Reinhard Springorum
Reinhard Springorum, born in Dortmund in 1593, stands at the earliest securely documented point of my Springorum lineage. Identified in multiple church records as Stallmeister, he appears repeatedly in baptismal and burial entries connected to his family, anchoring him firmly in the ecclesiastical sources of the early seventeenth century. While other individuals bearing the Springorum name are mentioned in earlier sixteenth-century records and local pedigrees, none can be conclusively linked to Reinhard due to the absence of verifiable baptismal evidence. As such, he represents both the point where earlier traces fade and the foundation from which the documented family history reliably begins.
Role as Stallmeister
As Stallmeister, Reinhard was responsible for the care and management of the city’s horses, which included those used by the city council, municipal outriders, and soldiers. His role was essential to Dortmund’s operations, particularly during a period marked by frequent military activity and the quartering of troops.
Family and Connections
Reinhard married Katharina Vasolt, a member of a respected family in the region. Their children’s baptismal records are documented in Dortmund’s church registers, providing concrete evidence of his family’s presence in the city. Among his children were:
- Göde, who married Pastor Georg Brockhaus in Langendreer.
- Johann, who later became a pastor in Kirchende.
Reinhard’s connections extended to Dortmund’s elite, as evidenced by the godparents chosen for his children, who included mayors, cavalry captains, and members of noble families such as the Vasolts and Rombergs.
Financial and Civic Challenges
Reinhard’s tenure as Stallmeister coincided with the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), a period of significant economic and social upheaval. Records indicate that the city of Dortmund owed Reinhard a substantial sum by the time of his death in 1666, reflecting the financial strain placed on municipal resources during the war. Despite these challenges, Reinhard’s family continued to play a role in the civic and religious life of the region.
Death and Legacy
Reinhard Springorum died on September 27, 1666. His legacy is marked by his position as Stallmeister and his family’s enduring presence in Dortmund and the surrounding region. His descendants, particularly through his son Johann, expanded the Springorum family’s influence into ecclesiastical and civic roles in the County of Mark.
Events & References
Baptism of Johannes Springorum
15 July 1625 · Dortmund, Deutschland
No baptism record has been located for Reinhard Springorum. The earliest occurrence of his name appears in the baptism record of his oldest son, Johannes Springorum.
On 15 July 1625, Johannes Springorum, son of Reinhard Springorum, stablemaster, and his wife Catharina, was baptized in the church of St. Nicolai in Dortmund. The baptism was witnessed by prominent godparents, including Johann von der Berswordt, mayor of Dortmund, and Dietrich von Plettenburg, a cavalry captain, reflecting the family’s social and professional connections. The baptismal entry was recorded in the parish register of St. Nicolai.
Reference: Baptism of Johannes Springorum
Purchase of Mast Rights
8 March 1629 · Benninghauser Becke an der Emscher, Amt Hörde
In Beiträge zur Geschichte der Familie Springorum, Dr. Höfken notes that Reinhard Springorum appears several times as a witness in contemporary records.
On 8 March 1629, Johann von Hövel, hereditary resident of Dortmund, sold one and a half units of mast-grazing rights in the Benninghauser Becke along the Emscher to Caspar von Romberg of Brünninghausen, Bladenhorst, and Wyssche. The transaction was witnessed by Adolf im Sypen, the Dortmund stablemaster Reinhard Springorum, and Heinrich Vethacke, citizen and notary of Dortmund. The document is preserved as an original charter and contains the only known surviving signature of Reinhard Springorum, written as “Reinert Springhorum.”
Reference: Purchase of Mast Rights
Johannes Springorum as Scribe
17 October 1652 · Haus Langendreer, Grafschaft Mark
Reinhard Springorum is mentioned in these records as Stallmeister and in connection with the rentmaster Jacob Vasolt. This family relationship is significant, as it provides the context that makes it very likely that Johannes Springorum, the former scribe of Haus Langendreer, was Reinhard’s son.
In 1652, Johannes Springorum is named as a former scribe of the estate Haus Langendreer in records dealing with the administration of the von der Borg inheritance. These documents describe his service between 1650 and 1651 and include a request for unpaid salary and compensation for personal belongings stolen during a robbery near Stockum. The same records also reveal family ties between Stallmeister Reinhard Springorum and the rentmaster Jacob Vasolt, which strongly suggests that this Johannes Springorum was Reinhard’s son. A few years later, he appears as a Lutheran schoolmaster in Wetter and was subsequently appointed pastor in Kirchende.
Reference: Johannes Springorum as Scribe
Burial of Reinhard Springorum
27 September 1666 · Dortmund, Deutschland
On 27 September 1666, Reinhard Springorum, described in the burial register as an elderly man and identified by his office as stablemaster, was buried in the church of St. Nicolai in Dortmund. The brief entry records his burial without further familial details.
Reference: Burial of Reinhard Springorum
Family
Parents
- ♂ Sibertus Springorum (c. 1565 – c. 1636)
Partner(s) & Children
Catharina (Catrinen) Vasolt (1597 – ?)
- ♂ Johannes Springorum (1625 – 1694)
- ♂ Christopffer Springorum (1628 – 1637) — Dies at age of 9.
- ♀ Elisabeth Springorum (1630 – 1637) — Dies at age of 7.
- ♀ Göde Springorum (1633 – ?) — Marries Georg Brockhauss, Pfarrer in Langendreer and Unna.
- ♂ Philippus Hermann Springorum (1637 – 1673) — Notary in Bochum.
- ♀ Elske Springorum (1639 – 1644) — Dies at age of 5.