AMERICANAMERICAN-OSTFRIESEN ZEITUNG A PUBLICATION OF THE OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
EALA FREYA FRESENA! LEVER DOD ALS SLAV! January 2007 Volume 10, Issue 1 Hamswehrum
Grimersum
Eilsum
Gulfhäuser in Ostfriesland
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American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
AMERICAN-OSTFRIESEN ZEITUNG A PUBLICATION OF THE OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The newsletter of the Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America is published four times a year. Please write: Lin Strong, Editor, OGSA Newsletter, 168 North Lake Street, Forest Lake, MN 55025 or email - lstrong@cornernet. com with comments or suggestions. We are happy to consider any contributions of genealogical information. Whether we can use your material is based on such factors as general interest to our members, our need to cover certain subjects, balance through the year and available space. The editor reserves the right to edit all submitted materials for presentation and grammar. The editor will correct errors and may need to determine length of copy. Contributors are responsible for accuracy, omissions and factual errors. Cite documentation for facts or statistical information and give complete source for all abstracted or transcribed records. Other than the exceptions given, all or part of this publication may be copied without fee provided that: copies are not made or distributed for direct title commercial advantage; the OGSA copyright notice, the name of the publication and its date appear; and notice is given that copying is by permission of the Ostfriesen Genealogical Society. You must contact the editor for permission to publish in any form. Materials not otherwise attributed, were prepared by the editor. Copyright @ 2007 Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America
OGSA MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES include four issues of the American Ostfriesen Zeitung (January, April, July, October), four program meetings each year and one special event, special member order discounts, and access to the OGSA library. TO JOIN OGSA—Send your check for $18 ($34—2 years, $48—3 years), payable to OGSA, to OGSA, 168 North Lake Street, #3, Forest Lake, MN 55025. Foreign membership is $22. We can send you our Bank and account number and you can deposit your membership at Sparkasse Emden if you prefer. ♦ The membership year is from November 1 through October 31. You will receive one reminder post card in December 2005 if you do not renew before the end of the year. ♦ If you join midway during the year, you will receive all back issues for that year. Back issues for the past year are available for purchase. ♦ Please include your name, address, email address, phone number and eight names you are researching in Ostfriesland along with their village names. ♦ If you have any question about your membership, please do not hesitate to contact us! 651-269-3580
OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY Research Facility: 168 North Lake Street, Unit #3, Forest Lake, MN 55025 Officers are elected for a two year term and will serve during 2007 and 2008. OGSA OFFICERS: President—Sharon Arends,
[email protected] Vice President—Gene Janssen: email:
[email protected] Treasurer—Lübbert Kruizenga,
[email protected] Recording Secretary—Nancy Jensen,
[email protected] Past President—Buck Menssen,
[email protected] (new) BOARD MEMBERS: Lin Strong: (651) 269-3580 (cell)
[email protected] (New) Dr. James Limburg:
[email protected] Ray Kleinow:
[email protected] Greg Thorne:
[email protected] Jill Morelli:
[email protected] C. Robert Appledorn:
[email protected] Rick Gersema:
[email protected] COMMITTEE COORDINATORS: Program & Meeting Committee: Buck Menssen Publicity: Lübbert Kruizenga, Lin Strong Library: Lin Strong, Zella Mirick Membership Coordinators: Crystal Olson, Norm Hensley Mail Coordinator— Zella Mirick AMERICAN-OSTFRIESEN ZEITUNG STAFF: Lin Strong, News Editor Contributing Authors: Jill Morelli, Rudy Wiemann, Gene Janssen, Zella Mirick, Jeanee Thompson Columnists: Jeanee Thompson, Cheryl Meints, Lin Strong Zella Mirick
OGSA MISSION STATEMENT OGSA is headquartered in Minnesota and our official name is Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America. Anyone with ancestors from Ostfriesland or who has an interest in Ostfriesland is welcome to join. The purpose of the group is exclusively educational, and specifically to: ♦ Foster and increase interest in Ostfriesen genealogy. ♦ Provide an association for those interested in Ostfriesen genealogy. ♦ Provide an opportunity for exchange of knowledge about Ostfriesland. ♦ Encourage the establishment of Ostfriesen genealogical resources. ♦ Hold meetings for instruction and interest of its members. ♦ Collect and, when practical, publish genealogical, biographical and historical material relating to people of Ostfriesen descent. ♦ Work with other similar societies to preserve and protect Ost friesen genealogy and heritage. Our organization is a 501C3 non-profit organization. Your donations are tax-deductible.
October American-Ostfriesen 2003 Zeitung
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MOIN, ALLE! Staying warm? That’s not for those of you in the South or the Snow Birds. Hopefully, you shared time with your family over the holidays—and enjoyed it.
Inside this issue: The Ostfriesen Gulfhaus
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Many of you did not receive your October newsletter—we had a lot of problems with postal deliveries for that newsletter. If you were a 2006 member and did not get your October issue, please let me know and we’ll send you a copy.
Peak Years of German Immigration
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St. Johannes Church, Engerhafe
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Our 2007 Conference is right around the corner—time goes so fast. Invitations were mailed out in December—don’t wait to fill them out and send them in. Attendance is limited at these events and as you know from past conferences—we do a great job! You will not want to miss this! These events take a lot of time and volunteer hours. If you can help us even for a couple of hours, we’d love to get you involved. We’ve planned a fantastic long weekend full of events that we know you will really enjoy! It’s a great chance for you to meet others with similar interests—and to sample Bohnensuppe, too! Life long friendships have been forged at these events—please come and meet all of us.
30 Years War, The Kaisers Army Homestead Act of 1862
GroßMidlum Ordinance 1760 Member News
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Since so few of you sent in surveys, we’re assuming you’re happy! Those of you who did were specific in what you wanted—and we listened! There is an article on Harlingerland as requested. There will also be a page in each issue on one Ostfriesen church. This issue features one of the great churches—Engerhafe with its beautiful architecture and interior amenities. This church is very tall as you can see from the exterior view. Churches featured will come from all areas and hopefully, you will enjoy the variety. Upcoming village churches featured will include Tettens, Bagband and Filsum.
18th Century Church & Marriage Orders, Technology 101
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Do you have information on an Ostfriesen community in the USA? I know some of you have pictures and historical data. Send it to me and I’ll write the article for you! I have a great variety of pictures from Ostfriesland and will have copies of many of them available at the conference in August. So will Cheryl Meints, a member who took hundreds of beautiful pictures on the Homecoming Tour in 2005. Our styles are different, but our subject matter is Ostfriesland—so you can’t go wrong. Our NEW website is up and running! www.ogsa.us We’re so pleased that we can now use the guest book again and the surnames/queries portion of the site. Keep tuned! Many more changes are planned. And use the new OGSA email address:
[email protected], please put MOIN or OGSA in the subject line! ♦ Please let us know how OGSA can help you.
12,13 13
Notes from the North New Emigration Database Windows to the Past Life in the Harlingerland
News from Ostfriesland Tea Adages
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19-22 22
East Frisian Names Links to Deep Roots Ostfriesen Witchcraft & Witches Jeanee-ology 101
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OSB Update Membership, Birthday Party Meetings 2007 Conference, Emigration Form
30 31 32 Insert
NEW! www.ogsa.us
IMPORTANT CHANGES ARE IN THE AIR... You may have received a test email from us—this was done to check that your email addresses are current. A lot of them were not! ♦ We will be sending another email out asking if you have high speed internet connectivity (DSL or cable) for your internet connection and email. We need to know if you have a high speed internet connection—and we need your CURRENT email addresses. Please email us at
[email protected] / please put OGSA or MOIN in the message line. What we would eventually like to do is send you your newsletter as a pdf attachment on Adobe via your email. Okay, I can just hear you—why mess with success? 1. This will allow you to get your newsletter several weeks before the print version can be mailed and delivered to you. 2. It will allow you to save it electronically on your hard drive and to print it—in color, if you should so desire. 3. This savings of cost to OGSA will also allow me to add a few more pages when needed—and not raise the dues! 4. So, if this is something you have an interest in, please let us know. ♦ I have also been experimenting with notifying some of you (Minneapolis/St. Paul area) about local events via email—and this has worked quite well. There are several events each year sponsored by the German American Institute and other organizations that you may wish to attend. If you want to be on this list, please let me know. ♦ We know this will not happen overnight, but please bear with us as we experiment. ♦ And if you are a computer guru and want to help—PLEASE let me know!
NOTE THE NEW OGSA WEBSITE: www.ogsa.us & we have a new email, too!
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American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
Gulfhäuser in Ostfriesland The Haymow houses of Ostfriesland The Ostfriesian Gulfhaus is an agriculGulfhäuser in tural monument. So what is a Gulfhaus? Ostfriesland It is a very large building with living Published by Soltau quarters for the farm family (called the -Kurier Norden, Vorderhaus or front part) and a barn for Translated by Gene the farm animals with a haymow – all Janssen under one roof. The structural floor plan has roots in prehistoric shelters in which humans and animals found shelter together from the elements. And what is a Gulf? A Gulf may be compared to the English term, haymow. In Ostfriesian auction announcements there is often a Gulf of hay listed for sale – in other words, a full loft of hay. Travelling through Ostfriesland the Gulfhaus, farm house/barn combination, makes an impression. It is often called the "Working Cathedral of a Successful Agricultural Economy." The description clarifies the importance of this rural, Ostfriesian phenomenon. The Ostfriesians say, somewhat regretfully, Nix blifft, as't is (nothing stays the same). But then, that would be boring, and so, we have a four hundred year history of life and work for generations of Ostfriesian farmers exemplified by this architectural gem. Let’s take a tour through the building: The Barn The Gulfhaus is the operating centrum of a farm, The basic support structure is built of timber framing with walls of brick and a tiled roof. The roof line could be as high as 12 meters (ca. 40 ft. high). On the gable end of the long building there is a large doorway through which a team of horses and a wagon can go, and then exit through another, similar door on the other end. There are few windows—light comes through crevaces in the roof. However, the roof tiles are laid so that rain and snow cannot enter. The side walls of brick are relaInterior of Gulfhaus— Construction Detail
tively low which helps to ward of the winds. Pairs of support posts (which may be about 22 feet high) are joined together by cross beams about 27 feet long and there are usually four of these beam structures with a length of about 21 feet connected to each other by top beams. Support trusses strengthen the frame work and rafters extend to the low, outer walls where smaller, additional framework forms the side aisles. The pine poles used in construction probably came from Scandinavia since there are no such, long, straight pine trees in Ostfriesland. Some of the beams have markings on them which indicated the mode of transportation. The vertical timbers have knee-high borings which could accept iron rods to aid in erecting the beams or in repairs. The bricks for the walls and the tiles for the roof came from the surrounding area where, until the 20th century, there were dozens of brickworks and tile works, especially along the Ems River. The timber work divides the barn into three "naves" just like the pillars of a church. Standing on the floor of a side aisle (Diele-there is also a door on the side, called the Dielentor), we see the cow stalls along the long side of the barn and then the horse stalls in the middle of the nave, separated from the cow stalls by a brick wall and located under the roof on the gable end of the barn (also called the Hammfach, meaning Walmdach, or hipped gable roof). At the front of the "nave" we can see the massive fire wall or fire gable separating the barn from the house, Vorderhaus, or living quarters of the family. In the opposite side aisle there are pens for smaller animals (pigs and calves) as well as space for the farm tools and for storage of peat used for fuel. Beneath the loft, in the center "nave" is where the wagons and coaches are parked, though in the summer time this large space stands empty. Harvest time will change that, for then the heavily laden wagons are driven into the barn; unloaded and then exit through the far door. Soon the sheaves or bundles fill the middle "nave" from floor to ceiling. This area between the vertical timber posts is called the Gulf (or in the east the Fach) which actually means the floor. In the 1930s this was used to describe the entire building, house/barn combined. In earlier times it was called an Ostfriesian farm house or a Friesian barn. In this Gulf area the grain is left to dry before threshing it in the fall and the winter. For ages that was the job done by the servants (or hired hands) with a flail. To save time and effort, the farmer may have installed a primitive thresher (Dreschblock) rigged up to be drawn around a pole by a horse. Then the grain
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
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Kitchen
Cow Stalls would be sifted to separate it from the chaff and stored on the flooring above the living quarters. Only one or two poles were necessary for the circular threshing to give the horse enough space to turn around. Farm hands were not thrilled with this invention because it reduced their opportunities for earning money in the winter. From the Diele (threshing floor), the horse stall is reached through a wide door. The structure of the stall indicates the place of honor accorded horses. The ceiling is higher than that for the cattle, and the space is larger and brighter because of the gable window. The floor is paved with a pattern of bricks and even the wooden partitions separating the stalls may have decorative carving. There is room for six, sturdy workhorses and two finer riding or coach horses which are used for going to church on Sundays or visiting neighbors and relatives. In a corner there is a well used
Stable for watering the livestock. Another doorway leads to the cattle stalls. The "meditation spot" is located at the gable end. It is the only toilet in the building. From St. Martin's Day (November 11th) until Oll Mai (May 10th) the cows are kept on both sides of a plastered area and on raised brick flooring between wooden partitions with (an Ostfriesian custom) their heads toward the wall. Farmers assure us that it has always been so, and, indeed, modern archaeologists have confirmed that it has been so since prehistoric times. Besides, it is practical when it comes to milking the cows or cleaning the stalls, for the manure falls into a gutter from which it can be easily removed and, mixed with straw, piled in front of the barn. During the summer when the livestock are out in the pasture the barn is thoroughly cleaned. During that time the cows
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are brought to a Melksett, a fenced area (corral) near the barn to be milked. The milk maids run from here to the Karnhaus with their buckets full of milk where they have everything for processing the milk: the churn (Karn) for making butter (which is where the name for the room comes from), the cheese kettle and the large cheese press. Fresh milk spoiled quickly so it was made into salted butter and hard cheese preserving it until consumed by the household or perhaps brought to market. There is still one more room in the side "nave" of the barn: the so-called summer kitchen. However, the term "kitchen" doen not describe all the activities that take place here. Not only is it a kitchen, but during the summer and every day it is the main "living room" for the household. Cooking is done underneath the vent over the fireplace in the fire wall and meals are eaten at the large table by the side windows--that is the windows looking into the barn. The maids sleep in the Butzen, the cupboard-like beds built into the wall. The brass pump glows in a corner.
