Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America, Genealogical Society for
Ostfriesen, Germany
OGSA
1670 So Robert St, #333 West St Paul, MN 55118
Ostfrieslands Ortssippenbücher (OSBs)
Please note that many of the out of print OSB are currently being
reprinted.
If there is a book that you would like, please contact
Lin@ogsa.us
now!
An
Ortssippenbuch (OSB) is a
community lineage book listing all the families in a village using church records and other local records as the source. The information in OSBs
typically spans a time period from the 1700s to about 1900 and includes names, occupations, family relationships, dates of birth, death, and marriage, and more.
An Ortsfamilienbuch (OFB) is the same
type of book, typically privately published. We are in contact with
preparers of these books in Ostfriesland.
OSBs are written by volunteers, some of whom spend up to 14 years writing them.
OGSA also has a pamphlet explaining the OSB.
However, please remember that these records are
secondary sources. This
data is transcribed from the original records and there are errors in some of
the books.
If your ancestor lived in a village that has a published OSB, you are in luck!
See the bottom of the page for OSB search request information.
You can order any of the OSB/OFB from OGSA.
We can let you know if some of these books are still in print. We can
also accept Visa & Mastercard. Please contact us for prices and availability. Print out the
OGSA order form or
contact us at OGSA.
Currently available OSBs
Many of the out of print OSB are now being
reprinted if there are 15 orders. We have many OSB/OFB in stock, please
contact us for more information. Also reprinted is the 1719 Kopfschatzungsregister - one of the most
valuable books for an Ostfriesen researcher!
Copies of each OSB are available for research use in
the Minnesota Genealogical Society library. They cannot be checked out or
removed from the premises. If you are coming to use the
facility, please check the MGS website for more information.
Amt UPLENGEN - churches in
this area include Remels, Hollen, Octenhausen, Firrel) Volume
17 included a list of all emigrants from this area who left for US.
It includes B, M & D information.
Call for more information. These books are out of print, but are
found in several libraries. Contact us for more information.
Recently printed books
include Weene (3 volumes), Greetsiel and Forlitz-Blaukirchen.
Carolinensiel will arrive in November 2012.
OLDENBURG AREA -
Varel, Berne, Barßel,
Waddens, Wiefelstede, Rastede, and Jade. These are entire
community lineage books and the disks include pictures! Ortssippenbücher on CD ROM
are available and in
stock. Cost is $59 with shipping and handling. This is subject
to change dependent on the value of the dollar vs. the Euro.
To order any book -
please contact OGSA.
Books ordered from Germany arrive in approximately six weeks. Many
of these books are in stock at the current time!
This list
is subject to change! Check the list of churches as there may be
more. There is no guarantee that all of these books are in stock at any
time. These are the books that have been printed at one time, some are not
currently in print. Once
OSB are sold out, there is no guarantee that they will be reprinted.
Scheduled to be printed OSBs
Uttum, Dornum, Funnix
This is a list of only a few Ortssippenbuch Symbols and Abbreviations
/ Also check theGUIDE TO TERMS that can be downloaded and printed - a must for your
research files!
As a guide to the novice and to give an indication of what the OSBs may contain, this article from the
OGSA Newsletter is reprinted here.
Ortssippenbücher use symbols to designate specific events or pertinent information. Each book uses similar symbols for birth, marriage, death, etc. However, each OSB may add other information. The following are
only a few of the symbols that are necessary to understand the basic records.
This list is in the process of being updated.
*
Date of birth
Christening date
Marriage
I
First marriage (I may be in parentheses)
II
Second marriage (II may be in parentheses)
o/o
geschieden (divorced)
o-o
Not married
+
Date of death
gef.
Gefallen (fallen person — deaths in this category will be limited to war years, i.e.,
1870-1871, 1914-1918, 1939-1945)
or #
Date of burial
*+
Died on day of birth
+*
Born dead
o
Confirmation
vorehel.
Vorehelich (premarital agreement)
B.
Bruder (brother)
E.
Eltern (parents)
M.
Mutter (mother)
Schw.
Schwester (sister)
Gl
Gulden (Dutch coin)
Rth
Reichstaler/Ruthtaler
Sch
Schaf (sheep)
S.d.
Sohn des (son of)
T.d.
Tochter des (daughter of)
V.
Vater (father)
Wwe, Wwr
Witwe(r) (widow, widower)
Hw
Hinweis (Reference to)
s.
siehe (see...)
S.
Seite (page...)
vgl.
Vergleiche (compare/see also)
procl.
Proclamiert (Proclamation)
ki
kirchlich (Ecclesiastical)
st
standesamtl. (Registry Office for Marriages)
StAStaatsarchiv
State Archive
landwirt
Farmer
lgbr.
Landgebraucher (Most likely a renter of tillable acres.
Landowners were "dikke Burren" (Platt) or rich farmers)
Posthum Nach dem Todes
des Vaters geboren
Born after the death of the father.
Schatzung
Assessment, estimation of value
P
Pferde (horse)
O
Ochsen (oxen)
K
Kühe (cows)
E
Enter (ducks)
C
Confirmation
ppr
Pauper / Arm (pauper - poor)
Rt
Reichstaler (large small)
Sch
Schap (small coin)
Witt
Witten (very small coin)
St.A
Standesamtliche Heirat (Marriage) (wedding as recorded in civil records)
vor
Before
Dienstmagd
Servant, female
Dienstknecht
Servant, male
Bäcker
Baker
Soldat
Soldier
Weber
Weaver
Arb.
Arbeiter - day laborer (also called Tagelöhner)
Landadel
Landed gentry
Landwirt
Farmer, possible land owner
Kaufman
Merchant, shopkeeper, trader
Kap.
Kapitãn (sea captain)
Schiff
Ship
Schiffer
Sailor, boatman
Schiffseigner
Ship owner
Warfsmann/Warfsleute
Social status term; poor member of
society with small dwelling with no voting status in the village.
You will also find references to:
KB
Kirchenbuch (Church book)
OAL
Ostfriesische Ahnenlisten / pedigrees
submitted to Upstalsboom-Geschellschaft, Aurich.
OFB
OSB
Ortsfamilienbuch - community lineage
book
Ortssippenbuch - community lineage book
QuF
Quellen und Forschungen zur Ostfrieshen Familien- und
Wappenkunde. Genealogy quarterly published by the
Upstalsboom-Geschellschaft, Aurich.
DGB
Deutsches Geschlecterbuch — volumes of German Genealogy information about the Bourgeois
(42,3,2)
translates to 42 years, 3 months, 2 days
OSB Research Requests
OGSA board members currently do not have the time or capability of doing research in the Ortssippenbücher for members or non-members.
Please note that some of the older OSB are out of print and not currently available for purchase.
Other OSB collections in the USA include the libraries in
Tazewell County Genealogical Society, IL, Peoria, IL; George, IA and Wellsburg, IA and the St. Louis, Missouri County
Library as well as the LDS Salt Lake City Family History Library.
We can do research for you, however, all
research work must be pre-paid.
Nothing
will be mailed to you before payment is received.
We also have some members who can do
translations. Contact us for a listing. You will have to arrange
payment for their services.
Please contact OGSA for more information. Please include as much data as possible to narrow the search.
info@ogsa.us or
lin@ogsa.us.
An
Ortssippenbuch (OSB) is a
community lineage book listing all the families in a village using church records and other local records as the source. The information in OSBs
typically spans a time period from the 1700s to about 1900 and includes names, occupations, family relationships, dates of birth, death, and marriage, and more.
or #