52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Weeks 32 - 36 Prompt - Grandmother

 2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Weeks 32 - 36

Prompt - Grandmother 

 

Summer has been hectic. Also I had decided that I needed to read more of my books that I have accumulated over several years.  It has been very pleasurable to sit out on the porch rocking and reading. It certainly has not helped produce my blogs when Bill and I have been binge watching "Game of Thrones". Probably for the 3rd or 4th time.   September is here and I am going to try and put out my blogs on a regular basis. Since this is 52 ancestors in 52 weeks, I think this blog adds quite a few new ancestors that you may not have been aware of.

My paternal grandmother is Elisabeth (with an S) Peters. Nee: Dueck. She was born on 11 Jan 1881 in Morden, Manitoba. She was Canadian by birth. Her parents were Johann Dueck and Helena Peters. Johann Dueck was born 16 APR 1844 • Lichtenau, Molotschna, Ukraine. Helena Peters was born 12 MAY 1848 • Southern Russia, Ukraine. They married 2 Sep 1866 in South Russia.

Elisabeth Dueck was their 9^th child of 15 children.

Johann and Helena Dueck immigrated to Canada and arrived on 19 Jul 1875. At this point they had 5 children. See above. Maria Dueck who was born October 1873 in Southern Russia however died a month after arriving in Manitoba on 14 Aug 1875. Helena had her 6^th child just a few weeks after this on 6 Sep 1875. This child named Wilhelm died less than a month later on 1 Oct 1875. That is a rough few months for my great-grandmother. Her 12^th child (Kornelius Dueck) was born on 2 Jan 1886 in Manitoba and died just short of his second birthday. Their 13^th child was Aganetha who was born in 1888 and died at the age of 19 in Manitoba.

Helena Dueck (Peters) died 3 Mar 1918 in Saskatchewan – possibly Swift Current Colony. She was 69 years old. Her husband, Johann Dueck died 17 Nov 1909 also in Saskatchewan and he was 65 years old. Helena lived as a widow for 9 years.

Helena Dueck's adult married daughter,(the 3^rd child born in South Russia), Anna Giesbrecht (Dueck) died a year after her father, Johann died. Anna and her husband, Abraham Giesbrecht had 13 children together. Anna Giesbrecht died on 19 Nov 1910 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. This was just 9 days after her 13^th child. It might be surmised that she died due to complications in childbirth.

Helena Dueck's second youngest child, Justina married David Giesbrecht ( I'm unsure if this Giesbrecht is related to her sister's husband, Abraham Giesbrecht) on Jul 1908. They had a daughter, Helena Giesbrecht on 4 Jun 1908. Justina died on 7 Mar 1912 at the age of 22 years.

Helena Dueck was alive to witness her youngest daughter, Susanna get married to Bernhard Penner on 16 Apr 1914.

Helena Dueck's 4^th child born in South Russia died in Saskatchewan sometime after 1915. She had married Heinrich Martens and had 14 children together. All we know is she died after 1915 because she had twin babies on 27 Nov 1915. 

Helena Dueck lived to see every one of her children get married.  However Johann Dueck died before his youngest child was married. That was Susanna to Bernhard Penner in 1914.

Helena Dueck outlived 6 of her children.  

Helena Dueck's grandchildren

1. Helena Dueck's eldest daughter, also named Helena Dueck had 14 children with her first husband – Peter Braun and 1 child with her second husband Peter Klassen. 11 of these children lived into adulthood.

2. Jacob Dueck married Sara Thiessen. They had 11 children. 7 of these children survived into adulthood.

3. Anna Dueck married Abraham Giesbrecht and had 13 children. 4 of their children died in infancy.

4. Katharina Dueck married Heinrich Martens and together they had 14 children. As best as I can figure out 7 of their children died in infancy.

5. Marie Dueck died at 1 year, 9 months. Thus 0 children.

6. Wilhelm Dueck died at 26 days and thus had 0 children.

7. Maria Dueck married Heinrich Born and had 12 children together. 3 died in infancy.

8. Wilhelm Dueck married Anna Loeppky and had 6 children. 1 died in infancy.

9. Elisabeth Dueck (my grandmother) married Franz Peters and had 12 children. 2 died in infancy.

10. Agatha Dueck married her first husband, Cornelius Thiesen. They had 5 children together. Agatha Dueck married her second husband, Jacob Bergen and they had 3 children. All 8 of these children lived into adulthood.