Drinking water is a huge problem in the marshland, so there is a cistern beneath the kitchen, half under the house and the other half outside the house. Rain water is directed to this brick
walled pit. Though it is not as good as spring water, it is better than the brackish water from the well in the barn. The House There is a doorway in the fire wall leading from the summer kitchen into the actual living quarters which belie the fact that this is a farm house. It does not differ greatly from a house in town in appearance or size. The broad hallway floor is tiled with Bremen tiles--split sandstone (flagstones). The name comes from the fact that they were processed and sold in Bremen. Originally the hallway ran through the house along the entire fire wall; however, a small room has been constructed at the end. This was not done willingly. It was required by the Hannoverian government to provide quarters for military personnel. Thankfully, this Reuterkammer (cavalier's room) was Child or Hired Hand Sleeping Area
Butzen for Sleeping
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Woltzeten
only used for a few months during the summer. The two rooms of the home flank the hallway lighted by sashwindows in the gable end and the side walls. The kitchen floor is on the same level as the hallway floor and a stairway in the long wall leads up to the Upkammer, the upper room place above the cellar. The stairs can be raised revealing another stairway leading to the cellar--a space saving device. The location of the cellar and the Upkammer is also revealed by the higher window levels as seen from the outside with the smaller cellar windows below. Since the advent of the summer kitchen, the original kitchen became the living room for the family. Cooking in the nicely tiled fireplace was now done only in emergencies or in the winter when the heat was also necessary. Otherwise, the only thing present here is the ubiquitous tea kettle. To the right and left of the stairway are more Butzen (built in cupboard beds); one for the parents and one for the children. There is also room for a hutch with glass doors intended for the storage of the good dishes. It may have finely carved, Rokoko, decorations dating from the time when the house was built. The remaining furniture--a cupboard, table and chairs--may be more modern and from the dowry of the wife. The old furniture and the trunks containing the best linens will be found in the Upkammer. This room may be heated with a stove and also has two Butzen--one for the elderly mother and the other for any overnight guests. The room, thus, serves somewhat as a storage and second living room. Those are the usual rooms for such a large house; however they are so clean, practical, and livable, that the observe can understand the Ostfriesian culture with its Dutch elegance and cleanliness which is treasured everywhere. Later improvements were made to the house. To avoid having everything brought to the cellar dragged through the kitchen, an extra stairway was built (called the Düsterngang) for access to the cellar from the summer kitchen and then also a stairway directly to the grain storage floor above. So then the stairs in the winter kitchen were removed and the Upkammer had direct access to the kitchen. So the living quarters
Page 7 are no longer disturbed by the field and house workers. The History of the Gulfhaus Our visit in a Gulfhaus showed us what such a dwelling looked like in the Krummhörn around the year 1800 in its classic form. But how did this structure evolve? The history, from beginning to end, is entirely woven into the history of farming--the life and culture of an agricultural economy. It all began more than four hundred years ago when a basic change in the structure came about in the whole marsh land edge of the North Sea coast. The cities of Flanders and Holland, like Amsterdam, Antwerp or Bruges needed more foodstuffs for their expanding populations. The marsh areas, which had been diked up, making the land much more secure, were able to produce grain, meat, butter and cheese. It was relatively easy to get the products their markets via the harbors, primarily at Emden. The production of foodstuffs made enriched the farmers, but only the larger operators survived the competition. An unique, dual class system came about in Ostfriesland in the 16th century. On one hand there were the wealthy, large landowners who then served as the third estate along with the nobility and the church in the political arena. On the other hand were the small land owners, craftsmen, and farm laborers, the Warfsleute (mound dwellers). The old farm house, already a triple-naved barn and residence no longer met the needs of the household. There was a need for a large space as shelter from the weather and for the threshing and storage of the grain, hay and the livestock. The prime example of a predecessor which would satisfy these requirements was the barn found in Flemish monasteries in the 13th and 14th centuries. Their construction and use completely pre-date the Gulfhaus. The buildings influenced by this example from Westfriesland first appeared on the larger estates, but about the same time farmers also began to build this so-called Friesian barn. It was not difficult for them to mimic because the framework of their old style barns was similar, only smaller, but they understood the qualifications for load bearing to store the harvest and support such a large roof. The oldest surviving Gulfhaus in the Krummhörn was built in 1580, but by 1600 the first farm copies could be found in Jeverland and even further afield in the Wilstermarsch (the Barghus) and at Eiderstedt (the Haubarg). The Gulfhaus first replaced the old style barns in the marsh and on the edge of the geest and then after 1700 also in the inner
Page 8 geest area. By the end of the 18th century it had become the predominant form for the farm house in Ostfriesland and the northern province of Friesland. During the 19th century it expanded into other areas: along the upper Ems River, in the Ammerland and on the Cloppenburg geest, with some examples on the other side of the Weser River. The last of them were built after World War II.
Großefehn
The house/barns, as cultural imports, are similar throughout all the regions. There may be minor variations due to carpenters' preferences. In the Rheiderland area, the barns are especially broad and low, whereas in the east the roof is steeper and the space under the over-hang much smaller, so that in the Jeverland there was no need for extra support of the rafters. The second door, or exit door for the drivethrough, is often missing in the Jeverland. Almost everywhere, the barns were made larger and larger in the 1830s to 1860s to handle the bumper crops. Usually people just lengthened the structure which can be seen by the difference in the construction of the joints of the beams or other construction methods. The living quarters of the Gulfhaus display the most variations in building style. The most remarkable date from the time before the introduction of the Gulfhaus. In the western area of Ostfriesland the wealthy, upper level of farmers had so-called Steinhäuser (brick houses) with a floor plan consisting of a kitchen and an Upkammer above a cellar. Originally, they were free-standing or at the most connected to a small barn, but eventually the large Gulfhaus barn was added, either lengthwise behind the house or crosswise to it, and the roof then built to cover both portions of the structure. Some of the Steinhäuser have been preserved in whole or in part. One can identify them by the large, rough bricks called Klosterformat and the remains of walled up or remodeled Renaissance windows. However, the space and its usage remained unchanged up into the 19th century with the only modifications in the hallway and the summer kitchen. Only after that were there (with a few exceptions of older examples) large living quarters with four or more rooms and a more complicated floor plan with the entrance in the middle of the eave or gable side. In the eastern por-
tion of the Ostfriesian peninsula, in Jeverland, the house was always longer with the fireplace at the juncture of the inner walls instead of in the gable end. Some farmers had two additional rooms already in the 18th century making the living quarters almost as long as the barn portion, though the house was usually lower, and in the local dialect called a leegbockt Hus(i.e. a low house). Also a genuine masonry fire wall is seen less often with the division between the two parts achieved in the 19th and the 20th centuries by timber construction. In addition, there were no "human rooms" in the side aisles of the barn (like the summer kitchen) and the rooms were used differently. The kitchen was more of a place for the processing of the farm produce, but also workers were separated from the family with the additon of at least two more rooms. In addition to the two main forms (the Steinhaus form and the leegbockt Husi) there is a third, though less common form found in Ostfriesland since the 17th century. This form has the living quarters (three or four rooms) on the wide, gable end and situated on the second floor or the floor of the first Gulf or loft. Even in the less extravagant, smaller houses in the geest area, the living quarters were like a masonry cubicle based on the architecture of the Gulfhaus and containing varying floor plans. The overwhelming success of the Gulfhaus structure is due to its flexibility in providing for the economic and residential needs of the household. Even the small houses of the craftsmen and the common laborer, where the work area may be very limited (having no threshing floor, etc.) possess the characteristics of the Gulfhaus, though naturally, they are not in the same league as the Gulfhäuser of the Polderfürsten (wealthy polder farmers, or literally, polder princes).
Page 9 the entryway which often is a white framed doorway with an artfully conceived transom. In the waning years of the 19th century there was one more (last) building boom which, in a historical sense, forsook the former reserved nature more so, however, in the west than in the east. The huge Vorderhaus (house part of a Gulfhaus) was now renovated with the addition of somewhat pretentious pillars, architectural decorations and window framings. No expense was spared on the interior either with the installation of stone or inlaid hardwood floors.
Farm Scene—Middels The exterior features of the Gulfhaus have not been dealt with at length in this publication. In part that is due to the reluctance of the wealthy farmers to show off their wealth in any form (other than the size of the house). The outer appearance of the old Gulfhäus is reserved. The walls are simply constructed of brick and almost always in the cross-bond pattern. The finishing of the corners of the buildings and the windows with quarter bricks is unique from the beginning of the 18th century and can often be detected where renovations have been made. The bricks also give clues to the dating of a building: from the 16th century when they were the Klosterformasteinen (coarsegrained monastery type) up to the waning year of the 19th century when they became smaller and smaller, and espeically flatter. However, because of the great number of regional brickworks, there are numerous variations. Mortar, too, made from shell limestone changed over time with finer mortar in the later years. The harmonious appearance of the facade of the living quarters is achieved by the placement of the windows. The framework, painted white, and the green shutters present a pleasant contrast to the red brickwork. Other architectural ornamentation is used sparingly: the chiseled brick pattern on the slanted gable, sandstone eaves, carved cornices, gable caps, tablets with inscriptions, or decorative cramp-irons. A special eye-catcher may be
Groothusen Gulfhaus
For centuries Ostfriesland was a part of the Dutch cultural circle. Not only does the Gulfhaus come from that region, but the living quarters attached to the barn, the in-wall chimney, and the sash-windows align Ostfriesland with its western neighbors. This influence was less so in Jeverland. This cultural connection was loosened by the founding of the German Reich in 1871 when houses built after that time show a remarkable difference from those west of the Dollart. The windows are the most noticeable difference: In the Netherlands the windows are larger sash-windows whereas on the German side of the casement window can be cranked open and there is usually a set of transom windows at the top. The Gulfhaus Today Of course, nowadays no one lives and works in a Gulfhaus as was done in the early days. The descendents of the first owners/ builders have constantly made changes to the structure. The living quarters in most of them have been modernized. No longer are there maids, servants or hired hands. Work is mostly done by the farmers themselves with machines. For the most part, the operations have evolved into dairy farming which led to a rebuilding of the interior of the barn. The Karnhaus (churning room) stands empty because the milk is transported to the dairy. People who raise corn and grains have built silos in
Upleward
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the barn while others use it to store their straw or hay bales. Earlier times also witnessed new requirements, but did not change the structure and usage of the Gulfhaus. Until recently it appeared that the Gulfhaus era had ended. As four hundred years earlier, a severe agricultural depression seemed to sound the death knell. Change was not so imminent for the living quarters, but for the barn portion. Though the huge structure could be used for modern farming, it had become impractical and somewhat useless in the fiercely competitive world of business. Who has the will or the resources to maintain such a huge building? Many of the barns stood empty, many fell into disrepair and were razed, though the house was often left standing. However, in contrast to four hundred years ago, we react differently to the disappearance of the Gulfhaus – neither with resignation nor with indifference. Many Ostfriesians themselves, but also outsiders visiting this unique region, deplored the loss of this special, cultural architecture. And the loss of each building meant a piece of the cultural landscape, the history, the regional individuality, the familiar landmarks and charm had evaporated into thin air.
Barge
In order to retain this cultural heritage, there has been a movement for some years to support the preservation of the Gulfhaus with attempts to find alternate uses for the buildings: tourist accommodations, restaurants, cultural museums, theaters, exposition/ convention halls, workshops, schools, and so on. One Gulfhaus in Loquard has been renovated into a school. Once again, the Gulfhaus demonstrates its flexibility, and the historical substance remains for the wonderment of ages to come. Translated by Gene Janssen under the auspices of the Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America with permission from SoltauKurier Norden and the Ostfriesischen Landschaft from their brochure, Ein Gulfhaus im Jahre 1840/ Ein Rundgang Volker Gläntzer.
Peak years of German Immigration: 1854—215,000 immigrants, 1882—250,000 immigrants Immigration during the 19th Century 1820-1829—5,753; 1830-1839—124,726; 1840-1849— 385,434; 1850-1859—976,072; 1860-1869—723,724; 18701879—751,769; 1880-1889—1,445,181; 1890-1899— 579,072 Total Immigration to US from 1920—1990: More than 46 million of which German’s made up the largest share—an estimated 15%. Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
Engerhafe St. Johannes Church This is a new experiment! A collage of pictures from a village church will be featured in each issue. These churches will be from all areas as some of you cannot travel to Ostfriesland to see the beauty found in them. The Engerhafe Church was constructed in 1240. The altar came from Esens, dated 1698; the chancel dates to 1636, the baptismal front dates to 1646 and the organ (H. J. Müller) is from 1774/1775.
Engerhafe
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American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
THE THIRTY YEARS WAR— WAR—THE KAISER’S ARMY After the occupiers had left, many refugees returned to their homes. But the peace of the land was broken again on Feb. 28, 1625, when another Based on invader appeared - the North Sea, which “Geschichte Osttore many gaps into the dikes and caused frieslands” by extensive flood damage. Due to the finanOnno Klopp; Translated by Rudy cial exhaustion of the land, repairs dragged on for many years, although HarWiemann lingerland showed what effective leadership could do by getting its act together more quickly and effecting repairs much sooner than the other coastal regions. The Dutch withdrew their garrisons, except from Leerort and Emden. The garrison in Emden annoyed the Spaniards and made them question the city’s neutrality and hinder its seagoing trade. Spanish troops also stood in Lingen, Emsland, threatening the Dutch flank. From there they undertook sallies into Ostfriesland all the way to the gates of Emden. There was, in fact, no effective Protestant force left in Germany to oppose the powerful Imperial armies of Tilly and Wallenstein, and complete subjugation of its northern states was feared. The King of Denmark sent a strong army into Germany in league with the states of Lower Saxony, but it was heavily defeated and its fleeing remnants were pursued all the way to the northern tip of Jutland. On Nov. 1, 1627, the Emperor in Vienna ordered Tilly to send as many regiments into winter quarters in Ostfriesland as that province was able to house, feed, and pay. Several of them soon appeared, commanded by two of Tilly’s generals who established headquarters in Jever and Berum. Strong garrisons were placed throughout the land, except in Emden, which didn’t lower its bridges, Aurich, as a favor to Count Rudolf Christian, and Leerort, which had a Dutch garrison. The Dutch could not be trifled with, as they had a powerful fleet and a well-equipped and experienced army of 120,000 men, tested in many battles against Spain. Ostfriesland’s young Count, Rudolf Christian, son of Enno, could do no other than try to make friends with the newcomers. During a party in Berum, which got out of hand due to strong drink, he was killed in a duel. Rumors of murder spread throughout the land and gained credence when it became known that his opponent, an officer in the Imperial army, was spirited out of Ostfriesland with an escort for his safety.
threatened to anyone who made individual demands. (Onno Klopp’s sympathy for the Imperial cause should be kept in mind here.) But for the still impoverished land these demands were hard enough to meet. For example:
A colonel was to receive oats, hay, and straw for six riding horses and 10 draft and pack horses plus 62 Talers per week. A lieutenant was to receive supplies for four horses and 13 talers per week. A sergeant was to be offered a choice between 4 lb. of meat, 6 lb. of bread, and four steins of beer per day, or 4 1/2 Talers per week. A common soldier was entitled to 2 lb. of meat, 4 lb. of bread, two steins of beer per day and two “Kopfstücke” (@ 1/3 guilder ea.), or one Taler and two “Kopfstücke” per week. It is apparent that the soldiers were entitled to a lot of food, but they very likely had to share it with their families, women, or servants traveling among the army’s camp followers, as was customary. It is said that in Mansfeld’s army alone, three children were born every day. Tilly’s supply problems were aggravated by the Dutch blockade of the North Sea harbors, and Ostfrieslanders kept on paying, being threatened with violence if they didn't. In the summer of 1630, Gustavus Adolphus landed on Germany’s Baltic coast, and the Emperor offered to withdraw his troops from Ostfriesland if the Swedish king would consider it neutral. Ostfriesland and Oldenburg sent emissaries to Gustavus Adolphus who agreed to it, and in April 1631 the last Imperial troops left Ostfriesland. Notwithstanding his agreement, Gustavus Adolphus requested the opening of recruiting stations, but his death in battle in 1632 after a series of spectacular victories which entirely changed the prospects for the war’s outcome made that a mute subject. Ostfriesland enjoyed a few years of peace Gustavus Adolphus with favorable prices for the products of its farms, and it repaired its dikes. However, there still remained the debt to the Dutch for paying off Mansfeld and for other obligations which with interest had grown to 2 million guilders. Emden did not care to participate in the Mansfeld related obligations, claiming it had had nothing to do with him but had occurred expenses of its own through the housing and feeding so many refugees. In the rest of Ostfriesland property and sales taxes were doubled, and when that did not suffice, a new “Schatzung” (assessment) was conducted in 1636.
