Katharina Lentz married Thomas Bruch of Ellweiler in 1613. She was the daughter of Philip Lentz of Züsch, a village west of Birkenfeld.
Church records for Züsch itself do not exist before the 18th Century. Thus, what information we have on the Lentz family is limited to references in the records of the neighboring parishes of Birkenfeld and Achtelsbach. In these records, we find references to three men with the Lentz surname. Two, Johann and Philip, are explicitly referred to as being from Züsch. The origin of Adam Lentz is never stated, but he suddenly appears living in Feckweiler around the turn of the 17th Century. Considering another Lentz man from Züsch settled in the same village, it is possible that Adam was related to the Lentz family of Züsch.
Johann Lentz of Züsch is first mentioned in the marriage record of his son Claus in 1605. By that time, Johann was already dead. His son Claus settled in Feckweiler and had connections to Katharina Lentz, who married Thomas Bruch of Ellweiler. Katharina Lentz was the daughter of Philip of Züsch. Philip also had a son, Martin, who settled in Dienstweiler. Philip was still alive as late as 1617 when Martin married.
Johann and Philip Lentz are almost certainly related, but it is not clear how closely. Claus Lentz and his wife served as baptismal sponsors to children of Katharina Lentz on two occasions, strongly suggesting a close family connection. The wife of Adam Lentz, whose name is unknown, served as a sponsor for a child of Martin Lentz.
The following family groups were compiled from the records of the Birkenfeld parish or the Achtelsbach parish (indicated with an ‘A’).
- Johann Lentz of Züsch; d. bef 20 Nov 1605 – the only known reference to Johann Lentz is the marriage record of his son Claus. Johann was dead by the time Claus married in 1605.
- Niclaus (Claus): b. abt 1580; m. Maria, widow of Niclas Jacob of Feckweiler, 20 Nov 1605; d. bef 31 Jan 1626 – Claus settled in Feckweiler after his marriage; he and Maria were sponsors for children of Thomas Bruch and Katharina Lentz; on 31 Jan 1626, Maria was buried and was described as Claus’s widow. The couple do not seem to have had any children.
- Philip Lentz of Züsch; d. aft 21 Jan 1617 – The only references to Philip are the marriage records of his two known children. Philip was still alive when his son Martin married in 1617. We know that he had at least two children, although it is not possible to say who was born first:
- Katharina: b. abt 1590; m. Thomas Bruch of Ellweiler, 25 May 1613 (A); see Descendants of Jacob Bruch of Feckweiler for her children
- Martin: b. abt 1590; m. Dorothea, daughter of Schumacher Bernhardt (known as “Ludwig Bernhardt) of Dienstweiler, 21 Jan 1617
- Anna Maria: bap. 13 Sep 1618 (sponsors were Claus Cuntz of Dienstweiler; Maria, wife of Claus Lentz of Feckweiler; Anna, Anna, the daughter of the court scribe Niclaus Kehler [?] of Dienstweiler)
- Catharina: bap. 13th Trinity Sunday, 1620 (sponsors were Niclaus Schmidt of Nohen; the wife of Adam Lentz of Feckweiler; …of Dientsweiler)
- Hans Niclaus: bap. 28 Jun 1622
- Barbel: bap. 2 Aug 1627
- Eva: bap. 21 Sep 1632 (sponsors were Johannes…Eva, the court scribe’s sister; the wife of Velten Pontes…)
- Adam Lentz of Feckweiler – Adam’s origins are unknown, but it is possible that he was related to Johann and Philip. It is unclear if he is of the same generation as Johann and Philip or of their children. His wife sponsored a baptism of a child of Martin Lentz in 1620. The first known reference to him may come on 13 Dec 1598 when an “Adam Lorentz” of Feckweiler sponsors the baptism of a child of Nicolaus Bruch, son of Jacob. The first clear reference to him is on 29 Mar 1601 when he sponsored the baptism of a son of Adams Niclassen of Feckweiler. On 3 Feb 1602, 2 newborns of Adam Lentz of Feckweiler were buried. On 30 Jul 1604, an unbaptized child of Adam died.
Bruch Family History 