11. Johann Dueck married Maria Martens and together they had 1 child.

12. Kornelius Dueck lived 1 year, 11 months and 27 days. Thus 0 children.

13. Aganetha Dueck lived until she was 19 years old. She was not married and had no children.

14. Justina Dueck married David Giesbrecht and together they had 1 child who survived until adulthood. Justina died a few years later at 22 years of age without bearing any other children.

15. Susanna Dueck married Bernhard Penner and together had 11 children. All children lived into adulthood.

Helena and Johann Dueck had 103 grand children of whom 88 survived until adulthood. I cannot fathom how many descendants they have to carry on their legacy. 

Wendy

 

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 31 Prompt - Grandfather

 2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 31

Prompt - Grandfather

I have a subscription for a genealogical website called Ancestry. I have worked on my family tree within Ancestry. Besides connecting to genealogical hints, historical records and genetic websites, it produces some interesting charts and reports.  Ancestry has created a life story report of my paternal grandfather, Franz Peters.

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 30 Prompt - Ships

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 30

Prompt – Boats

Mennonite immigration to Manitoba between 1870 and 1880 totalled approximately 7,000 men, women and children. They immigrated from their colonies in Southern Russia. My paternal great-grandparents and their children were among those that came to Canada at this time. 

In 1875, 8 ships crossed the Atlantic (between May and October) carrying a total of 3,341 Mennonite immigrants. David and Katharina Peters and their 7 children were on the S.S. Canadian leaving July 2, 1875. The Peters Family were among the 561 passengers on this ship.

S.S. Canadian

They left from Hamburg, Germany. Their departure port was considered Liverpool, England and they travelled 17 days across the ocean landing at the port of Hull, Quebec on July 19, 1875. I believe they then travelled by train to Kitchener, Ontario. The immigrants then boarded a boat to make their way to Duluth, Mn. The distance was over 800 miles and took several days.

In Duluth they boarded a train to travel 250 miles to Moorhead, Mn. Once in Moorhead they boarded a steamer ship to travel the last 150 miles up the Red River to the “immigration sheds” in Dufferin, Manitoba.

There is a story written in the Mennonite Historian magazine that sheds more light on what happened once they arrived at Fort Dufferin. Jacob Fehr was 15 years old when he and his family immigrated to Manitoba. They left Chortitza Colony in Russia which was the same colony that David and Katharina Peters left. Jacob Fehr's family and fellow immigrants arrived at Fort Dufferin on July 14, 1875 just days before The Peters Family arrived. Apparently the Mennonites had to wait at Fort Dufferin until the land could be surveyed. The surveyor was going about the task of surveying the land at the time of their arrival. Fort Dufferin was established in 1872 and used by the Canadian Government as a boundary commission which housed those hired to establish the border between the U.S. And Canada. In 1874 North West Mounties made it their headquarters until they moved to Winnipeg in 1875. From 1875 to 1879 they used it to hold the immigrants. Fort Dufferin was made to hold 300 people but at the height of immigration it held 1,000 Mennonites in this very cramped building. Jacob Fehr noted that there was illness and death especially among the children. Almost daily they buried their children around Fort Dufferin. The Mennonites called Fort Dufferin “a place of mourning”.

They stayed in Fort Dufferin for 6 weeks waiting for the surveyors to finish their jobs. In the meantime the Mennonites were assigned villages. When the time had come that surveying was done and they were given approval to leave Fort Dufferin, they did so with ox and cart to their villages in open grassland.

According to the Mennonite Historian, Jacob Fehr and thus most Mennonites following the same trail to their new land travelled 13,000 miles by rail and by boat.

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 29 Prompt - Automobiles

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 29

Prompt – Automobiles

These are photographs of my ancestor's automobiles taken in the first half of the 20^th century.

Rt. Car is John Jahnke's 1909 Model T

John Jahnke, Bill's mother's father's father bought his first car in 1913. It was a 1909 Model T costing 300.00 dollars. They would have lived in Hatton, Saskatchewan.

1915 - Arthur Jahnke's 1st Car - Model T

In 1915 Arthur Jahnke, Bill's maternal grandfather, bought a brand new 1915 Model T that cost him 600.00 dollars.

