Wendt family

Hi MaryJane,
Thanks for your reply concerning my Wendt side of my family. As you may
know the name Wendt is as common in Germany as Smith and Jones are here in the
States. I know my Wendts only came to America although there may have had
relatives that went to other places. My grandfather Wendt and his wife were
deceased when I was born in 1935 so I never met them. All I know is that
supposedly they came to America in the mid 1800s from Hannover. However I can find
no record of them in that city so feel that it was the Kingdom of Hannover
and not the city. Maybe one day I will luck out. Take care.
Bill Leichter

There was also a fashion among immigrants in the US, especially in the big cities, to start saying you were from the nearest big city in Europe ...... even if you were only from a rural community of 36 people somewhere near that city. My great-grandfather earlier said Hannover but later said Bremen. I say Chicago, but live some miles from there.

You will Bill, if you're persistent and keep searching methodically. Just make sure you have done as much "homework" as possible on this side of the pond before expecting too much from the other (the old pick and shovel approach). If not, it will be more a matter of luck than anything else (a popular name like Wendt doesn't help in this regard).

Maybe when database indexing is more advanced and tapped from more quarters, and then linked to the ubiquitous WWW, "lucky" finds will be commonplace. Today as it stands however, you have to search all available sources closest to your most immediate ancestors (generations) for your best clues before pushing back too far, to include collateral lines as necessary (include things like voter registers, passenger lists, obits, funeral notices, local area histories, courthouse papers, cemetery plots/ledgers, etc.). Methodical searches of American source material <<with nets cast wide>> are imperative if your knowledge base is sparse to begin with, or the village or parish location in Germany isn't known. When this is the case, cousins (and distant cousins, once found per collateral searches) can often help. Cousins sometimes have to be pushed a bit themselves though. :frowning:

I know you've been at it for a while now, but no new breaks to speak of? Are you confident your Wendts were actually from the Hannover region? I thought you once mentioned Berlin, or has that since been eliminated as a possibility? Do any family keepsakes provide any clues in this regard? Though it often feels like searching for that proverbial needle in the haystack, all it takes is one tiny find or letter or notation and everything can reverse, and what once seemed impossible can suddenly turn to gold.

Always think of the overlooked. Always recomb what you've found. Jb

Dear Bill,

Is it possible your Wendt family arrived on the ship Cimbria 26 May 1882? You might want to take a look. If someone has $$$ ancestry ship lists you can go here:

http://www.immigrantships.net/v7/1800v7/cimbria18820526_03.html

If someone has $$$ ancestry ship lists you can go here for direct access to that passenger list.

http://stevemorse.org/ellis/mm.htm?mode=castle&back=http://stevemorse.org/

Put in date and Name of Ship...

FHL Film# 1027022

Where in U.S. were your Wendt family?

I have a photo of a Hans & Mimi Wendt with a Martha Schmidt taken circa 1950's at L�neburg (most likely) but could possibly be something Laurenburg?? This picture belonged to my grandfather Edmund Sahs/Sass and his wife Dora Schmidt. Edmunds uncle by marriage surname was Pieper and lived in Worden and Edwardsville, Illinois area.

I don't know if the Wendt couple lived in Germany or in the U.S.... My grandparents lived in Missouri, they definately had relatives in Illinois and Michigan.

Anyhow googled "Peiper+Sass+Wendt" on day and came across this website:

This is Wisconsin I believe but thought interesting that all three surnames appear here...

Lueneburg

^
Located on Ilmenau river on edge of Luneburger heath; was expanded under Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony; member of Hanseatic League; went to Hannover** in 1705, to Prussia in 1866; virtually escaped damage in WW II.

Dear Bill,

Oh Duh... 1882 is not 1850's.... Woops.

Barbie

P.S. This Ship Cimbria at:
http://www.immigrantships.net/v7/1800v7/cimbria18820526_03.html

Many of these surnames I have come across in midwestern county bios. .. can't say affiliated with those people..but many of the surnames I have come across...though I suppose many are pretty common.

Dear Bill,

Is it possible your Wendt family arrived on the ship Cimbria 26 May 1882? You might want to take a look. If someone has $$$ ancestry ship lists you can go here: