But they had civil rights which in that time required the ownership of land. In the 16th and 17th century many of them were coopers, a profession which was common in Weinsberg. In the 18th century they belonged to the bakers' guild. Hannss Ulrich Heberlen (IV,2) seems to have been the one who switched from one profession to the other. The death register of July 2nd, 1727 says: "Ulrich Heberlen, citizen, cooper and baker, died as the oldest citizen in Weinsberg in his 85th year and was buried in the afternoon on the 4th Sunday after Trinitatis. The first Haeberlen who was only baker, Jakob Friedrich, was master of the bakers-guild and member of the court+.

In those times it was unusual that somebody chose his profession: normally the son followed his father in the same profession and usually he married the daughter or widow of someone in the same guild.

In our family there are many examples of this. That the Haeberlens were not only workmen but also owned land and livestock was not uncommon in that time. There are many sources which show that fact. According to the storage book of 1490 Hanns Heberlen cultivated land which belonged to the monastery Schoenthal; in 1528 Baldes Heberlin carried on a wine-growing business. A decree of the 17th century which had originally been made up by a council in 1598 and was revised on July 20th, 1666, says the following: "Hannss Ulrich Haeberlin, and before him Adam (Haeberlin) shall not be allowed to store manure or wood in front of his house", a restriction which was later also applied to Hannss Balthas (Haeberlin). It should also be mentioned that on July 3rd, 1744

+ From previous passages I believe this to mean city council. (CFH)