Church Transfer Records as a Genealogical Source:
Orlofferfelde, West Prussia (1772-1804)

By Glenn H. Penner (gpenner@uoguelph.ca)

Source: Orlofferfelde Church Book, LDS microfilm #555793;
Mennonite Heritage Centre Microfilm Collection #286.

When one thinks of church records what usually comes to mind are lists of births, baptisms, marriages and deaths. In some cases congregational records also consist of family group records (under headings such as Familienverzeichnis or Familienbuch in German). An untapped source for family historians is that of membership transfers. These records are important in that they help us follow the movements of people from one region and/or congregation to another.

During their four centuries in what is usually referred to as West Prussia there were numerous reasons for Mennonites to transfer between congregations: economic opportunities in other parts of the country, marriages between members of different churches and, particularly in the earlier years, expulsion from various regions within Prussia. The Frisian Mennonite church of Orlofferfelde kept records of people leaving and joining the church for the years 1772-1818. The majority of transfers were between the Orlofferfelde church and other Frisian churches in Prussia: Marcushof/Thiensdorf in the Klein Werder region, Schweingrub which was later known as the Tragheimerweide congregation (occasionally referred to as the "Stuhmsche Gemeinde"), the Tilsit, or Memel, region in Lithuania and the Montau church to the south. References to the "Dantzig Gemeinde" are probably to the Danzig/Neugarten Frisian church. There were also transfers to and from the neighboring Flemish churches.

The records of the "Angenommen", or those that were taken into the Orlofferfelde church, for the years 1772-1804 and "Ausgegangen", or those that left the church, for the years 1773-1804 are translated below. I have tried to retain the original spellings of the names of people and places. My comments are given in square brackets, [ ].

Angenommen Attestatum

[A record of those who transferred into the Orofferfelde Church]

1772

1. Cornelius Grunau of Campenau
2. Abram Eds of Schweingrub
3. Jacob Bestvater of Marcushoff
4. Paul Pauls of Schweingrub
5. Jacob Penner of Schweingrub
6. George and Abram Adrian from the Montau church
7. Jacob Siebert of Marcushoff.

1773

1. Trincke Goertzen of Wegelnwald [Marcushof/Thiensdorf]
2. Peter Abrams of Schweingrub
3. Johan Kliewer of Wickerau [Marcushof/Thiensdorf]
4. Harm Bestvater of Schweingrub

1774

1. Hans Classen of Dantzig
2. Franz Philippsen of the Kl. Werder
3. Hans Schmit from Lithuania
4. Hendrich Martens of Schweingrub

1775

1. Harm Pauls of the Kl. Werder
2. Frantz Kliewer of the Kl. Werder
3. Hendrich Peters and his wife of the Kl. Werder
4. Jacob Jantzen of Hohenwald [Marcushof/Thiensdorf]
5. Madalena Brösin frm the Dantziger Church
6. Hendrich Pauls of Schweingrub

1777

1. David Mackelberger of Tiegerweide [in the Orlofferfelde congregation] his wife from Schweingrub

1778

1. Ancke Ewert from Lithuania

1779

1. Hans Horn of Thiergart in the Kl. Werder his daughter Sara

1780

1. Oblitz from the Kl. Werder
2. Cornelson and his wife from Kl. Werder
3. Harm Pauls from Schweingrub
4. Jacob Siemens of Reinland a "Flämischer" [Flemish] with attest from Ohm D. Tiessen

1781

1. Helena Pauls
2. David Fröse, wife and children of Königsberg to VierzehnHuben [Orlofferfelde congrgation] with transfer from the Kl. Werder
3. Johan Martens of Schweingrub being from Zeiskendorf

1782

1. David Fröse his daughter from Danzig
2. Heinrich Wieler a "Flämischer" of Haberhorst with attest from Ohm D. Tiesen
3. Barb Bestvater of Kirschwald earlier of Marjenauerfeld, Mrs. H. Hein
4. Maria Ens of Einlage a "Flämischer" with transfer from Ohm C. Warkentin of Rosenort
5. [unreadable name] of Schweingrub

