February 15, 2024

Koth Family in Turek

Last week, we looked at the 1859¹ baptism of Pauline Koth [pow-LEEN-a COTE] (daughter of Daniel Koth and Anna Krystina Semmler) in Turek, Kalisz Province. What other family members lived in Turek? Will knowledge of other family members confirm that this Paulina is the same person that married Gottfried Arndt and immigrated to Cass Lake, Minnesota?

1997 Correspondence

Over 25 years ago, Robert Kuppe (1932-2003) wrote an email to me about the Koth sisters:

“The sisters were named Ernestine(a)…Pauline(a)… the other three sisters, about which we here in Cleveland know nothing, were Caroline(a), Christine(a) and Emilie(a).”

Where did these sisters live?
Who did they marry?
Did they emigrate?

To find out more about Pauline’s life, her entire family needs to be searched for clues.

Researching the Siblings

Digging deeper in the Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe (SGGEE) database, I found all these children (daughters and a son) of Daniel Koth and Anna Krystyna Semmler:

Anna Karoline Koth, born about 1845/1846 in Teodorow, Kalisz
Anna Julianna Koth, born 1850 in Józefina, Turek, Kalisz
Jan Wilhelm Koth born 1854 in Józefina, Turek , Kalisz
Anna Krystyna Koth born 1857 in Józefina, Turek, Kalisz
Paulina Koth born 1859 in Józefina, Turek, Kalisz
Ernestyna Koth born 1862 in Józefina, Turek, Kalisz

Four of the 5 sister-names appear in both the SGGEE list and in Robert’s email. This is another clue that Paulina, daughter of Danniel Koth and Anna Krystyna Semmler, is likely the same woman who married Gottfried Arndt.

Anna Karoline Koth

The SGGEE indices point to original records. To substantiate the database information for Anna Karolina Koth, I searched for church records, which are not currently available at the Polish State Archives. However, this information was gleaned from the index:

Anna Karoline Koth married August Barminski on February 17, 1867 in Turek.²
Her first child, Albertyna Barminski was born in Józefina, Turek on November 13, 1867.³
Her second child, August Barminski was born in Józefina, Turek on March 6, 1870.⁴
Anna Karoline (Koth) and her child August Barminski died in Józefina, Turek on March 6, 1870.⁵
Anna Karoline’s husband married Karolina Rozina Hemmerlin in Stawiszyn, Kalisz February 20, 1871. ⁶
Anna Karoline’s birth location must be referenced in either her marriage or death record.

Anna Julianna Koth

Birth/baptism registry for Anna Julianna Koth⁷

Anna Julianna Koth was born on July 7, 1850 in Józefina.
She was baptized July 9, 1850 in Turek. Witnesses: Andrzej Knispel, Gottlieb Müller and Anna Rozyna Müller (maiden).

Jan Wilhelm Koth

Birth/baptism registry for Jan Wilhelm Koth⁸

Jan Wilhelm Koth was born on December 10, 1854 in Józefina.
He was baptized December 17, 1854 in Turek. Witnesses: Samuel Schultz, Gotlieb Maczek, Gotlieb Knispel, Rozyna Schultz (maiden).
Young Wilhelm died March 31, 1855 in Józefina.⁹

Anna Krystyna Koth

Birth/baptism registry for Anna Krystyna Koth¹⁰

Anna Krystyna Koth was born on January 25, 1857 in Józefina.
She was baptized January 27, 1857 in Turek. Witnesses: Gottfryd Huff, Gottlieb Hentsczel, Anna Dorota (née Kazur) Hentsczel and Karolina Knispal, (maiden).

Paulina Koth

Last week, I posted the image of Paulina’s birth/baptism register. So that it is easy to compare information with her siblings, I’ve included information from her record here:

Paulina was born December 4, 1859 in Józefina.¹¹
She was baptized December 11, 1859 in Turek. Witnesses: Gottlieb Knispel, Wilhelm Schultz, Józefa Grabke and Dorota Hentschel.

Ernestyna Koth

Birth/baptism registry for Ernestyna Koth¹²

Ernestyna Koth was born on May 12, 1862 in Józefina.
She was baptized May 18, 1862 in Turek. Witnesses: Andrzej Knispel, Fryderyk Wiess, and Emilia Huff.

What’s Next?

To date, these are the only sibling records available online. As more parish records are uploaded, perhaps more will be known about the children of Daniel Koth and Krystyna Semmler.

