The conclusion of the Jahnke Heinritz mystery

New York City, 1900 from the Library of Congress

One of the bigger family brick walls on my husband’s side tumbled last fall.  Some of you may remember the post The Proof is in the Documents from November 2013[1].  Those documents provided the answers I needed to finally solve that puzzle.  Since then I have received questions about how I put it all together, and never one to disappoint, below is the 2 year journey that lead to the final discovery. 

My husband’s paternal family gave me fits from day one.  First there was the Double Enumeration problem for two family members[2].  Then there is the ongoing issue that Bennett is not an uncommon name, and Bennett’s from Ireland are everywhere!  However, the mystery concerning the parents of Augusta Jahnke always weighed on my mind.  There was something just not right and I just couldn’t put my finger on it for a long time. 

As with many beginning searches I started with the US Federal Census.  The information I gleaned from the 1900-1930 censuses became the basis for my next steps in research.  Augusta Jahnke and George Bennett were married in about 1895 and had two sons, George and Walter, in 1900.[3]  They were both born in New York, and in their late 20s, with George Sr.’s parents coming from Ireland and Augusta’s parents from Germany.[4]

By 1910 the family had grown to 5 children (George, Walter, Frank, Marie, and James) and now an Emil Jahnke, father-in-law, joined the family unit.[5]  This was my first clue to what Augusta’s maiden name could have been.  His description also showed he was a widower, 51 years old, born in Germany, and in 1875 he came to the US eventually becoming a naturalized citizen.[6]  Look at all those clues!

I made a to-do list with the information I gathered and searched for records that might corroborate the facts.  FamilySearch.org was a great help with the New York City records.  While they didn’t give me images to look at I did find the certificate numbers to the marriage and birth records that could help.   However, money now was an issue.  The New York City Department of Records charges $15 per document, non-refundable, whether or not they find anything.[7]  I decided to order the marriage certificate of Augusta and George first.  Praying, with fingers and toes crossed, that I would get more detailed information from it to figure out which way I would go next.

The months of waiting was filled with more searches.  I grabbed the name Emil and searched backwards for him.  That is all I had, a name and an age.  In New York City I knew I could be in trouble.  However, I lucked out.  Going back to the 19000 Census and checking forward and backward a few pages I found Emil.  He lived in the next building over from his daughter and son-in-law.[8]  In 1900 he was still listed as a widower[9], but now I have another family member to add to the growing list.  Mary Jahnke, daughter, aged 13 was also listed on the page.[10] 

At this point I did a shotgun approach to people and family groups that could possibly fit the profile I developed for this family unit.  The one thing that kept pestering me were the dates.  Augusta was born about 1872.[11]  Emil immigrated to the US about 1875.[12]  How do these two facts fit together?

Now, I knew that these were estimates on Census records.  Most likely they would be close but not exactly correct.  It could be that he traveled here several times, maybe got married and went back before he stayed.  The one piece of the puzzle that was not working were the ages.  If Emil was Augusta’s father, she was born when he was about 15.  That seemed incredibly unlikely.

To make matters worse, the marriage certificate came in.  There, in black and white, were the bride’s parents: Emil Jahnke and Mary Meyer.[13]  I think I cussed out loud at this point.  What was going on with this family?  Clearly I needed to find the marriage record of Emil and Mary.  Maybe then things would start to come together. 

While I was at it, I ordered the marriage certificate for Mary, Augusta’s sister, using the information I found online.[14]  On the off chance I might find something I also put in a request for the birth record of Augusta Jahnke.  You never know right?  I also tried to find them on the 1892 New York State Census.  Augusta was about 20 so she might not appear, however her sister Mary should be about 5.  That information, a cohesive family group, would add credence to the family unit developing.

No such luck on finding additional new information from those leads.  Disappointed and frustrated was just the beginning.  Emil and his wife Mary were on the 1892 census but no daughters.[15]  Maybe they were with family somewhere else.  Anything was possible.  The trail was cold and all I had were a bunch of theories and about 3 different possible immigrant families Emil could have been a part of.

It was the marriage certificate for Mary and Emil that busted down those last remaining bricks and made it all come into perspective.  Emil really was young, 26 when they were married. Mary (or Maria) was 31.[16]  In addition, she was a widow.  The second page of the marriage return showed a written declaration from the minster.  In it he stated “I hereby certify that Emil Herman George Jahnke and Widow Maria Heinritz were joined in marriage.”[17] Bingo!

