| Back to Main Page |
THE BADE
FAMILY HISTORY |
 Email Me |
| Back to Main Page |
THE BADE
FAMILY HISTORY |
Email Me |
 |
The earliest records of my Bade ancestors are found in the Kirchenbuch
of the Biendorf
Evangelical Lutheran Church. While the church dates to 1300, the records prior to 1776 were destroyed in a fire.
The Bades lived in the village of Biendorf, Mecklenburg, in northern Germany, less than ten miles from the Baltic Sea. From the shore they could probably see Sweden on a clear day. This is the low country of Germany and the common language was Plattdeutsch (low German), particularly in the rural areas. High German would have been spoken in the cities and used in business and on official documents. |
|
|
The Bade men worked as tagelöhners or day laborers. This means that they had no permanent jobs but took whatever work was available day-to-day for the landlord of the area. This would include planting and harvesting of crops, feeding and caring for animals, making butter, or butchering and curing meat. In addition to their household duties, many women were also day laborers and worked as hard as the men. Direct ancestors are shown in bold type. |
 |
|
| I, Ludwig Bade, 1745-1816 and Anna Sophia Woehsten | |
| the author's g-g-g-grandparents. She was the daughter of Hans Woehsten from
Questin, Mecklenburg. They married in 1788 and had four documented children:
Hans Jochen Christian
Bade (b.1789 - 1853, see below) Ludwig's birth year was calculated from his death record. Click to see the descendents of this couple.
|
|
| II. Hans Jochen Christian Bade, 1789-1853 and Margaretha Elisabeth Sophia Nevern, 1789 - 1863 | |
the author’s g-g-grandparents. She was the daughter of Hans Never and Christina Regina Maria Westendorf. The surname Nevern is the feminine form of Never. The were married in 1812 and had at least five children: Christian Heinrich Ludwig
Bade (1812
- ) the day before his parents were married) I found no further mention of Christian or Magdalena in the Parish records.
|
|
| III.
Andreas Ernst Joachim Heinrich Bade (a.k.a. Ernst) 1830-1911
and Maria Sophia Anna (a.k.a. Sophie) Lange, 1835 - 1913 |
||
 |
the author’s great-grandparents, married in 1857. Sophie's parents were Johann Möller from Brunshaupten and Christina Catherina Lange of Glashagen. The church record of Sophie's birth lists her mother's name as Lange but not as "geb. or geboren" (meaning maiden name) indicating that her parents were not married. Also, Ernst and Sophie's marriage record shows her mother's name as "Christina Catherina Lange, namen der Gevattern or her "Godfather's name". At some point, Sophie moved from Glashagen to Büttelkow where she married Ernst. They are found in Mecklenburg's 1867 census and their religion is listed as Lutheran (German Evangelical). An Ernestine Jentzen (age 14) is also shown living with the family as a kindervarterin (child care provider). They had two daughters
while in Germany: In the 1930 US Census, Mary and Dora were found living next door to each other in Waverly. |
|
|
Interestingly, the surname was spelled Bade in the parish records and
Baade in
an 1867 census, but this may not be significant. It could be that either is correct
and is a function of dialectic spelling differences between low German and high
German or perhaps the census In 1869 Ernst and his family sailed for America, probably leaving from Hamburg (the nearest port for emigration) and entering at New York. According to U.S. Naturalization Records, they stopped briefly in Illinois and Indiana before settling in Watertown, Wisconsin for seven years. While in Wisconsin, they had one son: Heinrich Bade (1874 - 1946), the author’s grandfather (see below) The 1870 census of Dodge County, Wisconsin lists a "Bada" family. Bade was likely pronounced "ba’ da" in the German language and the census taker would have written what he heard. The head of household's name is listed as "Arane", but this could be a corruption of Ernst due to pronunciation and accent difficulties for the census taker. It also lists his spouse Sophia, and daughters Mary and Dorace (close enough?) and all ages are within 1 year of the expected so I am assuming this to be the correct family. Census records are notoriously error ridden. The 1870 census of Dodge County shows that Ernst was a farmer with a real estate value of $1600 and personal property of $300. I have to wonder where he obtained the money for their passage to America and for other traveling expenses, as well as for the purchase of land. Oftentimes relatives that had already emigrated sent money home to help other family members make the trip. I am unaware of any other Bade families in either Dodge County, WI or Bremer County, IA but there was a Christoph Lange family in Douglas Township, Bremer County who could be related to Sophie. If they are, then I wonder why Ernst and Sophie didn’t go directly to Bremer County to be near them rather than stop first in Wisconsin. In 1874 Ernst moved his family to Bremer County, Iowa. Since their son Heinrich was born in Wisconsin on November 23rd of that year, they would have been traveling with an infant in December (brrr). He, Sophie and Henry are listed in the 1885 Iowa State Census there. Ernst is listed as a farmer and the 1894 plat map of Washington Township shows that Henry Bade owned two five acre lots southeast of Waverly on the Cedar River. I’m assuming this was Ernst’s property which he gave or sold to his son Henry. Henry would have been 20 in 1894 and his father would have been 64. The obituary for Sophia stated that she had lived in Waverly for 37 years. Ernst was naturalized on February 9, 1880. He died at age 80 and his wife Sophie died at age 78 ½. They had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1907 and were among the oldest members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (Waverly) having joined it in 1874 when there were only 14 members. |
| IV. Heinrich (a.k.a. Henry) Bade, 1874-1946 and Wilhelmina (a.k.a. Minnie) Riechmann, 1873 - 1957 | ||
|
|
the author's grandparents. Minnie is the daughter of Fred and Mena Riechmann. Henry worked for a while as a buttermaker at the creamery in Bremer, Iowa. After he married Minnie in 1898, they purchased a 120 acre farm in Lafayette Township about 5 miles west of Waverly. But Minnie was not Henry’s first choice. Family lore says that he wanted to marry her younger sister Sophie who was more fun than Minnie. However, Minnie’s father said no, the oldest daughter had to get married first. Henry was so anxious to marry into the ‘wealthy’ Riechmann family that he agreed to marry Minnie instead. Henry, Minnie, and son Ernest are listed in the 1900 US Census as well as Henry’s parents Ernst and Sophie. They had four children: Ernest
Frederick Bade (1899 - 1930) - died in a
tragic accident
before he was to be
married. |
|
|
|
Harold Lee Buhman (1934) married Donna Lee Nelson and has two children: Henry's Obituary Minnie's Obituary
|
|
| V. Frederick William Bade, 1906-1972 and Irene Marion Arns, 1908 - 1997 | ||
|
|
the author's parents, married in 1930. Irene is the
daughter of Ernest and Anna Arns.
