Examination of the registers reveals no Felbingers recorded therein. Rather, the transcriptions are for baptismal, marriage and death records of several families related to the Felbingers by marriage through Gesine Dorothea Margaretha Felbinger (b. Meyer, 1868-1942). These records include the records for Gesine herself (known to the family as Cenie), her siblings and other Meyer relations, and her mother's families (Doppmann and Müller.

To examine these records I have used the microfilm version available through the Family History Library of the Mormon Church. The citation for these films (FHL#1653676; FHL#1653760) comes from the FHL catalogue:

Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church (Brooklyn, NY)
Church records, 1851-1869.
Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990.
2 microfilm reels ; 16 mm.

Microfilm of transcripts at Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, NY.

Text in German and English.
High-reduction microfilm; use high magnification reader.

CONTENTS:

Alphabetical lists of name and date: Baptisms, Feb 3 1856-Dec 29 1867; Marriages, Apr 13 1856-Oct 29 1868; Deaths, Jul 8 1856-Mar 3 1868

Chronological records: Baptisms, Feb 3 1856-Dec 29 1867; Marriages Apr 13 1856-Oct 29 1868; Deaths, Jul 8 1856-Mar 3 1868;

Baptisms, Jan 1 1868-Nov 26 1969; Confirmations, Dec 4 1851-1965; Marriages Nov 1 1868-May 16 1969: FHL US/Cecilia Film [1653676]

Deaths Mar 3 1880-Nov 15 1969: FHL US/Cecilia Film [1653760]

Initially, I used the index to these records found on the German Genealogical Group website. I have found some discrepancies in spelling between names in the index and names as they actually appear in the registers. This is the usual situation of trying to decipher handwritten records where the transcriber is not altogether familiar with the forms of names, and with the styles of handwriting. Additionally, the volume numbers listed in the GGG index are not the same volume numbers that appear in the microfilm version; the pages numbers (if any) appear to coincide with the description in the GGG index. To resolve this problem simply, I list the entries in chronological order.

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BAPTISMS

"1867 [Maerz] 24. Johann Heinrich Christian geb. 2. Novemb 1866 in Brooklyn; Sohn des Johañ Pfortners 's Altendorf Hañover, u. der Gesche geb. Meier; 's Brinkum, Hannover. Zeugen Die Eltern, Wollcott Str.; Johann Heinrich Meyer, Christian Müller."
(Ed. note: 's = aus ; the contraction appears as a standard abbreviation throughout the records, occasionally written without the apostrophe, occasionally the word is written out in full.)

"1867 - Juni 9 - Carl Johann Heinrich Friedrich; geb. 17 April in Br[ooklyn]; Sohn des Heinrich Meier, 's Brinkum, Hañover; u. der Catharina geb. Doppmañ, 's Wunsdorf, Hañover. Zeugen Die Mutter: Rutger Str. [sic], Carl Doppmañ Joh. Dietrich Christian Pfortner; Friedrich Wilhelm Doppmann [sic]."
(Ed. note: "Rutger Str." This is the best reading of the handwriting. My research indicates there has never been a Rutger Street in Brooklyn, or that it is the former name of any Brooklyn street. Perhaps the Meyers moved to Manhattan for a time between the birth and baptism of their first child (for there is a Rutgers St. in lower Manhattan immediately across from Brooklyn, but this is uncertain, and no evidence of such a move is presently known.

In January 1868 a new baptismal register was begun, and kept until October 1874. The following headings appear at the top of the pages: Jahr; Namen der Täuflinge; Geburtstag; Namen und Gebortsort der Eltern; Zeugen (Year; Names of the Baptizands; Birthday; Names and Birthplaces of the Parents; Witnesses):

