Thursday, April 19, 2012

Susanna Wedel family

When Andreas returned home to Leeleva in very early 1895, he promptly married to Susanna Wedel on February 17, 1895.  Susanna was born May 14, 1873, in Karolswalde to Peter Jacob and Katarina (Nickel) Wedel.  Susanna was the eldest child of Peter and Katarina who had been married in Karolswalde on March 24, 1864, and must have moved to Leeleva by the 1880s.

Peter Jacob Wedel was born March 21, 1848, in Karolswalde to Jacob Wedel (b.1818) and Maria (Buller) Wedel (b. c1820).  Jacob’s father and mother were Benjamin and Maria Wedel.  Peter’s baptism can be found on Tobias Unruh’s baptism records from 1866.  Peter was baptized in Karolswalde, but it looks like he lived in Pelagin-Gruenthal (Gruental) at the time of his baptism.  Note: the Susanna (Heinrich) Ratzlaff at the end of the list is probably Jacob Ratzlaff’s younger sister:

                        Taeuflinge die ich Tobias Unruh getauft habe                                     
1.  Abraham Samuel            Schulz                    von Karolsberge aus
2.  Andreas Cornelius         Nickel                    von Pelagin-Gruentha
3.  Benjamin Peter               Becker                   von Karlsberge
4.  Benjamin Jacob              Wedel                     von Pelagin-Gruentha
5.  Benjamin Peter               Janz                        aus Karlswalde
6.  Carl Friedrich                Schartner              aus Karlswalde
7.  Cornelius Johann          Schulz                    aus Karlswalde
8.  David Benjamin              Schulz                    aus Karlswalde
9.  George Peter                   Unruh                    aus Karlswalde
10. Heinrich George           Unruh                    aus Karlswalde
11. Heinrich Jacob             Siebert                   aus Karlswalde
12. Johann Benjamin          Janz                        von Karlsberge
13.  Johann Karl                 Decker                   von Karlsberge
14. Peter George                 Unruh                    aus Karlswalde
15. Peter Jacob                    Wedel                     von Pelagin-Gruentha1
16. Tobias Carl                    Decker                   von Pelagin-Gruentha

                                Taeuflinge die ich Tobias Unruh getauft habe.
1.  Agnetha Andreas           Unruh                    aus Karlswalde
2.  Anna Carl                        Dircks                    von Jadwininnen
3.  Anna Peter                      Schmidt                 von Jadwininnen
4.  Else Abraham                 Janz                        von Pelagin-Gruentha
5.  Else Peter                        Penner                   aus Karlswalde
6.  Eva Heinrich                   Buller                     aus Karlswalde
7.  Eva Jacob                        Siebert                   aus Karlswalde
8.  Helena David                  Unruh                    von Jadwininnen
9.  Helena Johann               Schluz                    aus Karlswalde
10. Helena Peter                  Unruh                    aus Karlswalde
11. Maria Peter                   Richert                   von Jadwininnen, aus dem Kirchspie
12. Susanna Carl                Deckert                  von Pelagin-Gruentha
13. Helena David                Ruediger               aus Karlswalde
14. Susanna Heinrich         Eck
15. Susanna Heinrich         Ratzlaf
Diese 16 Juenglige und 15 Jungfrauen sind in dem Bethause zu Carlswalde getauft worden den 25.ten Mai neuen Stils 1866 am Palmsonntage.

According to GRANDMA, Peter Jacob Wedel was the third of six children who were all born in Volhynia; in Karolswalde, Gruental, and Karolsberge.  Peter’s younger brothers, Benjamin and Andreas, both immigrated to America at some point and both lived near Galva, KS.  GRANDMA does not indicate whether Jacob’s other siblings, older sisters Helena and Susanna, or youngest brother Heinrich, made their way to the U.S.A. or not. 

Katarina (Nickel) Wedel was born November 13, 1846, in Karolswalde to Johann Nickel and Susanna (Litke) Nickel.  Katarina’s baptism can also be found on Tobias Unruh’s baptism records from 1864.  Unruh doesn’t specify where the baptism took place, but it looks like Katarina (Catharina) lived in Karolsberge.  Note: I do not know the identity of Elisabeth Ratzlaff, #4 on the list below.  Her father’s name was Heinrich, so could this be another sibling of our Jacob Ratzlaff about whom we didn’t know previously?

Aufschreibung von Diejenigen welche durch die heilige Wassertaufe in unsere Gemeine zu Karolswalde, Karolsberge, Jadweninne und Anotonwke als Brueder und Schwestern auf- und angenommen worden sind.
                 Nun folgen die Jungfrauen.
1.  Susanna Heinrichs Tochter         Vothen                   in Karolsberge
2.  Helena Cornelius Tochter            Unruhen                in Karolswalde
3.  Helena Carls Tochter                    Baiern                    in Karolswalde
4.  Elisabeth Heinrichs Tochter        Ratzlaffen              in Karolswalde
5.  Elske Andreas Tochter                  Unruhen                in Jadweninne
6.  Karolina Cornelius Tochter        Vothen                   in Karolsberge
7.  Eva Davids Tochter                       Bullern                  in Karolsberge
8.  Catharina Johanns Tochter        Nickeln                  in Karolsberge
9.  (blank)
10.  Elske Tobias Tochter                  Janzen   in Karolswalde oder auf Jadweninne
11. Elisabeth Peters Tochter             Vothen                   in Jadweninne

Diese hier aufgeschriebene… 10 weibliche Seelen sind auf ihrem Verlangen durch dem heiligen Worte Gottes und dem Befehle Jesu Christi im Beisein vieler Zeugen getaufet und durch eine Handaufnehmung als Glieder in der mennoniten Gemeine in dem Bethause allhier zu Karolswalde am 24. Maerz neuen Stils 1864 an unserm Gruendonnerstage auf- und angenommen worden.

GRANDMA gives no further information regarding Katarina’s family.  However, the Tobias Unruh baptism record does list an Elske Nickel, daughter of Johann Nickel, of Karlsberge, baptized in 1865.  This Elske’s father’s name is the same as our Katarina’s.  Also, this Elska was from the same village and baptized at a similar date to our Katarina.  Could it be that this Elska was a sister to Katarina?

According to GRANDMA, Peter Jacob and Katarina (Nickel) Wedel had the following children after they were married in 1864:

            1) Susanna, (05/14/1873 – 1958)
            2) Henry, (03/16/1875 – 04/21/1875)
            3) Eva, (05/29/1878 – 09/10/1879)
            4) Maria, (03/05/1881 – 03/20/1935)
            5) Carolina, (12/25/1881 – 10/17/1941)
            6) Anna, (09/26/1885 – 1895)
            7) Elisabeth, (11/11/1887 – 01/28/1963)
            8) Agnetha, (03/29/1890 – 10/14/1972)

As stated earlier, the Peter Jacob and Katarina Wedel family must have moved to Leeleva at some point by the 1880s.  Their house can be seen on the hand-drawn map of Leeleva, second from the right on the front row.