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A General Fenrich History - by Donald R. Fenrich Jr.
Posted by: CStoner on Thursday, October 09, 2003 - 06:05 PM
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Our branch of the F (eh, ah, eah) NRICH name begins in Kirrlach, Karlsruhe, Baden, Germany (although it wasn't Germany then, as you know.)
Before I get into the names I've got to let you know that in the Fenrich last name, regardless of how it's spelled, "eh", "ah", "aeh" are all pronounced like the "e" in the word, "step."
So, our first KNOWN family name comes from Michael Fehnrich (circa 1728) who produced 3 male heirs; Johannes FENRICH, Joseph FAEHNRICH and George Anton FEHNRICH. The only reason for the variances in spelling is that only a few of the church scribes, priests and other local dignitaries knew how to read and/or write.
Most names originally were phonetic spellings, i.e. the strange spellings. Well, anyway, Johannes FENRICH had 7 sons and one daughter: Pius FAHNRICH, Gustav FAEHNDRICH, Fidel FAEHNRICH, Heinrich FENRICH, Michael FAEHNRICH and Herman FENRICH...and, we're still in Kirrlach, Karlsruhe, Baden.
The LDS Microfilm identifies all,so far, were farmers. Well, I guess Heinrich didn't like farming, or didn't want to be a conscript to some feudal lord or whatever, so he left home and came to the US via Bremen, Germany aboard the S.S. Deutschland. He arrived on November 20, 1871 in NYC, NY. He was 20 or 21 years old! What guts! (New land, new language and probably no money.)
Somehow and for what reason we don't know, he next shows up in Chicago, IL where, at the age of 25 and having changed his name to Henry (the English of Heinrich) he marries Barbara Boller at St. Anthony's Catholic Church on 18 May 1876.
We next find him in the 1880 US Census living with Barbara, a son Berte and another son, George, in Auburn, DeKalb County, Indiana. The 1900 Census finds Henry and Barbara with children George W, Alton F and Edna living in Detroit, Wayne, MI. Henry's son Berte (Now Bertram E) is out on his own with his wife Louise and 1st daughter Irene in the same 1900 Census living close to Henry, Barbara and family.
My father, Donald R. Fenrich, Sr. was the son of Bertram and Louise Fenrich. And, my name is Donald Robert Fenrich, Jr. I have a daughter, Cheryl Lynn Fenrich Stoner living in Oceanside, CA and a son, Donald R. Fenrich, III living in Highland, MI. I also have a grandson, Donald Robert Fenrich, IV still living with his parents in Highland, MI.
That's the general history of where we came from. There's still lots we don't know. If you have Fenrichs (any spelling) that fall into the periods shown above, I'd sure like to know who they are and their lineage(s).
We really cannot tell where we're going unless we know where we've been and are now.
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