Hans Wendel Kammerer 1682-1735

Hans Wendel Kammerer  was born 31 March 1682 in Graben. He married  Magdalena Weidmann 14 January 1710. Hans died 6 July 1735. The couple had 10 children. Hans was a very telented man. He was a farrier, blacksmith, farmer and member of the town council. Graben counted 78 households in 1742, Protestant, except for about 42 souls Roman Catholic. Number of school children: 80.

The surname Kammerer is an occupational surname. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old German word "kämmerer," which means "chamberlain." A chamberlain was the person in charge of the noble household; to him would fall the duty of ensuring that the castle and court of the noble ran smoothly.
(Wikipedia)

What happened to their children?
Maria Elisabetha Kammerer 1711-1739
Georg Adam Kammerer 1713-1752
Maria Margaretha Kammerer 1717-1717
Johann Christoph Kammerer 1718-1722
Johann Wendel Kammerer 1721-1743
Anna Maria Kammerer 1723-1781
Johannes Kammerer 1725-1726
Maria Catharina Kammerer 1726 Dec
Wilhelm Kammerer 1730-1731
Jacob Kammerer 1733-1785

Graben Pastors during their lifetime:
1682-1692 Konrad Stadmann
1692-1698 Philipp Lindemann von Spöck vicariando versehen worden (Translation: Pfarrer Philipp Lindemann came from Spöck to serve in Graben)
1698-1700 Johann Philipp Bauderer
1700-1703 Johann Christoph Blum
1703-1706 Joh. Alb. Obermüller
1706-1714 Ernst Friedrich Weber (or Wider,)
1714-1719 Daniel Niklas
1719-1738 Andreas Weber, Alsatua (an Alsatian)

What happened during their lives?

1706 In Graben , complaints are made that Kaspar Dieffenbacher is still in the old cellar of the burned-down castle with one of his children, but that his wife and the other children are with his father-in-law. Dieffenbacher, too, lived like a pagan by threatening his wife with murder, but the school hotter with fire, so that no one more dared to tell him anything.

The church at Graben was rebuilt in 1706 after it was cremated by the French in 1689; in 1742 there are some tombstones that were placed on the Evangelical Lutheran officers who died in neighboring Philippsburg. There are three bells, one by 11 hundredweights, one by 5 hundredweights and one by 80 pounds. The middle one contains the names of the bailiff Kemling and the pastor Obermüller and others. The smallest is only rung in times of war when the others have fled.

Avoiding War

For thirty years armies have marched to and fro across Germany, living off the land and plundering where they please. Any such conflict is devastating, but the Thirty Years' War has gone down in European folk memory as a time of particular horror. For the rest of the century the first instinct of any German is to avoid further war on German soil.

The dominant factor in 18th-century German history is undoubtedly the emergence of Prussia as the main rival to Austria, which has long been the leading state within the German empire. Prussia grows in stature for several reasons - through Frederick the Great's seizure of the rich province of Silesia, through the personal prestige acquired by Frederick himself, and through the vast gain of territory in the successive partitions of Poland.

Documents related to Hans Wendel Kammerer:

Hans Wendel Kammerer born 31 March 1682 film 4137289 page 227
The Graben Pastor at the time was Konrad Stadmann.

Translation from Ulrich Neitzel:
Heading: Year 1682. Under the office of Joh. Conrad Stadmann from Durlach the following children were baptized
First entry:
Month: born 31 March, baptized 2 April
Children: Hanß Wendel
Parents: Christoph Cammerer and wife Anna Barbara, née Wentz
Sponsors: Wendel Mos__? and his wife Margarethe, Jonas Zimmermann and his wife Anna Jacobea?
Ulrich Neitzel: Well, I am not a native English speaker.... What I learned, the witnesses at a baptism are called sponsors (or godparents) wheras the witnesses at a marriage are called witnesses 😊. Correct? In former times the role of a baptismal sponsor could be to step in as guardian if the parents fell away.

Robert Seal: 

The fourth column heading in this record is: "Gevattern".Ernest Thode, German-English Genealogical Dictionary translates Gevattern as: baptismal sponsors, godparents. Sometimes you will find the word "Taufzeugen" in a baptismal record which literally translates as: baptismal witnesses: Ernest Thode translates "Taufzeugen" as: baptismal sponsors, godparents.

Pastor: The Pastor in Graben from 1682-1690 was Konrad Stadmann von Durlach. Durlach was chosen by the margrave Charles II in 1565 as residence of the rulers of Baden-Durlach, and retained this distinction though it was almost totally destroyed by the French in 1689. Pastor Stadmann served in Graben from March 1682 until 9 Aug 1690 when his handwriting ends. From 1691 up to his death in 1705 he was the deacon in Pforzheim.  After this because of gloomy times the service has been provided by the pastors of Spöck vicariando, named Zand and Lindemann, after which own pastors were set again.  

Note: On 2 March 1689 Count of Tessé torched Heidelberg; on 8 March Montclar levelled Mannheim. Oppenheim and Worms were finally destroyed on 31 May, followed by Speyer on 1 June, and Bingen on 4 June. In all, French troops burnt over 20 substantial towns as well as numerous villages. (Speyer is 20 miles north of Graben.)  

Note: "The Nine Years' War" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Years%27_War) between France and a coalition of European forces that led to a devastation of thousands of villages and towns in southwest Germany including the margraviate of Baden.  

Hans Wendel Kammerer marriage 14 Jan 1710
film 4137289 page 378

Translation:
Johann Wendel Cammerer Landwirt or farmer and blacksmith and Magdalena who is Johann Christop Weidmann's daughter, Johann Christoph ______ is now or current burgermeister which means the mayor. Johann Wendel is a schmid at the end of the top line or blacksmith
Note: The Graben Pastor at the time was Ernst Friedrich
Weber or Wider.

Hans Wendel Kammerer death 6 July 1735 film 4137289 page 442

Translation Robert Seal:
no. 333. On the 6th of July [1735] Wendel Cammerer, blacksmith and member of the town council, died, who with the sound [of bells], singing, and a funeral sermon was buried. ____? ____? 56 years.
Comments: "Klang" = sound [of bells]. Based on his birth date of 31 March 1682, Wendell was actually 53 years and 3 months old when he died. The word for town council member as written in this record is: "raths Verwander" = Rathsverwandter = member of the town council. My source is Thode, page 209.
Question to Ulrich: Do they still ring the bells based on status?
Hi Kent, I think those differences have disappeared over time. Today, all human beings are equal... :-) Also, it depends very much on the place. Funeral services are now often in a chapel directly on the churchyard. If any, there may only be one little bell. Ulrich
The Graben Pastor at the time was Andreas Weber. His handwriting can be seen above.