BIERCHEN/ BIRCHEN/ BIRGEN Genealogy Page

While some surnames are almost invariable, BIERCHEN is the opposite case, being subject to change from place to place and over time. It's easily misheard and misspelled by clerks. Then misspellings can lead to new pronounciations.

So this page will treat any BIRCHEN and BIERCHEN submissions equally.

We don't know the origin of the name. Now we find the Biechen name in Sweden and Norway. John Bierchen who settled in Chicago has a southern or eastern European mien. This case calls for a DNA test if any Bierchen man out there is willing to take one.

The BIERCHEN family of Eschdorf, Luxembourg and Chicago, IL

Théodore BURSCHÉ was born about 1730 in ex Calmus and died Jan 29 1808. His occupation in 1755 was: cowherd. He married Madeleine KRUCHTEN about 1755. She was born about 1733. Their children were:

1. Jean Birchen, born about 1753 in Kammerdiener, died Jun 27 1813 in Feulen. On Jan 14 1777 in Useldange, he married Anne Marie NELIS (could be NILLES), born about 1757, ex Brouch. They had one son, also Jean BIRGEN, born Nov 1 1777 in Useldange, Luxembourg. See The family of Jean BIRCHEN below
2. Barbe BIRGEN (also Bürchen) b about 1755 in Beckerich, died Oct 16 1810 in Useldange. She married François Eugène KUGENER who was  b about 1748 in Hovelange, died Apr 4 1806. in Hovelange.
   
3. Nicolas BIRGEN, b. 1765, ex Calmus. He married Elisabeth STEPHES on Jan 7 1789 in Septfontaines. She was born about 1765 in Brouch, canton Mersch, the daughter of Jacques STEPHEN and Jeanne KLEINER. They had no known children.
4. Dominique BURSCHÉ (BIRGEN, BIRCHEN) b Aug 18 1779 in Septfontaines and died Mar 29 1850 in Eschdorf. His occupation was: shoemaker. He married Elisabeth LUX on May 16 1810 in Bourscheid. She was the daughter of Nicolas LUCAS and Anne PENNING.  She was born Sep 20 1773 in Obermertzig, and died Dec 19 1848 in Eschdorf. Note here that LUCAS changed to LUX. Dominique and Elisabeth had one child, Jean BIRCHEN, born Sep 22 1807, at Michelau, died Jun 10 1876 at Eschdorf. His occupation was also: shoemaker. See The family of Dominique BIRGEN below

(A) The family of Jean BIRCHEN

Jean BIRGEN and Anne Marie NELIS had one son, also Jean BIRGEN

Jean BIRGEN was born Nov 1 1777 in Useldange. As of 1814 he resided in Lultzhausen and worked as a Tagelöhner (day-laborer.) On Oct 12 1814, in Heiderscheidergrund (Heiderscheid-Fond,) he married Catherine KLEIN, born Jun 2 1786 in Heiderscheidergrund, the daughter of Mathieu KLEIN and Barbe SPIRKEL. Jean BIRGEN died Nov 11 1830 in Heiderscheidergrund. Catherine died after 1841.

Catherine KLEIN was the widow of Michel Werné, born 1755 in Ex Oberpallen, died on Sep 20 1813 in Luxemburg City.) He himself was twice widowed. Catherine married him on Feb 21 1809 in Pratz and they had a daughter Marguerite Werné, born May 5 1811, in Pratz. As for Marguerite, she married Nicolas JAAS, born Aug 15 1811 in Nobressart, RW, Belgium, on Jan 23 1834 in Heiderscheid. They had three children, all born at Heiderscheid-Fond: Catherine JAAS, born May 26 1835, Jean JAHS born Jan 27 1841, and Henri JAAS, born Jun 23 1844.

Besides Marguerite Werné, Jean BIRGEN and Catherine KLEIN had 3 children. Note the spelling change.