Maria/Mary’s maiden name was also listed as Meyer.[18]  The pieces were locking together and I was on a roll.  Augusta had to be from her first marriage!  That really made the most sense and explained why New York had no records for Augusta Jahnke.[19]  When this all came together I wrote about it on my blog and you can read about it here.[20]

Once I knew all the players it was much easier to find the correct people.  First I found a likely candidate for the family on the 1880 US Census.  Thankfully, there was Mary and Augusta but they were not alone.  Listed as head was an A. Hennritz with wife Mary and daughters Gussie and Hattie.[21]  Gussie was a common nickname for Augusta and likewise Hattie was a nickname for Harriett.[22]  Searching online for records I found birth indexes for an Augusta[23] and a Henrietta[24] (close to Harriett) both born to Augustus Henritz and Maria/Mary Meyer.  Unfortunately, even though I had the record numbers New York was not able to find the original birth records for either girl.[25]

On the bright side, they did have the marriage record for Augustus and Maria. They were married in New York City 13 February 1871.[26]  A full year before Augusta was born.  Of course, the most incredible information was the listing of the places in Germany they were born and their parents’ names.  My husband just happened to be home when I opened the mail.  Let’s just say he was worried about his wife for a while as she whooped and hollered around the living room.

The search didn’t stop there.  I am still working on filling out the families as best as I can. Oh, and that darn Irish Bennett family.  However, I now have this fantastic tree:

  

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[1] Shannon Combs-Bennett, “The Proof is in the Documents,” Trials and Tribulations of A Self-Taught Family Historian, 13 November 2013 (http://tntfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-proof-is-in-thedocuments.html)

[2] Family Tree Firsts article http://www.familytreeuniversity.com/one-family-double-enumeration-a-tale-of-two-georges

[3] 1900 U.S. census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Borough of Bronx, p. 226A (stamped), dwelling 170, family 196, George Bennett family.; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2012); citing FHL microfilm: 1241126.

[4] 1900 U.S. census, New York Co., New York, pop. sch., p. 226A (stamped), dwell. 170, fam. 196, George Bennett family.

[5] 1910 U.S. census New York County, New York, population schedule, Borough of Manhattan, p. 420A (written), dwelling 12, family 69, George W. Bennett family and Emil Jahnke; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2012); citing FHL microfilm: 1375026.

[6] 1910 U.S. census New York Co., New York, pop. sch., p. 420A (written), dwell. 12, fam. 69, George W. Bennett family and Emil Jahnke.

[7] NYC Department of Records, Municipal Archives, Genealogy section http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/html/archives/geneology.shtml

[8] 1900 U.S. census, New York County, New York, population schedule, Borough of Bronx, p. 11B (written), dwelling 171, family 205, Emil and Mary Jahnke; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2012); citing FHL microfilm: 1241126.

[9] 1900 U.S. census, New York Co., New York, pop. sch., p. 11B (written), dwell. 171, fam. 205, Emil and Mary Jahnke

[10] Ibid.

[11] 1900 U.S. census, New York Co., New York, pop. sch., p. 226A (stamped), dwell. 170, fam. 196, George Bennett family. 1910 U.S. census New York Co., New York, pop. sch., p. 420A (written), dwell. 12, fam. 69, George W. Bennett family and Emil Jahnke.  1920 U.S. census, Hartford County, Connecticut, population schedule, Hartford City, p. 8A (written), dwelling 112, family 182, George Bennett family; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancerty.com : accessed July 2012); citing NARA microfilm publication roll: T625_184; Page: 8A; 

Enumeration District: 114; Image: 68. 

[12] 1910 U.S. census New York Co., New York, pop. sch., p. 420A (written), dwell. 12, fam. 69, George W. Bennett family and Emil Jahnke.

[13] New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 9443 (1894), Bennett-Jahnke; New York City Department of Records and Information Services, Municipal Archives, New York City.

[14] "New York, Marriages, 1686-1980," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F63S-B4J : accessed 17 Mar 2014), John William Charles Frode and Mary Marie Jahnke, 25 Nov 1906; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 1940028.

[15] 1892 New York State census, Queens County, New York, population schedule, Long Island City, p. 10 (stamped), column 2, Amile Jahnke and Mary Jahnke; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancersty.com: accessed December 2012); citing New York State Education Department, Office of Cultural Education. 1892 New York State Census. Albany, NY: New York State Library.

[16] New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 45182 (stamped) (1884), Jahnke-Heinritz; New York City Department of Records and Information Services, Municipal Archives, New York City.

[17] New York Co., NY, marriage certificate no. 45182 (stamped) (1884), Jahnke-Heinritz.

[18] Ibid.

[19] NYC Department of Records Municipal Archives, New York City, letter, 19 September 2011, no birth records found for Augusta Jahnke for the years 1871/1872 in Manhattan.

[20] Shannon Combs-Bennett, “The Puzzle of Maria Meier Henritz Jahnke,” Trials and Tribulations of A Self-taught Family Historian, 11 December 2013 (http://tntfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-puzzle-of-maria-meier-heinritz.html)

[21] 1880 U.S. census, Queens County, New York, population schedule, Queens, p. 16 (written), dwelling 135, family 138, Hennritz A, Mary, Gussie, Hattie; digital image, Ancesrty.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed December 2012); citing Family History Film: 1254917, Image: 0555.