Emden became increasingly wary of its special relationship with the Netherlands which resented its seafaring competition by, among other actions, squelching a planned overseas trading comThese rumors were even brought before the Imperial throne and pany which, so it feared, would compete with its East and West prompted a letter from Tilly to the Estates saying that it had Indies trading companies. To add to Emden’s woes, pirates from been an unfortunate accident and should not give rise to distrust that hornets nest Dunkirk, who preyed on Dutch ships for the toward his army. Spanish, also captured ships from Emden claiming that its Dutch garrison made it an enemy. These troubles rendered the city inDiscipline in the Imperial army was stricter than Ostfrieslandclined toward rapprochement with Count and Estates, and so as to ers had been used to during the Mansfeld times. Demands for increase its voice in the “Landtag” (assembly of the Estates) it supplies were officially issued, and corporal punishment was bought up “Herrlichkeiten” whose leading noble families were
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung dying out, thereby acquiring the rights those families had enjoyed, such as “Landtag” representation, civil and lesser criminal law adjudication, patronage over the churches, and hunting, customs, weighing (scale), and windmill rights. Thus Up- and Wolthusen, Gross- and Klein-Borssum, Jarssum, Wiegboldsbur, and Oldersum were acquired which gave Emden many more voices in the First Estate (nobility). But it didn’t help as much as hoped for, as the Second Estate (towns) was, in addition of itself, made up of Aurich and Norden, all having equal representation.
THE HOMESTEAD ACT OF 1862 The Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres to buyers (80 acres in railroad grant areas) if the settler improved the holding land and lived there for five years. The person had to be at least 21 years old and a citizen of the United States, or they had to have filed a declaration of intent to become a citizen. The only cost was the small fee for filing the claim. Homesteading land was located in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Wisconsin and all states west of the Mississippi River except Texas. Other Congressional Acts making land available in the West included the Desert Reclamation Act of 1894, the Kincaid Act of 1904 (which gave out 640acre land tracts in western Nebraska), the Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909 (covering land in seven mountain states of the West) and the Stockraising Homestead Act of 1916. The National Archives has Homestead records before May 1, 1908. After that date the Bureau of Land Management in the U.S. Department of Interior has U.S. Government records covering more than 6.5 million patents to individuals who got public land, filed in 11,550 volumes; more than 4,000 books containing 25 million entries for tracts in public domain land and some eight million case records. Also check the internet periodically to see if more information has become available—and the location. Information likely to be found in these records include: ⇒ A Homestead final certificate file, which should include an application form and the certificate of publication that the individual intends to complete his/her claim. This usually has the most valuable genealogical data. ⇒ Final proof of homesteading which includes testimony from the claimant and witnesses. ⇒ Certificate of naturalization, if necessary. ⇒ Claimant’s name ⇒ Claimant’s age ⇒ Post office address ⇒ Date of residence established ⇒ Number and relationship of family members ⇒ Citizenship ⇒ Acres under cultivation Homestead records are available at the Eastern States Office Bureau of Land Management, 350 South Pickett Street, Alexandria, VA 22304 SOURCE: Riemer, Shirley J., The German Research Companion, Lorelei Press, Sacramento, CA, 1997., page 72, 239-240.
Page 13 The Third Estate (well-to-do farmers) could not be counted on. Meanwhile, the war was taken a turn for the worse again for the Protestant cause and once more an army, the Hessian, was moving on Ostfriesland to take refuge from its Imperial pursuers.
NOTES FROM THE NORTH: I hope this new year finds you and your family happy and in good health. North is still North but this column is from me, your new OGSA president, Sharon Arends. I thank you for your vote of confidence and look forward to working hard to help this wonderful organization continue to grow and meet the needs of its members. I must confess to you, however, that I’m not full Friesen. However, this is not the first time the group has not had a bona fide Friesen at the helm and I hope you will forgive me if an “uffda” slips in once in awhile. I sincerely thank Buck Menssen, our former president, for his keen guidance of this group. He will continue to serve on the Board of Directors. I am happy to also announce that we expanded our Board of Directors at our last election in November to include members at large. These members may not be able to physically attend our meetings but will be asked to weigh in on topics of interest. Thank you to all board members who have agreed to serve. With the new year comes the usual resolutions of trying to better ones-self. One of my goals this year is to organize my genealogy records. We genealogists know that our quest is never complete – there are always new relatives to search, etc. but I would like to leave my records in a format that others can use. I encourage you to do the same. Check the Internet for record keeping resources, investigate/invest in a genealogy computer program if you don’t have one, and print a copy of what you have gathered so far. This can always be used as a starting point for another budding genealogist. Both beginning records on my families started with a typewritten copy of birthdates and marriages and provided me with a starting point in my search. Finally, as a member of the OGSA, you should have received an informational mailing on our upcoming Summer Conference. I encourage you to register early as space is somewhat limited. The conference committee is meeting regularly to ensure the conference will be the best ever. Feel free to contact me at mnmax424@ msn.com if you have questions or did not receive a mailed copy. The Board and I wish you a wonderful 2007! Sharon
THE NEW OGSA EMIGRATION DATABASE By Gene Janssen An enormous gift in 2005 from Kurt van Loh of Borßum, Ostfriesland has provided the Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America (OGSA) with the opportunity to compile data of Ostfriesian’s who emigrated to the United States. Van Loh's gift of countless index cards and sheets of paper resulted from more than forty years of collecting the information from news accounts, church records, and various other sources. He often supplies the name of the ship and the departure date as well as birth dates and places, spouses, children, relationships, destination in the U. S. and occasionally additional information The writer of this article has been entering the information on a computer database since August. OGSA has decided to add in information from members to create an extensive resource for genealogists. The criteria for entry in the database is simple. The person or persons originating in Ostfriesland must have crossed the big pond to settle in the U.S. Descendents of Ostfriesian’s in the new country are not included on the list unless they emigrated also. This attempt to keep the list focused has resulted in a total of more than 14,000 entries. The list contains columns for the surname (women are listed by their maiden name), given name(s), married name for women, other designations such as proffession or occupation, birthdate, birth place, contributor of the information (identified by initials, i.e. kvl=Kurt van Loh), name of spouse(s), date of marriage, location of marriage, date of death, location of death, place of burial/cemetery, emigration date, age at emigration, ship name, port of departure, port of entry, U.S. destinations, comments/or further information. Over the decades of emigration the names often were changed. Janssen’s became Johnson’s; Coordes became Cordes; or Geerds became Gerd. Umlauts were dropped giving us either Schafer or Schaefer. And, people who may have given the information at the time of death were often unaware of the spelling of the town name in Ostfriesland or even the family names, and the German sources often had difficulty with American place names and spellings. Nevertheless, the database will be a major research tool containing information not found anywhere else such as: the family turned back at New Orleans because the father was ill and he died on the voyage back to Ostfriesland leaving the mother to return as a widow with children; the couple who met on the ship, but she was going to the U.S. to be married. Later her husband died, and she married the acquaintance from the ship. Of course, with 14,000 entries there are at least that many stories and more with glimpses of what it must have been like to leave home for a far-off land (with no cell phones to stay in touch) with little or no possibility of a return visit. ♦ There is a form inserted in this newsletter for you to fill out. Do not wait! Send your emigrant names in today! You will want your family included in this valuable database. DEADLINE—March 1st!
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
WINDOWS TO THE PAST... Zella Weaver Mirick From Die Ostfriesische Nachricten, German language newspaper of the Ostfriesens in America, I have been gleaning more news from days gone by. Paper dated 17 June 1887: deaths reported from Ostfriesland to family and friends in America. Aurich: the widow Sophie Janssen, born Neumann, age 85; Wilhelmine Janssen born Wehrkamp, age 75,Backemoor: Chrisopffer H. Otten, age 65; Borssum: the widow Cahtaina Poppen born Gerdes, age 84; Breinermoorhusen: the widow Gebke Ahlers born Buttjer, age 85; Bunde: Bertha Boelkes, age 7; D. R. Deters, age 82; Bunderhee: the widow Antje van Lessen born Müntinga, age 89; Emden: Mrs. Jurina Schweriuf, age 67; Gebke Fokerts, age 11; Hanni Deters, age 5; Mrs. Julina Müller, born Böhune, age 46; Mrs. Minna v. Franck, age 34; the widow Altje Lührs born Müller, age 45; the widow Johanna Schepker born Neemann, age 67; Siebe Bonfleur, age 64; Mrs. Fanny deBeer, Johannes deVries, age 74; Marienhafe: Gerhard Stindt, age 45; Weener: Hero Kümmel, age 81, J. Ottmann, age 77, Victor Israels. News from Westerstede, 30 April. The 82 year old widow Otlmanns from here has undertaken a trip to America to visit her married daughter in California. From the newspaper of 15 April 1887 Those who immigrated to America: Conrad Stikker of Warsingsfehn, Capitain H. Meyer of Nermoor, The widow of Jan Kling_borg of Bunderhommrich [sich], the widow of S. Janssen of Loquard, Hinrich Post of GroßHolum, Johann Janssen of Folftenhausen, Michel Kuper of Smarlingen. Note: there are other names listed, but are difficult to read because the newspaper column is in the center and the pages were not laid flat when the photo copy was made. From the newspaper of 1 April 1885: Immigrants to America Johann Rickels of Schirumerleegmoor; Gebrüder Bußmann of Holtrop; H. Wragge of Großwolde; F. Meyer of Ihren; H. U. Hempen of Westrhauderfehn; Johann Saathoff of Schirum; Harm Behrends of Ostersander; Heere Seebens Janssen of Pewsum; Hinderk Voogt of Bunderhammrich; Cornelius vanSanten of Ihrenerfeld; Gerd Oltmanns of Westrhauderfehn; D. Buskohl, of Loga; H. Boß of Wolthusen and Johann Kramer of Loggerfeld. From the newspaper of 1 Oct 1884—notice of engagements: G. Hasse of Octelbur and J. Kanßen of Borßum Grietje Janssen and Rud. Bruns of Leer Tetta Hemmen and Fokko Houtrouw of Harsweg and Emden A. Neemann and J. Müller of Norden J. Noormann and J. deVries of Norden Martha Oltmanns and Anton Fischer of Esens Ida Joseph and Joseph Italjener of Schwerin and Emden [sic] Johanna Druse and August Richter of Aurich Gesche Janssen and Arend G. Hinrichs of Utgast Fenna Groenewold and Gottfried Werkner of Emden Gitta Stern and Hermann v.Cleef of Emden, Fulda and Köln Trintje Junker and Ulrich Kramer of Remels and Schatteburg Hinderina Ubbinga and Peter Uphoff of Industry, Illinois Sinnke Thaden and Henk Fischer of Dornum and Norden Stay tuned, I’ll go through other papers and find interesting tidbits of history to share with you.
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
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Life in Harlingerland in the 17th Century Submitted by Rudy Wiemann Balthasar Arends, pastor in Berdum from 1675 to 1687, wrote a “Landesbeschrei-bung von Harlingerland” (description) which survived as a manuscript in the state’s archives of Oldenburg until published by Pastor Dr. Reimers in 1930. It is the subject of an article by Dr. Noah in the “Harlinger Heimatkalender 2006” on which this excerpt is based.
Ancient Map Of Harlingerland
In Arends’s days the rural pastor’s family still lived off the farming operation it conducted on the acreage assigned to the parsonage or off the rent receipts derived therefrom. This income was reinforced by church levies imposed on the farms of the parish which usually took the form of provisions. This situation gave these pastors a good understanding of the ups and downs of the seaside farm-based economy as had been Harlingerland’s from the very beginning. In Arends’s days the sea was closer to Berdum than it is now, which can easily be seen by looking for names of localities bearing the suffix “-groden”. They begin not too far north of Berdum. “Groden” (comp. Engl. “grow”) means reclaimed land secured by levies. It’s another word for “Polder” which is used in the Dollart area of Ostfriesland and the Netherlands. Arends writes: Because this region has more to fear from the water than from enemies, worry about the dikes is one of the foremost worries with which the region is burdened, and the great exertion and heavy costs with which the dikes, dams, and dike gates have to be designed, installed, and maintained seem unbelievable. At the same time, it is remarkable how God sowed and placed islands as bastions in front of such dangerously exposed regions as ours when they emerging from the sea to become solid land. Harlingerland is wonderfully protected that way by its two islands against which the huge waves of the sea break. Spiekeroog and Langeoog with their high dunes effectively defend this land against the howling sea and the rapacious enemy water. This region is especially fortunate because of its continuous, blessed growth caused the foaming sea water as it carries with it much rich dung and mud to add to its dry land. It is a lowlying land, rich and fertile, its soil made up of “Klei” (Low Germ. for clay or clayey alluvial deposits) which is an especially rich, gray, and tough dirt, named so because of its sticking and clinging quality. This alluvial belt with its fertility, its horses and cattle admits the semblance of a blessed warehouse for provisions from which not only the lords and subjects of this land but also those of surrounding lands can be fed. The butter churned here
is very rich, and the cheeses are sent far and wide and often sold as the best Dutch cheeses. The sea air can be cleansed daily by the freely blowing winds. However, the north winds, the sea fogs, and the smell of the sea bring with them many sicknesses, such as fever, headaches, deafness, and very pernicious discharges and abscesses. Few old people regain their health, and foreigners not used to this raw air hardly thrive here. When ordinary people take sick they rarely take medication, nor do they like to visit the doctors, but they prefer to lie in drawn-out illness until in the end they die in an emaciated state. Some say that many people hereabout die who, God willing, could have added years to their lives with medication. Distance travel in this land is very annoying, because the roads
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Digging Peat on the Moors
bend in snakelike fashion, so that the travel time gets drawn out before one may arrive at the desired location. During rainy weather they are very poor and nearly impassable, and in the fall and on wintry days “Schleepen”, trough -like vessels which get pulled over the mud by horses, have to be used, or one has to resort to a small boat to make headway. Because of the often badly aligned plank bridges, which frequently get washed away, traveling is often greatly impaired, and those who cannot clear the ditches by jumping with the aid those long staffs, with which the people here spend much time in training, may well be advised to forget to travel. The houses usually are far enough apart for every family to be surrounded by its land. They mostly stand on high “Warfen” (mounds) or on heaped up high ground to be that much more protected from the eventuality of encroaching sea water. Fewest are built of brick, most are of clay, low against the strong winds, but comfortable inside and well constructed. Fruit bearing trees by the houses are but few as the people are discouraged from planting them, because the cold north winds, the poisonous fogs and smells often destroy such trees. Those who want apple, pear, and other fruit trees must plant them on the south side of the house. Those non -fruit bearing trees which one sees around the houses as protection against the strong winds are mostly ash and willow which will thrive and grow quickly but usually stand there crooked and bent before the winds. In their daily intake of food and drink the inhabitants are not especially finicky. They drink buttermilk, cheese whey, and thin beer, and eat pearled barley, thickened milk, soups, beans, smoked meats and suchlike. Due to a lack WERDUM of rye and wheat, their bread is made of barley. Much butter is used with every meal. Threshers and workers eat five times a day. They get breakfast, a midmorning meal, lunch, a mid-afternoon meal, and supper, and to those who still have to work after supper a good warm beer is given before going to bed. There is no shortage of wine and beer here.
