Confirmation Class

Today is going to be slightly different. I am going to share a picture but not in the usual way. I was doing some research and found the website of a lady by the name of Jane Irish Nelson. She was very nice and helpful when I asked for information and she shared plenty. If you want to stop by her page now and look at the picture I will explain who is who, just click here.

As you can see she identifies the people in the image as Christine Dammros, Auguste Spiess, Auguste Kleindienst, Elisabetha Kuhnle, Ida Starckloff, Josephine Warnke, Anton Bahnsen, Franz Nissen, Redlef Christiansen, Johann Ed. Fritsche and Edward Huber.

Timeframe: March 25, 1888, Palm Sunday.

Where It Fits: Are ya'll ready for this?

Auguste Kleindienst was born March 14, 1875 in Port Clinton, Ohio to Franklin Vinzen Kleindienst & Mary Johannsen. She was the wife of Charles Rudolph and the granddaughter of Volkert Johannsen & Anna Danklefsen. Who is Volkert Johannsen? Oh, sorry. Volkert Johannsen is the brother of Wilhelm Johannsen. Volkert died in Germany but Anna and the children came to the United States, Port Clinton specifically. That would make Volkert the uncle of Julius & August Johannsen.

Jane explains where Anton Bahnsen fits. Anton is the son of Martin August Bahnsen and grandson of Andres Marcus Bahnsen. Andres married Maria Catharina Christiansen. Marie Catharine Christiansen is the daughter of Matz Christiansen. Matz also had a son, Redlef Christiansen. Redlef married Gude Boyson. Their daughter was Marie Christiansen, the mother of Julius & August Johannsen and grandmother of Lorenz Redlef Johannsen. Lorenz is the father of James & Joyce.

Franz Nissen is the son of Nicolai Nissen & Theresa Eybsen.

Redleff Christiansen is the son of Rickleff Christiansen & Caroline Japsen. He was born in Port Clinton on October 9, 1874. His father, Rickleff, is the son of Redlef Christiansen & Gude Boysen. That makes him the nephew of Marie Christiansen-Johannsen and a cousin of Julius & August Johannsen. He is the father of Clara Christiansen-Robel & Laurabel Christiansen-Velliquette. Also, Caroline Japsen, the wife of Rickleff Christiansen is the aunt of Caroline Japsen . . . the one that married Julius Johannsen. :-) Did I lose you with that one?

Johann Edward Fritsche, born in Oak Harbor on January 19, 1872. In my family tree I have an Edward Johann Fritsche that was born in Oak Harbor on January 19, 1872. I do believe these two boys are in fact one and the same. Edward Johann is the son of Christian Fritsche & Dorothea Langschwanger. His brother, Robert, married Caroline Hopfinger. That makes Johann/Edward the cousin of Merle Fritsche-Leutz.

William & Edward Fritsche

This picture was another "almost" labeled. It says it was printed in Apr 58, if you look along the boarder on the left side of the image. On the back it says:

Nov. 1957 @ Willards
Uncle Will Fritsche (left)
B.D. 5 May 1877

Okay, that is fine and dandy but who is the gentleman on the right? I remembered seeing some information on the Fritsche family tree that Mary Henry had sent so I called and asked if she would look at the picture. I sent her a copy and she replied. Then Kent Floro came over back in December to look at some pictures and gave me the same name for the man on the right so I believe we have a match, the man on the right is *drum roll please* Edward Fritsche. Ed & Will were two of the youngest three Fritsche children and the only two of the last five to make it to adulthood. (Bernard was born between Ed & Will and he died in 1876 at almost 2 years. Maria was born right before Edward and died Dec. 26, 1872. Ernst was born before Maria and died in 1872 at four years of age.) Today would be the 138th birthday of Edward.

Timeframe: Apparently November of 1957.

Where It Fits: Will & Ed were the brothers of Robert John Fritsche, making them uncles to Merle Fritsche Leutz.

Today In History: August Hopfinger would be 149.