| Notes |
- Baptized January 21, 1753 Bergkirchen.
FTM Notes of Friederich Wilhelm Brink
Chap01.doc
CHAPTER 1
OUR ANCESTORS, JOHANN (ERNST) FRIEDRICH WILHELM AND ANNA SOPHIE DOROTHEA MARIA (SCHARLOTTA) ILSABEIN MEIER, AND WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT GERMANY (PRUSSIA) DURING THEIR ERA.
The German surname Brink has several origins. Firstly, the surname Brink is of locative origin, deriving from a feature, either man made or natural, near which the original bearer of the name once lived or held land. In this instance, the surname Brink derives from the Low German "brink" meaning "grassy knoll". Someone residing next to such a feature could have been called Brink. Research also indicates, that the term "brink" is used to indicate land that was not used for farming purposes.
The term Brink is found also as an element in many German locative names such as Brinkwirth (innkeeper next to grassy knoll), Brinkhaus (someone named Hans living next to a grassy knoll), Hasenbrink (rabbit grassy knoll), and Kreienbrink (a grassy knoll which comes from the name of the place where the original bearer once lived.)
We have our Brinks traced back to the late 1500s. From information received while in Germany, older records were destroyed by fire and thus are not available. This has not been confirmed as yet.
Surname changes seem to have happened in our older German ancestors. According to the information we have received, the man in a marriage took the wife's maiden name when she was the heir of her family's estate and there was not a male heir. She and her husband then lived on the estate and continued the name of the estate.
The closest example of this to our current time is the marriage of Frederich William Heseman and Mary (Marie) Elizabeth Krughoff. They were married in Germany in 1828 and living on the Krughoff estate continued the Krughoff name. They migrated to America in 1852.
Ernst Friedrich Wilhelm Brink was born October 19, 1788, and his future wife, Anna Maria Dorothea Scharlotte Ilsebein Meyer born in 1798 (Minden, Il. records show baptism February 5, 1800), both in the little village of Eicksen, near Minden, in Westphalia, Germany. Appendix 1 is a map showing the location of Eicksen and Bergkirchen in relation to Minden in Northern Germany. They grew up, married, and inherited quite a large estate of farm and timberland. The large house which was their home, was built in 1798 and is still in use today although it has been totally reworked and remodeled. They had a number of tenants according to Minnie Brink Ludwig as learned from her father, Charles L. C. Brink. In doing further research including spending time with the Heinz Bokemeyer family who currently own the Brink home in Germany, it is doubtful there were many tenants. The home was actually built by the parents of Ernst. Ernst farmed, logged, and did carpenter work.
Ten children were born to this marriage. Christian (1818-1873) married Christena Krughoff; Louisa died in infancy; William (1820-1888/89) married Maria Woepke Gerken; Louisa (1825--1904) married William Meyer; Frederick (1827-1905) married Caroline Hoffman; Heinrich (1828-1894) married Wilhelmina Weihe; Carolina (1830-1897) married Ernst Hoffman, brother of Frederick's wife; John (1832-1860) married Mary Wolfman; Charles (1835/6-1926) married Elizabeth Krughoff; and Christena (1823-1847). It was discovered as further research was completed that the names we were given for the above parents and children didn't all agree with the Bergkirchen records. We've tried to include all names used to be as nearly correct as possible. Also birth and death dates are often not available. Bergkirchen is on a small mountain top and during winter travel was difficult so people would often wait until Spring to record events in the church records. The result is that often the only dates we have are baptismal and burial dates.
As the children grew up life became much less attractive in Westphalia and reports of the United States attracted them. Christian and William took off about 1840 and came to Washington County, Illinois. Christian returned to Germany about 1842 to get his bride and persuaded his parents to emigrate too. His brother Frederick came to America with him. Ernst and Anna sold their property and had their sons here buy them about 1500 acres in Hoyleton Township. (In looking at older maps it appears that the acreage might be more like 1200.) Some of this is still held by some of their descendants today. See Appendix 2 for a map of Brink holdings in Washington County in 1845. They sold their German home for $10,000, small price now, but no small sum then. In late August of 1845, they (with their remaining children) boarded an English sailing ship at Hamburg, Germany, with the destination, New Orleans. After a stormy voyage of 70 days they finally landed in late October. Then they headed north on the Mississippi River on a wood burning steamer for St. Louis. It was now November and winter came early and hard, and floating ice in the river forced their boat to tie up at Grand Tower in Jackson County, Illinois.
Because of undo delays the steamer ran low on provisions. Men went ashore to hunt for game, with only fair success. Needed foods were in short supply in Grand Tower. The Brink group went into the countryside seeking supplies from the farmers, again with little success.