"[1868, August 30] - Carl Friedrich Heinrich - 24. Juli 1868 in Brooklyn - Wilhelm Doppmañ 's Wulmstorf, Hañ.; u. der Regina geb. Mohre [sic] 's Thailfingen, Württ. - Die Eltern 464 Columbia Str., Friedrich Doppmañ Joh. Heinr. Meier [sic]."
(Ed. notes:
1) It is the "Joh. Heinr. Meier" at the end of this entry that led me to the 1867 entry for the first son of John Henry and Catharina (Doppmann) Meyer, cf. supra.
2) "Mohre": sic, but cf. her death record infra that registers the name as "Muri". The civil death certificate from the Borough of Brooklyn records the name as "Mohre".
3) "Thailfingen": The word as written is clear enough, though the initial vowel is blotted, so that it might be "a" or "e". Comparison with "Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reiches" leads to one of two conclusions: 1) "Tailfingen: 1) OA Balingen, a/d Schmiecha; Württ., Schwarzwaldkreis; 2 ev., 1 kath. Pfk."; or 2) "Talfingen: OA Herrenberg, das., BKdo. Calw, ev. Pfk."

"1869, [Februar.] 21 - Gessine Dorothea Margaretha - 18. Decemb. 1868 in Brooklyn - Johañ Hiñrich Meyer 's Brinkum, Hañ; Margar. Doppmann 's Wunsdorf, Hañ -- Die Eltern: 100 Wollcott Str.; Gessine Pfortner, Eva Margar. Müller, Regina Doppman [sic], Dorothea Doppmañ, Bertha Doppmañ."
(Ed. note: baptismal record for Grandmother "Cenie" (Meyer) Felbinger. This record clears up the mystery of her exact birth date, for according to family stories Cenie herself was always vague about the date, especially the year ... )

(For a larger image of this entry, click here)

"1870, [Juni] 19 - Johann Hinnrich Dietrich - 22 Maerz in Brooklyn - Johann Hinrich Meyer aus Brinkum, Hañ.; Catharina geb. Doppmann 's Wolmsdorf Hañ. - Die Eltern, Conover Str.; Dietrich Doppmañ, Alexander Cohnstein [?: best reading], Friedrich Wilh. Doppmañ, Wilhelm Doppmañ."

"1871, [Dec.] 24 - Anna Magdalena Dorothea - 26. September 1871 Brooklyn - Friedrich Wilhelm Doppmann 's Wulmstoff Hañ.; Bertha geb. Kuttler s Wankheim, Württ. - Die Eltern, 90 Degraw Str., Anna Magdalena Doppmañ, Dorothea Doppmann [sic]."

"1872 [April] 21 - Dora Margaretha Helene - 21 November 1871, Br. - Johann Heinrich [sic] Meyer 's Brinkum Hañover; Catharina geb. Doppmann 's Wulmsdorf Hañ. - Die Eltern, Bond u. 1st Str.; Dorothea Meyer, Margaretha Corsion."
(Ed. note: "Bond u. 1st Str.": this address would have the Meyers living in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn.)

"1872, [Juli] 21 - Regina Dorothea Catharina - 11 Juni 1872 Brooklyn - Wilhelm Doppmañ; 's Wulmsdorf Hañover; Helene geb. Harms 's Nadorß [sic], Grafsch. Oldenburg - Die Eltern, Van Brunt Str., Regina Doppmañ, Dorothea Meyer; Catharina Meyer."
(Ed. note: "Nadorß". This name appears in various forms throughout the entries relating to Helene Harms; the best reading I can make of it is "Nordorf", a small village on the German coast within what was at this time the county of Oldenburg, and opposite the Friesen Islands.)

"1872, [August] 25 - Maria Catharina Elisabetha - 5 Juni 1872 Brooklyn - Dietrich Doppmañ 's Wulmsdorf, Hañover; u. der Elisabetha geb. Horchner 's Brooklyn, L.I. - Der Vater des Kindes, 44 Partition Str., Cath. Meyer, Elisabetha Horchñer, Cath. Elisabetha Reinick."
(Ed. note: Horchner". The reading here is correct; the name also appears in her marriage entry as "Heckner"; see below.)

"1873 [September 28] - Friedrich Carl - 28. Januar 1873, Brooklyn - Friedrich Meyer, s Wulmsdorf, Hañover; Doris Doppmann, s Wulmsdorf, Hañ. - Die Eltern, 132 Navy Str.; Ana Meyer; Carl Doppmañ, Edward Pfarrer."

