Brick Wall in Wurmlingen Germany

[bolts99]

Okay I have hit a brick wall in the village of Wurmlingen Germany. It's actually for my 4 times great grandfather. His baptism record states Merk for the last name which is his mother's maiden last name. Father's name unknown from November 9 1789. Mother's name is Katharina Merk. Marriage record form June 22 1830 states last name as Portai instead of Meck. Mother didn't know who the father was at the time of birth but remembers it when her son marries. I have attached the marriage record and birth record. I am wondering how do I got back further on his mother's line since I don't have any more information on her. I am presuming that she was born no later than 1770 and born in the same village.  

[BobGreiner]

The Catholic Church records for Wurmlingen are online at Matricula. There is a family register for the family of Johannes Merk at this link.

https://data.matricula-online.eu/en/deutschland/rottenburg-stuttgart/wurmlingen-st-briccius-dekanat-rottenburg/M+0275%252C+B+014/?pg=120

Child number 3 is Katharina, born 7 August 1764, died 6 April 1832. There is a footnote by her name. At the bottom of the page the note states that she had an illegitimate son on 9 November 1795, born of N.N. [Unknown] Portei [Franzes = Frenchman?]. It also states that Nikolaus had his first communion in 1827.

The number at the end of the entry is the family page for Nikolaus (p. 349).

https://data.matricula-online.eu/en/deutschland/rottenburg-stuttgart/wurmlingen-st-briccius-dekanat-rottenburg/M+0275%252C+B+014/?pg=179

This entry indicates that his father was N.[Unknown] Portei ein Grazoss[?]. I'm not sure of the spelling of the last word or its meaning. Under Nikolaus' name is the note "Ausgewandert nach Nordamerika im Jahr 1832". He emigrated in 1832. No children of this couple are listed.

I hope this helps. At least you have a family group for Katharina Merk.