Tag Archives: genealogy

Germanic Family History and Temple Work: Ancestry Love

Family history + Temple work is a core part of who we, Marnie and David Kuhns, are. After we wrote about our family history research, which led to our October 2024 Germanic family history trip and subsequent Arizona temple experiences, I realized our blogs, experiences, lessons learn, and data were somewhat disconnected and scattered.

This family history summary with links to the appropriate blog posts puts into chronological order all our experiences, including the genealogy research that made it possible to make the connections in Europe, Wisconsin, and elsewhere, that we did. These links also lead to lessons learned in traveling and in family history research.

Going Backwards in Family History: From Wisconsin Back to Bavaria

Kunz Kuhns ancestral home in Markt Falkenberg, Kreis Tirschenreuth, Bayern, Deutschland
Dave’s Family History Lessons From Marnie’s Perspective

Visiting What We’d Known Through Letters: Starke / Dausel / Dehmel Family History From WIsconsin to Kreis Bunzlau, Schlesien, Germany (Now Boleslawiec, Poland)

Once we finished in Falkenberg, Bavaria, we headed north, through Dresden, into western Poland. My father’s maternal grandmother, Bertha Starke (Geerdts), left Kreis Bunzlau, Schlesien, as a teenager in the late 1800s, imigrating to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she met and married Gustav Geerdts. Part of this trip was to return to the land of her nativity, which is now in western Poland.

Fortunately, “Granny Geerdts” wrote a lot of letters to her mother and relatives in Germany, and to her husband as they were apart. In the late 1990s, I translated and posted these letters, including:

  • The home page of the letters, leading to all the different types of letters she wrote. This also includes photos and maps of the “old country”

Once we arrived in Krasnik Dolny, Boleslaweic, Poland, we were able to meet some folks who could potentially be relatives. These are summaries of our meeting:

Mi Vorvater, Di war Schaffhüse und Zuri Lüt: Marnie’s Family History In Switzerland

An unexpected bonus of this trip was discovering new and deeper information about Marnie’s Swiss family history. In planning the trip, I’d simply wanted to take her across the border into Stein am Rhein, a wonderful town near where I’d served my mission in 1977-78 for the LDS Church. So it was truly a miracle to discover Marnie’s ancestors came from Stein am Rhein.

Further genealogy digging led us from Stein am Rhein to the Grossmunster in Zurich; the Reformed Church in Lustdorf (Kanton Thurgau); Schloss Kyburg in Kanton Zurich; Schoss Von Sulz in Tiengen near Schaffhausen; and more! Marnie’s day-to-day blog posts tracked her family history discoveries, including:

We hope these links will help you discover some of the joy we felt doing a family history tour, as well as the spiritual fulfillment we felt in connecting with our ancestors and doing their Temple work. If you have questions, please contact us at SpiritTreeFarms.com

Special thanks to FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, the Hartford (Wisconsin) Historical Society, the Freiberg, Tucson, Mesa, and Gilbert temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my father Gene L. Kuhns, the Gerhard and Doris Rasp family, Helmut Köstler, Monika Fisher und Agnes Kunz, the Kreis Bunzlau Facebook Family History Page, Alfred Kunz (RIP), and Marnie Kuhns, aka CreationGirl, each of whom played a part in this amazing family history discovery trip!

Finding My Bavarian Roots: Geneaology Blogging Prose

UPDATED 2 October, 2024: Wir werden in Falkenberg bei Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz, Bayern, Deutschland,  8-12 Okt., 2024 sein.  We will be in Falkenberg, Bavaria, October 8-12, 2024. Siehe neue Familien Namen unten! See new family names below.
UPDATED FEB. 15, 2022, with new information. (see below)

From July 16, 2016, 1:09 pm: As I write this, I’m shedding tears of joy and disbelief. Since my high school days (1973-74) I’ve tried to find the KUHNS family link to “the old country” (Germany). I would take the bus during my high school and college years, during the summer, down to the Milwaukee County Historical Society, to do census and resident research.
I discovered that my grandfather George’s father, John, was a carpenter at the Pabst Theater. I learned that John’s father, Eugene, lived in Milwaukee, and was born in Germany.
So I kept trying and trying to find how Eugene “came over” from Germany, and where in Germany he was from. My research in Milwaukee — which spanned decades — always came up with only “Germany” as his birthplace.
Three years ago, I learned — through census records — that Eugene and several of his siblings had lived in Hartford, Washington County. I went to the Hartford Library and historical society, where some volunteers helped me find several newspaper articles about some KUHNS family. I made copies of the articles, but as I was short on time, I never really read them. In fact, I thought they were probably NOT related to me, because they mentioned another John KUHNS who was an early settler of Hartford, builder and owner of the “Old Wisconsin House” (aka “American House”) So I put the newspaper articles away in deep storage.
Eventually, I discovered that Eugene’s father, John, and his mother, Victoria, were buried in Hartford. At the time, I wrote this piece:
https://cyranowriter.wordpress.com/2015/09/12/six_generations_later_they_done_good/.

Alas, all censuses of this family simply said “Germany” as their residence before coming to the USA. I was still no closer to finding WHERE in Germany the Kuhns line came.
Recently, I pulled the articles out and brought them to Wisconsin. They sat on the bunkbed for months, as I only glanced at the headlines: “Old Settler Dead” and “Death of John Kuhns”.
Today, I brought them out and showed them to my father, who read them with interest. They talked of John Kuhns’ (Grandpa’s great-grandfather, NOT his father) life in the mid-1800’s in Hartford, builder and owner of the Wisconsin House / American House. But again, I never read the articles.
As I took them back into my room, for some reason, I decided to completely read them. I read of John and Victoria’s son Matthias, who died fairly young. I read of my grandfather’s grand-uncle, from Madison.

I read of the death of “the Old Settler” John Kuhns, the first Kuhns from our family in Wisconsin.
JohnKUHNS_KUNTZ_KUNZ_HartfordPressObitMarch1903Then I read this:
“The deceased was born in Falkenberg, Germany, in 1810.”
I stared.

In the next article on the copied page was this line: “Mr. Kuhns was born in Bavaria …. 1810 … and came to this country … in 1845.”
Falkenberg. Bavaria. Germany.
There is a town. A name. My KUHNS/KUNTZ line has a location.
FALKENBERG in Oberpfalz, Bavaria.
OR is it THIS Falkenberg, only a few miles north of where I studied German in Ebersberg, at the Goethe Institut?
Four decades of research flash into a time warp of insight and inspiration, take me back to the old country, 50 kilometers east of a city I spent a cold November night in 1980.

Schwetze mi UrGrossEltern Boarisch? Wiss nid!

But my Kuhns/Kuntz family line seems to have a home in Falkenberg, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany, northeast of Munich, east of Nuremberg, near the Czech border.
And I’m in tears.
PS: In the same article: “He was married in the old country, Feb. 2, 1836, to Victoria Mormk.”
More information, a last name we never knew before.——

PPS: Not so fast: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Falkenberg-Lower-Bavaria/109293779090341?fref=tsThere’s a Falkenberg in Lower Bavaria.
Which one is it? I guess I will have to do more research!… but we’re getting closer!

UPDATE, Feb. 15, 2022: I haven’t been able to rest recently. Several family researchers, distant cousins, keep coming up with more data on the KUHNS line in Milwaukee. So, for some reason, late last night I started doing research on Falkenberg, to see if I could determine once and for all, what part of Germany the Kuhns/Kuntz line immigrated from.
This time I did a search for “KUNTZ Falkenberg Bayern”. A website came up I’d never seen before, a private genealogy website, in German, “Familienforshung – Kunz, Weiden in der Oberpfalz“. Interesting. The researcher talked about Konz, Kontz, Kunz, Contz and other similar names from the Oberpfalz area. Normally, these names don’t get me excited, because they are SO different from the KUHNS / KUNTZ line I research. But something made me look.

Side Note: My wife later pointed out that, had I not gone on a mission to Switzerland and Germany in the 1970’s, and studied German in 1980 near Munich, I would have never been able to “see” the hints that appeared on the page. But because I know German, there were words and phrases that jumped out at me.

Quellen = Sources for Falkenberg KUNZ Research

For example, on the home page, the word “Quellen” seemed to jump out. “Sources”. So I clicked on the link, which took me to a list page of sources the researcher (Alfred KUNZ of Weiden, Germany, may he rest in peace) had used. As I scrolled down, a particular line jumped out at me:
b) Staatsarchiv Amberg: Nordamerikanische Auswanderer aus der Oberpfalz (1839 – 1871) — “Immigrants to North America out of Oberpfalz (1839 – 1871). Something in my memory stirred. My ancestors left “The Old Country” some time around 1840. I downloaded this record, a LARGE PDF file with hundreds of pages, thousands of listings. I searched KUHNS. Nothing. KUNTZ. Nothing. I wondered if I searched for “Falkenberg” if something would show up. Several listings, but not many. I determined to look at them all. Suddenly: “Johann KUNZ”. The next line: “Ehefrau + 6 Kinder”. “His wife + 6 children”, registered to leave Bavaria for North America.

Kunz family departure from Falkenberg, Bavaria, 1845

Something stirred. It was the wrong spelling, but still: How many of their children were born in Germany? I knew my genealogy file had the answer, so I looked up his family tree. Six children were born in Germany.

Another column showed the date this family left Germany: April, 1845. My heart sank. I was certain my family had arrived in Wisconsin in 1840. Still, one should always check the records. SURPRISE! The obits, the census records, and other records I’d recorded made it clear: The family arrived in Wisconsin in 1845! Still a possibility! I read other columns from the PDF record. “Occupation: Glasermeister”. Master of glass. Something stirred in me. Why did that sound familiar? I scanned through the obit in FamilySearch.org that I had posted. Nothing. But something said “There’s more.” I looked in my “Kuhns_KuntzOldNewspaperClippings” file. There was an obit I hadn’t posted on the website. “Old Settler Dead”. And it said: “In 1845 Mr. Kuhns with his family came to America to live. … In his native country he followed the occupation of glass cutting.”

There it was! A man with the correct first name, John (Johann), similar last name, KUNZ (instead of KUHNS or KUNTZ) leaves Falkenberg, Germany (a very small village, population in the hundreds) in 1845, arrives in Wisconsin the same year with his wife and 6 children. He and his wife are from Falkenberg, Bavaria, where he is a glass cutter. ALL those items (names, number of children, location, occupation) are substantiated on both sides of the ocean, both in Bavarian records and Wisconsin records.

I have found our family’s “Heimats Ort”, our home town. Of course, I have to research it! I find this: Hertzlich Willkommen in Falkenberg! A cute little Dorf (actually, a Markt) in the Tirschenreuth district of Oberpfalz, Bavaria.

Again, I’m weeping. I bi Heim!

As I was discovering all of this, I made a video, which I will post here later.

Departure Notice of Johann KUNZ from Falkenberg, Bavaria, 1845
More Falkenberg KUNZ Information

I wrote a long email to Alfred KUNZ, (unfortunately, Herr KUNZ passed away in the summer of 2024, before I could meet him), thanking him for his website and explaining my excitement. The next morning, he’d responded with a photo of an official notice from the Bavarian Kingdom Intelligenceblatt, an official notification for all persons concerned regarding the immigration of Johann KUNZ and his wife and six children to North America. The rough translation:

#343, published 13 March, 1845
“Let It Be Known.
Johann Kunz, Glassmaster from Falkenberg, has the intention, with wife and 6 children, to immigrate to North America.
It is required that all those who have dealings (or things to do with) this family, should appear Saturday, 12 April, morning 9 o’clock, under the _____ of the area/regional office, and register. (Listed) Tischenreuth on the 7th March, 1845, Royal (Bavarian) Landregion Tirschenreuth, ______ (Zimmer? Wimmer?)”

