Mathias Ahles

 

Full Name: Mathias Ahles

Parents: Mathias Ales and Maria Koenig

Birth: February 1, 1800

Marriage: Margaretta Schmares, January 31, 1825, Lahr, Rhineland, Prussia (Germany)

Death: January 6, 1851, Körperich, Rhineland, Prussia (Germany)

Children:

  • Mathias, b. 12/21/1825, d. 05/02/1845 (Obersgegen)
  • Christopher, b. 05/10/1827, m. 11/08/1859 (Margaret Bauer), d. 02/01/1900
  • Joannes Baptista, b. 09/29/1829, m. abt 1866 (Katharina Brueck), d. 02/07/1881 (Gilbertville, IA)
  • Mathias, b. 10/01/1831, m. 04/10/1864 (Elizabeth Fischbach), d. 01/02/1910(Rockville, MN)
  • Nicholas, b. 02/22/1834, d. 05/01/1844 (Obersgegen)
  • Johannes, b. 06/07/1836, m. 1866 (Lucy Bauer), d. 03/28/1921 (Rockville, MN)
  • Friderimus Wilhelmus, b. 10/21/1837, m. (Catherine Schmal), d. 10/16/1905 (Brunswick, IN)
  • Magdalena, b. 02/22/1841, d. 12/01/1850 (Obersgegen)
  • Baby boy, b. 08/10/1843, d. 08/10/1843

Records:



Family Tree:



Ahles History:

Location:

The last known location of the Ahles/Schmares family prior to immigration was Körperich, Rheinland-Pfalz, Prussia, in the district of Bitburg-Prüm. The Ahles (Ales) family was from nearby Obersgegen and Cruchten. The Schmares family primarily lived in that area as well.

The map on the left below is Rheinland-Pfalz in Prussia (Germany). The map on the right is the zoomed-in area where the Ahles and Schmares families originated in Prussia. (Click on image for larger view.)


History

Aside from Mathias' wife and children who immigrated to the U.S., little is known about him. His marriage record lists his parents as Mathias Ahles and Maria Koenig. And his death record lists his age as 50. However, a birth/baptismal record has not been found for any of siblings who were born before 1808. The church records for the parish are incomplete. Based on the death record, Mathias was likely born in 1800.

One interesting thing to note is that Mathias may have had a brother born about three years after him with the same name, Mathias. The 2nd Mathias married in 1826, had two children, and then died 14 Nov 1828.


Mathias Ahles and Maria Koenig

A marriage record from Obersgegen, Rheinland, Prussia has been found for Mathias Ahles and Maria Koenig, on November 23, 1796. Mathias' parents are listed as Mathias Ahles and Margaretha Mayers, from Cruchten. Maria's parents are listed as Andreas Koenig and Anna Maria Hermann, from Obersgegen.

Church records show Mathias and Maria had at least 10 children:

  • Margaretha Ales - b. 1 Mar 1808
  • Maria Ales - b. 19 May 1810
  • Anna Maria Ales - b. 7 Nov 1812
  • Catharina Ales - b. 21 Jan 1815
  • Michaelis Ales - b. 5 Mar 1817, d. 7 Mar 1817
  • Lucia Ales - b. 1 Mar 1818, d. 19 Jan 1819
  • Magdalena Ales - b. 12 Nov 1819
  • Anna Maria Ahles - b. 1 Feb 1822
  • Catharina Ahles - b. 10 Feb 1824
  • Margaretha Ales - b. 20 May 1826

There were more children in the family. The church records prior to 1808 for Obersgegen/Körperich are noticeably different and some appear to be missing. No records were found for any children between the marriage in late 1796 and 1808. Also, neither of the two sons named Mathias have birth/baptism records. There may have been a son named Joannes as well, since birth records were found for children of Joannes Ahles and Maria Meyers, with a Maria Meyers also having married the younger Mathias Ahles in 1826. (None of the children of Joannes and Maria were born until 1832.) Speculation is that Joannes may have married his brother's widow?

Information has been found suggesting Maria Koenig was born December 9, 1782, and she died 1843. However, records have not been found to verify those details.

Mathias died on 17 May 1838, at the age of 68. This implies Mathias would have been born in 1769 or 1770. No birth record has been found.

While the marriage record for Mathias and Maria stated that Mathias' mother was Margaretha Mayers, the belief is that Mathias' mother was actually Margaretha Kolmesch. No other birth/marriage/death records from that timeframe and proximity exist for any Ahles/Mayer connection, and most online information reference Margaretha Kolmesch (without sources, though possibly still credible). Also, it was not uncommon in that timeframe for last names to match the house they lived in, so that could be a reason for the difference (though pure speculation).


Mathias Ahles and Margretha Kolmesch

Few definitive details exist for Mathias and Margretha, aside from birth records in Cruchten for some of their children:

  • Elisabetha Ales - c. 5 Dec 1779, d. 28 Dec 1790
  • Susana Ales - b. 21 Jul 1782
  • Anna Catharina Ales - b. 18 Mar 1784
  • Mathias Ales - b. 17 Apr 1789
  • Catharina Ales - b. 24 Feb 1792, m. Nicolaus Weidert, 21 Feb 1814
  • Lucia Ales - b. 8 Sep 1795

This list doesn't include a son, Mathias, who should have been born in 1770, per his death record. However, it is possible that they had a second son named Mathias.

There is a death record for Mathias Ahles, on November 8, 1822. It lists his age as 70, meaning he was born around 1752.


Possible Older Ahles'

Older records exist for members of the Ahles family, from Mettendorf, RheinlandPfalz, Prussia, which is near Obersgegen, Cruchten, Körperich, Lahr, and Nusbaum. Since no records have been found to link Mathias Ahles to parents, the following is speculation.

One possibility for Mathias' parents are Nicolai Ales and Magdalena Kaut. While their son, Mathias, was born in 1745, it is possible that the translation of Mathias' death record could be read as "in his 70's" instead of "70". No other church records have been found for the area that list another Mathias Ahles born in the 1740's or 1750's.

Children of Nicolas Ales & Magdalena Kaut born in Mettendorf:

  • Maria Ales - c. 6 Jan 1743
  • Catharina Ales - c. 15 Jan 1744
  • Mathias Ales - c. 13 Mar 1745
  • Anna Catharina Ales - c. 20 Sep 1747
  • Anna Regina Ales - c. 13 Aug 1749
  • Elisabetha Ales - c. 31 Oct 1751
  • Joannes Ales - c. 7 Jan 1754
  • Susanna Ales - c. 5 Mar 1756
  • Catharinae Ales - c. 16 Apr 1760

With the common age of marriage for the timeframe around 25 years old, and with the oldest daughter born in early 1743, the assumption would be Nicolas was born in the mid-1710's. One possible record found was for a Nicholas Ales, born June 1, 1716, in Mettendorf. His parents were Joannis Ales and Catharina Brochtmes. Nicolas died February 9, 1792.

Keeping with the same logic, it is possible Joannis was born around 1690. Two possibilities exist for Joannis. A Joannes Ales was born in 1686, in Huttingen, to Petri Ales and Margarethae Ales. And, another Joannes Ales was born in Mettendorf to Petri Ales and Petronellae Ales. He was baptized on December 30, 1691.