Fern Falkenstein

Notes:

Obituary
Sturgis Journal
Posted Sep 17, 2008

Dundee ? Fern E. Bengelsdorf, 75 of Dundee, Mich., died Monday, Sept. 15, 2008, at Mercy Memorial Hospital in Monroe after a 15-month bout with breast cancer.

Born Oct. 9, 1932, in Sturgis, Mich., she was a daughter of John and Nina (Buchholz) Falkenstein.
She was married to Robert C. Bengelsdorf on March 14, 1953, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sturgis by Rev. Herbert Heidenreich.

Fern was a homemaker; a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Monroe, where she was a Sunday School teacher for 30 years; a former volunteer at the Lutheran Home in Monroe, and a 1950 graduate of Sturgis High School.

Surviving are: her husband, Robert of Dundee; a son, Steve Bengelsdorf of Monroe; a daughter, Jayne (Rob) Williams of Katy, Texas; a brother, George Falkenstein of Canton, Ga.; and three grandchildren, Bryan, Jeffrey and Michael Williams.

She is preceded in death by her parents and a son, Douglas Bengelsdorf.

Friends may call from 1? 9 p.m. today at the Rupp Funeral Home, Monroe. She will lie in state from 10 a.m. Thursday until services at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, Monroe. Rev. Stanley AuBuchon, Pastor, will officiate. Burial will follow in Maple Grove Cemetery, Dundee, Mich.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, Monroe or the Lutheran Home, Monroe.

http://www.sturgisjournal.com/obituaries/x594211825/Fern-E-Bengelsdorf

Fern married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Douglas Bengelsdorf was born on 12 Mar 1958 in Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan; died on 9 Apr 1979 in Marquette, Marquette County, Michigan.
3. Living

Notes:

The son of William Falkenstein and Emma Mechlenberg.

John married Nina Buchholz on 1 Aug 1925 in Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan. Nina (daughter of John Buchholz and Augusta Henrietta Jesse) was born on 8 Oct 1899 in Burr Oak Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan; died on 24 Dec 1985 in Sturgis, St. Joseph County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Groom's Name: John W. Falkenstine
Groom's Race:
Groom's Age: 21 years
Groom's Birth Date: 1904
Groom's Birthplace: Sturgis, Mich.
Bride's Name: Nina Buchholz
Bride's Race:
Bride's Age: 25 years
Bride's Birth Date: 1900
Bride's Birthplace: Burr Oak, Mich.
Marriage Type:
Marriage Date: 01 Aug 1925
Marriage Place: Sturgis, St Joseph, Michigan
Groom's Father: Wm. Falkenstine
Groom's Mother: Emma Mecklenburg
Bride's Father: John Buchholz
Bride's Mother: Augusta Jesse
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband:
Film Number: 2342771
Frame Number:
Digital Folder Number: 4210009
Image Number: 134
Reference Number: v 9 rn 9769
Collection: Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925

Notes:

John Buchholz, Lifelong Area Resident, Dies

John Buchholz, 88, a resident of this area all his life, died at 3:40 AM Tuesday at Sturgis Memorial Hospital where he had been a patient since last Friday night. He had been in ill health for the last two years. The prominently known Burr Oak Township farmer was born near Sturgis, Michigan Nov. 1, 1866, a son of August and Mary (Kasdorf) Buchholz. He was married to Augusta Jesse Sept. 30, 1896 at her home in Sherman Township. Mr. Buchholz was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church. Surviving besides his wife at home is a son, Carl, and daughter, Mrs. John (Nina) Falkenstein, both of Sturgis, and a sister Mrs. Emma Meyers of Burr Oak, and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Friends may call at the Fogelsong Funeral Home until 10 am Thursday. Following that hour the body will lie in state at Trinity Lutheran Church where rites will be held at 2 pm Thursday with the Rev. Leland Lochhaas officiating. Burial services will take place at Oak Lawn Cemetery.