Alfred Kunz later wrote more of an explanation for the published notice: “Wer im 19. Jahrhundert nach Nordamerika auswandern wollte, brauchte dazu eine behördliche Erlaubnis, die beim zuständigen Gericht (Amtsgericht Tirschenreuth) beantragt werden musste.” 
“In the 1800s, whoever wanted to immigrate to North America had to get an official permission from the local authorities (Official Office Tirschenreuth).”

“Männer mussten ihren Militärdienst geleisten haben und die Auswanderer durften keine Schulden zurücklassen. Deshalb wurde ihre Absicht auszuwandern im Intelligenzblatt veröffentlicht.”
“Men had to have fulfilled their Military Service requirement, and the immigrants could not leave behind any debts or obligations. For this reason, their intention to immigrate was published in the Intelligenzblatt (newspaper).”

“Und eine Frist gesetzt, damit Ansprüche und Forderungen an die Auswanderer geltend gemacht werden konnten.” 
“And a bail posted, so that requirements and debts against the immigrants could be financially paid off.“

AMAZING!

PS: If you are related or are from Falkenberg, Tirschenreuth, Bavaria, please contact me at da.kuhns at gmail dot com, or naturesguy at naturesguy dot com. Put in the subject line “Kuhns / Kuntz / Kunz family history” or something similar

HEIMATS ORT — HOMETOWN FALKENBERG — MORE UPDATES! Feb 16, 2022

I’ve gotten a lot of information from Alfred KUNZ and his website. He has also emailed me directly. We do not yet know if we are related, but he has been very helpful. I’ll continue to post updates here.

Yesterday he sent me a list of houses in Falkenberg, as well as their “new” address. He wrote: “nach der Häuseraufstellung Falkenberg von 1840 wohnte ihr Vorfahre Johann Kunz im Haus-Nr. 91. Die Anschrift ist heute: Marktplatz 4.”
“According to the Census of Houses in Falkenberg from 1840, your ancestor Johann Kunz lived in Haus Number 91. The address today is: Marktplatz 4.”

In the 1840 census, Johann KUNZ and his family lived at Marktplatz 4 in Falkenberg. Using GoogleEarth, I was able to put in the address and find an arial view of the house, across the street from the back corner of the church in the center of town. Using a street view, I was also able to see the front of the house. 

Marktplatz 4 is in the upper left corner of this photo, near the back of Pfarrkirche St. Pankratius in the center of Falkenberg. The Burg Falkenberg (castle, fortress) is just off the top center of the photo..
Marktplatz 4 is in the upper left corner of this photo, near the back of Pfarrkirche St. Pankratius in the center of Falkenberg. The Burg Falkenberg (castle, fortress) is just off the top center of the photo..
Street view of the front of Marktplatz 4, Falkenberg, Bavaria, the home (in 1840) of Johann KUNZ. The back of the Pfarrkirche St. Pankratius church is visible on the left.
Street view of the front of Marktplatz 4, in Falkenberg, the home (in 1840) of Johann KUNZ. The back of the Pfarrkirche St. Pankratius church is visible on the left.

Directions to Falkenberg, Tirschenreuth in Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany

Now, of course, our family wants to go to Falkenberg. For reference, it is in the Oberpfalz area of Bavaria. NOTE: There are several “Falkenberg” towns in Germany, including a few in Bavaria. The best way to find the Kuhns / Kuntz / Kunz Heimat is to look on Google Maps for the County Seat (Landkreis) Tirschenreuth, Bavaria. Tirschenreuth is about 150 miles north-northwest of Munich, about 40 miles east of Bayreuth, and about 115 miles (by car) west of Prague, Czechia.

Falkenberg, which lies on the river Waldnaab (Bavarian: “Woidnaab”), is about 6 miles west of Tirschenreuth, on Highway 2167.

Another Bavarian Family Connection: Familie MARK und VOLLATH

About the same time (specifically, 18 February, 2022), I found someone on Ancestry and Family Search who was working on the same line as I was — with A LOT more information. So I wrote him.
Hallo! Ich weiss nicht, ob Sie Deutsch oder Englisch kann. Ich bin Amerikaner, so werde auf English schreiben. Hello! I don’t know if you speak German or English. I am an American, so I will write in English. (Falls ich muss auf Deutsch, kann ich das auch.)
I was looking for the parents of my ancestor, Viktoria Mark, of Bodenreuth, who married Johann KUNZ of Falkenberg, Bavaria, in Falkenberg in February, 1836. One of the witnesses was Johann Baptiste MARK, which you have listed in your family history, and the parents are Mathias Mark, Bauer in Bodenreuth und
Anna Maria, geb. Vollath von Pleisdorf. These are the people listed on your records.
How are you related to them? Johann KUNZ and Viktoria MARK are the great-grandparents of my Grandfather. They immigrated to Hartford, Wisconsin, USA from Falkenberg in 1845.
I am going to add your Mark and Vollath family records to my records, and I look forward to hearing more from you! Please contact me … and thank you!

A few days later, I got an email from Gerhardt RASP, a tax preparer from nearby Tirschenreuth (the county seat of Falkenberg, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz, Bayern, Deutschland).

Through various emails, and much research at the Pfarrkirche Falkenberg (Katholische) Kirche, he sent me many records, allowing me to take my KUNTZ/KUNZ family history WAY back, into the 1500s! THAT is amazing! He is truly a God-send, and I am blessed to have found him and Herr Kunz.