French wine can be gotten for little money, as can foreign beers, like from Hamburg, Bremen, Holland, and elsewhere. Tobacco and brandy are in general use. Some will use them to ward off the bad air, others are always smoking and seldom take the pipe out of their mouths; some also drink so much brandy that money and belongings, home and land, soul and the blessed hereafter are lost on its account. And many women smoke the tobacco openly without being discouraged, to the not small detriment of the otherwise lovely and bashful female gender. There are no forests in the entire region where one may gather firewood, but on both sides, in the “Ämter” Friedeburg, Aurich, and Berum, are those peat bog villages where the peat often gets dug out of the earth and, cut into lengthy, four-cornered slabs and dried in the sun is then burnt for brewing, baking, and cooking. This does not always proceed without difficulty, especially in wet summers or when the roads are impassable. Then the inhabitants have to buy the peat for a lot of money from ships that transport it to the “Siels” (levee gates) or they have to burn bean and other kinds of straw, and must while away the time in the smoke and steam with their eyes hurting and in a bad mood. Besides the peat, they will also use “Plaggen” (plugs), heather and bog clumps, which are large, wet pieces of sod hewn from the heath and bogs which are also dried in the sun, imported, and burnt. Because the peat and “Plaggen” are often expensive and every load is additionally charged with a peat or “Plaggen” tax, the lower income people burn the dung of the cows which is mixed with straw and cut in many four-cornered pieces and, like the peat, dried in the sun. Some gather the sun-dried cow chips in the pastures and use them for fuel. The smell generated in the houses and rooms by this fuel can easily be imagined, and the cooked food will often adopt an especially rare taste, such that not long ago and High German quipped: “This is a strange land where one has to light one’s pipe with cow manure.”
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
THE UNDERTAKING STORK From: Ostfriesische Bauerrechte (Rural Ordinances) Edited by Wilhelm Ebel Published 1964 by Ostfriesische Landschaft Translated by Rudy Wiemann with help from his family for Latin terms.
This is an ordinance for the small village of Groß-Midlum, which is located just north of the city of Emden. This type of documents gives us insight into life in small villages.
1. All without exception who brew or tap, also bakers, or those who otherwise sell merchandize, shall measure and weigh everything by Emden’s standard of measures and weights or be subject to punishment by forfeiture of the merchandize which shall be given to the poor. 2. The “Schüttmeister” (bailiff) shall have detailed supervision of the roadways, pathways, railings, footbridges, lift bridges and pumps (Wegen, Stegen, Ricken, Trehen, Tillen und Pumpen) so that they are kept by everyone in a good, workable order, shall inspect them twice a year in the presence of the community, shall fine those who have been negligent 5 shillings, and shall make repairs at the expense of those who will not accept the fine in accordance with the “Bauerrecht” through the seizure of property as security and, if it is not redeemed, by selling the same and from the proceeds pay the workers’ wages and purchase the broken parts. 3. No one shall lease his hearth, house, or room to someone coming from the outside before making it known to the “Schüttmeister”, who shall investigate the status of the tenant; otherwise the rental agreement shall be voided. 4. Anyone who purposely does damage to the lift bridges, driveways, footbridges, railings, etc. (Tillen, Vohrden, Trehen, Ricken, pp) be it through dismembering, removal, or any other method, shall make good the damage, pay the “Schüttmeister” for his time and expense, and shall in general be reported to the judicial authorities and be sued over this matter. 5. If anyone keeps his horses, cows, sheep, or such, in the meadow (reserved for mowing) it shall be ruled that he, after the “Schüttmeister” has received a complaint and the church bell has been rung, shall collect the animals no later than on the following day, otherwise the “Schüttmeister” shall be entitled to collect the animals in the presence of the land user, and the same shall be fined 6 Stüvers per horse, 4 Stüvers per cow, and 2 Stüvers per sheep. (Note: 1 (Reichs) Taler = 9 Shilling = 54 Stüver) 6. The “Schüttmeister” shall also watch closely that no unnecessary driving or pasturing of heifers takes place during rainy weather, as such shall be avoided as much as possible on the military and field roads, and if someone insists on doing so, he shall pay the “Schüttmeister” a 5 shilling fine for each offense. 7. Those people who are day laborers and cannot rent land are at liberty to pasture four sheep and one lamb on the roads on the condition that such sheep and lambs shall all be herded by a shepherd, except horses and cows which are definitely not tolerated
for pasturing on the roadways. Whoever pastures more than the above number of sheep on the roadways shall pay the “Schüttmeister” for every sheep a fine of six Shilling, for a lamb three Shilling, for a horse 15 Shilling, and for a cow 10 Shilling. 8. It shall be the duty of “Schüttmeister”, “Armenvorsteher” (church’s poor fund chairperson), and “Gerichtsdiener” (court servant) to check the measuring and weighing devices, to measure and weigh them, then to weigh the bread, and to seize that which is found lacking, which shall be distributed among the poor by the pastor and the “Armenvorsteher”. At such occasion the “Schüttmeister” is entitled to consume a “Vahne” (tankard) of beer, the “Armenvorsteher” half a “Vahne”. The above newly revised ordinance is “salvo potentissimi e cujuscumque tertii jure” (under retention of the valid and any possible third ordinance lawfully*) approved and endorsed. Signed in Emden at the Royal Amtsgericht (County Courthouse) on March 16, 1761 Schnedermann, Amtsmann (County Commissioner)
MEMBER NEWS…
♦
Ray and Dee Onnen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary! Congratulations, some of us spent a wonderful week in May in the Netherlands and Ostfriesland with them. ♦ Happy 90th Birthday new member Vernon Helhens! ♦ Shirley Milligan was in the middle of those fires in California and luckily escaped. ♦ Alan Mann has had some surgery and is recovering at home. ♦ Cheri Peschel has had some health problems along with other members including: Duane Brakenhoff Marian Saathoff Ray Peterson Siefken Kriger Bob Appledorn Marion Saathoff and Sherri Brakenhoff both wrote wonderful notes after the last issue thanking all for remembering them. They wrote that prayers are always appreciated. Keep in touch, I always enjoy hearing from all of you. Share your good and bad times with us—we care!
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American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
18th CENTURY CHURCH & MARRIAGE ORDERS The government issued these orders to churches in the 1700’s. This law affected every person in the community.
tionable proclamations of engaged persons we submit the following, namely;
An order governing limitations of the preaching services: From our Kingly Majesty in Prussia, our all gracious King and Lord, we receive and acknowledge this special order. After the royal order of 1714 was decreed which was noted and observed in all provinces and lands of which many Reformed as well as Lutheran pastors whose sermons were unusually long and drawn out that the listeners could not continue the required attention. The long sermons and the attendant songs and prayers often lasted more than one hour. and therefore his Kingly Majesty gives the royal order that from now on the sermons and songs and prayers go not last for more than one hour, with the warning that failure to observe this decree will result in responding to the charge.
ad No. 1 It is self understandable that when the two engaged parties are born and brought up in the same town where the proclamation is read, it shall be accepted by all. ad No 2. The length of time that the engaged parties must live in the town where the proclamation is read is not readily ascertained, but they should reside in the town for at least one quarter year, either as residents or in service to others. Otherwise the proclamation must be read in the town where they last had residence.
Given under His Kingly Majesty’s Ostfriesische Administrations seal, in the Kingly Prussian Ostfriesische Administration from the House Aurich March 19, 1751.
ad No 3. When both of the engaged parties or in some cases only one of the two, does not fulfill the quarter year residence requirement, or has lived in the vicinity for a matter of weeks where the proclamation is desired, the proclamation can be read lawfully, but the party is expected to secure a paid certificate from the former pastor. The pastor performing the marriage without this certificate is subject to appropriate fine and punishment
Prussian Ostfriesische Administration, Theodorus Wehrmann Pastor Loci
This order from the consistory dated Jan 4 1766 in the name of his Majesty the King. von Derschau.
Decretum to the collective Pastors in Ostfriesland, without proper proclamation papers no persons can be married. February 12 1750.
TECHNOLOGY 101
On behalf of your Kingly Majesty in Prussia, our all-gracious King and Lord. Therefore to all who love rights and Christ and who conform to good church regulations, do not allow outsiders or others to come to the parish to be married if they do not have a special order from the pastor of their former parish giving them permission to marry or who cannot produce evidence of their good intentions. Also to be careful not to accept any copies of documents that may be a subterfuge for carrying out the ceremony. Given in Aurich in the Prussian Ostfriesische Consistory February 12 1750. That no person, who wishes to embark of a second or third marriage shall not have the proclamations read until the children of his or her former marriage can be correctly ascertained. Consequently, his Kingly Majesty in Prussia has decreed that no widow or widower without accounting for the children of a former marriage. Aurich December 18 1751, Prussian Administration Theodorus Wehrmann h. t. Pastor loci August 27 1772 By God’s grace, Friederich King of Prussia Our gracious greetings to you! Worthy and well learned advisors, dear friends, etc,. In regard to your request for further information about ques-
Interested in the newest technology? Or just can’t keep up with the newest—and sometimes the most expensive of what is coming up? Here are a few things that don’t cost an arm and a leg—plus they just might help you out. Cord extenders—13” mini extension cords that maximize the number of items that you can plug in, whether you’re using a wall outlet or a power strip. Chargers take up extra power strip place— these are just great for giving you additional space. And a set of five will only cost $10-$12. www.shophometrends.com From the same company—full page magnifiers! You can place it over a telephone book with small print and easily read the numbers. It’s great even if you don’t need bifocals! And at less than $10, it’s thin and easily fits in your briefcase—you never know when it will come in handy. And if you may just like the idea of a portable hands free lightedmagnifier. This is a 3X magnifier with a 5x insert lens. It stands 18” tall and runs on four AA batteries or with an optional AC adapter. The bright LED lights will shine for 100,000 hours. The cost is $49.95 from the sharperimage.com or call 1-800-344-4444. Traveling to a genealogy library and need to know what direction you’re headed and what the weather may be? Check out the digital dashboard compass and weather station. This has a compass, altimeter, barometric reading, weather forecasts and more. Mounts on your vehicle dashboard and includes a warning about icy road conditions. $49.95 from sharperimage.com or call 1-800-344-4444. This company has a catalog full of all kinds of gadgets. Enjoy!
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NEWS FROM OSTFRIESLAND Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 7/18/06 Emden - The danger of the spread of bird flu to Germany has not been ruled out, although in the absence of evidence in the form of dead fowl it is not a topic of much discussion right now. However, dead wild birds may go undiscovered, and there has been an outbreak in June on a poultry farm in Denmark. Emden has about 150 small poultry holders who are required to keep their flocks inside a building. Although this requirement has been somewhat eased in May, a retightening is expected during the migration season in the fall. Jeversches Wochenblatt, 7/18/06 Varel - The Langendamm athletic field was prepared for an event which by all appearances should have been a steeplechase in this year’s Friesian Mountain Sportsfest, sponsored by the sports club of Dangastermoor. This annual event was started in 1985 and is based on old Turner traditions. Initially it was called “Levee Mountain Sportsfest”, in reference to the only geographic feature around with any elevation to it. No peak performances count here, as the order of the day are exercises based on simple, playful, and natural movements carried out in a party atmosphere. The “competition” consists of 4 compulsive and 10 elective exercises. The former are made up of rope jumping, beam balancing, hoop shooting, and an orientation run in Varel Forest. Sack jumping and hot water bottle tossing are among the electives. The real goal of the event, the “common experience of a festive gathering” for participants and guests alike, was, as all agreed, fully met. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/18/06 Ostfriesland - German sea rescue vessels in the North and Baltic Sea responded to 22 emergencies last weekend, mostly coming to the aid of water sports devotees in trouble. A request to patrol Norderney’s beaches looking for a missing young boy (later found safe on the island), keeping a leaky yacht afloat off Norddeich, freeing a boat stuck on a sand bank between Langeoog and Bensersiel, taking three tourists to the mainland for hospitalization, and transporting an emergency physician to an offshore passenger ship were among the responses. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 7/18/06 Helgoland/Greetsiel - The Biological Institute of (the island of) Helgoland has for years noticed a quickening of ecological changes in the North Sea. For instance, during the past 40 years its average water temperature has risen by 1.1 degrees centigrade, making it more ocean-like and bringing in new creatures all the way from the Mediterranean. There is now talk of another round of levee strengthening to inculcate climate change, as a rise in the sea level, increased frequency of storm surges, and land mass settlement are all associated with this phenomenon. Cautioning voices also warn against dredging operations in the tidal flats for the taking of soil, as that may well have a direct impact on the safety of the dikes. Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 7/21/06 Emden - The Integration Counsel, which plays a proactive role in easing the assimilation of immigrants in Emden, suffers from a dearth of candidates and will be reduced from ten to seven members. The cultural groups represented will change from seven to five. The Counsel may not have done enough to sell itself to the immigrant community, as during the last election only 151 votes were cast for its candidates out of a total of 2,183 eligible voters.
