The common ancestor of the Jehls of GRUSSENHEIM, ARTZENHEIM and ELSENHEIM is registered in the listings of the tithe of 1570. In 1614 another Johan Jehl is paying a tithe of 1 Pfundt, 4 Batzen and 1 Pfennig. The amount of this tithe is important. It's the sign that Hans Jehl is relatively wealthy.
In 1619 begins the 30 years War. Ten years after, the war touched the area of Grussenheim and the family did find refuge in the fortified towns of BERGHEIM and AMMERSCHWIHR, located in the montains of the VOSGES, not to far from the village. That's the reason because the Jehls did survive after this terrible trial of the War.
After the War we encounter again the Jehls in the villages of Grussenheim, Artzenheim, and later in Elsenheim. In Grussenheim, the first recorded Jehl is Martin Jehl. He is a wealthy farmer. In the records of 1675, there is a mention about the fields he did operate. He operated a lot of them, but all were the propriety of the Parish of Grussenheim, wich at this time owned about two third of the fields in the village. Do note that since the Middle Ages until the French Revolution, the Church was the biggest owner of territorial ownership. That was the time of the feodal system.
Martin died about 1700 his children were his heirs.
Martin fathered Stephan, Conrad and Catharina
- - Stephan married Christina BUOB, who died the 8 of feb. 1702. He was homesteading at Grussenheim. His homestead is still existing. He did not remarry. His marriage was childless. So his farm changed of hands. They were the nephews of Christina who became the heirs of the property or even one of the brothers of her : Martin Buob, who became the father of a famous wood-carver of the village Martin Buob (1707-1776). He worked in the city of SELESTAT during a period of 40 years and provided a lot of churches of the area with statues and altar pieces. For the church of Grussenheim he carved 6 wonderfull statues, especially a statue of Our Lady and a St Nicolas, then two side altars wich unfortunately had been distroyed during World War II.
- - Conrad was married (We don't know when). In any case, he died on the 6 of dec1725. He operated one of the wealthiest farm of Grussenheim. He fathered two children :
- - Mathias who married Catharina FUCHS. Mathias died 09-22-1748. This couple had a child Barbara who died as an infant 10-24-1743.
- - Anna Maria who married Hans VOGEL of Elsenheim. The wedding has been held 10-17-1718.
- The Farm of Conrad is still existing today, even his home wich he build in the fisrt decades of 18th century. It's a big alsatian house. Conrad married Ursula ALLON of Elsenheim (the Allons are of Tyrol). Conrad paid a tithe of 8 bushels corn, plus in money 1 Gulden, 7 Batzen and 2 Rappen. Conrad was Churchwarden in 1714. It was a high distinction. He had to take care of the properties of the Church.
- - Catharina married Georges ERHINGER the 15 of oct. 1685 at the pilgrimage of Our Lady of DUSENBACH, wich is located in the mountains of the Vosges... not too far from Grussenheim. The parish priest of this time, Father Placidus BÜHEL, a benedictan monk had authorized the wedding outside of his parish. Georges Erhinger was High Mayor of Grussenheim from 1699 to 1734. He died on Christmas of 1734. Catharina died on 03-13-1734. They had at least one son (John Andrew) and one daughter (Anna Maria).