Timoshka (asker) Apr 23, 2014:

@ Johanna Thank you! Based on your info, I also found the form "Weisfrau" in Grimm's dictionary. This makes total sense to me, since I've run across many records where the midwife is also the child's godmother.

Nicole Schnell Apr 23, 2014:

@Johanna This is excellent!!!

Johanna Timm, PhD Apr 23, 2014:

Wiesfrau= (Heb)Amme Amme and Patin could be the same person.
Wiesfrau (weise Frau) Hebamme, Wehfrau oder Wehmutter, nieds. wiese Moor, holld. wijze-vrouw, auch vroeclvrouw (von vroed weise, verstöndig, vorsichtig) frz. sage-femme.
www.packbierpeter.de/joomla/images/M_images/aachenermundart...‎

(mind you, this is Aachen/Rhineland dialect! )

Timoshka (asker) Apr 22, 2014:

In the middle of the letter, Maria writes: "Das Dein Petter gestorben ist wirst Du ja wissen. Er ist gestorben an Schlaganfall..." This is a reference to the recipient's godfather, so it definitely makes sense that Maria was the godmother. Still not sure where the word "Weß" comes from...

Timoshka (asker) Apr 22, 2014:

@ Nicole The woman's name is Maria Katarina Hinkel. She begins her letter by writing: "Geschrieben den 29 Dezember 1929 an Dich Heinrich N. von mir Deiner Weß Maria Katarina Hinkel." She concludes her letter with: "Nun ich wil zum schluß komen so sei nochmal gekrist von uns alen im ganzen Haus und abartich von mir Deiner Get. Unser Haus Nr. ist 346. In Liebe verbleiben wir Deine Geht Maria Katrina Hinkel." There are a lot of errors, but it is clear that both "Weß" and "Ge[h]t" are used as nouns to explain the relationship between Maria Katarina Hinkel and the recipient of the letter.

Nicole Schnell Apr 22, 2014:

@Timoshka Is "Weß" the last name of the woman? To use one's first name and last name in reversed order was very common, as in: "Schultens Karl und Müllers Liesl..." In this case the woman has referred to herself as "Maria Weß", which makes sense considering the popularity of the name "Maria" - simply to avoid confusion with any other relative called Maria.