married on 24 Jan 1764 in Franken.

Nothing earlier is known about Johann Wilhelm Heckenbach. There were Heckenbach families living in several towns near Franken at the time. Gertrud Kempenich was the daughter of Jacob Kempenich (b 27 Sep 1710 in Sinzig) and  Catharine Hermann. She had a sister Maria (b in Franken on 3 Feb 1733, d 21 Jan 1803 in Sinzig) who m Wilhelm Conztler from Sintzig and they had 5 children born there. Jacob Kempenich was the son of Andreas Kempenich and Catharina Spengeler.

On 22 Jun 1795 in Heimersheim near the Rhine River, Johann Heckenbach married Anna Maria MARX or MERXIN (born 25 Jun 1769 in Wittlich, died on 1 May 1835). She was the daughter of  Franz Marx (born 22 Mar 1716 in Wittlich, died 21 Mar 1790 in Wittlich) and Appolonia LOSER (or LUSERS) (born in 1726 and died 24 Sep 1794) who married before 1748.

Johann and Anna Maria immediately settled in her hometown of Wittlich. Johann was a day-laborer. Less than a year after moving to Wittlich, on 7 Feb 1796, Johann died. Johann Heckenbach and Anna Marie Marx had only one child, Johann Baptist Heckenbach born 9 Mar 1796 Wittlich, after his father was already dead.

After his death, Anna Maria married Johann Josef KIESGEN on 23 Jun 1799 in Wittlich. He was born 16 Jan 1772 in Wittlich and died 23 Apr 1823 in Wittlich. He was the son of Johann Peter KIESGEN and Anna Elisabeth ZIMMERMANN. They had a daughter Anna Elisabeth KIESGEN, born 28 March 1800 in Wittlich, died 29 October 1807 in Wittlich, aged 7 years old .

Back to Johann Baptist Heckenbach who was born 9 Mar 1796 after his father died, his profession was Uhrmacher, although the death records of two daughters say he was a day-laborer. (Another record says he was a Metzger, butcher. The two witnesses at his 1816 wedding were both butchers.) He died 2 Nov 1869. On 26 Nov 1816 Johann Baptist m1 Anna Jacobina WEINAND (born on 4 Sep 1796 in Wittlich, died 13 Apr 1844 in Wittlich) and they had 7 children. Then on 24 March 1851 he m2 Anna Jakobina BUDINGER (born 10 Oct 1822 in Wittlich, died 18 Mar 1895, the daughter of Christof BUDINGER and Angela GINDORF) and they had four more:
  1. Josef Heckenbach was born 25 Aug 1817 in Wittlich. He was a Schreiner, woodworker. He m Maria Agathe KRANZ (20 Nov 1822-6 Jun 1893) on 10 May 1849. 
    Josef and Maria Agathe had the following children:

