My Friesen Ancestors up to Abraham von Riesen
This follows my Friesen ancestors on Dad's side, up to the earliest one I know of at present.
My Parents
Heinrich H. Friesen, b.2/20/1916, d.2/24/2007 in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. He married Elizabeth Kroeker on 10/17/1947 (daughter of Gerhard Kroeker and Elisabeth Friesen).
Elizabeth Kroeker, b.11/29/1918, d.11/10/1997 at home in Hague.
Grandparents
Heinrich W. Friesen, b.12/20/1886 in Morris, Manitoba, d.7/26/1977. He married Maria Spenst on 4/4/1915 in Herbert, Saskatchewan.
Maria Spenst, b.2/13/1893 in Langdon, North Dakota.(daughter of Gerhard Spenst and Elizabeth Veer. Maria d.9/6/1983 in Abbotsford, BC.
Great-Grandparents
Klaas Friesen, b.8/19/1858 in Lichtfelde, Molotschna, South Russia, d.3/171932, buried in Beaver Flat, Saskatchewan. Baptismal date is not given in the Bergthal Book, but 1926 is the date given for joining the Bergthal Church. Klaas and Anna had 8 sons and 2 daughters. (some died in infancy). They lived in Rosenort, MB and then moved to Beaver Flat, SK about in 1906. The Fehr Register shows his baptism date as 6/3/1878. He married (1)Anna Warkentin, 6/3/1878. He married (2)Elisabeth Unger on 10/3/1926, b.1/20/1863 in Grommosky, South Russia, Elisabeth: R164-3*. SUV-016 says she was born 1/20/1862. She joined Bergthal Church in 1906. Moved to Herbert, Saskatchewan.
Anna Warkentin, b.7/5/1859 in Fischau, Molotschna, South Russia, d.12/23/1921 in Beaver Flat, Saskatchewan, buried in Beaver Flat, Saskatchewan. (Her old style birth date is 23 June). The Fehr Register shows her baptism date as 6/3/1878. Anna had a twin brother.
Great-Great-Grandparents
Cornelius Friesen, b.1/4/1832 in Ohrloff, Molotschna, South Russia, d.12/27/1911, buried in Beaver Flat, Saskatchewan. Excelsior Echos says he died in 1910, but he is in the 1911 Canada census at SE10-19-12W3 where he is buried on son Klaas' homestead. He married Maria Hiebert, 10/1/1857 in Russia.
Maria Hiebert, b.4/21/1832 in Alexanderwohl, Molotschna, South Russia, d. 1919 in Saskatchewan, buried in Beaver Flat, Saskatchewan. (SUV260 says her o.s. birth date was 9 Apr 1832).
3rd Great-Grandparents
Johann Abraham Friesen, b.2/10/1789 in Kalteherberge, Gross Werder, Prussia, d.1/15/1840 in Ohrloff, Molotschna, South Russia. (Thiessen says he was born on 3/15/1789 and died on 1/14/1840. In the 1835 census, he is listed at Orloff #11, where it says he came to Russia in 1804. The 1814 Molotschna records say he was then at Ohrloff #10. He married (1)Maria Klaassen, b.4/4/1793 in Mierau, Gross Werder, Prussia, d.1830 in Molotschna Colony, South Russia. He married (2)Katharina Heidebrecht, Abt 1830.
Katharina Heidebrecht, b.11/9/1812 in Lichtenau, Molotschna, South Russia. The Heydebrecht book calls her "Catarina", but the 1835 Molotschna Census entry calls her "Margaretha". (Her birth entry at Unruh, p.332, calls her "Catarina"! I am assuming her name is Katharina. However, the family record for son David in the Pueblo M.B. Church records calls her "Margaretha.")
4th Great-Grandparents
Abraham von Riesen, b. 9/28/1756 in Prussia, d.3/18/1810 in Ohrloff, Molotschna, South Russia. He was living near Tiegenhagen, Prussia in 1779 when his son Peter was born (B. H. Unruh, p. 372). He appears to have moved to Kalteherberge, Prussia between 1793 and 1798 since he is not listed in Kalteherberge in the 1793 Danzig Census but he was definitely living near Kalteherberge by 1798 since his son Peter is said to have been from Kalteherberge at the time of his baptism in 1798. He migrated from Kalteherberge, Prussia to Russia 1804 (P. Rempel, p. 78; B. H. Unruh, p. 324). (In the 1808 Molotschna Colony Census he is listed at Ohrloff #10 where his age is given as 52, suggesting that he was born ca 1756 (B. H. Unruh, p. 324). His age is given as 47 at the time of his immigration to Russia in 1804, suggesting that he was born ca 1757. One record says he was born 9/28/1752. Another says he was born Mar 1756, and died Aug 1809. Also see Dynasties of the Mennonite K. G. and Leaders of the Mennonite K. B. by Delbert Plett for additional background information. Could he be the son of Peter von Riesen #51272? Others speculate his father might be an Abraham von Riesen). He married Margaretha Wiebe, Jan 1779 in Prussia.
Margaretha Wiebe, b. 10/ /1754 in Prussia, d.6/ /1810 in Ohrloff, Molotschna, South Russia. (One record says she was born Dec 1754. One record says she died in Jun 1819. The Familienbuch Wiebe gives a Margarete in this family who was born 1 Jan 1754 and died 21 Jan 1757. Which Margaretha was the correct one??)
NOTE: I now prefer these Ancestor lines to the earlier ancestors - mainly because the Descendant charts involve far more people, and more labour-intensive to update. If you really want to see my Descendant documents you may have a look HERE Be fore-warned that most of those pages have not been updated since 2012.
