27 February 2010

Surname Saturday - 9: Fitzler

This week's Surname Saturday is the first of the maiden names for my 4 great-grandmothers.

1. Kevin Joseph HUIGENS

2. Joseph Anthony HUIGENS
3. Shirley Ann OGDEN

4. Joseph Andrew HUIGENS (b. 9 Mar 1891 near Creighton, Knox Co., NE, m. 18 Feb 1914 at St. Ludgers Catholic Church in Creighton, Knox Co., NE, d. 8 Nov 1957 in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE)
5. Mary Julia KAIN (b. 19 May 1896 in Knox Co., NE, d. 29 Apr 1979 in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE)

8. John Edward HUIGENS (b. 15 Jun 1862 near Henry, Marshall Co., m. 28 Jan 1884 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Henry, Marshall Co., IL, d. 12 Apr 1949 in Creighton, Knox Co., NE)
9. Mary FITZLER (b. 22 Feb 1866 in Marshall Co., IL, d. 6 Feb 1949 in Creighton, Knox Co., NE)

18. Johan Wimer "Wymer" FITZLER (b. 23 Jul 1832 in Wolperath, Rhein Province, Prussia, m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, LaSalle, LaSalle Co., IL, d. abt 1888 in Marshall Co., IL)
19. Anna Helene SCHMITT (b. 17 Aug 1833 in Eischeid, Rhein Province, Prussia, d. 20 May 1904 in Creighton, Knox Co., NE)

36. Wimar FITZLER (b. 29 Dec 1774 in Wolperath, Palatinate, HRE, m. 25 Aug 1820 in Neunkirchen, Juelich-Cleves-Berg Province, Prussia, d. after 1834 in Prussia)
37. Anna Margaretha FELDER (b. 9 Apr 1798 in Wiescheid, Palatinate, HRE, d. after 1834 in Prussia)

72. Heinrich FITZLER (b. 11 Jan 1750 in Neukirchen, Palatinate, HRE, m. ? in ?, d. ? in ?)
73. Anna Margaretha SCHMITZ (b. 15 Sep 1760 in Neukirchen, Palatinate, HRE, d. ? in ?)

144. Johan Wilhelm FITZLER (b. 11 Dec 1718 in Neukirchen, Duchy of Berg, HRE, m. ? in ?, d. ? in ?)
145. Anna Maria SÖNTGERATH (b.11 Apr 1717 in Grossscheid, Duchy of Berg, HRE, d. 10 Feb 1774)

288. Bernard FITZLER (b. ? in ?, m. ? in ?, d. ? in Neunkirchen, Palatinate, HRE)
289. Christine ACKERMAN (b. 30 Mar 1693 in ?, d. 9 Nov 1747 in Neunkirchen, Palatinate, HRE)

Most of this information comes from Josef Schnieder's research in the records of the Catholic church in Neukirchen, Germany. I am indebted to James Mattern for sharing this with me several years ago.

The Fitzlers and Schmitts came from the Rheinland, southeast of Köln. Wymer and Anna Helene married in 1858, a few weeks after she arrived in this country. I don't yet know when he arrived. Anna came over with Wymer's sister, Anna Christina, who married Johan Schloesser at the same time as Wymer and Anna Helena. It's possible that these couples all knew each other back in the Old Country. They most likely left Prussia to escape the persecution of Catholics. I have not yet tracked down the details of Wymer's death. Family lore is that he fell from a bridge while drunk.

23 February 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: Emery Julius OGDEN

This is the grave marker of my maternal grandfather, Emery Julius OGDEN. He was born near Elk Point, Union Co., SD and died in Bennet County Memorial Hospital in Martin, SD. He was 87 years old. He is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE. He earned the American Legion medallion by serving in the US Army near the end of World War I. He was stationed at Camp Funston in Kansas.

20 February 2010

Surname Saturday - 7: Johnson, et al.

JOHNSON was my maternal grandmother's maiden name. This name poses some problems because it is an Anglicized version of JOHANSSON and because following it back takes us out of the land of surnames and into the land of patronymics.

All of the information back in Sweden comes courtesy of my third-cousin Brenda in Seattle. I posted here about the work she is doing in Genline.