    1. Sybilla Heckenbach 11 Feb 1850- 15 July 1861. Her godparents were Josef Kranz and Sybilla Heckenbach, both single and both from Wittlich.
    2. Clara Catharina Heckenbach 30 July 1851- >1896. Godparents were Clara Kranz and Gotthard Weinandfrom Wittlich. Nothing else known except that she became the godmother of the Clara Heckenbach who was born in 1896)
    3. Anna Maria Heckenbach born about 1852, died 22 July 1867 at age 15, known only by her death record
    4. Mathias Josef Heckenbach 12 December 1853-21 Jan 1936. His godparents were Mathias Josef Lauer and Elisabeth Kranz from Wittlich. He married Maria BECKER (10 May 1862 Speicher- 1 Jan 1950 Speicher) on 9 Aug 1883 in Speicher (Bitburg-Prüm). Profession: teacher in Speicher where he lived for 53 years. After WWII until her death, Maria lived at the rectory in Speicher.
      1. Wilhelm Heckenbach 7 Jul 1884 in Speicher. Godparents Friedrich Wilhelm Anton Becker of Speicher and Anna Maria Kranz of Wittlich. On 24 Jan 1921 in Speicher, he m Maria Kievel of Speicher
      2. Jakob Heckenbach 3 Dec 1885 in Speicher. Godparents were Jacob Heckenbach from Wittlich and Eva Müller of Speicher.
      3. Catharina Heckenbach 30 Sep 1887 in Speicher. Godparents Catharina Heckenbach from Wittlich and Johann Becker from Speicher. She died in the Allied air raid on Christmas Eve 1944 that destroyed 85% of Bitburg
      4. Sybille Heckenbach  7 Jun 1889 in Speicher, died 21 Jan 1980. She was also a teacher in Speicher
      5. Josef Heckenbach  6 Mar 1893 in Speicher, died 27 Mar 1893 in Speicher
      6. Georg Josef Heckenbach 16 Nov 1897 in Speicher. Godparents were Georg Schmitt and Maria Weiler , both from Speicher.  He died 07 Sep 1978 in Speicher
      7. Johann Heckenbach  12 Jun 1899 in Speicher. Godparents Johann Becker from Speicher and Maria Heckenbach from Wittlich
    5. Jakob Heckenbach (9 Jan 1857-16 Mar 1928). Godparents were Jakob Kranz, a teacher in Dillingen and Elisabeth Heckenbach from Wittlich. On 13 Nov 1886 in Wittlich, although living in Koblenz at the time, he married Maria Anna WENDEL (17 Feb 1859-10 Oct 1932, daughter of Johann Jakob Wendel 1822-1867 and Anna Maria Blasius 1827-1893, m 1847). His Profession: Ökonom (economist).
      1. Jakob Heckenbach 15 Jul 1889, died in Mönchengladbach. He m1 Margaretha BRINGS, daughter of Peter BRINGS and Margaretha MERTENS. He m2 Grete Unknown
      2. Catharina Clara Heckenbach 12 Oct 1896. Godparents Mathias Wendel of Wittlich and Clara Catharina Heckenbach
        aus Wittlich - 23 Feb 1987 in Köln-Stadt. On 19 Nov 1918 in Wittlich she m Dr. Klaus Steigleder (1877-1964), a professor in Frankfurt. They lived in Fulda. After the death of her husband she  lived with her sister Catharina in Wittlich.
      3. Maria Heckenbach 11 Nov 1891- 31 Aug 1971. She worked as a teacher in Wittlich from 1911 to 1957, then a direktorin, principal, at a secomndary school in Wittlich, and church rector starting in 1949.
      4. Friedrich Wilhelm Heckenbach, 29 Sep 1899. Godparents Friedrich Wilhelm Wendel of Trier and Gertrud Erben of Koblenz. He was a doctor. He died on 3 Aug 1939 in Berlin. On 4 Aug 1934 in Berlin, he married Margareta Maria Kuleisa. She was born on Jun 09, 1902
    1. Barbara Heckenbach 6 Sep 1859-18 Mar 1861. Godparents were Philipp Weinand and Barbara Mayer from Wittlich.
    2. Maria Sybilla Heckenbach 20 Oct 1861. Godparents were Nikolaus Heckenbach and Maria Sybilla Heckenbach from Wittlich. She married Mathias GEISEN (b 1861) on 24 Jan 1889

    1.  MATHIAS JOSEF6 GEISEN was born on Nov 02, 1889 in Wittlich, Bernkastel-Wittlich
    2. CATHARINA MARIA GEISEN was born on Dec 08, 1890 in Wittlich
    3. JOHANN JAKOB GEISEN was born on May 12, 1892 in Wittlich
    4. CARL GEISEN was born on Apr 18, 1895 in Wittlich
    5. ANNA MARIA HECKENBACH was born on Oct 27, 1896 in Wittlich
    6. SYBILLA MARGARETHE GEISEN was born on May 15, 1896 in Wittlich. She died on Dec 02, 1899 in Wittlich
    7. JOHANN GEISEN was born on May 01, 1898 in Wittlich
    8. FRIEDRICH WILHELM GEISEN was born on Jun 19, 1899 in Wittlich. He died on Jul 23, 1899 in Wittlich

    1. Maria Heckenbach 30 Aug 1863. Godparents were Maria Kiesgen and Gotthard Knopp from Wittlich
    2. Clara Heckenbach 19 Mar 1865- 29 Sep 1869. Godparents were Clara Kranz and Johann Kiesgen from Wittlich
  2. Johann Jakob Heckenbach was born 25 Apr 1819. He m Margarethe KUNSMANN  (ca. 1813- 16 Nov 1885) on 18 Nov 1847. He died just 3 months later, on 20 Jan 1848.
  3. Nikolaus Heckenbach was born 13 Jul 1821, and died 20 Aug 1887. Nikolaus was a Schreiner (cabinetmaker, joiner). On 1 Feb 1848 he m1 Barbara KUNSMANN (b 16 Feb 1821 in Wittlich, died 16 Feb 1849 in Wittlich). He m2 Anna Maria DENZER (b 1822, died 23 November 1889 in Wittlich) on 26 Apr 1849
    Nikolaus and Barbara had one child. Barbara died just 8 days later.

