Hello,
I hope that someone can help me. I’m researching my material grandfather’s
family from the Oldenburg area. It is probably helpful to first say that I
believe any person presently living who would be related to my family is more
likely to live in Germany than the US. Many people in my family came over
alone without siblings or ended up not having children. Unfortunately, the
family left behind in Germany was not spoken about and those who would have
known are now deceased. It’s been quite a struggle to find answers.
My grandfather’s name was Johann Herman Gehrken. He was born 10 Dec 1897 in
Astrup. He was Lutheran. He had two brothers, Johann Dietrich and Johann
Heinrich. He died in Gretna, Nebraska in 1980. His two brothers are also
deceased and never had children.
His father was Johann Dietrich Gehrken, born 3 Sep 1861 in Astrup, d. 19 Jun
1905 in Astrup. I have traced my Gehrken side back to 1650 in Hellbusch.
His mother was Anna Sophie Cordes, born 7 Jan 1872 in Wardenburg. I recently
discovered the Oldenburg Auswanderer site and found a list of her siblings. The
first brother listed, Christian, was already in the USA when my
great-grandmother and her 3 sons came over in 1909. (Anna Sophie would marry a
John Martens from Oberlethe here in the US and they had two sons, both of which
had no children that I’m aware of.)
Cordes Johann Gerhard Christian, b. 22 Feb 1877, Oberlethe. Immigrated to USA
in 1893. d. 1946, Nebraska. (He married Christina Linnemann but had no children)
These five siblings listed below I am hoping to find. When Anna Sophie died in
1942 in Leigh, Nebraska, someone knew that she had a sister and brother still
living in Germany because it was included in her obituary. I know that Anna
Sophie and Christine Marie corresponded at least once. I suspect that Anna
Marie married a man named Paradies. A man named Adolf Paradies came to the US
in 1933 and only years and years later did the younger generations learn that he
was my grandpa’s, Johann Herman Gehrken, cousin. I still believe that there
might be relatives of this family. On Adolf Paradies’ immigration record, he
lists his mother as Anna Muller.
Cordes Heinrich Gerhard, b. 15 May 1862, Oberlethe
Cordes Christine Marie, b. 17 Jan 1867, Oberlethe
Cordes Anna Marie, b. 28 Oct 1869, Oberlethe, d. 5 Oct 1933, Sandkrug
Cordes Johann Gerhard Heinrich, b. 19 Feb 1874, Oberlethe
Cordes Hermann, b. 2 Jul 1881, Oberlethe
After WWII and into the 1950s, my grandpa also corresponded with a woman named
Anna Eben. She was very close to his age, so she would have been born around
1897. She signed her short cards your cousin. My grandpa sent food and other
necessities to Germany and we received a hand sewn apron as thanks. I have two
photos of Anna Eben.
And this is getting longwinded, but I will also mention the other surnames in my
family or suspected to be in my family:
Hoes, Oldigs, Gerdes, Teebken, Abraham, Monnichs, Eilers, Diers.
Perhaps these names are of interest to others here and I can provide more
information.
Thanks,
Jennifer