Surname Saturday - 1:Huigens

Wow, has it really been that long since my last post? My research kinda got sidetracked by the holidays. In order to increase my blog-rate, I'm going to try and participate in some of the standard genealogy blogging themes.

One of the ways I organize my research is by surnames. I had the insight a while back that new surnames appear in an ahfentahl on the odd-numbered people, which are the females. Kind of obvious since each woman brings a new maiden name to the family tree. (This ignores the problems introduced by Swedish patronymics, but I'll deal with that when I get to it.)

So first up in my surname list is my surname: HUIGENS.

1. Kevin Joseph HUIGENS

2. Joseph Anthony HUIGENS
3. Shirley Ann OGDEN

4. Joseph Andrew HUIGENS (b. 1891 in Knox Co., NE, d. 1957 in Sheridan Co., NE)
5. Mary Julia KAIN (b. 1896 in Knox Co., NE, d. 1979 in Sheridan Co., NE)

8. John Edward HUIGENS (b. 1862 in Marshall Co., IL, d. 1949 in Knox Co., NE)
9. Mary FITZLER (b. 1866 in Marshall Co., IL, d. 1949 in Knox Co., NE)

16. And here is where it gets tricky. (b. 1827 in Holland, Netherlands, d. 1864 in Marshall Co.,IL)
17. Catherine TOEMMES (b. 1827 in Trassem, Saarburg, Trier, Prussia, d. 1899 in Morgan Co., IL)

I've written before about the difficulties surrounding my Dutch great-great-grandfather's name here. His first name was most likely "Evert" or "Everett." This was Anglicized to "Edward" and Germanized to "Eberhard." His name on the index card to his naturalization papers in the NARA's Soundex Naturalization Index (Microfilm Publication M1285) is "Evert HEUIGEN." His name on his grave marker is "Eberhard HEIGENS." This information was probably provided by his German-born wife. Edward was my great-grandfather's middle name and both he and his brother named a son Edward.

If my great-great-grandparents followed traditional naming patterns, Evert's parents' names would be "Bernard" and "Maria." Their first born daughter was named Mary Julia. This matches my great-great-grandmother, Maria (SCHMITT) TOEMMES. Their first son was named Bernard. Their second son, my great-grandfather, was named John which would match my great-great-grandmother's father, Johann TOEMMES. His second daughter, known only through a baptism record discussed here, was named Maria. They named his first daughter and second son after Katherine's parent's, so it is likely that his first son and second daughter were named after his parents. So #32 in my afentahl is most likely Bernard HUIGEN.

Future research plans for this family line include obtaining Evert's naturalization papers, land records and probate records from the court house in Lacon, Marshall Co., IL. I'm hoping to find some trace of relatives or details of where he came from other than just the imprecise "Holland." It would be great if he signed his naturalization papers legibly. Most likely, I'll just find more variations on his name.

Citizen Kain

I recently decided to give Ancestry.com's "Hire an Expert" service a try. I chose to have someone with access to the St. Louis County Library print out the microfilm image of a court proceeding concerning the naturalization of my great-great-grandfather, John KAIN (Microfilm SLCL# 37, Vol. 22 Pg 59, John Kain, 10-Jun-1852). The cost was a mere $5 and the service was very good. I received a printout of the entire page and a close up of the paragraph concerning my ancestor.

That paragraph reads as follows:
Matthew Maher and John Kain, natives of Ireland, who apply to be admitted citizens of the United States, come and prove to the satisfaction of the Court, that they have resided in the United States for at least five years and in the State of Missouri at least one year, immediately preceeding this application, during which time they have conducted themselves as men of good moral character; attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same: and the Court moreover, being satisfied that the said applicants have taken the preparatory steps required by the laws of the United States concerning the naturalizations of foreigners, and they declaring here in Open Court, upon oath, that they will support the Constitution of the United States, and that they do entirely and absolutely renounce and abjure forever all allegiance and fidelity to every Power, Prince, State and Sovereignty whatsover and particularly to the Queen of Great Britain of whom they are at presents [sic] subjects. Therefore the said Matthew Maher and John Kain are citizens of the United States of America.

The Queen of Great Britain at that time was Victoria, who began her reign in 1837 at the age of 18.

Not much new information in the record. It does show that my great-great-grandfather was still in St. Louis in June, 1852. According to the Iowa 1855 Census, he arrived in Clinton Co., IA in 1852, so he must have gone there later that year. I'll probably be able to get more information on his migration from land records at the Root Cellar in the Clinton Public Library.

