The Fehmarn Cousins Newsletter

Issue #7 August 1999

The Fehmarn Cousins Newsletter will be sent out every other month from now on.

FamilySearch

The FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org) site is divided into seven sections. They are Search for Ancestors, Browse Categories, Collaborate with Others, Preserve Your Genealogy, Add a Site, Order Family History Resources, About the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Feedback, and Help. You'll find links to all of these sections down the left side of the screen on most of the pages.

--Search for Ancestors--

The Search for Ancestors section is divided into three search functions: Ancestor Search, Keyword Search, and Custom Search. Depending on which function you use, you can search the following:

-The Ancestral File, which contains over 35 million names organized into families and pedigrees;
-The International Genealogical Index, which has over 360 million names extracted from vital records from the British Isles, North America, and Finland;
-The Family History Library Catalog, which has over 2 million rolls of microfilm and hundreds of thousands of books and maps described and cataloged;
-The Family History Centers (use this to locate the nearest Family History Center where you can access microfilm described in the Family History Library Catalog and SourceGuide);
-The SourceGuide, which is over 150 research outlines, an extensive glossary of word meanings, and Catalog Helper;
-Thousands of web sites categorized by the LDS;
-Collaboration mailing lists created by registered users of the site.

Before you get started searching, it's important for you to remember that just because information appears it does not mean that it is absolutely true. Some of the information has been contributed by researchers and not necessarily followed up with primary records or conclusive proof. So you'll want to verify everything that you find, just as you would with any other information you get through other sites.

--Ancestor Search--

In my searching, I tend to look for information about my particular ancestors; thus, I tend to look for individuals when I am researching. This is pretty typical and so the Ancestor Search function is set up just for this purpose. You use it to search for names in the LDS's Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, and Web sites that the LDS has categorized.

You use a search form to enter the first and/or last name of the person you're researching. There are also fields where you can enter the first and last names of that person's father, mother, and spouse. Then you click on the Search button and wait for the results. If Ancestor Search finds any matches, it will display them on a results page that allows you to click on those you're interested in to get to more information.

--Keyword Searches--

You can use the Keyword Search function to look for information in the Web sites that the LDS has categorized, as well as to look for words in the SourceGuide. Your keyword does not have to be a name.

--Custom Search--

Custom Search is just what it sounds like. It's a search function that you customize by selecting which files you want to search for a keyword: Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, Family History Library Catalog, Family History Centers, SourceGuide, Web sites, and Collaboration Lists.

The forms for searching the International Genealogical Index and Ancestral File are quite similar to the forms used for searching in the Ancestor Search described above. However, there is one difference that makes the Custom Search forms more advanced. They allow you to restrict searches by events, dates, regions, and identification numbers. The Custom Search form the International Genealogical Index has additional fields to search by event (birth, christening, marriage, death, or burial), year, region (none, British Isles, Finland, or North America), batch number, serial/sheet number, and film number. The Custom Search form for the Ancestral File allows you to restrict your search by event dates for birth, christening, marriage, death, and burial, as well as file number (AFN).

--Browse Categories--

It appears that the Browse Categories section of the FamilySearch site is simply an index of Web sites, much like all of the other link-lists that are available on the Web today (such as the Genealogy HomePage or Genealogy SiteFinder). You know how they work -- you click on the category that is most likely to have links to sites you're interested in.


--Other FamilySearch Resources--

Although the Searching for Ancestors and Browse Categories are the biggest draws at the FamilySearch site, it's important to recognize that FamilySearch has other resources you may find appealing.


-The Collaborate with Others section enables you to join various mailing lists so you can share genealogical information directly with others who are researching specific individuals or ancestors with the same surnames.
-Preserve Your Genealogy answers some common questions about submitting your own genealogical findings to the FamilySearch site and how that information will be preserved over time.
-Add a Site enables you to submit the URL for any genealogical Web site you'd like to see added to the Browse Categories.
-Order Family History Resources allows you to read about some products that are available from the LDS and order them online.
-About the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides background information about the church itself.
-Feedback gives you the opportunity to provide comments to the site producers.
-And the Help section does just what it sounds like -- gives you online help if you have trouble using the site.

