He was born in Selters, Unterwesterwald, Duchy of Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Prussia, 20 July, 1827. He never lived in any other Germany village other than Selters. He was christened 29 July, 1827, and was confirmed at age 14 in the Selters Evangelische church. The church books of Nordhofen Parish and Selters Parish document this information. He was not an only child.