One of the traditional jokes handed down in the family tells of their refusal to buy sweet potatoes with which they were totally unfamiliar. They thought sweet potatoes were like rutabagas grown in Germany to feed livestock. As the story goes the one refusing to buy later became extremely fond of them.
River ice continued to run until it was decided to hire a wagon with oxen and complete the journey overland. It was midwinter, the roads were bad, and there was a marked shortage of bridges. Travel accordingly was very slow. One bit of good fortune, however, came their way. On the second day out they were met by their two sons who had received their letter and were on the way with a wagon and more oxen. It was decided that the hired wagon would proceed to Washington County and that the sons would continue to Grand Tower and bring goods stored there.
On one of the early days of their journey they found themselves being followed by a man on horseback. He proved to be a tavern keeper where they had stopped for the night. He was looking for goods he said had been taken from his tavern. He asked them to unload and allow him to search for articles he claimed someone had taken. The party protested the inconvenience and delay, whereupon he decided to ride along and ask at the next place available for a search warrant. They bid him welcome to do so. When mealtime came they stopped to prepare food and insisted that he eat with them. Because they insisted he grudgingly consented to do so. After a solemn grace pronounced by the elder Brink the rider ate in silence. At the end of the meal he mounted his horse told them that people so gracious, pious and friendly would not steal anyone's property, and turned back toward Grand Tower.
After several days of most difficult travel, and on Christmas Day, the party reached the cabin in which they were to lodge until their home was completed. The mother, already ill, died there before the new home was completed. She was buried in a grave a short way east of the new home being built. A few months later the father also fell ill, died, and was buried beside her. The story has been passed down through the family that during heavy rain North Creek had flooded and lots of trees and logs were being lost. Johann Ernst knowing how scarce wood was in Germany could not stand to see this happen. He went in after as much as he could save which resulted in his getting pneumonia which caused his ultimate death. The third grave in the little plot is that of a Peithman, the first of record found coming to the German settlement in the county. The grave site is now fenced in by an iron fence and the tombstone marker reads:
Ernst Friedrich William Brink*It was actually thought Ernst died 1790-1845*in the first part of January 1846. Anna Mariea (Illsabein) BrinkFamily also said they both died in 1798-18451845 right after arrival in
Fredrich Peithmann Washington County. The plaque indicates this.
Further information on their deaths was found in St. John’s Lutheran Church records in New Minden, Illinois. Ernst was born October 19, 1788 and died September 20, 1846. Anna was born September 19 or 9, 1799. St John’s show her being baptized February 5, 1800 in Bergkirchen. Her death date is shown as February 12, 1846. So it appears the Lutheran Minister conducted their funerals, and that they lived a little longer than Charles L. C. Brink, my great-grandfather, remembered. After all, he was only nine years old when they came to America. Also, we find it interesting that St. John’s showed his name as Colonius John Fred Wm. Brink. Bergkirchen records show his name as Johann Frederick Wilhelm Brink.
Winona Brink Huckshold and Minerva Brink Clouser both remember the old rock foundation that had appeared to be a one room cabin. It was north of the old house about where the current drive way is located. Their father, Waldo, remembers his father saying they had used it for a smoke house after building their new home. We feel Christian and William and possibly Frederick had built it so the family would have some place to stay when they arrived in America. They built the original Brink home where we assume everyone lived until moving to their own places. This home was demolished in 1975 when Winona Huckshold built her current home on the same location. If Minnie Ludwig's story is true that they moved into an empty cabin that was available while waiting for their home to be vacated, perhaps the stone foundation was this home. Minerva Brink Clouser has a deed from a family by the name of Flint deeding the property to William Brink. We had always been under the impression they had homesteaded so this must not be true.
While visiting in Germany at the old Brink home, currently the home of Heinz and Margret Bokemeyer and their family, Wanda Gines discussed at length with the Bokemeyers the original structure of their home. See Appendix 3 for a sketch of the floor plan drawn for us by Frauke Bokemeyer. The original builders of the Brink home were Friederich Wilhelm Brink and Anna Marie Ilsebein Karfs from Elfte #4, Oberlubbe, Kreis Minden and their five children. One of their sons Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Brink married Anna Sophie Dorothea Marie Ilsabein Meier from Eicksen #1 (across the street from Eicksen #6, the Brink home). These were the parents of the Brink family traveling to America in 1845.
The home was one long building made of the typical beam and brick or stone construction with a tile roof. It was at least twice as long as it was wide. You entered through a large double door which opened from the center out without a center post. This was so you could drive your wagon or carriage straight into the home.