"1874 Februar 1 - Catharina Margaretha - 22 November 1873, Brooklyn - Johann Hinrich Meyer 's Brinkum Hannover; Cath. Margar. Doppmann 's Wulmsdorf Hannover - Der Vater des Kindes, 132 Union Str.; Bertha Doppmann, Elisabeth Doppmann."

"1874, Juli 19 - Friedrich Adolf Johann - 6 Mai 1874 Brooklyn - Wilhelm Doppmann 's Wilmsdorf [sic] Hannover; Gesche Helene geb. Harms, 's Nordof [sic] Grafsch. Oldenburg - Der Vater d. Kindes, Ecke Van Brunt Str. + Hamilton Av.; Friedrich Doppmañ; Friedrich Adolf Meyer, Johann Sandmañ."

In November 1874 a new baptismal register was begun, and kept until December 1879. The following headings appear at the top of the pages: Jahr; Namen der Täuflinge; Geburtstag; Namen und Gebortsort der Eltern; Zeugen (Year; Names of the Baptizands; Birthday; Names and Birthplaces of the Parents; Witnesses):

"1875 [März] 7ten - Georg Johann - 12th December [1874], Brooklyn L.I. - Johann Pfortner, 's Altendorf Hannover; Gesine g. Meyer 's Brinkum, Hannover - Die Eltern des Kindes, Nr. 24 Wolcott Street; Georg Meyer, Johann Terrett."

"1875 [October] 31 - Friedrich Wilhelm - 28 Mai [sic] 1875 Brooklyn - Johann Hinrich Meyer 's Brinkum Hañover; Catharina g. Doppmann, 's Wulmstorf, Hañ.; - Die Mutter des Kindes 316 Nord Erste Str.; Friedrich Meyer, Friedrich Wilhelm Doppmañ."

1876 - Otto Miller Doppmann, b. December 12, 1876 - No record found in baptismal register nor in the register's index; see confirmation and marriage records.

"1877 [Juli] 22 - Johann [Wilhelm] - 3 November 1876 - Wilhelm Doppmañ 's Wulmstorf Hañover; Gesche Helene g. Harms, 's Norddofh Grafsch. Oldenburg - Die Eltern, Hamilton Av. u. Van Brunt Str., Hermann Harms in Oldenburg; Dietrich Doppmañ."
(Ed. note: "[Wilhelm]": "[Wilhelm]" is indicated in this record by a ditto mark (") for the middle name of the previous recorded baptizand (no relation).

"1877 [September 30] - Alexander Dietrich - 28 Maerz 1877 Brooklyn - Johann Hinrich Meyer 's Brinkum, Hañover; Cath. geb. Doppmañ 's Wulmstorf Hanover [sic] - Die Mutter des Kindes, 328 Flushing Av.; Dietrich Doppmañ, Mathilde Corsen [sic]."

"1879 [Juli] 13 - Dietrich Wilhelm - 7 Januar 1879 Brooklyn - John [sic] Hinrich Meyer 's ... Hannover; Catharina Margaretha g. Doppmann ... Hannover - Die Eltern des Kindes, Nr. 238 Flushing Ave."
(Ed. note: the names of the villages from whence Johann and Catharina had come were left out of this entry. There is only a blank space before the "Hannover" and the omissions are noted here by ellipses. "Nr. 238 Flushing Ave.": In July 2007 I examined the Brooklyn births index at the New York Municipal Archives. Of all the Meyer children, only Dietrich Wilhelm appears to have a birth certificate issued by the City of Brooklyn. The information was submitted by the "medical attendant", Mrs. Louisa Seehoher, who listed the child's "Dick Meyer", and Catharina's "Doggmann" (yet another variant). The fact of a birth certificate for this one child and none of the others leads to speculation whether midwives were present at the others' births, or perhaps this birth was unusually difficult. The address of 238 Flushing Ave. is confirmed by the birth certificate.)

1879 - Helene Regina Doppmann, born August 6, 1879 - No record found in baptismal register, nor is there an entry for her baptism in the subsequent register; see confirmation records.

NB: In January 1880 a new baptismal register was begun. Unlike the two previous registers that were handwritten on printed forms, the register begun in 1880 (ending in 1905) is completely handwritten.