Relationship between Gerhard RASP and David KUHNS:

Georg Mathias Mark (born 1756, Bodenreuth, Tirschenreuth, Bavaria, Germany) married
Anna Vollath (born 1763, Pleisdorf, Neustadt an der Waldnaab), in the Pfarrkirche Falkenberg 24 Jan. 1790 (Gerhard Rasp and David Kuhns common great-great-great-great-grandparents)
Katharina Mark born 1797 in BodenreuthViktoria Mark born in 1813 in Bodenreuth, (married to Johann “Jacob” KUNTZ in Falkenberg, moved to Milwaukee / Hartford WISC, USA, 1845)
Franz Josef Mayerhöfer born 1839 in PirkEugene W. Kuntz born in Falkenberg, Bavaria
Barbara Mayerhöfer born 1886 in PirkJohn Kuntz born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Anna Mark, born 1925 in FalkenbergGeorge F. Kuhns born in Milwaukee
Rosemarie Stenzel, of Falkenberg/TirschenreuthGene L. Kuhns Sr. born in Milwaukee
Gerhard Rasp, born in Falkenberg David Kuhns (me) born in Milwaukee, WI, USA
Common MARK und VOLLATH ancestors from Kreis Tirschenreuth, Bayern, Deutschland

Familien Namen aus Falkenberg und Kreis Tirschenreuth, Bayern, Deutschland

Other Family Names from Falkenberg and Kreis Tirschenreuth and Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany

Family names included in the records from Falkenberg and the surrounding area of Kreis Tirschenreuth, and Neustand an der Waldnaab, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany, include:

  • KUNTZ (ca. 1845 in Wisconsin, USA) KUNZ (*1766 Falkenberg), CONTZ (ca. 1740),
  • FAHRNBAUER (ca. 1740, of Falkenberg)
  • MARK (before 1500, Geißenreuth, Plößberg, Tirschenreuth)
  • VOLLATH and VOLLANDT (1500, Wurz, Püchersreuth, and Dietersdorf, Windischeschenbach, Landkreis Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Bayern, after 1619, Schnackenhof, Plößberg, Tirschenreuth)
  • WEIß (*1590, Gumpen, Falkenberg, Tirschenreuth),
  • HÄRTL (ca. 1495, Gründlbach, Tirschenreuth),
  • SCHNEIDER (ca. 1769 and ca. 1745, Wiesau),
  • TREMLER (vor 1630 Ilsenbach, Püchersreuth, Neustadt an der Waldnaab),
  • HÖNING (vor 1719 Albersrieth, Waldthurn, Neustadt an der Waldnaab),
  • SCHARNAGL, ca. 1590, Stein, (later Schönthan), Plößberg, Tirschenreuth)
  • MENZL (about 1630, Wildenau, Plößberg, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz)
  • HÖFLER or HOEFLER (before 1495, Geißenreuth, Plößberg, Tirschenreuth,)
  • BUSL (before 1500, Dürnkonreuth, (later Schönthan), Plößberg, Tirschenreuth),
  • KLINGER (abt 1552, Gründlbach, Tirschenreuth, Tirschenreuth),
  • DÖBERL (*1604, Laub; of Gründlbach)
  • ZIEGLER (*1605 Lodermühl, +of Gründlbach, Tirschenreuth)
  • LINDNER +1682 Plößberg, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz, and +1728, Dietersdorf, Windischeschenbach, Landkreis Neustadt an der Waldnaab)
  • PEIML (*1594, +1660, Hohenthan, Bärnau, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz)
  • SCHMID (+1689 Dietersdorf, Windischeschenbach, Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Oberpfalz)
  • BOGNER (about 1600, Neuhaus, Windischeschenbach, Landkreis Neustadt an der Waldnaab)
  • MÜLLER (about 1650, Mitterteich, Mitterteich, and Muckenthal, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz)
  • KELLNER (ca. 1645, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz)
  • [OCKL and OCKHEL] (vor 1505, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth)
  • FRÄNKEL (ca 1570, Rotzendorf, Püchersreuth, Landkreis Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Bayern
  • [CUNNZ, CUNTZ, CUNZ, KONZ], ca. 1550, Muckenthal, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth, Oberpfalz)
  • BUCHNER (ca. 1664, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth,)
  • ZEIDLER (+ca. 1650 Wiesau, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth)
  • ZEITLER (ca 1540 Kondrau, Waldsassen, Tirschenreuth)
  • ZINTL (about 1560, Schönfeld, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth)
  • KERN (vor 1530 Kondrau, Waldsassen, Tirschenreuth)

These are all names that, until October 2024, I’d never actually written down and looked at. They’re all from around Falkenberg, Wiesau, Tirschenreuth, and that area, except for a few around Neuhaus, Landkreis Neustadt an der Waldnaab.

UPDATE: Wir Reisen Nach Falkenberg! — We Are Going To Falkenberg!

We are going to Falkenberg! 8-24 of Oktober, 2024, Marnie and I will be traveling in Europe, mostly to visit family history sites in Germany and Switzerland:

  • 8-12 October: Falkenberg, Tirschenreuth, Weiden in Oberpfalz Bavaria, Germany
  • 12-14 October: Nieder Schönfeld, Ober Schönfeld, Altöls, and other areas in Kreis Bunzlau, Schlesien, where “Granny Geerdts” (Bertha Starke Geerdts, my grandmother Bertha Geerdts Kuhns’ mother) was born and went to school and church. It is now Krasnik Dolny, Poland)
  • 15-16 October: LDS Temple in Freiberg, Germany
  • 16-17 October: Prague, Czech Republic
  • 18-21 October: Switzerland, including Lustdorf, Stein am Rhein, and Zurich, where Marnie’s ancestors are from (15th and 16th century), including Hans R. Lavater, Bürgermeister (Mayor) of Zurich
  • 21-24 October: Other sight-seeing and flex time

If you are related to the KUNZ, KUNTZ, KUHNS, MARK, VOLLATH, STARKE, DAUSEL, DEHMEL lines in Germany (or Wisconsin), or the LAVATER, von SULZ, von WYSS, or WOHNLICH lines in Kanton Zurich or Thurgau, please let us know!

da.kuhns@gmail.com

Valentine’s Day Ancestry Bouquet: Revolutionary IMprov Sonnet

SS Leipzig Bremen to Baltimore April 30, 1881, Heinrich Geerdts (Gerdts) familyFor my family’s Valentine’s Day
I thought I’d make a bouquet
showing our German ancestry
as they crossed the sea.

