When two people married whose parents were burghers of a town, they were also of Burgher Status. Here is a look into the social stratas of a town and the legal aspect of it which sheds light on your "female burgher" status as well. Submitted by Aida Kraus The citizens who lived in the towns made a living either from trade or from craft. A person who wanted to go into business as a merchant or a craftsman had to ask for permission. If there was a demand for his wares or his craft, he could set up business. He had to have a home in town and he had to have two men testify that he was a reliable man. After becoming a citizen of the town, he could set up business. As a citizen, he could be elected a member of the Council, thereby gaining the right to have his say at the Council meetings. He also had to do his duty as a night-watch and fire-guard. The citizen also had an obligation to take part in the defence of the town. Sometimes a woman could become a citizen, for example if her husband died and she was able to take over his business. However, most people in town were not citizens, or burghers. The apprentices, servants, housekeepers, priests, jesters and many others who lived and worked in town, had none of these rights and duties. Read more about the town under "Town Life" On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 6:56 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > A burgher was a citizen of the town. There were requirements, and perhaps > fees, for that status. You had to petition the town to get it. Or at least > up to a certain time. It may have become simply a title for any > resident/native at some point in time. Can't say, as I haven't really > delved into the topic much. A burgher had certain rights that a vagabond > or other resident would not, and were in a different class than the > ordinary peasant. At least in certain times. > > > So married burgers would likely have been a legally married couple, whom > the husband (and perhaps wife) were citizens of the town. > > I have at least one ancestor who was a female burger. The only one, I've > so far seen, listed as a burger in her own right. > > It would be "civis" in Latin documents. > Probably "citoyen" in French, but can't say as I've seen this in the > French records. > > Brian > > > On Fri, July 1, 2011 8:13 am, pat1030 wrote: > > One quick question - what does "married burgers" mean? > > > > > > -- > Resources for Alsace-Lorraine list members: > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~valorie/Alsace-Lorraine-L.htm > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >