Rev. Peter Hellweg
and
Martha Danker family
Records from the family bible
What follows are images of selected pages of the Hellweg-Danker family bible, published in 1856, documenting some of the major events in the family's life. Judging by the handwriting and the color of the inks, these records were created by more than one person, but exactly who was responsible is not known. In a few instances it appears that someone has made corrections to the original entry.
Both German and English were used. For each page, I have included what I hope are faithful transcriptions, and in some cases, translations, of the documents. Immediately below each image is a link to a much larger version of the image which will allow you to evaluate the text yourself.
These documents were graciously provided by John H. & Hilde Hellweg.
Marriage Records
family record.
Marriages.
Peter Hellweg |
Martha von 1 Danker |
den 12ten November |
1841. Marietta Ohio |
Gebohren den 13ten März |
Gebohren den im21 November |
1817. Asszel Königreich Han- |
1822 Ammt Ottersberg |
nover Wiedergeboren |
Königreich Hannover |
1842 |
|
Neujahr |
|
Nacht |
|
Charles A. Hillweg 2 |
A. E. Hastings 3 |
Jan 1 — 1878 |
Chicago Ills |
Muscatine Io |
Thorald Canada |
June 26 — 1856 |
May 1st 1858 |
Notes to the Hillweg-Hastings Marriage
-
In the digital image from which this transcription was made, it appears that certain words and phrases were written in a hand or with a instrument that is different from the majority of the entries. I have indicated these differences with a font of a lighter tone.
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Charles Augustus or August Hillweg was born on 26 June 1856 at Muscatine, Iowa, the eighth child born to Peter and Martha Hellweg. Throughout his adult life he chose to spell his surname Hillweg. There was a feeling among some in the family, especially as they became more distant from their German language roots, that spelling the family name Hell... might give offence in some circles.
According to the published register of the German Methodist Episcopal Church at Muscatine, Iowa, Charles was baptized on 20 July 1856 by H. Fiegenbaum. This is almost certainly a reference to Rev. Heinrich Hermann Fiegenbaum. At the time he was a Presiding Elder in the German Methodist Episcopal Church, serving an area that stretched from Galena, Illinois, where he was probably residing, to St. Paul, Minnesota.
In 1878, the same year as his marriage, Charles A. Hillweg graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College, at Chicago, Illinois, after completing a course of study in homeopathic medicine.
Also in 1878, Rev. Heinrich Rudolph Fiegenbaum, Heinrich Hermann Fiegenbaum's younger brother, married a second time, to Maria Elisabeth Hellweg, Charle Hillwig's older sister.
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Anna Ella Hastings was born on 1 May 1858 at the village of Thorold, Ontario, Canada. Thorold is located on the Niagra Escarpment in southwestern Ontario, not far from St. Catherine's and Niagra Falls. Its growth over the years has been closely connected with the Welland Canal. The Canal is a portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway connecting Lakes Ontario and Erie, enabling ships to traverse the Escarpment and bypass Niagra Falls. Now a city, Thorold is the seat of the Regional Municipality of Niagara, in the Province of Ontario.
Translation of the Hellweg - Danker marriage record
Below is a translation of the 1st marriage record - for Peter Hellweg and Martha Danker.
family record.
Marriages.
Peter Hellweg |
Martha von Danker |
the 12th November |
1841. Marietta Ohio |
Born the 13th March |
Born the in21 November |
1817. Asszel Kingdom of Han- |
1822 Ammt Ottersberg |
nover 1 Born again 2 |
Kingdom of Hannover 3 |
1842 |
|
New Year's |
|
night |
Source: Rev. Peter Hellweg family bible (published in 1856), page of marriage records. Digital copy provided by John H. Hellweg.
Notes to the Translation
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Assel was a small village in the Duchy of Bremen, a holding of the Electors of Hanover from 1715.
During the Napoleonic era (1803–1815), the lands of the Electorate of Hanover (German: Kurfürstentum Hannover, or simply Kurhannover ), known formally as the Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg (German: Kurfürstentum Braunschweig und Lüneburg ) saw much turmoil. Territory was occupied by troops from Brandenburg-Prussia, from France, and from a British, Swedish and Russian coalition. In 1807, the Duchies of Bremen and Verden (German: Herzogtümer Bremen und Verden ) were absorbed into the Kingdom of Westphalia (French: Royaume de Westphalie; German: Königreich Westphalen ), a new political entity created by the French and ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte's youngest brother, Jérôme. In 1810, the region around Assel was restructured again and became part of the Département des Bouches de L'Elbe (German: Departement der Elbe-Mündung; English: Department of the Mouths of the Elbe), one of the the Hanseatic Departments of the First French Empire.
The Duchy of Bremen was returned to the Electorate of Hanover in 1813.
In 1814, the Congress of Vienna elevated the Electorate of Hanover to the Kingdom of Hanover (Königreich Hannover ). This was the state of affairs when Peter was born in 1817.
In 1823, the Duchy of Bremen was abolished and became part of Landdrostei Stade, an administrative district of the Kingdom of Hanover.
The Kingdom of Hanover was defeated in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866 and became a province in the Kingdom of Prussia.
In 1972, the communities of Assel and Hüll were united and now exist within the larger municipality of Drochtersen, in Landkreis (District) Stade, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany) - about 45 kilometers northwest of Hamburg.
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"Born again" is no doubt a reference to Peter Hellweg's conversion to the German Methodist Episcopal Church. According to a brief biographical sketch of his life published in 1913, Peter accompanied his wife, who was already a member of the church and the daughter of a Methodist pastor, to a Christmas Eve service. Peter was affected enough to step forward to the altar. It was the beginning of his life-long connection with the church.
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Ottersberg was a town in the Duchy of Bremen, south of Assel, and shared much the same political history as the small village where Peter Hellweg was born. Just like Assel, Ottersberg was also absorbed into the Kingdom of Westphalia (French: Royaume de Westphalie; German: Königreich Westphalen ) and in 1810 became one of the three Hanseatic départements of the First French Empire — Département des Bouches du Weser (German: Departement der Weser-Mündungen; English: Department of the Mouths of the Weser ). At the end of the Napoleonic wars, Ottersberg also found itself part of the new Kingdom of Hanover, and in 1823, fell under the jurisdiction of Landdrostei Stade. In 1866, the Kingdom of Hannover was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia and became part of the Province of Hannover (Provinz Hannover ). Ottersberg is now a municipality in Landkreis (District) Verden, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany); it is located about 28 kilometers east of Bremen.
Birth Records (in German)
The births of Peter and Martha Hellweg's children were recorded twice in the family bible, once in German and again in English. Images of both pages are presented here. A comparison of the two versions can be helpful in resolving some questions.
family record.
Births.
1. Anna Karoliena den 2t | |
October Abens 7 Uhr 1842 | Marietta Ohio |
2. Johann den 4ten | |
Deiember Abens 9 Uhr 1844 | Kierkask Caunty Iowa |
3. Georg Heinrich den 27ten | |
November Morgens 1 Uhr 1846 | Kierkask Caunty Iowa |
4. Aemilie und Lowiese d 25t | |
März Morgens 1 Uhr 1849 | Ven Buhren Caunty Iowa |
5. Maria Eliesabet den 21ten | |
October Abens 3 Uhr 1851. | Fräncklin Caunty Missury |
6. Hanna Gette den 28ten | |
Februar Abens 5 Uhr 1854 | Pettis Caunty Missury |
7. Charles den 26.ten | |
Juny Abens 2 Uhr 1856. | Muscatine Iowa |
8. Edward Wilhelm den 18th | |
May 1860 Mittag |
Some of the spelling on this page from the family bible is unconventional and appears as if it may be a phonetic rendition in German of spoken English. Below is a translation of these birth records.
I am not familiar with a Kierkask County, Iowa and am not sure what locale was being referred to by this word in the entries for children 2 and 3. Did someone mean Keokuk ? This might be suggested by the still unconventional but different spelling used in the English records of the births (see below).
One might also consider that on 1 January 1847, "Peter Hellweg, of Keokuck County, Iowa," was granted a federal land patent for 80 acres located in Section 15 of Township 75 North, Range 11 West of Keokuk County [consult the Bureau of Land Management web site — Iowa volume 197; page 454; document 13151].