1783

1. Hans Harms and wife of Schweingrub
2. Arent [unreadable] and his wife from the Kl. Werder
3. Abram and Sara Peters from the Kl. Werder
4. Hans Albrecht from the Kl. Werder
5. Heinrich Kliewer from the Kl. Werder
6. Heinrich von Bargen of the Leske a "flämischer" with attest from the Heubuden Church.
7. Paul[?] Henrichs from the Kl. Werder

1784

1. Catharina Cornelson of the Kl. Werder married Gert Unger
2. Anna Funk of the Kl. Werder married Peter Dau

1785

1. Arent Allert of the Dantzig church
2. Cornelius [unreadable] of the Kl. Werder married the widow [unreadable] Albrechts of Orlofferfeld
3. Jacob Jantzen, Kl. Werder married Maria [unreadable] of Marienauerfeld
4. Löncke Pauls of the Kl. Werder married Nathanael Gerbrand of Neustadtwald

1787

1. Jan Quiring and wife in Mierau
2. Heinr. Penner and wife to Orlofferfeld
3. Adam Funk and wife Stobbendorf
4. Frantz Fröse his daughter Sara
5. Jan Penner of Thiergart his daughter Catrina
6. Barbara Mennin of Dantzig
7. Günthers of the Flemish, married Heinrich Dircksen

1788

1. Hans Penner Kl. Werder married Peter Kettlers daughter
2. Jacob Penner of Kl. Werder and wife
3. Johan Nickel of Kl. Werder married Margaretha Friesen of Neuenhuben
4. Maria Ens of the Flemish church married Frantz Krüger of our church, attest from Rosenort [church]

1789

1. Nathaneal Bestvater of Kl. Werder (died at Ertman Stobbe's?)
2. Conrad Fröse of the Nehrung [Danzig region]

1790

1. Johan von Hoek of Dantzig
2. Heinr. Penner and wife of Dantzig
3. Elisab. Bestvater of Dantzig

1791

1. David Wieb of the Flemish church married Sara Gilsen
2. Cornels Töwes of the Flemish church married widow Quiring of Schönberg
3. Catarina Grunau of the Kl. Werder married Jacob Jantzen of Marjenau

1792

1. Abram Olfert of the Flemish church

1794

1. Harm Pauls of the Stuhm church

1795

1. Hans Quiring of Campenau

1796

1. Martin Fast of Rosenort from the Flemish
2. Adelgunde Grunau of Marcushof married Abrah. Kliewer

1797

1. Tobias Guhr of the Stuhm church and wife
2. Arent Allert and his sister Anna from the Dantziger church
3. Susanna Eds of the Marcushoff church married Paul Nikel of Tiegenhagen
4. Sara Philips from the Dantzig church married Frantz Quiring of Stobbendorf
5. Jacob Penner of the Stuhm church
6. Maria Jantzen of the Flemish church

1799

1. Anganeta Tielizken of the Flemish church married Absolon Engbrecht of Schönhorst

1800

1. Anganeta Braun of the Flemish church married Abraham Olfert, who transfered from the Flemish church in 1792

1801

1. Johan Friesen of the Flemish church from Ellerwald married Adelgunde Kliewer of Tiegenhof
2. Peter Daniels and wife from Kl. Werder
3. Mrs. Paul Heinrichs from Neustaderwald of the Tiensdorf church

1803

1. Abraham Philips of Neuendorf in the Danziger Werder and wife and children
2. Peter [unreadable] of the Flemish church from the Berwalde Quarter
3. Abraham Neufeld from Tiegenhagen of the Flemish [Tiegenhagen church] married Catharina Grunau

1804

1. Abraham Wölke from Einlage of the Flemish church married our sister Catarina Jans of Neustädterwald

Ausgegangen Attestatum

[Those who transfered out of the Orlofferfeld Church]

