“Aron Heilner (1804–1891), the son of butcher Mayer David Heilner and his wife Recha from Sulzdorf, left his parents’ home after attending the Jewish school for eight years, and he was later active as a Jewish private tutor, partly in Fassoldshof in Upper Franconia (1821–1823) and until 1829 in Unterleinach in Lower Franconia. In 1829 he graduated from the Jewish seminar in Würzburg and was given a post as head of the newly-built school in Urspringen. In Fassoldshof Aron met his later wife, Madel (Simon) Hirsch (1798–1836), daughter of the soapmaker and trader Simon Hirsch from Nordheim vor der Rhön. Madel had arrived in Fassoldshof as the servant girl of the family of trader Joseph Lion (Leon), who went on to adopt her.
“Madel was Aron’s great love. In 1823 her son Seligmann was born. Because of their financial situation, marriage was only possible later on, when Aron was given the teaching post. On November 9, 1830 the wedding took place and the teacher and his family moved into the modest little schoolhouse in Urspringen. Four more children were born here: one who died at birth (1833), two girls, Regina (1832–1908) and Carolina (1836–1912), and a boy Sig(is)mund (1834–1917). In 1837, one year after Madel Heilner’s death, Aron married Nanni Salin (1809–1877) from Thüngen. This union produced four children: Bernhard Baruch (1841–1842) who died very early on, daughter Sophie (1850–1930), and Max (1838–1903) and David (1845–1925).” From “The Heilner Brothers from Urspringen,” Leonhard Scherg.