Gerhard Heinrich "George" Kennebeck, 1894

KENNEBECK, KERNEBECK, HOFFMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 8/1/2004 at 12:41:14

I translated the following obituary from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. The obituary was originally published on Friday, 23 February 1894. I have not changed the name or place spellings, and have added some information in brackets and notes at the end. It reads as follows:

George Kennebeck

Today, we have the sad duty to report the passing away of one of the most respected German-Americans of Carroll County, the old “Vater” George Kennebeck. He died Tuesday evening at 5:30 following a short illness, surrounded by his children and friends. In spite of his old age, the deceased enjoyed good health until two days before his death. Between Sunday and Monday, the old gentleman suffered a stroke which left his right side completely paralyzed, and since then, he had been unable to give any indication that he retained any understanding. He had only a short battle, and then on the following day, he gave up the ghost.

The deceased was born in Eppe [Epe], district of Münster [Muenster], Germany. He left Germany with his family in 1851, and settled in Johnsburg, McHenry County, Illinois. After his true Christian marriage had been blessed with six children, he suffered a hard blow from fate through the tragic death of his life’s companion. From then on, he lived only for the well-being of his children. He decided to move westward, and he set out 22 years ago and settled here in Roselle, Carroll County. After he was satisfied that that his children were provided for, he retired a few years ago and moved last fall to Carroll.

As mentioned above, the deceased leaves six children who mourn the death of the best of fathers, and of which J. W. Kennebeck, our County Clerk, is the oldest son, and then follow Heinrich, George and Bernhard. The daughters are Mrs. Lorenz Hoffmann of Willey, and Mrs. George Hoffmann of Worthington, Minnesota.

The earthly remains were taken to Roselle this morning at 9:00, where at 11:00 the funeral will be conducted by the Rev. Father Frey, and the deceased will be buried at the Catholic cemetery at Hillsdale, where the family has a burial plot.

Our deepest sympathies to the survivors.

NOTES: The deceased was born Gerhard Heinrich “Kernebeck” on or about 11 February 1821 in Epe, Germany. His parents were Johann Gerhard Kernebeck and Anna Margaretha Helling. He arrived in New Orleans on the ship “Louisiana” on 19 May 1851. The next passenger on the ship’s list was Anna Catharina Hommel. It is not known if they knew each other previously, and she was apparently not born in Epe. They traveled up the Mississippi River, and were married about three weeks later, on 10 June 1851, at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in St. Louis, Missouri. They then moved to McHenry County, Illinois where they farmed just south of Pistaka Lake, and were members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Johnsburg. Nearby were the farms of John and Bernard Kennebeck, possibly cousins or uncles who had come over earlier. At some point, for reasons unknown, the family name “Kernebeck” became “Kennebeck.” Gerhard was also known as “George.” The couple had a total of nine children, three of whom died in childhood in Illinois. Anna Catharina died in 1870, and George and the remaining children moved to Roselle Township, Carroll County, Iowa probably, around 1872. At that time, he contracted with the Iowa Rail Road Land Company to buy 80 acres in section 23 for a total of $520, or $6.50 per acre. George and his son John W. are listed as members of Holy Angels, the first Catholic parish in Roselle in 1874.