|
 In
Germany, the tradition was to have
as many as 4 or 5 people act as
godparents at the baptism. That is
why my great grandfather's name is August Friedrich Anton Theodor Heiden
meaning he had four men "stand up"
for him. Great grandma's name was Elisabeth Sophia
Wilhelmina Friedericka Knaack so four women witnessed her baptism.
For
the genealogist, this brings the
complication of determining which
one was used as the person's common
name. Great grandfather was known as
August and his wife was Fredericka
with the nickname Rika. There was no
system as to which name was used.
  I'm
glad they stopped using this system
sometime before I was born or my
name would have been Mary Lou after
my godmother, Mary Lou Opfermann. |
Ralph Heiden - That was the way they used to do it. Often the person was
named after the people who stood up for them at baptism. If they had
four witnesses, they had four names.
Over
the years, we have also received written memories and
remembrances about this person or topic from various family
members. 
Wilma, Jeanie, Wm Frank, Helma & Marie were
children of 
