Jan. 2011, Week 1: Birth of Joseph Andrew HUIGENS

My blogging plan for 2011 revolves around the fact that I have twelve grandparents and great-grandparents. That works out nicely for covering one a month.  Each month has four weeks, more or less.  In the first three weeks I'll cover the basics of birth, marriage and death.  In the fourth week I'll cover miscellaneous topics like residence, land, immigration, naturalization, etc.

To begin, my paternal grandfather, Joseph Andrew HUIGENS, was born on 9-Mar-1891 near Creighton, Knox Co., NE.  The sources for the date are his WWI draft registration card, his marriage license, his obituary, his NE death record and his grave marker.  The years are confirmed by US Census records for 1900 through 1930.  He was born before births were registered in Nebraska.  It's possible that he has a delayed birth record filed.  The best hope for a primary, direct and original source is baptism records at St. Ludger's Catholic Church in Creighton.

The exact location of his birth is most likely the family farm, about 10 miles west of Creighton on the family farm in Logan Township, in the south half of section 3.  All the known records list his birthplace as Creighton, which is the closest town.

His parents were John HUIGENS and Mary FITZLER, who moved to Knox County in the spring of 1884.  Joseph was their fourth child and third son.  He was named after his uncle Joseph WEND, his father's half-brother.

My grandfather is standing on the far right in the picture below.  This is the earliest picture I have of him.

Next week, Joseph's marriage to Julia KAIN.