News
March 22, 2025
Upcoming Heiner Reunion
Our next Heiner reunion will be held on virtually on Saturday May 3, 2025, 10 AM MT. More details will be posted once the reunion plans are finalized. But mark your calendars and spread the word. We hope to see you all there!!
September 12, 2019
Records in Friedelshausen
We have finished copying the records in Friedelshausen!! Please consider sending in a donation to help with indexing the parish registers where our ancestors lived.
February 28, 2018
We are now a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity
We have finally been approved and are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization!
February 28, 2018
We recently joined the LDS Ancestral Families Association (LDSAFA)
LDS Ancestral Families Association (LDSAFA) is a free registration, publication and support consortium for LDS Ancestral Family Organizations (AFOs). An Ancestral Family Organization (AFO) is larger than a parent or grandparent family and includes the descendants of a common ancestral couple. LDSAFA encourages the continuation of LDS AFOs through freely registering, publicizing and supporting their genealogical and historical activities. In fact LDSAFA can be considered a free "one-stop-shop" for locating links and information about LDS AFOs.
There are no costs for LDS AFOs to register and participate in LDSAFA, and all LDSAFA members are entitled to use the LDSAFA Member Seal and receive free listing, publicity and news reports on matters pertaining to LDS AFOs. LDSAFA identifies resources, practices and activities that various LDS AFOs have found meaningful and successful for family members through the years, including information and links on AFO communications, websites, documents and photos, genealogies, histories, videos, technologies, organizational structures, governmental incorporations, pioneer memorials, publicity methods, publishing endeavors, DNA research, research activities, fundraising projects, family reunions, and youth involvement.
May 24, 2017
Reunion Registration Open!
Registration for our reunion this summer is open. Click on the reunion link to let us know how many in your family will be attending. Make sure to download the children's book and workshop handout and bring these with you to the afternoon session.
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We are still actively researching our Heiner family in Germany and would love donations to help this work move forward. Please consider donating towards our efforts. Every donation helps.
April 04, 2012
Fire Destroys the Church in Walldorf, Germany
The old Kirchenburg in Walldorf, Germany where the Heiners attended for hundreds of years was destroyed by fire yesterday (3 April). Apparently nobody was hurt, but the church looks like a total loss. I visited the church in February 2011 and took lots of photos.
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It was built in the period 1648 to 1651 as a combination church-castle, as they were created in the late Middle Ages as a refuge for the villagers in wars and military installations as against external enemies. The fortified church of Walldorf was considered the best-preserved example along the Werra River in southern Thuringia. An extensive renovation began in 1991 with the renewal of the fortification walls, the church interior and the roof over the nave, and with static backups of Castle Hill was completed in 2007.
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The pastor of the Walldorf church has been sending out daily updates about the church, and I've been receiving them. There has been an outpouring of concern and support from the Lutheran Church in Germany, citizens and friends from all over. They intend to rebuild the Kirchenburg in the next few years. (I suspect they'll add the latest in automatic fire extinguisher equipment as well.) The Martin Heiner Family Organization has agreed to collect and send contributions for the rebuilding effort.
![1758229_1_Kirchenbrand_walldorf068[1].jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/870a82_ac718ea5b87946a78a17e1b81ade9fc7~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_327,h_218,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/870a82_ac718ea5b87946a78a17e1b81ade9fc7~mv2.jpeg)
January 27, 2012
Heiner Exhibit: Church News Article
The museum in Wasungen, Germany, where Martin and Adelgunda Heiner lived had an exhibition featuring the Heiner Family. It ran from 6 November 2011 through 8 January 2012 and was the most popular exhibition in years. We have collected various newspaper articles covering the Wasungen emigration exhibit. Click below to see the articles. We also have five other articles, all in German. Scott Heiner will send you copies of these upon request.
January 27, 2012
Heiner Exhibit: Werra Bote
January 27, 2012