Tressie Hughes
Editor

VISIT THE CEMETERY

I have created a new section called “Visit the Cemetery” on the Fehmarn Genealogy web site at http://www.fehmarn-genealogy.com/cemetery.htm.

I have placed many pictures of the headstones found in the cemeteries of St. Nikolai church in Burg, The Kepelle cemetery on Sahrendorfer Str., St. Johannis church in Bannesdorf, St. Petri church in Landkirchen, and St. Johannis church in Petersdorf.

To be buried in one of the five cemeteries, which are all, owned by the church but does not guarantee you an eternal resting-place. In the Church cemeteries you are buried for only 25 years, after which time your family must pay the church and maintain the gravesite to remain in the ground. Thus on Fehmarn, old gravesite are not very common. Most sites are of those who died in the last 25 years. I have been told that those exhumed are put in a bone barn.

I have photographed many the older headstones, which must still have family members making payments to the church.

Family members who visit often and work hard at making beautiful gardens of flowers for their loved ones maintained the church cemeteries.

If you are in possession of photographs of head stone from Fehmarn or Fehmaraner's buried elsewhere please consider sending them for placement on this web site. Many of the pictures you have may be the only record remaining of those gravesites on Fehmarn.

Thank you
John Kostick
Webmaster

Trip to Germany in 2000

Dorothee Gossel is planning on taking some people to Germany in March of 2000. Maybe Frankfurt, Dresden, Berlin, Fehmarn, Kopenhagen, Lübeck and down the Rhein river to Mainz. 10 to 14 days. If anyone is interested let Dorothee know, please. We will "NOT" drive a car, rather take the train. It is not so expensive and pretty convenient. Although I think every American should experience the rush on the Autobahn.

Dorothee Gossel at  gossfarm@netins.net

Kartoffel & Kloesse
(German Potatoes & Dumplings)

2 eggs, beaten
Water (same amount as eggs),measure in egg shell
Salt to taste
1 to 1 1/2 c. flour
Potatoes, cubed
Butter, melted

Beat the eggs. Add the water and salt. Stir in the flour to get dough as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon (but still very soft). Dough is stiff enough if it doesn't cling to the mixing bowl. Boil cubed potatoes until half done in lightly salted water, approximately 1 teaspoon. Drop dumpling dough from a moistened spoon into boiling water and potatoes, dipping spoon in the hot water each time. Cook 5 to 10 minutes until done. drain water and save. Pour melted butter over potatoes and dumplings. Serve with sauerkraut of cream slightly diluted with the water drained from dumplings. To use leftover potatoes, boil the dumplings separately 5 to 10 minutes and brown lightly in butter with the potatoes.

I found this recipe in The Mormon Trail Cookbook printed by Norris Publishing, at 3212 E Hwy 30, Kearney, NE 68847. Their phone # id (308) 236-7888 if you would like to get a copy of this cookbook.

A witch was deported from her land

A short story from old Burg (on the island Fehmarn in the Baltic Sea). 
Told by: GEORG LAAGE.

After Tetge Meyers was accused of being an accomplice during an URGICHT, (a forced confession by torture) of Gretgen Westfälss, Tetge was found guilty of witchcraft and was arrested, after she failed the water test.

It was publicly known that she had learned from Gretgen Westfälss, who had been burned at the stake, the laying on of hands, how to bless, how to change the heart beat and how to make the pupil in the eye disappear.

She was accused of using God's name in vain, as well as angering and disrupting the Christian community.

On 9.15.1620 the Mayor and the City Council, through the Court ordered Tetge Mayers to be deported permanently: "to leave between today and tomorrow at noon." If she fails to follow orders, she shall be deported by the High Court.

