RootsChat.Com

Hi Mandy,

your GGGF did not lie about his age: in Feb 1859 he had just turned 23 (born 12.1.1839), he had lied about his origin/nationality in order to be able to enlist.
The question is, why he stayed in England in wintertime(!!). Usually travelling musicians  returned home in autumn to practise new tunes in winter for the coming season.

But he stayed in England and looked for a job with a regular income. Why? Did he already know his future wife ? The note "Volkmarsen" in the census hints at her German origin, - which would be a natural  choice for a young man who speaks but broken English.

Unfortunately I had to give the Rothselberg book back before I read your message, but here are some notes I took:

Philipp Jung was the youngest  of 7 children, three of whom survived:
1. Johannes Jung *1820 Rothselberg
2. Catharina Jung *1828 R., married in Jettenbach in 1857
3. Philipp Jung *12.1.1836 R.

his parents:
Johannes Jung (*2.7.1786) and Elisabeth Mohr from Kreimbach on the Lauter

grandparents:
Nikolaus Jung (*30.2.1756) and Maria Magdalena Jung(*3.2.1761)
Adam Mohr and Catharina Cassel from Niedereisenbach

greatgrandparents Jung:
Nicolaus Jung(*1714 calculated) and Anna Catharina Rech from Erzenhausen
(Nic's second marriage in 1752, - his first had been in 1736)

GGGfather: Wilhelm Jung

Regards
Frifra
 

Hi,

It may be interesting to have a closer  look at your Jung ancestor's profession - especially in India, and before he went there. In his generation, many young men did not see any future in their traditional agricultural occupation- too many children in the families, not enough land - and turned to music-making, formed brass bands and travelled the world („Wandermusikanten“). Especially people from the Western Palatinate, hundreds of young men from Rothselberg, Jettenbach and Essweiler earned good money as travelling musicians; many went to England or Scotland for the season and returned home for the winter. Others made it to Australia, China, India, Russia, the US and South America. The finest homes in these villages at the end of the 19th century were those of musicians. A considerable number of them never returned home, but stayed in foreign countries, - not always as musicians, but also worked there in other kinds of trades. There is a musicians’ museum within the castle of Lichtenberg near Kusel which displays a collection of the names of all those Palatine musicians who asked for a seasonal passport to travel abroad.

Good luck in your further search
Friedrich Hüttenberger