Name: John Buchholz
Gender: Male
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Death Date: 12 Jul 1955
Death Place: Centerville, St.Joseph Co., Mich.
Age: 88
Birth Date: 01 Nov 1866
Birthplace: Michigan
Occupation:
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Augusta Buchholz
Father's Name: August Buchholz
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Mary Kasdorf
Mother's Birthplace:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B01820-4
System Origin: Michigan-EASy
Source Film Number: 1940445
Reference Number: 254
Collection: Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995



(Research):

Census Listings:

1930 Census
Michigan, St. Joseph County, Burr Oak Township
Enumerated April 19, 1930
ED 15-2 SD 12 Sheet 6A
130-133
Meyers, John C Head M W 57 M 26 Mich Germay Germany Farmer
Meyers, Emma C Wf F W 59 M 28 Mich Germany Germany
Buchholz, Marry Mother-in-law F W 86 Wd Germany Germany Germany
131-134
Buchholz, John Head M W 63 M 29 Mich Germany Germany Farmer
Buchholz, Augusta Wf F W 59 M 26 Mich Germany Germany



(Medical):Other significant condition: Epithelium right face 1 year/Attending physician: H.R. Weisheit

John married Augusta Henrietta Jesse on 30 Sep 1896 in Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan. Augusta (daughter of George W. Jesse and Maria Johanna Elisabeth Klevsaat) was born on 14 Apr 1870 in Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan; died on 3 Oct 1966 in Centreville, St. Joseph County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

AUGUSTA BUCHHOLZ

Mrs. Augusta Buchholz, 96, an area resident all her life, died at 9:15 am Monday in Sturgis Memorial Hospital, after an illness of nearly four years. Mrs. Buchholz had been a Burr Oak Township resident for half a century, and, in recent years, had made her home with her daughter, Mrs. John (Nina) Falkenstein, 202 Susan Ave. She was born in Sherman Township, on Apr 14, 1870, a daughter of George and Marie (Klesert) Jesse. Her marriage to John Buchholz was solemnized September 30, 1896, in Burr Oak Township. He preceded her in death on July 12, 1955. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She had been confirmed in Salem Lutheran Church in Sherman Township. Surviving besides her daughter, Mrs. Falkenstein, of Sturgis, are four grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be held at 1:30 pm Thursday in Trinity Lutheran Church with the pastor, the Rev. J.M. Heidenreich, officiating. Interment will take place in Oak Lawn Cemetery. Friends may call at the Fogelsong Funeral Home until noon Thursday. Memorial donations, if desired, may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the Trinity Lutheran Church educational fund.

STURGIS DAILY JOURNAL Mon, Oct. 3, 1966

Name: Augusta Buchholz
Gender: Female
Burial Date:
Burial Place:
Death Date: 03 Oct 1966
Death Place: Centreville, St. Joseph, Michigan
Age: 96
Birth Date: 14 Apr 1870
Birthplace: Michigan
Occupation:
Race: White
Marital Status: Widowed
Spouse's Name:
Father's Name: George Jesse
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Marie Klesert
Mother's Birthplace:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B01995-7
System Origin: Michigan-EASy
Source Film Number: 1940926
Reference Number: P 407
Collection: Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995

Notes:

Also GESSE, GESS

George and his sister Anna Jesse came to America on the ship "Johannes" from Hamburg arriving in New York on November 27, 1857. He was 25 and she 17. Records show their destination to be Wisconsin, although they stayed in upstate New York for at least two years. Anna did move to Wisconsin, with George instead settling in Michigan. "Germans to America" shows they were coming from W?rttemberg. A copy of the actual handwritten manifest shows Mecklenburg. Both appear to be in error. The Hamburg Passenger List, FHL #470839, shows that the "Johannes" left Hamburg on 15 October 1857. On board were George Jesse, age 25, and Anna, age 17. They were shown as coming from Strelitz, Preussen. It appears this village was in the Kreis Kolmar, Posen. In 2003, this village is known as Strzelce, Powiet Chodziez, Poland.

