For the purposes of this website the Horn family has been divided into three branches: The Nicolaus Horn Branch from which The Three Loeck Sisters are descended, the Caspar Horn branch and the Johann Friedrich Horn branch. This page details Nicolaus Horn’s family.
Nicolaus Horn, Burger and Merchant of Freiberg, was born on 04.01.1554 in Freiberg and died on 08.04.1615 in Dresden, the son of Caspar Horn (1539 – 1603) and Margarethe Meussing.
In 1576 he married Catherina (sometimes Dorothea (?)) Prager, the daughter of Wolfgang Prager and Anna Alnpeck. Catherina was born in 1554 and died in 1592. Nicolaus and Catherina had at least one child – Nicolaus – who is referred to here as Nicolaus Horn the younger and who was born in 1585 and died at the age of 32 in 1617.
Sometime after 1592 Nicolaus the elder married secondly, Barbara Nitzsche (1579-1617).
Nicolaus and Barbara had three surviving children: two daughters: i) Margarethe, born in 1594 who married Oswald Hilliger [the ancestors of The Three Loeck Sisters], ii) Salome born in 1597 who married Alexander Faber and iii) a son Sigmund / Sigismund born in 1608.
Barbara’s funeral sermon book titled (in part): Corona Christianorum, Die Krone der Christen. Das ist: Eine Christliche Leichpredigt Aus dem 3. Cap. der Offenbarung Johannis Uber das Sprüchlein … lists on the second page her surviving three children; saying that she had two daughters, Margarethe and Salome, and a son – Sigmund (below right). Also, on the title page (left), it states that at the time of her death on 13th February 1617 Barbara was the wife of the “posthumous widow” Nicolaus Horn the elder, and that she was buried on the 21st in the Thumkirchen.
NICOLAUS HORN the Younger
Unfortunately, Nicolaus the younger is often over looked among the databases and the reason for this might be because, despite two marriages, he failed to produce a child which can often result in an individual’s erasure from the records. However, it is an undoubted fact that there are two Nicolaus Horns living contemporaneously in Freiberg both of whom are merchants and burgers of that city one of whom, the father, is referred to as “the elder” and the other, the son, as “the younger”.
In 1610 Nicolaus Horn the younger married Apollonia Süssemilch. Her father was Bartholomew Süssemilch and her mother was Walpurgis Schönleben, (1556-1618) from a family that quite often intermarried with the Horn family. Walpurgis was the daughter of Michael Schönleben the elder and Walpurgis Hähnel.
To celebrate the marriage, a wedding book was published under the title: Euphēmiai Nuptiis Ornatißimi, honestißimiq[ue] Viri iuvenis, Dn. Nicolai Hornii, Freibergensis, Patricii Primarii, Sponsi, Et … Apolloniae … D. Bartholomaei Süssemilchii, … [At the wedding of Euphēmiaus, the most honored and most honorable young man, Dn. Nicolaus Horn of Freiberg, Patricii Primarii, Spouse of Apollonia, … ]. The book has yet to be digitized.
However, Apollonia died on 13th September 1613, probably in childbed.
Then in July 1614 Nicolaus married Magdalena Thilo, the daughter of David Thilo, and a wedding broadsheet was published under the title: Philtron Aphiltron, Ad Solennia Nuptialia Secunda, Virtute Atque Humanitate … Dn. Nicolai Hornii Sponsi, Et Pudiciss. … Magdalenae … Davidis Thilonis, Civis Frib. Primarii, P.M. Relictae Filiae, Sponsae: Oblatum, An. M.DC.XIIII. V. Iul. [At the Second Wedding Festival, Virtue and Humanity … Dn. Spouse of Nicolas Horn and … Magdalene … daughter of David Thilo, citizen of Freiberg, etc.]
However, Magdalene (Thilo) Horn died in October 1614. Her funeral sermon book was published under the title: Leich Predig Bey dem Begräbnüs der … Frawen Magdalenen Des … Nicol Horns Des Jüngern Bürgers und Handelß-Manns alhier in Freibergk gewesenen … HaußEhren … [The funeral sermon for Magdalene the wife of Nicol Horn the younger citizen and trading man here in Freiberg who on the 3rd October was buried … ].
Neither marriage appears to have produced surviving children. On the death / burial of Nicolaus Horn the younger on 14th September 1617, a funeral sermon was published:
Pastbort oder Gleitsbrieff der Christen durch das Jammerthal. Das ist: Christliche Erklärung des schönen TrostSpruchs Esaia 43. Cap. Fürchte dich nicht Jacob denn ich habe dich erlöset [et]c. Bey der Leiche/ des … Nicol Horns Bürgers und Handelsmanns in Freybergk Welcher Anno 1617. den den 14. Sept. … abgeschieden … Gethan … [A Christian declaration of the beautiful consolation of the saying of Esaia 43. Cap. Do not be afraid Jacob for I have redeemed you [et] c. Burial of the corpse of … Nicol Horn citizen and trader in Freiberg in Anno 1617 on September 14th … deposited … etc.].
Occasionally we find Nicolaus Horn listed as a “dignified senator” among the bibliographic records such as in 1611 with the publication of: Partitionum Theologicarum Disputatio XXVII, De Natura Ecclesiae … We assume this is the elder Nicolaus.
MARGARETHE HORN (1594 – 1622). The Three Loeck Sisters direct ancestor is Margaretha Horn who married Oswald Hilliger (1583 – 1619). She was the daughter of Nicolaus Horn the elder (1554 – 1615) and his second wife Barbara Nitzsche (1579-1617). When the marriage between Oswald and Margaretha took place on 8th March 1614, a wedding book was published to mark the occasion: Festivitati Nuptiarum Clarissimi Et Excellentissimi Viri, Dn. Osvaldi Hilligeri … & Lectissimae Et Pudicissimae Virginis Margaretae, Viri … Nicolai Horns … Oswald is described as ‘most excellent’ and Margaretha as ‘modest’ and her father is described as being Nicolaus Horn the elder. The title page of this publication can be seen on the Hilliger Family page.
There is some confusion among internet genealogists as to whom the father of Margarethe (Horn) Hilliger was. One well known site has him as a Martin Horn and many do not mention him at all, but most of the 19th century family history books are definitive in Nicolaus Horn being her father.
SALOME HORN (1597 – 1654). Salome was the daughter of Nicolaus and Barbara (Nitszche) Horn. On 11th November 1617 she married Alexander Faber (1582 – 1653) and the occiaison was marked by the publication of a wedding book titled:
Honoribus nuptialibus viri clarissimi et consultissimi Dn. Alexandri Fabri, I.U.D. & advocati Dresdensis, sponsi, & pudicissimae omniumque virtutum ornamentis decoratissimae virginis Salomes, viri quondam vita integerrimi & prudentissimi Dn. Nicolai Hornii, senioris reipub. Friberg, senatoris primarii, p. m. relicta filiae, sponsa, cum 11. Mart. anno a Christi nativitate 1617 Fribergae jungerentur, ab amicis DD. congratulationes. [Only at the University of Chicago – not yet digitized]
They had one daughter Barbara who died an infant 1619/1620 and a son Adam George Faber (1622-1659). In 1654 Salome (Horn) Faber died and a funeral book was published titled: Immensam Piorum, Post Liberationem e cruce & afflictione laetitiam & exultationem, Die grosse …
When Alexander Faber died in 1653 a funeral book was published with the title: Beattissima piorum ex hac vita emigratio. Die überausselige Hinfahrt frommer Christen … bey den … Leichen-Begängnis, des … Herrn Alexandri Fabers …
When their son Adam Georg died a funeral book was published: Remissio peccatorum nostrorum omnium gratiosissima. Das ist: Die überaus Gnadenreiche Vergebung aller unserer Sünden : Bey dem … Leich-Begängnüß Des … Herrn Adam George Fabers … The book indicates that AGF had married Susanna Elisabeth Haskin.
