The Family Kirschbaum.

The little Kirschbaum (Cherry Tree) farm is an old farm in the little village of Bottrop, first mentioned in 1584.The name developed from Kersebaum to Kessebohm and then Kirschbaum and is either an origin name to a place with cherry tree (either Noth-Rhine/Westfalia or East Prussia) or one living in a place name, for someone living near cherry trees. (The name Cherry Tree in German language is Kirschbaum). The Farm’s property today is in lower Hochstraße (high street), in the middle of the city of Bottrop .

Jo'es Hermannus Kirschbaum born at 5-27-1797 in Bottrop got married in 9-30-1820 to Anna Maria Leggewieand she was born on 4-29-1795 in Essen . They had 8 children. They were my great-great-grandparents on my mother’s side. Jo'es Hermannus was the fifth of six children He had already to work as a child.

In Heinrich Plögers notes he described him as a day worker. He was a sand moulder at 7 years  of age and as of 8 years old: he worked in an iron and steel trades.

His workplace was presumably the 1758 in business taken St. Anthony hut, in Oberhausen . She was the only one hut in this area. One describes this hut as a "cradle of the Ruhr industry" today. She lies at the border to Bottrop/Oberhausen about 8 km of the place of residence of the Kirschbaums, the "Lehmkuhler Bauerschaft" removed.

 Their 6th child, Bernard, was born in Bottrop on the 3-31-1833 . He was my great-grandfather. He married the widow Maria Leonore von Darl, born Lobeck, on 5-31-1863 . She was a daughter of Lobecks-Farm in Bottrop . A child resulted from her first marriage Johann Theodor von Darl. He was born on 10-2-1859 and he was a half-brother to my grandmother Maria Gertrud Kirschbaum.

The great-grandfather worked as blacksmith, presumable on the “Coal-mine Neu-Essen” in Altenessen, where the great-grandparents also lived.

Bernard Kirschbaum died on 5-15-1879 at 46 years old of to consumption. In the death certificate the widow Louise Benning is mentioned.This is his second wife. His first wife, Leonore Lobeck, died from a feverseveral month after childbirth on 7-5-1872 , the birth of her son Bernhard who was born on 3.7.1872.

Apart from the son from the first marriage, Johann Theodor of Darl, they had two more children. The oldest daughter, Maria Gertrud Kirschbaum, born on 4-12-1867 in Altenessen got married on 5-3-1887 to Bernard Rüdel. They were my grandparents on my mother’s side. At the marriage my grandmother was already an orphan. I don't know whether her stepmother, Louis Benning, was still living.

While Johann Theodor von Darl was a half-brother of my grandmother. a daughter of Johann Theodor (he had 10 children) Änne Mertens, born von Darl was a Cousin of my mother and her best friend. To my, sister and me, it was our Aunt Änne.