Two years after their arrival in New York, Anna and George were both married, in an apparent double ceremony, by the Reverend Clute, pastor of a church in Byron, New York.

At the time of the 1860 New York Federal Census, it appears that George Gesse was living in the home of John and Phebe Taylor of Elba, Genesee County, New York. The Taylors real estate was valued at $26,000 and there were numerous servants and laborers living in their home. The date of this census was June 20, 1860. He was listed as George Gefse, age 26, Laborer, Germany. The Klesert family, their eldest daughter Marie already married to George, lived two households away.

On George's citizenship certificate, it is stated that he arrived in Michigan in January 1860. He must have arrived somewhat later than this as he was still in New York at the time of the census in June.

George became a citizen of the United States at age 36. On his citzenship certificate, he was listed as George Gesse, and he solemnly swore to his intention to become a Citizen of the United States, and to renounce for ever all allegience and fidelity to each and every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly the King William of Prussia of whom he had been a subject. This was subscribed and sworn on the 16th day of March, 1868 in the Circuit Court of St. Joseph County, Michigan.

At the time of the 1870 Michigan federal census, he was living nearby his in-laws, the Kleserts. He was enumerated on 8 July 1870 in Sherman Township, Post Office Sturgis.

On the birth certificates of his two youngest children, he is listed as George Gess, and his wife as Mary Gess. The death certificate for his son lists the last name as Gessee.

In a plat of Sherman Township ca 1880 supplied by Dorothy Williams, land belonging to G. Jess adjoins a larger parcel belonging to J. Klevsert.

The above biography was compiled by combining the notes of Dot Williams, Jo Peck, Fern Bengelsdorf, and Melinda Strong.

(Research):
Census Listings:

1870 Census
Michigan, St. Joseph County, Sherman Township, P.O. Sturgis
Enumerated 8 July 1870
#185-185
Gesse, George 38 Farmer $1,600 340 Prussia
Gesse, Mary 32 Keeping House Macklenburg
Gesse, Andrew 8 Michigan
Gesse, Anna 6 Michigan
Gesse, Minnie 4 Michigan
Gesse, Julia 2 Michigan
Gesse, Sophia 6/12 Michigan

On the birth certificates of his two youngest children, he is listed as George Gess, and his wife as Mary Gess. The death certificate for his son lists the last name as Gessee.

1880 Census
Census Place:Sherman, St. Joseph, Michigan
Source:FHL Film 1254603 National Archives Film T9-0603 Page 45 RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
George JESSE Self M M W 48 PRUS Occ:Farmer Fa: PRUS Mo: PRUS
Mary JESSE Wife F M W 42 MECK Occ:Keeping House Fa: MECK Mo: MECK
Andrew JESSE Son M S W 18 MI Occ:At Home Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK
Anna JESSE Dau F S W 17 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK
Minnie JESSE Dau F S W 14 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK
Julia JESSE Dau F S W 12 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK
Augusty JESSE Dau F S W 10 MI Fa: PRUS Mo: MECK

1900 Census
Michigan, St. Joseph County, Sherman Township
#119-120
Jesse, George Head W M Feb 1832 68 Widowed Germany Immigrated 1858 In US 42 years Naturalized Farmer R&W, Speaks English owns farm, free of mortgage
Oman, Julia Dtr W F Dec 1863 32 Wd 1 child, still living born MI parents born Germany
Oman, George Gson W M Oct 1896 Mich

George married Maria Johanna Elisabeth Klevsaat on 24 Nov 1859 in Byron, Genesee County, New York. Maria (daughter of Friedrich Christoph Ernst Klevsaat and Sophia Christinia Luise Prasht) was born before 6 Jan 1838 in Rosenow, Demmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; was christened on 6 Jan 1838 in Kastorf Parish, Rosenow, Demmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany; died on 18 Aug 1890 in Sherman Township, St. Joseph County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]