More Information on the Dunzinger Family

I found out more details of the Dunzinger family in and around Wemding, Bavaria, Germany. This does not yet confirm that we've found Elizabeth Dunzinger's ancestors but it does confirm that the Andrew Dunzinger family found in the 1855 New York census does connect to the Dunzinger family in Wemding. What we need to track down now is the marriage and death records for Andrew and Fanny Dunzinger found in the 1855 New York census. If we can confim that they died in the late 1850s, that will, to me at least, prove beyond a reasonable doubt that we've found our Elizabeth Dunzinger's family. I'm sure there is more information than what I'm showing here but I've asked them to hold off the research due to the cost (more than I expected) and the fact that we haven't confirmed that this is the correct Dunzinger family. I'm pretty confident but I'd rather not have more research expense without knowing this for sure. I'm hoping to find a way to do the research myself but as far as I know, these documents have not been digitized or microfilmed.

Here are the details of what we now know:
Andrew Dunzinger, found in the 1855 New York census in Ward 20, 2nd Enumeration District, age 32, with a daughter, Elizabeth, 1 year old. Here's the entire family entry:

Andrew Dunzenger - M - 32 - born in Germany
Fanny Dunzenger - F - wife - 27 - born in Germany
Margret Dunzenger - F - child - 4 - born in New York
Elizabeth Dunzenger - F - child - 1 - born in New York
Victoria Sualemar - F - 68 - mother - born in Germany
Adam Pacoke - M - 16 - brother - born in Germany

At 32 years old, we can estimate his birth year to be 1822-1824 and the census specifies he was born in Germany and immigrated 9 years prior, in about 1846. It lists his occupation as a "paper stainer".
A paper stainer is typically someone who paints or dyes paper, typically to be used for wallpaper.

In the records of Wemding, currently stored in Eichstatt, we have the marriage of Andreas Dunzinger (a widower and tinctor [a dyer], son of the deceased Georg Andreas Dunzinger, a merchant, and his wife Cäcilia Riß) and Maria Francisca Leinfelder, born October 18, 1797,
Witness: Jacob Leinfelder, miller at Haagenmühl and his wife Maria Francisca Zamet.

They had 9 children including Andreas, born February 12, 1822. Their other childrens' names were Rupert, Joseph (died at 9 months old), Joseph, Catharina de Sienna, Cacilia (died at 5 years old), Francisca, Cacilia, Emmeram (died at 1 year, 8 months old).

The elder Andreas Dunzinger's first marriage was to Maria Josepha Lettenbauer, born 06.05.1792, daughter of Michael Lettenbauer mayor and innkeeper and his deceased wife Marianna Koch. They had three children, Maria Anna Juliana, Maria Anna and Joseph. His first wife died at the age of 38. His second wife, the mother of Andreas, also died at 38 years of age and he married a third time, to Marianna Strauss, daughter of the decesased Johann Strauss a citizen in Anhauserhof and his deceased wife Marianna Ottinger.

One baptismal entry says the father is owner of “Wildbad” in Wemding. Wildbad is a part of Wemding; today a hotel.

Georg Andreas Dunzinger (this would be Elizabeth's great-grandfather) married twice. First to Maria Barbara, daughter of the deceased Joseph Kreislmayer senator/councilman and his deceased wife Catharina. Next to Maria Cäcilia, daughter of the deceased Johann Riß innkeeper from Blindheim and his deceased wife Maria Anna. Maria Cäcilia would be Elizabeth's great-grandmother.

George Andreas Dunzinger was the son of Franz Xaver Dunzinger, cerearius Wörthae (= cerearius = chandler; Wörthae = Donauwörth?) and senator/councilman, and his wife Maria Anna.

We also have information about Joseph Dunzinger's marriage and descendants. This is the brother of the Andreas Dunzinger that moved to New York and likely the ancestor of most of the Dunzingers still living in the area. As for the mother and brother listed, we have to assume they are the mother and brother of Fanny Dunzinger. We have not yet figured out who she is and if she is also from Wemding. Their marriage record in New York will likely provide more information as there is no marriage record for the younger Andreas Dunzinger in Wemding. Also, the researcher could not find a connection between the Dunzinger family and the Ziegelmueller and Wagner families in Wemding so I'm working under the assumption they are releated to Fanny and that she is also from Wemding.

--Matt
Lessons learned: Never give up looking for that elusive ancestors. Never lose contact information for those who've helped you in the past. Find out the cost of what research is going to cost before authorizing the research.