Shortly before Christmas I received an email from a gentleman whose DNA was matching my cousin Ron Hinz, and was searching for other people who might be related. Their connection appeared to be the Jahn surname. And he is trying to find out more about his ancestress Charlotte Jahn who was born in Pozen, about 1802, and married Johann Gottlieb Wocknitz. Who are her parents? Where did she come from? The usual.

The couple do have two children that show up in German church records (Germany Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898: Kolmar, Posen, Prussia):

Friederike Charlotte Wocknitz
birth: January 1829; christening: 8 February 1829
father: Johann Gottlieb Wocknitz
mother: Charlotte Jahn

Carl August Wacknitz
birth: August 1826; christening: 3 September 1826
father: Johann Wacknitz
mother: Charlotte Jahn

I have to admit I am a little excited by this news, because I never thought that we would have any luck finding DNA cousins on the JOHN line, other than children of Frederick William or his brother August.

The possible connection for us is that Charlotte is an Aunt of FW, but of course that is merely speculation at this point. Her being born about the same time as Ludvick Jahn could make them siblings, or cousins. We won’t really know the answer to that unless we can find more church records. Which will be difficult because they are probably in Poland, if they still exist at all.

So here’s hoping the New Year brings us progress on this intriguing connection.

And here’s wishing everyone a great New Year!