Diestelhorst- Heidemann family

westfalen-l
1

Hallo!

Looking for anyone with information on family of either Luise Heidemann (born March 1841, Germany and died May 1919 in Jersey County, Illinois, USA) or Karl Diestelhorst (birth and death dates unknown, only that he never left Germany). I believe they were from the Varenholz area of Lippe.

Karl and Luise had two surviving children that I am aware of:
Auguste Diestelhorst (born Jan 1868 in Germany and died August 1936 in Marysville, Washington, USA)
-and-
Karl Wilhelm Diestelhorst (born 12 May 1877 in Verenhly, Germany died 23 August 1925 in Brighton, Illinois, USA)

Karl Wilhelm immigrated (around 1880-1885?) as a little boy to Illinois, USA with his mother and older sister after his father died in Germany. Luise Heidemann may have came to the USA with family after she was widowed, but I am not sure. She may have travelled using her maiden name (Heidemann) or her married name (Diestelhorst). Upon arrival in the USA, the family settled in a large German community near St. Louis in Illinois. Luise remarried a man named Hermann Oehler, who was also a widower with small children.

Karl Wilhelm grew up to marry Louise Grabbe in 1901. They proceeded to have many children, of whom, one is my Great-Grandmother, Laura Henrietta Diestelhorst.

I would very much like to find any information on this family because I know nothing other than what I told you above. Because Grandfather Diestelhorst died in Germany, there are many things about him we do not know. His children were very young when he died. Please feel free to email me at any time with information about the history of the area, similar family names from the same area or maybe these names are in your family tree as well! I may be reached at sarah_bigham@yahoo.com.

Please excuse me, but my German language is bad, so I will use an online translation to extend my message to those who cannot speak English.

2

Hello Sarah Bloomfield,

I've found a Louise Heidemann, who was born in March 1841. But I'm not sure
if it is the person you search for.

Maria Louise Lisette Emilie Heidemann
born 09 March 1841
christening 15 April 1841, evangelic, in Hohenlimburg, Westphalia
father: Carl Friederich Heidemann, born 1810 in Altena, Westphalia
mother: Ottilie Albertine Leopoldine Dorothea Cappell, born 1816 in Hamm,
Westphalia
marriage date: 01 June 1840 in Hohenlimburg, Westphalia

Greetings
Peter Peine

3

Peter,

I am not sure if it is her either. The dates match, but I do not know how she got from Hohenlimburg to Varenholz (which is where I think Carl Diestelhorst was from). Do you have any hints on how to find a marriage record to link this Maria Louise Heidemann and my Carl Diestelhorst or any other information on Carl or the Diestelhorst family?

Carl Wilhelm (Carl and Louise's son) was born in 1877, so Carl (the father) must have died sometime soon after that. Louise emigrated with the children when they were still young and she was already a widow. I also thought maybe I could find some death records for other of Carl and Louise's children- Auguste was 10 years older than Carl Wilhelm, which was not a common age difference in that time, I think there may have been other children between that died either in infancy or while still young.

Carl Wilhelm (the son) Diestelhorst's only record lists his birth in "Verenhly", which is very similar to Varenholz. I cannot find a Verenhly anywhere on the maps and there are many other Diestelhorsts listed in the Varenholz area, so that is what makes me think they came from there, because Diestelhorst is not a common German name. I have found some other records listing a "Carl Diestelhorst genannt Schnake" from Veltheim (a village just 3 or 4 km from Varenholz). Do you know the meaning of two family names or how to better search for someone like that (if it is the right person)? I cannot seem to find any more records online and either need to find someone with the same family line or how to contact the local church records for birth/baptism and a marriage record for Carl and Louise.

The only other clue I have to (maybe) go from is a listing on the Castle Garden (US Immigration) website that lists a Louise Heidemann (age 38, Farmer) arriving in the US on 24 September 1881. Louise is listed as a male, but that could be a misprint due to bad handwriting? Louise Heidemann arrived on the ship "Oder" from Bremen, Germany to Southampton, England to Castle Garden Immigration in New York, USA.

The ones listed below are other Heidemanns from the same ship, "Oder", that arrived in the US on 24 September 1881:
Carl Heidemann (age 4 years, Male, Child)
Auguste Heidemann (age 14 years, Male- could this be another misprint?, Farmer)
Carl Heidemann (age 34 years, Male, Laborer)
Florentine Heidemann (age 57 years, Female, Farmer)

My only thought (if this is the correct family) is that after Louise's husband, Carl Diestelhorst, died in Germany, she may have emigrated to the United States with some of her family... Possibly a brother (Carl) and her mother or an aunt (Florentine)? Many other Heidemanns came in the years before (maybe to get established?) and around the same time, but these Heidemanns are all listed on the same ship. There are also other Heidemanns listed in Brighton, Illinois, USA, but I am not sure if they are from my family tree because the only name I know for sure is Louise's.

This is the biggest brick wall I have hit in my research and any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time.

Tschüss,
Sarah