A name like Tamme Tammen should be fairly unusual and it is. However, there were several of them living in the United States at about the same point in time. Despite the unusual nature of their name, they are not all related.
The one who is my focus is the one who was born in Velde, Ostfriesland, Germany in 1856. Because there is no marriage or death entry for him in the local church records, I concluded that he left the area and probably immigrated to the United States as did other members of his immediate and not-so-immediate family.
The Tamme from Velde is very likely the one who married Eke Borcherts in Dawson County, Nebraska, in 1884 where Fokke Goldenstein and Goldenstein’s wife appear as witnesses. Goldenstein was a nephew of the Tamme from Velde.
A search of the probate materials on Ancestry.com located a will for a Tamme F. Tammen in Pike County, Illinois. I initially dismissed this as being a different Tamme as “no Ostfriesian immigrants” settled in Pike County, Illinois and “none of my family did” so he must not be the right guy.
Turns out I was wrong. He probably is the right guy.
The age of Tamme from his will is a match. The name of the wife is a match. And this Tamme has real estate in Dawson County, Nebraska.
Now to check the homestead records for Nebraska (which are online) to see if Tamme homesteaded and where that homestead was located. If there is no homestead record or the property description does not match what is in the will for Tamme, I’ll have to obtain local property records in Dawson County, Nebraska. I should do that any way to determine when and how Eke disposed of the property.
5 Responses
The will was probated before it was written?
No. There is a typo on the image….I’ll be posting a corrected version. Thanks for catching that!
Hi , My name is Udo Janssen from Felde East Frisia my mothers family name is Hamine Tammen . My grandfather is Focke Fokken Tammen . I would like to know more about all family who left to America . I have have all data from our family until 1750 . Our family grave is in Holtrop.My Email is udja@fairwind.com
Goldenstein is also written on our family grave.
I Know we have family in Nebraska . My Mother has visited them 1976 . With the family Lienemann