[22] Christine Rose, Nicknames Past and Present (San Jose, CA, 2007), pgs. 2 & 8. 

[23] "New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," index, FamilySearch 

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDRB-T1S : accessed September 2013), Maria Mayer in entry for Auguste Heinritz, 13 Mar 1872; citing Manhattan, New York, New York, USA, reference ; FHL microfilm 1322048.

[24] "New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," index, FamilySearch 

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FD5L-P9G : accessed 17 Mar 2014), Henrietta Heinretz, 22 Jul 1873; citing BIRTH CERTIFICATES, MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, reference ; FHL microfilm 1322065.

[25] NYC Department of Records Municipal Archives, New York City, letter, 20 November 2013, no birth records found for Augusta or Henrietta Hienritz for the years 1872 and 1873 in Manhattan.

[26] New York County, New York, marriage certificate no. 1543 (stamped) (1871), Heinritz-Meier; New York City Department of Records and Information Services, Municipal Archives, New York City.

The proof is in the…documents

Once again I find that I am sitting in my house and waiting with baited breath for the post to be delivered.  Anxious, excited, thrilled to be proven wrong or right.  Whatever the emotions are which sit just under the surface of my calm facade... they are driving me crazy!  Can you tell that I, once again, have ordered records from far off places?

Several weeks ago I found on Family Search the indexes for the births of my husband 2^nd great grandmother, Augusta Jahnke and her sister Henrietta along with her mother and biological father’s marriage record.  Last Wednesday I received her sister Henrietta’s birth certificate in mail from the New York City Municipal Archives.  Just 2 more to go and then maybe, just maybe I will have the proof for my conclusion.  Will I have to stop calling her by the name Jahnke and change it to Heinreitz?

Hopefully early in December I will have the research sewn up on this family unit and I can post all about it.  It has been a great mystery to unravel, so go back and read about what I have posted up to now here and here.  Hope you have liked following along all this time.

Yesterday I received the marriage certificate for my mother’s parents in the mail.  The nice gentleman at the county clerk’s office didn’t even charge me for it since it was the only record I needed.  You see, they eloped across the state line.  It is literally the only document I think I will ever need from that county, but, of course, one day I could have to eat those words.

With this document I can now start putting together my mom’s application to lineage societies.  Seriously, I was waiting on my grandparent’s marriage certificate that was it.  Visiting over the holidays is going to be so much fun! I hope her hand doesn’t get tired from all the writing.

Little mailbox treasures are so amazing.  At least this time my kids weren’t with me when I got the mail.  I didn’t have to suffer through the “my mom is so weird” looks again.

More DNA Results!

Last week my husband’s DNA test from Ancestry came in.  I was so excited, jumping up and down excited.  However, I was good.  I waited until he got home to open the email and see the results.  It was hard, very hard.  We got a bit of a shock to say the least.  He is 96% British Isles and 4% unknown.  Wow, and I thought I was pretty homogenous with my DNA results at European (British Isles, Central European, and Eastern European).

The genealogy I have found for my husband makes this result believable.  He has ancestors from all over those islands: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Jersey, and England.  However, he has 2 Germanic lines and I have a feeling are where the unknown bits come from.

Two of his 2^nd great-grandmothers on his father’s side were of Northern European decent.  Augusta Jahnke (last name of step-father) was born in New York City to German immigrants.  Her mother, Maria Meier, was from Munster but I have not located where her father, Augustus Heinritz, was from.   The other grandmother, Annie Munsmann, was born in Connecticut to Danish immigrants Henry Munsmann and Caroline Anderson.  These two women are the only non-English ancestors that I have found in 400 years of family.

This week I began reaching out to potential cousins that are likely to be related to him.  There are quite a few in the 4^th cousin range, but nothing closer than that.  One of these hints even had a tree match which makes things so much easier when corresponding with unknown people.    I am still slogging through the possible connections trying to identify other cousin matches that Ancestry may not know about.  His family had to be difficult with 2 name changes.  Sigh.

What are your thoughts?  Do you think that the 4% unknown could possibly be the genetic legacy of these two women?  Could it just be some “junk” DNA floating in there from an ancestor not identified?  Or am I completely off base here….

The puzzle of Maria Meier Heinritz Jahnke

Image from the Library of Congress

I have struggled for over a year to trace my husband’s paternal line.  There are so many George Bennetts in New York City at the turn of the 20^th Century.  Let me rephrase that… there are so many Bennetts, from Ireland, in New York City at the turn of the 20^th Century.  My goal, from the beginning, was to track his family, and the maternal lines, back to the immigrant families.  Maybe, just maybe, I would get lucky and find out where the families came from too.  You can read past posts under Bennett, Jahnke, and Taylor for these family lines.

