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The early Rheins (Reins) were a widespead clan of executioners in the Kingdom of Lorraine, and in low Alsace and the Saarland in the Holy Roman Empire in early modern Germany prior to the Thirty Years War that ended in 1648. The first known in my line is Wolfgang Rhein, born about 1630, who came to Saverne from nearby Otterswiller, both in low Alsace in the Kingdom of France following the Thirty Years War. His son, Franz Rhein, born about 1665 in Saverne, married Anna Barbara Bourgard, daughter of Jean Bourgard and Marguerite Herteman. Jean was an executioner in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines in Alsace in 1684.

Franz was an executioner in Wiebelskirchen in Ottweiler from 1685 to 1691, in Mittelbexbach in Homburg from 1693 to 1698, both in the Saarland, in Schiltach in Baden in 1702 and in Schirmeck in low Alsace in 1705. Franz came to Strasbourg in low Alsace in late 1705 and was the resident executioner there until 1719. He resided in the parish of St. Johann.

Franz's son, Joannes Martin Rhein, married Anna Barbara Lohr on January 29, 1709 in Herrlisheim, low Alsace, daughter of Johannes Jacob Lohr, the executioner in Herrlisheim having earlier been an executioner in Kork in the Lower (Rhenish) Palatinate in the Holy Roman Empire. Joannes Martin was the executioner in Herrlisheim until his death on April 25, 1735. His son, Francois Rhein, born September 25, 1722 in Herrlisheim, married second to Catherine Wolff, was an executioner in Sarreguemines, Lorraine in 1754. Their son, Francois Joseph Rhein, born March 10, 1754, married Catherine Pfaadt on October 22, 1787 in Herrlisheim. Francois Joseph was a farmer in Herrlisheim.

The Saarland was part of the Lower (Rhenish) Palatinate that included lands on both sides of the Rhine River between its Main and Necker tributaries. Its capital in the 18th Century was Heidelberg. It became a French province in 1684 under the Truce of Regensburg, but France was forced to surrender it in 1697. It remained a part of the Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806. Bexbach is about 4 km southeast of Wiebelskirchen which is about 2 km north of Neunkirchen and slightly south of Ottweiler.

The communities of Herrlisheim, Otterswiller, Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Saverne and Schirmeck were located in the jurisdiction of Hanau-Lichtenberg, low Alsace, the house of Hesse-Darmstadt, the Holy Roman Empire. They were part of the lands the Hapsburgs handed over to France following the Thirty Years War. Strasbourg was located in the German kingdoms and territories and was an independent city, initially being an imperial city. It was a part of the Holy Roman Empire from 870 to 1681, when it was seized by Louis XIV for France.

Herrlisheim is 28 km northeast of Strasbourg in present day Bas-Rhin, France.

The first known Laeng in my line is Dorsch Laeng. He came to Herrlisheim about 1672 from Utzenstorf in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. He married first Anna Banzen, daughter of Endres Banzen in Herrlisheim, on the Sunday after Esto Mihi, February 19, 1673. He married second Anna Maria Nonner, daughter of Hans Gorg Nonner and Anna Maria Schertzler, of Gambsheim, in Herrlisheim on February 22, 1689. They had four sons all of whom remained in Herrlisheim.

Related families in Herrlisheim include Alt, Christmann, Gross, Gumann, Heitz, Herrmann, Huck, Jung, Kientz, Kistler, Klein, Lohr, Noe, Pfaadt, Schaffer, Schmidt, Schmitt, Schreiner, Wohlfaret, Wolff, Zagels, Zilliox and  Zinger.

Joseph Rhein, my grandfather (5th great-grandson of Wolfgang Rhein), was born April 13, 1866 in Herrlisheim, Department of Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France. He married Louise Laeng, born May 15, 1866, Herrlisheim, (4th great-granddaughter of Dorsch Laeng and Anna Marie Nonner) on May 3, 1890 in then Herlisheim, Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, following his military service in the German Army in the German Territories in Africa. They left for the United States the day following their wedding. They arrived Port of New York on May 20, 1890 from Le Havre on LaChampange, L. Boyer, Ship's Master. They settled in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Joseph and Louise had three sons: Joseph Peter, my father, born March 16, 1895, Aloysius Ralph, born February 1, 1900 and Anthony Joseph, born July 14, 1905, all in Pittsburgh. Joseph Peter married Mabel Florence McKinney of Sligo, Clarion County, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1924 at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Pittsburgh. She is the 2nd great-granddaughter of John McKinney, born about 1748 in Ireland and Mary Llewellyn. He was a volunteer from Haverford, Chester County, Pennsylvania and served in the First Battalion, Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. She is the 3rd great-granddaughter, in the maternal line, of Lieutenant William Stewart, born 1738 in County Donegal, Ireland and Mary Gass. He was adjutant in the Second Battalion of the Cumberland County Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolutionary War.

The Genealogy Reports under Descendants and the Ancestor Trees can be viewed only with Adobe Reader

I hope you find this site of interest.

Joe Rhein

Sarasota, Florida

U.S.A.

Updated  January 4, 2008