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Germany / Prussia
(Unkown Place of Origin)
Research List
- UNKDERL -


Latest Update: 14 December 2002 ................................................ WebSite Version

Please send all new entries, additions, corrections, etc. to:
LouJane Brandenburgh
Route 1, Box 166
Como, Texas 75431-9705
U.S.A.
eMail address: loujane@1starnet.com


Suggestions for an effective Research List Message:

SOURCES For German Genealogy

UNKDERL Posting status:

For other postings see the at UNKDERL Archive Index Archive

The following entries are on this page:
- entry for MANGELSDORFF, A. David Mangelsdorff, Ph.D., 8 July 2001
- entry for POLISHAK, Sharon, 17 July 2001
- entry for BISSELL, Ann, 29 July 2001
- entry for PHIEL, Thomas C., 29 July 2001
- entry for GIESELER, Glenda, 18 August 2001
- entry for PHIEL, Thomas and Barbara, 18 August 2001
- entry for WHITMORE, Sharon L., 18 August 2001
- entry for SHEAFFER, Darlene, 16 December 2001
- entry for SMITH, Loretta, 16 December 2001
- entry for BLACK, Jr., Lorin AVERY, 1 April 2002
- entry for LANG, Liz SELZER, 1 April 2002
- entry for RICH, Brandon, 1 April 2002
- entry for STRUBBERG, Carol MASSMANN, 1 April 2002
- entry for BENT, Yvonne, 18 August 2002
- LouJane Brandenburg became the volunteer coordinator here, 14 December 2002


BENT, Yvonne
eMail address: thehomeuniversity@prodigy.net

I am seeking for any and all information about Albert REINKEN, from Prussia, Germany, born about 1830. He immigrated to America with wife and four children. After his wife died, he remarried Barbara FINDLING. I would like to find anyone who has information on Johan A. REINKEN, the famouns Northern German Organist who Bach walked to hear play. Could these two persons be related? I have heard from my family that they are. I am looking for a family tree.


BISSELL, Ann
eMail address: JThom51206@aol.com

I have traced my ancestors back to the English 1881 census. At that time, the MEYER family was living at 3 Union Street, St. Georges, East Middlesex. Listed as head of the family, my great-grandfather William MAYER (MEYER), was age 37 and born at Hannover Germany. It does not state that he was a British Citizen. My great-grandmother, Annie or Anna nee FERNAU was born in Hessen Casel (Kasel). I think because of the pronunciation it was spelled Casel instead of Kasel. She was a British Citizen. I would like to know if they were married in Germany or England, also would like to find a trace to their parents if possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


BLACK, Jr., Lorin AVERY
5322 Kings Row Northeast, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109-3108 USA eMail addresses: LBlack1@EPElectric.com or Lorin@RoseRealtyUSA.com

I am looking for information re. my great-great-great-grandfather, John Elnathan BLACK and his ancestors. Here is the little bit I know about John Elnathan Black. John Elnathan Black immigrated to the US in about 1820 (I don't know where / or when he arrived exactly) with his brother for whom I do not have a name. The brother was shortly killed in a gunfight out in California. John, in order to become more Americanized, changed his name upon arrival in the US, from SCHWARTZ / SWARTZ ? to Black. John and his brother had immigrated from the Alsace-Lorraine area between Germany and France. Their name "Schwartz / Swartz ?" translates literally to "Black" in English and reflects the fact that their background was likely related to the coal mining business in the Alsace-Lorraine area. This name change is making it difficult to pin down the specifics of all of these details because I don't know exactly when the name change occurred and whether it also included the middle name which does not seem very German to me. I am currently looking for marriage records in the York District area that may give some details of John's name change and family origin.

John Elnathan Black fairly soon settled in the South Carolina, York district area where he married Emily EASTEN, and a short time later my great-great-grandfather. John Ellis Black, (could the Ellis name have come from Ellis Island?) was born 19 June 1820. This leads me to believe he may have arrived in the US during the summer of 1819. John Ellis Black then moved later on to Mississippi where he fought in the Civil War against General Sherman and was mortally wounded at the age of 44 in the Battle of Peach Tree Creek. He died in a veteran's hospital at Vicksburg, Mississippi on 29 September 1864 (The WFT #1429, shows this date to be 19 September 1864). I do not know where John Elnathan was during all of this time.

Here is a brief decendent list to where I am at this point:
John Elnathan Black (Schwartz/Swartz?)
John Ellis Black
Leroy Bond Black
Avery Oscar Black
Lorin Avery Black, Sr.
Lorin Avery Black, Jr.
My Sons are Christopher Alan Black, & Stephen Paul Black
The Top of the above tree is where I am working to fill in some details. I ordered the World Family Tree, Volume 20, #1429 CD which turned out not to have as much information as I had already personally accumulated. It was disappointing that they did not even have John Elnathan Black's Father or Mother listed. If you have any suggestions or know where I might be able to run down some of the these facts elsewhere, I would greatly appreciate any input you may have. Best Regards.