1. Marguerite BIRCHEN was born Jan 7 1816 in Heiderscheidergrund, and died Feb 25 1892 in Weidingen. She married Mathieu GRETTNICH (born Jul 28 1808, Castel, Saarbourg) on Nov 23 1841 in Heiderscheid. They had six children, the first born in Winseler, the rest in Weidingen.
2. Jean BIRCHEN, born Sep 15 1818 in Heiderscheidergrund, died Oct 8 1877 in Bourscheid-Flébour. He was also a day-laborer. On Sep 9 1846 in Bourscheid, he married Marie MELMER (born Jan 11 1824 in Heiderscheidergrund, died young.) They had one son. After the death of Marie, Jean BIRCHEN married Anne Marie WEIBEL, born Sep 3 1826 in Ettelbrück, on Jan 14 1852 in Bourscheid. Jean and Marie had 5 children. (Notice another name change.)

1. Francois BIRCHEN, b. Oct 2 1847 in Bourscheid-Flébour, died Nov 1 1918.His occupation was Knecht= farmhand. He married Catherine GREVISSE, born Nov 5 1845, in Waldbillig, on Feb 12 1872 in Waldbillig. They had the following children:
   1. Jean Pierre BIRCHEN, b. Oct 19 1872, Waldbillig died Oct 20 1872
   2. Jacques BIRCHEN, b. Nov 13 1873, Waldbillig married Henriette KAUFFMANN
   3. Pierre BIRCHEN, b. Nov 8 1876, Waldbillig died Feb 2 1879 in Waldbillig
   4. Catherine BIRCHEN, b. Dec 12 1878, Waldbillig
   5. Jean BIRCHEN, b. Jun 9 1882, Waldbillig died Dec 17 1886 in Waldbillig
   6. Jean BIRCHEN, b. May 19 1884, Waldbillig, married Susanne ERNZEN (b. Nov 16 1881, in Bettendorf) on Apr 30 1907 in Waldbillig
   7. Elisabeth BIRCHEN, b. Aug 25 1887, Waldbillig, died Oct 4 1887 Waldbillig

2. Madeleine BURGEN, b. Jan 13 1861, Bourscheid-Flébour
3. Michel BURGEN, b. Mar15 1863, Bourscheid-Flébour
4. Jacques BURGEN, b. Jan 20 1868, Bourscheid-Flébour
5. Martin BURGEN, b. Jan 29 1870, Bourscheid-Flébour
6. Marguerite BURGEN, b. Mar 26 1872, Bourscheid-Flébour

3. François BIRCHEN, born Jan 17 1827 in Heiderscheidergrund, died May 7 1898 in Bavigne, As of 1852 his occupation was: Schäfer (sheep herder.) On Oct 14 1852 in Heiderscheid he married Susanne BRICHER, born Aug 8 1830 in Moesdorf, died 28 Nov 1895 in Bavigne. They had six children with three different spellings!

1. Jean BIERCHEN, b. Nov 26 1858, Eschdorf-Hierheck. He married Marguerite MAI, (b. May 9 1859, Heiderscheidergrund), the daughter of Nicolas MAI and Catherine JAAS, on Apr 15 1890 in Heiderscheid.
2. Gregoire BURGEN, b. May 8 1864, Winseler. He married Catherine FROST, (b. Feb 4 1867, Stiring-St.Wendel, Lorraine, France,) on Apr 9 1892 in Liège, Belgium
3. Marguerite BIRCHEN, b. Jan 11 1866, Berlé. She married first Pierre WAXWEILER, (b. May 2 1862 in Wiltz) on Sep 7 1904 in Harlange, and then Pierre GOFFINÉ, (b. Jun 1 1842, Heiderscheidergrund,) on Dec 2 1918 at Wiltz,Luxemburg
4. Marie BIERCHEN, b. Dec 8 1867, Nothum. She married Mathieu BACKES, (b. Nov 8 1864, Bavigne) on Mar 8 1887 in Mecher. They had two children, Marguerite BACKES and Jean BACKES.
5. Guillaume BIRCHEN, b. Jan 6 1873, Bavigne. He married Marie WIARD, (born Mar 27 1872 at Tarchamps) on Jan 2 1901 in Mecher
6. Jean BIERCHEN, b. Jun 26 1877, Bavigne. He married Catherine KOENIG, (born Sep 28 1882 in Heiderscheidergrund, died Sep 11 1916 in Luxembourg City), the daughter of Jean KOENIG and Marie Catherine TROES, on Jun 7 1905 in Eschdorf. He was a machinist or a locksmith. They lived in Esch and had 5 children : Anne BIRCHEN, born Sep 14 1902 in Heiderscheid, who married Pierre SCHLEIMER, born Oct 21 1900 in Heiderscheid, on Jan 16 1927 ;  Margaretha BIERCHEN b  June 29, 1907 in Esch ; Elise BIERCHEN March 4 1909, died Dec 28 1987 ;  Lucie BIERCHEN Jan 15 1912 ; John Peter BIERCHEN  vDec 29 1913

There was a Catharina BIERCHEN who was also born in Heiderscheidergrund, probably around 1830, and died in 1884. Her birth record has not been found but she probably belongs here because only one Bierchen family is known in the tiny settlement of Heiderscheidergrund. She married Jean WEIBEL (b 1828). They had a son Nicolas WEIBEL (?-1882), and a son Johann WEIBEL (1863-1910) who married Catherine HURT. That couple raised a family of ten in Folschette.

(B) Nicolas BIRGEN had no descendants

(C) The family of Dominique BIRGEN

Dominique BURSCHÉ BIRGEN and Elisabeth LUX had one child, Jean BIRCHEN, born Sep 22 1807, at Michelau, Luxemburg, died Jun 10 1876 at Eschdorf. His occupation was also: shoemaker. He married Marguerite MAJERUS on Sep 20 1826 in Bourscheid, the daughter of Philippe MAJERUS and Marie TURPEL. She was born Nov 11 1801 in Michelau, and died Jun 13 1857 in Eschdorf.

Jean and Marguerite BIRCHEN had the following children:

1. Marie Catherine BIRCHEN born Feb 22 1830 at Michelau married Nicolas NICKES, born Jul 22 1832 in Eschdorf. They had two children, Therese and Nicholas NICKES born in Eschdorf. Nicholas immigrated to Chicago in 1893 and was always known as Nicholas Nix.
2. Anne Marie BIRCHEN born Mar 8 1833 at Michelau, died Mar 14 1833 at Michelau
3. Anne BIRCHEN born Dec 23 1836 at Eschdorf, died Feb 17 1919 at Eschdorf, never married
4. Nicolas BIERCHEN born Nov 18 1839 at Eschdorf, see below
5. Madeleine BIERCHEN was born in Useldange on May 9 1844 m Jean HANSEN born Mar 26 1832. They married on Nov 20 1861 in Heiderscheid and had a daughter Elisabeth HANSEN born 1874. They also had a son Nicolas who married Mary Pellus from Tarchamps. This couple settled in Chicago and raised a large family.

Nicolas BIERCHEN, born November 18, 1839, died Sep 30 1895 in Eschdorf. His occupation was: Feldhüter or garde-champêtre, forestry guard. He married Elisabeth SCHWEICH or SCHWEIG on Dec13 1876 in Heiderscheid. She was the daughter of Johan SCHWEICH and Marie PLETSCHETTE of Eschdorf.)  For more about Elizabeth's family, see SCHWEIG Notes below. She was born Jun 14 1853 in Eschdorf and died Jan 25 1923 in Hollenfels. They had a large family all born in Eschdorf. Five sons came to the US:

1. Anna BIERCHEN  (Feb 15 1880 -May 6 1965 Born-sur-Sûre, Luxembourg) m Jean SCHERFF (born Mar 16 1870 Born-sur-Sûre, Luxembourg, died September 15 1921 Born, Luxembourg. They married on May 21 1902 in Mompach, Luxembourg. Their children were all born at Born-sur-Sûre. Anna's children ran the Hotel SCHERFF along the Sûre (Sauer in German) River in Born, Luxembourg.