Ancestry.com's "Hire an Expert" service worked very well for me. It's great that someone with access to records I neeeded was willing to help out a fellow genealogist.

A New Cousin

In the last week, I came across a treasure trove of information on my Swedish ancestry in the recent archives of RootsWeb's Sweden mailing list. There were several posts from a Brenda in Seattle regarding Carl Jacob Johnson and his wife Stina Lotta Jonsdotter, which just happen to be my great-great-grandparents (my maternal grandmother's paternal grandparents for those of you keeping score at home). In one of her posts, she mentioned their son, Gustaf Adolph, so I knew I was on to something important.

I mentioned these posts in an email to my 2nd cousin Janice, with whom I share Gust as a great-grandfather. Turns out she had already been in contact with Brenda. So I contacted Brenda and it turns out she had already been in contact with my mother and brother, Ross. I am obviously way out of the loop when it comes to my Swedish roots.

Brenda, as it happens, is my 3rd cousin--we share Carla and Stina/Christina as great-great-grandparents. Her great-grandmother, Anna, was Gust's sister. I sent Brenda a picture of Christina that she had not seen and a wedding day picture of Gust and his wife Rose. She has promised to send me pictures, obituaries and more immigration info about the family (Carl and Stina brought the family over in 1881) when she returns from vacation. Hurry home, Brenda!

Here are Gust's ancestors in graphic form:


Here is an afentahl for my great-grandfather. I've put in bold the info I have managed to gleam from Brenda's many posts to the mailing lists asking for help with understanding the records she has found in Genlines. Mark from Oconomowac has generously chipped in often on replies with info from the PLF CDs that contain databases of parish data from Kalmar County.


1. Gustaf Adoph JOHNSON b:18-Aug-1867 in Locknevi parish, Kalmar County, Småland Province, Sweden; m:4-Sep-1899 to Rosabel STRAYER in Rock Island County, IL, USA; d:25-Dec-1941 in Henning,Otter Tail County,MN,USA

2. Carl Jacob JOHANSSON b:01-July-1832 in Vrångfall, Locknevi, Kalmar,Småland,Sweden; m:04-Sep-1863 in Locknevi, Kalmar, Småland, Sweden; d:17-Oct-1915 in Orion,Henry County,IL,USA


3. Christina Lotta JÖNSDOTTER b:04-Jul-1839 in Slottsbäcken,Locknevi,Kalmar,Småland,Sweden; d:10-Oct-1919 in Gordon,Sheridan County,NE,USA

4. 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

5. Stina Greta JAKOBSDOTTER b:03-Oct-1806 in Hallingshult,Locknevi, Kalmar,Småland,Sweden; d:20-May-1845 in Vrångfall,Locknevi,Kalmar,Småland,Sweden

6. Jonas (UHRE) NILSSON b:12-May-1796 in Junkerhorfva,Hjorted,Kalmar,Småland,Sweden; m: 7-Feb-1819 in Hjorted,Kalmar,Småland,Sweden; d:14-Oct-1862 in Locknevi,Kalmar,Småland,Sweden

7. Lisa PERSDOTTER b:22-Oct-1796 in Strömsnäs Av Bergebo,Hjorted,Kalmar,Småland,Sweden; d:22-Apr-1848 in Sweden

8. 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

9. Stina JOHANSDOTTER

10. Jakob HIERONYMISSON b: 1776

11. Anna Kajsa SAMUELSDOTTER WISTEDT

12. Nils SVENSSON d: 1805

13. Anna JONSDOTTER b: abt 1769

14. Peter STÅL (The last name means "steel." That's a military name, don't have his patronym.)

15. Kierstin Larsdotter b: abt 1766; second marriage since the record lists her as a widow

The information that Brenda has posted also contains details on baptisms, burials, jobs and residences. How am I ever going to find time to capture all of this into our family tree? I really appreciate Brenda and her mailing list helpers for digging through all of the records and gathering up this wonderfl information.

More grave markers

A few weeks ago I stumbled across the Find a Grave web site. I spent some time searching for various family names and was surprised that my search for "Strayer" turned up my great-great-grandfather and grandmother. Abraham STRAYER and his wife Harriet Alice (HOWARD) STRAYER are buried side by side in Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island, IL. Buried nearby is their son, John Howard STRAYER.