GIESELER, Glenda
eMail address: GIESCJ@cs.com

My husband's great-great-grandfather was Heinrich GIESELER (born 1834) in Prussia. I am not sure what part of Prussia he was from. I do know that he immigrated to the United States (probably to New Orleans, Louisiana) in the early 1860's. Heinrich (Henry) also married Dora Rhodemann (also from Prussia). I have found a Henricus (not Heinrich) Gieseler that was christened in 1835 in Wesfalen and was wondering if possible this was the Heinrich that I am searching for. Perhaps the spelling was wrong. If you have any information on this Gieseler family please let me know. Thanks.


LANG, Liz SELZER
eMail address: lizlang@rgpinc.com or shrmpboat@aol.com
(Protestant, Jewish)

I am looking for ANY information pertaining to my father, Erich Maximilian SELZER, aand his birth mother and father. My grandmother, Marta KILOTAT, was born at TILSIT, East Prussia (now Sovetsk) sometime between 1900 and 1908. She was raised a Lutheran, Protestant. At some point prior to 1925, she gave birth to an illegimate child (my father, Erich). The name of the birth father was never divulged. At some point after 1925, Marta KILOTAT immigrated to Berlin, Germany where she met and married a Jewish engineer from Poland, Leon SELZER. Leon adopted my father. The family then immigrated in 1938 to Bogota, Columbia and later, in the mid-1950s to Astoria, New York and New York City. Marta KILOTAT (who died in 1973) had several sisters, one of whom, ELENA KILOTAT, was living until the late 1970s at Hamburg Germany. If anyone out there has information about the Kilotat family from Tilsit, please contact me. Many thanks.


MANGELSDORFF, A. David Mangelsdorff, Ph.D.
3410 Turtle Village Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78230-3918, USA
eMail address: dmangels@txdirect.net
fax: 1-(210)-221-6051

Would you be aware of any MANGELSDORF / MANGELSDORFF ancestors who immigrated to the United States in the late 1800's? My primary task is finding more details about Mangelsdorff family members in general and in particular August Herman Ludwig MANGELSDORFF. He was born in 1818 to Friedrich Wilhelm Mangelsdorff. So far, I have not found where he was born or christened or anything about his parents or siblings or origins. He was married at Berlin in Neukirche in 1843. His profession was a silk weaver. He left Hamburg about September 1886 and immigrated to America, arriving at New York City in October 1886. He returned to Berlin. In 1896, Friedrich August Max Mangelsdorff visited family in the Berlin area; Max returned to the States and went on to become my paternal grandfather. My family pedigree (descendants of Friedrich Wilhelm Mangelsdorff) follows: 1) Friedrich Wi1helm Mangelsdorff (born 179?) to an unkown spouse. Their children included 2) August Hermann Ludwig Mangelsdorff (born 1818), who married Johanna Louise Adelheid HEMPF (christened 1822; married 1843). Their chisldren were Hugo August Wilhelm Mangelsdorff (born 1844; died 1844 at Berlin); Amalie Pauline Mangelsdorff (christened 1846 at Berlin; Hugo Ludwig Hermann Mangelsdorff (born 1848 at Berlin; died 1920), who married Edmunde Laura Waldlne KETTNER (born 1850; married 1872; died 1900). Their children were 1) unnamed Mangelsdorff (born 1873; died 1873 at Berlin); and Friedrich August Max Mangelsdorff (born 1874 at Berlin; died 1942), who married Antonia Wilhelmina Bertha Anna KLEINEBERG (born 1874; married 1900; died 1965). Their children included Arthur Fred Mangelsdorff (born 1904; died 1990), who married Maesie Dagnett ROWLAND (born 1914; married 1944). Their children included A. David Mangelsdorff (born 1945); Friedrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Mangelsdorff (born 1875); Wilhelmine Sophie Elfriede Mangelsdorff (born 1876), Ferdinand Paul Alex Mangelsdorff (born 1877); and Magda (Martha) Mangelsdorff (born 1879; died 1980). Have you traced the Mangelsdorff family? If so, can you suggest any resources that index the Mangelsdorff family pedigrees? Can you share how you did your family research? Are there pedigree resources? Would you know if there is an index that lists family pedigrees in Germany in general and particularly in Berlin. Any assistance would be most appreciated. Thank you very much for your help. http://members.xoom.com/mangelsdorff/MF/augf.htm


