Person:Johannes Fischbach (3)

The original ancestry of the Fischbachs was a prominent ironmaster. Tiel Van Fischbach (otherwise called "Von Hollenstein") was born about 1415/1420 who was "Schultheiss" of Freudenberg, or Chief Justice of the District Court and official representative of the Court of Nassau-Siegenin that District.

Johannes paid the defense tax at Trupbach in 1624, 1626, 1628 and 1629, but only half the tax for those not serving in the militia, indicating that he was occupying only a half-house, the other half being occupied by a relative. He was of an age to serve in the militia in these years, but must have been excused for some reason. Strangely, his name does not appear in the next Treasury Accounts of 1637, although he was still living at Trupbach.

The two marriages are proved by a complaint made November 25, 1662 by Johannes Fischbach against his son Johannes in which Johannes Fischbach of Trupbach, along with Elisabeth his wife, stated that he was making arrangements to dispose of his house at Trupbach, but learned at Easter how "turbulently" his son, Johannes Fischbach of Seelbach, was behaving in regard to him (the father), his wife, and the children of his second marriage (Landschreiber - Protokolen, 14, No. 6, Volume 2). The dwelling house at Trupbach was apparently being turned over to Johanne's son Jost, by his second marriage, and the parents moved to Eichen for a couple of years, having probably inherited property there. This is proved by a document dated March 19, 1664, in which Jost Fischbach, bachelor of Trupbach, borrowed 12 Reichsthaler for the repair of his house, giving himself and his father, "Johannes Fischbach of Eichen," as securities for the debt. Jost Fischbach probably married shortly after this date, as indicated later.

The elder Fischbachs, Johannes and Elisabeth, did not stay long inEichen, however, for they are mentioned July 22, 1665 as living at Trupbach (Siegerner Landesarchiv 14, No. 6, Vol. 2, Page 153). On October 20, 1670 Johannes Fischbach and Elisabeth his wife of Trupbach sold a meadow to Johannes Heite, the shoe maker, and his wife Maria.

Johannes Fischbach died 1671/1672, for "Johannes Fischbach's heirs" are mentioned as boundary owners at Trupbach on May 11 and July 3, 1672.

Johannes seems to have had a long and expensive illness, for on June 24,1672 Elsbeth, Johannes Fischbach's widow of Trupbach, borrowed money from Tillmann Strack of Oberschelden to pay a debt to the hospital in Siegen.

Elsbeth or Elisabeth, Johannes' second wife and widow, is last mentioned as a boundary owner February 2, 1675, and must have died about this year, for "Johannes Fischbach's heirs" are mentioned as boundary owners May 20,1675, and "Johannes Fischbach of Seelbach, " the son of the first marriage, February 12, 1676.

1. ↑ Germanna Record No. 5: Ancestry & Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia 1714 - 1750
   Pages 145 - 168.