Introduction to the Records
St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church
Lockweiler, Saarland, Germany
The earliest known ancestors of Peter Zehler are found in the Church records at Lockweiler4. As explained in the introduction to the first book of these records, shown above, the records were initiated in 1683. Beginning in 1868, the baptism of several children of Mathias Zöller and Maria are found in the Church records. These are the earliest known members of the family and are tied in a direct line to Peter Zehler.
Historical records refer to even earlier family members, but without detailed information, their relationship to our ancestors cannot be established. For example, an Els (short for Elisabetha) Zöller lived in Lockweiler in the 1660s. In addition, a list of families who remained in Lockweiler after the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) includes the Zöller family, indicating that the family was present in Lockweiler as early as 1600.
The little that we know about Matthias and Maria comes from the Church records. These include an entry in for October 2, 1730, recording the death of Maria Zöller, who was likely the wife of Matthias.
Matthias and Maria had the following children:
| i. | Christina Zöller | Christina was baptized on May 19, 16864. She married Nikolaus Becker and had a family of five children. |
| ii. | Maria Sydonia Zöller | Maria Sydonia was baptized on July 4, 16894. |
| iii. | Jakob Zöller | Jakob was baptized on March 18, 16924. |
| iv. | Margaretha Zöller | Margaretha was baptized on August 24, 16944. She married Sebastian Wolter and had a family of four children. |
| v. | Simon Zöller | Simon was baptized on February 24, 16974, and he died on February 9, 1754. Simon married Anna Maria Aatz. |
| vi. | Elisabetha Zöller | Elisabetha was baptized on March 7, 17014. She married Matthias Ludwig and had a family of eight children. |
Baptismal Record of Simon Zöller - 1697
St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church
Lockweiler, Saarland, Germany
Simon Zöller was baptized on February 24, 16974, at the Roman Catholic Church in Lockweiler, the fifth child of Matthias Zöller and Maria. Nothing is reported of his early life, presumably on his parent's farm. In 1728, he married Anna Maria Aatz, the daughter of Peter Aatz and Elisabeth. Simon and Anna Maria settled in Mettnich, her home village, where they raised nine children on a family farm.
The children of Simon and Anna Maria are:
| i. | Barbara Zöhler | Barbara was baptized on January 28, 17293. |
| ii. | Michael Zöhler | Michael was baptized on February 23, 17303 and he died March 19, 17994. Michael married (1) Johanna Kunz, (2) Anna Backes and (3) Maria Serve. Michael and Johanna had six children. |
| iii. | Susanna Zöhler | Susanna was baptized on February 27, 17323. |
| iv. | Anna Zöhler | Anna was baptized on December 29, 17343. She married Claudius Schmitt. They had a family of three children. |
| v. | Johann Zöhler | Johann was baptized on February 20, 17373. |
| vi. | Agnes Zöhler | Agnes was baptized on November 25, 17383, and she died on November 25, 1808 3. She married (1) Johann Loth and (2) Peter Holz. |
| vii. | Anna Maria Zöhler | Anna Maria was born about 17393. She married Michael Rech. |
| viii. | Johann Zöhler | Johann was baptized on March 11, 17413. Johann married Susanna Rech. |
| ix. | Nikolaus Zöhler | Nikolaus was baptized on May 7, 17453 and he died March 8, 18173. Nikolaus married (1) Maria Loth and (2) Maria Serve. |
Baptismal Record of Nicolaus Zöller - 1745
Roman Catholic Church
Mettnich, Saarland, Germany
Nicolaus Zöhler was baptized on May 7, 17453, the tenth child of Simon Zöller and Anna Maria Aatz. He apparently grew up in Mettnich on his family's farm. In 1768 3, Nicolaus married Maria Loth, the daughter of Johann Loth and Barbara Schmitt. Maria died in Mettnich in 17793, likely due complications from the birth of her last child.
The "Familienbuch" 3 (family book) of the church at Mettnich contains the notation "zuerst in Kannickels" (first in Kannickels) in reference to Nicolaus, which refers to an area of Mettnich where they settled. The same book also lists Nicolaus' occupation as a farmer and a tanner and adds the comment, "reich durch ihr Gerberei" (rich through his Tannery). Apparently Nicolaus was well off compared to others in this rural area.
