Jim Panttaja’s Genealogy Research

Recently I was researching one of my sister-in-law’s ancestors, and I ended up on a site that was in German. The site is genealogy.net. In the entry for Matthias Schmeisser, I found the following text:

“Sein Grabstein steht noch heute auf dem Friedhof von York; dort und auf Wolf’s Friedhof ruhen fast alle Smyser aus York und Umgebung. Matthias Schmeisser wanderte im Jahre 1731 mit seiner Mutter, seiner Schwester Anna Margaretha und seinem jüngeren Bruder Georg nach Amerika aus. In seiner Heimat hatte er den Beruf eines Webers erlernt und betrieb nun in der Neuen Welt - mit 16 Jahren- einen Textilwarenhandel in Kreutz Creek Yalley (York County).- Bald aber kaufte er, am 3. Mai 1745- mit bestem Grund und Boden- drei Meilen westlich der Stadt York eine grosse Farm, die 100 Jahre später, beim ersten grossen Familientag Smyser (Schmeisser) am 3.5.1845, zu Ehren seines Geburtsortes einstimmig den Namen “Riegelbach” erhielt. Matthias muss ein besonders gewandter, tüchtiger und fleissiger Mann gewesen sein, denn ersterworbenes Land tauschte er immer wieder gegen besseres, bis es ihm dann -14 Jahre nach der Einwanderung- möglich war eine Farm von ca. 500 acres (über 20,000 Ar), günstig zur Stadt gelegen, aufzubauen. Er selbst bewirtschaftete diese Farm vom 3. Mai 1745 bis1771, dann übergab er sie seinem Sohn Mathias, blieb aber bis zu seinem Tode dort wohnen.”

It has been a long time since I studied German in college. At least I could recognize it as German, and thought that I could sort it out with a dictionary. But them I remember Altavista’s Babel Fish. This site let’s you enter text in one language, and it automatically translates it to another. On the website, they support translation between English, and about a dozen other languages, as well as translation between some of those other pairs of languages. I cut and pasted the text above in to Babel Fish, and received this translation:

“Its gravestone stands still today on the cemetery of York; there and on Wolf’s cemetery nearly all Smyser from York and environment rests. Matthias Schmeisser emigrated in the year 1731 with his nut/mother, his sister Anna Margaretha and his younger brother George to America. In its homeland he had learned and operated the occupation of a weber now in the new world - with 16 year a textile trade in Kreutz Creek Yalley (York County). - Soon however he, on 3 May 1745 with best reason and soil west the city York a large farm, bought three miles which received 100 years later, at the first large family day Smyser (Schmeisser) to 3.5.1845, in honours of its place of birth unanimously the name “latch plate brook”. Matthias must have been particularly more turn, efficient and industrious man, because it exchanged firstonly country for better, to it it then -14 years after the immigration possible was a farm of approx. again and again. 500 acres (over 20,000 acre), favorably to the city convenient to construct. It managed this farm from 3 May 1745 bis1771, then it handed it to its son over Mathias, remained however up to its death living there.”

The translation is not perfect - but it is enough to get me going. It also helped me with some of the specific words on the site like geboren (born) and gestorben (died).

A quick google search of “Finnish to English” yielded links to dictionaries as well as online translation tools. So regardless of the languages you need to deal with, the internet may provide tools for you.

[Update 11/1/2007]

I am surprised that I missed this - but there is a translation feature in Google. Here is the German to English translation from that web site:

“His gravestone stands today in the cemetery of York; There and at Wolf’s cemetery almost all the rest Smyser from York and the surrounding area. Matthias Schmeisser emigrated in 1731 with his mother, his sister Anna Margaretha and his younger brother George to America. In his hometown, he had a professional weaver learned and now operated in the New World - with 16 Jahren- a textile trade in goods Kreutz Creek Yalley (York County) .- Soon, but he bought on 3 May 1745 - with the best soil and ground three miles west of the city of York a large farm, the 100 years later, the first big family Smyser (Schmeisser) on 3.5.1845, in honor of his native town unanimously named “Riegel Bach” was . Matthias has a particularly gewandter, competent and fleissiger man, because ersterworbenes country he exchanged repeatedly against better until he then -14 years after the immigration was a farm of about 500 acres (about 20.000 Ar) , favorable to the city, build. He even managed the farm of 3 In May 1745 bis1771, then handed it to his son Mathias, but remained until his death there live.”

This looks at first glance like a better translation.