Legend of the Thanisch Family's Origin
The earliest known ancestor of Johann Jacob Thanisch is Elias Thanisch, who lived in the village of Graach in the last part of the 17th century. Graach is located on the Mosel River about 5 kilometers north of Bernkastel-Kues in the present day German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. The Mosel valley is widely known for its wine production and the municipality of Bernkastel-Kues produces many fine wines. Elias and his wife, Maria, were undoubtedly associated with wine making and members of the family continue this tradition.
The family legend, shown above, is just that, a legend. There is no evidence to support this story, and several records to indicate the Thanisch family pre-dated the mid 1600s. Unfortunately, the records do not make the connection to earlier ancestors. Maria died in November of 16913, and Elias died in July of 17003.
Elias and Maria had the following children:
| i. | Gerhard Thanisch | |
| ii. | Matthias Thanisch | Matthias was baptized on January 17, 16663. |
| iii. | Mathias Thanisch | Mathias was baptized on March 26, 16683. |
| iv. | Martin Thanisch | Martin was baptized on August 4, 16703. |
| v. | Anna Thanisch | Anna was baptized on April 4, 16763. |
| vi. | Johann Thanisch | Johann was baptized on August 21, 16813. He married Catharina Bernard. |
Baptismal Record of Johann Thanisch- 1681
Roman Catholic Church
Graach, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Johann Thanisch was baptized on August 21, 16813, the sixth child of Elias and Maria Thanisch. On February 4, 17003, he married Catharine Bernard. Catharine was baptized on June 7, 16813, the daughter of Theobald Bernard and Maria ____. Johann and Catharine lived in Graach were they had nine children.
Johann and Catharine had the following children:
| i. | Johann Gerhard Thanisch | Johann Gerhard was baptized on September 10, 17013. He married Regina Schweisdal. |
| ii. | Maria Thanisch | Maria was baptized on March 16, 17033. |
| iii. | Johann Jodocus Thanisch | Johann Jodocus was baptized on January 6, 17053. |
| iv. | Maria Margaretha Thanisch | Maria Margaretha was baptized on January 15, 17073. |
| v. | Peter Thanisch | Peter was born on August 17, 17093. |
| vi. | Johann Philip Thanisch | Johann Philip was born on May 12, 17123. |
| vii. | Maria Catharina Thanisch | Maria Catharina was born on November 4, 17143. |
| viii. | Hubert Thanisch | Hubert was born on May 13, 17173. |
| ix. | Maria Magdalena Thanisch | Maria Magdalena was baptized on January 15, 17193. |
Baptismal Record of Johann Gerhard Thanisch - 1701
Roman Catholic Church
Graach, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Johann Gerhard Thanisch was baptized on September 10, 17013, the first child of Johann Thanisch and Catharina Bernard. About 1744, he married Regina Schweisdal at St. Antonius Roman Catholic Church in Trier17. Johann Gerhard and Regina initially lived in Graach were their six children were born. The family later moved to Wehlen, a small village across the river from Graach.
Johann Gerhard and Regina had the following children:
| i. | Anna Christina Thanisch | Anna Christina was born on September 21, 17453. |
| ii. | Hanns Thanisch | Hanns was born on September 27, 17473, and he died on March 29, 18143. Hanns married Maria Katharina Philipps. |
| iii. | Johann Mathias Thanisch | Johann Mathias was born on April 24, 17493, and he died in January 18212. Johann Mathias married (1) Maria Agatha Adams and (2) Maria Catharina Leiser. |
| iv. | Johann Thanisch | Johann was born on March 6, 17513. |
| v. | Johann Thanisch | Johann was born on June 3, 17533. |
| vi. | Johann Thanisch | Johann was born on March 29, 17573. |
Baptismal Record of Johann Mathias Thanisch - 1749
Roman Catholic Church
Graach, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Johann Mathias Thanisch was baptized on April 24, 17493, the third child of Johann Gerhard Thanisch and Regina Schweisdal. He later moved with his family to Wehlen. On January 31, 17742, he married Maria Agatha Adams at Wehlen. Maria Agatha was the daughter of Johann Thomas Adams and Anna Margaretha Steffen. Johann Mathias and Maria Agatha settled in Wehlen where they had six children. Then, in May of 17852, Maria Agatha died.
Johann Mathias and Maria Agatha had the following children:
| i. | Johann Thomas Thanisch | Johann Thomas was baptized on June 4, 17752. |
| ii. | Johann Mathias Thanisch | Johann Mathias was baptized on April 25, 17762. |
| iii. | Maria Katharina Thanisch | Maria Katharina was baptized on January 25, 17792. |
| iv. | Johann Sebastian Thanisch | Johann Sebastian was baptized on February 16, 17812. |
| v. | Johann Thomas Thanisch | Johann Thomas was baptized on June 4, 17832. |
| vi. | Maria Agatha Thanisch | Johann was baptized on April 7, 17852. |
Following the death of his first wife, Johann Mathias married Maria Catharina Leiser on August 10, 17852, at Wehlen. Maria Catharina was the daughter of Johann Joseph Leiser and Anna Maria Kropp. Johann Mathias and Anna Maria continued to live in Wehlen, where they had five children. Maria Catharina died at Wehlen in August 18152, and Johann Mathias died there in January 18212.
Johann Mathias and Maria Catharina had the following children:
| i. | Mathias Josef Thanisch | Mathias Josef was baptized on March 19, 17872. |
| ii. | Maria Angela Thanisch | Maria Angela was baptized on March 28, 17892. |
| iii. | Johann Jacob Thanisch | Johann Jacob was born on April 24, 17912, and he died in February, 18372. Johann Jacob married Lucia Ketter. |
| iv. | Philipp Thanisch | Philipp was baptized on May 2, 17932. He married Anna Catharina Ketter. |
| v. | Andreas Thanisch | Andrea was baptized on October 1, 17992. He married Margaretha Schantz |
Baptismal Record of Johann Jacob Thanisch - 1791
Roman Catholic Church
Wehlen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Johann Jacob Thanisch was born on April 24, 17912, the third child of Johann Mathias Thanisch and Maria Catharina Leiser. On February 11, 18182, Johann Jacob married Lucia Ketter, the widow of Johann Görgen. Lucia was born on November 24, 178918, at Erden, the daughter of Johann Ketter and Eva Bartzer. Johann Jacob and Lucia had three children, all born at Wehlen.
Johann Jacob Thanisch died in February 18373, at the age of 53. In 1840, Lucia and her son, Johann Jacob, emigrated to America and eventually settled in the Town of Bennington, Wyoming County, New York. Lucia died there on February 28, 18641.
Johann Jacob and Lucia had the following children:
| i. | Johann Jacob Thanisch | Johann Jacob was born on January 7, 18192, and he died in February 18372. Johann Jacob married Catharine Meyer. |
| ii. | Anna Catharina Thanisch | Anna Catharina was born on April 23, 18212. She married Johann Christian Neusius. |
| iii. | Maria Eva Thanisch | Maria Eva was born on October 28, 18232, and she died on February 11, 18252. |