1. Pierre SCHERFF May 7 1903
2. Anne Marie SCHERFF (June 4 1905- Oct 8 1979 Born) m Jean ZEIMET (Feb 19 1901 Flaxweiler- Jun 1 1966 Born sur Sûre) on Aug 27 1924 in Mompach. They had a son Norbert ZEIMET (1926- 1995) m Marcelle MÜLLER and a daughter Anne Marie ZEIMET (1928-)
3. Anne SCHERFF May 10 1907
4. Jean Pierre SCHERFF September 8 1909
5. Elisabeth SCHERFF Apr 7 1911
6. Mathilde SCHERFF March 15 1916- July 15 1994, Ettelbrück 
7. Camille SCHERFF Feb 6 1919- Dec 20 1998, Diekirch
   

2. Nicolas BIERCHEN ("Nick") (Mar 13 1881 -Sep 5 1916 Chicago, age 34) m Helena Caroline "Lena" EBERT (born May 1888 in Illinois, died Nov 24 1969 in Chicago). Both buried at St Henry's. Nick and Lena married on Feb 26 1908 and all their children were born in Chicago:

1. Nicolas J. BIERCHEN (Aug 23 1908 -Feb 22 1974 Chicago IL, buried in St Henry's, Chicago). In 1940 he was a busboy. US Army July 6 1942 to Nov 8 1945.
2. Joseph Alexander BIERCHEN (Apr 26 1910- Sep 20 1911). Died age 16 months, of acute gastroenteritis, buried in St Henry's, Chicago
3. Anna Josephine BIERCHEN (Oct 23 1912- Jan 29 1976, age 63). In the 1930 census she was a mail-order clerk, and in 1940, a stenographer. Later, claims adjuster living at 3042 W Eastwood, buried in St Henry's, Chicago
4. Robert Paul BIERCHEN (Jan 7 1916 - Feb 29 1976 Chicago IL) m Pearl Faith DEPPE or BUSS (Jan 20 1906 Waterloo WI -Oct 18 1979 Kent WA) in Canadian County, OK on July 14, 1941. Pearl was a schoolteacher, the divorcée of  Lewis BUSS. Robert and Pearl are buried in Washington Cem, Portland, Dodge County, WI. Robert was stepfather to Pearl's son William BUSS (1927-2005) who m Catherine McADAMS (1925-2005) in 1948.  Robert was a laborer in the 1940 census. He served in the US military from Sep 10 1943 to Feb 7 1946. Later, plant supervisor. He and his brother and sister all lived in a duplex at 3042 W Eastwood in Chicago.

Ebert's Inn at 6666-6668 Ridge Ave in Chicago was formerly a roadhouse and inn that dated back to the 1850s, on the old Ridge Trail to Milwaukee. Joseph EBERT (1861-1907) and Carolina FRUHE (1863-1937) were both born in Germany. They immigrated in early 1888 and named it the Ebert Inn. Joseph died in October 1907 and when Nick BIERCHEN married Lena Ebert on Feb 26 1908, he became a partner in her family business, with Lena and her brother Joseph. Jake Bierchen also worked there. After Nick died of a heart attack during a card game in 1916, age 35, Jake helped with management duties. Lena and her brother Joseph Jr, born Jun 20 1892, continued the restaurant until Joseph died during a heat wave on July 28, 1934. Then Lena sold the establishment and it became "Nufer's" and later “Allgauer’s”. It burned in 1962. Nick was very active in the Luxemburger Brüderbund (Brotherhood) in Chicago, and Luxembourgers always congregated at Eberts, and held an annual festival "Schobermesse") there. Besides a buffet restaurant (free lunch) it also had a bar, a "3-pin" bowling alley, and a picnic grove. Right next door at 6648 Ridge Ave.was the Ridge Inn, a similar bar, restaurant, picnic grove, and former roadhouse built in 1836, that had belonged to Nicholas Kartheuser, who had married the widow of the original owner. The two establishments were friendly competitors. Gus Allgauer bought it in 1955, and razed it in 1958 to make room for another expansion.

Click to enlarge. This was the Ridge Inn. Nick Bierchen's family members might be in this picture, but there are no known pictures of them to compare, and they have no living descendents.

