Person:Johann Durrenberger (3)

No baptismal record has been found for him, but he is presumed to have been born in Mertzwiller. On his marriage record, he was called "Meister Johann Peter Dürrenberger, Peter Dürrenberger des hiesigen Schäfers ehel. ledig. sohn."

He is generally described as "des drehers [lathe turner] und burger in Gundershoffen, but occasionally called "drechsler" [wood joiner]. He was called "dreher" when he served as a baptismal witness in Gundershoffen in 1737, 1740, 1741 (twice), 1744, and 1749. Called "Drehermeister" in 1754 and 1755 when he served as a baptismal witness in Gundershoffen, so he had evidently advanced in his trade guild between 1749 and 1755. He often served as a witness for children of Christian Gortner.

A Johann Peter Dürrenberger, likely this Johann Peter, served as a baptismal witness in Mertzwiller in 1748 for one of the twin children of Martin Schröter (second husband of Anna Barbara daughter of Christian Dürrenberger). Susanna, wife of Georg Dürrenberger, also served. Alternatively, that may have been Peter the son of Hanss Dürrenberger of Gundershoffen, or this Peter's father Peter.

Peter was the only one of his siblings that seems to have remained in Gundershoffen or the surrounding area. His 3 younger brothers, Stephan, Jacob, and Michael, are known to have gone to the American Colonies in 1738, and it is likely that his parents and the rest of his siblings went also. Peter, the eldest son, may have inherited whatever property his parents owned upon their emigration. He may have chosen to stay in Alsace because he was establishing himself within his trade, and was already married with three children by the time the rest of his family left.

He died at 10 AM. Called "Meister Johann Peter Dürrenberger ledig burger und dreher an Eng benst ..." on his death record. He died at age 69 years 9 months 2 weeks and 4 days. Signators on his death record were Johann Christoph Dürrenberger, son, and Peter Dürrenberger, son.

Twelve years after Peter's death, in 1791, his own son Peter and several of his children emigrated to America, following in the footsteps of his parents and siblings who had gone in the 1730's.