Our German Ancestors

I've known for sometime where our German ancestors came from and I know where the Heidelberg, Baden area is. But did all of our ancestors come from this area?

I pinned on a map the exact location (thanks to Google maps) where our ancestors came from.  (This is so much more accurate then my previous map attempts) I went through each individual line to gather this information.  Some of these lines go into the 1400s.  It was surprising that most of our ancestors stayed in the same area for many generations and some moved around a bit.

The cluster of stars is the Baden area.  This area was also known as Württemberg.  Württemberg, once a Duchy within the Holy Roman Empire, in 1806 became the Kingdom with the break-up of empire. This was during the reign of Frederick I of Württemberg. In 1918 it became a republic called the Free People's State of Württemberg.

After World War II, Württemberg was divided between the United States and French occupation zones and became part of two new states: Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern. After the Federal Republic of Germany was formed in 1949, these two states merged with Baden in 1952 to become the modern German state of Baden-Württemberg.

Württemberg, shown within the German Empire (1871–1918)

Baden-Württemberg, shown in modern Germany.

I've written about Württemberg before with the Scheef line.  This is also the region where our Falkner, Eckert lines come from.

Our Kohn family was a bit more north in Prussia.   

Katharina Eckert Falkner

New photos today of Katharina Eckert Falkner from Bev Mulder.  Thank you!

Katharina Christina Eckert (Falkner) age 75.  Photo taken at a visit to Walt & Hilda Falkner's.  St. Helen's Oregon 1940

Katharina Christina Eckert (Falkner) 1922 Mother's Day Salt Lake City, Utah

Katharina Christina Eckert (Falkner) Age 80.  A visit to Walt & Hilda Falkner's home in St. Johns, Portland, Oregon.  1946

These ones I found on FamilySearch.

Memories of Katharina

Today I found these memories that someone posted on Familysearch.org.

Memories by Dewey Falkner

Memories of Nickolaus and Katharina Falkner by their son, Dewey Falkner (in the records of Sandra Mattson Bass, great-granddaughter) 1) At one time, Katharina worked as a cook in a prison (possibly what has become the Utah State Penitentiary). 2) Nickolaus worked at the Mountain Pickling Company in Salt Lake City, Utah. There a huge vat, 12x14 feet was used to make sauerkraut and workers jumped into the vat and walked around and around stomping the cabbage down. 3) Dewey remembers, at age 4, going with his father to a mine and was given a ride in the ore car (an exciting event he still remembered). Dewey recalls riding a huge horse, 1,400-1,500 lb. "Blute" the horse was blue/grey and very gentle. He would ride with his father to the mine and Nickolaus would stay to work his shift and young Dewey would ride "Blute" back home. 4) Dewey recalls his father, Nickolaus working at the Seagal (Seagull?) Mining Company near Cherry Creek, Nevada. Apparently they were mining for silver and gold. 5) Dewey's recollection is that Nickolaus went on his first mission to Mannheim, Germany (for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). Nickolaus also went on a second mission to Germany, but got arthritis in his hands and came home early (sometime before 1918 and World War I). 6) Dewey believes Katharina was baptized in the Rhine River in Germany. 7) Katharina worked in a comb factory when she first meet Nickolaus.

Memories by Leo McDonald

Memories of Katharina Falkner by her grandson, Leo McDonald (in the records of Sandra Mattson Bass, great-granddaughter) 1) Leo and his brother, Don went to Grandma Falkner's for lunch and she fixed "liver spitzel", a delicious German dish that he still remembers today. 2) Grandma Falkner was a diplomat and when a quarrel erupted between Leo and Don, she would always agree with both boys!

Memories by Fred Falkner

Memories of Katharina Falkner by her grandson, Fred Falkner, son of Elwood Falkner (in the records of Sandra Mattson Bass, great-granddaughter) Fred remembers Aunt Julia and Aunt Frieda coming to Portland for a visit. They celebrated Grandma Katharina's birthday. They met at LeRoy's house and partied late into the night. Dewey lived next door to LeRoy on S.E. 83rd Avenue, in Portland. Fred recalls Grandma Falkner holding his son, Fred, (Grandma's great-grandson) in her lap at that party.

Katharina with Chickens

Katharina Eckert Falkner sitting with two bantam chickens on her lap.  Her daughter Lydia, standing, had these in her yard.

Probably taken 1947

Received from Danna McDonald

Katharina & Nickolas Falkner

I received this photo today of Katharina C Eckert and her husband Nickolas Falkner.  I photo I have never seen before.  What a treasure!!

New Documents for Katharina C Eckert Falkner and Nickolas Falkner

Katharina Funeral Program

Here are several pages of a history and memory tid-bits for Katharina and Nickolas Falkner.

Ship Record for Katharina Eckert Falkner

Ship record for Katharina Eckert Falkner

Headstone for Katherina C Eckert Falkner

Many thanks to the volunteers at Findagrave.com for finding her headstone and posting a picture.  (Note:  You can add a memorial on Find a Grave and there is a section where you can ask volunteers to take a photo of it.)

Documents for Katharina Christina Eckert

Katharina Eckert Falkner 1900 US Census 

Katharina Eckert 1920 US Census

Katharine Eckert 1930 US Census

Katharine Eckert Funeral Notice--Portland Oregon

Katharina Christina Eckert Falkner