Hello Brian, some further info about Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin: The town's website (in French only): <http://www.ville-bischwiller.fr/> In 1854, 5 927 inhabitants (Source: M. Guadet, Le Bas-Rhin, 1854) In 1911 (together with Hanhofen and Oberhofen): 2887 Catholics, 5139 Protestants, 207 Jews (Source: Annuaire Diocesain 1911). Have a nice Sunday Etienne > Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2008 11:32:34 -0500 (CDT) > From: brian@amason.net > Subject: Re: [A-L] Obama's Alsatian Roots > > Yes, I had pretty much determined it was the other Bischwiller, > since it > didn't have the "les-Thann" qualifier. I'm also aware of the spelling > variations, although this is the way my gr-grandmother spelled it and > didn't use the qualifier. Which, of course, is how I initially > discovered > there were two. But, it's been ages since I've researched my "Alsace" > roots which go back into Switzerland. > I'm now back to doing more research on my Alsatian Anneheims since a > chance email has hooked me up with some probable cousins. I'm now > trying > to determine which Jean Anneheim they descend from. > > Thanks for the info on Bitschwiller-les-Thann though. My roots are > among > the Bischwiller immigrants you speak of. > > Brian > > On Sat, October 4, 2008 10:40 am, Etienne Herrbach wrote: >> Hello Brian, >> >> sorry to disappoint you: Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, and Bitschwiller-les- >> Thann, Haut-Rhin, are distinct villages, about 150 km apart. The >> name >> of the latter has a "t". >> >> Bischwiller, north to Strasbourg, is majorily a Protestant town, that >> welcomed many French Huguenot emigrants during the 1600's, whereas >> Bitschwiller, west to Mulhouse, is mainly Catholic. >> >> In 1550, Bitschwiller-les-Thann had 23 "fires" (= families). After >> the 30-Years war, only 4 "bourgeois" and 11 children survived. >> Later >> the population increased, mainly due to immigration and development >> of >> mine industry. In 1976 : 2 116 inhabitants. Source : Dictionnaire >> du >> Haut-Rhin. >> >> Etienne