3. Jean BIERCHEN ("John") (Apr 29 1882 -Aug 25 1932 Chicago IL, age 50. He married Marie SCHULLER from Boulaide-Moulin, Luxembourg (Apr 21 1887- Mar 15 1966, Chicago) on Jan 12 1910 at St. Henry's. All their children were born in Chicago:

1. Margaret BIERCHEN (Dec 13 1910 - Feb 10 2000) m Mike SIKULA (also Dec 13, 1910- May 14, 2002), and then Robert McCLAUGHRY (Aug 15 1927- Mar 17 2004) (OK)
2. Catherine BIERCHEN (1912- Feb 18 1913 age 3 months, died in a house-fire)
3. Ann Elizabeth BIERCHEN (Dec 13 1913- Mar 21 2002) m 1935 Ray DOERING (1911- Sep 4 2004)  (AZ)
4. Elizabeth "Elsie" BIERCHEN (Jun 6 1916 -Jun 9 2001) m Al GORDON (Oct 8 1916- Jun 5 2003) (FL)
5. Catherine BIERCHEN (May 11 1918 -Jun 30 1919 age 13 months, died from a fall. St Henry's)
6. Mary Elizabeth BIERCHEN (Mar 7 1922- Jan 31 2019) m Frank HECKENBACH (Nov 12 1914- Jun 17 2001) (FL)
7. John Henry BIERCHEN (Jan 4 1924- May 13 2010) m Joea ELLIS (Aug 5 1932- Nov 28 2000) (FL). He served in the US Merchant Marine.

John Bierchen arrived in the US on Jan 25, 1902. He was 20, single, a laborer, headed to see his brother Nick at 502 Florence in Evanston IL. He went to Yankton, SD in 1902 and was pre-naturalized as a US citizen there. He also appeares there in the 1905 state census. He returned to Chicago and in 1910 he married Marie SCHULLER from Boulaide-Moulin, Luxembourg. In 1915 they were living at 6461 N. Robey St. (now Damen Ave.) He was naturalized in 1916. On his WWI Draft card he reports living at 6630 N Robey Street and working as a laborer. In 1919 his address was 1718 Devon Ave. He took a trip back to Luxembourg to visit his mother in 1920. John and Mary bought the house at 1976 Devon in Chica, just across the street from St Henry's Cemetery, and owned greenhouses northeast of there. In 1932 he suffered a stroke for which he received medical attention but no treatment, and died a few days later, exactly one year after the death of his brother Ted, and was buried at Memorial Gardens in Skokie IL. This is a picture of John. (Click to enlarge.) I have a whole page devoted to the mill at Boulaide, also known as Bauschleiden and Bauschelt.

