Johann Daniel Weisel (1619-1694)
Muschenheim, Hesse-Darmstadt

I do not know when the first Weisels came to Muschenheim in Hesse-Darmstadt. The first evidence I've found of Weisels in Muschenheim is Johannes, Nicolaus, Herman, and Caspar Weisel. Johannes was born about 1580-1595. He is named as the father in the marriage records of Johann Daniel (1639-Lich) and Werner (1646- Muschenheim). Nicolaus Weisel, born about 1590, entered Marburg University in 1606 and 1608 and is listed in the Muschenheim 1633 tax rolls. In 1665 there is Elsa Weisel's death record. Elsa was a widow of Casper Weisel and she died aged 56 years. In 1636 Christina Weisel married Hans Wolf Mentz in Lich. Christina was the daughter of Herman Weisel of Muschenheim. Herman would have been born approximately 1580-1594.

There were also Weisels in the Muenzenberg church records during the 1600s. There were births recorded in the parish records up to 1723.

In Bettenhausen, the village located east of Muschenheim, Gilbert Weysel is listed as a citizen in 1651 and 1670.

The origins of the these early Weisels is unknown to me at this time. One possible explanation can be found in a paper on Weisel Genealogy by Calvin Kephart. He refers to an article published by Dr. Alexander Dietz, a descendent of Johannes Weisel of Friedberg.

"According to an article by attorney Dr. Alexander Dietz, a descendant of Frankfurt a. M., to which city some members went, ... various Weisel descendants scattered from Friedberg and settled and became mayors, treasurers, and councilmen at other towns in Hanau, Munzenberg, Solms, and Kurpfalz (a part of the Palatinato) territories or became military officers. This article is entitled Die Friedberger Patrizierfamilie Weisel and appeared in the Hessische Chronik's Monatschrift fur Familien- und Ortsgeschichte in Hessen und Hessen-Nassau, VIII, January and February, 1919. Publisher: Verlag von Professor D. Dr. Wilhelm Diehl, in Friedberg, pages 23 - 28."

The Muschenheim church books begin in 1644. This is 9 years after a bubonic plague epidemic in this area of Hesse and 4 years before the end of the 30 Years War. Two sons of Johannes are present, Johann Daniel and Werner Weisel. Werner had 3 daughters who lived to adulthood. Johann Daniel had a daughter and 4 sons who married and left descendents in the area. Children and grand children of Johann Daniel relocated to nearby villages of Birklar, Eberstadt, Muenzenberg, and Gambach. Great great great grandchildren of Johann Daniel emigrated to the US in the mid 1800s. The families in the US also prospered and the sons had many sons. Today there are many descendents of Johann Daniel bearing the Weisel surname living in the Lich, Birklar, Eberstadt, Muschenheim, Gambach, and Muenzenberg area of Germany. And in the US many descendents are living in the midwestern and western states.

This family tree for Johann Daniel was created to verify my ancestral tree. It is not guaranteed to be accurate for all individuals. This tree is not "published" and I do not provide a gedcom file. Instead entries in this tree should be used as an index for the individual or family. Source for this data can be found in the LDS microfilmed parish records. Use the town and date of birth, marriage, and death to determine the LDS microfilm number.

Johann Daniel is my ancestor through his youngest son Niclas. The descendent tree for my Weisel ancestors is: Johann Daniel-> Niclas -> Johann Adam -> Caspar -> Johann Heinrich (b. 1757)