Godefridus Crins 1708-1743

My paternal 5th Great Grandfather, Godefridus Crins, was baptized 22 March 1708 in Birgelen, Germany. Birgelen is a part of Wassenberg. His parents were Nicolaus Creins and Sophia Greven. The last name Crins was also spelled Creins and later became Krings in my family line. The English name for Godefridus is Godfrey.

Godefridus had 3 siblings, Anna Maria, Arnoldus and Joannes Wernerus. I have not been able to find marriages for them. The church books are not online yet.

Godefridus was married to my 5th Great Grandmother, Agnetis Lennards or Leonards. They had 5 children together all born and baptized in Birgelen.

• 1. Joannes Nicolaus Crins baptized 28 June 1731
• 2. Nicoulaus Krings, my 4th Great Grandfather, baptized 15 January 1733, died 9 August 1781 in Düsseldorf. He was married to Maria Clara Schadens. They had 1 child, my third Great Grandfather, Joannes Winandus Josepfus Krings. Nicolaus was also married to Anna Catharina Fasbender. They had 3 children together.
• 3. Winand Krings, baptized 14 August 1735.
• 4. Anna Sophia Crins baptized 6 September 1737
• 5. Winand Wilhelmus Creins baptized 14 December 1739, married to Maria Meuser or Müser. They had 5 children together

Godefridus died 18 August 1743 in Birgelen, he was only 35 years old. My 5th Great Grandmother died two years later. She was also 35. The life expectancy in Germany in the 1750’s was 38 years.

Godefridus son and my 4th Great Grandfather, Nicolaus, left Birgelen and settled in my home town, Düsseldorf. The distance is about 63 km or 40 miles.

I don’t have a lot of sources for this article. Most the info I received from fellow researchers.