City Archives, Protocol of Justice, Burg on Fehmarn, in Holstein, Germany.

Translated from the German into English by: Else Bügge-Wood, Columbus, OHIO 3096-1 Maryland Ave. Apt. A, zip: 23409 USA

Note: in 1620 the island was under Scandinavian jurisdiction, either Swedish or Danish.

Story from the 1944 Rock County Herald Newspaper of Luverne, Minnesota.
Sent in by Neal Bockwoldt

"You might say that my life since coming to the United States, has been a cross country trip, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with a few detours in between," declared Jacob Ohlsen this week.  Mr. Ohlsen, who is Luverne's postmaster Says that his one great ambition after crossing the Atlantic and landing in New York was to cross the nation and see the Pacific.  His wish was fulfilled in 1938, but during the time that had made trips both north and south, each of which provided him with experiences which he will never forget.

In Rock County, Mr. Ohlsen is best known for his affiliation with the Democratic party, and to give the background for his political views, it is necessary to trace his life from the time he was born in a humble home on the Isle of Fehmarn, Germany, October 4, 1873.  His father, Hans Ohlsen (stepfather),  a common laborer, was born in Denmark, but later moved to Fehmarn where the spoken language was German.  His mother was Emma Berghlund, a native of Sweden who had moved to Germany at the age of 15.

LIVED IN HUMBLE HOME
He recalls that his first home was his grandmother's house, an old type peasant dwelling with a clay floor, and without a chimney.  Old fashioned bake ovens were used, which Mr. Ohlsen described as being made of brick.  Coals were burned in the ovens until the heat had reached a proper temperature, then they were taken out and the bread was put in to bake.  As the doors were opened to take the coals out, the smoke was allowed to leave the house through an open door, as there was no other outlet.  He doesn't recall how the home was heated in winter, but somehow, the occupants managed to escape freezing.

"Conditions were so deplorable  that you just can't imagine what it was like," Mr. Ohlsen declared.  "The people gave no thought to sanitation. Those who had any wealth at all had goats, and chickens, and no one thought anything of having them in the same building where the owners lived.  Everything -- the barn, granary and dwelling house -- was all under one roof.  "

HOUSE HAD CHIMNEY
"When father got around to have a house of his own, it was modernized to the extent that it had a chimney," he continued.  "It was the custom for two families to live in the same house, a kind of a duplex apartment connected with a long hall."

Families such as the Ohlsen family survived on the roughest types of food.  White bread was the exception, rather than the rule, and if served at all was used as a Sunday delicacy.  Only time the family ever had butter was when there was a little goat's milk left over after the family requirements had been used.  The cream was saved, and later churned by the thrifty housewife.

His father worked for a farmer at a very small wage, and it fell on Mr. Ohlsen's lot to work for a living early in life.  "You've seen the painting of the gleaners, haven't you?" Mr. Ohlsen asked.  "well, I've been one of those gleaners myself, and know just what it's like.  I've helped my mother pick up heads of grain in the fields on the farm where father worked.  I had an apron on with pockets, and I'd go around picking up what I could find.  When I had a pocket full, I'd take it to mother who had a sack in which we carried it home.  We would later thresh it by hand or with a flail, and the grain would supply us with our flour needs."

FATHER A LIBERAL
Mr. Ohlsen claims that he inherited what he terms his liberalistic views from his father who decided to leave Germany for a land of free enterprise.  He pointed out several instances where his father might have done something different if he had been permitted to do so. "When I was about four weeks old, I was taken to a Lutheran church where I was baptized," said Mr. Ohlsen.  "I have no complaint to make against any denomination as I respect all creeds, but I'm saying this to show what religious freedom really means.  I was taken to that particular church not necessarily because my parents wanted to take me there, but because it was the law of the land.  They had no other choice; they couldn't have taken me into another church if they had wanted to.  I still have the certificate, and on it is shown the community standing of my father -- that of laborer.  If he had remained there, he'd never have advanced above that position and my chances of improving myself beyond that stage would not have been much better.