1773

1. Willem Lorentz of Orlofferfeld his 3 surviving daughters Löncke, Nölcke and Trincke all to Schweingrub

1774

1. Hans Nickel of Orlofferfeld his dau. Maria to the Klein Werder
2. My stepdaughter Maria Allerts to the Klein Werder
3. Peter Plett to the Klein Werder
4. Jacob [Scheifens?] to the Klein Werder
5. Johan Allert to the Klein Werder
6. Jacob Hein to the Klein Werder
7. Paul Pauls to Schweingrub

1775

1. Hans Penner of Marjenau to the Klein Werder
2. Nathanael Jantzen of Stobbendorf to the Klein Werder
3. David Kätler to the Klein Werder
4. Simon Quiring with his wife and son to the Klein Werder

1777

1. Hendrich Pauls of Altendorf his surv. dau. Ancke to the Klein Werder
2. Ancke Penners of Siebenhuben to the Klein Werder
3. Dirck Gertzen of Marjenauerfeld to the Klein Werder
4. Abram Funck of Reinland his surv. dau. Catarina to Schweingrub
5. Christian Jantzen of Schönhorst his surv. son Christian to Schweingrub
6. Arent Friesen and wife to the Klein Werder
7. Dirck Gerbrand of Tiegenhagen to Schweingrub

1778

1. Hendrich Peters of Tiegenhagen and wife to Schweingrub
2. Frantz Dau of Palschau his surv. dau. Maria to Dantzig
3. Harm Quiring of Stobbendorf his surv. son Harm to the Klein Werder
4. Hans Friesen of Plötzendorf his surv. dau. Maria to the Klein Werder
5. Heinrich Peters of Tiegenhagen his son Daniel to Schweingrub

1780

1. Catarina Olbitz of Tiegerweide to the Klein Werder
2. Anna Quapp of Muggen[?] to the Klein Werder
3. Abraham Peters of Platenhof to the Klein Werder
4. Heinrich Pauls his wife to the Klein Werder
5. Cornelius Allerts of Rosenort to the Klein Werder
6. Peter Grunau of Orlofferfeld to the Klein Werder
7. Peter Daniels his surv. dau. Maria of Ladekopperfeld to Schweingrub
8. Abraham Penner his surv. dau. Sara of Furstenau to the Klein Werder
9. Jacob Ketler his surv. dau. Helena of Tiegerweide to the Klein Werder
10. Cornelson and wife to the Klein Werder

1781

1. Peter Pauls his surv. dau. Elisabeth of Petershagen to the Klein Werder
2. Anna Pauls to the Klein Werder
3. Anna Martens to the Klein Werder
4. Johann Penner of Qaldeu[?] to the flemish, with attest to Heubuden
5. Anna Lorentzen to the Klein Werder

1782

1. Sara Lamerts of Tiegenhagen to Dantzig
2. Daniel Edse and wife to the Klein Werder
3. Catarina Unger of Zeiskendorf to Dantzig
4. Jacob Ketler of Volwerk to the flemish
5. Heinrich Pauls of Pitzkendorf to the Klein Werder

1783

1. [unreadable] Katt to the Klein Werder
2. Anna Vod to Schweingrub
3. Daniel Edse and wife to the Klein Werder
4. Maria Bestvater to the Klein Werder
5. Maria Penner to the Klein Werder

1784

1. Heinrich Jantzen of Schönsee his son Peter to Amsterdam
2. Lenert Fröse of 14Huben to Dantzig
3. Ohm David Bestvater of Mierau his surv. dau. Agata to the Klein Werder
4. David Voode of Neuteicher Wald to Schweingrub
5. Peter Katt to Schweingrub
6. Jacob Ketler of Tiegerweide his surv. dau. Catarina to the Klein Werder
7. Anna Martens of [unreadable] to the flemish church at Tiegenhagen
8. David Neübaur his dau. of Tiegenhof to the flemish church at Tiegenhagen

1785

1. Elisabeth Martens to the Klein Werder
2. Frantz Pauls of Petershagen to the Klein Werder
3. Wilhelm Lorentz to Dantzig

