Auswanderer aus Hackenstedt

14 Auswanderer aus Hackenstedt

How everything started.

This is the grave of my great great grandmother, Magdalene Brunker Vornkahl. Magdalene and her husband Conrad immigrated to the US in about 1851.
They settled in Cape Girardeau County Missouri.

They brought their five children with them. Magdalene probably was born in Hackenstedt. She was born June 10, 1814 and died Feb. 24, 1887

The following is a record of my branch of the
Vornkahl Family as I have been able to compile.

At this time my earliest known ancestor is
Heinrich Vornkahl of Hackenstedt. His birth date is not known to me .. ....1768, however he died 18 August 1839 at the age of 71 years.
His wife Magdalene Brunker Vornkahl born ..... 1766 died 7 August 1848 at the age of 82 years. He worked as a farm hand and shoemaker. His children included my Great Great Grandfather
1. Conrad,   and two daughters
2. Johanna Maria Elizabeth, Sister Elizabeth married in 1827 a Klages.
    I have no other information about Elizabeth.
3. Johanna Maria Wilhelmina. T
    Sister Wilhelmina married 1829 a Christian Lowes (Lobes), 1 March 1802 to 16 March 1865.   Wilhelmina and Christian settled in the small community of Arnsburg, in northern Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. Their children were
    Christian, bd 1831, md Mina Grebe,
    Johanna bd 1833, md Heinrich Buchterkirchen,
    Conrad bd 1834, md Marie Elenore May Kaiser,
    Christina bd 1840, md Hubert Brinkman,
    Henry bd 1841, md Mary Louse Kiepe,
    Peter bd 1844, md Johanna Vornkahl,
    Hermine bd 1845,
    and Wilhelmina bd 1846, md George Weiss.
I do not know the date this family emigrated. Christian was naturalized 20 February 1852.

My Great Great Grandfather Conrad married Maria Magdalena Bronnecke on 11.February 1836. They had seven children:
   Johanne Caroline Wilhelmina             bd 09.April 1837
    Heinrich Friedrich August                   bd 19 April 1839
   Johann Heinrich Gottfried                  bd 15 April 1841
   Heinrich Conrad                                bd 17 May 1844
   Johanna Marie Elizabeth                    bd 17 May 1844 Twins
   Friedrich Carl                                    bd 15 Jan 1847
   Johanna Sophie                                bd 04 Oct 1849

The eldest daughter Wilhelmina was Confirmed in Hackenstedt on 27 April 1851. Conrad sold his house in Hackenstedt in 1852 to another family. This house still stands to this day. There is no record of the family in Germany after this time.

Soon after that date Conrad bought a farm from the Thompson family at the headwaters of the Little Flora Creek north of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It is not known when Conrad died or where he was buried. He is not listed on the 1860 census. Mother Magdalena is buried at the Thompson Cemetery near the original farm. She was born 10 June 1814 and died 24 Feb. 1887.

The following is a list of Conrad and Magdalena’s children’s families:
    Johanna 04 Oct 1849 to 28 Dec 1928, md Peter Lowes 29 Feb 1843 to 8 Sept 1917. Peter was a veteran of the Civil War. Their children were
    1. Henry,
    2. William A,
    3. Alma.,
    4. Heinrich Herman, and
    5. Maria Anna.
     6. Friedrich Carl. I have found no reference to this son in America.
     7. Johanna Marie Elizabeth, 17 May 1844, md 27 Jan 1870 to Frederich Nolte. I have no other record of this daughter. She was listed in the 1860 Census living with her mother.

    8. Heinrich Conrad 17 May 1844 to 25 March 1918, 23 Sept 1969 md Augusta Kurre 27 Jun 1851 to 13 March 1927. Children of Conrad and Augusta:
    1. August H. died 24 Sept 1874,
    2. William 17 Feb 1876 to 29 April 1962, md Regina Huey 23 Jan 1877 to 29 July 1933.
    3. Louis, 5 Jan 1879 to 9 Apr 1943 md Ronanna “Sannie” Louisa Foeste.
    4. Frederich Conrad Nov 1882 to 16 March 1902.
    5. Conrad Peter 1885 to 8 May 1950 md Mayme McKinnis 3 Jan 1892 to 29 1969. He was known as Coonie. I believe Conrad was a veteran of the Civil War.
    6. Matilda A. Jun 1898.