On each side of this large hall were three animal stalls (total of 6) built as in any normal barn without solid walls to the ceiling. In the middle of the house at the end of each stall were small rooms, one for a hired farm worker and one for a hired farm girl. The next area went across the entire width of the building and served as the kitchen. In the middle facing the outside door was a large fireplace used for cooking. When I was there in 1959, the fireplace was still there. There was an arm that swung out on which was hanging a large kettle. I was told that had belonged to the Brinks.
Behind the kitchen and across the end of the house were three rooms with doors into each from the kitchen. On the left was the parents' bedroom, on the right was the children's bedroom, and in the middle was a living room.
As is typical of most German farm houses, the home was gradually torn down in sections with the new being built right under, the old house often surrounding it. In 1928 the left side and around to the edge of the front door was redone. In 1954 the right side and around to the edge of the front door was redone. In 1964 the house was shortened by 10 feet at the back wall. When I was there in 1959 if I understood correctly, the head beam above the original door had just been removed about six weeks earlier and the front door totally remodeled. In 1967 new rafters were installed in the roof.
See Appendix 4 for a sketch of the carving on the head beam. On the left hand side of the board was:
FRIE.DER.RICH.WIL.HELM.BRINCK
ANNA.MA.RI.E.IL.SE.BEIN.KARFS
On the right side was:
WO.GOTT.NICHT.SEL.BER.BAUT
DAS.HAUS.DA.RICHT.KEIN.NE.MUE
WAS.AUS
1798
The right side translates "Except God Build the House they labor in vain that build it."
Between the two inscriptions was carved four bell shaped flowers on one stem. The dots (.) indicate syllables and not separate words. Therefore, his name was Friederrich Wilhelm Brinck, and hers was Anna Marie Ilsebein Karfs. In old German the name was always spelled with the added "c". The Brinks at Eicksen #6, however, even in the 1700's spelled it without the "c". That leaves one a bit confused to find Brinck spelled with the "c" in 1798 when the house was built. Also, Friederrich is spelled with two "r's". The church records show only one.
In 1947 a small, old bread baking house which sat on the left side of the house was torn down. See Appendix 5 for a picture. See chapter 16 in the book by Minnie Brink Ludwig for a description of how the old bake houses were built and used. Appendix 6 is a view of the back of the Brink home and appendix 7 is the front of the home. Appendix 8 shows Heinz Bokemeyer leading a horse from the inside of their home.
Just a word about the house numbering in Eicksen. In the old days the Meier home was #1. However, today (approx. 1968) the postal system in Rothenuffeln which serves Eicksen changed the house numbers. Meier's number is now #37. Surprisingly, the Brink home remained #6. So both old and new numbers for the Brink, now Bokemeyer, home is #6. See appendix 9 for a picture of the home today.
In 1870 the Meier's had only daughters and no sons. When their third daughter, Sophie Louise Caroline, married Friedrich Hinrich (Meynert) Meinert, Eicksen #1 became the Meinert home and is the family name that still resides there today.
There are two beautifully carved chests and one large beautifully carved wardrobe in the Bokemeyers' main entry hall. The chests were left by the Brink family.
The first one is inscribed as follows:
MARIE ILSABET GRANDEMANS
ANNO 1735
This chest was from the same Grandemans family as Margret's stepfather, Heinrich Grannemann and which in turn belonged to the Brinks. At that time this family lived in the Nordhemmern district but today they live in the Hille, Brennhorster #143 area.
The second chest was inscribed with:
AN.IL.SCHE.ROML.FINGES.AN 1747
ANGOTTES.SEGGEN. ISTALLES.GELEGGEN.AMEN
The second line translates "Everything is kept in God's Blessing".
They had to abbreviate some of the names and again the dots are for syllables and not words. It reads ANNA ILSEBEIN SCHARLOTTE ROMLFINGES. The last name was undoubtedly misspelled. It should be Rohlfinges. This was confirmed by Heinz Bokemeyer, the current owner. In the seventies, Heinz said the two chests were probably worth about $1,800 each.
The wardrobe chest came from Eicksen #1, probably when Anna Sophie Dorthea Maria Ilsebein Meier’s great-niece, Caroline Sophie Louise Meier, married Karl Ernst Fredrich Bokemeyer, and they purchased the Brink home in 1845. Caroline was the daughter of Anna’s sister, Sophie Louise. Karl Bokemeyer was Heinz’s great-grandfather. Heinz mentioned that the wardrobe was worth at least $2,000 in the 1970’s. See Appendix 10, 11, and 12 for sketches and pictures of these three pieces of furniture.
The Brinks were members of the Bergkirchen Lutheran Church. The history of the church is quite interesting and we thought it was appropriate here.
