von Mueller and Heina from Germany

[Narelle]

Hello All,
I am researching my Ggrandmother's parents Carl Emil von MUELLER and Bertha Josepha (nee HEINA). They came from Germany but I don't know where or exactly when they were there. Their daughter Frances Louisa Wipper von Mueller was born in France in c. 1865. I do not know which arrondissement so I cannot check her birth either.

I believe that Frances may have been born in France when the family was on it's way to Australia from Germany.

The only clue I have to go by is that Carl Emil von Mueller was a cigarette manufacturer. Is there any where I can look for records of Cigarette manufacturers in Germany? When he came to Australia Carl eventually changed his name to Peter Mueller and so the puzzle gets more mysterious.

Any advice would be very appreciated. I'm only sorry that I cannot provide any more details to help.

Kindest regards Narelle

[hhg]

Hallo Narelle,

at http://archiv.sachsen.de/archive/dresde ... 363833.htm

you find a report about Universelle-Zigarettenmaschinenfabrik J. C. Müller & Co., starting in 1898. They made machines for cigarette industries.

There was another company Aurelia Zigarettenfabrik E. and A. Müller, Dresden.


The city of Dresden has tobacco manufacturing tradition. So unless you have better, you might start looking there.

Good luck!

[Narelle]

Hello hhg,
Thank you for the web pages on cigarette manufacturers. Dresden sounds like the place to start looking too. I will have a good look at the sites to see if I can find any clues. Frances Louisa Wipper von Mueller came to Australia c 1887. She would have been in her 20's by then so it is possible that she came to Australia on her own and that her parents stayed in Germany. I have yet to find any conclusive evidence of the family or Francis arriving in Australia.

Again many thanks
Narelle

[hhg]

Hallo Narelle,

Dresden, cigarettes and Müller match somehow, but Müller is a veèehhhry common name.

Von Müller is not, neither Wipper for a first name. It seems to be a double family name rather. Are you sure this is the spelling when the family still was in Europe?

[Narelle]

Hello hhg,
I honestly don't know much about the family at all. I have always believed that "von" in a name meant that the person had some status. This family don't seem to have any special status unless they were wealthy and bestowed it upon themselves. I don't think they had much wealth either. I think that Frances was well educated as she was a music teacher when she was in Australia.

I have always wondered about the middle name of "Wipper". This can be spelt a few different ways. I have also searched to see if I can find a family of Mueller/Meuller/Muller/von Mueller who have a connection to a Wipper/Whipper family but no luck there. There are so many possiblities including Wipper being Bertha Josepha HEINA's maiden name etc. What is even more intriguing is that in 1912 Frances married for the second time and stated her parents were Peter MILLER and Sophie PACKERT. I have no idea who these people are.

Anyway thanks for your help. I will definitely follow the cigarette trail.
Kindest regards Narelle

[hhg]

Hallo Narelle,

von - families usually had noble ancestors somewhen, but it is also used to refer to locations. The spelling of family names should be considered in your case. Von Müller I have never seen yet, but Oscar von Miller, b. 1855 in Munich, was a famous technician.

In history the boarders of France and Germany changed several times. Your chances to find the right corner in Europe are close to none unless you have further informations. Did you check all sources in Australia, such as civil registers, immigration and ship lists? Could it be Wipper was Francis'es first husband? Are there any descendants that might have family documents?

Good luck again!

[Narelle]

Hello hhg,
Thanks for the information on the "von" in surnames. I was also not aware that there were movements in the German and French boarders.

Wipper may be Frances' first husband's name but she never revealed it. If so it was possibly before she came to Australia. She married in Australia twice and had a child out of wedlock.

I have asked all the family in Australia but we are all a bit in the dark. Frances was not married to my grandmother's father. My Great grandfather and his mother raised my grandmother. As far as we know my grandmother was told that her mother died giving birth to her. In actual fact my GGgrandmother lived only 2 streets away from her daughter for nearly 20 years. My GGgrandmother's death certificate also names a child "Peter" who died. Peter was born in the same year my grandmother was born. I think this was another way of covering up her illegitemate daughter. She must have told her second husband that this child had died when in fact she was very much alive.

I believe there are a few tall tales carried into documents and life to cover up the birth of my grandmother. In those days it was such a shameful thing to happen. It's a pity that it was like that in those days. How different my grandmother's life may have been had she been able to see her mother.

Again many thanks.

I will follow the ladvice you have given me and see where it leads.
Narelle

[hhg]

Hallo Narelle

all kinds of stories turn up in family history...

How certain are you about Frances parents? Could it be Wipper was her maiden name?

http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsea ... tml#p=home

lists 72 pages for Wipper, including a Francisca that married 1879 in Heidelberg. If you find birth registrations for her children, maybe you find about the father.

Regards

[Narelle]

Hello hhg,
Thank you for the information. I have always been intruiged by the "Wipper" part of Frances' name. My GGgrandmother was supposed to have been born in France but was living in Victoria, Australia by late 1870. She gave her son George Emil her fathers middle name (Emil) and her husbands first name (George). Her daughter she named after herself. There is not record of any Wipper being connected to the family but Frances 1st marriage certificate says that her mother was Bertha Josepha Heina. Plus I have found so little on the family it is hard to judge just yet. I guess it could still be a name handed down through the family but I haven't found out how or where yet. I will chase up your idea about Francisca Wipper and see how I go.
Kind regards Narelle