Christian Birki (Bircki) b. Abt 1759 d. 13 Aug 1797 Bitche, Moselle, FR: The Schrock-Birkey Connection
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Christian Birki (Bircki)

Male Abt 1759 - 1797  (~ 38 years)


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  • Name Christian Birki (Bircki)  [1, 2, 3] 
    Birth Abt 1759  [3] 
    Gender Male 
    EARL Y 
    Reference Number 35 
    Religion Anabaptist 
    Residence Unterdiessen, GR Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Tafernwirt
    USR1 From A Fall 
    Death 13 Aug 1797  Bitche, Moselle, FR Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    • Petite-Rosselle (La-Rosselle) Christian died at Bitche at 7 a.m. 26 Thermidor 5 - Aug. 13, 1797. He is described as Chistian Bircki, 38, husband of Barbe Koch, of la cense de la Rosselle. Witnesses were his father-in-law Christian Koch, anabaptiste de Gendersberg, 65; and Jacques Berguste, secretary of the municipality, 36.
    Person ID I35  Schrock-Birkey Connection
    Last Modified 30 Jul 2022 

    Father Birki,   b. Abt 1700   d. Abt 1750-1760 (Age ~ 60 years) 
    Family ID F1961  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Barbe Koch,   b. Abt 1768   d. 28 Dec 1834, Heimberg, Bavaria, GR Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 66 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1781 
    • bei Augsburg
    Children 
     1. Christian Bürcky (Birki),   b. 1781, Bitche, Moselle, FR Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Apr 1840, Siebenbrunn, Bavaria, GR Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 59 years)
     2. Veronica Burkey,   b. 4 Oct 1796, Bitche, Moselle, FR Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1855, Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years)
    Family ID F51  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 22 Feb 2019 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsResidence - - Unterdiessen, GR Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 13 Aug 1797 - Bitche, Moselle, FR Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • The grandfather of the Big Birkeys (who immigrated to Illinois) died at Bitche  at 7 a.m. 26 Thermidor 5 - Aug. 13, 1797 (we had circa 1800). The 10 a.m. entry describes him as Christian Bircki, 38, husband of Barbe Koch, of la cense de la Rosselle. Witnesses were his father-in-law Christian Koch, anabaptiste de Gendersberg, 65; and Jacques Berguste, secretary of the municipality, 36.

      Christian and Barbara/Barbe were residents of a 297-acre farm called Freydenberg in the neighborhood/parish of La Rosselle within Bitche [Fr. la cense de la Rosselle dit Freydenberg]. Up until the early 20th century potatoes were raised there and processed through a distillery.   

      BITCHE
      Bitche is the site of an historic fortress [Fr. Citadelle de Bitche], standing 250 feet over the town.  It was constructed in 1624. Beginning in 1744 army officer Louis de Cormontaigne rebuilt it to be self-sustaining with its own water supply.  On Nov. 17, 1793 a 739-man garrison held off an assault by 1,200 Prussian troops.  The siege is found in military histories as an engagement in the First Battle of Wissembourg. 

      During the Napoleonic wars the citadel was used to confine prisoners of war.  It was common to see them marched to the citadel in chain gangs.  Officer prisoners under guard were routinely permitted to leave the citadel and purchase food at the town's markets.  Accounts of imprisonment there can be found online in Edward Fraser's Napoleon the Gaoler; Personal Experiences and Adventures of British Sailors and Soldiers during theGreat Captivity (1914).   During Napoleon's 100 days in 1815, the French commander repulsed a siege by Austrian troops.  [4]

  • Sources 
    1. [S2] Ruth Berkey Reichly, The Berkey Book, (Arlington, VA).

    2. [S16] Edna Schertz, Joseph and Catherine Stalter Good.

    3. [S1025] Christian Bircki death record.

    4. [S398] Joseph Staker, Amish Mennonites in Tazewell Co.


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