They departed from Bremen
to seek a new land’s safe haven
on the Sovereign Ship Leipzig:
a two funnel/two mast rig.

In “stearage” the small family came,
Just five with misspelled Geerdts name;
One suitcase each as they came ashore
under Fort McHenry’s watch in Baltimore.

With little more than their love, hope and trust
they paved the way. Happy Valentine’s to us!

Small Miracles Pieced Together: Revolutionary Blogging Free Verse

If you research and think of/
how the Nordlanders kept records/
in Stave churches/
as they island hopped;/

How Asbjorn/
had the idea/
to put the Boks together/
the year before I landed;

How my friend’s dad/
knew right where/
Grandpa’s tiny nativity village was /
‘cuz he’d skied there;

How a young pastor/
debarked the ferry/
the same second I did/
after 2 years in the Holy Land;

How his elementary teacher/
bought the same house/
my great-grandmother’s sister owned/
and knew all my relatives;

How those aged Norsk cousins spoke/
such a strong, ancient Dialekt/
that I, Schwyzer-Duetsch schwetzen,/
could understand them/
(and they, Kojak and Rockford TV taught/
got American me, from the heart, baby!)

How much we got done, laughing,/
sharing information and old photos,/
in 2 short Norwegian November days,/
knowing it was a tongue gift;

How those Lind books landed/
in the hands of someone typing/
80 words per minute/
10 miles from a Temple;

How they held me up, /
typing until 2 a.m.,/
and woke me at 4:30 a.m., /
to do their work;

How, when the machine was broken/
and the records lost,/
the data was saved, protected,/
rediscovered and decoded;

If you think about/
and comprehend how all that,/
and more, happened,/
then you’ll know how and why/
those old fiskers/
never let me rest/
until they were,/
and are,
found,/
and bound,/
together.

Stamsvik Nordfold Norway family farm overlooking the North Sea

Liebes Weibchen! Liebes Mannichen!: Love Letters between Gustav Geerdts and his “wifey”, Bertha Starke Geerdts of Milwaukee.

Liebes Weibchen! Liebes Mannichen!: Love Letters between Gustav Geerdts and his “wifey”, Bertha Starke Geerdts

[These translated latters were on another website which doesn’t exist anymore, so I’m transfering them over to this CyranoWriter site. Some of the links probably won’t work, but I will try to fix them as time permits. Other letters from immigrant Bertha Starke Geerdts include family letters from Bertha Starke’s early years as a new immigrant from Alt Öls and Nieder Schönfeld, Kreis Bunzlau, Schlesien, Germany.as well as writing her mother Johanna Dausel Dehmel Starke in Alt Öls, Schlesien, and Kiel, Germany.]

(From Gustav Geerdts, at home in Milwaukee, to his wife Bertha Starke Geerdts, who was staying with his parents at their home in Sheboygan)(written in English–spelling is as in the letter)

(For a fun picture of Bertha Starke Geerdts doing the wash on wash day at the Fratney Street house, click here(someday)!)

Milwaukee, August 5, 1901

My Dear Bertha,–

I have had a very pleasant Sunday here, the wether was nice and cool and sunshine all day, just right for a sick man like me. At about 1/4 after 11 o’clock Berthold came here and asked me to go to the picknic in National park, he had a ticket for me. We did not enjoy the picnic very much it was to dusty in the park. I had to eat dinner and supper at Bert’s there was no way out of it at all. In the evening Bert. and I had a few glasses of bitters in a saloon, they tasted very good and I think that cured my sickness. The pain in my side is nearly all gone. I slept very good all night. I feel better today than any day since the strick.

Write soon and tell me how you go to Sheboygan and how Alice liked the boat-ride did she laugh did she cry did she sleep or did she do all three or what? What do pa and ma think of our little girl? How do you and Mutter and Alice enjoy in Sheboygan? I hope you are making a pleasant time of it down there enjoy yourself Mamma, that’s what you went down there for.

Next Sunday there is an excursion down there another boat which leaves here at 8,45 or 1/4 to 9 and leaves Sheboygan at 11 o’clock in the evening, its the Saloon-keepers excursion to Born’s park. Wright me a letter soon Bertha. My regards to Pa. and Ma. and Mutter. Give our little daughter a great big kiss for me. Here is one for you to.

Your loving husband.

Gustav

8 August, 1901

Liebes Weibchen!

Dein Lieben Brief habe ich am Mitwoch Abend erhalten. Ich habe mich noch nie so uber einen Brief gefreut wie uber diesen. Es ist ja auch von mein liebes Weibchen! Es freut mich sehr, daB Ihr Euch so gut amusiert. Ich kann wie Alice sich uber alles so wundert und freut. Sie ist voll sehr unartig (disobiedient) und zerreist alles, aber das wird ihr woll nicht zur Bose genommen! Ihr seid ja auf die Sommererhollung! Amusiert Euch nur recht gut, das ist mein Wunsch. Liebes Weibchen! Du machst mir den Mund ganz Weslich, wenn du schreibst, was Ihr da alles schones zum essen kriegt, uberhaupt die rote Grutze! (a tapioca type pudding, usually mixed with fruit flavoring, berries, covered with a vanilla sauce). Aber ich troste mich schon damit, daB ich auch welche bekomme, wenn ihr wieder kommt, nicht wahr, liebes Weibchen!??

