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BUSCH, GERRITZEN, BROCKMEIER

Germany, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas

GRANDPARENTS	GREAT-GRANDPARENTS	2ND GREAT-GRANDPARENTS	3RD GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
Francis Busch 1871-1960 Triebendorf, Austria LaCrosse, Rush Co., Kansas Manchester and Enid, Oklahoma DESCENDANTS	John Busch Triebendorf, Austria	?
PHOTO	+Mary Prosser Triebendorf, Austria	?
+Mary Elizabeth Gerritzen 1880-1948 Odin, Barton Co., Kansas Manchester, Oklahoma LaCrosse, Rush Co., Kansas	Theodore Gerritzen 1838-1933 Bocholt, Germany Dutzow, Warren Co., Missouri Femme Osage, St. Charles Co., Missouri Odin, Barton Co., Kansas	Theodor Gerritzen Wesel, Germany Bocholt, Germany USA DESCENDANTS	?
	PHOTO BELOW	+Joanna Maria Agnes Theben 1806- Borken, Germany Wesel, Germany Bocholt, Germany USA	Antonius Theben 1749/50-1814 Borken, Germany +Maria Agnes Elisabeth van Gülich 1775-1847 Borken, Germany
	+Elizabeth Bertha Brockmeier 1844-1922 St. Charles Co., Missouri Odin, Barton Co., Kansas	Johann Heinrich Brockmeier Glane-Visbeck, Hanover, Germany St. Charles Co., Missouri 1807-?	Johann Hermann Brockmeyer Glane Visbeck, Hanover, Germany DESCENDANTS ANCESTORS
			+Maria Catharina Holtmeyer
		+Anna Maria Agness Cosman/Kusman Oldenburg, Germany St. Charles Co., Missouri	?

Gerritzens on Ship's List

Provided by Phyllis (thank you!)

This is a portion of the list of passengers who arrived in New York City on the ship Damascus July 29, 1845. Our Theodore Gerritzen, the one who eventually married Bertha Brockmeier and moved to Kansas, is the 8-year-old boy at the bottom. His parents are Theodor and [Johanna] Agnes Gerritzen, both age 40.

It seems very likely that the Gerritzens at the top are their family--Joh. Heinrich and Helena are the right ages to be Theodor's parents, and Bernard, Chesina, Henrina, and Heinrich are probably Theodor's brothers and sisters. However, we have not been able to find definite proof of the connection yet.

There is a grave for a "J. Gerritzen" who died in 1845 in Missouri, and we have been in touch with a descendant of Henrina.

All were listed as "farmers" from "Prussia."

Gerritzen Family Johanna Agnes (Gerritzen) Friedel, Theodore Gerritzen, Bertha Elizabeth (Brockmeier) Gerritzen, and Mary Elizabeth (Gerritzen) Busch

Children identified (by two of Mary Elizabeth's daughters) as Mary and Catherine Friedel, Fredrick Carl Busch, and (the baby) Esther Bridget Busch

Picture would have been taken about 1920

MISSING PIECES (Do you have one of them?)

Who are Frank Busch's parents' ancestors?

What happened to Bertha Brockmeier Gerritzen's father (Johann Heinrich/Henry Brockmeier)? Where did her father's father and step-mother live when they came to the USA, and where are they buried?

Is the Johann Heinrich Gerritzen on the 1845 ship's list near both Theodor Gerritzens their father and grandfather? If so, is he the "J. Gerritzen" buried in the St. Martin's cemetery in Starkenberg, Missouri, and what happened to his wife Helena?

Are the Arnold and Anna Kusman who are buried in the St. Vincent de Paul cemetery in Dutzow, Missouri, the parents of Anna Maria Agnes Cosman Brockmeier?

What happened to Frank Busch, son of Frank Busch and his first wife, Josephine Friedel?

A Special Request:

Most of the Gerritzen information on this site has been collected by Phyllis, an amazing and generous cousin who is a granddaughter of Henry and Louise (Kessler) Gerritzen. Unfortunately, in spite of all the information, documents, and photographs she has found (and shared), she does not have a wedding photograph of Louise and Henry Gerritzen. If you have one, she would love to have a copy of it. I will be more than happy to put you in touch with her if you contact me.

PHOTOS AND LINKS TO RELATED SITES

A Note about Photos
We're sharing our photos with you--will you share yours with us? Our ancestors probably would have liked all of their descendants to have everything they left, and with the copying technology we have now, it's possible for all of us to have all the photos and documents. Even if you don't have a scanner, you can use a machine at a store to put a copy of a photo on a CD that you can send by e-mail.

Busch/Gerritzen/Brockmeier Photos
Bertha and Theodore Gerritzen, their tombstone, Frank and Mary Busch's wedding photo and marriage record, a young Mary Busch, Frank and Mary Busch with their daughters, Bernhard Brockmeier grave, and a mystery man.

Jerry's Busch Photos
A couple of photos of the Frank Busch family from the 1920s, a later snapshot of Mary E. Busch, and a mystery woman.