Was there a sister named Emilia? Perhaps she was baptized in a different parish?

Will Pauline’s marriage record provide clues to her sisters’ marriages? Where are those records?

Ernestyna/Ernstina Koth Moritz, sister of Pauline Koth Arndt, also immigrated to the United States. How does the baptism record (above) compare with the paper trail she left in America?

I am greatly indebted to the translation volunteers in these Facebook Groups: Genealogical Translations and PL Polish Genealogy.

SOURCES

1
Dates given in this article will be Gregorian Calendar, unless otherwise specified.
2
Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe (SGGEE) Pedigree Database, citing Turek Parish records. As of February 11, 2024, the 1867-1871 Turek parish records are not online at www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl.
3
SGGEE Pedigree Database, citing Turek Parish records. No online records for Turek 1867-1871 available at Szukaj w Archiwach.
4
SGGEE Pedigree Database, citing Turek Parish records. No online records for Turek 1867-1871 available at Szukaj w Archiwach.
5
SGGEE Pedigree Database, citing Turek Parish records. No online records for Turek 1867-1871 available at Szukaj w Archiwach.
6
SGGEE Pedigree Database, citing Turek Parish records. No online records for Turek 1867-1871 available at Szukaj w Archiwach.
7
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu Oddział w Koninie [State Archives in Poznań, Branch in Konin] “Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Ewangelicko-Augsburskiej Turek, Księga urodzeń, małżeństw i zgonu” [Civil status files of the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Turek, Book of Births, Marriages and Deaths]. Reference Code 54/859/0/-/23, https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/jednostka/-/jednostka/1835736, scan image 30: accessed 8 February 2024, entry for Anna Julianna Koth, 1850, Turek, baptism, No. 106.
8
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu Oddział w Koninie [State Archives in Poznań, Branch in Konin] “Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Ewangelicko-Augsburskiej Turek, Księga urodzeń, małżeństw i zgonu” [Civil status files of the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Turek, Book of Births, Marriages and Deaths]. Reference Code 54/859/0/-/27, https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/jednostka/-/jednostka/1835740, scan image 48: accessed 8 February 2024, entry for Jan Wilhelm Koth, 1854, Turek, baptism, No. 181.
9
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu Oddział w Koninie [State Archives in Poznań, Branch in Konin] “Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Ewangelicko-Augsburskiej Turek, Księga urodzeń, małżeństw i zgonu” [Civil status files of the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Turek, Book of Births, Marriages and Deaths]. Reference Code 54/859/0/-/28, https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/jednostka/-/jednostka/1835741, image 48: accessed 8 February 2024, entry for Wilhelm Koth, 1855, Turek, death, No. 61.
10
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu Oddział w Koninie [State Archives in Poznań, Branch in Konin] “Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Ewangelicko-Augsburskiej Turek, Księga urodzeń, małżeństw i zgonu” [Civil status files of the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Turek, Book of Births, Marriages and Deaths]. Reference Code 54/859/0/-/30, https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/jednostka/-/jednostka/1835743, scan image 08: accessed 8 February 2024, entry for Anna Krystyna Koth, 1857, Turek, baptism, No. 17.
11
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu Oddział w Koninie [State Archives in Poznań, Branch in Konin] “Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Ewangelicko-Augsburskiej Turek, Księga urodzeń, małżeństw i zgonu” [Civil status files of the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Turek, Book of Births, Marriages and Deaths]. Reference Code 54/859/0/-/32, https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/jednostka/-/jednostka/1835745, scan image 08: accessed 17 January 2024, entry for Paulina Koth, 1859, Turek, baptism, No. 197.
12
Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu Oddział w Koninie [State Archives in Poznań, Branch in Konin] “Akta stanu cywilnego Parafii Ewangelicko-Augsburskiej Turek, Księga urodzeń, małżeństw i zgonu” [Civil status files of the Evangelical-Augsburg Parish in Turek, Book of Births, Marriages and Deaths]. Reference Code 54/859/0/-/35, https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/en/jednostka/-/jednostka/1835748, scan image 22: accessed 17 January 2024, entry for Ernestyna Koth, 1862, Turek, baptism, No. 76. Baptized 6/18 May 1862. Born 30 April/12 May.

Author: Karrie Blees

Filed Under: Arndt, Kot/Koth, Semmler