I am researching German ancestors who came from the area of Northeim,
Hanover, Germany. Charles F. Bode born in 1810 married Sophia Caroline
Wolper/Wolfer in Germany, had several children, and emigrated to the U.S.
in
1848. Sophia was confirmed at the Northeim Lutheran Church in 1826. Her
parents were William Frederick and Johanna Wolper. Would this church still
be present and contain these type of records? Does anyone know if Bode is a
common name in Hanover or is the spelling different? I also see Hanover
spelled with one n or two n's. Are they both correct?
The Bode name in germany is actually spelled both with an "h" (as in my
name) and without the "h". It is the same in the US as well, although there
are far fewer with the "h" than without in both places. My g-g-grandfather,
August Bohde, bn 1815 in Hajen (southeast of Hameln) and his wife Caroline
Grulke (of nearby Ghronde) and 4 children came to the US, settling in Fort
Wayne in 1854. His name was spelled BODE on the ship's manifest, but in the
1860 Indiana census it was BOHDE. He came over with a relative (so far
undetermined) named Henry Bode. In the 1855 church records in Fort Wayne,
Henry spelled his name BOHDE and August's was listed as BODE, so go figure!
I have concentrated my research on the BOHDE surname and have found no more
than 4 separate BOHDE lines in the US.
Blessings,
Donn Bohde