PHIEL, Thomas C.
eMail address: phiel@bentonrea.com

I am researching my great-grandfather, Johan (John) Friedrick PHIEL. He was listed in the 1880 & 1890 Philadelphia Pennsylvania cccccity directory as a horse shoer, living at 2517 Girard Aveniue. The Coroners certificate on his death states he died 12 September 1899 at the age of 47 years, married, born in Germany, and buried at Mount Vernon Cemetery at Philadelphia. I cannot find the name of his wife or how many children he had. I located his grave site and found that a Mary S. HAMM was buried at his grave site atop his casket. (strange?). His only child that I know of was my grandfather, born Feb 10 1882 and named on the Philadelphia "Return of Births" as Friedrick PHIEL. His full name was Lewis Friedrick PHIEL, known throughout his life as Lou. He married a Matilda MULLER, who was born in Switzerland and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 4 years. Her fathers name was Simon MULLER. The parents of my grandfather are listed ... just the father ... as John Friedrick PHIEL, Horse shoer. There is no mention of his wife. He applied for citizenship to the Court of Quarter Sessions at Philadelphia 21 August 1880 at the age of 26 yrs or thereabouts. He became a naturalized citizen 25 September 1882. I found a Johan F. PHIEL that arrived at New York on the ship "Shiller" from Hamburg on 15 July 1874. He was listed as single, age 24, laborer, from Germany (Prussia). Could this be my great grandfather? I would like to trace my roots back to Germany through John Friedrick PHIEL, my great grandfather.


POLISHAK, Sharon
eMail address: uppolishak@bignet.net

I am trying to find my great, great grandfather's first name. My great grandfater, August PORATH, was born in either Prussia or Germany (have conflicting information on death and marriage certificates). I know my great grandfather August was born 24 May 1860. His mother's name was Friedericka. He immigrated to the United States 11 June 1881. He married Ernestine MANSKE on 15 April 1883 and they had 13 children. I am guessing my great great grandfather died before 1881, because that is when Friedericka, August and their family came over. In August's family there were 6 children, August PORATH, Wilhemina PORATH GIESE, Frank PORATH, Ameila PORATH POSENKE, Anna PORATH JAEGER and one whose name is unknown. I wrote the Central Genealogical Society in Germany, but since I have no place of birth known I don'tknown that they can help. If anyone could help me with this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


RICH, Brandon
eMail address: arcanehall@yahoo.com

My ancestor, Thomas REICH, immigrated to Orange county, North Carolina between 1760 and 1764. He was born at some point in 1730. Thomas married a Susannah NOE, daughter of Peter NOE, and had at least three children: Thomas Jr., Peter, and Jacob. When naturalized, he changed his surname to RICH for reasons unknown. I have absolutely no idea where in Germany Thomas is from, though a Matthias REICH family emigrated from Singen, Baden-Durlach decades earlier (I'm not sure if we're related). If anyone knows where Thomas REICH or Peter NOE came from, please contact me.


SHEAFFER, Darlene
eMail address: DRSHEAFFER@webtv.net

I am looking for any information concerning my great-great-grandfather, Gustavus MATTFELDT. I have hit a dead end. The only information I have been able to find on him came from an 1860 Federal census at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He was listed as being born in Prussia and listed his age at that time 25, so he would have been born about 1835. He was in the civil war and I did find a small amount of information about that, but I cannot find him listed on any emmigration lists, boat lists, etc. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


SMITH, Loretta
eMail address: lorettasmith77@hotmail.com

My great-grandfather came from Prussia in 1866, he arrived at the Port of Galveston on the ship named Bark Iris 17 October 1866. His name was August RECHENTHIN. On the ship's passenger list the spelling is RECHENBIN. It shows he was 17 years old and was from Burg, Prussia. (Stories told by family say that he was about 12 years old and that he traveled with an uncle, and that his family wanted him to leave Prussia so that he would stay out of the war.) I do not know the name of the uncle. August RECHENTHIN was a tailor, he continued as a tailor in San Antonio, Texas. I would like information on the RECHENTHIN family (name of mother/father of August) in Prussia and other family members. I would like to locate the town village of Burg, Prussia. Thank you,


STRUBBERG, Carol MASSMANN
eMail address: freespot@hti.com
(Roman Catholic ?)

I am researching family of Matthias or Martin (known as Motts) MASSMANN, age 25 or 35 year old, who immigrated to the USA on or about 26 September 1836, along with his family - his wife Mary Elizabeth BIERMANN, age 36; his son, Bernhard MASSMANN, age 2 years old; and his sister, Anna Maria MASSMANN, 22 years old. We have the original passport paper, No. 980 of the register, issued by the Royal Great British Hannovarian Office stating that he left "through Bremen to North America." We believe he and his family were Catholic. He settled in Warren county, Missouri. We have a list of his descendants, but no names prior to this Matthias. We do not, at the present time have a connection to Anna Maria MASSMANN's descendants. We would appreciate knowing any information of siblings or parents. Thank you.


WHITMORE, Sharon L.
eMail address: sharda@pacifier.com

I am looking for Nicholas John (Johan) ORTH, born 31 January 1852 at Hamburg Germany. He supposedly was of the Catholic faith. His death certificate says his father's name was Nicholas ORTH as well. We know he immigrated between 1852 and 879, as his oldest child was born in the United States in 1879. I have not been able to find emigration records either. He was said to have spoken Danish and German and some records indicate he was born in Demark, though most say Hamburg, Germany or Prussia. Thank you for any help.


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