"1883. 8 [July] - Wilhelm Anderson Meyer, geb. 13 Febr. 83.
V: Johann Hinrich Meyer, aus Brinkum, Hannover
M: Cath. Marg. geb. Doppmann, Wormsdorf, Hannov.
Eltn W: 670 4th Av.
P: Wilhelm Carl Anderson"
(Ed. note: "Uncle Will", for whom William Henry (George) Felbinger was named.)

"1885. 9 [Aug] Anna Magdalena Rebecca Meyer
geb. 18 März 85
V: Johann Hinrich Meyer, aus Brinkum in Hannover
M: Catharine [sic] geb. Doppmann aus Wulmsdorf, Hannover
Eltn W: 336 Hamilton Str. Av. [sic]
Z: Rebecca Niebuhr"
(Ed. note: This is the baptismal record for "Aunt Annie". She later married a man named Robert Allen. At the time I knew her, she lived in North Valley Stream, NY with her children, while we lived in the Gibson section at the south end of Valley Stream. We would occasionally visit on Sundays. The only other thing that as children we knew about her was that she was an inveterate fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and often expressed the hope she might live long enough to see "Them Bums" win a World Series. It is rumored that when the Dodgers did win in 1955, the neighbors ran to her house to see if she had expired. She had not, but was deliriously happy. She lived until 1966.)

"[1901] 1 December. Regina Helene Doppmann geb. d. 6 Nov. 1901 in Br.
V: Otto Doppmann
M: Laura [sic] geb. Bock
667 Hick Str.
P: Helene Regina Doppmann

CONFIRMATIONS

(Among the several registers recorded on this microfilm is the Confirmation register of the Zion Church. As the citation above indicates, the Church had only one confirmation register for 114 years, and was able to do so by simply listing the names of the confirmands and the date they were confirmed. No other significant information about the confirmands is available. However, the Church did have an interesting custom of providing each confirmand with his/her own special Bible verse for the occasion).

"Confirmanden, welche am Palmsonntage d. 10. April 1881 in der Zions-Kirche confirmirt worden sind ... 15. Karl Meyer, Off. 3,11 ... Predigttext, 2. Tim. 2, 3"

"Confirmanden, welche am Palmsonntage d. 18. März 1883 in der Zions-Kirche confirmirt worden sind: . . . 13. Joh. Heinr. Meyer, Ps. 23, 1; . . . 52. Sophia Gesine Dorotha Marg. Meyer, Joh. 5, 24 ... Predigttext, Ps. 118, 26"

1. (NB: From the inscriptions in the Confirmation register, it may be assumed that the registration of the confirmations for 1882/1883 were not contemporaneous with the events. The list for 1883 appears on pp. 114-116 of the register; the list for 1882 on pp. 116-118.)
2. (NB: A note appears in the confirmation register in the proper sequence for 1887 informing the reader that confirmations were made that year, but the individual confirmands were not entered into the register.)
3. (NB: No confirmation records found for:

1. Regina Dorothea Catharina Doppmann, b. June 11, 1872;
2. Maria Catharina Elisabetha Doppmann, b. June 5, 1872;
3. Friedrich Carl Meyer, b. January 28, 1873;
4. Friedrich Adolf Johann Doppmann, b. May 6, 1874;
5. Georg Johann Pfortner, b. December 12, 1874.

"Confirmanden am Palm-Sonntag a.d. 1888: ... 42. Katie Meyer [geb.] d. 22. Oct. 73. ... Predigttext: Ev. Joh. 6 v. 67-69"
(Ed. note: "d. 22. Oct. 73": [sic]; best guess this is a scribal error, as the baptismal register notes her birthday as November 22nd.)

(NB: After this record, the subsequent children of Johann Hinnrich and Catarina Meyer are also not found in the confirmation register, leading to the conclusion that the Meyers were no longer in attendance at the church after 1888.

"Confirmanden am Palm-Soñtag a.d. 1890: ... 22. Otto Doppma*ntilde; [geb.] d. 8 Dez 1876, 99 Summit St. [sic]"

"Confirmanden am Palm-Soñtag a.d. 1893: ... 5. Helene Regina Doppmann, [geb.] Aug 6 1879, 91 Summit Ave."

