Notes:

http://www.oocities.org/heartland/hills/9283/index-Germany.htm

Friedrich Kraushaar (Crouser) and his wife, Magdalena
of Hirschthal, Bayern

My immigrant ancestors came from a section of Germany which is along the French border due north of Straussburg, France. We found them in the parish records of the Lutheran church in a small town called Schönau. The place they actually lived was Hirschthal, a tiny village on the French border about two kilometers from Schönau.

Friedrich Kraushaar and his wife, Magdalena, had three children of whom we know.

Caroline Kraushaar was born 11 April 1820 (location unknown) and was confirmed in Schönau in 1832.
Jacob was born 16 July 1822 (location unknown) and was confirmed in Schönau in 1837.
Friedrich was born 29 November 1831 (probably in Hirschthal) and baptized in Schönau on 4 December 1831.
The parish records of Schönau say that at the time of their marriage in the church (5 March 1836) Friedrich and Magdalena had been in a civil marriage for many years. We have not yet found the records of that civil marriage which could have occured anywhere in Germany or France.

Family history notes left by Friedrich, Jr., who went by the name Frederick B. Crouser in this country, say that Magdalena's maiden name was Lape. Friedrich, Jr.'s baptismal record calls her Magdalena Low, and her church marriage record possibly calls her Magdalena Loeb. More research needs to be done on this matter.

We don't know when the family left Hirschthal, but they sailed from La Havre, France, in May of 1837, and arrived in Baltimore, MD, in August after a voyage of 72 days. Their ship was the "Glide".

Friedrich and his family lived in Pittsburgh for a few months while they got acclimated and acquired some equipment. Then they moved northward into Mercer County, PA, where they settled down and began farming. For more information on this family, go to "the Crousers in Mercer County".

Magdalena married Friedrich Graushaar Crouser on 5 Mar 1836. Friedrich (son of Graushaar) was born in 1800. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Karolina Graushaar Crouser was born on 11 Apr 1820.
2. Jakob Graushaar Crouser was born on 16 Jul 1822.
3. Friedrich Graushaar Crouser was born on 29 Nov 1831 in Hirschthal, Pfalz, Bayern; was christened on 4 Dec 1831 in Schönau, Pfalz, Bayern.