Posted on: Stearns County Queries Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Mn/Stearns/11370 Surname: BACH, GNADEN, KOCH ------------------------- Maureena, I was delighted to come across your old e-mail of 1999, for it fits in with what I learned a few years back. I suspect Mathias' father, Nicholas BACH, b ca 1821, in Prussia, is somehow connected to my g-grandfather Gottlieb KOCH, whom I am having trouble finding his birthplace in Wuerttemberg, Germany. I believe Nicholas' first wife, Elisabeth [KOCH?] b ca 1832, was Gottlieb's sister (the 1880 census says a Gertrude BACH, b ca 1868, was a "niece" of Gottlieb Koch). Anyway, to get to what you wanted to know, just check the 1870 & 1875 census to find the family clearly listed in Oak Township (p. 4 in 1870). Nicholas and Elisabeth had 7 children listed in 1870: Michael, 15, b Prussia, Peter, 11, b Minn [so the family emigrated 1855-59; actually, I found Nicholas' declaration of intent in which he says he arrived in the U.S. in Oct. 22, 1854]. To continue with the rest of the family, Barney, 9, Mathias, 7 [so b ca 1863], Margaret, 5 [the "Maggie" you mention], Agnes, 3, John, 1. Now by 1875, Nicholas re-marries; he marries Elisabeth GNADEN, I believe, in July 1873; she must have previously married to a GNADEN, for there are 3 GNADEN children listed with the rest of the family, Louisa, 8 (so b ca 1867), Maria, 6, and Wilhelmina, 4. By this time, Michael is 20, Peter, 17, Mathias, 12, Barney, 14, Margaret, 10, Agnes, 8 [John is not listed; presumably he died young], and a Charles is 1 year old [so b ca 1874], a child of both Nicholas and his 2nd wife. So you see there is a lot more information on the family just in these two censuses. I did not find them in the 1880 census or 1860 census but have not exhausted my search yet; if you can help, I would appreciate it. It was good to know where Mathias (and Barney, Michael, and Maggie?) moved to later on. I tried to find that out a few years ago but gave up. What township or town in Grand Forks County? Where did he go in Manitoba (I live in Saskatchewan)? Probably the land records on Internet would show his homestead (if he homesteaded)-- I will check that. You ask about Mathias' German origin. Actually, as the census says, he was born in Minnesota, but Michael, the oldest brother was born in Germany. I too would like to know where; Nicholas renounces the King of Prussia in his citizenship declaration, and so that could mean Westphalia or Rheinland or Hannover. Many in Stearns County, especially from the New Munich congregation where Nicholas was probably a member, were from Westphalia. But if he married Gottlieb Koch's sister, she was from Wuerttemberg, and so that makes things a bit confusing. Perhaps you can help me with some of the several details I mention, and I can be of further assistance too. I would like to hear from any others with knowledge in the above matters. Thanks once again for your e-mail and posting your information. It could be very important. Ken Neumann