4. Théodore BIERCHEN ("Ted") (Oct 1 1883 -Aug 25 1931 Missoula MT, age 46) 

Ted Bierchen immigrated to the US in 1902, at age 19. In 1905 he was living in Evanston and working as a florist. As of 1910 he was staying with his brother John in Chicago and working at his greenhouse. At some point he decided to work his way out to California. His WWI Draft card shows him living in Casselton North Dakota and working as a farmer. The 1930 Census finds him living in Cascade Montana, where he stayed at a boarding house, taking any odd job he could find. He died in a forest fire. He and any other men available and looking for work were approached by Forest Service recruiters to fight the Waldron Creek Wildfire that erupted in August 1931. About 100 men were rounded up and sent to fight the fire without any training or equipment, wearing their street clothes. They were driven as far as the roads went, and had to walk the last 12 miles to the base camp. Ted was in a group of five who took a fateful turn and found themselves in a ravine with the fire below them. Chased by a wall of fire and black smoke, they had nowhere to run except up the steep slope. One of the men who was in excellent physical condition was able to run further than the others, and searchers didn't find his body until the following day. Their deaths brought criticism of the Forest Service, which denied any  responsibility for the deaths, and led to calls for better training and equipment for forest firefighters. 1931 was one of the worst years for forest fires, and was the turning point in the history of Wildland Firefighter safety. We aren't sure what became of Ted's body. Newspapers from 1931 say that it was shipped from Montana back to his brother Jake in Chicago, but no records can be found and no living relatives know what happened. The Forest Service claims to have no records on the fire. Lately there has been renewed interest in the story. Update Feb 2009: There is a movement to get some initial recognition for Ted Bierchen and the other four men who died in the Waldron Creek Forest Fire in 1931. At the national Wildland Firefighters Monument in Boise ID, there will be a ceremony this Spring during which all of those who died during the 2008 fire season will be recognized.  The five men from 1931 will be included in the ceremony.  They will have a marker with their names and the name and year of the fire. It's a small but important step in getting these men recognized for their sacrifice. The forest is now known as the Lewis and Clark National Forest. Update June 2009: the Wildland Firefighter Foundation held the ceremony on May 17th, 2009, at 10 am in Boise, Idaho, in conjunction with its 5th Annual Family Day. The monument to the five Waldron Creek fire victims was installed. Choteau Acantha newspaper obituary extract: NOVOTNY, Herbert, 21, Great Falls/Waldron Creek NF Teton, 1931-08-25, ACAN38-14, 1931-09-03 and ACAN38-15, 1931-09-10. GUNNERSON, Harry, (Gudmundson), 35, Lethbridge Canada/Waldron Creek NF Teton, 1931-08-25, ACAN38-14, 1931-09-03 and ACAN38-15, 1931-09-10. BIERCHEN, Ted, Chicago/ Waldron Creek NF Teton, 1931-08-25, ACAN38-14, 1931-09-03 and ACAN38-15, 1931-09-10. WILLIAMS, Frank, 24, Great Falls/ Waldron Creek NF Teton, 1931-08-25, ACAN38-14, 1931-09-03 and ACAN38-15, 1931-09-10. ALLEN, Charles, Pittsburgh, PA/ Waldron Creek NF Teton, 1931-08-25, ACAN38-14, 1931-09-03 and ACAN38-15, 1931-09-10. Update Dec 2014: St Henry's Cemetery has no record of his burial, but there are two sections of unmarked graves, which are said to be "full" even though no names are recorded. But in spite of John Bierchen's infant daughter Catherine who died in 1919 being buried in that section and having a grave marker, her name is not recorded either. The incomplete records are not unusual. Update June 2015: There will be a book on the Waldron Creek Wildfire with a chapter about Ted Bierchen. Update Novenber 2015: The book "Montana's Waldron Creek Fire; The 1931 Fire and the Forgotten Five" by Charles Palmer has been published by the History Press.

This is a newly-found picture of Ted from 1910, at age 26.

5. Guillaume BIERCHEN (Dec 29 1884 -Jun 27 1885 age 5 months)
6. Jacques BIERCHEN ("Jake") (Mar 2 1886 -Dec 29 1960, St Henry's) m Elisabeth SCHOOS (Jul 25 1889 Hollenfels, Luxembourg- Sep 14 1982 in Menominee MI but buried St Henry's, Chicago). She was the daughter of Francis SCHOOS and Susan SCHEUER. Jake immigrated on March 30, 1909, and Elisabeth on January 1 1908. They met in Chicago. She had relatives here too. They married on Oct 29 1919. All children were born in Chicago:

1. Theodore Francis BIERCHEN (Nov 7 1920 Evanston IL -Sep 8 1975 McHenry IL) m Dorothy AHEARN (Jul 24 1923 -Sep 30 1979 McHenry IL) near Fort Lewis, WA, on Jan 10 1942. Both buried St John the Baptist, Johnsburg IL. He was a Corporal in WWII, fought in Italy and Africa, and was wounded three times. In the late 1940s he was a fireman in Evanston, IL. Children: Diane WADE, Ted BIERCHEN, Dolores ALLEN.
2. Cecelia “Ceal” BIERCHEN (Jan 13 1922 - May 2, 2009) m Joseph SIPRUT (1921- ) Children: John, Joseph
3. John Jacob BIERCHEN (Apr 30 1924 -Feb 6 1999 Menominee MI) m Lorraine Catherine KELLNER (Jun 1, 1925 - May 11, 2012) from Menominee, MI., on Sep 20 1947. She was the daughter of John and Mary (TAPPY) KELLNER of Menominee. Children: Dawn Marie, John Patrick, Cealia May, Mary Elizabeth, Lynn, and Michael William. John served in the US military from Feb 9 1943 to Jan 15 1946
4. Nicholas John BIERCHEN (Feb 1 1926 -Feb 23 1984) m Antoinette VALVO (Apr 15 1930 -Nov 4 1990 Chicago IL) on Dec 6 1952, the daughter of Constintinu VALVO and Clara GARDNER. Nick served in US Army May 19 1944 to Jun 16 1946. Lived at 3722 N Kenmore, listed as: mechanic. Both buried at St Henry's. Children: Lawrence, Nicholas George, Mary Kathlene, Joyce Elizabeth, John Jacob, Theodore John
5. Elizabeth (called "Mouse" as a child and later "Betty") BIERCHEN (Feb 1 1926- Feb 22 2018) m Fred WAGNER 