Rheiderland Zeitung, 7/21/06 Leer - The topic of a round-table discussion in the old Waage Restaurant in Leer among politicians and employers concerned the generally desired partial dismantling of government bureaucracy. Since a bureaucracy is not just a creation springing from the introduction of a set of laws but evolves from human interaction and economic activity, the participation of entrepreneurs is essential. Advantages and disadvantages of bureaucratic rules are flip sides of the same coin, so to speak, as loopholes are quickly criticized as well as exploited. The government realizes that more economic freedom is needed to give creativity space to thrive, and it is looking at the Dutch standard cost model which eschews guesstimates but has found a way to measure strains on the economy due to rules and regulations down to the euro. A precondition for its success has already been met in Berlin in that the various government ministries are no longer doing the math in their own sphere of responsibility but must work through a “coordinator for bureaucracy dismantling and better law making.” A cautionary note could also be heard, namely that a certain level of incompleteness would have to be accepted. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/21/06 Wittmund - For seven years the county has tried to obtain documents from Armenia verifying the citizenship of a family living in Wittmund. When they finally came, the family of seven was sent back to its home country, i.e., with the exception of the mother, who had taken ill, and her daughter and granddaughter. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/21/06 Esens - For 13 years the Balthasar Run has been part of Esens’s town fest, the Balthasar Fair. On August 4 an estimated 400 runners, male and female, will make that 10 km race through and around town. The best time expected is 32 minutes, though for many the race will seem more like a steeplechase, as they must dodge friends and relatives in the sidewalk crowd who will step out to fire them on. There is also a Bambi Run over 750 meters for three to six year olds, and a Student Run over 1,600 meters for the seven to 10 year olds. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/21/06 Dornum - This town’s Renaissance Fair, here called Knights Fair, will take place on the weekend starting tomorrow. The moat-enclosed baroque castle will offer a perfect backdrop for a company of 150 actors specializing in recreating a medieval environment and conjuring up a time when knights were bold. There will be a market scene, a mercenary army camp, a colorful group of camp followers such as tradesmen, hucksters, gamblers, and jugglers, and the last living dragon of the spectacular Fangdorn Saga. Castle storming and jousting will keep everybody on edge, and the great plague parade by torch light will add a more somber note. The grand finale will the “Castle in Flames”, the festive illumination of Schloss Dornum. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/21/06 Neuenburg/Zetel - A sculpture location map has been issued which shows existing sculpture paths, including Sculptures around Jade Bay, Sculpture Park Neuenburg, Sculptures of the Artist Symposium Horsten, and collections in Wittmund and Dangast. Also indicated are artist studios, bicycle paths and
Page 20 tourist information for those seeking access to the local art world. Jeversches Wochenblatt, 7/21/06 Wilhelmshaven - The Coastal Museum Wilhelmshaven reopened after remodeling. It features a new permanent exhibition designed to enable the visitor to experience the development of the “cultural space ‘Coast’” from its early settlement to the founding of Wilhelmshaven and its naval port. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 7/26/06 Norddeich - The crew of customs cruiser “Emden” apprehended an intoxicated cutter captain who drew attention upon himself by bobbing around aimlessly off the island of Juist. When reached by cell phone, his inebriated state became very apparent, and he became aggressive when his cutter was boarded. A coast guard vessel with a breathalyzer on board was called out which measured his alcohol level at 2.19 promille. He was taken to the coast guard station at Norddeich for a blood test and may look forward to serious penalties, which may even include the loss of his patent. Rheiderland Zeitung, 7/25/06 Norderney - Germany’s President, Horst Köhler, and his wife are vacationing on Ostfriesland’s coast, and since he is the patron of the life guards, its association has prepared a program in his honor, ranging from demonstrations of its equipment and wide ranging skills, to a visit of a new rescue station, and rescue demonstrations in the breakers using new motorized boats and floating devices such as the rescue buoys known from the television series “Baywatch”. Mr. Köhler was impressed with the expertise of these young volunteers who have joined together from all over Ostfriesland in an organization dedicated to help those in danger of drowning. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/26/06 Esens - The Cuban national soccer team is touring Germany, playing 15 games against various clubs in 18 days. It is doing so to gain practical experience in facing Old World teams. Its tight schedule doesn’t give the players much time for R & R, but after their 2:0 win over the Esens’s sports club and a reception in city hall, a swim seemed appropriate, given the current heat wave in Europe - but not in the North Sea into which they barely tiptoed to declare it too cold. A swimming pool seemed more to the liking of the Caribbean kickers. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/26/06 Wittmund/Esens - The aim of the Economy’s Booster Circle is to aid hopeful entrepreneurs with counsel and support in setting up a business. Its Harlingerland chapter reports that 30 of 250 initial counseling sessions have resulted in business startups, a number which has not been reached in prior years. It is as convinced as ever that it pays to become independent. Jeversches Wochenblatt, 7/26/06 Wangerooge – A heavy sea fog with a visibility of less than 50 meters spelled danger for numerous water sports enthusiasts. Sea rescue vessels from Borkum, Norderney, and Wangerooge escorted 15 yachts into ports. Jeversches Wochenblatt, 7/26/06 Heidmühle - For the 13th race of the carrier pigeon associations “Friesenland” and “Wilhelmshaven-Friesland” 1,646 winged charges were taken 310 km south to Cologne and released. Heidmühle’s Hans Fehnder’s bird was the first one home of the Friesenland chapter. Hans Beier of Rahrdum had
the fastest bird in the Wilhelmshaven-Friesland competition. Rheiderland Zeitung, 7/27/06 Weener - Private wells have been drilled and dug in the vicinity of the water treatment plant, mostly for the watering of lawns and gardens. While such wells are not generally against the law, they must be cleared with the county utilities division, may not pierce impermeable soil layers which protect the groundwater underneath from contamination, and must be drilled by licensed contractors. The county will locate illegal wells, issue citations, and take appropriate measures for safeguarding the municipal water supply. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 7/28/06 Jever - Friesland County is spending 5.7 million euros for remodeling, rebuilding, and enlarging its public school buildings. An additional million euros will be spent on a new education administration headquarters. Contractors are using the summer recess to do much of the work which is needed as the changeover from half-day to all-day lesson plans is spreading. This necessitates additional facilities, like reading rooms and food service space. Since 2,000 the county has invested 30 million euros in the making over of school buildings and has been successful in raising their overall appearance, structural soundness, and practicality to an acceptable level. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 7/28/06 Aurich - Ostfriesland now has an Association of Seniors which aims to organize and offer trips, support retirees, engage in social work such as looking after people in need of care, even baby-sit for working parents. As the number of relatively young and healthy seniors grows, the ranks of those willing to volunteer some of their time also rises, and it is from among those that the Association is hoping to draw more active members. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 7/28/06 Aurich/Norden - The water quality of the swimming lakes and along the North Sea coast of Aurich County is very good with no health problems looming despite the current heat wave. This also goes for the beaches of the islands of Norderney, Juist, and Baltrum which are part of the county. The county’s health service takes test samples every other week. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 8/2/06 Harlesiel - The new ad-hoc committee for the development, maintenance, and operation of the harbor of Harlesiel wants to work out an orderly building plan for the harbor area and airport, the latter being situated east of the Harle River, i.e., in the consolidated community Wangerland, part of Jever’s Friesland County. It has a better chance to achieve its goal than its predecessor had, as it now includes representatives of Wangerland and Wangerooge, the island being serviced through this harbor. The previous committee consisted of Wittmund and the Wittmund Levee Cooperative only, which meant that anything it would initiate, including improvements in Wangerland, had to be financed by those two entities. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 8/2/06 Ostfriesland - The employment situation profits visibly from generally improving economic activities. The number of unemployed rose only slightly in July against the usual sharp rise caused by high school and apprenticeship graduates joining the unemployed. In Emden’s employment office district 17,066 unemployed were listed at the end of July, vs. 17,712 a year ago, which lowers its percentage of the labor force from 12.5 to 11.8.
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Jeversches Wochenblatt, 8/2/06 Cäciliengroden - 24 manhole covers, which were stolen during the night of July 26, have been discovered in the bushes behind a trash container in Sande. The thieves have not yet been caught. If the covers had not been found, Cäciliengroden would have had to rebuild the manholes of its storm sewer system at a cost of at least 7,000 euros. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 8/30/06 Aurich - Ostfriesland’s birthrate is sinking. This fact is reflected in the statistics of Aurich County for 2005 where 1281 births vs. 1854 deaths were recorded. In 1996 the number of births stood at 2068. Nevertheless, the state’s (Lower Saxony) office predicts a slow population increase to 200,000 by 2020, largely due to newcomers, most of them older people intending to spend their remaining years in Ostfriesland. This, of course, means future increased health service expenditures for its senior citizens. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 8/30/06 Jever - The municipal swimming pool will close for the season tomorrow - 3 days sooner than planned because of a sudden turn in the weather. But the hot summer has helped the pool operation’s credit side, and fewer voices can be heard calling for its permanent shutdown. More then 27,000 swimmers waded in, compared to 12,800 the year before, who spent 44,300 euros for the privilege, nearly 20,00 more than last year. Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 8/30/06 Neuharlingersiel - On Saturday this town will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its fair, the “Siel Markt”. All local associations and organizations, supported by the community’s administration and resort management, have collaborated in the development of a program designed to bring the past back to life. Coopers, basket weavers, blue printers, a soap boiler, a blacksmith, and other trades people will offer demonstrations of the state of their art during its halcyon days. A small cattle market will serve as a reminder of the market’s origin but will now hold greater interest for the younger set which may pet the sheep and goats and ride the ponies. Musical entertainment will be provided by the hurdygurdy group “Musica Romantica” starting at 11:30 am, followed by the sharp shooters’ marching band beginning at 6 pm, and reaching its high mark with the ascent of the rock band “Laway” (“Platt” for “Quitting Time”) to the stage at 8 o’clock in the evening. Rheiderland Zeitung, 9/7/06 Leer - Preparations are in full swing for the 31st “Ostfriesland Schau” to be held here from October 7 to 15. In ten halls 300 exhibitors will create a fine overview of the region’s productive capability. Says Leer’s Mayor, Wolfgang Kellner, “Ostfriesland, and that goes for Leer as well, is in an upward move.” The expected 140,000 visitors will, no doubt, agree. In Hall 7 the town of Winschoten in neighboring Holland will introduce Dutch culinary specialties and touristic attractions. In Hall 3 construction and installation companies and architects together will present modern building methods and materials. Leer’s tea giant, Bünting, celebrating its 200 birthday, will be there with an impressive palette of its wares, and the trades people united of the region will demonstrate their various skills under the motto “Professionals Engaged”. Even the police and the military will be present and approachable, as will be many people busily serving behind refreshment counters.
Page 21 Jeversches Wochenblatt, 9/7/06 Jever - Yesterday the new statue of Jever’s great son, the famous chemist and mineralogist Eilhart Mitscherlich, whose chemistry text book saw five editions, was dedicated at the St. Anne Gate where his previous statue stood before it had to be in removed in 1954 as its interior support frame had deteriorated. The granite block which took its place in 1963 on the 100th anniversary of the scientist’s death seemed inadequate to many of Jever’s citizens who organized in an ad hoc association which in only three years raised the needed funds to have the new bronze statue cast and erected. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 9/7/06 Aurich - Yesterday downtown Aurich was firmly in the hands of children. Hundreds of boys and girls showed up for this year’s “Kinderfest”. The market place seemed like one large playground with stilts, slides, roller skates, a climbing wall, and even a miniature steam locomotive running on coal and pulling real passenger cars. As the small-store owners participated with auctions for the young visitors, the Burgstrasse, Norderstrasse, and Osterstrasse were at times nearly impassable for adults. Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 9/10/06 Wiesmoor - On the grounds of the Peat and Settlers Museum in Wiesmoor Hans Lässig swings the stone and steel ax with equal ease and makes comparable progress with both. He uses the stone ax to build a sample 10 ft. wide corduroy road of alder trunks which will resemble such a road excavated in the peat bog near Ockenhausen and was carbon dated to the beginning of the Bronze Age, around 2,000 BC . He patterns his self-made stone tools after archaeological finds. His stone bits are of serpentine which he chips and grinds to create an edge which shows very little wear and may be readily reground. He will use a modern ax just to compare the time it takes to do the same amount of work and has nothing but praise for his stone tools, saying, “It is amazing, how good they are to work with.” Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 9/10/06 Aurich - Restoration work on Aurich’s old ducal castle will continue with state funds. The 100 ft. tower, presently hollow, will receive a steel stairway with several landings. To put it in place, the roof will have to be broken through - an expensive undertaking, as the castle is protected as a historic site. The facade around the main entrance will be completely redone in the original style, but, to hold costs down, the interior court will receive a modern treatment. Incorporated in the ongoing restoration project are other buildings in the castle area, such as the district attorney’s office, the jail house, and the regional court house. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 9/24/06 Roffhausen – A good idea celebrated its 10th anniversary yesterday on the grounds of the Technology Center Northwest. Here, on the property of the former typewriter maker “Olympia”, the idea to acquaint the individual with the possibilities for selfemployment by granting him or her a test run at little cost was first tried and has since born fruit. Nine firms soon got off the ground employing 25 workers. The project has since grown to 20 firms with 60 employees. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 9/24/06 Lathen, Emsland - A severe accident happened on the Emsland test track of the German magnetic levitation train Transrapid when the remote controlled train crashed into a service car at 120 mph. 21 of the 25 visitor riders lost their lives. The collision
Page 22 occurred at 10 am on an open stretch of track. A televised report showed numerous pieces of wreckage and items of clothing of the victims on the ground in the vicinity of the crash. The Transrapid train, though nearly torn apart, remained attached to the 13 ft. high trestle. According to first comments by the operator of the facility, the calamity was caused by human error. Rheiderland Zeitung, 9/24/06 Ditzum - Forty percent of Ostfriesland’s tourist business is generated by bikers, and the trend is climbing. Rheiderland is getting its share, as proved by the 63,000 nights lodgings booked last year in the consolidated community Jemgum alone, of which Ditzum is a part. Ditzum itself booked the lion’s share with 46,000 lodgings. It is clear that this picturesque fishing town on the Ems, situated on the International Bicycle Route to and from Holland and operating a scheduled ferry service across the river to Petkum, at the gates of Emden, needs a hotel, and it is getting one - a bicycle hotel. It will have a bicycle garage, washing and drying facilities, and a workshop where the guests themselves can to do minor repairs. The fact that many bikers will only stay one night doesn’t bother the owner/builder, fleet owner and Ditzum native Roelf Brise, who views this project as a needed addition to prevailing vacation home industry. A double room will go for 50 euros. Non-bikers are, of course, welcome as well. Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 9/24/06 Dornum - For years the wind over the Dornum/Holtriem area has given rise to arguments. When in the recent municipal elections the party coming out against more wind generators lost its majority, its law suits were rescinded and more mills will be built. Some now fear that the expected unique concentration of windmills in the coastal region between Norden and Esens will give the natives cause to ponder if they are moving from an economy based on tourism to an industrial community. Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 9/26/06 Schwerinsdorf - On Sunday a 32 year old woman burnt to death in the wreckage of her car after veering off the highway between Hesel and Remels and crashing into a tree where her vehicle burst into flames. 40 volunteer firemen from Schwerinsdorf, Hesel, and Holtland, who arrived at the site soon after the crash, where able to quickly extinguish the fire but too late to help the driver. Investigations into the cause of the accident are underway. In July the very same large oak tree caused the death of a driver from Emden who ran into it without applying his brakes. Firemen were able to cut him out of his wreck, but he died of his injuries in the Westerstede hospital. Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 9/26/06 Emden - Emden’s annual Harvest Fest, organized 13 years ago by the publicity coalition “Display Window Emden”, will take place on Saturday. Stands will be erected in the Neutorstrasse in which the vegetable and orchard farmers, fishermen, beekeepers, butchers, and cheese makers from around Emden will display their products, which will also be available ready to eat at lunch counters and refreshment stands. “Matjes” herring and skin-on potatoes are again expected to be the top attraction for those coming to partake. Anzeiger für Harlingerland, 9/26/06 Carolinensiel - The coastal shipping company Albrecht has sold a fishing cutter and passenger ship to Norden-Frisia Corp. and will begin to operate the passenger ships of the German Railroad Corp. on scheduled runs between Harlesiel and Wangerooge Island and on a charter basis for pleasure cruises around the Tidal
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Flats National Park. The company’s move in a new direction is in part based on the increasing number of cremations with subsequent burial of the ashes at sea. With a trend toward smaller families and increased mobility it is often difficult for the bereaved to adequately care for a grave site, and they see this as a solution, but many steady vacationers also feel an increasing attraction to the sea and opt for having their ashes entrusted to it. Ostfriesische Nachrichten, 9/26/06 Ihlow - Archeological excavations in the cemetery area of the former Cistercian monastery have uncovered the skeleton of a small child, an unusual find considering the location and presumably belonging to a family with close ties to the monastery.
IHLOW
The beginning of the cemetery in the 13th century coincided with the construction of the church. It was later covered over by the monastery building itself. The community of Ihlow is following the excavations with great interest as it is planning an archeological park accented by the partly reconstructed church. A steel frame for it is expected to be in place by the middle of next year. Pictures of the site and excavation will be included in the next issue.
