Westphalen Family History and Genealogy

Johann Christophorus Westphalen is said to have been born in 1684, a date that is calculated from his age provided at the time of death. He appears in the Catholic church records of Herstelle beginning in 1713 with the burial of his first known child Agnes Maria. Johann Christophorus was the predecessor of all known Westphalens in Herstelle.

Attempting to locate the birth of Johann Christophorus Westphalen by searching the Catholic registers of villages nearby Herstelle, uncovered only one possibility. In February 1685, twins Christophorus and Georg were born in Borgholz to Gertrud from Auenhausen, a servant in the von Westphalen household. Johann Meinolph Westphalen was the father of these illegitimate boys.

The original Latin document (in part) and an English translation follow:

"5 Feb Gemelli Georgius Christophorus cuius patrinus Joes. Christoph. filiolus D. [ominus] Georgi Parreuter Levavit ejus nomine Joes. Protte et Joes. cuius patrinus Wilm N. famulus praenobilis D. Jobst. Schoneberg de Juden - Parens horum Gemellorum ut pote illegitimorum Joes. Menolphus Westphalen - mater Gertrudis ex Auenhusen, guae in famulitio apud D. Vogtetum Westphalen a dicto eius filio impraegnata peperit in domuncula postarii vicina nec Excesstis hic in judicio Archdiaconali multctatus aut punitus est. Cum jus illud puniendi sub factum hoc Velut in immunitate commissum sibi vendicarint praenobilis Dni [Domini] aedium istarum nec turbati sint."

In English:

"Twins Georgius and Christophorus whose witness is Johannes Christoph's son Georg. Parents of the illegitimate twins are Johannes Meinolph Westphalen and Gertrud from Auenhausen who was in the family employ of the Duke Westphalen whose son impregnated her in the residence of Cansus [?] in the district of the Archdiocese. Noble representatives were present at the baptism."

Unfortunately, neither of these children are mentioned again in the ecclesiastic records of Borgholz. Furthermore, the Westphalen archives were burned in a fire during the 1848 German Revolution. The few surviving documents were destroyed by the British just after World War II. Thus there is no proven connection between Johannes Christophorus Westphalen who appears later in Herstelle and the Christophorus Westphalen referred to in the Borgholz record. However, if indeed there should be a connection, the Westphalen noble family can be traced several generations approximately to year 1200.

Thanks for help with the German research on this line goes to Herr Wilhelm Honselmann in Paderborn, Herr Hans Ihmsen in Hannover and Edgar Dohmann from the Ostwestfalen Family Web Site.