BERG KIRCHE, WESTPHALEN
Berg Kirche, in northwest Germany is in the present province of Westphalia. It stands on the crest of a ridge commanding a vast panorama of the Weser River Valley. The original structure was built as a result of Charlemagne's "Cross and Sword" Campaign in old Saxony. It was here that paganism held out longer than in any of the neighboring provinces. Bonifuss of England and a group of Irish monks had succeeded in Christianizing most of Germany except this strong willed ancestral tribe of ours. (There is no relationship between old Saxony and the present German province by the same name.)
In 779, Charlemagne, King of the Holy Western Empire, met Pope Lee the Third in Anahen (Aix la Chapelle) where he had come from Rome on a special mission to place the Papal hand on Charlemagne's great new cathedral there. The one in Minden and also in Berg Kirche had been recently completed, so being an opportunist, the King brought the Pope north with him to dedicate and bestow special blessings on these two churches also. A signal honor through coincidence no doubt.
During the early 14th century the church was rebuilt as it stands today. Portions of the massive walls of the original church form it's basic structure. The nave is approximately 120 feet long and about 60 feet wide. There is a small square narthex below the bell tower under which burial space was reserved for a privileged few. The slabs, with epitaphs, are so worn down however, by the shuffling of centuries of communicants, that they are not for the most part legible. Through the center, the stones are worn down some six to eight inches. The pulpit, built high above the church pews, is about half way down along the south wall.
The dedication of the rebuilt Kirche was again honored by the presence of the Pope. This happened during the period of Continental History when there was great controversy between Church and State over the civil powers of the Pope. History records the moving of the papel seat into France, where the Pope (probably Clement the 4th) traveled from one cathedral town to another until Phillip the Fair of France provided a permanent seat at Avignon. During this period of French residence the second dedication of Berg Kirche took place. So again the little church was privileged to receive a blessing which might never have transpired had the Pope been in far distant Rome.
During the Reformation the missionaries of Martin Luther reached into the Northern Provinces and the "Church of the Hill" became Protestant. It is still an active parish referred to as a Parochial Mother Church and now conducts it's services according to the creed of the Evangelical church. It is attended by villagers from both sides of the ridge for such special services as baptisms, weddings, funerals, holidays and mass confirmations, of which records show as many as 300 at one time. Each village (or Dorf) has it's own chapel for regular Sunday worship.
Legend has it that the origin of a spring, known as Wittikinds Well, and still to be found in front of the church, dates back to the founding of this parish seat. The conquest of Charlemagne is definitely linked with the story --- though, as in all legends, there are slight variations in some of the details. So after extensive research and comparisons of a number of versions, I have concluded the following:
King Wittikind (White Child, or Albino I presume) of old Saxony was approached by Charlemagne to renounce paganism and embrace Christianity. The King was troubled, so during his mental battle of indecision mounted his stead, rode to the top of the range and conferred with his pagan gods, but without any satisfaction. He was so lost in thought during his sojourn that he discovered he was also lost in fact and very thirsty, so he offered a prayer to this new God of Charlemagne for water, as well as a manifestation, to determine which course to take. Christianity or Paganism. He had but a few moments to wait because at that very instant his restless horse pawed the ground and from the rocks at his feet burst forth a sparkling freshet. Wittikind was convinced and chose this spot for the first Christian church in his kingdom. It remained Catholic until the reformation.
It was from old Saxony that the Anglo-Saxon invasion was launched in 499 A.D. It is a significant fact that the Westphalians of today are akin to the English in physique and coloring, (tall, blue eyed and blonde) as well as in their language. Their native tongue is a dialect known as low German, (being in the lowlands) which is almost pure Flemish with a smattering of English words and phrases. This may account for the fact that North Germans learn to speak English with ease and little accent in contrast to the heavy tongue of the Prussians and throaty R's of the South. See Appendix 13 for a map showing where Low German was spoken.
New Minden in Washington County, Illinois was settled by pioneers from the parish of Berg Kirche. Their church is patterned after the mother church in Germany and is built also of hand hewn native stone, fashioned into fortress like walls. It celebrated it's Centennial in 1947.
To reach Berg Kirch today, one must go via Minden and from there by Kleinbahn (narrow gauge) to either Rothnufeln or Sudhammern, through a picturesque countryside, far removed from crowded tourist routes. (This article was written in 1979, and the directions would be much different today.)
Written by Ruth Watts for the 1979 Washington County History book.
We have in our possession, an English translation of the German history provided by the Bergkirchen Church. It is very similar to the above article.
Appendixes 14, 15, and 16 show views of Bergkirchen.
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1753 - 1816 (62 years)