Tea Adages from the Witthus Hotel & Restaurant in Greetsiel ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The way to heaven goes right past the tea kettle (English Proverb) Hope is like sugar in the tea; even a small bit sweetens everything. (Chinese Proverb) Men are like tea: occasionally one has to let them steep. (French Proverb) One drinks tea to forget the noise of the world. (T'ine Yiheng) Kissing--that's like drinking tea from a sieve--one never gets enough. (Chinese Proverb) A good wife, a good borscht and a strong tea--there is nothing more satisfying in life. (Caucasian Proverb)
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Something about East Friesian Names Wat over oostfreeske Namen Uns Vörollen harren vör lange Tieden man bloot een Naam, oll Namen as Harm, Gerd, Frauke un Imke. Dor kunnen se sück ook best mit helpen, um dat in uns Kuntrei neet vööl Minsken leevden. Achternamen harren man Stück of wat vörnehm Familjen, so as tom Broek of Cirksena. As so um Luthers Tied mehr Minsken hier wohnden, gaff dat in mennig Dörp mehr as een Gerd of Jan. Wat kregen mit de Tied en Ökelnamm, so as groot Harm, lang Trientje, Gerd van d’ Diek of Jan van d’ Moor, annern nömden sück na hör Wark, as Enno Smid of Renke Bakker. Man de meesten kregen hör Vaders Naam as Achternaam. Se heede de Söhn Heie van Vader Fokko: Heie Fokken. Up Hochdütsk heet dat “patronymische Namesgebung” und sücht denn so ut:
“De Utmiener” (Auctioneer) Newsletter of the Historical Society in Leer, Feb. 2006 / Author: Lore Houtrouw; Translator: Rudy Wiemann
Vader: Thade Heijen Söhn: Enno Thaden Dochter: Antje Thaden Dochter: Ikka Thaden Söhn: Harm Thaden Bi de Vörnamen van de Kinner gifft dat in Ostfreesland all lang en faste Wennst. De ollste Söhn word na sien Grootvader van Vaders Sied nömt, de ollste Dochter na hör Grootmoder van Vaders sied. Bi de tweede Söhn un de tweede Dochter komen the Grootollen van Moders Sied an de Rieg. Bispill: Grootollen van Vaders Sied: Fokko Meinen/Antje Eden Grootollen van Moders Sied: Harm Nannen/Geske Heeren Vader: Heie Fokken Moder: Frauke Harms Kinner: 1. Söhn: Fokko Heien 2. Söhn: Harm Heinen 1. Dochter: Antje Heien 2. Dochter: Geske Heijen Wassen d’r noch mehr Kinner, kregen se Namen ut de Familje, faken van Arfunkels un Arftanten. As Ostfreesland in d’ 19. Jahrhunnert “unner Napoleon” stunn, wull de Kaiser van de Ostfreesen Stüren un Rekruten. Man sien Schrievers kwammen mit de Namen in Redulten. Faken harren Grootvader un Enkel desülvige Naam. Wenn d’ um Stürern gung, harr de Enkel nicks, un bi de Suldaten kunnen se Opa neet bruken. An d’ 11. August 1811 kwamm en Schrieven unner d’ Lü, dat elk un een ’n faste Familjennaam annehmen musde. Wat Familjen bleven bi hör Vadersnaam, de se nett harren un gaffen de wieder, annern nömden sükk na hör Offkummst, na hör Waark, und anner hullen hör Ökelnaam. Hett noch ‘n heel Sett dürt un is noch mennig Schrieven unner d’ Volk komen, bit all Ostfreesen hör faste Familjennaam harren.
Something about East Friesian Names A long time ago our ancestors had only one name, old names like Harm, Gerd, Frauke, and Imke. They got along that way just fine, as not many people lived in our part of the country. Last names were only used in a few eminent families, like tom Broek or Cirksena. When around Luther’s time more people lived here, there was more than one Gerd or Jan in many villages. Some in time got a nickname, such as Big Harm, Tall Trientje, Gerd from the Dike, or Jan from the Peat Bog, others named themselves after the type of work they did, like Enno Schmidt (as in blacksmith) or Renke Baker. Most got their father’s name for their last name. So the son Heie of father Fokko was named Heie Fokken. In High German it is called “patronymic name giving” and works like this: Father: Thade Heijen Son: Enno Thaden Daughter: Antje Thaden Daughter: Ikka Thaden Son: Harm Thaden In Ostfriesland a long and strong tradition governs the giving of first names to children. The eldest son is named after his grandfather on his father’s side, the eldest daughter after her grandmother on her father’s side. With the second son and the second daughter it is the turn of the grandparents on the mother’s side. For Example: Grandparents on father’s side: Fokko Meinen/Antje Eden Grandparents on mother’s side: Harm Nannen/Geske Heeren Father: Heie Fokken Mother: Frauke Harms Children: 1. Son: Fokko Heien 2. Son: Harm Heinen 1. Daughter: Antje Heien 2. Daughter: Geske Heijen Where still more children were born, they received names that occurred in the family, often of uncles and aunts they were expected to be heirs to. When in the 19th century Ostfriesland was subject to Napoleon’s will, the Emperor demanded taxes and recruits from the East Friesians. But scribes got in trouble with the names. Often grandfather and grandson had the same name. When it came to taxes, the grandson had nothing, and for a soldier they had no use for grandpa. On August 11, 1811, a statement was distributed among the people which said that one and all had to adopt a permanent family name. Some families stuck with their first name which they happened to have and handed at it down. Other called themselves after their family origin, their trade, and others kept their nickname. It still took a long time, and many statements more were distributed among the people, till all East Friesians had their permanent family name.
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American-Ostfriesen Zeitung EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION: http://www.clis2.umd.edu/~mddlmddl/791/communities/html/ pob.html Article: “Immigrating to the Port of Baltimore”
LINKS TO
DEEP
ROOTS
http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/ Article: ”Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930”
By Cheryl (Jurgens) MEINTS
http://wiki-en.genealogy.net/wiki/Main_Page Read “Emigrant Stories” under Emigration-Immigration-Misc.
RESEARCH and LIBRARIES: http://cefha.org/de/gi/dgb/dgbindex.html Index to the Deutsches Geschlechterbuch (DGB)...German Family Lineage Book Series
http://www.emslanders.com/ Emslanders to the American Midwest
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/ The National Archives...Access to Archival Databases (AAD)
http://www.ellisisland.org/ Search Passenger Lists and More
http://www.genealogyforum.org/ Click on US Links Directory
http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/passengers.html “Finding Passenger Lists and Immigration Records 1820s-1940s” by Joe Beine
http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/ Allen County Public Library, Indiana
http://www.castlegarden.org/ America’s First Immigration Center
http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/eagle/ The Brooklyn Public Library, New York
MISCELLANEOUS: http://www.elca.org/archives/ Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
http://bcdlib.tc.ca/links-subjects-newspapers.html The British Columbia Digital Library
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:East_Frisia Wikimedia Commons: A Media Repository...Excellent Photographs
http://www.lib.byu.edu/index.php Harold B. Lee Library… Brigham Young University, Utah. Click on “Online Collections at BYU,” or “Family History Collections,” then “ All Collections”
http://www.orlutheran.com/html/luthbibl.html Article: “Martin Luther’s Love for the Bible”
http://www.genealogienetz.de/lds/AST-ind.html#intr Learn about The German Soundex System http://www.highbeam.com/ Check out maps, newspapers, etc. IN GERMAN: http://www.ostfriesischelandschaft.de/ortschronisten/Ossipedia/ Glossar/glossar.html Glossary of Old Historical Terms and Definitions http://aidaonline.niedersachsen.de/ State’s Archives for Lower Saxony and Aurich http://www.karl-may-stiftung.de/kalender/ewkal.htm Perpetual Calendar http://wiesmoor-info.server-hosts.com/ Jürgen Adams’ Frequently Updated Site...Click on English http://www.ortsfamilienbuecher.de/ Online Heritage Books (OSB)… Click on Stedesdorf, Burhafe, and Dunum...Then English http://www.grossefehn.de/kirchen.asp?menue=Vereine%20/%20 Institutionen&bereich=kirchen Churches in Großefehn http://christoph.stoepel.net/Geogen-localized-en.aspx Geographical Genealogy...Create Maps Which Show the Distribution of Surnames in Germany NEWSPAPERS: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/europe/germany/ niedersachsen.aspx German Newspaper Websites: Niedersachsen http://www.lib.utah.edu/digital/unews/ Utah Digital Newspapers http://www.chicagotribune.com/ The Chicago Tribune...Click on Archives: 1852-Present If you find a great site that you would like to share or want to send comments, please contact me at
[email protected]—(please put OGSA in subject line)
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~george/oldgermanprofessions.html Old German Professions and Trade Names http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/index.htm American Artifacts Articles http://www.rootdig.com/adn/ethnic.html Article: “Ethnic Eccentricities” by Michael John Neill http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~obitl/ Obituary Lookup Volunteers http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerriet/sets/ Gerriet’s Photos http://usa.usembassy.de/germanamericans-language.htm U. S. Diplomatic Mission to Germany http://www.germany.info/relaunch/index.html German Embassy, Washington DC VITAL RECORDS INDEXES: http://people.mnhs.org/dci/Search.cfm?bhcp=1 Minnesota-Death https://secure.apps.state.nd.us/doh/certificates/deathCertSearch.htm North Dakota-Death http://www.state.sd.us/applications/PH14Over100BirthRec/index.asp South Dakota-Birth http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/birthdeath/ Missouri-Birth and Death
NOTE: The websites for this column were gleaned from the 2006 OSTFRIESEN Mailing List. (It is not meant to be all inclusive.) The List is dedicated to the geological, cultural, and historical interests of Ostfriesland (East Friesia), Germany. Instructions for subscribing or unsubscribing to the mailing list can be found at http://lists.rootsweb.com/index /intl/DEU/OSTFRIESEN.html
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
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Witchcraft and Witches in Germany and Ostfriesland Dirk Faß in his book Hexen (Witches) writes about one of the darkest chapters Gene Janssen (based of history: witch-hunting, the persecuon information from tion of people (primarily women) acHexen by Dirk Faß, The Malleus Isensee Verlag/ cused of witchcraft. Oldenburg, 2003 and maleficarum (Hammer of Witches) was other website sources) a text first presented to the University of Cologne in 1487 and written by James Sprenger and Henry Kramer. Witches were understood to be in league with the devil and their powers eminated from that evil source. The book remained in use for three hundred years and influenced witch trials in England and Europe. America also has its share in this dark saga--just look at the Salem witchcraft trials in our early colonial history. In the preface to his book, Faß explains that the Malleus maleficarum book allowed inquisition judges to flourish. Clerics and nobility were soon won over to the cause as a means of stabilizing and controlling society in addition to riches to be gained from this pursuit (i.e. the confiscation of properties, for example). This enrichment of the upper classes came at the expense of the less fortunate at a time of extreme poverty, particularly later during the 30 Years' War (1618-1648). There is no doubt that almost half of the witch executions stemmed from greed and covetousness. The remaining half were due to religious fanaticism and naiveté. By the end of the 15th century the world view was infused with this fanaticism so that the devil was seen, heard, tasted, and smelled everywhere. All it took to start a witch-hunt and a trial process could be a simple event, such as the milk not turning to butter or a cow drying up--someone was to blame. Witches were supposed to have made a pact with the devil--certainly with ill will in mind. For us, in a so-called, "enlightened" world, it is unimaginable that crowds of people, men, women and children, would gather to witness the burning of witches at the stake. In 1543, Beninga in his Chronika der Fresen reports that numerous witches found out in Riepe. At first a man and his wife were burned, and then the following year nine women were burned in one day followed by five more a week later. The process began when authorities in Aurich received information from a 12-yearold girl complaining that a young woman named Froutet had tried to persuade her to join the "evil society." When the girl and the woman were brought to the officials in Aurich on January 29th, Froutet denied all the charges until she was threatened with instruments of torture whereupon she named others involved with her such as Ocke Frederick Dayen, Ocke Ippe Waelken, a young boy, Dyude, an 80-year-old man to mention only a few in a long list.
condemned on February 1st and burned the next day. The two Ockes were listed as teachers. Both were arrested and, according to reports, Ocke Ippe Waelken commited suicide by throwing herself from her cell in the Aurich prison tower after seeing the burning of the young boy. The other Ocke (being pregnant) was imprisoned pending the birth [it was illegal to torture a pregnant woman!] Five more were interrogated, and, according to the records, two of them (Ette Poppe Harmens and Amke Heynen) gave depositions on February 1st. Ette Poppe Harmens seems to have been saved through the influence of Countess Anna, and from this point on traces of her disappear, and the charges have been expunged from the record. By February 7 and 8, 1543, six more women were brought in: Moeder Hilmers, Bauwe Bifeldes, Grete Sunneken, Bauwe in den Wolde, Wibekke Galtetz and Ewke Ubbe Poppen. All the accused were tortured and subsequently implicated others: Gele Jelscen, Bauwe Aepke, Tyan Stifmoder, Hebe Tyan and Hayke Agen from Hammeryk. On February 13, the accused were interrogated for a third and fourth time. During the second hearing, the women were questioned in the presence of their spouses and relatives. According to the report, it was a heart-wrenching scene. Beninga says that all confessed their guilt; however, when Pastor Albert from Aurich announced the death penalty to them, they all withdrew their confessions.
That led to a fifth hearing and further torture on February 16, 1543, until their guilt was established. On February 18, the spouses were asked to come to Aurich to hear the sentencing of their wives. Nine of the alleged witches died on Monday, February 19, 1543, in Aurich. Further indictments occurred in 1543 involving women from Theene and the Wolden/Grossen Meer. The legal process was swift and abrupt. Just being named in such Among others accused were Gaelke Galtetz Onneken, Hayde a listing meant immediate arrest, and the usual confessions and Nonneken, Beetke Ynen, Hysse Haren and his wife, Rewende. revelations about witchcraft rituals were extracted through intimi- All were accused of having participated in a witches dance near dation and torture. The young boy was brought to justice and
Page 28 of the church cemetery. A pardon from the imperial court arrived too late for Tyabbe; however Sybbe was ultimately released. In Rysum in 1591, two accused women were tried in the church and after confessing their guilt in public they were spared burning alive at the stake—they were to be burned after being slain with a sword (!) and burial was to be at the Galgenberg (gallows area) which at that time was beyond the dike. Leerort also tried Enge Retsema, wife of the rope maker, Johann Retsema. She died during torture. Dornum experieced such a trial in 1665 of Teeleke Peter Galtets. She was beheaded and the body burned. All of these executions were deemed appropriate punishment and also a forewarning for the populace. Belief in witches was not prevalent throughout Ostfriesland as was the case in other areas of Europe. Certain communities seemed to have a penchant for them. Various sayings survive about Loquard and Rysum and the island of Juist. Riepe, Uphusen and Veenhusen were deemed communities where witches felt at home. Kirchdorf was called a witches field. In contrast to other areas, Ostfriesland did not experience mass trials. One might claim that the entire Lower Saxony and coastal area lacked the penchant for such proceedings; however, the years when the most cases were tried were 1590, 1630 and 1660. Mareike Steps in her thesis reckons that the Aurich area witnessed a high number of cases because the proceeds from the confiscated properties were enough to construct various pathways in the woods of Eschen, the former princely zoological garden. All in all, more than 100,000 people were burned in all of Germany. Mass burnings began in 1580 and continued for about one hundred years. From 1593 to 1751, 63 people, 40 women and 23 men in Bremen were accused of witchcraft and 32 were released or pardoned. Of those remaining 14 were burned (two as corpses), four died in prison, five were beheaded, one was hung and nine others were punished in various other ways. Between 1590 and 1600 there were so many witches burned in Braunschweig that the burning stakes near the city gate looked like a forest. A Lord Rantzow of Holstein had 18 witches burned in one day. The Fulda judge, Balthasar Voß, boasted that he had burned 700 people of both genders and that he hoped to make it a 1,000. Official records report communities with similar statistics so that the sum of 100,000 is soon surpassed. The last execution occurred in 1782 in Glarus, Switzerland, and the lunacy continued a few years longer in Poland and Hungary.
