Notizen zu dieser Person
Although his given name was Johann, it appears that he went by Friedrich as this is what is on documents later than the record of his birth. He may have lived most of his life in or near the town of Pirbstow, Pommern (Pomerania), a small town near the Baltic, almost due south of Rugenwalde. Presently, this is in Poland. He was probably born in Wilhelmsheide.
Friedrich appears to have served the military off and on for nearly twenty years, as there are several documents pertaining to this. This may be a reason for why the children of Friedrich and Caroline were born so much later in his life. However, there may be other children of this couple that I have not yet discovered. I do not believe the he owned any land, so it is possible that they lived with other relatives. As the children appear to have been raised in Badelhorne, Friedrich may have lived with Franz who had a farmstead there. In fact, I believe that Franz my have been Friedrich's younger brother.
In 1881, Friedrich gave permission for his 15 year old daughter Bertha, to come to America, to live with relatives. In 1884 he made the voyage with three others on the steamship Nurnberg, sailing from Bremen to New York, arriving June 5. He died while enroute. Per records at Castle Garden, those in his company were: Caroline, Theodor and Alwine.
A note on Caroline's record of birth indicates that Friedrich was the eldest son of Christian Dettbarn. The papers I have contain the seal of Pirbstow, but since the microfilm records of the birth of both of his siblings were in Wilhelmsheide, I really believe he was born there also.
JRZ 12-01-1992
Gunnar
Berchner
