Who Was Franz Gossmann?

I knew that my 4th great-grandfather was married three times per his 3rd wife’s death record, where she is recorded as the 3rd efrau (wife) of Jost Heinrich Gossmann. After learning this information, I wanted to the learn who Jost Heinrich Gossmann’s first two wives were and if they had any children. In my research I found a Franz Gossmann in a confirmation record who’s father was listed as Jost Heinrich Gossmann. I thought he might be the son of my 4th great-grandfather and wanted to try and prove it. The biggest roadblock with this research project was that records from Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany was destroyed from 1753-1830. That is a huge gap to overcome. When I started this research project I was not sure I could answer this question.

What I know about Jost Heinrich Gossmann is that he was born on 12 July 1800 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. He married Gertrud Elisabeth Thilemann sometime prior to 1830. Due to the record loss no baptism or marriage record has been located for Jost Heinrich. Jost Heinrich and Gertrud’s first son was born legitimately on 2 August 1830 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. They would have 6 more children over the next 14 years. Herman was born on 17 September 1831, Martha born on 7 September 1833, Jost Heinrich (my 3rd great-grandfather) was born on 1 November 1835, Martha Catherina born 7 March 1837, Catherina born 26 December 1839, and Martin born 25 September 1844. Gertrude died on 28 September 1865 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. Jost Heinrich died 7 years later on 7 March 1872 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany.

Upon learning that Jost Heinrich had been married three times I wanted to learn whom he married and if they had any children, I set out to find what records could prove this information. I started with confirmation records, since those were available. I located two confirmation records with Jost Heinrich Gossmann as their father. One from 1837 for Franz Gossmann with his birth date listed as 8 May 1823, his father Jost Hienrich was a stonemason. No mother was listed. In 1841 a Marie Gossmann was confirmed. She was born 23 April 1826, her father was Jost Heinrich Gossmann with no mother listed. Jost Heinrich’s occupation was listed as a mauer or brick layer.

My 4th Great-Grandfather’s occupation on most of the baptism, confirmation, and burial records I have located was a bricklayer. All of the record’s where my 3rd great-grandfather’s occupation is listed list his occupation as bricklayer with one exception where he is listed as a stonemason. These are the two occupations listed in Franz and Marie’s confirmation record. I also did not find any other man of the same name in the records as I searched. I felt like it was likely that Franz and Marie were the children of my Jost Heinrich Gossmann, but I wasn’t sure I had enough proof.

So, I came up with a plan and hoped for the best. The plan was to first locate marriage records for all the children born to Jost Heinrich Gossmann, including Franz and Marie. Then next I was going to look for children born to them and hope one of the siblings used Franz or Marie as a godparent.

I located a marriage record for Franz Gossmann. He married Anna Elisabeth Munch on 4 January 1849 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. The marriage record listed his father as Jost Heinrich Gossmann and his mother Anna Elisabeth Gottmann. Franz birthday was 8 May 1823, this information matched what we learned on his confirmation record. I have not found any children born to Franz yet nor have I located a marriage record for Marie Gossmann yet.

I was able to locate three marriage records for Herman, Martha Catherina, and Martin Gossmann. I had previously located marriage records for Jost Heinrich (my 3rd Great-grandfather), and Catherine Gossmann.

The next step was to search baptism records for all the children. I started with the youngest son Martin Gossmann, he married Dorthea Strabe on 13 September 1870 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. I started with baptism records starting in 1870. I located a child born to Martin and Dorthea five months before the parents married. Franz Gossmann was born on 17 April 1870 in Wehlheiden, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. Who was the godfather of Franz? His uncle Franz Gossmann, son of Jost Heinrich Gossmann. In the column where godparents are listed it states that Franz Gossmann was the godfather, and he was the father’s brother. I was so surprised that in the first record I hoped to find an answer about if Franz Gossmann was the son of my 4th great-grandfather answered that question for me. Next was to see if I can prove that Marie is also the daughter of my Jost Heinrich Gossmann.