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
The Five Stages of Torture Translation and elaboration by Gene Janssen from Von Hexen und Hexenprozessen zwischen Weser und Ems, Dirk Faß, Isensee Verlag, Oldenburg 2003 and various web sites) During the frenzy of the witch-hunts in Europe primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries there were five so-called stages or degrees of torture used to extract confessions from victims. The first stage consisted of the accused being escorted to the torture chamber by the judge in the case and showing the victim the torture apparata at the same time demanding a confession. [No sense of "innocent until proven guilty] If the accused (perhaps confident of innocence) denied any guilt or wrong, he/she was immediately stripped and bound and tortured with thumbscrews for an hour. If this did not extract a confession, which was constantly being demanded by the judge, the poor soul was placed in the so-called "Spanish boot" whereby extreme pressure from a vice-like apparatus was applied to the feet and the shins often splitting the bones. This procedure lasted an hour also but the time could be extended by order of the judge. The fourth stage (when necessary) involved swinging the accused "between heaven and earth" with hands bound together and weights or the Spanish boot applied to the feet. In the fifth stage the victims arms and shoulder bones were dislocated and the arms were tied behind the head and the person was again suspended or swung "between heaven and earth." In addition, whipping was done with leather straps embedded with iron spikes or studs, and all of the previous methods of torture might be re-applied. The pain was so unbearable that people would confess to anything to halt it. Some went mad or managed to kill themselves. The fortunate were imprisoned, though angry mobs sometimes took things into their own hands. Witchcraft was not unique to Christianity. The Old Testament records a witch, Ender, in the book of Samuel and all cultures contain sorcery accounts, see the Greek story of Jason and Medea. Oriental cultures record the phenomenon as well as African cultures where witches are banished from communities in this day and age; however, the frenzy of witch-hunting and trials with the attendant micarriage of justice and physical/mental torture in European and American culture from around 1487 to the 1700's is a reprehensible part of Christian history.
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
JEANEEJEANEE-OLOGY 101 By Jeanee Janssen Thompson THE SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) can help you learn more about your ancestors and their extended families. Clues given can be used to further your research by helping you locate an obituary or find the most likely cemetery. The SSDI does not include everyone. Before 1960, farmers, housewives, the self-employed and certain others may not have had a social security number (SSN). It is only since 1988 that all children had to have assigned numbers. Also, if the death was not reported to the Social Security Administration it may not be included in the listing. Those who died before the computerized version of the list, may or may not be included. However, if you find a name, it may help you find an elusive clue. The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts. The first set of three digits is called the Area Number, representing the state where it was issued. Generally, this would be the state where the applicant lived, but not always, since you could apply for your card anywhere. My father’s number indicates he was a railroad employee, with no clue of where he lived or was born. Good thing I already know or I would have to send for a copy of his application. Today, all cards are issued from Baltimore and the Area Number is derived from the applicant’s zip code of their mailing address. The actual place of death is not shown in the SSDI. "Last Residence" means address of record, not where the death actually occurred. "Last Benefit" refers to the address where the death benefit payment was sent. Once you have the information, you have the option of sending for a copy of the "Application for a Social Security Number" or SS-5. The application required complete birth information, including town and the mother’s maiden name, handy if they were immigrant’s who came before the 1906 naturalization rules or you haven’t found another record to give you that data. You will need the individual’s name, date and place of death and SSN if you have it, along with the fee for the current charge for the search. Searching the SSDI There are several online versions of the SSDI. I usually start with Stephen Morse’s One-Step SSDI search engine and choose a site from the dropdown menu at the bottom. (stevemorse.org/ssdi/ssdi) The sites include familysearch, Rootsweb and ancestry.com. His search engine has more places that you can fill-in, handy if you are looking for John Johnson who died sometime in the 1980s, but it also allows you to choose a ‘sounds-like’ search or a ‘metaphone’ search. Keep in mind the more boxes you fill in, the easier it will be to miss your distant relative, if you assume he or she died in Minnesota, when actually they were staying with a child who lived across the border in Iowa. This is especially true for our elusive ancestors, who at times seem to be determined to thwart our efforts to find clues to their lives. If you find a listing that seems likely, click on the underlined
Page 29 name and it will take you to a more detailed version. My father’s listing mentioned three small communities where I knew him to be familiar with, but only one was his actual address. A search of that county for a death record, however, would be fruitless, since he died in the next county. Instead, I would get a copy of all (haha) the local newspapers for the following week or two until I find his obituary. In reality, if I ‘google’ my dad’s name, his obituary is the first website that comes up, and I have no idea why, he isn’t famous by a long shot. It is quite long, since it was composed by six people and mentions his life’s highlights, as those six persons knew it to be. So, if you find your grandfather’s brother that you didn’t know existed before your search in the SSDI, ‘google’ his name and see if there is an online obituary for him as well. You could find his survivors and a synopsis of his life that helps find a new clue or an added piece of the puzzle. As an aside, it occurs to me that I will have only one person to compose my obituary and I tremble at the thought of what she will write about my life. “..collected a bunch of stupid memorabilia that will go over big at our local thrift shop, along with some disgusting old papers in illegible handwriting and some photographs of really old people…” Sorry this is such a short article, I need to go compose my own obituary.
OSB UPDATE... If you need one of these books, please contact the editor as soon as possible as the number of books we have in stock for these newly printed books is limited. Books recently printed include the following: ♦ HAGE (2 Volumes), JARßUM, RIEPE, PEWSUM, WOQUARD (Updated Version) VICTORBUR/MOORDORF (already sold out) The following will be printed: ♦ BUTTFORDE, in stock ♦ CRITZUM/MIDLUM, (2 Volumes), just arrived! (These villages are located in the Rheiderland) ♦ WOLTHUSEN—June 2007 If you are interested in a copy of any of these books, please contact the editor OSB in stock: Arle, Asel, Ardorf, Canum, Woquard, Riepe, Hage, Pewsum, Jarßum, Wybelsum, Loppersum, Eggelingen, Uplengen (several volumes of the Remels, Ockenhausen, Hollen and Firrel Books), Hage, Critzum/Midlum, Freepsum, Barstede, Bingum, Böhmerwold, Dunum, Emden FH, Dyksterhusen, Landschaftspolder, Freepsum, Großefehn, Wiesens, Spetzerfehn, GroßMidlum, Leer—Reformed, 6 vol., Marienchor, Neustadtgödens, Norderney, Potshausen, Loppersum, Riepe, Simonswolde, Stapelmoor, Wymeer, Twixlum, Veenhusen, Uphusen, Völlen. Others may be available in Germany, please ask if you have questions. Contact the editor with questions, comments. When books sell out, they are seldom reprinted! If you have a used OSB that you no longer need—please check with us to see if someone is interested in purchasing it. Bob Appledorn hopes to have the German Valley Ortssippenbuch available at the 2007 Conference in August!
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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION Welcome to OGSA! If we have something wrong, please contact us and we will correct your information. Would you like a membership list? We can now email it to you as an attachment! Do you know someone who might like a sample copy of our newsletter? This is one way we find new members! Contact us! NEW ADDRESSES: Morelli, Jill; 1220 Olympic Way West, Seattle WA 98119 Harlan & Dorothy Oelmann:
[email protected]; Philip Deters:
[email protected]; 410-923-0235 Dale Carlson:
[email protected] Philip Aggen:
[email protected] NEW MEMBERS: Baker, Denise, 801 Country Acres Lane St. Libory, NE 68872, 308-687-6307
[email protected]; Researching: Fransen/ Franssen, Koopmann, Schoe, Boze (Stapelmoorheide), Kuper (Stapelmoorheide & Holthuserheide), Tepen/Teepen, Schulte (Holthuserheide) Collman, Peter, 2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30309,
[email protected] Researching: Collmann Denny, Marvin D., 13018 Queen Palm Court, Bakersfield, CA 93314, (661) 588-2872,
[email protected] Researching: Renken (Poghausen); Rohlfson (Neermoor), Harms (Pilsum), Rust (Rysum) Diemer, Barbara, 7224 W. Walden Drive, Littleton, CO 80128, (303) 948-5694
[email protected], Researching: Manott/ Mannott/Mennot/Menoth (Kirchdorf, Aurich), Schmidt & Schmidt(Aurich or?), Wolff/Wulfe Doornkamp, T.H., Esweg 18, 9321 BN Peize, The Netherlands
[email protected] Researching: Doornkamp, Dorenkamp (Wymeer, Bunde, Rhauderfehn); Steinfelder (Bunde, Braunschweig); Meints, Jans: (Wymeer, Wolde); Vrij, Frey (Mark, Grosswolde, Völlen) Arends, Lubbers (Haltum); Eisses, Wubbels (Wymeer); Eyelts, Wolberts (Mittling-Mark, Stapelmoor, St. Georgiwold, Ditzum) Ehmen, Randy & Stephanie, 565 Short Circuit Rd, Bulverde, TX 78163 Fischer, Jerry G., 2355 Olive Street., Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 344-1560,
[email protected] Fischer (Holtrop), Harms, Poppinga (Weene/Schirum) Davids, Nannen Gerdes, Edzard, Klosterweg 34, 26446Friedeburg, Germany Haynes, Diane Albertsen, 2401 Quail Lake Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210, 704-643-8050
[email protected], Researching: Albertsen (Rysum), Von Brethorts (Twixlum), Boomgaarden (Campen) Helgens, Vernon G., 12553 County Road E17, Scotch Grove, IA 52310 Kohl, Gretchen, 2308 San Antonio Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 865-7176,
[email protected] Erks (Reepsholt) Koolman, Walter, Sint Annastraat 7 9901 AW Appingedam, The Netherlands, Researching: Koolman & ten Doornkaat Koolman Krijger-deGrave, Sigrid, Eesveenseweg 75, 8347 JC Eesveen, Nederland
[email protected] Researching: Folkerts, Ehmen/
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung Emen/Emmen, Ubben, Brechters (Veenhusen/Oldersum/ Terborg/Tergast/Leer); DeGrave (Leer, Emden); Grawerts (Emden) Kuper, Hinrich, Oedenfelder Str. 14, 26826 Weener, Germany, 011-49-171-9483071
[email protected] McFadyen, Andrea, 1222 NW Cedarwood Drive, Ankeny, IA 50023, 515-965-1275
[email protected]; Researching: Heuton/Heuten (Ludwigsdorf) Gretje Bohlen Seeden /Seden/ Sayden (Bremerhaven/Ludwigsdorf) (Shirum), Kampmeier (Oldersum), Goes (Grossefehn/Spetzerfehn), Jointwis (Ludwigsdorf) Meints, Marie, 804 Clearwater Circle, Beatrice, NE 68310 Mosby, Verna, 15835 Dasher Ave., Allen Park, MI 48101, 313388-3079,
[email protected] Researching: Renken (Reepsholt, Hesel, Marx), Lubben (Zetel & Reepsholt, Peters (Marx), Bohenes/Bonens (Marx), Dornbusch (Zetel), Hillerts (Reepsholt & Hesel), Jürgens (Reepsholt) Martens (Reepsholt) Ott, Noreen, 708 College Street, Woodland, CA 95695 Picco, Thomas, 200 Hart Blvd., Apt. 1C, Staten Island, NY 10301 Reynolds, M. J., 114 – 9th St. SE, Auburn, WA 98002
[email protected] Researching: Kappel Pals, Herbert, 315-5th Avenue SE, Belmond, IA 50421 (641) 444-3064 Porter, Mary Ellen, 8923 Hendricks Road, Mentor, IH 440602141 (440) 257-1574
[email protected] Researching: Kruse (Norden, ?), Laerhoff (wife of Kruse) 1850-1860 van der Valk, Marc, Cypreslaan 39, 7875 EG Exloo, The Netherlands,
[email protected]
HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY OGSA! A YEAR Full of Celebrations! Join us at a meeting this year and enjoy birthday cake, prizes and other surprises. We’ll have a special party at the August Conference with lots of goodies—and birthday gifts, too! We’ve come a long way in 10 years— and there are more great things to come! We’re going to celebrate our accomplishments in a big way! 1.
The translation and publication of books never before available to us in English! 2. Ten years of newsletters! 3. A research facility—all our own! 4. Three OSB’s from America are being worked on! 5. An Emigration Data Base with more than 14,000 names! 6. Our great volunteers and Board of Directors! 7. Our wonderful OGSA members! 8. Tours, Conferences, Work shops and more! Make sure you join us for at least one event this year—prepare to have fun!
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
Patronymics vs. Bureaucracy by Karin Lüppen (Ostfriesen-Zeitung, 9/20/06) Patronymic name-giving was common in Ostfriesland until 1811. Accordingly, the first child was named after the father’s father, the second one after the mother’s father, the third after the father’s mother, the fourth after the mother’s mother, and so on. If the farm or property came from the mother’s side, the sequence was reversed. If a man named Jann had three sons, say, Peter, Folkert, and Willm, then their first sons would be called Jann and receive the “last name” Peters, Folkerts, and Willms, respectively. Their first sons in turn would be named Peter Janssen, Folkert Janssen, and Willm Janssen. The introduction of the French “Code Civil” in 1811 required the adoption of fixed family names. East Friesians, however, were slow to accept this system, so when Ostfriesland was handed to Hanover after Napoleon’s defeat, a new directive was issued in 1826 which declared Napoleon’s law binding. Lists in which all families had to be entered under permanent names were distributed in 1829. Occasionally patronymics lived on in the choice of a middle name. Births were recorded in church books by the pastors, but in 1876 the primary responsibility for vital statistics was given to secular authorities through the newly created “Standesamt”, or Civil Registry, which was also given the authority to rule out names considered inappropriate. . When toward the end of last year Aurich’s Civil Registry used its authority to disallow a mother’s maiden name as her female child’s third given name, the parents took it to the county court in town claiming that given names according to the old rule had been traditional in her family. The court ruled that her three given names did not bear out this claim and sided with the “Standesamt”. The appeals court in Aurich, however, did not consider this argument material and ordered the registrar to add the requested third given name. This decision in turn was appealed by the bureaucrats who took it to the next higher court in Oldenburg which ruled in favor of the first appeals court, stating that “the parents’ privilege of choosing a name for their child can only be curtailed where its application threatens the welfare of the child,” a situation which did not exist here. So one little girl, nine months old by then, could finally and legally carry her mother’s maiden name as one of her given names.
NEW CONTACT INFORMATION! NEW WEBSITE: www.ogsa.us NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES: ♦ OGSA—
[email protected] ♦ Lin—
[email protected] ♦ Please put MOIN or OGSA in the subject line so it does not go into the spam filter.