Perhaps further research will reveal where the German Methodist Church had posted Rev. Peter Hellweg during these years and that will help to confirm the birth place of Johann and Georg Heinrich.
A Translation
This is a translation of the German language birth records.
family record.
Births.
1. Anna Karolina the 2nd | |
October 7:00 p.m. 1842 | Marietta Ohio |
2. Johann the 4th | |
December 9:00 p.m. 1844 | Kierkask County Iowa |
3. Georg Heinrich the 27th | |
November 1:00 a.m. 1846 | Kierkask County Iowa |
4. Aemilie and Louise the 25th | |
March 1:00 a.m. 1849 | Ven Buhren County Iowa |
5. Maria Eliesabet the 21st | |
October 3:00 p.m. 1851 | Franklin County Missouri |
6. Hanna Gette the 28th | |
February 5:00 p.m. 1854 | Pettis County Missouri |
7. Charles the 26th | |
June 2:00 p.m. 1856 | Muscatine Iowa |
8. Edward Wilhelm the 18th | |
May 1860 midday |
Source: Rev. Peter Hellweg family bible (published in 1856), page of birth records written in German. Digital copy provided by John H. Hellweg.
Birth Records (in English)
family record.
Births.
Anna Caroline Hillweg |
Born the 2nd of October 1842 |
John the 4th of December |
Marietta Ohio |
1844 Keokaik County Iowa |
|
George Henry the 27th |
Novenber 1846 Kier Co Iowa |
Amelia and Louise the |
25 th March 1849 |
Mary Elisabeth 21st October |
Van Buhren Co Iowa |
1851 Franklin Co Missouriy |
|
Henrietta the 28 February 1854 |
Pettis Co Missouri |
Charles the 26 th June 1856 |
Muscatine Iowa |
Edward William the |
18th of May 1860 |
Rock Island Ill |
|
Born to Mrs. and Mr. |
C.A. Hillweg |
M. Irene Sat. June 12 — 1880 |
West Bend Wis. 9.14 P.M. |
M. U. Charles Wed. Dec. 31 — 1884 |
" " " 10.30 P M. |
Isabelle Aileen Wed. 3/12/90 |
Corning Iowa 10 30 A. M. |
Source: Rev. Peter Hellweg family bible (published in 1856), page of birth records written in German. Digital copy provided by John H. Hellweg.
Death Records
family record. |
|
Deaths. |
|
1. Aemile den 28ten Deiemb 1851 |
2 Jahr 9 M 3 Tage St. Joseph Mo= |
Georg Heinrich den31t März. 1865 |
18 Jahr 4 Mo 4 " Sherrlls Mount Dub Co |
Anna Caroline Died Aug 27 |
th 1884. Grand Meadow Minn. |
M. Irene Sat. Jan. 19 — |
1889 – 8 yrs. - 7 mos — 7 days at . |
A Translation
This is an English version of the first two death records.
family record.
Deaths.
1. Aemile the 28th of December 1851 |
2 years 9 m[onths] 3 days St. Joseph Mo= |
Georg Heinrich the 31st March. 1865 |
18 years 4 mo[nths] 4 days Sherrlls Mount Dub Co |
Anna Caroline Died Aug 27 |
th 1884. Grand Meadow Minn. |
Source: Rev. Peter Hellweg family bible (published in 1856), page of death records written in German & English. Digital copy provided by John H. Hellweg.
Brief Genealogy
Peter Hellweg's family
Peter was born in Assel, Duchy of Bremen (later a part of the Kingdom of Hannover). I currently have no additional information about his birth family. The family surname has a variety of spellings in the source materials: Helweg, Hellweg, Helwig, Hellwig, Hillweg. I believe Hellweg was the spelling used by Peter. As an adult, his son, Charles A., preferred Hillweg.
Martha Danker's family
Martha was born in Amt Ottersberg, Duchy of Bremen (later a part of the Kingdom of Hannover). She was reported to be the daughter of Rev. George Danker, a pastor in the German Methodist Episcopal Church. I currently have no additional information about Martha's birth family.