Die Blumen bluhen schon, die Garten besorgt die Mrs. Binning. Immer sie gibt ihm Saladkartoffeln, und ich weiB nicht noch sonnst was alles. Den Pete kriegt jeden morgen einen Kleines Lecherbissen, und der WauWau, einen Topf kriegt jeden morgen, seine Fliegen. Ach, wie wir kommen schon gar nicht um, aber lange halten wir es diesen Weg nicht aus! Wir werden uns alle wieder freuen, wenn ihr wieder daheim seid! Liebes Weibchen, du schreibst, du warest so banger um mich, das hast du auch nicht notig, denn ich habe noch nie besser gefuhlt, wie jetzt. Die Schmerzen in meiner Seite, bald ganz fort, alles tut mir gar nicht mehr weh, wenn ich Atem hole, bloB noch ein wennig wenn ich den Arm sehr hoch aufschtreche. Das Strohwitwe leben, wie die Nachtbaren es nennen, ist gar nicht schon. Es ist doch viel schoner, wenn Mann sein Weibchen und seine Familie bei sich hat!

Ich lebe hier sonnst ganz gemutlich! Das Morgens hole ich mir ein Pint Milch, ein paar Sammel, und fur 5 cents wird zum Oatmeal gegessen, und die andern nehme ich mit in Schlacht (lunch container). Mittags gehe ich in ein Boarding Haus, da kostet das Mittagessen 15 cent. Am Monntag Abend habe ich mich Kartoffeln gekocht, und das Fleisch dazu gebraten (fried). Am Dienstag habe ich die ubrigen Kartoffeln gebraten, und Leberwurst dazu gegessen. Am Mittwoch Abend habe ich gebraten Eier, und Grahambrot, Honig gibt es bei jeder Mahlzeit. Gestern Abend war ich bei Berthold, um da Euren GruB zu bestellen. Sie lassen auch schon GruBen. Mrs. Binning hat mir dein Brief uberreicht. Sie sagt ich soll Euch alle von ihr gruBen. Sie sagt, sie fuhlt sich einsam, das die Alice nicht da ist. GruBt Papa, Mama, und Mutter von mir, auch ein GruB von Hans. Es kuBt und gruBt dich dein liebes Mannigen. Gibt auch unserem Tochterchen ein Paar KuBe!

Gustav

(From Gustav Geerdts in Milwaukee to his wife Bertha Starke Geerdts, who was staying with his parents in Sheboygan)

8 August, 1901

Dearest little wife (or “wifey”)

I received your loving letter on Wednesday evening. I have not ever rejoiced over a letter, like I did over this one. It is, yes, from my dear little wifey! It gives me so much joy, that you are amusing yourselves so well! I can imagine how Alice wonders and rejoices over everything. She is certainly very disobedient and rips everything apart, but that won’t be thought evil of her! You both are, yes, on summer vacation! Amuse yourselves only really well, that is my wish. Dearest little wife! You make my mouth water, when you write, what all beautiful you have received to eat, and especially the red Grutze (a tapioca type pudding, usually mixed with fruit flavoring, berries, and covered with a vanilla sauce.) But I comfort myself already with this, that I will also get some, when you return again, isn’t that right, dearest little wifey!?!

The flowers are blooming already beautifully. Mrs. Binning is taking care of the garden. She always gives it salad potatoes (peels), and I don’t know what all else. Pete (probably a pet?) gets a little bite of something every morning, and the WauWau (another pet? Maybe a turtle?) a pot he gets every morning, his flies. Ach, we’re not going to perish yet, but we won’t last long living like this! We will all rejoice again, when you all are home again! Dearest little wifey, you write, you were so worried about me, but it’s not necessary to do that, because I have never felt better than I do now. The pain in my side will soon be completely gone, everything doesn’t hurt any more, when I breathe, only a little when I lift my arm up very high. The “straw widow” life, as the neighbors name it, is not at all pretty. It is a lot nicer, when one has his little wife and his family at his side!

Otherwise I live here very comfortably! Mornings I get myself a pint of milk, a couple of rolls, and for five cents can eat oatmeal, and the other I take with me in the lunch container. Noons I go in a boarding house, there lunch costs 15 cents. On Monday evening I have cooked myself potatoes, and meat fried along with it. On Tuesday I fried the rest of the potatoes, and ate liverwurst along with it. On Wednesday evening I had fried eggs, and graham bread, and there is honey with every meal. Yesterday evening I was with Berthold, to give your greeting there. They beautifully greet you themselves. Mrs. Binning handed me your letter. She said I should greet all of you from her. She said, she feels so alone, because Alice is not there. Greet Papa, Mama, and Mother from me, also a greeting from Hans. It kisses and greets you your loving little man. Give also our little daughter a pair of kisses!

Gustav

Milwaukee, August 13, 1901.

Liebes Weibchen!

Gestern Abend war ich zu mude, zum schreiben. Ich hab nicht geschlafen, auf dem Boat. Die Menschen waren beinah alle betrunken, und haben ein Larm gemacht, da konnte Keiner schlafen. Auf die Lake was es ganz schon. Wir sind hier erst um 5 Uhr angelandet. Da hatte ich gerade noch Zeit zu Haus zu gehen, mich umzukleiden, Fruhstuck kochen, und zu essen, Vogeln und die Schildkrauter zu futtern, und nach der Arbeit zu gehen. Gestern Abend habe ich noch die Mellons Food Company geschreiben, wegen den Sample fur Mrs. Albricht. Hans war Gestern Abend hier gewesen, wegen ein Paar Hosen, die ich ihm mitbringen sollte, auB Sheboygan. Das hatte ich aber ganz vergessen. Dafur habe ich ihm dem ein Paar von Meinen gegeben, die ich zuletzt gekauft habe.