    1. Josef Heckenbach b  8 Feb 1849. Josef m1 Maria Anna KEMMER (born 2 May 1852, Altrich, the daughter of Joannis Kemmer and Maria Susanna Reuter, on Jan 31, 1878 in Wittlich, died 6 September 1880, Wittlich) on 22 Jan 1878 in Wittlich. He m2 Anna Maria ARENS (b 10 Nov 1856) on 3 Feb 1894. Josef and Maria Anna Kemmer had two daughters
      1. Sybilla Heckenbach 4 January 1879 in Wittlich.
      2. Catharina Heckenbach 17 May 1880 in Wittlich.
    Nikolaus then married Anna Maria and they had the following children:
    1. Heinrich Nikolaus Heckenbach b 3 Jul 1850. Profession: Tagelöhner. He m1 Maria CASPARI (born 13 Mar 1854 in Wittlich, died 15 Dec 1879 on 10 Nov 1877 and m2 Barbara BUNGERT (born 30 Jun 1854 in Wittlich, died 21 Jan 1926 in Wittlich) on 31 Jul 1880. Heinrich and Barbara had the following children:
    1. Peter Heckenbach (2 Sep 1881 in Wittlich - 17 Nov 1884 in Wittlich)
    2. Elisabeth Heckenbach b 29 Sep 1882 in Wittlich.
    3. Josef Heckenbach b 25 Aug 1886 in Wittlich, doctor, killed by grenade in WW1, 1914
    4. Johann Heckenbach b 14 Jan 1889 in Wittlich. Godparents were Johann Antweiler and Gertrud Heckenbach both from Wittlich
    5. Matthias Heckenbach b 1 Mar 1897 in Wittlich. He was wounded in WWI, in May 1918. Matthias married Anna GITZEN (born on 2 Sep 1895 in Deudesfeld, died 10 Mar 1979 in Wittlich) on 29 April 1921 in Wittlich. He died on 7 Jan 1971 in Wittlich. Their son Heinrich (1933-1996)  m Ingeburg HEINZ (1939-2000.)
    1. Margarethe Heckenbach b 22 February 1852 in Wittlich. She died 18 June 1853
    2. baby born and died 16 February 1854 in Wittlich
    3. Elisabeth Heckenbach b 10 May 1855 in Wittlich. She died 19 July 1856
    4. Elisabeth Heckenbach b 8 Aug 1857 in Wittlich, died 1 Dec 1885, age 28. She married Andreas FELLER (b 17 Aug 1852) before 1885
    1. Friedrich Feller b 17 Aug 1885, d 30 Dec 1885 age one month
    1. Gertrud Heckenbach b 9 Mar 1859 in Wittlich. Her godparents were Jakob Wagner and Gertrud Bungert, both from Wittlich. Gertrud married Mathias SCHOMMER (b 23 Nov 1868) on 20 Oct 1892
    2. Conrad Heckenbach b 16 Aug 1863. He m Margarethe BUDINGER (b 1868 in Wittlich) in 1894. Conrad and Margarethe had the following children:
    1. Johann Heckenbach b 3 Oct 1895 in Wittlich. He married Gertrud Johannes, daughter of Peter and Anna Johannes, on 19 Jun 1915 in Haustadt, Merzig-Wadern, Saarland. She was born on 10 Jul 1896 also in Haustadt.
    2. Anna Maria Heckenbach b 27 Oct 1896 in Wittlich, died on 12 Dec 1896 in Wittlich.
    3. Christina Heckenbach b 15 Nov 1897 in Wittlich
    4. Barbara Heckenbach b 29 Sep 1899 in Wittlich.
    1. Jakob Heckenbach b 1 Feb 1867 in Wittlich. He died 19 Jun 1889.

