Looking for my Schaefer family in Weissenback 1860s.  How do I look for church records in Weisenback???? Not sure of spelling. My great uncle Carl William Peter Schaefer was born 1843 in Saarburg Reg. Trier,Prussia and as a young man was a deputy forest ranger in the Black Forest, (Prussia)Germany near Weisseenbach, following his fathers footsteps. Carl took part in the Prussia -Austrian Battle of Koniggratz of 1866 and was injured by a saber during the charge. During the campaign he sustained a head wound. In 1868, Carls father sent Carl and his brother August to America so they wouldn't have to fight in any more wars. He moved from the Village of Weissenbach, Germany to America and I believe he lived in Wisconsin before moving to San Francisco. He is on the 1870 and 1880 census in San Francisco. Carl started one of the first German newspapers in San Francisco and he later went into acting. Carl was a well known German stage vetereran along with Ottilie Genee at Breuws Cafe at 70 3rd Street San Francisco Carl's wife Marie opened a costuming shop at 101 O'Farrell Street and Stockton Street in San Francisco, California and she supplied most of the costumes for the opera. Carl's nephew Louis Schafer with wife Mina lived above the costuming shop until the costuming business burned in the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. Louie and Mina had moved from Hamilton, Washington and married in Alameda County, California. Carl and Marie's daughter Louisa with husband William Fischer lived on Van Ness Street in San Francisco and fearing their home would be blasted to stop the fire after the earthquake, they buried all their silver and belongings. Fortunately it wasn't destroyed. Carl, Marie, Louie and Mina lived with Louisa and her husband William on Van Ness Street until they resettled in Oregon. So as to not fight in the war in Germany. Carl's brother Augustin (my great grandfather) was sent to America to teach German in Wisconsin. He met Dorothea Gable and converted to the Catholic faith in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they were married. He taught in country schools and later became a principal in the Milwaukee school district and taught at a Business College. My aunt Marguerite Schafer Eminson said that her grandfather August taught school at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI., German and Music. Around 1881-1895 August and Dorothea later moved to Union Hill, Minnesota. He taught grades one through eight from 1895 until his death in 1897. August had celebrated his Silver Jubilee about this time. He also was an organist and was active with a local lodge. August and Dorothea's son August was living in Hamilton, Washington at the time of Augusts death. Son August and his wife Cora returned to Union Hill where August finished up the school term for his father. At the end of the term his mother Dorothea with her other children Louis and William moved to Hamilton along with August and Dorothea. Daughter Amalia (Molly) was living in Eden Valley, Minnesota with her husband John Ruhland. My great grandfather August Schafer was born in Saarsburg Reg. Trier, Prussia June 07, 1849 and his father,? Schafer moved his family to Weissenbach, Germany where Augustin was an overseer in the Black Forest in Germany. Because of the many wars in Germany, Austria and France, the father decided to send seven of his sons to different countries to live. Carl had been injured in the Austrian War of 1865 and this is when Carls father made his decision to send his sons to other countries. His son August went to America to teach German in Milwaukee Wisconsin and his son Carl went to San Francisco to start a German newspaper. Other sons were sent to Oxford, England; Cambray, Cheltenham, England ; and Canada. There were several daughters who remained in Germany. I believe there were Schaefer families already living in Milwaukee when August arrived. August lived in Hales Corner for awhile and married Dorothea Gabel of Greenfield, WI Aug 23, 1974.