BIERCHEN/ BIRCHEN/ BIRGEN Genealogy Page

This page began by detailing the BIERCHEN family of Eschdorf, Luxembourg, and following 5 brothers to Chicago. I am gradually broadening the scope.  There didn't seem to be many other BIERCHENs in Europe, except for isolated individuals in Germany, Luxembourg, and Sweden. But there were BIRCHENs near Eschdorf and it seemed possible that they were related somehow. It took a long time to trace earlier generations of the this family. Now we find more spelling variations, even within families. Then it became evident that one individual might show up in the records under different last names. That happens starting with the first BURSCHÉ below. Notice another turning point between 1836 (birth of Anne BIRCHEN) and 1839 (birth of Nicolas BIERCHEN.) In German, BIRGEN and BIERCHEN, in fact, are pronounced almost alike, with the hard ch. Now we find a judicial decree from 1883 that the names Birchem, Birchen, Birmchen, and Buerchen are to be replaced by BURGEN.

While some surnames are so standardized that variations are rare, 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 the BIRCHEN and BIERCHEN lines from Eschdorf equally.

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 Birgen, born about 1756 in Kammerdiener, died Jun 27 1813 in Feulen. On Jan 14 1777 in Useldange, he married Anne Marie NELIS, born about 1757, ex Brouch. They had one son, also Jean BIRGEN, born Nov 1 1777 in Useldange, Luxembourg. See The family of Jean BIRGEN below
2. 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.
3. Dominique BURSCHÉ BIRGEN, 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

The family of Jean BIRGEN (A)

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. They had six children with three different spellings!

1. Jean BIERCHEN, b. Nov 26 1858, Eschdorf-Hierheck. He married Marguerite MAI, (b. May 1859, Heiderscheidergrund) 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,) on Jun 7 1905 in Eschdorf

The family of Dominique BIRGEN (C)

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 Nicolas NICKES born in Eschdorf.
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 May 9 1844 m Jean HANSEN born Mar 26 1832. They married on Nov 20 1861 in Heiderscheid and had one daughter Elisabeth HANSEN born 1874.

Nicolas BIERCHEN, born November 18, 1839, (Occupation: Feldhüter or garde-champêtre, forestry guard) 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 brothers came to the US:

1. Anna BIERCHEN  (Feb 15 1880 -May 6 1965 Born-sur-Sûre, Luxembourg) m Jean SCHERFF (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) m Lena EBERT (born 1887, died Nov 24 1969 in Chicago, buried at St Henry's). Lena's German-born parents owned Ebert's restaurant, 6668 Ridge Ave, Chicago, before Nick and Lena took it over. Besides a buffet, it also had a bar, bowling alley, and picnic grove. Nick was very active in the Luxemburger Brüderbund (Brotherhood) in Chicago. He died of a heart attack during a card game. Lena sold the restaurant in 1933 and it eventually became Allgauer's. 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)
2. Anna BIERCHEN (about 1912- Jan 29 1976 buried in St Henry's, Chicago)
3. Robert BIERCHEN (Jan 7 1916 - Feb 1976 Chicago, buried at Waterloo, WI) m Pearl Faith DEPPE (Jan 20 1906 WI? -Oct 1979 Kent WA). Their son William BIERCHEN m "Cathy" 

3. Jean BIERCHEN ("John") (Apr 29 1882 -Aug 25 1932 Chicago IL) married Marie SCHULLER from Boulaide-Moulin, Luxembourg (Apr 21 1887- Mar 15 1966, St Henry's) 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, then Robert McCLAUGHREY (Aug 15 1927- Mar 17 2004) (OK)
2. Catherine BIERCHEN (1912- 1912 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 19 1919 age 13 months, died from a fall. St Henry's)
6. Mary Elizabeth BIERCHEN (Mar 7 1922- ) m Frank HECKENBACH (Nov 12 1914- Jun 23 2001) (FL)
7. John Henry BIERCHEN (Jan 4 1924- ) m Joea ELLIS (Aug 5 1932- Nov 28 2000) (FL)

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 was pre-naturalized as a citizen in Yankton, SD in 1902 but returned to Chicago and was naturalized in 1916. On his WWI Draft card he reports living at 6630 N Roby Street and working as a laborer. He went to Luxembourg to visit his mother in 1920. He owned greenhouses with his wife Mary at Devon and Damen Sts. in Chicago. He died suddenly of a stroke at age 50, exactly one year after the death of his brother Ted. This is a picture of John. (Click to enlarge.)

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

Ted Bierchen immigrated to the US in 1902, at age 19. As of 1910 he was staying with his brother John, working at his greenhouse business. At some point he decided to work his way out to California because jobs were scarce. His WWI Draft card shows him living in Casselton North Dakota. Later he was living in Cascade Montana in 1930, staying at a boarding house. 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 decided to take a fateful turn and found themselves on the side of a mountain with the fire below them. 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, but searchers found all their bodies the next day. Their deaths brought criticism of the Forest Service, and led to calls for better training and equipment for forest firefighters.

There is no known picture of Ted.

