Anna Katharina Steiss Koetzle

Anna Katharina's story is a bit puzzling.

Emil Koetzle gave his date of birth as 08 Feb 1869 on his US citizenship and passport applications in 1902. When he married Susanna Rupp in Manhattan on 11 Feb 1900, he stated that he was born in Wangen in Württemberg in 1869, the son of Johannes Koetzle and Katharine Steiss.

I found a marriage record for Johannes Koezle born 16 Aug 1831 in Klein Eislingen and Anna Katharina Steiss born 25 Jul 1833 in Wangen. They were married in Eschenbach in the Donaukreis district of Württemberg. This places Emil's birthplace fairly securely as Wangen in the Donaukreis district, 10 km WNW of modern Eislingen (Klein and Gross merged in 1933) and 11 km NW of Eschenbach.

However, there's a bit of a problem with timing, because Johannes and Anna Katharina married on 30 Oct 1871. Both were older - she was 38, he was almost 40, which suggests that both may have been married previously. However, I wasn't able to find records of previous marriages. I wasn't able to find a birth or christening record for Emil, although I did find one for another son. Johann Carl Koezle was born 14 Dec 1872 in Klein Eislingen and christened there on 22 Dec 1872. He married Karoline Binder in Klein Eislingen on 01 Mar 1897.

So where was Emil's birth record?

Anna Katharina's marriage record gives her mother's name as Anna Katharina Reik. No father's name is listed. Anna Katharina Reik was born in Wangen on 22 Mar 1808, the daughter of Michael Reik and Catharine Schwaegler. I found two marriage records for her, one to Jacob Maier on 31 May 1836 and one to Paul Seyfang on 13 Feb 1838. Both marriages took place in Eschenbach. The younger Anna Katharina was already almost three years old at the time of the first one.

Fast forward to 1856. Anna Katharina Steiss bore a son named Paul on 02 Sep 1856. He was christened in Eschenbach the next day, but he died two weeks later on 16 Sep 1856. His christening record lacks a father's name but instead gives the name of his "maternal grandfather," Paul Seyfang. Paul Seyfang was Anna Katharina Steiss' mother's husband at the time, but I wouldn't conclude from this record that he was Anna Katharina's biological father.

The absence of Paul Steiss' father on his birth record might indicate that the fellow had abandoned Anna Katharina and her son. However, there's more to the story. Anna Katharina bore at least two more children over the next six years. I couldn't find birth or christening records but I know of them from marriage records.

Paul Steiss married Anna Maria Blessing in Holzheim (the bride's birthplace) on 20 Nov 1887. They had a daughter named Berta who was born in Klein Eislingen on 17 Dec 1888 and christened 26 Dec 1888. Paul's marriage record states that he was born 30 Jan 1860 in Eschenbach and that his mother's name was Anna Katharina Steiss. There is no father's name.

Gottlob Steiss married Anna Maria Pressmar in Salach (the bride's birthplace) on 13 Apr 1891. They had two sons, both christened in Salach. Karl Gottlob "Stechs" was born 05 Apr 1892 and christened 17 Apr 1892. Otto Immanuel "Stechs" was born 04 Jun 1893 and christened 18 Jun 1893. Gottlob's marriage record states that he was born 18 Dec 1862 in Jebenhausen (6 km NW of Eschenbach) and that his mother's name was Anna Katharina Steiss. Again, there is no father's name.

It almost looks as if Anna Katharina Steiss was involved in an ongoing relationship with someone who couldn't be named. Perhaps she was some wealthy and/or noble man's mistress? If Johannes Koezle was Emil Koe(t)zle's biological father, then perhaps it was this earlier relationship that prevented Johannnes and Anna Katharina from marrying before Emil's birth on 08 Feb 1869.