Henry (Heinrick) Frederick Badker

BADKER, PRICE, AHRENS, BODKER, RUSS, BUELL, MEYER, OSTRANDER, CAROTHERS, GILBERT, POLLOCK, EDGREN

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 10/15/2011 at 07:43:55

Henry (Heinrich) Frederick Badker was born either April 1842 or April 11, 1843 at Mecklenburg, Vorpommern, Germany. Records found at the Butler County, Iowa, courthouse, Allison, IA, state Henry's nationality as German - his place of birth Michlinburs (Michlenberg). Also found birth records for three children: Frankie, Emma and Oscar. The surname is spelled different ways: Bodker, Boetker, Beadker, Baetker, Badaker, and Biadker but Badker became the surname most descendants chose to use.

Henry married Ida Marie Francis Price (Pruess) in Germany and they emigrated in 1873 (according to 1900 and 1920 censuses) with a son, Henry William and daughter, Ida Marie. They settled on a farm in Pittsford township, Butler County, Iowa northwest of Dumont, Iowa probably because Ida's mother's relatives, Henry Ahrens, had already emigrated and settled in the area. Henry worked on the farm for the Ahrens family.

Henry died December 14, 1922, the death certificate filed at Allison, IA was entered as: H.F. Badker; White Male; Age-80 years, 10 months and 4 days. He was married; the physician at his death was J.F. Russ; (his son-in-law) and the undertaker was in Blue Earth, Minnesota. Henry Frederick was living at Blue Earth, Minnesota at his daughter, Augusta's home at the time of his death and was brought to Butler County, Iowa for burial.

Henry, wife Ida, and Minney (Wilhelmina, an 11 year old daughter) are buried in the Harlan Cemetery at Pittsford Township, Butler County, Iowa. The cemetery is located one mile north and two miles west of Dumont, Butler Co., Iowa. Their stones are in the southwest corner, lot A83. The larger stone is engraved Henry & Ida Badker. Minney's stone is older with the last name spelled "Baedker".

Obituary found in "The Iowa Recorder" Greene, Iowa, December 20, 1922:
Mr. Henry F. Badker, a former resident of the vicinity, died at Blue Earth, Minnesota, last Thursday and the funeral party arrived here Friday night, the body being taken to the funeral rooms of Undertaker Martin and the relatives went to the homes of their cousins, James and Theodore Ahrens. The following morning, at ten o'clock, a brief service was conducted by Rev. Braunemeier and interment made in Harlan cemetery, Pittsford Township, Butler county, IA. by the side of the body of a daughter, who died several years ago.

Mecklenburg (Michlenburs) Germany was a large region (grand Duchy) which was not incorporated into the federal state until around 1870 and not into Germany proper until 1934. Not until 1820 was serfdom annulled, you still had to ask the masters of the land for permission to move, or marry, or change professions. Over a third of the people from 1820 to 1890 - 261,000 left legally.....146,000 overseas usually through Hamburg, Germany. Rostock, Schwerin, and Neubrandenburg are the major cities of Mecklenburg, Germany.

Found an 1867 census in German records for a Heinrich Bädcker but am not 100% sure it is for this man. Details: Birth Year: 1842; Gender: männlich (Male); Status or Occupation: Schneider Meister; Relationship: Haushaltsvorstand (Head); Mother's Name: Cathrine Bädcker; Place: Tessin; District Office: Domanialamt Boizenburg; Roll: 14841 Line: 1. Household Members: Name Age Heinrich Bädcker 25; Cathrine Bädcker 53 (mother); Maria Buck 35; Wilhelmine Bädcker 21.

Found Henry and Ida and family in the 1880, 1885 censuses at Pittsford Township, Butler County, Iowa. Henry is farming.
1880: Henry Baedker 38, Edith (Ida) Baedker 30, Henry Baedker 11, Edith (Ida) Baedker 8, Minnie (Wilhelmina) Baedker 6, Augusta Baedker 4, Wilhelm (William) Baedker 2, Frank Baedker 1m. 1885: Henry Badker 43, Ida Beadker 35, Henry Beadker 15, Ida Beadker 12, Augusta Beadker 8, William Beadker 4, Frank Beadker 4, Enna (Emma) Beadker 2.

Found in the 1900 census at Linden, Winnebago County, IA: H F Boatker 58, Ida Boatker 51, Willie Boatker 21, Frank Boatker 19, Emma Boatker 16, Cora Boatker 14, Iona Boatker 7 . Emigrated 1873, Married 33 years - 1867. Farming a rented farm.

Found in the 1905 census at Foxhome, Wilkin County, Minnesota: H F Badker with his wife Ida and 2 daughters, Ione and Cora.

Found in the 1910, 1915 censuses at Garner, Concord, Hancock, IA. General farm laborer is his occupation. Religion: German Methodist. Henry F Bodker 67, Ida Bodker 61, Anna (Emma) Bodker 27, Cora Bodker 24, Ione Bodker 17. 1915: Henry is 76 years old.

Found in the 1920 census at Garner, Hancock, IA. Henry is 77, Ida is 70; they rent their home; says emigrated 1873; naturalized 1878.

Their children were:
Henry William Botker (born April 1869 Mecklenberg, Germany, emigrated 1873, married Sophia Meyer 1894 Iowa, later married a Theresa, died May 24, 1919 Nicollet, Minnesota);

Ida Marie (born February 5, 1871 Mecklenburg, Germany, emigrated 1873, married William Grant Ostrander December 10, 1890 Iowa, died August 7, 1937 Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa);

Wilhelmina (born December 28, 1873 Pittsford, Butler, IA., died August 27, 1884 Pittsford, Butler, IA);

Augusta Maria (born January 28, 1876 Merservey, Cerro Gordo, IA, married John Frederick Russ January 23, 1895 Buffalo Center, Winnebago, IA, died March 24, 1961 Blue Earth, Faribault, MN.);

William Frederick (born March 7, Pittsford, Butler, Iowa, married Rosella Jane Carothers May 7, 1901 Garner, Hancock, IA, died 1958 Iowa);

Frank Joseph (born May 23, 1880 Pittsford, Butler, Iowa, married Etta Martha Carothers June 10, 1904 Garner, Hancock, IA, died May 23, 1935 Renville, Minnesota);

Emma Marie (born June 23, 1882, Butler, IA, married James Alfred Gilbert June 23, 1920 Garner, Hancock, IA, died April 8, 1930 Garner, Hancock, IA);

Cora Martha (born May 14, 1885 Butler, IA, married Scott Tidrick Pollock March 13, 1913 Garner, Hancock, IA, died September 1976 Garner, Hancock, IA);

Oscar (born April 13, 1885 Butler, IA, died unknown but possibly before 1900); (Oscar and Cora's birthdates are too close together, Cora's may be in error.) and

Ione (born March 7, 1893 Butler, IA, married Adolph Herman Edgren 1925, died January 1978 Lake Bluff, Lake, Illinois.

Contributor's note: Information presented believed to be true but not all is documented. The censuses were transcribed as found, they do show some inaccurate spellings and other info. Two of Henry and Ida's sons married 2 Carothers' sisters, their children were "double cousins".