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MEET THE BOARD… Sharon Arends and her husband Mike Arends live in Eden Prairie, MN. Sharon works executive secretary to the superintendent of Intermediate District 287. Her hobbies include travel, reading, quilting and genealogy. Gene Janssen lives in Edina, MN. His is a name that should be familiar to all of you. He retired from the publishing business to volunteer tons of hours each year to OGSA. He’s the father of five and grandfather of many! Lübbert Kruizenga was born in Weener and is a CPA with Grant Thornton and our treasurer. He and his wife Herta live in Roseville, MN. Nancy Jensen is retired and lives in Bloomington, MN. Nancy is our secretary and also helps with in the research center and with mailings. Nancy enjoys travel and her cabin in Wisconsin. Ray Kleinow lives with his wife Dee in Prior Lake, MN. They spend a lot of time with six grandchildren. Ray teaches computer classes in his spare time and helps us with internet classes at workshops and conferences. Buck Menssen worked at 3M in the Finance organization and retired after 35 years as the VP of Taxes. He’s also been a farmer in Butterfield, a small town in south central Minnesota, where he grew up. He lives with his wife in Afton, MN and Steamboat Springs, CO. Buck is our past-president. Jim Limburg is a retired professor from Luther Seminary and the author of several books. Jim and Martha are living in northern Minnesota until their new home in New Brighton is finished. Zella Mirick is a professional genealogist who lives in Eagan, MN. She’s married with two sons and two grandchildren. She is also mails packages to those of you who send in orders. Lin Strong is a commercial real estate appraiser and compulsive volunteer. She lives in a small Swedish village and works next door to the OGSA research center. She’s the proud mom of three and grandmother of eight and loves to visit family and friends in Ostfriesland. C. Robert Appledorn lives in Indianapolis, IN. He has compiled all the data for the German Valley Ortssippenbuch along with many other projects. He retired from the Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine. Jill Morelli is an architect for the University of Washington. She is married with a grown daughter. “I got excited about genealogy because of Alex Haley’s Roots, wanted to make sure the female ancestors of my family never got ‘lost’, while my interest in ‘the hunt’ comes and goes, I always enjoy the community we have developed that would not have been possible without the internet.” Rick Gersema has 100% Ostfriesen in heritage. My father's family came from Bingum and my mother's family came from Wymeer. He is currently working on a book for all 41 cemeteries in Grundy County, Iowa which has been my passion for 6 years. I also collect missing issues of the Ostfriesische Nachrichten and have hopes of finding all the missing issues so they can be microfilmed for all to enjoy. He is Supervisor of Buildings & Grounds for the Cedar Falls Community Schools Greg Thorne was a printer for 34 years and is now a photographer in a fledgling retirement business. He was born and raised in Parkersburg, IA and now lives in the Twin City area. He has three children and five grandchildren that he thinks will benefit from the Thorne-Thoren genealogy that he started five years ago. His goal is to travel to Ostfriesland to meet newly found relatives.
2007—UPCOMING EVENTS SATURDAY, February 3, 2007 / 10 a.m. / Becketwood
RESEARCHING in Germany & the Netherlands ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
What facilities are available—and where are they? Church records, City Archives, State Archives What is the Upstalsboom-Gesellschaft? What documents are available in archives? What you can realistically expect to find? Where do you start? What do you need to bring along? Panel discussion: Zella Mirick, Nancy Jensen, Lin Strong The meeting will be held at Becketwood, 4300 West River Parkway, Minneapolis. Call for directions—Zella (651) 452-2574 or Jean Haemig (612) 7281124 or use mapquest.com for step-by-step directions. Please call Jean for directions if you are using public transportation. The meeting is in the lower level of the chapel (a separate building). Do not go to the main building. Watch for the signs.
UPCOMING ARTICLES: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Freepsum, Westerstede Church Pictures: Tettens, Bagband Undertaking Stork Researching Ostfriesen Ancestors in the Netherlands The 7th Crusade The Smokestacks of Midlum Upleward The Windmill at Benson, IL Guilds The Stickhausen Museum Early Low German Bibles Newly Translated Books The Emigration Project
SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007 We’re taking a Field Trip
German Specialty Imports,
19580 Bernard Avenue, Prior Lake, MN 55372 952-226-2564
We’ll meet Erika for a tour of her shop and enjoy samples of her products. More details in the next newsletter.
All meetings are open to the public. Please join us and bring a relative or friend! OSTFRIESEN GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 168 North Lake Street, #3 Forest Lake, MN 55025 Address Service Requested
U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. #21
Page 26 Reyntseel. Dancing around a cooking kettle (the boiling cauldron) leading to sexual frenzy figures prominently in witchcraft accusations. Following Riepe, Uphusen experienced a witch hunt which, according to Beninga, though none were tried except for one, Tette Aylken. Tette acknowledged her guilt as well as having involved all of her children in witchcraft except for one daughter who wanted no part of it. Tette was not condemned to death, but at the request of her sons she was released from prison, and they had to promise to deliver her to the authorities should there be any further accusation against her, "that woman from Uphusen." They, however, decided it would be better to remove her from Uphusen, and they moved her to Suurhusen where she lived out the remainder of her life. Later in 1564 in Suurhusen, Aleydt wife of Hayo Jeltken, fell victim to the witch hunt. According to the records she was responsible for the death of Ouwe's cow and when Ouwe was cooking the heart of the beast, Aleydt is said to have wanted to use the kettle as a focus for a witches dance. The charges were based on gossip, and the judge was merciful. He released Aleydt to the custody of her husband, her brother-in-law and her brother. Gertrud Focken is the subject of an extensive legal procedure recorded in the Emden City Archives. The proceedings took place in the fall of 1565. It gives us a glimpse into the superstitions of people at that time. (The probability that Gertrud Focken was a granddaughter of Tette Aylken [mentioned above] of Uphusen/ Suurhusen is very strong. Gertrud's father was Focke Tetten. Gertrud had resided for some time in Suurhusen— which is where Tette's sons brought her to live out her days. Gertrud's grandmother had given her some of her hair as a talisman which was supposed to bring luck and a rich husband to the granddaughter. Gertrud acknowledged in her hearings that she had not
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung learned the craft of her grandmother or mother.) The case against Gertrud Focken: The accusation of witchcraft came from Häuptling Eger Houwerde of Uphusen, and she was taken into custody November 9, 1565, interrogated and tortured in the presence of Houwerda, his servants, Harbort Muller and Lubbert as well as the notary, Laurentius Michaelis, who recorded the proceedings. Accusation 1: She was accused of having preserved the braids of her grandmother from childhood in order to engage in witchcraft. Gertrud declared that her grandmother had given her, not the braids, but the hair, with the admonishment to keep it as a goodluck charm and an aid in finding a rich husband whom she would love. She was to preserve the hair until age 24 and then was to weave it into a purse and give it to a youth or a man whom she desired. As soon as the recipient received the purse he would fall in love with her and they would become wealthy together. In no way had she learned witchcraft from her grandmother. Accusation 2: More seriously, she had acknowledged that with a hair sieve and scissors and some words she could determine who had stolen something. She had learned this "art" from Grete Kupers in Suurhusen, who told her she could only do it if she could read and write. Gertrud said she asked only to know the words to be used. Grete responded the words are: "Peter, Paul, say Kyrie eleison." Gertrud then asked, what that meant in German—Peter and Paul are apostles' names, she knew, and Grete translated Kyrie eleison as "God's peace." She was to say these words and then two people needed to hold a sharp scissors on a hoop with their thumb and index fingers and, marking a cross on a hair sieve hang it on the scissors. Then one wrote the name of the person accused of theft on a slip of paper and placed it in the sieve. As soon as the name of the thief was placed in the sieve and the proper words said, the sieve would move and fall from the scissors. Hence, the name of the thief was determined. In this hocus pocus manner Gertrud Focken had accused Jebbe Hayen of stealing bacon from Enno Remets' house in Suurhausen and had brought it to Tamme Amsen's house and then sold a slab of bacon in Emden. Hinrich Kupers had also said to the innkeeper in Suurhusen that he would wager a barrel of beer that in a short time he would have the name of the man who had stolen the bacon, for this same Kupers could also work the hair sieve. Apparently, because of the allegations against these two suspects, Jebbe Hayen and Tamme Amsen, the whole sorcery business came to light, and thus, Gertrud Focken was arrested and brought before the court. In addition to this magic with the hair sieve and scissors, Grete Kupers had also taught Gertrud another trick. After swearing her to secrecy, Grete revealed a favorite magic trick. Gertrud was to take a nutmeg and cut it in two. One half was to be laid in the sun, doused with her menstrual blood and left to dry. Then she was to tie the nutmeg into a fine handkerchief and give it to a man whom she desired as a lover. As soon as the handkerchief
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung was warmed on the breast of the recipient he would be in love with her. Gertrud vowed that she had never in her life used this trick, though Grete Kupers had given her a nutmeg. Accusation 3: She had cast a spell on the milk at the residence of her employer, Gisbert Symens of Wolthusen. Gertrud had had a disagreement with Gisbert because he had teased her about wanting to marry Enno Remets of Suurhusen who would have nothing to do with her because he loved another maiden. When Gertrud responded that she would wait and see about that, words flew, and Gisbert became so angry that he grabbed Gertrud by the arm and ushered her out of the house. Thus, to get even, Gertrud had contaminated Gisbert's milk buckets with unslaked lime spoiling the milk. Gertrud had learned this "wonderful" recipe from the infamous Grete Kupers. In addition, the complaint alleged: that Gertrud Focken had bewitched Hinrich Hoeffschmedes calves so that they died, and that Gertrud admitted she had had a falling out with the Huffschmieds daughter and had done so to get back at her. She had also learned from Grete Kupers that if one wanted to hex the animals of someone, one needed to go to the meadow, spin around and say: "You beasts, let thunder strike you and may it be with you as I wish." That is what she said to the Hufschmieds' calves, though she did not know what happened to the animals. The charges further illustrate that as a servant in Suurhusen Gertrud Focken had carried on an affair with Enno Remets and had told him that if he married her all would be well with him, and he would maintain a good reputation in the community; however, if he refused to marry her, the opposite would happen. Gertrud declared that after the death of Enno's mother he had propositioned her, and, though she at first declined, eventually he had his way with her for some time. When she learned that he intended to betroth another she then presented him with the consequences of having ruined her reputation, and that she hoped God would punish him for his sin and that his luck would sour. She hoped it would cause Enno to return to her for she "trusted in the hair of her grandmother," but she did not curse Enno, and she had only learned things from Grete Kupers, no one else. She did not know that such knowledge was an evil art.
Page 27 The judge then questioned her about various aspects of witchcraft and her involvement and whether she had included others in her evil art. Gertrud denied any involvement summarily and said she knew no one else other than the Kupers who practiced sorcery and that to spite some servant girls she had only jokingly said that their mistress could raise calves on water and hay alone (everyone knew that only a witch could do that, real people fed them grain and milk). Gertrud's problems began after Gisbert had ejected her from his house. Gisbert's wife declared that other servants had talked much about her. Her joke about feeding calves water and hay now became a charge against her along with other slurs. Revealingly, Gertrud says that though she stands before the judge accused of witchcraft she has no idea what that is. Her naive trust in her grandmother's hair (strengthened by the support of Grete Kupers) was only a ploy to regain the attentions of Enno. Eighteen-year-old Enno, however, coldheartedly refuted the love of this girl whom he had used and described her as a temptress. The one bright light in this story is that Häuptling Eger Houwerda released Gertrud to the custody of her father, Focke Tetten who had supported her as did Albert Houwen, Haytet Frerichs and Hinrich Essen. He promised to deliver her to Houwerda if there were any further charges against her. On November 28th Gertrud returned to her family without any future. She carried the shame of being officially denounced as a witch to her dying day in the village of Uphusen. Curiously, no mention is made of proceedings against the Kupers, Gertrud's mentors. Further witchcraft practices and legal proceedings are reported regarding an Elske Lübbert in Norden as well as in Pewsum and Loquard. Six women in Pewsum were interrogated and tortured in Pewsum and the organist was commanded to play during the torturing to drown out the shrieking of the victims! Four of the women were ultimately burned at the stake. 1590 and 1593 in Loquard are the years of one of the last cases of witch hunting. Two sisters named Sybbe and Tyabbe were charged, and their husbands defended them before the imperial court in Speyer gaining a stay of execution. The mother of the two was described as a witch previously, and the sisters were accused of poisoning cattle as well as having been seen dancing. The two were arrested at the request of the count and the bailiff Claus Pelz as well as the local pastor, Dietrich Sprangern. After several proceedings and even being released for a time, the two were imprisoned in cells in the castle of Pewsum during the cold winter of 1592/1593. They were not allowed visits from their spouses and for weeks the families could not determine if they were still alive. Ultimately, Tyabbe was found dead in her cell in March, 1593. Burial of the emaciated body was not allowed in the church cemetery; however, and it was paraded through the community in an open coffin then displayed naked to the public and thrown into a grave outside
American-Ostfriesen Zeitung
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2007 OGSA CONFERNCE—AUGUST 16-19 PLEASE DO NOT MISS THE AUGUST 2007 CONFERENCE! ♦ ♦
If you didn’t get a brochure, call us! Do you have questions? We would love to help you!
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Three speakers from Ostfriesland Helmut Fischer: Dikes & the Reclamation of Land Professions in the 18th Century Schools, Yesterday & Today Farm Buildings Andrea & Jürgen Hoogstraat: Ostfriesland Today The Reformation Churches in Ostfriesland (These are noted Ostfriesen historians, don’t miss this opportunity to hear them!)
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Mini Sessions What are OSB, DGB, Q&F Travel to Ostfriesland Genealogy & the Internet Beginning Ostfriesen Research Low German Culture & Customs Ostfriesland—Q & F AND LOTS MORE! Vendors with books, tea, kluntje and many specialty items. Professional research help Pictures, Posters and more! We will move our entire library with all Ortssippenbücher, Deutsches Geschlechterbücher, Quellen & Forschungen, Germans to America and other great sources Fantastic Conference Center, wonderful meals Homecoming Tour Reunion! Many great surprises and lots of FUN!
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SEND IN YOUR REGISTRATION TODAY! DANKE... It’s that time of year again when we thank those that go the extra mile helping OGSA. Thanks to those who have stepped up to the plate and help with the newsletter—the columnists Cheryl, Jeanee, Rudy and now Zella, too. This helps immeasurably with filling the newsletter each issue—and with a variety of topics. Thanks also to Jill, Rudy, Gene and others who send in articles. Don’t know what I’d do without you! Thanks to the Board of Directors who keep me in line and offer support! They make sure I don’t get too carried away with projects and the newsletter, too. They are a great group to work with. Thanks Buck for your help as President! Thanks to Norman Hensley who took an idea and ran with it. We have a membership list on Xcel now that is easy to update and change. It amazing that distance is no longer a factor in volunteering time. And thanks to my secretary, Crystal, for keeping the membership information in order and me in line! Thanks to Gene Janssen for the wide variety of volunteering that he does—from proofing the newsletter, translating books,
coming to help when I beg and for taking the emigration project on. His work will be appreciated for many generations. Rudy Wiemann is always available for help, along with Zella Mirick and Nancy Jensen. Zella does most of the mailing along with help from Nancy and newbie, Kris Salava. And Carol Culver is always working on a project that helps all of us! Jean Haemig is our contact at Becketwood and does much of the set up work along with her husband. It is appreciated! ♦ Thanks to all of you who send in donations. Whether it is a couple of dollars or a couple of hundred, thanks! The cost of you membership barely covers the newsletter, so your donations are much needed for all the projects that we continually find. Bless you! Many of you send notes, articles and pictures. Your information is always appreciated—even if I can’t send a personal note. Keep it up! We love the Christmas cards, notes and contact with you. Thanks for being patient when we don’t move fast enough. With an all volunteer organization, it is sometimes hard for us to find time in our busy lives to do it all. Best wishes always, Lin