They had three
children:
Donna
Jean Bade (1931) married Walter Begalske and had three children:
|
|
|
|
When Fred had completed the required 8th grade education, he
had to beg his parents to go on to high school. His parents couldn't
understand why he wanted to go to 'that old Hochschule' and wanted him to
stay home and work on the farm. They finally relented and Fred went to
high school and did very well. He was in the choir, went out for track and
was the biggest boy on the football team. He had a good mind for math and business.
Fred was offered a football scholarship to go to Coe College in Iowa but his family offered to buy a second farm for him to work if he would stay home. He relented but I think he regretted that decision the rest of his life. He understood the value of education. Fred married Irene Arns from Waterloo, Iowa, in 1930. After high school, Irene worked in the office of Rath Packing Company in Waterloo. It must have been quite a culture shock for a city girl to convert to a full time farmer's wife. Her husband's aunts (the Riechmann girls) would talk about her in German which she couldn't understand, but she could tell they were making fun of her. Fred and Irene continued working his dad's second farm and in 1941 they purchased it for $100 an acre. Fred was known as a good farmer and received the "Farmer of the Year" award one year. He tiled his land by hand, digging the ditches and placing the ceramic tile. He farmed there for thirty years. Fred was a devout Christian man and faithfully attended St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Waverly. He was a member of the church board and was well thought of by his peers. He was also a member of the Bremer County Board of Supervisors for five years and on the school board. In 1950, Fred took a large risk and purchased a farm implement business in West Union, Fayette County, IA with another man. Later, he bought out his partner and was the sole owner of the business. The family moved to West Union except for Donna who remained in Waverly. Fred was a good businessman and later became a member of the Rotary International service organization. He again became active in church and was a member of the board of the Zion Lutheran Church. He had a strong social conscience and helped out several men in the community who were down on their luck. He had a very strong sense of fair play and civic responsibility. In 1962, Fred sold his farm implement business and built the Elms Motel on the south edge of town. It was a small motel, only 15 units, and the second one in town, but business was good. These were good years and Fred bought a boat and took his wife and son to the Mississippi River on weekends and on fishing trips to Canada during the summer. He also loved to play poker with the boys and to shoot pool. At one time, he had his own pool table in the basement. Fred and Irene loved to dance and they went dancing often with their friends. They loved the big band music of the 40's.
|
|
|
|
The author. I was born in Waverly, Iowa to a farming family. Throughout my life I have also lived in West Union, Iowa; Decorah, Iowa; Hays, Kansas; Cortland, New York; Absecon, New Jersey; and Davenport, Iowa. I have a B.A. from Luther College and an M.S. in biology from Fort Hays Kansas State College. I worked for 31 years for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was stationed at national fish hatcheries in central New York and northern New Hampshire; and Ecological Services offices in southern New Jersey and Rock Island, Illinois. I have been active with the Boy Scouts of America, and the St. Patrick Society of the Quad Cities. In addition, I am a member of the local German American Heritage Center, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks #298, the Center for Active Seniors, the Catfish Jazz Society, the Center for Active Seniors, and the Quad Cities Stamp Club. In my leisure time I enjoy dancing, playing golf and pool, working on my genealogy and family history, playing several instruments, and having parties with our friends. In 1968 I married Susan Kerker, West Union, Iowa with whom I have three children: Stephen Christopher
Bade (1971) married Mary Bullman (no children) In 1987 I married Patricia Harrington, a native of Davenport, Iowa. We have enjoyed traveling to such places as Ireland, Italy, Germany, Canada and Mexico and have been active in dancing of all kinds. In 1998 we formed the Quad Cities Ceili Club and began teaching Irish social dancing in the area. Patricia worked for many years for the Visiting Nurses Association as a home health aid and homemaker. She has one daughter, Kimberly Kloss, and one granddaughter, Chloe Thompson.
|