Phyllis's Gerritzen Photos
Theodore Gerritzen, wedding photos of some of their children, church and grave photos, and more.

Kelli and Stacey's Gerritzen Photos
Friedel threshing crew in Manchester, OK, Anton Friedel-Hannah Gerritzen family portrait, Josephine Friedel Busch's tombstone, churches in Germany where the Gerritzens were baptized.

Our Brockmeyer family in Germany
This distant relative's site includes all the information I never dreamed I'd be lucky enough to see. (It takes the name back to the 1300s.) It includes a page showing Johann Heinrich Brockmeyer/Brockmeier, his siblings, and his ancestors back a few generations and another with a comprehensive outline including the oldest known ancestors and thousands of descendants (including Johann Heinrich and his siblings). The site is in German, but the names and dates are the same in any language. The U.S. branch has its own page.

Aunt Pat's Story
Memories of Aurelia Marie "Pat" Brockmeyer about the family of Bernard and Dora Brockmeyer.

Deed to Gerritzen Farm in Kansas

1901 Barton County, Kansas, Plat Book Page
Look just above the railroad tracks, and you will see land belonging to Theodore Gerritzen and other familiar names.

Laurelroots Amazon Associates Store
Books about what life was like for the Germans in Missouri in the 1800s, for prairie pioneers, and for residents of western Kansas during the Dust Bowl.

To go to the main Amazon site or to see information about your privacy when ordering through my store:

History of St. Charles County, Missouri (1765-1885)
Bertha (Brockmeier) Gerritzen was born in St. Charles Co., Missouri, and she and Theodore were there in the 1870 census. History of St. Charles County, Missouri (1765-1885) is a book that was published in 1885 and republished in 1997. You can learn more about it (including a list of the surnames mentioned) and order it at this site. The Brockmeyer in the index is Henry C. Brockmeyer, lieutenant governer of Missouri from 1876 to 1880 (not a relative that I'm aware of).

LATEST ON THE BUSCH, GERRITZEN, AND BROCKMEIER BRANCHES

June 27,2010
Hometown of Frank Busch Sr.
I think I've finally nailed down the name of the place Frank Busch came from!

When we started asking about Busch family history in the 1970s, we got conflicting information. Aunt Helen said her father was from Triebendorf, Austria, but Aunt Clary said he was from Threbaugh or Frebaugh, Austria. Freddie thought he was from Bavaria, and so on.

When I started trying to research it on line, I discovered there is more than one Triebendorf in Europe, and I couldn't find a Frebaugh, Frebau, Threbaugh, Threbau, etc. My best clue came from searching for "Trebau" and "Austria" in Google and finding another genealogist whose ancestors came from there and were--interestingly!--"German-speaking Catholics who settled in Odin and Redwing, Kansas." (I didn't recognize any of the names, though.) That person had figured out the place was now in the Czech Republic, which made research even more confusing and challenging because the names of all the places had been changed.

During our recent trip to Kansas, Phil's cousin Jerry gave us a copy of a letter from Frank's wife saying he was from Treebau, Austria. Someone else had written at the bottom "Freebaugh" and "Tribendaurph."

I spent some time on line yesterday, and I think I have tracked down the correct information now. Märisch Trübau is a district in northern Moravia (a region formerly part of Austria, now part of the Czech Republic). The district contains the villages of Triebendorf and Porstendorf. Frank’s first wife, Josephine Friedel, was from Porstendorf!

Märisch Trübau was the largest German linguistic enclave within Bohemia and Moravia, which probably explains why Frank is listed as German in all the U.S. censuses. Germans were expelled from the country by the Czechs after World War II, so at this point we don't have any way of knowing where any living Busch relatives might be now. I have not been able to find any church records for that area on line so far, either.

And so far I haven't found any connection with Bavaria.

CREDITS

1977: Sisters Caroline, Justina, and Edith Busch—Information on Frank and Mary Elizabeth Gerritzen Busch, their parents, and their children.
Steve and Janet, my husband's cousin and his wife—A copy of the photo of Frank and Mary Elizabeth Busch.
1997 to present: Phyllis, a cousin who is a granddaughter of Mary Elizabeth (Gerritzen) Busch's brother Henry—Much more information on Theodore and Bertha Gerritzen, their ancestors, and their descendants; copies of all the Gerritzen photos on this site; photos of the church and graveyard where Anna Maria Agness Cosman Brockmeier is buried; copies of family documents from public records in Kansas and Missouri; and much, much more.
2000: A cousin who is a descendant of Bertha Brockmeier Gerritzen's brother Frank (actually, the cousin's partner Yvonne!)—Information on Frank Everett Gerritzen and his descendants.
2001 to present: Cousins Kelli and Stacey, descendants of Anton Friedel and Johanna Gerritzen–For information on their branch, including Frank Busch's first wife Josephine, for old photos and modern photos of Gerritzen-related churches in Germany, and for ongoing information sharing.
2006: Dirk, a distant cousin in Germany—Data on his website on the Brockmeier branch going back to the 1300s.
Jerry, my husband's cousin—Copies of family photos and documents.


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Updated 6/27/10