1. Kevin Joseph HUIGENS

2. Joseph Anthony HUIGENS
3. Shirley Ann OGDEN

6. Emery Julius OGDEN (b. 9 Sept 1896 in Elk Point, Union Co., SD, USA, m. 19 Mar 1929 in Gordon, Sheridan Co., NE, USA, d. 8 Apr 1984 in Martin, Bennett Co., SD, USA)
7. Esther Louise JOHNSON (b. 23 Feb 1902 in Milan, Rock Island Co., IL, USA, d. 24 Mar 1984 in Rapid City, Pennington Co., SD, USA)

14. Gustav Adolph JOHNSON (b. 18 Aug 1867 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, m. 4 Sep 1899 in Rock Island Co., IL, USA, d. 25 Dec 1941 in Henning, Otter Tail Co., MN, USA)
15. Rosabell "Rose" STRAYER (b. 23 Aug 1872 in Milan, Rock Island Co., IL, USA, d. 7 May 1955 in Henning, Otter Tail Co., MN, USA)

28. Carl Jacob JOHNSON (b. 1 Jul 1832 in Vrångfall, Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, m. 4 Sep 18 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, d. 17 Oct 1915 in Orion, Henry Co., IL, USA)
29. Christina Lotta JÖNSDOTTER (b. 4 Jul 1839 in Slottsbäcken, Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, d. 10 OCt 1919 in Gordon, Sheridan Co., NE, USA)

Here we leave surnames and start with patronymics.

56.Johan Peter KARLSSON (b. 19 Jul 1807 in Vrångfall, Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, m. 17 Nov 1830 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, d. 29 May 1852 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden)
57. Stina Greta JAKOBSDOTTER (b. 3 Oct 1806 in Hallingshult, Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, d. 30 May 1845 in Vrångfall, Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden)

112. Karl HINRICSSON (b. 21 Oct 1764 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, m. 26 Dec 1789 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden, d. 26 Mar 1827 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden)
113. Stina JOHANSDOTTER (b. 17 Feb 1769 in ?, d. ?)

Because of patronymics we don't know Karl's father's last name, instead we only know his first name was Hinric. I wonder how DNA Surname projects work in Sweden? How does one know what last names to research?

13 February 2010

Surname Saturday - 5: Kain

This week I start on the maiden names for my grandmothers.

1. Kevin Joseph HUIGENS

2. Joseph Anthony HUIGENS
3. Shirley Ann OGDEN

4. Joseph Andrew HUIGENS (b. 9 Mar 1891 near Creighton, Knox Co., NE, m. 18 Feb 1914 at St. Ludgers Catholic Church in Creighton, Knox Co., NE, d. 8 Nov 1957 in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE)
5. Mary Julia KAIN (b. 19 May 1896 in Knox Co., NE, d. 29 Apr 1979 in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE)


10. Francis J. "Frank" KAIN (b. 14 Oct 1861 in Clinton Co., IA, m. 14 Feb 1888 at St. Iraneaus Catholic Church in Lyons, Clinton Co., IA, d. 12 Dec 1930 in Yankton, Yankton Co., SD)
11. Margaret H. "Maggie" KENNEDY (b. 9 Sep 1864 in Clinton Co., IA, d. 8 Dec 1831 in Creighton, Knox Co., NE)

20. John KAIN (b. 11 Jun 1819 in Armagh, County Armagh, Ireland, UK, 2 Jul 1848 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in St. Louis, St. Louis Co., MO, d. 16 Nov 1893 in Lyons, Clinton Co., IA)
21. Mary FOX (b. 29 Sep 1823 in County Leitrim, Ireland, UK, d. 12 May 1890 in Lyons, Clinton Co., IA)


I'm not sure when John KAIN arrived in America from Ireland. The earliest record of him in America is his 1848 marriage in St. Louis, which I about in this post. The Armagh information comes from his grave marker. Neither his will, death record or obituary provide any clues to his ancestry. I need to track down his immigration papers for more detailed information on where he came from. There is an elderly David KAIN born in Ireland listed in the 1870 US Census on the farm of John's widowed sister-in-law. He might be a possible relative.


His son, Francis KAIN, was married on Valentine's Day 1888. He farmed for a few years in Plymouth Co. IA, near his brothers and his wife's brother. He moved to Knox Co., NE where my grandmother was born. He was active in the Knights of Columbus and represented Creighton, NE at several state conventions of that organization.

09 February 2010

Tombstone Tuesday: Joseph Andrew HUIGENS

For my first Tombstone Tuesday post, I'll start with the grave marker for my paternal grandfather, Joseph Andrew HUIGENS. He is buried in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE.


My grandfather was born near Creighton in Knox Co., NE. He was named after his father's half-brother, Joseph WEND. He made his living as a farmer in Knox Co., NE and Sheridan Co., NE.

