Shades of Woody Allen? Johann Peter Schubkegel

It is not uncommon in the times of our ancestors for a man (or even a woman for that matter) to go through 3 even four wives. Childbirth took many a young woman and her husband generally married fairly quickly, almost of necessity.  He needed another wife and mother for his children. He often would marry an unattached sister in law. After all who would better care for his children then their aunt? There also could be quite a gap in ages of the couple. A widowed woman of means might marry a much younger man or an older widowed man might marry a young girl. Marriage was less of love and more of a social and financial contract.

Even assuming the differences in the protocol of marriage, yesterday and today...

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE PETER?????

In the above family group record, taken from the official church records of Groß-Bieberau Germany we see the family of our 4th great grandfather Johann Peter Schubkegel. We'll just call him Peter. Peter's first wife Anna is noticeably older than he, 13 years in fact. The age factor in of itself is fine. Anna was widowed in 1801 from her first husband. She marries Peter when she is 40, obviously not in her prime as a beauty especially since she bore husband #1 6 kids! Maybe she had property or money to attract Peter or maybe she was a bit of a "cougar"? Anna and Peter married in 1806 but you'll note their first child was born in 1804. It happens.

But now Peter has some real explaining to do.

This is Peter's second wife Maria Barbara. Take notice of who Maria's mother is. Yes, it is Anna, Peter's first wife. Maria marries her stepfather in 1812.

Maria's mother married Peter when Maria was just 11. Now Peter marries his stepdaughter in 1812?
Yet, according to the church record his first wife didn't die until 1817? Transcription errors do happen but chances of me viewing the original records in the church of Groß-Bieberau, Germany are slim to none.
Great great great great grandpa Peter, please say it isn't so.


Johann Peter Schubkegel→ Georg Nicholas Schubkegel→ Anna Elisabethe Schubkegel→ Johann Friedrich Feick→ Georg Ludwig Feick→ Walter Feick→ hubby

**click on documents to enlarge for easier reading transcribed from Groß-Bieberau church books by 

Verein für Computergenealogie www.computergenealogy.net**