CLASS DISTINCTION
"in school," he continued, "we were always taught to pay respect to those above us in authority.  We had to tip our hats or make some kind of salute whenever we met our school teacher, for instance.  About the time I started school I began to feel that I wanted independence and one time I failed to salute the schoolmaster when I ran past him on the street.  The next day in school, I received three slaps across my hand with a ruler but it still didn't convince me that anyone was superior to me."

"I remember when the tax collector called at our home.  He probably wasn't making more than 35 cents a day, but he had a badge or some gold braid distinguishing him from the ordinary class of people.  The minute he came in the door, we children stood up straight against the wall, as our mother had ordered when she saw the man coming.  The lowest official in the village some distinguishing mark, and it was our duty to act humbly in the presence of such a person."

CAME TO U.S. IN 1882
Mr Ohlsen's father had a sister living in Iowa, and her letters telling of the freedom in the United States caused him to decide to leave Germany.  In the spring of 1882, when Mr. Ohlsen was about nine years old, the family left the island in the Baltic sea and went to Kiel where they boarded a train for Hamburg.  There they remained two days and one night before they went aboard a ship in the harbor there.  The vessel being a new one, did not make as good time as some of the older ships and they were on the water 19 days before they reached this country. (The ship was the Polaria, sailed 4/26/1882 and arrived 5/10/1882 in New York.)

Considerable happened during the voyage, Mr. Ohlsen reports.  A child was born on the ship; a person died and was buried at sea and one couple was married.  Most thrilling moment of the entire trip was seeing land. After they docked in New York harbor they went Castle Gardens, now Ellis Island.  "There we were driven like so many cattle into a stall," Mr. Ohlsen said, " as also were the others.  Each family was given a stall of its own.  From there, we went by train to Stockton, in Muscatine county, Iowa."

His aunt's husband was employed as a section hand by a railroad company, and Mr. Ohlsen's father obtained a similar job immediately after coming to Stockton.  Although the job paid only $1 per day he saved enough in a year to buy a small home for the family of four.

LEFT TO SUPPORT FAMILY
 They had been here only a trifle more than a year when Mr. Ohlsen's father died (possibly in a railroad accident), leaving Mr. Ohlsen, who was the oldest of the of the children, to support the family, which since their arrival had increased from four to five children.  As he had to work during the summer months, his education was limited to five winter terms.  The rest of his education, he says, he has attained through the reading of books, newspapers, magazines and experience.

His first job, that of herding cattle, paid him $3 per month.  As he grew older, his wages increased, first to $5 per month, then even more. He worked on farms most of the time until his mothers' death.  However, he did take a job as a section hand one time at $1.10 a day for the Burlington-Cedar Rapids railroad, this salary later being raised to $1.25 per day.  Another time he worked with a railroad fencing gang for $1.5 per day. He obtained the job with the understanding that he would dig as many post holes each day as each of the other members of the crew.  Had it not been for the kindness of the 'straw boss' who occasionally dug one for him the first couple of days on the job, he would likely have been 'fired'.  He increased his speed, however, and by the end of the week, he was able to keep up with the rest of the men.

WORKED FOR BIERKAMP
After his mother's death he worked in Stockton for Henry Bierkamp who owned a feed barn, tavern and hotel there.  He had a job there for five years receiving $20 a month and room and board.  His day would be from 10 to 16 hours long, depending on how rushing the business was, and how long the tavern patrons stayed.

It was when employed there that he attained a milestone in life that he had long dreamed about, that being the day when he could cast his vote as an American citizen.  He has been naturalized, and had attained his 21st birthday in 1895.  The following year was a presidential election year and as he favored most of the stands taken by William Jenning Bryan, the Democratic candidate, in his platform, he cast his first vote for him.