I was only six months old when he died, so I didn't have a chance to know him. Everyone says he had a great sense of humor. He passed that sense of humor on to my dad and I was also lucky enough to inherit it. I wish I had been able to get to know him.

06 February 2010

Surname Saturday - 3: Ogden

This week's surname is my mother's maiden name. The Ogden's are the Canadians in my ancestry. They were Loyalists who left New York for New Brunswick shortly after the end of the American Revolution. I wrote about my Loyalist ancestors in this post.

1. Kevin Joseph HUIGENS

2. Joseph Anthony HUIGENS
3. Shirley Ann OGDEN

6. Emery Julius OGDEN (b. 9 Sept 1896 in Elk Point, Union Co., SD, USA, m. 19 Mar 1929 in Gordon, Sheridan Co., NE, USA, d. 8 Apr 1984 in Martin, Bennett Co., SD, USA)
7. Esther Louise JOHNSON (b. 23 Feb 1902 in Milan, Rock Island Co., IL, USA, d. 24 Mar 1984 in Rapid City, Pennington Co., SD, USA)

12. William Fredrick OGDEN (b. 10 Oct 1871 in Simcoe, Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada, m. 25 Jan. 1895 in Elk Point, Union Co., SD, USA, d. 19 May 1951 in Platteville, Grant Co., WI, USA)
13. Mary Elizabeth HERREN (b. 22 Dec 1873 in Batavia, Scott Twp., Sheboygan Co., WI, USA, d. 14 Nov 1938 in Mission, Todd Co., SD, USA)

24. James Robert OGDEN (b. 9 Feb 1836 in New Brunswick, Canada, m. 12 Nov 1861 in Grey Co., Ontario, Canada, d. 6 Aug 1910 in Rapid City, Pennington Co., SD, USA)
25. Hannah GIBBON (b. 10 Feb 1837 in Chinguacousy, Peel Co., Ontario, Canada, d. 18 Apr 1927 in Denby, Shannon Co., SD, USA)

48. Robert OGDEN (b. abt 1807 in New Brunswick, Canada, m. 13 Jan 1825 in Kings Co., New Brunswick, Canada, d. 26 Jan 1892 in Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada)
49. Frances Amelia MORRELL (b. abt 1809 in Canada, d. 1881)

96. Jonathon OGDEN (b. 1748 in NY, m1. before 1794 to Millie Whitlock in ?, m2. 20 Oct 1801 to Mary Clark in Gagetown, Queens Co., New Brunswick, Canada, d. 14 Nov 1845 in Greenwich, Kings Co., New Brunswick, Canada)
97. Mary CLARK (b. 1765 in ?, d. Aug 1846 in Greenwich, Kings Co., New Brunswick, Canada)

192. Michael OGDEN (b. 1703 in Rye, Westchester Co., NY, m. ?, d. 30 Mar 1790 in Queens Co., New Brunswick, Canada)
193. Jane BLOOMER (b. 1725 in ?, d. ?)

384. John Ogden (b. 1672 in Rye, Westchester Co., NY, m. ?, d. 1746 in North Castle, Westchester Co., NY)
385. Susanah DUNSCOMBE (b. ?, d. 8 Nov 1869 in North Castle, Westchester Co., NY, d. 17 Apr 1687 in Rye, Westchester Co., NY)

768. John OGDEN (b. 3 Sept 1600? in England, UK, m. 19 Apr 1865 in Stamford, Fairfield Co., CT d. 1682 in Rye, Westchester Co., NY)
769. Judith BUDD (b. 4 Jun 1639 Southold, Suffolk Co., NY, d. 17 Apr 1687 in Rye, Westchester Co., NY)

There are OGDEN family trees that go for generations and generations back in England. Unfortunately they are all based on "The Ogden Family in America, Elizabethtown Branch, and Their English Ancestry: John Ogden, the Pilgrim and His Descendants, 1640-1906, Their History."This bogus family history is based on work done by the infamous genealogy fraud Gustave Anjou (original name Gustaf Ludvig Ljungberg). According to this book, my ancestor John OGDEN, known as John Ogden of Rye, was the first cousin of John Ogden the Pilgrim. John the Pilgrim has many,many descendants, some of them quite famous. Lord knows if the two men were really related and I am really related to all of these famous people.

Some of the details above are still subject to verification. I'm still not sure about the connections between Robert OGDEN and Jonathon OGDEN and that between 384. John OGDEN and 768. John OGDEN.