Sigmund / Sigismund / Siegmund Horn (1608 – 1666) We have noted above that Nicolaus Horn the elder first married Catherina Prager and that she died in 1592. Unfortunately, quite a few genealogical databases claim that Sigmund was the product of this marriage; an impossible conclusion given that Catherina had died 16 years before Sigmund was born. Instead Sigmund was the product of Nicolaus the elder’s second marriage to Barbara Nitzsche and he was thus Margarethe (Horn) Hilliger’s brother.
Sigmund was born on 6 April 1608. He studied law in Wittenberg, Jena, and Altdorf and then went to Dresden, where he attended the elector in 1634 and 1635 and was sent on several important embassies to Frankfurt a. M., Mainz, and Berlin. In the admissible year (?) he returned to his hometown, where he stayed during the Swedish siege and had to endure many tribulations. In 1644 he was drafted into the Freiberg city council, in 1653 he was appointed a city judge, in 1657 as a chamberlain and finally in 1658 as mayor. He remained unmarried until his death in 1666 and he adopted Martin Albert as a child, whom he made his heir, and who thereby came into possession of the Besler’ichen house in Burggaffe. Sigmund also donated many considerable legacies and grants to various charities.
Siegmundt Horn 23 Aug 1634
In 1663 the composer Andreas Hammerschmid dedicated a series of masses to Sigimund (consisting of over one thousand pages) under the title: A. & Ω Andreæ Hammerschmidii Missæ, V, VI, VII, IIX, IX, X, XI, XII, & plurium Vocum, tam vivæ Voci, quam Instrumentis varijs accommodatæ …
In 1665 Georg Adam Struve edited a book – Dissertatio Iuridica De Officio Iudicis … which was dedicated to Sigismund Horn and includes mention of Sigismund’s adopted son Martin Albert.
When Sigmund / Sigismund / Siegmund Horn died in 1666 several funeral books were published such as: Sehnliche Trauerklage Welche über Das seelige Absterben Des Wohl-Ehren-Vesten … Herrn Siegismund Horns Bey … Freyberg Hochverdienten Bürger-Meisters … which tells us that Sigmund is a “highly deserved Citizen Master” who died on the 10th May 1666 in the 58th year of his age. Another funeral book was edited by Nicolas Gottfried Horn, with the title: Danckbahrliche Schuldigkeit Welche Bey Des Wohl-Ehrenvesten … [right].
A further funeral book for Sigmund Horn was published with the title: Osi animi vis vigorque Autorem aeque aemulari … which had an interesting “pyramid” design. A fourth funeral book gave many details of his life under the title: Unicornu genuinum Sive Cornu Amaltheae verum h. e. … Sigismundum Hornium, Anno Christi Hic Freibergae MDCVIII. 6. April. in Lucem editum … MDCLXVI. 10. Maii Vita digressum: Idibus Maii …
Another funeral was: Lessus & Illuvies Plorabilium Lachrymarum in Funus Viri … Magni Dni. Sigismundi. Horni. hactenus Consulis & Camerarii de Patria-Freiberga … Idibus Maii Ann. 1666
The funeral service was conducted by Andreas Beyer:
One funeral book in honor of Sigimund: Honori Extimo Ac Memoriae Viri Nobiliss. … Dni Sigismundi Hornii Ex Celeberi Horniorum …. is of interest in the number of inter-related family members who made contributions to it such as: Johann Caspar Horn, August Schonlebe, Johann Christoph Horn, Georg Trainer, Michael Schirmer, etc. as shown below.
We know little about the Nitzsche family, however Barbara (Nitzsche) Horn had a brother Sigismund who married Christina Buchner and they had a son Georg (1607 – 1667). On Georg’s death a sermon was published in 1668 titled Leich- und Trost-Predigt … : [Leichenpredigt auf Georg Nitzsche, gest. 16. Nov. 1667](below).