On Jake Bierchen's 1917 draft card he reports working for Joe Ebert at 6668 Ridge Ave in Chicago as a bartender and assistant manager. For many years Jake was very active in the Luxemburger Brüderbund (Brotherhood) in Chicago, helping to organize the Schobermesse festival each Labor Day, which was held at Ebert's Grove for the first years. They also lived on the premises. In 1920 they were living at 6978 N Clark St. and he was working in a factory. Later he worked as an iceman, a candy maker, a Chicago Street Department worker, and a milkman. Jake was naturalized on May 27, 1930, and Elizabeth on Oct 4, 1932. They lived the rest of their lives at 7069 Ravenswood Street. Jake is shown here (standing) with a buddy. (Click to enlarge.)

7. Cathérine BIERCHEN (Nov 19 1887 - Feb 24 1889 age 15 months)
8. Anne Marie BIERCHEN (Jan 19, 1889 -1946 Pétange Lux) On December 9, 1914 in Heiderscheid, she married to Johann GORGES, born June 24, 1883 in the town of Born. He was a  machinist.
9. Jean Pierre BIERCHEN ("Jamp" or "Jim") (Jun 24 1890 -Jul 27 1971 Happy Valley OR) never married

Jean-Pierre Bierchen, (nickname "Jamp" and also "Jim"; he also used "John" and "Peter") was the youngest brother who came to the US. In the 1910 census he and Jake were both boarders, both working as teamsters, living at 7403 Robey Street (Damen Ave today). He also worked at his brother John's greenhouses. From about 1912 until September 1916 he was homesteading in Great Falls MT, but moved back to Chicago to live with his brother. At one point he showed up in the Iowa State Census (no year given) as living in Woodbury IA. In January 1917 he was reported to have sold hios farm in South Dakota, stopped in Chicago for a visit, and was on his way to California. (The Montana and South Dakota references were both contemporaneous reports in the Luxemburger Gazette.) His 1917 Draft card shows him living in Terril, Iowa, working as a farm laborer. He was a private in the US Army from January 1918 until April 1919 and a WW1 veteran of the 82nd ("All-American") Division (this unit later became "82nd Airborne Division.") His stripes indicate he served two 6-month tours in France. He became a US citizen on June 17, 1919. In January 1925 he was a laborer and a boarder in Sioux City IA. He never married, but he ended up in Oregon, and was buried in 1971 at the Willamette Natl Cemetery in Portland, near where he lived. He came back to Chicago at least twice. Here is one of only three known pictures of him (another is below under SCHWEIG). (Click to enlarge.)

10. Robert Guillaume BIERCHEN (Oct 30 1892 -Feb 22 1934 Eschdorf ) m Susanna KIRSCH (Jul 4 1902-Oct 8 1963 Eschdorf) on Sep 25 1929. They had three children born at Eschdorf.