The children of Nicolaus and Maria Loth are:
| i. | Peter Zöhler | Peter was baptized on November 8, 17683, and he died in 1787. |
| ii. | Johann Zöhler | Johann was baptized on July 17, 17713. |
| iii. | Anna Zöhler | Anna was baptized on July 28, 17743. |
| iv. | Barbara Zöhler | Barbara was baptized on February 5, 17773, and she died on November 7, 1854. Barbara married Peter Becker and they had a family of seven children. |
| v. | Johann Zöhler | Johann was baptized on August 31, 17793, and he died on December 3 18553. Johann married Maria Becker. |
After the death of his first wife, Nicolaus married Maria Serve the daughter of Johann Serve and Anna Maria Birtel, in 1783. They had the following children:
| vi. | Nikolaus Zöhler | Nikolaus was baptized on July 15, 17843, and he died in 1784. |
| vii. | Maria Zöhler | Maria was baptized on July 15, 17843, and she died in 1784. |
| viii. | Jakob Zöhler | Jakob was baptized on July 8, 17853, he and died in 1785. |
| ix. | Anna Zöhler | Anna was baptized on November 11, 17863, and she died on July 24, 18473. She married Jost Becker, and they had ten children. |
| x. | Maria Zöhler | Maria was baptized on November 19, 17883, and she died in 1788. |
| xi. | Katharina Zöhler | Katharina was baptized on February 22, 17913, and she died on December 16, 18653. Katharina married (1) Johann Thome and (2) Peter Becker. She had seven children. |
| xii. | Nikolaus Zöhler | Nikolaus was baptized in 17923. |
| xiii. | Peter Zöhler | Peter was baptized on November 19, 17953, and he died in 1883. Peter married Anna Merl. |
| xiv. | Michael Zöhler | Michael was baptized on February 22, 17983, he and died in 1798. |
| xv. | Michael Zöhler | Michael was baptized on March 28, 18003, and he died on February 3, 1849.3 Michael married Anna Barbara Schmitt. They had two children. |
| xvi. | Johann Zöhler | Johann was baptized on March 10, 18023, and he died on November 17, 18883. Johann married Anna Maria Brass. They had four children. |
| xvii. | Jakob Zöhler | Jakob was baptized on April 14, 18043, and he died on April 26, 1804.3. |
| xviii. | Maria Zöhler | Maria was baptized on September 14, 18053, and died on January 4, 1890 3. Maria married Nikolaus Becker. They had a family of four children. |
Baptismal Record of Johann Zöhler - 1779
Roman Catholic Church
Mettnich, Saarland, Germany
Johann Zöhler was born and baptized on August 31, 17793, the fourth child of Nikolaus Zöhler and Maria Loth. On October 6, 18013, Johann married Maria Becker the daughter of Peter Becker and Gertrud Schneider. Maria was baptized on December 15, 1783. The "Familienbuch"3 of the church at Mettnich notes that he was a farmer and that he lived in Kannickels, the same area of Mettnich as his father. Johann died December 3, 1855 3, and Maria died January 26, 1826 3.
The children of Johann and Maria are:
| i. | Anna Maria Zöhler | Anna Maria was born on October 7, 18033, and he died on May 7, 18043. |
| ii. | Peter Zöhler | Peter was born on November 29, 18053, and he died on March 30, 18872. Peter married Anna Maria Klasen. |
| iii. | Johann Zöhler | Johann was born on February 14, 18093, and he died on November 2, 1873, in Brazil. Johann married Elisabetha Shuh. They emigrated to Brazil. |
| iv. | Michael Zöhler | Michael was born on May 6, 18113, and died in 1838, |
| v. | Magdalena Zöhler | Magdalena was born on February 19, 18143. Magdalena married Peter Johann Adams. They had nine children. |
| vi. | Maria Zöhler | Maria was born on February 9, 18173, and she died on January 15, 18803. Maria married Johann Heck. They had ten children. |
| vii. | Elisabeth Zöhler | Elisabeth was born on March 4, 18223, and died in 1822. |
| viii. | Anna Maria Zöhler | Anna Maria was born July 23, 18243, and died on November 2, 19003. Anna Maria married Johann Zarth. They had two children. |