Sonnst ist es hier noch alles beim Alten. Ich weiB nichts neues. GruBe deine Eltern und Mutter auch herzlich von mir, und ich danke die Eltern noch herzlich fur die Eier und die Kirschen. Dies ist Dienstag Abend. Morgen nachmittag oder Donnerstag vormittag wirst du den Brief woll kriegen, da schreibst du mir Donnerstag wieder, da krieg ich den Brief am Freitag. Folgentlich ist das der leste Brief, den ich dir dies Mal schreiben kann. So lebe wohl bis auf nachsten Sonntag Abend. Dann werde ich Euch von Boat abholen. Die Mrs. Binning laBt sich gruBen. Sie sagt die Alice soll bald wieder kommen. Sie sagt es ist hier jetzt so still und Einsam! Es fuhlt sich aber keiner so Einsam wie ich! Ein herzlichen KuB und GruB von dein leiben Mannichen. Gib auch mein Tochterchen ein KuB und sagt ihr, es ist von ihrem Papa!

Gustav

(From Gustav Geerdts in Milwaukee to his wife Bertha Starke Geerdts, who was staying with his parents in Sheboygan)

Milwaukee, August 13, 1901

Dearest little wifey!

Yesterday evening I was to tired to write. I didn’t sleep at all on the Boat. Almost everyone was drunk, and made such a noise, that no one could sleep. On the lake (Michigan) it was completely beautiful. We landed only at 5 o’clock (a.m.) So I had just enough time yet, to go home, change my clothes, cook breakfast, eat, feed the birds and the turtle, and to go to work. Yesterday evening I wrote the Mellon’s Food Company, about the sample for Mrs. Albricht. Hans was here yesterday evening, because of a pair of pants, that I was supposed to bring him with me, from Sheboygan. That I forgot completely. For that I gave him a pair of mine, those that I bought most recently.

Otherwise, here is all the same as before. I know nothing new. Greet your parents and mother also heartily from me, and I thank the parents again heartily for the eggs and the cherries. This is Tuesday evening. Tomorrow afternoon or Thursday morning you’ll receive, most likely, this letter, then write me Thursday again, then I’ll receive the letter on Friday. As a result, that is the last letter, that I can write you this time. So live well until next Sunday evening. Then I will pick you all up from the boat. The Mrs. Binning sends greetings. She says that Alice should come again soon. She says it is here now so quiet and lonely! But no one feels as lonely as I do! A kiss and greeting from my heart, from your loving little man. Give also my little daughter a kiss and tell her, it is from her Papa! Gustav

Sheboygan, 15 August, 1901

Mein Liebes Mannichen!

Dein lieben Brief habe ich heut als Donnerstag erhalten. Es freut mich, daB du gut daheim angekommen bist. Das glaube ich, daB du nicht hast schlaffen konnen. Wir haben es auch gehort, wie es dazu ging! Unsere Tochterchen hats Monntag und Dienstag Nacht nicht gut geschlafen. Sie konnte nicht zur Ruhe kommen, aber letze Nacht hat sie wieder umsobesser geschlafen. Ich gehe jeden Morgen Hinbeeren pflichen, und Alice iBt sie so sehr gern, und stopft auch einmal eine ganze Handvoll in den Mund! Wenn sie damit vertig ist, dann sieht aber ihre Gesichtchen schon aus! Wir haben heut uber sie so lachen muBen!

Die letzten Tage bleiben wir Heim bei Mama, und Dienstag waren wir alle bei Emma’s mutter. Da haben wir auch Kirschen und Stuckelberren in Garten gepflicht. Liebe Gustav! Nun noch drei voller Tage, dann sind wir wieder daheim! Ich sehne mich schon nach den Sonntag, wo wir uns wieder sehen. Papa und Mama sind herzlich gut zu uns, wir sind alle recht munter, und unterhalten uns so gut, wie konnen. Ich habe Mama’s Blummengarten schon in Ordnung gemacht, daB macht mir alles spaB. Wir werden uns rechtzeitig auf dem Weg machen, zum Boat, damit wir es nicht verpassen. Ich werde nun schlieBen, in der Hoffnung auf ein frohes wieder sehen. Von unsere Alice ein groBen KuB an ihren lieben Papa. Auch herzliche GruBe von allen, auch von Mrs. Binning. Sei du, liebes Mannichen, herzlich GegruBt und gekuBt, Von deine Weibchen,

Bertha

Sage Berthold und Bertha, unser besten Dank, fur ihren Brief. wir haben ihm am Dienstag erhalten, und uns schon daruber gefreut, hatten ihnen auch einmal geschrieben, aber wuBten die Addresse nicht! Sie muBten uns deshalb Entschuligen und herzlichen GruB an Sie und Erna.

(written from Marie)

Auch von mir Tausend GruBe an Berthold und die kleines Tochter, mit GruB, eurer Mutter!

(From Bertha Starke Geerdts in Sheboygan to her husband Gustav Geerdts in Milwaukee)

Sheboygan, 15 August, 1901

My Dearest little man!

I received your loving letter today (Thursday). It makes me rejoice, that you got home well. I believe it, that you couldn’t sleep! We also heard it, how it went! Our little daughter didn’t sleep well Monday and Tuesday night. She couldn’t quiet down, but last night she slept so much better, again. I go raspberry picking every morning, and Alice eats them so gladly, and jams also at one time an entire handful in her mouth! When she is finished with all that, then her little face looks so beautiful! We had to laugh over her so much today!