1787

1. Harm Pauls to Schweingrub

1788

1. Peter Stobbe, Harm Stobbe's son to Dantzig
2. Frantz Funck to the Klein Werder
3. Jacob Bestvater and wife to [unreadable]
4. Peter Stobbe my bother-in-law of Furstenau to the flemish church at Tiegenhagen

1789

1. Jan Olbitz of Tiegerweide to Tiensdorf
2. Maria Quapp to the flemish church
3. Jacob Dirksen and his sister of Zeiskendorf to the Klein Werder
4. Frantz Friesen of Neuenhuben to the flemish church in Dantzig
5. Corn. Allert , baptized into our church in 1784 to the Klein Werder
6. Mrs. George Adrian to the Stuhm church

1790

1. David Bestvater jr. to the Klein Werder

1791

1. Sara Penner to the Klein Werder
2. Maria Mekelberger to Dantzig
3. Corn. Ketler to Schweingrub

1792

1. Harm Stobbe and wife of Reinland to the Marcushof church
2. Widow Unger of Dirschau to the Stuhm church

1793

1. Margareta Nikel of J. Bestvater's in Tiegenhof to the Marcushof church
2. Harm Penner of Marjenau to Törigthof [Thiesdorf church]
[ There is a short paragraph written about him]
3. Abraham Cornelsen to Rosenort. His Abraham baptized this year to Marcushof
4. Absolon Bartsch to Marcushof

1794

1. Jacob Penner to Danzig
2. Dirk Allert to Dantzig

1795

1. Jacob Neubaur to Russia
2. Joh. Peters to Marcushof
3. Jan Quiring and wife to Marcushof
4. Nölke Fröse to Stuhm church

1797

1. Abraham Penner to the flemish church
2. David Jantzen to the flemish church
3. Hans Quiring of Blumenort to the Marcushof church

1798

1. Peter Stobbe his surv. son David of Fürstenau to Marcushof
2. David Mekelborger his surv. d Maria to Danzig
3. Arend Allert of Barenhof to the Tiensdorf church
4. Jonas Quiring of Stobbendorf to Stuhm church

1799

1. David Engbrecht to the flemish church
2. Susanna Quiring of Blumenort to the Marcushof church
3. Hans Ketler of Tiegenhagen his son Peter to the S??ehern
4. Elisabeth Gillis to the Danzig church
5. Harm Pauls and wife to Schweingrub
6. Anna Hein of Marjenau to Tiensdorf
7. Willem Gerbrant's dau. Of Orlofferfeld to the flemish church

1800

1. Peter Steingart to the flemish church
2. Nölke Frös of Schösee to the Tiensdorf church

1802

1. Franz Lamert to Tiensdorf church
2. Maria Penner of Tiegenhof to Danzig
3. Franz Dau of Roten Bude to Marcushof
4. George Adrian to the flemish church
5. Susanna Eds to the flemish church

1803

1. Anna Janzen of Reinland to the flemish church at Rosenort
2. Jacob Jansen brother of Ohm Jonas[?] Janzen of Marcushof to the flemish church
3. Jacob Gillis of Tiegen[?] to Danzig
[Those who went to Russia]:
4. Jacob Kettler of Neuteicherwald with wife and two sons
5. Cornelius Fröse of Pizkendorf, wife and one son and sister
6. Heinrich Vohde of Neuteicherwald with wife a son and Sara Guhr
7. Hans Nikel of Neustädterwald [via the Stuhm church]

1804

1. Heinrich Quiring and wife from Brunau to Danzig
2. Susanna Jantzen of Pitzkendorf to the flemish church
3. Tobias Guhr's surv. dau. Maria to Schweingrub
4. Anna Krüger of Hegewald to the flemish church
5. [unreadable] Penner of Marjenau to Schweingrub
6. Dirk Gerbrand of Neustädterwald to Schweingrub
7. Abraham Janzen and wife to Russia
8. Hans Krüger of Hegewald, wife and 3 children to Russia
9. Heinr. Krüger of Reinland, wife and 4 children to Russia
10. Sara Daniels of Vollwerk to Danzig
11. Arend Friesen of Stobbendorf to Tiensdorf


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