Johann "Hans" Nicolaus "Nickel" Bruch (um 1650-1703)

* xx.11.1650 (Ellweiler)

oo 13.04.1675 (Wolfersweiler)

t 23.04.1703

Küfer

Gerichtsschöffe

The Bruch family in Alsenz was founded by a Nickel Bruch, who was a cooper. I suggest that Nickel was likely the son of Ulrich Bruch of Ellweiler.

Nickel Bruch, born about 1650, was probably the eldest son of Ulrich. When Nickel first appears in the historical record as a baptismal sponsor, he is described as being from Ellweiler, strongly suggesting that he was Ulrich’s son. Though he had connections to both Ulrich and Hans’s families, the Ellweiler references argue in favor of Ulrich being his father, as does the instance of a Friedrich Bruch being described as his brother (see below). Nickel married Anna Maria Winkenbacher, daughter of Hans of Wolfersweiler, 13 Apr 1675. Nickel moved to Wolfersweiler.

There is no mention of anyone in Nickel’s family group after the birth of Hans Michael in 1680, suggesting that the family migrated. It is highly probable that he moved to the village of Alsenz. There is no explicit mention of the origins of Nickel Bruch of Alsenz, but there are many coincidences between Nickel of Wolfersweiler and Nickel of Alsenz, leading to the likely conclusion that they are the same person. Nickel of Alsenz first appears in the Alsenz records in 1685. He is married to an Anna Maria, just like Nickel of Wolfersweiler. In 1685, Nickel has a daughter whose baptismal sponsor is Friedrich Bruch, described as a single journeyman, or bachelor (“lodiger gesell”), and brother of the child’s father. Nickel of Wolfersweiler did indeed have a younger brother named Friedrich. Friedrich also disappears from the Wolfersweiler records in 1683, so he could have left during his journeyman period. Nickel Bruch of Alsenz was a cooper, and though there is never an indication of Nickel of Wolfersweiler’s occupation, he came from a family of coopers. Nickel Bruch of Alsenz had a son named Michael who, based on his age at death, was born in 1680. Nickel of Wolfersweiler had a son Michael born in 1680. When Nickel Bruch of Alsenz died in 1703, his age suggests that he was born in November 1650, which falls within the range of possible dates of birth for Nickel of Wolfersweiler.

The large number of coincidences makes a very strong case that Nickel of Wolfersweiler moved to Alsenz with his family between the birth of Michael in 1680 and the birth of Anna Esther in 1685. Although we do not have an explicit mention of him emigrating, as in the case of his younger brother Matthes, it seems likely that he did leave considering there is not a single mention of anyone in his immediate family after 1680 in the Wolfersweiler records.

The fact that Nickel’s son Michael Bruch later had connections to at least one of the members of the Bruch families of Zweibrücken might suggest that the Alsenz family instead came from Zweibrücken. However, these contacts start many years after Nickel died and only occur once one or two members of that family moved to the region around Meisenheim. It seems unlikely that Michael, who was at most five when the family settled in Alsenz, would have remembered or maintained connections to his father’s family. The connections to Zweibrücken can be explained by the proximity of Meisenheim to Alsenz and perhaps a bond forged by the curiosity of a common surname. Therefore, I argue that the Nickel Bruch of Alsenz was most likely the Nickel Bruch of Wolfersweiler, and I include the Alsenz Bruch family among his descendants.

In Alsenz, Nickel Bruch was described as a cooper and later became a Gerichtsschöffe, per his death record and the marriage record of his son Michael.

aus: "The Bruch Family History - The history of the Bruch families of the Palatinate" von John R.C. Prugh

Ulrich Bruch (1617-xxxx)

* xx.08.1617 (Ellweiler)

oo 28.09.1647 (Ellweiler)

t xx.xx.xxxx

 

Thomas Bruch (um 1567-1644)

* xx.xx.um 1567 (Ellweiler)

oo 25.05.1613 (Ellweiler)

t 31.01.1644 (Ellweiler)

 

Jacob Bruch (xxxx-xxxx)

* xx.xx.xxxx (Achtelsbach)

oo xx.xx.xxxx

t xx.xx.xxxx