1910 circa - Lizzie Fesser, Minnie and John Bachmann

In 1910 circa Minnie and August Bachmann pose in front of their car. Lizzie is Minnie's sister. The Bachmann's are Bill's mother mother's father. They lived in Killaly, Saskatchewan at this time.

1916 Maxwell - John and Son, Arthur Jahnke

Bill's maternal great-grandfather, John Jahnke bought a brand new 1916 Maxwell because it was bigger and they were travelling through the northern California area. They were looking for a new opportunity to open a store and finally settled in Gibbon, Mn. 

1920 Circa - Pat's Car

Among my maternal grandmother's photographs that I inherited is this one which says Circa 1920's Pat's Car. Pat being my maternal grandfather, that is Grandmother McLaughlin's first husband, Robert Wentworth Sullivan. AKA - Pat

1930 Circa - Peters' Family Car With Family

This photograph is a photograph that says Peters Family Car and Family. Circa 1930. Who knew my paternal grandfather had a car. They were Mennonite and they took a dim view of cars. Also the Peters family was very poor.

1936 - Arthur, Ida Jahnke With Herb and Clara Jahnke

In 1936, Bill's Grandparents ,Arthur and Ida Jahnke with their children moved back to the farm in Killaly, Saskatchewan from Yakima Washington in this car with attached wagon with their belongings. 

1941 - Andreas Krikau Holding Granddaughter, Betty Peters

Grandfather Andreas Krikau is holding my infant sister, Betty in front of their car that brought them to Saskatoon from Winnipeg for Betty's baptism. 

1940 Circa- Tony Hoffart in Ontario

 During the war, Bill's father and some friends moved to Ontario to work in the factories.  Tony did not like the repetitiveness of the job and came back home to Saskatchewan.

These are some but not all of our ancestors' cars. 

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 28 Prompt - Trains

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 28

Prompt – Trains

Bill's Great-Uncle, William Edward Hansen is married to Bill's maternal grandmother's younger sister – Carolina Emily Bachmann.

Bill is William Hansen's namesake. One of Bill's earliest memories is the gift of a “hurdy-gurdy” that Great-Uncle Bill had given him. Apparently Bill was around 2 or 3 years old. 

1955 - Great-Uncle William Hansen With Bill Hoffart

 William and Carolina (aka; Lena) Hansen were married on May 7, 1928 in Melville, Saskatchewan. This is where they resided after the marriage. William (aka; Bill) worked with the CNR (Canadian National Railway). CNR's divisional point was at Melville because it was approximately halfway between Winnipeg and Saskatoon. Tragedy struck Great-Uncle Bill on April 12, 1946. 

April 13, 1946

William E. Hansen

Bill Hansen was fitted for a metal artificial leg at some point after. On one of his visits to the Hoffart household in Saskatoon, young Bill remembers this cute story of Great-Uncle Bill and his artificial leg. It was made of metal and young Bill was looking at it. Bill discovered a hole in the artificial leg. Great-Uncle Bill told young Bill that he had a real problem with that hole because the mice kept getting into his leg. However Great-Uncle Bill told young Bill that it was okay now because he put a mouse trap inside to catch the mice. However Great-Uncle invited Bill to go ahead and stick his finger in it. Bill remembers vividly that he never did put his finger into the hole of Great-Uncle Bill's artificial leg.

I feel stories like this are priceless. It tells me so much more about Great-Uncle Bill.  I'm sure he was a very fun loving fellow who enjoyed his life despite the tragedies that he had to bear. He lost his wife, Lena to cancer in December of 1955. His only child lived in California working as a nurse since 1951. 

I met him once or twice before his death in 1981.  And I know he was a guest at our wedding. Unfortunately I recall very little of him from these encounters.  

William E. Hansen - 1956 circa.

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 27 Prompt - Planes

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 27

Prompt – Planes

I wrote this story way back in my first year of blogging. I hope that it is as enjoyable this time as the first time you may have read it. 

Circa 1967 - Uncle Wally, Grandmother McLaughlin and My Mother, Vivian Peters

 In 2006 we had a chance to visit our aunt & uncle in their winter home in Arizona. Wallace McLaughlin is my grandma McLaughlin's third child, a sibling to my mother. Uncle Wally, as we called him, was born in 1927 and died just 3 years after this visit. They lived in Ontario and growing up we rarely saw them. My older siblings know him better than myself. Uncle Wally was an Engineer who at one time was the Dean of Engineering at Waterloo University and in fact was president of The Deans of Canada Engineers. At the time of the visit, I was just starting to put family history together. We asked him if he knew any stories of himself and my mom when they were young.

