Christian & Magdelina Wehde

Date unknown, but before 1918. Christian was born 31 May 1845 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. He died 15 March 1918 in Holstein, Ida Co., Iowa. His wife Magdelena (Rohr) Whede was born 7 Mar 1841 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and died 1 Aug 1922 in Holstein, Ida Co., Iowa.

Wehde Family Abt. 1888

Photo Circ 1888.  L-R Back Row: Henry Wehde, John Fred Wehde, Louise Garbers, Dora Kuehl, William Wehde, Gus Wehde.  L-R Front Row: Christian Wehde, Magdelena Wehde, Fred Wehde

William Wehde served as mayor of Holstein for two years. Thanks to Marilyn Dose of the Ida County, Iowa Gen Web. The photo above is from the “Holstein Centennial Book 1882-1982”. (No longer in print) Here’s a link to the Ida County Iowa Gen Web. Much more information is available there. LINK

Christian Wehde’s Will

Names his wife and six surviving children. It was made on the 14th of March. One day before he died.

How the Wehde’s came to America

History of the Wehdes written by Gladys Raabe. LINK

Source: “Holstein Centennial Book 1882-1982”

The Schleswig Wars

Here’s some good information about the Schleswig Wars they were trying to avoid.  LINK

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN Research 

If you want to do any research into their origins, you’ll need to start here. Access to German records usually requires a fee. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can quickly get expensive.  Klaus Struve at Rootsdigger is a genealogist in Schleswig-Holstein. I emailed him about the Wehde’s listed on his site and he sent a response that I’ve edited below. He’s been very highly recommended from a variety of sources I’ve had contact with. He knows what to look for, has very reasonable prices and can translate the findings.

Here’s a link to his site: http://www.rootdigger.de/

Wehde’s in Germany 

Almost every male listed below is accused of not showing for military service and of leaving the country without the required permit.  A couple of things need to be pointed out. 

1) The date the accusation was made does not mean that the emigration was in that year. They may have emigrated years earlier. 

2) It means exactly what it says: there was an accusation in that year. Accusing someone and trying him could be done without that person being present.

KEY to symbols in the info below

* = born in
~ = born about
¥ = married with
sof = son of
dof = daughter of

Wehde, Johann Friedrich
He emigrated to Holstein, Iowa, in the early 1890 ‘s as a widower with his son Christian and his family.

¥ Nebendahl, Christina Dorothea (†).USA
Wehde, Wilhelm (Wilhelm Friedrich)* 1848, 30 Jan.

sof Johann Friedrich ¥ Auguste Dorothea née Nehmdahl.
Accused of not showing for military service and of leaving the country without the required permit. Siblings in America : Detlef Bernhard and Johann.USA

Wehde, Detlef Bernhard              ~ 1856
sof Johann Friedrich ¥ Auguste Dorothea née Nehmdahl. Siblings in America : Wilhelm and Johann.USA

Wehde, Detlef Georg                       * 1855 21 June
sof Johann Friedrich ¥ Christina Dorothea née Nebendahl. Accused (in 1878) of illegal emigration or of not showing for military service. USA

Wehde, Johann                                * 1852 15 Nov
sof Johann Friedrich ¥ Auguste Dorothea née Nehmdahl. Siblings in America : Detlef Bernhard and Wilhelm.

Wehde, Christian                      * 1845 31 May
sof Johann Friedrich ¥ Christina Dorothea née Nebendahl.

¥ Rohr, Magdalena.

Wehde, Dorothea Louise            * 1865 13 Jan.
dof Christian * 1845 ¥ Magdalena née Rohr. Several siblings and her parents in the USA.

NOTE: Man below is the brother William that was married at the same time as John. According to Leona, he also “helped Mother with the family, while Dad went with livestock train, lay over in Sioux City”

Wehde, Johann Detlef Wilhelm   * 1867 21 May
sof Christian * 1845 ¥ Magdalena née Rohr. Premarital. Several siblings and his parents in the USA. Accused (in 1892) of leaving the country without a permit for emigration and of not showing for military service.USA

NOTE: Man below is Leona’s father John Fred Wehde.

Wehde, Johann Friedrich             * 1872 13 Dec
sof Christian * 1845 ¥ Magdalena née Rohr. Accused (in 1893) of not showing for military service and of leaving the country without the required permit. Several siblings and his parents settled in the USA.

Wehde, Carl Heinrich                      * 1875 16 Mar
sof Christian * 1845 ¥ Magdalena née Rohr. Several siblings and his parents in the USA.

Wehde, Elise Dorothea            * 1877 29 June
dof Christian * 1845 ¥ Magdalena née Rohr. Several siblings and her parents in the USA.

Wehde, Gustav Detlef                     * 1880 20 July
sof Christian * 1845 ¥ Magdalena née Rohr. Several siblings and his parents in the USA.

Notes From Klaus:

Nehmdal / Nebendahl = same name.
Auguste Dorothea vs. Christina Dorothea: if she went by Dorothea, who would care for her other given name? But it happened quite often that a widower married his deceased wife’s sister. Needs to be checked.
This seems to be the same family, 3 generations.

Five WEHDE Women 

5 Wehde women. Date unknown.

They’re named on the back of the photo. From left: Gus Wehde’s Wife (her name was Anna Christophersen), Dora Kuehl (maiden name Wehde), Emma Wehde, Aunt Martha (Martha Bremer – she was married to William Wehde), Aunt Anne (Anna Will – She was married to Fredrick H. Wehde).

Two Grooms Wedding Photo

John is seated lower left and is wearing the same suit as his wedding photo. It looks like brother William is seated next to him. They are both holding papers. Perhaps their marriage certificates? I’m speculating that the men standing behind them are the best men.

 

John & Emma Family Portraits

Wehde Ford Fleet 1925

Alma’s husband “Harold Jacob Jurgensen” submitted the photo at left for something about Renner area history. They misspelled Harold’s last name, but the source of the image is the May 1925 Ford Pictorial magazine. Emma in the middle and John standing next to the car on the far right.  The 1919 ad shows that he almost owned the entire line of Ford vehicles!

 

Edna & Albert Bremer 1930

Edna Wehde married Albert Bremer in Minnehaha, South Dakota on 23 Dec 1930. Here’s the record of Marriage.  LINK

Edna and Albert Bremer family history. Don’t know who wrote it.  LINK

Source: “Holstein Centennial Book 1882-1982”

Hulda & Bill Walker 1932

Hulda Irene Wehde married William James Walker in Union County, South Dakota on 7 Jul 1932. Above is their Wedding photo. Here’s the record of Marriage.  LINK

Bill and Hulda Walker family history written by William Bayer.  LINK

Source: “Holstein Centennial Book 1882-1982”

1957 Article

Here’s an old 1957 article that’s interesting. The old newspapers had a lot of “Local Happenings” sections that were early social networks. They were like a print version of “Facebook”.  The article linked below is a short list of “Who Came to Dinner at the Bremer’s”.  It’s interesting to note that everyone listed is a Wehde. Mrs. Bremer was Edna Wehde, Mrs. Jurgensen was Alma Wehde, and Mrs. Ericksen was Leona Wehde. LINK

Source: Newspaper “Pioneer Record” 10 Oct 1957, pg. 10

Emma’s Family (Andresen)

Leona’s mother was born Emma Andresen on Feb. 26, 1880 in Holstein, Iowa. Here’s the William and Doris Andresen family history written by Bonnie Andresen. LINK

Source: “Holstein Centennial Book 1882-1982”

Here’s William Andresen’s Obit. They put him in the front yard. Wonder if he’s still there?  

H. H. Andresen

William’s father was H. H. Andresen. Here’s some photos of his home in Davenport, Iowa.

The home has seen better days.. It sold for $25,900 in 2011. The current owner is in the process of restoring it. Here’s a website with interior & exterior views. LINK

Here’s a biography of him from

“History of Scott County, Iowa 1882“

H. H. Andresen, cashier of the German Savings Bank, was born in Scheiswig-Holstein, Germany, in December, 1826. He was there reared and educated, and during the war against Denmark was in the military service, from the first battle to the last. He came to America as a refugee in the fall of 1851, and located first in Milwaukee, where he taught school one winter. In the spring of 1852 he went to Chicago, and secured employment in the office of a land agency; afterward conducted a real estate business on his own account from 1854 and 1855. The latter year he came to Davenport and engaged in the general mercantile business; he sold out in 1859, and in 1860 he was appointed deputy sheriff under James Thorington; he went to Fort Scott, Kan., in 1862 to take charge of a fort settlership under Mr. Thorington’s supervision; he returned to Davenport in 1864. In 1865 he started a window blind factory, which he ran for a number of years; meantime, in the fall of 1868, he was elected secretary of the Davenport Fire Insurance Company. During his administration in this institution the concern was successful in restoring former losses, and while thus employed, was chief mover in establishing the German Savings Bank, and the two were run in harmony, the stockholders in the insurance company becoming stockholders in the bank. The insurance company was wound up in 1874. For a number of years Mr. Andresen had the active supervision of the three enterprises, which involved great labor and responsibilities. Since that date has had sole active charge of the bank, which is one of the most ably managed financial institutions in the West, and has been exceptionally prosperous. Mr. Andresen was elected alderman from the second ward three times, and served in 1859-’60, and in 1864 until 1868. While serving in this capacity he was elected chairman of the finance committee, and as such instituted a system of bookkeeping for the city offices which is still in vogue. Mr. Andresen returned to Europe in 1854 and there married Mary A. Thompson in May of that year. They have a family of two sons and three daughters. The youngest son is a clerk in the bank, the other is a farmer in Ida Co., Iowa. In his political views Mr. Andresen is Republican.

Early Emma Photos?

Photo One: Unknown Child. I believe this is Emma Apprx. 1884. LINK

Photo Two:  Swingers. I believe this is Emma Apprx. 1892-1894. Emma only had one sister. Who are the other women? LINK

Photo Three:  Emma’s 1900 Wedding Photo. LINK

Speculation: The three images above belonged to Leona. Far right is the only identified photo. Are the photos at left younger photos of Emma? They certainly look like the same person to me. Here’s links to the originals. 

Erickson/Wehde Picnic July 4, 1949

Left to right back row: 1. Gerry Lofgren • 2. Ole Stensing (family Friend) • 3. John Clifford Erickson  • 4. Jim Lofgren • 5. Jessie (Jess) Austin Herrington (Married too Jim Lofgren’s Sister Selma) • 6. Peter Erickson  • 7. Sivert Erickson • 8. Evelyn Erickson • 9. Selma Caroline Herrington (went by the nickname Sam and was Jim Lofgren’s Sister) • 10. Jim Lofgren • 11. Gertie Lofgren • 12. Martha Bremer • 13. Alma Jurgensen • 14. Emma Wehde • 15. Unknown • 16. Deloris Jurgensen • 17. Maurice Erickson

Left to right front row: (kids) 18.Oliver Erickson • 19. Arthur Erickson • 20. Dennis Erickson • 21. John Albert Erickson • 22. Larry Dean Erickson • 23. Karen (Erickson) Schmidt  • 24. Shirley Jurgensen  

photos from Harold Wehde’s granddaughter