Christian Wilhelm Menge My third Great Grandfather on my Mother's Side

Alfeld City Hall from Google

Christian Wilhelm Menge is my third great grandfather. I estimate that he was born about 1779 in Germany, probably in Alfeld, but have yet to prove either of these suppositions. Wilhelm was the son of Casper Heinrich Ludolph Menge. According to a note on his son’s marriage document, Wilhelm was a white tanner in Alfeld. A white tanner works with high-quality soft leather, which would have been suitable for making gloves. Wilhelm’s son Heinrich Christian was a glove maker, so I think it is likely that Wilhelm also made gloves and possibly other products from his leather. Historically, the profession of tanner had a negative connotation, because the processing of leather involved working with animal hides and various chemicals to treat the leather. These were odoriferous and potentially harmful to workers’ health. But by the 19th century, power-driven machines were being used to complete most of the noxious tasks, and less toxic chemicals were being used, so the profession was more well regarded.

Tanning is a multi-step process that starts with receiving hides from the butcher, scraping off the fat and blood, tanning with chemicals, drying, smoothing, dressing and applying oils and color All this is completed prior to cutting and stitching each pair of gloves.

According to the FamilySearch tree, Wilhelm married Johanna Sophia Vos, the daughter of Ernest Friedrich Vos. Sophia was born in Bad Pyrmont, Niedersachsen, Germany. They had at least one child, Heinrich Christian Menge in 1809.

Wilhelm lived during the American Revolution when Germany sent troops to America to support the British, and during the French Revolution when France invaded Germany. Wilhelm was a young man at the end of the Holy Roman Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. The Holy Roman Empire existed from 962 to 1806. During that time the Kingdom of Germany was the largest territory.

Old Latin School in Alfeld, now a museum

Alfeld is 20 miles southwest of Hildesheim on the Leine River and is the second largest city in the District of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony. The town was founded in 1214 and for many years was a small village. It prospered from trade in beer, hops, linen and yarn, and grew `before the Thirty Years’ War in the 1600s. The town is known for the octagonal tower on its town hall, which was built in 1586; the Church of Saint Nicolai; the Fillerturm, a medieval watchtower; and the Fagus Factory, which was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011. 

Sources for this Post: Wilhelm's son's marriage record, FamilySearch tree, and online research.