Heinrich Friedrich August bd 19 April 1939 to 17 Jan 1922, 03 Oct 1881 married Mary Frank, 13 Jan 1857 to 21 March 1917. Children of August and Mary:
    1. Theodore August Fornkahl Sr 8 Nov 182 to 11 Nov 1935, md 28 Oct 1909 Ora Lee McLain 16 Jan 1893 to 02 Aug 1969.
    2. Josephine “Phoebe” Fornkahl 28 Feb 1884 to 1 April 1947 md 16 April 1903 to Ernest Herman Zierath.
    3. Dena Fornkahl 28 Nov 1885 to 07 Aug 1947, MD 17 Mar 1906 John Lange.
    4. Henry C Fornkahl Aug 1887, md 25 Jun 1918 Mary Day Comer 19 Jan 1901 to 5 March 1939 (daughter of Benton and Nettie Meador Comer).
    5. Mary Fornkahl Jan 1890, md William Ernest Rodenberry 1895 to 04 Oct 1933.
    6.Minnie Fornkahl April 1892. Berths M Fornkahl 20 Jan 1893 to 16 Jan 1953 md Johann Heinrich F. Sticht 23 Feb 1876 to 14 Sept 1942.
    7. John Fornkahl 08 Dec 1894 to 09 Feb 1895.
    8. Peter Theodor Martin Fornkahl 30 July 1896 to 24 April 1956 md 02 Jan 1923 Edith Smith 12 Feb 1907 to 05 Feb 1942.

Johanne Caroline Wilhelmina, 9 April 1837/14 Jan 1922. Md Henry Ehlers b Germany 1830 Their children included
    1. Fritz (Friedrich?),
    2. Minnie md James Thompson, August, 14 April 1867/28 Sept 1894, &
    3. John (Johann Christian).

Johann Heinrich (Henry) Gottfried 30 April 1841 to 30 June 1890 md 11 Jun 1870 Caroline Stausing 1851 to April 1897. Caroline was the daughter of Casper Stausing and Friederike Schaefer, called Rickie.
Heinrich (Henry) and Caroline are my Great Grand Father and Mother. Henry died while hauling hay in the summer heat. He said he was feeling bad and went over and sat under an apple tree where he died. It is said that the tree died soon after. Great Grand Mother was drowned while returning to her house. She attempted to cross a rain-swollen Scism Creek with a wagon and team of horses. Her body was found some distance down the creek the next day. Also some time in the 1890’s the family house burned. I have not yet been able to find were she is buried. Great Grand Father is buried next to his mother in Thompson Cemetery. Their children were:

    1. Frederick, April 1871/18 Sept 1874
    2. Herman H. Fornkahl 19 July 1873/17 Dec 1944. He married Amelia Holtz Heuer 20 July 1875/25 Jan 1968. He died of a stroke at the home of his son
    1. Robert, my father. Grandmother Amelia died peacefully one winter morning also at the home of their son Robert. They are buried next to each other at Hobbs Chapel Cemetery north of Cape Girardeau. Grandmother was previously married to a John Heuer, they produced two children
    1. John and
    2. Rose. John SR died soon after the birth of Rose. He is buried near their farm in a small cemetery. Herman and Amelia had one child, my father,
    1. Robert Alfred, born 12 March 1911. He married Leona Caroline Hedwig Rehkopf bd 4 March 1916, on 28 Nov 1935 at the Trinity Lutheran Church Parsonage in Cape Girardeau, MO. She is the daughter of Charles (Karl) Henry Rehkopf and Anna Pauline Springer Rehkopf. Charles and Anna are buried at New Lorimier Cemetery in Cape Girardeau. Children of Robert and Leona:

     1. Gary Stanley, bd 17 Sept 1940, married Karen Faye Woodard bn 9 Aug 1946, on 9 Aug 1970. Karen is the eldest child of Dick and Lydia Heise Woodard. Gary and Karen’s children are
    1. Gretchen Faye bd 6 Nov 1972. She married James Robert Hanks, bn 5 Jan 1972. They have one-child
    1. Corabeth Grace Hanks, bd 8 Nov 2000. Gary Justin bd 31 July 1981, Megan Beth bd 9 Jan 1981 and Robert Woodard bd 26 May 1988.

     Ronald Robert, bd 11 June 1946, Md Glenda Mae Proffer bd 6 Aug 1950 on 23 Nov 1969 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau, MO.
Glenda is the daughter of Marvin Franklin Proffer, 29 Oct 1915/15 April 1999 and Grace Helen Davenport Proffer bd 14 Dec 1919.
     Ronald and Glenda’s children are:
1. Anna Jennifer, bd 13 Dec 1974, She married Billy Wayne Bonney 4 Oct 1993 at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Jackson, MO.
    Their children are
        1. Conrad Christian, bd 20 Oct 1996,
        2. Henry David, bd 24 Feb 1999, and
        3. Franklin Robert, bd 19 Mar 2000.
2. Lora Elizabeth, bd 6 Nov 1977. She married Jason Lee Estes, bd 21 Mar 1977,
        on 23 Jun 2001 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cape Girardeau, MO.
3. Andrew Ronald, born 29 June 1988.

