Gavanesche Family Project Website- Background

Background

Welcome to the Gavanesche Family Project. The following information was compiled from countless hours of research gathered from several sources including :

• French Genealogist Marie-Odile PERES,
• "Les Familles de Bining de 1660 a' 1905", Cercle genealogigue du Pays de Bitche, Auteur : Beatrice KIRSCH,
• Emil SCHEIBENSTOCK, well-known, researcher of the Montafon Valley family histories,
• Internet and microfilm records from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and
• Interviews and documents from several living members of the GABENESCH, GABENISCH, GAVANESCH(E), GAVENESCH, GAFANESCH and GAFENESCH families in Western Europe.

Special recognition is warranted for Colette CHRISTIANY nee GABENESCH (daughter of Martin GABENESCH who was awarded the French Legion of Honor medal). Without her unbridled spirit, tireless efforts, and ability to speak French, German, and English - none of this would be possible.

During the Summer of 2007 I was privileged to visit Bitche (the region surrounding Bining, Lorraine, France) and meet Beatrice KIRSCH and several of members of the GABENESCH family. I was honored with a warm welcome from Christian MARTINE, Maire de BINING. Christian MARTINE's wife is Marie-Reine nee GABENESCH (daughter of Leon GABENESCH).

During the Summer of 2010, I was able to return to Western Europe where I met members of the GAVANESCH, GABENISCH, and GAFANESCH families. I also visited the Montafon Valley, Voralberg, Austria where I met Emil SCHEIBENSTOCK. His research into the history of Montafon Valley families is maintained in the Montafon Museum in Schruns, along with the work of his predecessor, Ludwig VALLASTER, famous Montafon family researcher.

I am honored to be the family secretary and administrator of this website.

Family members are welcome to view family and regional photos on facebook.

Regards,

Michael Stephen Gabennesch
Cincinnati, Ohio USA


FAMILY BACKGROUND :

The "original" surname was GAVANESCHE (the only surname variation no longer in use), and it evolved to GAVANESCH, GAVENESCH, GAFANESCH, GAFENESCH, GABENESCH, GABENISCH, and GABENNESCH.

The general consensus is that the family has ancestral roots in Raetia, and it is believed that the name is derived from CAVA NETSCH. It refers to the gathering of borstgras which is a short, soft grass that grows in the Alps. One of the things it was used for is bedding.

The GAVANESCH(E) surname changed as the family migrated out of the Montafon Valley, Voralberg, Austria (Schruns, Tschagguns, St. Gallenkirch, Gortipohl, Bartholomaberg, and Gaschurn) when the men searched for work. They were well-known masons and stone masons and had been in the area since the mid-1400's (Schruns - 1477, Tschagguns - mid-1500's, and St. Gallenkirch - late 1500's).

At one time, the Montafon Valley was referred to as "Little France" because so many of the local men worked and lived part of the year in France. They returned home speaking French, and following French customs - so much so that a priest scolded them for acting as though they were different from the rest of the local population.

Between 1808 and 1825, three GAVANESCHE brothers from Tschagguns (Franz Josef, Jean-Jacques (Johann Josef) and Josef Anton), moved to Bollviller, Alsace, France and their surname changed to GAFANESCH.

The letters "V" and "F" were often interchanged for each other, in fact there was a heated debate among locals of the Montafon Valley about whether it should be spelled MONTAFON or MONTAVON.

In 1872, Gafanesches who found themselves in annexed territory to Germany as a result of the Franco-Prussian War declared their French citizenship, meaning they would move into France. Seventeen Gafanesches declared French citizenship. All were born in Bolwiller.

Emil Gafanesch, aged 27, (grandson of above mentioned Jean-Jacques) arrived in the United States on March 8, 1887 on the the four-masted ship, La Gascogne, which had departed from Le Havre, France. He went back and brought his mother over on Feb. 1, 1897. She was 65 and listed as being from "Elsas." Emil settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He later moved his family to Dayton, Ohio (just 60 miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio) to work at National Cash Register. Living members of this family reside in the USA, Australia, Canada, and France.

Conventional genealogical research shows that Chretien GABENESCH and Anna Marie MULLER settled in Kalhausen, Lorraine, France in the early 1700's.

In the winter of 1847/1848, my great, great, grandfather Christofel GABENESCH, a direct descendant of Chretien / Anna Marie, emigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio USA from Bining, Lorraine, France. About a year later, his wife Elisabeth LETT and their daughter followed, with the assistance of Elisabeth's sister Catherine.

In the United States, the surname changed to GABENNESCH with the addition of a second "n" around 1859.

Another branch of the GABENESCH family was started by Christian GABENESCH / Marguerite KNIDER after they settled in Bining, Lorraine, France - about the same time that Chretien/Anna Marie settled in Kalhausen.

Since Kalhausen, Bining, and Wiesviller are located within a short distance of each other, and both GABENESCH families were masons/stone masons - it is strongly believed that the two families are related - but this has not been verified through conventional genealogical research.

In the mid-1800's two of Christofel's first-cousins (sons of Jacques GABENESCH / Anne HENRICH) moved to Amance and Nancy, France and their surname changed to GABENISCH.

Conventional research also shows that Joseph GAVENESCH and his wife Madelina KAUFMAN emigrated from Germany to New York around 1850. About 1860, after their first two children were born, they moved to Hudson, New Jersey (later became Jersey City, NJ) where they owned several tenant houses and operated a grocery store. It appears that living members of this family reside in Germany only.