Two years later, on January 5, 1898, he married Louisa Bockwoldt, at Davenport, IA, a native of Fulton Township, Muscatine County, and together they operated the Stockton hotel and restaurant for one year. Their next venture was of a similar nature in Durant, Iowa, and from there went to Hartley and Melvin, Iowa, before coming to Luverne in 1915.

Here he started the Luverne Cafe in the building where the Coast to Coast store is now located.  Later he operated the Palace confectionery for eight years, and had restaurants of his own in several other locations in the city.

RODE ORIGINAL FERRIS WHEEL
During the intervening years, however, he had taken the aforementioned detours.  In 1893, he went to the Chicago Worlds' Fair where he rode on the original ferris wheel.  In 1904, he attended the world's fair in St. Louis and at the same time served as an alternate delegate from the state of Iowa to the Democratic national convention which nominated Alton B. Parker to oppose Theodore Roosevelt.

Prior to that, he went on several land excursions into Oklahoma in about 1900, and while living in Hartley, went on several land excursions into Canada, going as far north as Medicine Hat, Manitoba.  In 1928, he was elected a Minnesota delegate to the national Democratic convention at Houston, Texas.

And, speaking of conventions, he was elected by popular vote in 1933 as delegate to the convention to pass on the proposed amendment to repeal the 18th constitutional amendment of the United States.  During his traveling and affiliation with politics, Mr. Ohlsen states that he has met a large number of interesting people, and several very unusual people.

CANDIDATE PUSHED WHEELBARROW
Among the latter, he signals out Andrew Townsend Heissey, the Iowa presidential candidate, who wore a silk at and pushed a wheelbarrow.  He stayed at Ohlsen's hotel in Hartley, and at that time , Mr. Ohlsen took a picture of him.

Another was Robert G. 'Bob' Cousins, silver tongued congressman from the fifth district Iowa who served 20 years as an Iowa statesman.  A native of Tipton, Iowa, Mr. Ohlsen recalls that Cousins got his start as an orator when the barker for a medicine show died, and a lecturer was needed in a hurry.  Cousins was recruited hastily to fill the position, and the show did one of its biggest businesses in history.  Years later, after his career at the Capitol, Cousins came to Luverne with a chautauqua unit.  Mr. Ohlsen asked him what his lecture was to be and he answered 'The American Flag'.  Ohlsen when to hear him and found that it was the same oration he had heard the man give 25 years previous.

Mr. Ohlsen received his appointment as postmaster in Luverne on August 15, 1934.  His second appointment, which was made after the civil service system went into effect, making it a permanent appointment, was made in September, 1938.

NEVER A CANDIDATE
Although interested in politics and government, Mr. Ohlsen has never been a candidate for public office, but he adds, ''I've worked hard for a lot of other candidates".  He served as chairman of the county Democratic committee from 1924 to 1934, and previous to coming to Luverne, had served as precinct Democratic party officer in all of the places he lived.  He claims better government as his hobby, and states that his advice to any young person approaching voting age is to 'take advantage of your citizenship, and vote in every election for the person or party of your choice, no matter whether its a school, township, village, city, county, state or national election.  The precinct is the lowest of the governmental bodies but that is where government starts, and it is entitled to the same attention as the larger governmental units.

Mr. Ohlsen has a family of four children.  His son, Wilbert J. Ohlsen lives at Long Beach; a daughter, Mrs. Claude(Emma) Cameron, lives at Beverly Hills; another daughter, Ella , is in the WAC stationed at Clovis, New Mexico, and a third daughter, Mrs. Dale (Olive) Barnes, resides in Minneapolis.  He has 2 grandchildren.  He has three brother living.  Albert resides at Davenport; Johannes at Durant, and the whereabouts of Cjris are not known, as nothing has been heard from him since shortly after World War 1(Spanish American War).

