Michael John Neill's Genealogy Website
Anna Dirks (Goldenstein) was born in 1861 near Coatsburg, Adams County, Illinois, and died in 1932 in Golden, Adams County, Illinois. She married Focke Goldenstein in Coatsburg, in the early 1880s. Some things I learned about research and life from Anna: Life is not always easy. Anna and Focke had a child, Johann, who died […]
Focke Janssen Goldenstein was born in 1857 in Wrisse, Ostfriesland, Germany and died in Golden, Adams County, Illinois, in 1913. He married Anna Dirks in Coatsburg, Adams County, Illinois. Some things I’ve learned about research from Focke: the importance of migration chains. Focke’s parents and two siblings remained in Germany, but he was part of a […]
Anke Hinrichs Fecht was born in 1860 in Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany and died in Elvaston, Hancock County, Illinois in 1941. She married Jann Mimken Habben in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois in 1881. Some lessons and clues I learned from researching Anke: Take care with getting non-English names correct. For years, I thought Anke’s birth name […]
Jan Mimken Habben was born in Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany in 1859 and died in Elvaston, Hancock County, Illinois in 1939. He married Anke Hinrichs Fecht in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois in 1881. Some clues about research and lessons learned from Jan’s life: Make certain your mother has clear title to property before she bequeaths it […]
Fredericka Marie (Sartorius) Janssen was born in Adams County, Illinois, in 1865 and died in Hancock County, Illinois, in 1913. She married Jans Jurgens Janssen in Adams County in 1888. A few things I learned from Fredericka: Children can spend significant time with their grandparents even if their parents are alive. Fredericka is enumerated with […]
Jans Jurgens Janssen was born in Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany in 1856 and died near Basco, Hancock County, Illinois. He married Fredericka Sartorius in Adams County, Illinois, in 1888. A few things I’ve learned about research and life from Jans: Retirement is not always permanent. Jans retired to Golden, Illinois, and returned to farm life after […]
Noentje Lena (Grass) Ufkes was born in 1848 in Backemoor, Ostfriesland, Germany, and died in Hancock County, Illinois, in 1902. She married Johann Ufkes in Hancock County in 1874. Here’s a few things I learned from researching Noentje: Handwritten places of birth from family bibles can be woefully incorrect. One purportedly listed her birthplace as […]
Johann Hinrichs Frederichs Ufkes was born in 1838 in Holtrop/Wiesens, Ostfriesland, Germany, and died in Hancock County, Illinois, in 1924. That is where he married Noentje Lena Grass in 1874. From Johann, I learned the following lessons: Not everyone completes their homestead claim. Johann’s incomplete claim was filed in Franklin County, Nebraska, where probably stayed […]
John Michael Trautvetter was born in 1839 Wohlmuthausen, Thuringen, Germany, and died in 1917 Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois. He married Franciska Bieger in 1868 in Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois. From John Michael, I learned: Family traditions can contain tall tales. I doubt the story that John Michael encountered cannibals in South America is […]
Nancy Jane (Newman) Rampley was born in Rush County, Indiana, in 1846 and died in West Point, Hancock County, Illinois, in 1923. She married Riley Rampley in Hancock County, Illinois, in 1867. From Nancy Jane, I learned: Sometimes middle names and spellings really do matter. Nancy’s first cousin, named Nancy Elizabeth Newman, married a brother […]
