Jurgen & Poppe Helene Richardsen

RICHARDSEN FREDERICKSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/14/2010 at 00:20:12

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Jurgen and Poppe Helene (Fredericksen) Richardsen
By Marian (Richardson) Becker

Jurgen Richardsen ‘Jerry’ was the first child of Christian and Ester Maria (Petersen) Richardsen, born September 5, 1834 in Gotteskoog, near Niebull, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The parents had an Inn and a small farm.

Jurgen’s mother, Ester Maria, was the daughter of Jurgen Peterson of Klausbull, in North Germany.

The children of Christian and Ester Maria were: Jurgen, Gynke, Dorothea, Catharina, Maria, Jesse, Lorenz, Juliane, and Juliane Maria.

The Richardsens, paternal ancestors of Jurgen were among the first settlers in this Gotteskoog area, in the Mid-1600’s. They were North Frisians. On records their name Richardsen was spelled Rickertsen, Rikkertsen, Richardsen and in America, it was Richardson.

To continue with Jurgen’s paternal ancestors: his parents, Christian, born 1815, married Ester Maria Petersen. His grandparents were: Jurgen Rickertsen, born 1777 and married to Catharina Maria Jannsen. The great grandparents were: Christian Rikkertsen, born 1743, married to Martha Haagen. The great, great, grandparents were Rickert Rikkertsen, born 1704 and married to Ingeburg Fedders. All of this line was born and lived in the Gotteskoog area.

At this time, Denmark ruled the area and the North Sea Islands. Years later it was ruled by Germany. That is why the people were often called ‘Danes’ or Germans’.

Poppe Helene Fredericksen was born August 16, 1834 at Christian Albrech-Koog, near Gooteskoog. On July 6, 1866, Jurgen married Poppe Helene.

Hoping to find a better way of life, Jurgen and Poppe Helene emigrated to the USA in 1871. They found land to homestead east of Climbing Hill in Wolf Creek Township, Woodbury County, Iowa.

Their first child, Christian, was born September 21, 1869, in Gotteskoog, Germany and died in their new homeland, Iowa, January 4, 1874, of smallpox.

Their second child, Agnes Emily, was born June 15, 1872. The third child, Emily, was born February 18, 1874 and died July 6, 1874.

Their daughter, Agnes Emily, married August Ferdinand ‘Fern’ Tabke about 1889. They had five children: Ernest Julius, born December 19, 1890; died March 31, 1973. He never married. Mae, born 1893, married John Hough and had two sons and one daughter. Nora was born 1895, married Charles Yanacheak and had two sons, Frank and Cleo. Laura born May 23, 1898, and died May 8, 1975, married Henry R Driessen. Agnes F, born June 15, 1899. It was at this time the young mother, Agnes Emily, died. The father, ‘Fern’, later remarried.

Jurgen’s brother, Jesse, came to America in 1872 and stayed in New Jersey, two years before going west to Woodbury County, Iowa. Jesse’s homestead was just south of Jurgen’s farm.

Jurgen died January 29, 1910 and Poppe Helene died March 26, 1916. They and their children are all buried in the cemetery at Climbing Hill, Iowa.