Bertha Amelia Fricke was born in St. Michel or St. Michael's, Prussia or New Prussia. Her parent's names per her marriage record were Benjamin and Johanne Louis Fricke, both also born in St. Michel, New Prussia per online researchers,her mothers maiden name is unknown currently, but she appears on records as Louise. Her fathers full name would appear to actually be Johann or John Benjamin Fricke. There is an immigration record of Bertha and her parents and siblings coming on the ship "Stephanie" from Hamburg, Germany to a New York arrival on 26 July 1842. Again, other researchers list another date.
1st husband: Louis Schmidt, marriage 18 June 1855 in Sheboygan County.
2nd husband: Henry Adam Geist, see marriage info below:
The following marriage record for her and husband Henry Adam Geist was found in the Sheboygan County Courthouse by a Geist Family Researcher:
The marriage record states marriage date as 6 June 1866 in Town of Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. This marriage date differs from some public family trees. It is thought that she and Henry may have married a little later than what he told family members. Their marriage record states her name as Amalia Schmidt (a widow), but lists her parents last name as Fricke. The ancestry.com record found under Wisconsin County Marriages has a cover record if you enter the 6 June 1866 marriage date, it brings up a cover record transcribing her name as Amalie Schmidt, but appears to be correct index record, as same is found if you search Henry's name using that date. Each of those index records only say the searched persons name, does not list the spouse name. There is also a found immigration record of her parents family with same parents and children's name listed as was on the marriage record. Given her marriage record and some census records, it would appear that she went by the name Amelia. Additional proof of their marriage occurring much later is that on a 1862 Baptismal record for their daughter Caroline Wilhelmia Geist, found in Plymouth Church records, there is a small German written notation at the end of Bertha's name that translates to "Unmarried". This is in no way meant to dishonor Amelia, but rather just to explain why some lines may have differing dates.
Her children were Ferdineand (1856-1866), Anna Amelia (1858-1925/6), Louisa Therisa (1860-1932), Caroline Wilhelmia (1862-1925), Henry Bernard (1864-1866), Frank Albet (1868-1870), Charles Henry (1870-1957), William Fredrick (1872/3-1943), Della Magdahline (1874-1946) and Benjamin Henry Edward (1880-1923). No one knows if any of those children were from her first husband, but their records come up with the last name of Geist.
While many online family trees mention that Amelia died in a duck hunting accident, an actual death certificate was found for her and it states the cause of death as pneumonia. Perhaps in the retelling over the years the facts got somewhat confused and it is thought to be possible that while there may well have been a duck hunting accident, such as a boat capsizing or a fall into cold water, even a possible accidental shooting, maybe she survived only to catch pneumonia which culminated with her death.
Please feel free to contact this contributor if you have clarifications, corrections or additional information. I am a descendant of Amelia and Henry's daughter Caroline and our family had no prior knowledge of this line. My facts come strictly from online sources and with ongoing help from various Geist Lines. I realize there are numerous discrepancies when compared to various public family trees found online. Contributor is also seeking contact with anyone who may have an old photo or obituary for "Amelia" and or the source for the duck hunting accident for clarification.
1st husband: Louis Schmidt, marriage 18 June 1855 in Sheboygan County.
2nd husband: Henry Adam Geist, see marriage info below:
The following marriage record for her and husband Henry Adam Geist was found in the Sheboygan County Courthouse by a Geist Family Researcher:
The marriage record states marriage date as 6 June 1866 in Town of Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. This marriage date differs from some public family trees. It is thought that she and Henry may have married a little later than what he told family members. Their marriage record states her name as Amalia Schmidt (a widow), but lists her parents last name as Fricke. The ancestry.com record found under Wisconsin County Marriages has a cover record if you enter the 6 June 1866 marriage date, it brings up a cover record transcribing her name as Amalie Schmidt, but appears to be correct index record, as same is found if you search Henry's name using that date. Each of those index records only say the searched persons name, does not list the spouse name. There is also a found immigration record of her parents family with same parents and children's name listed as was on the marriage record. Given her marriage record and some census records, it would appear that she went by the name Amelia. Additional proof of their marriage occurring much later is that on a 1862 Baptismal record for their daughter Caroline Wilhelmia Geist, found in Plymouth Church records, there is a small German written notation at the end of Bertha's name that translates to "Unmarried". This is in no way meant to dishonor Amelia, but rather just to explain why some lines may have differing dates.
Her children were Ferdineand (1856-1866), Anna Amelia (1858-1925/6), Louisa Therisa (1860-1932), Caroline Wilhelmia (1862-1925), Henry Bernard (1864-1866), Frank Albet (1868-1870), Charles Henry (1870-1957), William Fredrick (1872/3-1943), Della Magdahline (1874-1946) and Benjamin Henry Edward (1880-1923). No one knows if any of those children were from her first husband, but their records come up with the last name of Geist.
While many online family trees mention that Amelia died in a duck hunting accident, an actual death certificate was found for her and it states the cause of death as pneumonia. Perhaps in the retelling over the years the facts got somewhat confused and it is thought to be possible that while there may well have been a duck hunting accident, such as a boat capsizing or a fall into cold water, even a possible accidental shooting, maybe she survived only to catch pneumonia which culminated with her death.
Please feel free to contact this contributor if you have clarifications, corrections or additional information. I am a descendant of Amelia and Henry's daughter Caroline and our family had no prior knowledge of this line. My facts come strictly from online sources and with ongoing help from various Geist Lines. I realize there are numerous discrepancies when compared to various public family trees found online. Contributor is also seeking contact with anyone who may have an old photo or obituary for "Amelia" and or the source for the duck hunting accident for clarification.
