Wayne Clare Harvey | Dec. 27, 1918 – Dec. 1, 2009

My wife’s grandfather passed away this morning. Grandpa Harvey would have celebrated his 91st birthday later this month. We are all blessed to have been a part of his long and active life.

He always greeted us with a big smile! I will miss the times we spent talking about the Harvey and Heim family histories. Our talks were always filled with stories that made those histories really come to life.

Helen and Wayne engaged - c. 1940

Helen and Wayne with their children - c. 1954

Wayne, Lynn and Richard - 1965

c. 1942

Wayne with his grandchildren, Kim, Jeff and Stephanie c. 1970

Helen and Wayne - 1972

In Rome - 1973

Kim's college graduation with Zella LeVan - 1986

With their great grandchildren, Lauren and Kristine - 1992

Wayne and Marlene - 2005

Celebrating 88th birthday with great grandchildren - 2006

Kim and Grandpa - 2007

Celebrating his 89th birthday - 2007

90th birthday celebration - 2008

Enjoying Kristine's graduation party with Cas Case and Kim - 2009

Working on our family history - 2009

Thanksgiving Thursday

The Thanksgiving season, and these next several months, are a special time of the year in the history of my family. My 9th great grandfather, William Bradford, came to America on the Mayflower in November of 1620.

Partial Mayflower Passenger List - click to enlarge

The ship left England in September and, after a grueling 66-day journey marked by disease, which claimed two lives, the ship dropped anchor inside the hook tip of Cape Cod. That first winter, half of the colonists perished. And then, in early spring, the colony’s first leader, John Carver, died. William was elected to succeed him as governor, and was subsequently re-elected thirty times, serving until he died in 1657. He had a reputation as a firm and fair leader. William was the second signer and primary architect of the Mayflower Compact.

William’s first wife, Dorothy, died on December 7, 1920 after falling overboard into the icy waters of Provincetown Harbor while the Mayflower was anchored. The Pilgrims had not yet made it to Plymouth. On August 14, 1623, he married my 9th great grandmother, Alice Carpenter Southworth. She came to Plymouth aboard the Anne in July 1623, following the death of her first husband. The description of their marriage sounds similar to that of the first Thanksgiving.

Thus began my English ancestry in America. Soon after, my Puritan ancestors arrived with the family names of Benjamin, Newcomb, Cleaveland, Ormsby, Harris, and many others.

I’m proud that my family has been in America for 389 years!

Today’s Tidbit | November 25, 1842

On this date, in 1842, Wilhelm Hau was born in Prussia. He is the patriarch of my Hau family in America.

Tuesday Treasure | November 17, 2009

This is the marriage certificate of my grandparents on my mom’s side, Raymond Christian Hau and Florence Rose Heller.

Marriage Certificate of Raymond Christian Hau and Florence Rose Heller

My grandpa was born in Fond du Lac, WI on February 29, 1908. He spent a year at Lawrence College in Appleton. Ray eventually went to work for his father, who owned the Lion Cafeteria, in Fond du Lac.

My grandma was born and raised in Montello, WI. She graduated from St. Agnes School of Nursing in Fond du Lac and then worked, until their marriage, at St. Agnes Hospital.

Ray and Florence were married, on October 10, 1933, at St. John the Baptist Church in Montello. Their marriage was witnessed by Ray’s sister, Delores, and Florence’s brother, Howard.

Surname Saturday | FUHRMANN, FUHRMAN

My 2nd great grandfather on my mom’s side, Anton Fuhrmann, came to America from Germany in about 1845. Anton and his wife, Maria Katherine Michels settled in Marshfield Twp., Fond du Lac Co., WI, where they farmed. They had ten children together. Their oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married John Hau in 1900.

Wordless Wednesday | November 11, 2009

Wordless Wednesday | November 4, 2009

Tuesday Treasure | November 3, 2009

My wife’s grandmother, Zella (McConnell) LeVan, started this memory scrap book as she was graduating, in 1924, from Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The book contains pages full of well wishes from classmates and clippings of various school events. In later years, she added newspaper obituary clippings.

Zella taught 2nd grade in Munith, MI schools. She and her husband Elmo (Bill) lived in Waterloo Township.

Zella (McConnell) LeVan | May 11, 1904 - November 19, 1992

Wordless Wednesday | October 28, 2009

Today’s Tidbit | October 27, 1860 – Heinrich and Eliese Heinke

On this day, 149 years ago, my 2nd great grandparents, Hienrich and Eliese (Schroebke) Heinke along with their 2 daughters, Caroline and Amelia, arrived at Castle Garden in New York City. The ship’s record indicates that they had been living in Bretwisch (West Pommerania) Prussia (later, part of East Germany) before traveling to Hamburg to board the ship, “Deutschland“. E. Wesselhöft was the ship’s master.

"Deutschland" passenger list showing Heinke family (click to enlarge)

The Heinkes arrived in Eldorado Twp., Fond du Lac Co., WI in the fall of 1860. Three more children, Laura, Elisabeth, and Reinhard were born to them while living there. In 1879, they settled on the farm in Royalton Township. The location of their farm can be seen on this 1890 plat map.

Heinke property in Royalton Twp., Waupaca Co., WI (click to enlarge)

This Heinke Rd. sign marks the way to the former location of the Heinke farm.

Sign for street leading into former sight of the Heinke farm in Royalton Twp.

In 1883, their daughter, Laura, married Frank Weller, who had a farm nearby.

Heinrich and Eliese Heinke are both buried in Little Wolf Cemetery, Manawa, Waupaca Co., WI