This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Fuesting, Fusting, Buck,Zurlienen, Kotte, Hecker, Pille, Torlienen. Schroer, Ratermann Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ZVC.2ACE/1861.2617.2702.1.3 Message Board Post: Dear Becky Pleiman I have a zerox copy of the 800 year Celebration of St Johannis Church in Alfhausen in 1983 pages 1 thru 47. Several of the photo's therein show Franciscan pastor and nuns. Which leads me to believe the parish is staffed by Franciscans of the Holy Cross Province of Paterborn. All the early parishes of Effingham Co IL including St Francis of Assisi in Teutopolis came from that province in the 1850's. My 1st Question is: Does the parish records you have of St Johannis in Alfhausen contain a Status Anmarun or Parish Census for any given year such as 1780.Often these were like family registers at that time. In The Diocese of Munster at the LDS I have gained much family relationships. 2nd question is Do the parish records indicate the names of marriage witnesses and also bap sponsors. I should also advise you that we have been very interested in Our families Histories for over 25 to 30 years. All are from Wesfalen, G.D.Oldenburg and Hanover. we haven been to Coesfeld ,Selm, Olfen, Billerbeck and Munster several times in the past 20 years. WE are able to read to a good degree script low german as used in church records from these areas. In a writing to Phyllis Dumstorff you indicated that Johann Bernard Fuesting apparently was not born/ Baptized at St Johannis in Alfhausen. Was his parents names noted in the marriage documet? What is the cost in U.S. dollars for the records from Siegreid Smid ? Do they contain actual photocopys of the record pages?