Bertha Amelia Fricke was born in St. Michel or St. Michael's, Prussia or New Prussia. Her parent's names per her marriage record were Benjamin and Johanne Louis Fricke, both also born in St. Michel, New Prussia per online researchers,her mothers maiden name is unknown currently, but she appears on records as Louise. Her fathers full name would appear to actually be Johann or John Benjamin Fricke. There is an immigration record of Bertha and her parents and siblings coming on the ship "Stephanie" from Hamburg, Germany to a New York arrival on 26 July 1842. Again, other researchers list another date.
1st husband: Louis Schmidt, marriage 18 June 1855 in Sheboygan County.
2nd husband: Henry Adam Geist, see marriage info below:
The following marriage record for her and husband Henry Adam Geist was found in the Sheboygan County Courthouse by a Geist Family Researcher:
The marriage record states marriage date as 6 June 1866 in Town of Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. This marriage date differs from some public family trees. It is thought that she and Henry may have married a little later than what he told family members. Their marriage record states her name as Amalia Schmidt (a widow), but lists her parents last name as Fricke. The ancestry.com record found under Wisconsin County Marriages has a cover record if you enter the 6 June 1866 marriage date, it brings up a cover record transcribing her name as Amalie Schmidt, but appears to be correct index record, as same is found if you search Henry's name using that date. Each of those index records only say the searched persons name, does not list the spouse name. There is also a found immigration record of her parents family with same parents and children's name listed as was on the marriage record. Given her marriage record and some census records, it would appear that she went by the name Amelia. Additional proof of their marriage occurring much later is that on a 1862 Baptismal record for their daughter Caroline Wilhelmia Geist, found in Plymouth Church records, there is a small German written notation at the end of Bertha's name that translates to "Unmarried". This is in no way meant to dishonor Amelia, but rather just to explain why some lines may have differing dates.
Her children were Ferdineand (1856-1866), Anna Amelia (1858-1925/6), Louisa Therisa (1860-1932), Caroline Wilhelmia (1862-1925), Henry Bernard (1864-1866), Frank Albet (1868-1870), Charles Henry (1870-1957), William Fredrick (1872/3-1943), Della Magdahline (1874-1946) and Benjamin Henry Edward (1880-1923). No one knows if any of those children were from her first husband, but their records come up with the last name of Geist.
While many online family trees mention that Amelia died in a duck hunting accident, an actual death certificate was found for her and it states the cause of death as pneumonia. Perhaps in the retelling over the years the facts got somewhat confused and it is thought to be possible that while there may well have been a duck hunting accident, such as a boat capsizing or a fall into cold water, even a possible accidental shooting, maybe she survived only to catch pneumonia which culminated with her death.
Please feel free to contact this contributor if you have clarifications, corrections or additional information. I am a descendant of Amelia and Henry's daughter Caroline and our family had no prior knowledge of this line. My facts come strictly from online sources and with ongoing help from various Geist Lines. I realize there are numerous discrepancies when compared to various public family trees found online. Contributor is also seeking contact with anyone who may have an old photo or obituary for "Amelia" and or the source for the duck hunting accident for clarification.
1st husband: Louis Schmidt, marriage 18 June 1855 in Sheboygan County.
2nd husband: Henry Adam Geist, see marriage info below:
The following marriage record for her and husband Henry Adam Geist was found in the Sheboygan County Courthouse by a Geist Family Researcher:
The marriage record states marriage date as 6 June 1866 in Town of Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. This marriage date differs from some public family trees. It is thought that she and Henry may have married a little later than what he told family members. Their marriage record states her name as Amalia Schmidt (a widow), but lists her parents last name as Fricke. The ancestry.com record found under Wisconsin County Marriages has a cover record if you enter the 6 June 1866 marriage date, it brings up a cover record transcribing her name as Amalie Schmidt, but appears to be correct index record, as same is found if you search Henry's name using that date. Each of those index records only say the searched persons name, does not list the spouse name. There is also a found immigration record of her parents family with same parents and children's name listed as was on the marriage record. Given her marriage record and some census records, it would appear that she went by the name Amelia. Additional proof of their marriage occurring much later is that on a 1862 Baptismal record for their daughter Caroline Wilhelmia Geist, found in Plymouth Church records, there is a small German written notation at the end of Bertha's name that translates to "Unmarried". This is in no way meant to dishonor Amelia, but rather just to explain why some lines may have differing dates.
Her children were Ferdineand (1856-1866), Anna Amelia (1858-1925/6), Louisa Therisa (1860-1932), Caroline Wilhelmia (1862-1925), Henry Bernard (1864-1866), Frank Albet (1868-1870), Charles Henry (1870-1957), William Fredrick (1872/3-1943), Della Magdahline (1874-1946) and Benjamin Henry Edward (1880-1923). No one knows if any of those children were from her first husband, but their records come up with the last name of Geist.
While many online family trees mention that Amelia died in a duck hunting accident, an actual death certificate was found for her and it states the cause of death as pneumonia. Perhaps in the retelling over the years the facts got somewhat confused and it is thought to be possible that while there may well have been a duck hunting accident, such as a boat capsizing or a fall into cold water, even a possible accidental shooting, maybe she survived only to catch pneumonia which culminated with her death.
Please feel free to contact this contributor if you have clarifications, corrections or additional information. I am a descendant of Amelia and Henry's daughter Caroline and our family had no prior knowledge of this line. My facts come strictly from online sources and with ongoing help from various Geist Lines. I realize there are numerous discrepancies when compared to various public family trees found online. Contributor is also seeking contact with anyone who may have an old photo or obituary for "Amelia" and or the source for the duck hunting accident for clarification.
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