He unfortunately could not remember many. We did learn that he was a bit mischievous growing up. He said his step-father, Benjamin McLaughlin, was strict and liked things just so, such as no talking at the dinner table. If you broke the rules you were punished by his “razor strap”. Uncle Wally knew if he got in trouble at school and in his words was “caned” at school he would get it twice as bad at home. So on his way home he would find a few layers of cardboard to put in his back so it lessened the severity.

I call this Uncle Wally story - “Have Gun Will Travel”.

It is my favourite story of my quintessential church lady grandmother. Grandmother went to church every week and sometimes more often. She baked cookies and took them to the “old folks shut-ins” She always wore a hat and her handbag was firmly clutched within her hands or hung over her forearm secured tightly to her body.

Sometime in the 1970s or 1980's Grandma McLaughlin decided to go to Ontario to visit Wally and his family. She always travelled by plane. In those days airport security was almost non-existent.

Apparently his mother (Mary McLaughlin) use to own a 32 calibre Browning Automatic gun. What the heck was she doing with a gun in her home. Maybe it belonged to her second husband who had died in 1945. She must have been going through her stuff in the cellar when she found it and probably had long since forgotten about it.

Browning 32 Calibre Browning Automatic Pistol - Similar to this Image

Grandma was quite deaf. In his younger days, Uncle Wally would go down into their cellar, find it and for the heck of it go outside and shoot it at the wood pile. Grandma was non the wiser! So uncle Wally knew she had a gun. He went on to explain that on this particular trip to their home in Ontario, she decided it was “too dangerous” to have around her home. Grandma had decided that she should take it and give it to Uncle Wally because he would know what to do with it. So she put it in her handbag along with all of it's ammunition. She flew with it in her purse as carry on and without incidence. Uncle Wally and Aunt Phyllis were flabbergasted that she took it on the plane. I can visualize grandma surprising them with the gun from her purse. It really paints a bizarre picture. I mean my church lady grandmother pulling a gun from within her purse!

With a hearty laugh and a smile so wide, Uncle Wally said that when he took it from her, he found out that it was loaded and ready to shoot. All I can say is OMG – the angels of Grandma McLaughlin were protecting her in all her innocence. 

Wendy

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 26 Prompt - Family Gathering

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 26

Prompt – Family Gathering

Georg Frederick (known as Fred) Krikau was born on January 26 1905, in Warenburg, Samara Province, Volga Valley, Russia.

His father was Andreas Krikau born January 20 1879, in Warenburg, Samara Province, Russia.

His mother Mary Katherine Kraft was born on August 27 1879, in Warenburg, Samara Province, Russia.

He had 7 siblings: Andreas, Mary Katherine (my grandmother), Elisa, Georg, Johannes (John), Heinrich (Henry), and Wilhelm.

His wife Alvina Margaret Goeringer was born on June 3 1908, in Rocky Ford, Colorado, USA.

They were married on October 17, 1928 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and they had 2 children: George Frederick Jr., and Margaret.

Fred and Alvina Krikau - November 16, 1941

This was my maternal grandmother's sibling. He was known as Fred. In the early 1920's, the Krikau family moved to Chicago, Illinois. That is. all but my grandmother who was married and her brother Fred. I am not sure why he did not immigrate at the same time as his family. He was a full time mechanic in Winnipeg. He wasn't married . However he did marry on October 28, 1928.

Several years ago while looking through the website – newspapers.com, for any Krikau family news I found the following article. It was written in The Pointer of Riverdale, Illinois on January 19, 1945. Interestingly it was an article about Fred Krikau and his family visiting from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Who knew that the family gathering was so newsworthy?

The Tanis family that they were staying with was Fred's sister, Elisa and brother-in-law.

The other article that I found was dated March 20, 1946 in The Times in Munster, Indiana. 

We learned in this article that Fred Krikau and his family have moved to United States and are living with his parents at this time.

Similarly, I found my grandmother's and Fred Krikau's younger brother, George Krikau in The Times, Munster, Indiana published on June 22, 1944.

The article wrote about all the family gathering for a picnic supper to celebrate George Krikau's birthday which was June 15. The picnic was held on Sunday, June 18.

Wendy