  4. Anna Maria Heckenbach b 26 Jul 1823 in Wittlich, died 20 Mar 1870 in Trier.
  5. Catharina Heckenbach b 12 May 1825 in Wittlich, died 20 Aug 1864 at the St. Paulus Kloster in Trier. 
  6. Elisabeth Heckenbach b 11 Dec 1827 in Wittlich, died on 2 Nov 1861.
  7. Sybilla Heckenbach b 29 Jun 1829 in Wittlich. She was godmother to the 1850 Sybilla.
Anna Jacobina (maiden name WEINAND) died 13 Apr 1844. Johann Baptist married Anna Jakobina BUDINGER (b 10 Oct 1822 in Wittlich, d 18 Mar 1895 in Wittlich) in Wittlich on 24 Mar 1851. However, the first of their 4 children, Heinrich, was born before this second marriage. 
  1. Heinrich Heckenbach b 21 Sep 1849 in Wittlich. His godfather was Heinrich Buttinger, bachelor in Wittlich. On 31 May 1873 he married Susanne SCHOMMER (13 Dec 1851 in Wittlich, the daughter of Josef SCHOMMER ca 1809-1869 and Elisabeth GEIBES 1811-). Heinrich and Susanne had the following childrenm all born in Wittlich:
  1. Dorothea Heckenbach 9 Nov 1875-. Godmother Dorothea Wirsching of Wittlich
  2. Johann Heckenbach 21 Dec 1876- 5 Jun 1878
  3. Johann Heckenbach 2 Apr 1879. Godparents Johann Bungert and Margarethe Kaster of Wittlich. He m Anna BUDINGER, a cousin b in 1875 in Wittlich. (His grandmother was also named Anna BUDINGER, b 1822.) No marriage found, so they probably married elsewhere. They had a son also named Johann Heckenbach, b 27 November 1909. He was wounded twice in WWI: Oct 1916 and Mar 1917. He m Grete Lieselotte HERMKENS (b 2 November 1909 in Saarbrücken) on 5 February1938 in Wittlich, and they lived at Schlossplatz 2 in Wittlich. His profession was "Heizer" (stoker/boilerman), and then after he joined the 125th Battalion in Saarbrücken on 31 Mar 1943, he was a "Grenadier "soldier. He was last listed on 24 May 1944 as a member of the 6th Grenadier Regiment 53 Company, rank: Private. Sometime thereafter he was in a plane that was shot down over Russia. His body was never identified, so his death date was judicially decreed as the default date for the end of hostilities, 31 Dec 1945. Grete died in 1968. They had two sons:
  1. Hermann Johann Heckenbach b 5 Jan 1939 in Wittlich, moved to the USA, probably following his maternal aunt. He married Patricia Louise BLANK (b 22 Mar 1933 in Warrensburg MO) on 3 May 1958 in Miami OK, and they had two children.  After they divorced, he lived alternately in Germany (his aunt returned there) and in Missouri. Hermann died on March 20, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. 
  2. Kurt Heckenbach, b 7 Jun 1941 in Wittlich, d 1 Feb 1944 in Wittlich, age 2
  1. Theresia Heckenbach 21 Sep 1881- 17 Feb 1941. Godparents Theresia Catharina Kaster and Nikolaus Budinger of Wittlich.). She married Johann HÜSGEN (13 Jun1881-12 Mar 1951.
  2. Philipp Heckenbach 3 Mar 1884-. Godparents Philipp Huwer and Catharina Heckenbach of Wittlich
  3. Peter Heckenbach 17 Dec1885-. Godparents Peter Wagner and Helena Schommer aus Wittlich
  4. Helena Heckenbach b Jan 7 1888, godparents Josef Schommer and Helena Arens of Wittlich. She d May 5 1963 in Vallejo, Solano, CA, US. In 1906 in Wittlich she married Kaspar WEBERSKIRCH (5 Aug 1875 in Kinderbeuern, Engelsberg, Wittlich – 28 Mar 1945 Hayden Colorado), the son of Kaspar WEBERSKIRCH and Anna. Kaspar Unknownand Helene departed from Liverpool, England, on the ship Etruria, arriving 25 Feb 1907 at New York, and were living in Routt, Colorado in 1910. Their children:
  1. Helen Edith WEBERSKIRCH 23 May 1908 Pittsburgh, PA. On 5 Jun 1924 in Steamboat Springs, Routt County CO, she m Francis Irvin WALSH
  2. Kaspar WEBERSKIRCH 28 Jan 1911, Routt County, CO
  3. Harry H. WEBERSKIRCH 27 Jun 1912,Routt County, CO 
  4. Frances WEBERSKIRCH 13 Aug 1913, Routt County, CO
  5. John D. WEBERSKIRCH 19 Feb 1917, Dunkley Flats, Routt County, CO., died 1996. He m Dorothy Arlene MARKHAM. He was known as John D. WEBER
  1. Barbara Heckenbach b 24 Mar 1890 (godparents Nikolaus Hahn and Barbara Marmann from Wittlich), d 7 Aug 1967 in Troisdorf, Rhein-Sieg, NRW. She m Christian SCHWADORF
  2. Maria Heckenbach b 10 Mar 1892 in Wittlich. Her godparents were Johann Kiesgen and Maria Heckenbach from Wittlich.
Susanne SCHOMMER came into the marriage with a baby. He was Heinrich SCHOMMER. He was born 19 Feb 1873 in Wittlich, father unknown. His godparents were Heinrich Budinger and Agnes Schommer from Wittlich. He was aged 3 months at the time of the marriage. It's unknown whether Heinrich Heckenbach was his father, or adopted him. His death is also unknown.

Anna Jakobina BUDINGER also had a daughter Angela BUDINGER born 21 Sep 1846. The father is unknown.

