1. Introduction:

A couple of years ago, the Hembd family history documents, which had been in the possession of my uncle Jacob Hembd, were handed down to me. Most of the data had been compiled by Paul Hembt (Breslau, now Wroclaw, Poland) born in 1873 and by Dr. Adolph Hembt (Novi Sad, Yugoslavia), born in 1874. My uncle Jacob Hembd and Erich Wegner continued to collect information on the family history.

It is now safe to say that all bearers of the surname Hembd-Hempt-Hembt are successors of Jean von Hembden (Johann von Hembden), who lived in Odernheim am Clan in 1653 and eventually acquired the freehold of the Heddarter Hof estate. The earliest proof of this is a communal invoice made out in Odernheim am Clan in 1653:
” There, Jean von Hämbt, born in Schwelm im Lande der Mark, paid 8fl. “

Having found this entry, Paul Hembd did extensive research work in Schwelm. He failed, however, to find any further information on Jean von Hämbdt. Dr. Adolph Hempt followed another line of thought and assumed our ancestor to be a member of the Flemish family de Hemptinnes. He even travelled to Belgium to widen his research. We do not know, however, if he has found any proof which connects the families.

Having retired now, I have got more time for research and I am going to try and complete our family history. I have already looked into the histories of the Hembds in Germany, and, to a lesser extent, those in the United States.
I call upon everyone who visits this family history homepage to add to it by contacting me and sharing whatever information they have. Thank you!

I would be especially grateful for any additional information on the Hempt family in former Yugoslavia.

2. The Heddarter Hof estate (The Farm)

Lonely paths lead to the Heddarter Hof farmstead securely ducked into a hollow surrounded by forest-clad patches of moors, meadows, the Gipfelberg with its vines and the farmland of the Schlader Heide.

The grand estate actually used to be a hamlet called Herdenrode the origins of which are unknown. We do have evidence, however, that the Abbey of St. Mascimin owned land on the Schlader Heide which also included the hamlet of Herderode as mentioned in 1342.

The village vanished, only the Heddarter Hof remained. We do not know why and when the hamlet of Herderode disappeared from the maps. We can only assume that it was destroyed in the Thirty Years’ War, the Heddarter Hof being the only reminder of its existence. The name Heddart is a dialectal contraction of “Herdenrode”.

Assuming the Heddarter Hof was abandoned after the Thirty Years’ War or its owners perished in the war, it stands to reason that, a few years after the end of the war in 1648, the estate came into the possession of a new owner, namely the abovementioned Johann von Hembden in 1654.

An early record stipulates::

… der Heddarter Hof beträgt an Ackerland und Wiesen

• das Viertel zu 40 Ruten gerechnet- 201 Morgen, 2 Viertel und 17 Ruthen,
• am Weinberg ungefähr 9 Morgen.
• Der Heddarter Hof ist ein schätzbares bürgerliches Gut und wird mit Gemeiner Belegung angezogen. (= besteuert).

Johann von Hembden presumably died in 1674. Records show that his widow Maria got married to the widower Caspar Schick, a miller from Odernheim on April 27th ,1675. As of this date, the Hembd and Schick families have lived together on the Heddarter Hof estate. Several marriages further tightened the bonds between the two families.

Building II.

This house was built in 1750 by Leonhard Hembd, born January 9th, 1713.
The lintel above the door is engraved with L.H. 1750.
His granddaughter Christina Hembd, born on January 17th 1777, married Johann Karl Knobloch on October 9th 1794.
His initials K.K. can still be found above the yard gate.

Note:
When the Schick family renovated the house a couple of years ago, the door lintel with the encarved letters L.H. 1750 came into my possession and we put it above our own front door.

Building II Heddarter Hof 1938