Friday, April 3, 2020

Johann Christoph Raicher 1746-1746

Johann Christoph Raicher was born 6 July1746 and died 27 July1746. His parents are Friderich Wilhelm Raicher and Margaretha Barbara Weidmann. Wilhelm Raicher was a local citizen and barber. Christoph lived 21 days or three weeks.

Death seen as natural
If a woman died after the birth of a child (this was a dangerous process because of infections), her younger sister stepped in as new wife, or replacement. The husband (here farmer in the country) absolutely needed a wife to look after the children and farm house (cooking etc.). So he normally got remarried a second, or third time within a few months; later a one year period was recommended. Often these wives were widows themselves. So there was constant giving births and dying on the farms, similar to what happened in the stable with the animals. Death was seen as natural. Only medicine and hygienic measures lowered the infant and childhood mortality rate. However, there were very bad pestulenza waves in the 17th century in our regions. Many villages lost 30 to 40% of the population. (Peter Bertschinger)

Documents related of Johann Christopher Raicher:


Johann Christoph Raicher bap 6 July 1746
film 102078348 page 372


Translation by Robert Seal:

1746. On the 6th of July early in the morning a little son of Fridr. Wilhelm Raichert from his wife Margaretha was born into the world, so thereafter was baptized and named "Jo. Xstoph" [Johann Christoph]. Baptismal sponsors are myself Fr. Chr. Heinr. Beck, for the time being pastor of this place, with my wife Margar. Barbara; Jo. Friedr. Negelein, local innkeepr at the sign of the crown, with wife; and Jo. Simon Cammerer.

My comment: Let me know if you have any problems deciphering the abbreviated names in this record.


Johann Christoph burial 27 July 1746
film 102078348 page 499

Transcription Ulrich Neitzel:

d. 27 Julÿ 1746 starb des Friedr: Wilhelm Reicherts allhiesigem Bürgers u. Baaders Söhnl: ex Margarethen uxore erzeugt, an der Gichter, sein Name war Jo: Xoph. Er wurde darauf folgenden Tages beÿm läuten der Glocken und Verlesung der ___ beerdigt. æt: 20 Tag

Translation:

On 27 July 1746 died the little son of the local citizen and barber Wilhelm Reichert and his wife Margarethe from spasms, his name was Johann Christoph. He was buried on the following day with the ringing of bells and reading ___? Age: 20 days.

Comment: There is one word that I can't decipher; it is not Sermon or Predigt.

Note that in the left margin the family name is given as "Reicher" without ending "t" (and genitive "s").

Gichter is a historic name for an infant disease, marked by cramps and high fever; not to be confused with Gicht = gout

 Robert Seal
Thank you, @Ulrich Neitzel, for explaining the difference between "Gichter" and "Gicht".

Ulrich: Hello Kent and Robert,

I think I now found the missing word in this record: ...und Verlesung der Agende/a beerdigt.

I saw this word also in other records from Graben, sometimes better readable.

Agende means the protocol to follow, "the things to do" for a specific sevice in the church. Here is the Wikipedia article on Agenda: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda_(liturgy)