A photocopy of the following typed letter with English and German was given to me by descendants of Frank and Johanna Schukar. In checking the microfilms of the actual church records, I found that the death dates given in the translation are actually the birth dates. Therefore I believe this German letter was re-typed from the original one, and that the abbreviation for born was mis-read.
Translation of a letter to Mrs. Johanna Schukar (wife of Frank, son of August Schukar) nee Bergstraesser, while she was visiting relatives in Germany.The family Schukar is (or was, as the case may be) of early residence in Bernickow. The church records begin in 1653, and the name appears even then. It might be of Wend background. The Wends and Bohemians are related. I could give you a list of ancestors but the older records are sometimes indefinite; the ages at death often do not correspond to the date of birth. But the line apparently is: August Schukar died [born] 1837, his father Peter died [born] 1799; his father Peter died [born?] 1762; his father Martin died [born?] 1721, and his father David probably died [was born?] in 1693, but there it lists 2 David Schukars and I could not determine the right one. The mother of August Schukar was Henriette Grawunder (not Grawunke). The spelling of the names often deviates (Schukar, Schuckar, Schukarr; Grawunder, Graffunder, etc.) The parents of August Schukar were born and married in Bernickow, but didn't die there. The charges: each document costs 60 Pfenige according to the official rule.
My assumption that the family had lived at Bernickow for sometime before 1653 is based on the fact that they are listed as farmers, also that they held all sorts of offices such as school board, church board, etc. Those were usually older families.
Evangelical Church Officer
Bliedner
Bernickow, Neumark
10th August 1937==============
Frau Johanna Schukar, geb. Bergstraesser
z. St. Syrau b/PlauenDie Familie Schukar ist, respective war, altensässig in Bernickow,. Die Kirchenbücher beginnen 1653, and schon da erscheint der Name. Vielleicht wendischer Herkunft; Wenden und Böhmen sind ja verwandt. Ich könnte Ihnen eine Reihe Urkunden besorgen; aber die älteren Angaben sind zum Teil unsicher; die Altersangaben beim Tod stimmen oft nicht mit der Geburt überein. Die Reihe ist offenbar: August Schukar, gest. [geb.] 1837, dessen Vatger Peter, gest. [geb.] 1799; dessen Vater Peter gest. [geb.?] 1762, dessen Vater Martin gest. [geb?] 1721, dessen Vater David wohl gest.[geb.?] 1695; aber da gibt es 2 David Schukar; den rechten kann ich nicht feststellen. Die Mutter von August Schukar heisst Henriette geb. Grawunder (nicht Grawunke). Die Schreibweise der Namen weicht oft ab (Schukar, Schuckar, Schukarr; Grawunder, Graffunder, u.s.w.). Die Eltern des August Schukar sind in Bernickow geboren and getraut, aber nicht gestorben.
Meine Annahme, dass die Schukarfamilie schon vor 1653 länger in Bernickow war, beruht darauf, dass der Name als Bauername erscheint, auch in allerlei Aemtern (Schulvorsteher, Kirchenversteher oder dgl.) Das sind meist Eltere Familien.
Ev. Pfarramt
Bliedner
Bernickow, Neumark
10ter August 1937
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