From German Girls Genealogy (Teresa Steinkamp McMillin & Debra A. Hoffman):
Our last post showed a land document from 1819 in Friedrichstal located in what is now Baden-Württemberg. The document is from Grundbuch Band 1, 1811–1830.
Grundbuch – Analysis
After transcribing and then translating the record, the next step is to understand the record and its implications.
From reviewing the record, we glean the following:
- Record dated 14 April 1819
- There was a public auction on 4 March 1817
- The seller was Magdalena (Terraß) Demarez, widow of Jacob
- Magdalena was assisted by Heinrich Füßler
- The terms of the sale were
- No measurement will be granted.
- Purchase price paid in two installments; ½ in 14 days and the other ½ on Candlemas 1818 [2 February].
- The buyer must bear all costs alone.
- Ownership will be retained until the purchase price is fully paid.
- Two tracts of arable land were inherited by Jacob Demarez’s children from Catharina Walter and the approval of the guardian was required before it could be finalized. The official permit was just received as shown in Appendix 1332. The two lots that were sold were
- No. 23: 1-1/2 viertel in Gottsackerfeld, on one side Conrad on the other Johann Gorenflo. The bidder was Heinrich Füßler on behalf of the widow – 143 florin
- No. 24: 2-1/2 viertel in Zwingenfeld, on one side Heinrich Hornung, on the other the buyer himself. The bidder was Friedrich Demarez, carpenter – 256 florin
Public Auction
This record was a recording of the results of a public auction held on 4 March 1817. It took over two years to get recorded. The reason stated in the record was that the transaction required the approval of the guardian. The land was inherited by Jacob Demarez’s children from Catharina Walter. Perhaps there may be additional records detailing the auction. Also, there may be guardian records available.
Jacob Demarez & Magdalena (Teraß) Demarez
Fortuitously for researchers, the church records have been published.[1] While that makes researching easier, the information should be confirmed with the original records.
On 13 August 1795, Jacob Demarez, citizen and widower, married Magdalena Teraß, the unmarried daughter of citizen Jean Pierre Teraß, after three repeated public announcements of marriage.[2] Jacob Demarez was noted as a widow at his marriage to Magdalena Teraß.
Jacob married Teraß sisters. His first marriage occurred on 25 August 1791 when he married Katharina Teraß. Jacob was the unmarried son of Jacob Demarez, a judge. Katharina was the unmarried daughter of Joh. Peter Teraß. They were married after three proclamations, and both were of the Reformed faith.[3] Katharina Margaretha, wife of Jacob Demarez, died of typhus on 9 March 1795 at the age of 21.[4] After Katharina’s death, Jacob married Magdalena Teraß. The Friedrichstal church records are in both German and English. In Katharina’s marriage record, her father’s name is Joh. Peter Teraß [German], in Magdalena’s marriage record the name is rendered as Jean Pierre Teraß [French].
Jacob Demarez died in 1816.[5] By 4 March 1817, Magdalena, with the assistance of Heinrich Füßler, proceeded with the auction of the two tracts of arable land.
Land
A viertel was a unit of measure meaning a quarter.[6] In 1817, the term may have varied as to the size of a tract of land throughout Baden. The terms Gottsackerfeld and Zwingenfeld are still being researched. A Gottsacker is a cemetery, but that may not make sense in this context. The payment for the land was required to be paid in cash in two equal installments of one half in 14 days after the auction and the other half to be paid on Candlemas in 1818; February 2nd.
The bidder for Lot no. 23 was Heinrich Füßler, apparently on behalf of the widow, for 143 florin. Magdalena (Teraß) Demarez was purchasing the property. The other lot, no. 24, was purchased by Friedrich Demarez, carpenter, for 256 florin. It is not known if Friedrich Demarez was any relation to Jacob Demarez at this point.
Remaining Question
There is still more research to be undertaken, and one question is who was Catharina Walter and what was her relationship to Jacob Demarez’s children as they inherited the land from her.
The surname Terraß is spelled “Terraß” in the auction record and as “Teraß” in the church records.
[1] Dippo, Cathryn S. Friedrichstal Church Records, 1698–1812. Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2005.
[2] Cathryn S. Dippo, Friedrichstal Church Records, 1698–1812 (Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2005), 291.
[3] Cathryn S. Dippo, Friedrichstal Church Records, 1698–1812 (Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2005), 290.
[4] Cathryn S. Dippo, Friedrichstal Church Records, 1698–1812 (Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, 2005), 351.
[5] “Jacob Demarez,” ID no. 2CBB-DVG, Family Tree, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 March 2026).
[6] Ernest Thode, German-English Genealogical Dictionary (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992), 267.
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