He attributed the fact that he has passed the three score years and 10 mark and is still active to 'being in love with life, and associating with people who have a like feeling toward life in general.'  Mr. Ohlsen states that he has never been much of a 'joiner'.  "For 40 years, though," he continued, "I have been a member of the Elks lodge whose motto is; 'The faults of our friends we write on the sand, and their virtue on the tablets of love and memory.'"

He enjoys reading poetry and he says his favorite poetry is that of the Irish bard, Thomas Moore, and the plowman poet of Scotland, Robert Burns.   One of his favorite passages is by Moore, who said: "As we journey through life let us live by the way".


OBITUARY FROM THE ROCK COUNT STAR-HERALD, LUVERNE MINNESOTA, THURSDAY
12/7/1961

Rock County's "Mr. Democrat", Jacob Ohlsen, 88 of Luverne, Died at the Community hospital here at 2 pm  Tuesday.  The man who had headed the Rock County democratic party for may years, had been bedridden since he suffered a stroke seven years ago.  Despite the fact that he had been
partially paralyzed ever since, he was alert mentally, and kept abreast of daily happenings.  He had had a number of strokes since his first one,  and had been hospitalized several times, but was able to return to his home.  However, a seizure on Monday proved too great for his weakened condition.

Funeral services will be held for Mr. Ohlsen at the Engebretson Funeral Home at 2 pm Friday, the Rev. Wesley J. Drummond officiating.  Interment will be in the Maplewood cemetery.  Pallbearers will be Martin Jensen, Paul Campbell, Wesley Winkler ,Dwight Cummings, Earl Glaser and Louis Shelby.

Jacob Ohlsen was born on the Isle of Fehmarn, Germany, October 4 1873, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Hans Ohlsen.  His father was a common laborer, and his mother also had to work hard to help support the family.  Ohlsen, as a boy, worked with his mother gleaning heads of grain from the field where his father was employed as a harvest hand.

They came to the United States in 1882, Settling at Stockton, Iowa.  Mr. Ohlsen's father died a year after coming to this country, with the result that Mr. Ohlsen had to support the family.  He herded cattle, worked as a section hand on the railroad, and later obtained a position with the late Henry Bierkamp, who operated a feed barn, tavern and hotel.

He married Louisa Bockwoldt at Davenport, IA, January 5 1898 and together, they operated the Stockton Hotel and restaurant.  They operated similar businesses in the years that followed at Durant, Hartley, and Melvin, Iowa, before coming here in 1914.  Mr. Ohlsen opened the Luverne cafe, on the north side of Main street between Cedar and Freeman avenues.  He operated this and eating places in other locations here until receiving his appointment as postmaster in 1934, a position he held about 20 years.

Because his parents cam to this country in search of political freedom, Mr. Ohlsen took an early interest in politics and government.   He became a naturalized citizen, and cast his first vote for William Jenning Bryan, democratic candidate for President in 1896.  After coming to Luverne, he was active in the democratic party.  He served as chairman of the county organization from 1924 to 1934.  He was a delegate to the democratic national convention in 1928, and  in 1933, was a delegate to the convention which passed the proposed amendment to repeal the prohibition amendment.  He was never a candidate for public office, however.  When former president Harry S. Truman visited here during the campaign in 1956, he interrupted a luncheon appearance to pay a special visit to Ohlsen's bedside.

Mr. and Mrs. Ohlsen were the parents of four children, all of whom are living.  They are: Mrs. C.L.(Emma) Cameron, Beverly Hills, CA.; Ella Ohlsen, and Mrs. Dale F. (Olive) Barnes, Luverne, and Wilbert Jacob Ohlsen, of Los Angeles, CA.  He is survived by his widow and children, four grandchildren, and on great grandchild.   Two sisters and three brothers preceded him in death.

Newsletter submissions
by E-mail: kc7bal@juno.com
or mail to:
Tressie Hughes
PO Box 770
Puyallup WA 98371