Hi, Kathy. Belle River is in Douglas County. About all that's left is a Catholic church and a couple houses. Farms all around. No stores, not even a gas station. Just an intersection of two roads now. Too bad. I'm sure she will get to that church. It's really fun looking through the old books. I'll pass on your other suggestions too. Thanks so much. Judy -------------------------------------------------- From: "Kathy Hines" <khines1@qwest.net> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2012 9:48 PM To: <prussia-roots@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [PRUSSIA-ROOTS] Prussian Military and the surname Beheng > I drive through Belle Plain periodically, but I've never heard of Belle > River before. (?) > > If you and your friend haven't been to the Catholic church where that > marriage was performed, then I would encourage you to hike on over there. > See if they still have the old church books. Look first for a copy of > that > marriage record and it will most likely name their parents on it. Also > see > who the witnesses were for the marriage. They are normally relatives or > very close friends. Next I would look for the children's baptismal > records, > confirmation records, communion records, and most especially any death or > burial records. There is likely to be a wealth of information about the > old > country in any one of those church books. > > Kathy > www.Kiva.org - loans that change lives. Change the world one loan at a > time. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Judy Olson" <jolson@rea-alp.com> > To: <prussia-roots@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2012 4:18 PM > Subject: Re: [PRUSSIA-ROOTS] Prussian Military and the surname Beheng > > >> Hi, Debra. >> >> Yes, he did leave a wealth of info in Belle River. My friend lives very >> close to there, and has seen the land records and census records and is >> very >> familiar with the area where he lived, since she grew up in the area. She >> even owns Anna's shawl which was supposedly worn by her on the voyage >> over >> here. >> >> However, the marriage record in Belle Plain is new information. We really >> appreciate that. It is sometimes hard to determine if the stories we've >> heard as children are embellished. Maybe we don't want to know, really. >> >> Thanks again. With Karl's find on the IGI files, these two pieces of info >> are very valuable. Judy >> >> -------------------------------------------------- >> From: "Debra MacLaughlan-Dumes" <dmac@physics.ucla.edu> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2012 2:31 PM >> To: <prussia-roots@rootsweb.com> >> Subject: Re: [PRUSSIA-ROOTS] Prussian Military and the surname Beheng >> >>> >>> On Apr 4, 2012, at 11:22 AM, Judy Olson wrote: >>> >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> I hope I'm on the correct list this time for the information I'm >>>> seeking. >>>> >>>> I'm helping a friend who's new to genealogy research. Here's what she >>>> was >>>> told as a child. We do not know a place of origin or the ship they came >>>> on . Census indicates Prussia or also Germany. >>>> >>>> Her great grandfather Peter Beheng b. about 1834 was apparently of the >>>> aristocratic class which normally does not serve in the military. >>>> However, she believes his father required him to serve anyway, to set >>>> an >>>> example, and he did so. Anticipating another war, he left in about 1865 >>>> and immigrated to the United States with his soon-to-be bride Anna b. >>>> about 1842 (Von Pitz, which we're certain isn't the correct name. >>>> Possibly Pitts, Puetz, etc.) The story goes that he didn't even return >>>> to >>>> claim an inheritance upon the death of his father. The story also >>>> states >>>> that the ship caption insisted on marrying them before he would let >>>> them >>>> leave the ship. They were later married officially in the Catholic >>>> church >>>> after arriving in Minnesota. >>>> >>>> For anyone familiar with Prussian military, does this story sound >>>> plausible? If not, where does it go into glorified family lore? If so, >>>> can anyone recommend where she should start searching for the place of >>>> origin? >>> >>> Unfortunately without documentation you'd have to consider it all >>> glorified family lore. Until you can access German military records for >>> your friend's great-grandfather---which may or may not be >>> available---nothing can be substantiated about his involvement in the >>> Prussian military. >>> >>> Perhaps it's best to start with what you can find out in this country. >>> Peter Beheng left a wealth of information in Belle River, Minnesota, >>> where >>> he emigrated. Your friend may want to start there. He also appears in a >>> variety of US and Minnesota state census records as well as land >>> ownership >>> documents. Ancestry.com will be a helpful resource for these. >>> >>> There's a marriage record for a Peter Beheng and Anna Puetz on 25 May >>> 1868 >>> from Belle Plaine, Scott County, Minnesota. The LDS family history >>> library >>> catalog number for this microfilm is #1379415. If you or your friend >>> want >>> to order it at your local family history library, it may name Peter's >>> and >>> Anna's parents as well as possibly giving a place of origin. >>> >>> Good luck with your research! >>> >>> Best, >>> Debra MacLaughlan-Dumes >>> http://sakionline.net/familypage >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> PRUSSIA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >>> the >>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4914 - Release Date: >>> 04/04/12 >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> PRUSSIA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PRUSSIA-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2409/4916 - Release Date: 04/05/12 >