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Gottfried Fredrich August Blankenstein & Marie Dorothy Elisabeth Friedrichs
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Gottfried Friedrich August Blankenstein was born in Barby, Germany, on June 18, 1856, at 5:00 am. At the age of 15 he came to America with his parents, one brother and three sisters. The family first settled in Defiance, Ohio, and after 10 years moved to Cleburne and Marlin, Texas, in a covered wagon. Fred's mother died while the family was living in Marlin. She rode a stage coach from Cleburne to Marlin in January to be at the death bed of her daughter Louise Fink. From her trip, Dorthea caught pneumonia and died. Her death was before Fred's marriage. As a young man Fred sent money to a friend in Germany to send him a bride. Fred sent Marie Dorothy Fredrichs a picture of himself and after correspondence and a proposal Marie left her family in Magdeburg, Germany, and came to America. She first arrived in Key West, Florida, and then Galveston, Texas. From there she rode the train to Temple, Texas. She had heard stories about rich Americans, but found Fred to be a poor musician. Fred was very talented with the violin. It is told that Marie ruled the house. Before long she convinced Fred he should become a farmer to support his family. At one time Marie owned a picture of Fred's father Gottfried in his military uniform back in Germany in more affluent days. For some reason Marie never liked the picture and used it to fill a broken window pane. She later sold the picture to Fred's sister Lena. Fredrich and Marie had 10 children, 7 of which lived to maturity. Marie never saw her family after she left Germany. They remained in Germany where her father, a shepherd, died at the early age of 45 from a bee sting. Marie had twin brothers. One of the boys died when he was run over by a wagon. The other twin kept contact with the family in Texas. ---------- 1900 McLennan Co, Texas Census vol 75 ed 66 sh 10 Lin 5 p10A 13 June 1900 Waco City next to John Baade & sister Mary 188/192 BLANKENSTEIN FREDRICK head W M June 1854 45 m18yrs immigrated 1880 20 yrs in US naturalized farmer rented farm #59 Ger Ger Ger MARY wife W F May 1862 48 m18yrs 6 ch living Ger Ger Ger immigrated 1880 here 20 years Richard son W M Apr 1886 14 farm hand 2 mos attended school 4 mos Tx Ger Ger Mary dau W F Mar 1884 16 Tx Ger Ger Paul son W M Mar 1889 11 farm hand 4 mos attended school 4 mos Tx Ger Ger Elspeth dau W F Sep 1894 5 Tx Ger Ger Alma dau W F Oct 1896 4 Tx Ger Ger Frida dau W F Oct 1898 1 Tx Ger Ger ---------- 1910 McLennan Co, TX Census ed 110 fam 182 vol 99 p5151B FRED BLANKENSTEIN Head M W 54 m28yrs farmer owned farm #168 free Ger Ger Ger MARY wife F W 47 m28 yrs 9 ch 6 alive Ger Ger Ger Paul son M W 20 Tx Ger Ger Elsbeth dau F W 18 Tx Ger Ger Alma dau F W 15 TX Ger Ger Frieda dau F W 13 TX Ger Ger Sigfried son M W 5 TX Ger Ger ---------- 1920 McLennan Co, Texas Census vol 120 ed 148 sh 1 ln 89 17/18 BLANKENSTEIN, FRED head owned home free M W 65 m immigrated 1870 naturalized 1870 general farmer of farm #18 Saxony,Ger Saxony,Ger Saxony,Ger MARY wife F W 58 m immigrated 1882 naturalized 1882 Saxony,Ger Saxony,Ger Saxony,Ger Elfrieda dau F W 23 single Texas Saxony,Ger Saxony,Ger Siegrfied son M W 15 single Texas Saxony,Ger Saxony,Ger ---------- Mrs. M. Bankenstein Dies at Home Here (Marie died 24 Oct 1924) Mrs. Marie Bankenstein 64, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Carl Forkel, 1522 North Seventh Street, last night at 8:15 o-clock after a long illness. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday morning from the home of Mrs. Henry Bade, also a daughter, at Elm Mott. Rev. John Link, pastor of the German Evangelic Church at Gerald, will officiate. Interment will be at the Gerald cemetery. Mrs. Bankenstein is survived by three sons, Richard of Fort Worth, Siegfert of Galveston, Paul of Gerald; four daughters, Mrs. P. Loman of West, Mrs. Carl Forkel of Waco, Mrs. Albert Banick of Ross, Mrs. Henry Bade of Elm Mott. She also has one brother and three sisters now living in Germany. Mrs. Bankenstein Buried Wednesday morning at Elm Mott, funeral services of Mrs. Marie Bankenstein wee conducted. Services were held at the residence of a daughter, Mrs. Henry Baade, and were conducted by Rev. John Link, pastor of the German Evangelical Church at Gerald. Mrs. Bankenstein died Monday night in Waco. References: Richard John Blankenstein Blankenstein Family Bible Roze Marie Edrington Genevive Schmidt His German birth certificate Their marriage license Her death certificate 1900, 1910, 1029 Census McLennan Co., Texas |