1. Margaret ("Maisy") BIERCHEN July 18 1930 m1 Mathias Raymond SCHNEIDER  (June 9 1929-) on Oct 29 1952 in Luxembourg City, m2 Emelio PELLICCIOTTI  (Aug 30 1934 Montenero Bisaccia-) on Apr 19 1973 in Luxembourg City Luxembourg.
2. Jean BIERCHEN  (Aug 17 1931- Jan 21 1980 Luxembourg City) m Rita Eiffes (January 6 1937 Esch sur Alzette-) in Esch sur Alzette on Nov 27 1959
3. Guillaume "Willi" BIERCHEN (Oct 19 1933- Apr 21 2002) m Marguerite "Mia" Schmidt (Apr 5 1928-) Diekirch, Luxembourg) in Ettelbrück on Jun 1 1959

1929 Photo of Robert G Bierchen and Susanna Kirsch

11. Jean Nicolas BIERCHEN (born Oct 18 1894, died Aug 8 1896, age 21 months).
12. (Totgeburt Bierchen.) Jean Nicolas had a twin who died at birth.

Some other family lines

PLETSCHETTE Notes:

Willibrod PLETSCHETTE (Dec 6 1790) from Eschdorf married Anne-Marguerite NEY (Jun 11 1800) in Boulaide and they lived there.

Michel PLETSCHETTE (born around 1800, died May 25 1851 at Eschdorf) married Barbara JAAS (born about 1805, died after 1851). Besides their daughter Marie (>BIERCHEN, born Mar 13 1832, died after 1876) they also had a son Francois PLETSCHETTE, (born about 1830, married Anne Marguerite WEILER), a son Willibrod (aka Jean, born Oct 21 1834, married Elisabeth FRANCK in 1857), and a daughter Elisabeth (b Nov 8 1838, m Jacques THIRY from Mons, Belgium in 1857), and a daughter Barbe (born Jan 11 1847, married Nikolas FRETZ in 1866)

SCHWEIG Notes:

Johann SCHWEICH was born Nov 15 1824 in Kalbergrund, Heiderscheid, Luxembourg, the son of Henri SCHWEICH (Jul 25, 1780 - Sep 3, 1830) and Catherine SCHAN (SCHANNE, from Biwels, May 2, 1788 -Nov 22, 1825). He married Marie PLETSCHETTE on Dec 18 1851.

Besides Elisabeth SCHWEIG (1853), they had other children: Jean SCHWEIG (born May 4 1857, died Sep 22 1891 in Dellen), Jacques SCHWEICH (b Sep 17 1860, d Sep 22 1891 in Dellen), Guillaume SCHWEICH ( b Oct 31 1862, d Sep 5 1916 in Eschdorf),  Elisabeth SCHWEICH ( b 1870), Jean SCHWEIG (b Nov 9 1874), and Nicolas SCHWEIG (born Aug 28, 1879 but shown as Aug 6 1880 in later records, died accidentally on Nov 10 1934 in Chicago.) The name was always spelled SCHWEIG in the USA, but SCHWEICH is more common in the Luxembourg records. SCHWEIG and SCHWEICH are often pronounced the same in German.

click to enlarge

Marriage of Nicholas SCHWEIG and Anna Margaret Ansay in Chicago about 1910. They both came to the US and became citizens around 1903. Anna was born in Boulaide, Luxembourg on Oct 18, 1889, the daughter of Peter and Margaret Ansay, and she died Dec 15 1962. Margaret Ansay lived in Evanston and died July 26, 1943. Her other two children were Mary Martin and Bernard Ansay. They lived near Fullerton Street in Chicago. Their children were Helen SCHWEIG (Apr 8 1911- Jun 1978), Nicholas (Mary Jenkin) SCHWEIG (Dec 27 1914- Dec 1985), Mary (Edward) ALBRECHT (1912- July 1978), Margaret SANDKE (Mar 7 1916- Oct 12 1995), Ann KOULES (May 8 1918- Mar 1981), and Angeline BREDEMANN (May 31, 1920-). Anna later married Paul BARTZ who died in July 1956. The other two in the picture are Nick's nephew Jim Bierchen and John Bierchen's sister-in-law Margaret Michelau.

© Jim Heckenbach. Page created Jan 25 2003.  Updated Aug. 2 2024

Please send further information to heckenbach@ameritech.net. I would like to add missing details and to connect this family to others in Luxembourg and elsewhere. All BIRCHEN and BURGEN, and other connected information, is welcome.

We also need more pictures. If you belong to any of these families I would like to hear from you. I might even be able to send you more photos or documents of interest.