     3. Henry Fornkahl 29 Dec 1882/05 Feb 1908. He married Augusta Kistner on 15 Jul 1906. . Henry died of pneumonia after plowing ground on a wet cold winter day. He is buried at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Egypt Mills north of Cape Girardeau, MO. Augusta was the stepsister of my grandfather Charles Rehkopf. After Henry died Charles stayed with her for a time to help her. Augusta later married Mike Knoll of Perry County, MO. They produced one child
    1. Emma who married Walter Hecht. Emma and Walter had one son Larry Hecht. They lived on a farm southeast of Perryville, MO.
Henry and Augusta had one child:

    1. Henry C W Fornkahl 21 Dec 1907/18 May 2000 he married Gertrude R Hecht bd 27 Mar 1912 on 28 June 1936. Henry is buried at the Cemetery in Longtown, MO. Gertrude is the sister of Walter Hecht. Henry and Gertrude farmed southeast of Perryville, MO. Children of Henry and Gertrude:
    1. Virginia Mae, 25 Feb 1938/21 Jan 1981. She married Raymond R Schilling
        bd 30 Oct 1931 on 10 Sept 1960. They had 3 children:
            1. Stephanie Rae, bd 8 April 1966 md David Alan Ritter on 3 July 1993, t
            hey have 2 children,
                1. Daniel Abraham bd 24 Aug 1995 and
                  2. Miriam Virginia bd 26 Dec 1997.
    2. Tamara Rae bd 12 April 1968, married Paul Allen Mueller on 30 July 1994,
        they have 1 child
            1. Mark Nathan bd 5 Dec 2001.
    3. Christopher Ray bd 27 Feb 1979.
    4. Virginia is buried at Mt. Vernon, IL.

     Gerald Henry, bd 7 May 1972, Married Karen Joy Voges bd 2 March 1943 on 4 Dec 1965. Gerald and Karen’s children are
        1. David Gerald bd 27 Jan 1968. David married
            Sherrie Lynn Wilson bd 20 Sept 1965 on 26 May 1990.
        2. Todd Alan bd 20 Aug 1971.

     Gerlene Ruth, bd 7 May 1942, md Paul E. Webb, bd 24 Jan 1938 on 26 May 1962. They have 2 Children:
        1. Randy Paul bd 12 April 1966, one child Jordan Tyler bd 15 Sept 1997, and
        2. Scott Allen bd 22 June 1972.

4. August Fornkahl, 28 May 1976/11 March 1951. Gus never married.

     5. Rose Fornkahl, 13 May 1879/18 Aug 1951. Md Nicholas Koeppel 1857 to 22 Feb 1918. November 1918 married Robert Huey 3 April 1877/11 May 1947. Children of Rose and Nicholas:
        1. Amanda Koeppel, md Homer Wyatt.
        2. Laura Koeppel 4 Sept 1900/Sept 1980, buried at Trinity, Egypt Mills, MO,
        md Ray Wilson McClain 14 March 1899/8 Nov 1987,
            buried McClains Chapel Cemetery at Indian Creek.
        3. Katie A Koeppel 4 Oct 1904/20 Feb 1951 md Fred Thiele.
        4. Dorenia Koeppel, never married.
        5. Fred Koeppel 29 Apr/12 Dec 1997 md Marie Rehkopf 29 Apr 1935.
            They had one child
            1. Fred William who married Carol Exler.

6. Caroline Friedericke Fornkahl, known as Rena 25 April 1887/01 Jan 1963. Married Alfred Henley. No children. She lived an interesting though somewhat mysterious life. She at one time owned ranches and other businesses in Colorado.

I would like to thank Friedrich Vornkahl and Dr. Schroder for their effort’s in making this web site possible. I would also like to thank Mrs. Inge Hantelmann for all the work she did in locating my ancestors in Hackenstedt. I had no hope of ever learning the exact location or name of my great great great grandfather Heinrich Vornkahl in Germany until she researched church records there.

Look is here my mother and my father.

This is me, Ronald Fornkahl.
I'm interested in learning about the Vornkahl family and relatives of Conrad and Magdalene who did or did not immigrate. I invite you to send me an e mail. rn1521@showme.net

My son, he is a good hand on the farm.

Picture come later

the next generation: Henry Fornkahl

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