Michael, and readers of the list: Maria Kulm was a famous place for religious retreats and many people from the entire area of the Egerland participated in a yearly pilgrimage to this place. The history of this place is on the Internet, however, in the German language, but what you will want to see is the actual building. They are now rebuilding this old church of the Madonna which was totally neglected after the Egerlanders were expelled from this area and fell to total neglect during the Communist years. Friends of this place have collected money to refurbish the church the same as it was, and much of it coming from those families who were former natives now living in Germany. Mr. Josef Döllner, now living in Gröbenzell, near Munich, is collecting a rebuilding fund for the project which is equally supported by the Egerlanders, the Czech Repubic and Bavaria. You can see in this link is what is happening there at this time. Pull down and look at the photos. http://www.maria-kulm.de/geschichte.htm An ancient trade route went along the Eger River, where castles, churches and abbeys served as "hotels" along the way. What I remember best is the story of "robber barons" who extracted money for safe passage from traveling traders, and Maria Kulm was a secure shelter. The interior church ensemble by Christoph Dientzenhofer is an important part of this church and there was no more time to waste in order to rescue this precious artwork which was nearly destroyed during the many years of neglect. It is a beautiful old area full of legends and sagas. Aida --------------------------------------------------------------------- On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 10:26 AM, Michael o Hearn < [email protected]> wrote: > I am well pleased with the Plzen Archives website [email protected] . > > My ancestors are apparently from the vicinity of Gossengrün (Krajkova) in > the Falkenau (Sokolov) area. The data fro Krajkova is not yet uploaded. > However, I did come across the parish baptismal registries for Chlum svati > Mari (Maria Kulm) in the same area begining in the year 1767. Maria Kulm > belonged to the noble family of Heinrich von Reisengrün in the 14th > century. > > The parochial records are written in Latin much like those of American > parishes. In Book II Annus 1768, I find the first entry for a baptism on > January 3 for Maria Anna, daughter of Andreas Höyer and his wife Maria Eva. > The priest administering the sacrament is Rev. Joanne Verner. The second > entry is for the baptism on January 14 for Maria Dosina, daughter of > Venceslaus Verner and wife Margarethe. Also, baptism of Maria Anna, > daughter of Gerhardus Werner and wife Maria. Witness is Andreas Verner, > probably same person as above. > > My ancestors who settled in Buchanan, Wisconsin in 1868 are Josef Werner, > wife Anna and children. Anna married secondly Martin Fischer of Werth (Luh) > near Gossengrün which is why I believe that the Werner family may hve been > from that area. > > Coincidentally, several Höyer brothers came into possession of some of my > Irish ancestors' ancestral farmlands in Maple Grove, Wisconsin, by taking > care of the farm for the couple in their old age, which were originally > acquired by John and James o'Hearn in 1852. > > Michael O'Hearn > > > Visit my Blog! > http://www.westernperspective.blogspot.com > > > > > German-Bohemian Heritage Society web site http://www.rootsweb.com/~gbhs/ > ------------------------------- > 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 >