5. Guillaume BIERCHEN (Dec 29 1884 -1885 age 1)
6. Jacques BIERCHEN ("Jake") (Mar 2 1886 -Dec 29 1960, St Henry's) m Elizabeth SCHOOS (Jul 25 1889 Hollenfels- Sep 14 1982, St Boniface Chicago). She was the daughter of Francis SCHOOS and Susan SCHEUER. Jake and Elizabeth both immigrated in 1906. Elizabeth was also from Luxembourg. They married on Oct 29 1919. All children were born in Chicago:

1. Theodore Francis BIERCHEN (Nov 7 1920 -Sep 1975 McHenry IL) m Dorothy AHEARN (Jul 24 1923 -Sep 8 1979 McHenry IL) on Jan 10 1942. He was a sargeant in WWII, fought in Italy and Africa, and was wounded three times. Children: Diane WADE, Dolores, Ted
2. Cecelia “Ceal” BIERCHEN (Jan 13 1922 -) m Joseph SIPRUT (1921- ) Children: Jack, Joseph
3. John Jacob BIERCHEN (Apr 30 1924 -Feb 6 1999 Menominee MI) m Lorraine Catherine KELLNER (1925-) from Menominee, MI., on Sep 20 1947.Children: Dawn Marie, John Patrick, Cealia May, Mary Elizabeth, Lynn, Michael William
4. Nicholas John BIERCHEN (Feb 1 1926 -Feb 1984) m Antoinette VALVO (Apr 15 1930 -Nov 4 1990 Chicago IL. 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- ) m Fred WAGNER 

Jake Bierchen and his wife both arrived in the US in 1906. On his 1917 draft card he reports working for Joe Ebert at 6668 Ridge Ave in Chicago as a bartender. Ebert's Restaurant was also known as Evert's. 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. Jake and Elizabeth lived the rest of their lives on Ravenswood Street. Jake is shown here (standing) with a buddy. (Click to enlarge.)

7. Cathérine BIERCHEN (Nov 19 1887 -1888)
8. Anne Marie BIERCHEN (Jan 19, 1889 -1946 Pétange Lux)
9. Jean Pierre BIERCHEN ("Jamp" or "Jim") (Jun 24 1890 -Jul 27 1971 Happy Valley OR) never married

Jim Bierchen, (Jean-Pierre's nickname was "Jamp," and later "Jim.") was the youngest brother who came to the US. He also worked at his brother John's greenhouses. At one point he showed up in the Iowa State Census (no year given) as living in Woodbury IA. His 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 (before it became the "82nd Airborne Division.") He served two 6-month tours in France. He never married, and he was buried in 1971 at the Willamette Natl Cemetery, Portland OR, near where he lived. He came back to Chicago at least once. Here is one of only three known pictures of him (another is below). (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

11. Jean Nicolas BIERCHEN (born Oct 18 1894, died young).
12. (Totgeburt Bierchen.) Jean Nicolas had a twin who died at birth.

At the risk of complicating things, there is the BIRGEN family of Meysembourg, Luxembourg. Michael Birgen (b 1827 in Meysenbourg - d 1904 in North Washington, Iowa) came to the US in 1851, settled in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa leaving Birgens in each state. Michael was the oldest of six (?) children Michael, Henry (b 1829) Pierre (b 1832 - came to US, in 1870 census, but then no record), Margerithe (b 1836) , Elisabeth (b 1839) and Nicolas (b 1841). Their parents were Jean Birgen (b 10 Oct 1789 in Keispelt) and Catherine Weber (b 11 Sep 1785 in Meysembourg). The records I have state that Jean's parents were Johannes Birgen and Catherine Urbani. -Thanks Brian Birgen.

PLETSCHETTE Notes:

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, 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.

Elisabeth SCHWEIG (1853) had two brothers: Jacques SCHWEIG (born about 1861, died Sep 22, 1891 in Dellen) and Nicolas SCHWEIG (born Aug 8, 1879 or 1880 in Eschdorf, died on Nov 10 1934 in Chicago.) The name was always spelled SCHWEIG in the USA, but SCHWEICH is more common in the Luxembourg records. In dialectal German SCHWEIG and SCHWEICH were pronounced the same.

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 Luxembourg Oct 18, 1889, and died Dec 15 1962. She was the daughter of Peter and Margaret Ansay. Margaret Ansay died July 26, 1943. She lived in Evanston. Her other two children were Mrs. Mary Martin and Bernard Ansay. They lived near Fullerton Street in Chicago. Their children were Helen SCHWEIG (Apr 8 1911- Jun 1978), Nicholas 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 (1921-). Anna later married Paul BARTZ who died in July 1956.   The other two are Nick's nephew Jim Bierchen and John Bierchen's sister-in-law Margaret Michelau.

BIERCHEN Note:

New: In the 1910 Census is a Frank BIERCHEN, married to Sime BIERCHEN, living in Hamilton OH. He was born about 1882. They had a son Stanley, born 1909. Any further information?

Page created Jan 25 2003.  Updated May 11, 2008

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.