The last days we have stayed home with Mama, and Tuesday we were all by Emma’s mother. Then we also picked cherries and Stuckelberrys (Raspberries or blackberries; something with thorns?) from the garden. Dear Gustav! Now only three full days, then we are at home again! I long already for the Sunday, where we will see each other again. Papa and Mama are really good to us, we are all really well, and get along (talk) as well as anyone can. I have put Mama’s flower garden already in order, that gives me much joy. We will promptly get underway, to the boat, so that we don’t miss it. I will now close, with the hope for a joyous seeing again. From our Alice a huge kiss on her dear Papa. Also heartfelt greetings from all, also from Mrs. Binning. Be you, dearest little man, heartily greeted and kissed, from your little wifey, Bertha

Tell Berthold and Bertha, our best thanks, for their letter. We received it on Tuesday, and rejoiced over it, and would have written them once also, but didn’t know the address! They must forgive us for that reason, and heart-felt greetings on them and Erna.

(written from Marie Geerdts, Gustav’s mother): Also from me thousand greetings on Berthold and the little daughter, with greetings, your mother!

(From Gustav Geerdts in Milwaukee to his wife Bertha Starke Geerdts, who was staying with his parents in Sheboygan, in English, with spelling as in the letter. Written on Milwaukee County stationary)

“Board of Supervisors of Milwaukee County

Gustav Geerdts, Supervisor 21st Ward.

1419 Fratney Street”

My dear Wife: —

Owing to some verry unfortutent business I have at the county hospital Sunday I cannot come to Sheboygan.
I shal tell you of the business I have have had there when you come back.
I hope you all are enjoying well out there, you must forget all toil and care, just have a good rest, rest both brain and muscles, think of nothing else just have a good rest and a good time.
I hope to see a good healthy looking little Wife and children when you return home.
Give my best regards to all and a kiss to Alice and Bertram.
Your loving husband
Gustav
P.S. Best regards from John and Susie, and also from Bert and Bertha.
10 minutes to 10 Oclock

Again from Gustav to his wife Bertha in Sheboygan

“Board of Supervisors of Milwaukee County

Gustav Geerdts, Supervisor 21st Ward.

1419 Fratney Street”

Milwaukee, August 3, 1904

My Dear little Wife,

When I came home this evening I found your letter waiting for me. I am sorry you did not get my letter before Sunday, now Pa had to go down to the dock fore nothing. I could have written a day sooner to. I am glad there are only three days more before I will see you all again, yes I will be in Sheboygan Sunday to take you home if nothing comes in the way.

These two weeks seemed like six to me, I miss you here Bertha thinking of you half the time, I said I was glad that you would be gong for two weeks then I would have time for study but that is not the case, I have less time now than when you are here Pet. May those three days go quickly so that I can soon see you and our dear little ones again.

Last Saturday I wanted to go to here the Singers sing at the Exposition but I did’nt go in because I knew I would not enjoy it without you by my side. I then went to the Academy of Music to see a play (I went there with a friend of mine from the Shop). but I felt so lonesome, there was something or someone missing and that was you darling. Well I didn’t enjoy that play at all, but wish for next Sunday. May you all live well an happy till then.

With love and kisses for you my darling. Kiss our two little ones for me. and best regards for Pa. and Ma. and Mutter.

Your fond Husband

Gustav

(From Gustav Geerdts in Milwaukee to his wife Bertha Starke Geerdts, who was staying with his parents in Sheboygan)

(In English on Board of Supervisors stationary)

“Board of Supervisors of Milwaukee County

Gustav Geerdts, Supervisor 21st Ward.

1419 Fratney Street”

Milwaukee, August 15, 1905

Dear Wifey.

Please let me know why you do not write me a letter. Are the children, or any one sick? I am waiting impatiently for a letter from you.

Gustav.

P.S. Write as soon as you get this, so that I will get a letter from you before Saturday noon.

Wausau 17 Jan., 1903

Liebe Schwester und Lieber Schwager!
Euren Brief haben wir erhalten, und darauB ersehen, daB ihr von meinem Freund Otto Gundham (Gundlach?) ein Brief erhalten habt, worin er Euch uber meine Lage hat wissen lassen. Nun, meine Lieben, ich nehmen gern das Anerbeiten an, mir zu helfen, daB ich wieder nach Milwaukee ziehen kann. Es ist ja doch auf jedemfal besser, daB ich nach Milwaukee komme. Ich habe mir von meinen Krankengeld nicht viel sparen konnen, weil es zu viel an den Doktor bezahlt werden muB. Milwaukee habe ich den Doktor frei. Also, meine lieben, wenn es Euch moglich ist, mir $20 zu borgen, sollte es mich freuen! Alles andere mundlich! Es gruBt euch vielmals,

Gustav und Marie

(From Gustav and Marie, possibly Starke, in Wausau, Wisconsin, possibly to their half-sister Bertha Starke Geerdts in Milwaukee. Although Marie was Gustav’s mother’s name, it makes no sense as it is written to think it would be from Gustav Geerdts and his mother Marie Geerdts) In two previous letters, from Ernst Starke and from Otto Starke, in 1890’s, a “Gustav” is mentioned as a brother.)

Wausau, 17 January, 1903

Dear Sister and dear brother in law!

Your letter we have received, and therein saw, that you received a letter from my friend Otto Gundham (Gundlach?), wherein he let you know about my condition. Now, my dears, I gladly accept the offer you made, to help me, that I again can go (move) to Milwaukee. It is after all in any case better, that I come to Milwaukee. I haven’t been able to save much of my sick money, because too much must be paid to the doctor. In Milwaukee I have the doctor for free. So, my dears, when it is possible for you all to lend me $20, that would make me happy! Everything else is well! It greets you many times! Gustav and Marie