MARRIAGES

(Superscription across the top of the pages: Jahr; Namen des Bräutigams; Wohnung, Alter und Beschäftigung; Geburtsort; Namen der Eltern; Namen der Braut; Wohnort und Alter; Geburtsort; Namen der Eltern; Zeugen = Year; Names of Groom; Dwelling, Age and Occupation; Place of Birth; Names of the Parents; Names of the Brides; Dwelling and Age; Place of Birth; Names of Parents; Witnesses)

"1871, Mai 21 - Dietrich Doppmann [sic], ledig - 193 Conover Str., 28 Jahr; Milchmann - Wulmsdorf, Hañ. - Dietrich Doppmañ, Lina Müller - Jungfrau Elisabetha Heckner - 127 Partition Str., 19 Jahr - East N.Y., N.Y. - Heinrich Heckner, Catharina Hartung - W. Doppmañ 17 Sullivan Str.; Maria Heckner, 27 Partition Str."

"1872, Maerz 10 - Adolf Friedrich Meyer, Wittwer - 133 Harrison Av., 43 Jahr, Grocer - Wulmsdorf, Hañover - Dietrich Meyer; Gesche Adelheid Elmar - Jungfer Dorothea Doppmañ - 65 Nassau Str., 32 Jahr - Wulmsdorf, Hañover - Dietrich Doppmañ, Anna Magdalena Müller - Hermann Meyer, Harrison Av.; Trina Meyer, Bond und 1st Str."

"[1901] Mai 17 - Otto Miller Doppmann, ledig, 24 L.J., 82 Carroll St., [geb.] Brooklyn, NY; [Eltern] Carl Doppmann, Regina Muri. - Clara Anna Rebecca Bock, ledig, 24 L.J., 77th [Str. ?] 2nd Ave., Bay Ridge; [geb.] Rensburg, Deutschland; [Eltern] Johañ Bock, Elisabeth [Rhon?; illegible]. - [Zeugen] Karl W. Schmidt, E. Krarling."

DEATHS

"1868 [Januar] 15 - Friedr. Wilhelm Doppmañ Sohn des Fr. W. Doppman Commercial & Van Brunt Str. starb 13 Jan. 1868; 2 J. 2 M. 6 Tage."
(Ed. notes:
1) From the age indicated in this record, son Friedrich Wilhelm Doppmann would have been born on or about November 7, 1865. No record of his baptism was found in the corresponding baptismal register.
2) "Commercial & Van Brunt Str.": Sic; examination of Brooklyn maps contemporary to this entry and today indicate that Commercial [Wharf] and Van Brunt St. run parallel to one another by the American Basin. Perhaps Commerce St. at the northern end of Commercial was meant, but this is not clear from the record.)

"1883 - 2. Dez. Friedrich Wilhelm Doppmann aus Wullmsdorf [sic] in Hannover
Ehefrau: Bertha geb. Kuttler, 115 Van Brunt Str.
[gestorben] am 30 Nov im 50 Lebensj. Bed.: 2. Dez, Greenwood
(Frau, 1 Kind, Mutter und 5 Geschwister)"

"1901 - 20 Dez. Regina Doppmañ, geb. Muri, 's Dahlfingen Wurttemberg; gest. d. 18. Mai in 70 L.J.
Carl Doppmañ
91 Sumitt [sic] Av. - Greenwood C.
(Gatten, 2 Kinder, 4 Gesdchwister)"
(Ed. note : geb. Muri, 's Dahlfingen": Sic; cf. these forms with the baptismal registration of her son Carl Friedrich Heinrich, b. 30 August 1868. The civil death certificate from the Borough of Brooklyn records the name as "Mohre".)

This document was completed by me in 2007. Subsequent reading indicated some errors of transcription and production that are now corrected. Work on the Meyer and Doppmann families has also progressed (with contributions both by my sister Alice Korfman and myself) that makes revision / correction of several statements in the original edition desirable. As of this date, the current document represents our best knowledge of these families in the Zion records. -- JEF, Trinity Sunday (Jun. 19, 2011)