Recently I wrote about one of these maternal lines from the Bennett family, Jahnke.  You can read the post here.  I am sure you can see why the puzzle was not coming together and was frustrating to say the least.  I ordered the marriage certificates that I spoke of in the previous post and fortunately all but one have come in. 

First I looked at the marriage certificate and handwritten entry to the books for Emil and Maria Jahnke.  The certificate gave me a lot of information, including the fact that Maria was a widow (and she switches between Maria and Mary) and older than Emil.  The information from the return of marriage is listed below:

 
1.       Full name of Groom        Emil Herman George Jaks [he signed it Emil Jahnke]
2.    Place of Residence          142-143 Str. 8^th Av. City
3.    Age at next Birthday       26 years Oct 11^th last
4.    white
5.    Occupation         carpenter
6.    Place of Birth     Stessin, Pommerane
7.    Father’s Name  Ferdinand Jahnke
8.    Mother’s Maiden Name                               Louise Engelman
9.    No. of Groom’s Marriage             1^st
10.  Full Name of Bride           Maria Heinritz
        Maiden Name if a widow             Meyer
11.  Place of Residence          142-143 Str. 8^th Av. City
12.  Age next Birthday            31 years May 11^th last
13. white
14.  Place of Birth     Munster, Westphalia
15.  Father’s Name  Unknown
16. Mother’s Name Unknown
17. No. of Bride’s Marriage  2d
 
New York May 12^th 1884
Certificate of Marriage
State of New York

I hereby certify that Emil Herman Jeorge Jahnke and Widow Maria Heinritz were joined in marriage by me, in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, in the City of New York, this twelfth day of May A.D. 1884.
Dr. E.F. Moldehnke
Pastor St. Peter’s Germ. Lutheran Ch. [Maybe this one?]
124 E. 46^th Str. City

Witnesses:
Mrs. Margar. Sommer
Mr. George B. Jahnke

I was thrilled with the luck.  My husband’s 2^nd great-grandmother was born in NYC in 1872.  According to this marriage certificate Emil was not her father.  She was most likely born Augusta Heinritz during her mother’s first marriage.  I know her younger sister Mary was born in 1887 and therefore a daughter of this 2^nd union.

Plus, I now had the place where Maria Meyer was from in addition to the church they attended.  The church records are on FamilySearch too.  Unfortunately they are not indexed, but I can browse the images.  Perhaps I will find another marriage, birth, baptism, or death record for these families there.

Using Ancestry and FamilySearch I went about filling in the gaps and holes of these people’s lives.  First I looked for a marriage certificate for Maria and her first husband.  I located it in the database New York City Marriages 1600-1800s at Ancestry.  I will need to order the certificate to see what else I can find written on it, but for now I know that Augustus Heinritz and Maria Meier were married in 1871 at Manhattan.

 

Using this information I went looking for them on the 1880 US Federal Census.  Up until now I had no luck finding Augusta.  Now I know I was looking for the wrong last name.  It took me several hours of trial and error before I found them.  In 1880 A. Hennritz, his wife Mary and 2 daughters, Gussie age 8 and Hattie age 6, were living in Flushing, Queens.  This was the first time I had seen the name Hattie.  Now I wonder where she went, and what happened to her.

 

 

 

Since I had 2 daughters to work with, as well as ages, and parents’ names I set off locating birth records.   Thankfully once I had that information it was relatively easy to find what I was looking for.  Auguste Heinritz was born 18 March 1872 and Henrietta Heinretz was born 22 July 1873 both in Manhattan.  These certificates are now on my to-be-ordered list.

Pressing my luck a little further I went looking for Augustus and Maria on the 1870 census.  She should have been about 17/18 and he should have been about 34.  Believe it or not, I have a potential hit in the 1870 Census for Maria living in Manhattan.  She may have been living in the 7^th election district of the 10^th ward, New York City, on Christie Street between Grand and Hester.  Unfortunately the Census taker only listed her name (Mary Meier), her age (17), that she was female, and from Germany.  The way the listing is made I also can’t tell if she is living with anyone.  It states she and 29 other people live at the 90^th dwelling visited.  Most are from various Germanic places, but none have the same last name as her.  It would be possible that she was related to one or more of these families, but I have no way to tell at this point. 

The last piece I uncovered was the listing for Emil and Mary on the 1892 New York State Census.  In my head they should be living with at least 3 daughters: Augusta, Henrietta, and Mary.  However, they are not living with any of the children.  They are listed alone, two pages in front of his parents, and his brother’s family on Long Island.  Where did they go?  Augusta would have been 20, Henrietta 18, and Mary 8.  Currently I am looking to see if they are living somewhere together because I don’t know of any other family to search for.

Off to order more certificates and work this puzzle out.  Next I need to figure out James Bennett and Isabella Rudy, Augusta’s in-laws.