When my brother Ross was visiting from Texas last May, I considered having us spend a day in the Quad Cities trying to locate family graves. Since we had no information on where exactly they were buried, it seemed like a fool's errand. Especially since the forecast called for non-stop rain. With this information, it wold have been easily done. Maybe next time.

The information and pictures at Find a Grave were posted anonomously in August 2006. The grave marker and information posted for Abraham list his birth year as 1822. I had it as 1823, but I had no source listed. The 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 US Census records are little help. Using the information from them, his birth year would be 1823, 1824, 1822 and 1822, respectively. His enlistment information in the Spring of 1862 lists his age as 39, which would make his birth year 1822. I pulled out his Civil War pension file. In a quick perusal of the 100+ pages, I could find no birth date listed. All of his given ages on various documents point to a birth year of 1822. I think I have enough evidence to justify changing the year to 1822 until I can find a Pensylvania baptism record.

The information posted for Harriet differs from mine in the death date. I had 14-Apr-1914. The poster to Find a Grave has it as 2-Apr-1914. Again a quick perusal of the Civil War pension file for her claims as a widow confirms a death date of 2-Apr. That explains why, on a recent trip to the State Archives in Des Moines, I cold not find an obituary for her in any Davenport newspaper--I was looking almost two weeks too late. I also happened to find a mention in the pension file that she had beeen buried in Chippiannock Cemetery. So, with a little research, I could have taken my brother there after all.

Broken tombstone

Don't rely on transcriptions.

In the biography of my great-grandfather, John HUIGENS, from a 1912 history of Knox County, NE, it states "Mr. Huigens was born in Henry, Marshall county, Illinois, June 15, 1862, and reared just across the line in Putnam county; here he lived engaged in farming until his migration to Nebraska. He is a son of Edward and Catherine (Thoemas) Huigens, the former a native of Holland who died when the son was but two years old..." Based on this, we can surmise that my great-great-grandfather died about 1864 in Marshall County, IL.

In the 1860 U.S. Census of Hopewell Township, Marshall County, IL, the age of A. HIGGIN, my great-great-grandfather, is given as 32. That makes his birth year about 1828 and his age when he died around 36.

In searching for his place of burial, I came across the following entry in a transcription of grave markers in the Old Catholic Cemetery, Henry Township, Marshall County, IL:

Eberhard Heigens Died February 27, 1864. Aged 21 years.

The name was close and plausible. (As I've previously blogged, my great-great-grandfather's actual name is still a mystery.) The death year is also a match according to the info from his son's bio. But the age is about 15 years off. Is it him?

The Old Catholic Cemeteary (AKA the Old Irish Cemetery, Old St. Mary's Cemetery, Old German Catholic Cemetery, Old Settler's Cemetery, the Merritt Cemetery, the Apfel Cemetery, the Meridian Cemetery) is located in the middle of a corn field. Tom Bogner, who tends to the cemetery, first took my wife and me to visit it a couple of years ago. There I saw the grave marker for my great-great-great-mother, Maria TOEMMES. I also took a closer look at Eberhard's grave. His marker was in two pieces and appeared to be broken across a line of text, which was obscure by an overgrowth of grass. Unfortunately on that first trip, my camera malfunctioned, so I was not able to obtain any photographs. I also could not make out any of the writing after pushing the grass aside.

Last May, when my brother was visiting, we made a trip down to the cemetery. It took us a while to find it, but we trekked through the pouring rain and the mud and took several pictures.





While we were standing there, my brother, who took a little high school German, pointed out that the bottom half of the tombstone read "21 tage alt", 21 days old, not 21 years old. The first time that I had been there I had been so focused on the fact of the two halves and the illegible line of text that I hadn't noticed the obvious mistranslation. I had assumed tha the text gave Eberhard's birth date. With this new information, I was now convinced it would state his age in years and months at the time of his death.

After moving the grass away from the bottom of the top half of the stone, I was able to take a close up picture of the writing there. I was able to maniplate the image enough to be able to read most of it.

As near as I can tell, it says "36 jahre 2 ?????." I canot make out that last word. It should be "monate" for months. That would make Eberhard's age at the time of his death 36 years, 2 months and 21 days--a perfect match for the expected age of my great-great-grandfather.

So I've verfied that the grave is most likely that of my great-great-grandfather, Eberhard/Evert/Edward HEIGENS/HIGGIN/HEUIGEN, born 6-Dec-1827, died 27-Feb-1864.

I repeat, don't rely on trascriptions. Lesson learned.