Then Johann Baptist and Anna Jakobina had three more children:
  1. Maria Heckenbach b 3 Jan 1852 in Wittlich, d 22 Jul 1867 in Trier, age 15
  2. Heinrich Heckenbach b 23 Jan 1858 in Wittlich. He died 14 Apr 1861
  3. Anna Maria Heckenbach b 20 Aug 1862 in Wittlich. She was unmarried when she had a son Peter Heckenbach born 27 Jun 1883. Then Anna Maria m Peter KRISCHEL b 10 Mar 1858 in Wittlich, son of Jakob Krischel and Sophia Budinger, on Dec 22, 1883 in Wittlich. Given that her son and her new husband were both named Peter, it's likely that he was the father. Peter was a day-laborer. 
  1. Anna Maria Krischel 2 May 1885-24 Dec 1944
  2. Bernhard Krischel 13 Aug 1886
  3. Elisabeth Krischel 7 Jun 1888
  4. Clara Krischel 25 Feb 1890 -24 Feb 1891
  5. Anton Krischel 10 Dec 1891
  6. Clara Krischel 21 Jan 1895-3 Dec 1899
  7. Josef Krischel 21 Feb 1897
  8. Willibrod Krischel 13 Apr 1901-25 Apr 1945. He m Anna Andris. He was a wall mason, then a Colonel/Corporal. He died in Prague-Reuth, Czechoslovakia, age 44


LIST OF HECKENBACHS in WITTLICH
*birth     +death     <before     u about   m1. spouse1     m2. spouse 2

HECKENBACH Anna Maria *1823 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Anna Maria *1862 Wittlich married KRISCHEL Peter in 1883
HECKENBACH Anna Maria *1896 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Barbara *1859 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Barbara *1890 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Barbara *1899 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Catharina *1825 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Catharina *1880 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Christina *u1871 Wittlich married FISCHER Emil 1901
HECKENBACH Christina *1897 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Clara *1865 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Clara *1896 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Clara Catharina *1851 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Conrad *1863 Wittlich  married BUDINGER Margarethe 1894
HECKENBACH Dorothea *1875 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Elisabeth *1827 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Elisabeth *1855 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Elisabeth *1857 Wittlich married FELLER Andreas <1885
HECKENBACH Elisabeth *1882 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Friedrich Wilhelm *1899 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Gertrud *1859 Wittlich married SCHOMMER Mathias 1892
HECKENBACH Heinrich *1849 Wittlich  married SCHOMMER Susanne 1873
HECKENBACH Heinrich *1858 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Heinrich Nikolaus *1850 Wittlich m1. CASPARI Maria 1877, m2. BUNGERT Barbara 1880
HECKENBACH Helena *1888 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Jakob *1857 Wittlich  married WENDEL Maria Anna 1886
HECKENBACH Jakob *1867 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Johann *1768 Franken, +Wittlich  married MARX Anna Maria <1796
HECKENBACH Johann *1876 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Johann *1879 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Johann *1889 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Johann *1895 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Johann Baptist *1796 Wittlich  m1. WEINAND Anna Jakobina 1816,  m2. BUDINGER Anna Jakobina 1851
HECKENBACH Johann Jakob *1819 Wittlich married KUNSMANN Margarethe 1847
HECKENBACH Josef *1817 Wittlich  married KRANZ Maria Agathe 1849
HECKENBACH Josef *1849 Wittlich m1. KEMMER Maria Anna 1878,  m2.  ARENS Anna Maria 1894
HECKENBACH Josef *1886 Wittlich died in WWI, May 1916
HECKENBACH Margarethe *1852 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Maria *1852 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Maria *1863 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Maria *1892 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Maria Sybilla *1861 Wittlich married GEISEN Mathias 1889
HECKENBACH Mathias *1897 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Mathias Josef *1853 Wittlich married to BECKER Maria 1883
HECKENBACH Nikolaus *1821 Wittlich m1. KUNSMANN Barbara 1848,  m2. DENZER Anna Maria u 1849
HECKENBACH NN *1854 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Peter *1881 Wittlich     |
HECKENBACH Peter *1883 Wittlich     | one of these was wounded in WWI, in Sep 1916
HECKENBACH Peter *1885 Wittlich     |
HECKENBACH Philipp *1884 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Sybilla *1829 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Sybilla *1850 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Sybilla *1879 Wittlich
HECKENBACH Theresia Catharina *1881 Wittlich

This page was created May 5 2015, and last revised Mar 14 2022

Please provide corrections and information to help complete this chart.
Jim Heckenbach heckenbach@ameritech.net