HOME | DD
Avapithecus — Werner Spaenhauer II
#ancestor #character #design #genealogy #history #referencesheet #swiss #switzerland #muttenz
Published: 2024-07-30 12:25:53 +0000 UTC; Views: 4351; Favourites: 19; Downloads: 3
Redirect to original
Description
I really wish I had more information about the life of Jacob Wernhardt “Werner” Spaenhauer. All I have are some tantalizing threads and a lifelong theme of tragedy. He was born in the Swiss village of Muttenz on February 19, 1688 to yet another Werner Spaenhauer and his wife Barbara Seiler. His mother died in 1708, and his father in 1713, leaving him and his siblings with nothing but each other in a community that didn't care for their family very much. As far as records remember at least, he did his best with what he had. He had a steady job as a cooper, married a lovely battleaxe of a lady named Elsbeth Spittler on June 11, 1714, and they'd have seven kids together: Barbel (born 1715 but tragically died just two years later), Heinrich (born 1716), my ancestor Werner III (born 1719), Anna (born 1720), Barbara (born 1723), Hans Jacob (born 1724 but didn't make it to even a year old), and Elisabeth (born February 21, 1726… and died the next day). As Heinrich puts it in his memoirs, Werner brought his kids up “in a Christian way, according to the best of their knowledge, notwithstanding that they were, for that sake derided by other indifferent People, and deemed as Fools”. Now I'm not entirely sure what the fuck that means but clearly his neighbors didn't like him. Hey guys, give him a break already. He's doing his best. He was even able to afford sending fourteen-year old Heinrich off to the County-Clerk to get an education in French language literacy, so he was clearly doing something right.
⠀
Whatever they did to earn the ire of the people of Muttenz, it came to a head in 1732, when… well I'll let Heinrich tell the story: “In the year 1732 there happened a particular accident in our family, when my father was poisoned by a wicked man, and although he was restored again, through the application of a remedy and by the help of God, yet he retained, from that, a Weakness in Body and mind til his departure.” That is… the biggest cock tease in my entire career as an amateur genealogist. Who the fuck is the Wicked Man?? What was his beef with a carpenter? What the hell happened here? I've tried reaching out to people who might have access to primary documentation, but so far to no avail. I have my own conspiracy in mind that maybe the Protestant Spaenhauers got involved with Pierre Péguignat’s rebellion against the bishops of Basel, but I obviously have no documentation to prove that. If I ever find out who the “Wicked Man” is, you bet your ass I'll he following this up with a reference sheet on that guy. Until then, Werner's passing on March 30, 1737 will be nothing more than a footnote explaining why my family decided to pack up their bags and immigrate to the Americas. So I guess… here's to you, Wicked Man. Yeah you murdered my ancestor, but if you hadn't, I wouldn't be here.
⠀
Design notes, behold, the world's most overdesigned apron. I think I was going for a lederhosen type of vibe and then it got away from me. Cause once that was done I completely lost my mojo. I have no clue what the hell is going on with the back side there, but I couldn't quite seem to fix it. Hey look, I'm sick as a dog. There's some horrendous bug going around at work and everyone's been calling off sick because of it. It's a miracle I could get what I did onto paper. Idk, I'm gonna go pop some Tylenol and pass out. I really should’ve called in sick myself, but unfortunately I have rent to pay so I don't get that privilege. Maybe the ghost of the Wicked Man is gunning for my ass now too.




















