Tax List for Trupbach in
the Year 1566
John Blankenbaker
This article looks at an early Trupbach
tax list for 1566 whch is of interest because it itemizes the objects which
were the basis of the sustenance of the people. Seventeen units or households
were named. Surnames are not yet tn thelr final form. References are still
made to fathers and deceased husbands to identify people. One woman is identified only by her given
name. Occupational names are evident such as linenweaver (Leineweber), tailor
(Schneider), and carpenter (Zimmerman).
All seventeen of the households had
at least one cow which must have been regarded as a necessity. Fifteen of
the households had swine. The breeding of pigs was probably in the hands of a few people who sold
young pigs to their neighbors. Sheep are almost as numerous as the swine
and sheep were in eleven of the households where the primary motive might
have been wool. Only four of the households had horses (another had a colt)
which were luxuries. The cow, which gave milk and could act as a draft animal,
was a more fundamental animal than the horse. One cow was worth two heifers
or four pigs or eight sheep. Meadows were rated highly, even above fields.
Most places had a garden. Some were taxed for an orchard. Fourteen of the
units had an interest in a Hauberg (valued highly) and eleven had an interest
in forest land. Two of the families were well enough off that they seemed
to have held bonds, probably against money they had lent. The abbreviation
R stands for Raedergulden, a unit of money.
1. Adolf Meisswmkel, located on the late
noble Valentin farm in the meadow
Meadows 10 R
Fields 6 R
2 Horses 24 R
4 Cows, 3 Beef 22 R
5 Sheep, 4 Swine 6 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 R 6 alb 6 pfg
2. Henn Schneider, his house and two barns
(sheds) are his and his stepson Hermann
Farm 100 R
Meadows 100 R
Fields 37 R
Horse 24 R
6 Cows 44 R
3 Heifers 6 R
16 Sheep 8 R
7 Swine 7 R
Bond 56 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 R
3. Wilhelm Zimmerman, his house, bake house,
and barn with the farmstead (only one-quarter part is his) 30 R
Meadows 130 R
Fields 32 R
Garden 15 R
Hauberg 70 R
5 Cows, 2 Sheep, 2 Swine
23 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R
against him and his 3
brothers-in-law
4. Bruns Herman, his house, barn, and farmstead
25 R
Meadows 100 R
Fields 32 R
Garden and Orchard 12
R
Hauberg 60 R
Forest 5 R
6 Cows, 3 Heifers 30
R
6 Sheep, 4 Swine 7 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 R 6 alb
5. Heyderich Michel, his house and fruit
house 60 R
Meadows 50 R
Fields 32R
Garden and Orchard 12
R
Hauberg 60 R
Forest 5 R
1 Horse 10 R
5 Cows, 10 Sheep, 3 Swine
17 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R
6. Eberth Zimmerman, his house wth the farm
pasture and the grounds 12 R
Meadows 20 R
Fields 24 R
Garden 8R
Hauberg 30 R
Forest 2R
3 Cows, 1 Heifer, 6 Sheep,
2 Swine 19 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 R
7. Demuth, a single female farm laborer, all her goods 10 R
1 Cow 4 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Batzen
8. Johann Barben, Heinrich's son, his and his five siblings' house and shed with the grounds 24 R
Their meadows 100 R
Their fields 32 R
Their gardens 6 R
Thelr hauberg rights
120 R
His forest 12 R
1 Horse 24 R
3 Cows, 1 Heifer, 2 Swme
16 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R 6 alb 6 Pfg
9. Treina, Joerg's holy widow, has an old house with the grounds 10 R
Meadow 50 R
Field 32 R
Garten 6 R
Hauberg 60 R
2 Cows, 2 Swine 10 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 R
10. Hannes Rupeln Son, has a house with grounds 24 R
Meadows 40 R
Fields 32 R
Garden 10 R
Hauberg 60 R
4 Cows, 1 Heifer, 3 Sheep,
3 Swine 22 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 R 20 alb
11. Johan. Heiten Son, the house
is all inherited, with the grounds
and the barn 60 R
Meadows 50 R
Fields 22 R
Garden 6 R
Hauberg 30 R
1 Colt 9 R
7 Cows 28 R
6 Sheep, 4 Swine 7 R
Bond 40 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R
12. Herman Hofmann of Heinbach, his
house with the farmstead 80 R
Meadows 150 R
Fields 20 R
Garden, Orchard 10 R
Hauberg 30 R
1 Horse 5 R
8 Cows 32 R
8 Heifers 16 R
12 Sheep 6 R
15 Swine 15 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R
13. Heyn Becker, his house and farmstead
20 R
Meadows 10 R
Fields 4 R
Garden 3 R
Hauberg 30 R
Forest 3 R
3 Cows, 2 Swine 14 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 alb 2 Pfg
14. Hanns of the Wein. his m-laws house,
farm grounds 20 R
Meadows 150 R
Fields 32 R
Garden 15 R
Hauberg 60 R
6 Cows, I Heifer, 4 Swine
30 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 R
15. Heyte Lemeweber, his house, farm,
grounds 50 R
Meadows 50 R
Fields 56 R
Garden 8 R
Hauberg 60 R
Forest 6 R
5 Cows 20 R
4 Heifers 8 R
12 Sheep 6 R
5 Swine 5 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 R 6 alb 6 Pfg
16. Heyman, his Haus 10 R
Meadows 20 R
Fields 8 R
Garten 4 R
Hauberg 30 R
3 Cows, 1 Swine 10 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 alb 2 Pfg.
17. Herman Schneider, the House with
the Barns and grounds and the Tree
Farm 50 R
Meadows 125 R
Fields 64 R
Garden 12 R
Hauberg 120 R
Forest 10 R
Colt 12 R
2 Cows, 1 Heifer 10 R
6 Sheep 3 R
Tax . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 R
Total for the Village Drupach [Trupbach]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . 35 R 11 Batzen 1 Pfg.
The total does not up to sum to the sum
of the individual assessments.
1. Based on Information from D. 'I'rops
and U. Bohn, Ortsgrscbichte
Trupbach, 1989
See also John Blankenbaker, "Trupbach, Germany,"
Beyond Germanna,
v.12, n.5;
and John Blankenbaker, "Occupations in Trupbach . . ," Beyond Gemanna, v. 12, n.6.
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