Back in March 2026, I wrote a blog post about how I determined the parents for Johann Huber, one of my early ancestors. I was able to solve it because he lived in “der Gnad,”
which was in the Bauerschaft [farming community] of Wälden. There is a single-family farm there called Gnadhof. It is in the Black Forest.
At the time, I was preparing for a research trip to the area. I reached out to the Stadtarchiv [city archive] Oberkirch to ask if they had records relating to the early history of Gnadhof. The archivist said that they did not have records from the 1600s or 1700s that were relevant. However, she told me she knew someone who grew up on Gnadhof. She sent them my contact information. I thought that would be the end of that. But it wasn’t!
A very kind woman reached out to me. She grew up on Gnadhof. Her mom and brother still live there. After several email exchanges, she invited me to spend a day with her and the family. She really went out of her way to make the day so special!
She picked me up at a nearby train station and took me to her house. Her neighbor, who speaks fluent English, met us. We packed a picnic lunch and took off for a hike. This is an absolutely beautiful area in a wine-growing region. You may recall, my great great great grandfather was a grape grower. It’s no wonder I like wine as much as I do!
After about an hour of hiking, we stopped at a cute little hut for lunch. It was in the middle of a vineyard and just big enough to hold a picnic table and two benches. The table was set with a table cloth, some glasses and a few bottles of schnapps. We pulled bread, meats, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs and other goodies from our backpacks. Her uncle met us and supplied a bottle of Riesling, made from grapes grown right in those fields. This may have been the best lunch of my life!
After that, we continued our hike through the area. Then we went and visited a few chapels with historical significance. Her uncle built one of the chapels, at the foot of the hills where we started our hike. Such amazing craftsmanship!
Then we went by car to the Gnadhof. I met her 87-year-old mother who was so sweet. Her brother presented me with a bottle of Kirschwasser, a dry cherry brandy, that he distilled on the farm. They were so welcoming!
We went to a beautiful church in Lautenbach, which has historical significance. Then we finished the day with a tradition Baden meal at a local restaurant in Oberkirch. I definitely made some new friends that day.
You are probably wondering how I am related to these people. I don’t know! But we’ve decided we must be cousins! Or we’ll adopt each other as cousins. Now that is my next mission. To figure out how, or if, we’re related to each other.
Lind Street Research 