Pfenningsdorf

mecklenburg-l
1

Can anyone do a look up or point me in the right direction? My
gggrandfather was Godfry/Godlik/Godfried Pfenningsdorf. 1880 US Fed
Census says he lived in Wayne County MI (Detroit) and was born in
Macklenburg Germany around 1855. You would think with a name like
Pfenningsdorf (Fenningsdorf in the US) this would be easy to track but
it isn't. I can't even find his death certificate in the US. We were
told the family originated from Berlin but I can't find anything. I
have written to every Pfenningsdorf in Germany and the US with only one
response from a US relative. Someone said that Macklenburg was part of
Poland until the wall came down, is that correct?

Thank you.

Pam Potter

THIS MESSAGE IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY TO
WHICH IT IS ADDRESSED AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED,
CONFIDENTIAL AND EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE. If the reader of this message
is not the recipient or an employee or agent responsible for delivering
the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please
notify the sender immediately by telephone and shred the original
message.

2

Hello Pam,
since no answered up to now, I will give some suggestions.

I think your Macklenburg is Mecklenburg. It is a country area about 100km
north/ north-west of Berlin There exist two parts: Mecklenburg-Strelitz and
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Both parts belonged not to Poland but to the former
GDR until the wall came down and are now part of Germany.

One way to proceed your research can be to look into the Schuberts
Heiratsregister (marriage register). This is a collection of several books
which are listing most of the marriage entries in church records in the area
of Mecklenburg. I think these books should be available on microfilm from
the LDS.

Joerg

3

Pam:

Not too many folks from Mecklenburg came to Detroit. Where in Detroit, did
Mr. PFENNIGSDORF live? Do you know the church he attended? Or even the
denomination? There are 19th century census returns available for
Mecklenburg. I believe Schubert has indexed all of them. Your local LDS
Family History Center may have microfiche copies of the surnames by parish.

My KUEHL relatives came to Detroit from the Insel Poel Mecklenburg.
However, the PFENNIGSDORF surname does not sound familiar.

Hope this helps. Be glad to answer any questions.

Doug Keahl

4

Dear Mrs. Potter,

indeed Pfenningsdorf(f) is a rare name.
Macklenburg is Mecklenburg. Someone else gave some
explanations, which are not very correct.
Mecklenburg was devided into two parts:
Mecklenburg-Schwerin (the bigger part) und
Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1701. Mecklenburg never was part of
Poland. The former Mecklenburg and Western Pommerania
(the part of Pommerania, which is in Germany today)
form the today's state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In oder to get in idea about the areas, go to our website
www.MFPeV.de, then to Databases, Locationdatabase and
put in Neustrelitz.

I checked for you the index of the 1819 census in Mecklenburg-
Schwerin and there are just 4 locations, where Pfenningsdorff
appeared: Güstrow, Schwaan, Neukalen, Gnoien (see the database
for location).

In Mecklenburg-Strelitz I checked the marriage index 1826-1876
and there are just 3 marriages and these are connected.

1) Pfenningsdorff, Carl Julius Heinr. (Tuchmachermeister), 30 J.
    V: + Carl (Tuchmacher, Neuruppin)
Scheel, J. Henriette Friederike, 28 J.
    V: + Heinr., Zimmermeister
31.1.1845 Fürstenberg

The couple must have been devorced, as you will see:

2) Pfenningsdorff, Carl Julius Heinr. (Tuchmachermeister),
    V: + Carl (Tuchmacher, Neuruppin)
Krüger, Frieder. Henr. Elisab.
    V: Joh. Christ. (Bg., Fuhrmann)
9.11.1849 Alt-Strelitz

3) the devorced Henriette Friederike Pfenningsdorff born Scheel
married again in 1867

If your ancestor was born in 1855 there should be a fair chance that
the couple 2) are the parents.

I recommend the following:
Read the church records of Alt-Strelitz. The Mormons have microfilms of it.
If you find the birth, sent an e-mail to the Landeshauptarchiv (address on
our website) and ask if there is "Familienakte Pfenningsdorf(f)" or
"Auswanderungskonsens" for your ancestor. If there is such file, you
will find
interesting information.

Good luck !

Sincerely,
Hans-Dietrich Gronau
Gronau@MFPeV.de

President of the Verein für mecklenburgische Familien- und
Personengeschichte e.V. - http://www.MFPeV.de