John Martin

Notes:

Buried:
Hopedale Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Buried:
Hopedale Mennonite Cemetery

Joseph married Katherine Birky on 20 Feb 1881 in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL. Katherine (daughter of Johannes Bircky (Birky) and Elisabeth Bircky (Birky)) was born on 5 Jan 1863 in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL; died on 10 Apr 1928 in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obit:
Martin. - Katharine Birky Martin was born Jan. 5, 1863; died April 10, 1928; aged 65 y. 3 m. 5 d. She was united in marriage to Joseph Martin Feb. 15, 1881, who preceded her in death March 20, 1924. To this union were born 3 sons and 1 daughter (John, Daniel, Joseph, and Katie Cripe who passed away Feb. 19, 1915). She leaves 3 sons, 13 grandchildren, 1 brother (Chris J. Birky) and a host of relatives and friends. She united with the Mennonite Church in her youth and remained faithful to the end. Funeral services were conducted April 13 at the Hopedale, Ill., Mennonite Church, by Bro. Samuel Gerber, assisted by the home ministers. Text, Isa. 38:1, latter clause. The following verses were selected by the children:
"How many were the silent prayers
My mother offered up for me;
How many were the bitter cares
She felt when none but God could see.
Oh let me think of what she said
And of the kind advice she gave.
Oh let me do it as she's dead,
And sleeping in her lovely grave."

Buried:
Hopedale Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Obit: Herald of Truth, March 1905:
On the 19th of Feb., 1905, near Beemer, Cuming Co., Neb., Nicholas Martin; aged 71 Y., 11 M., 4 D. Deceased was born in Saarburg, Alsace, came to America at the age of twenty, settling first in Tazewell Co., Ill., where he united in marriage with Katharine Litwiller, April 1, 1855. From Illinois he moved to Decatur Co., Kansas, in 1887, and in 1894 to Cuming Co., Neb. He leaves a wife, one son and four daughters, also 34 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services on the 22nd by J.H. Birky and Peter Oswald. Burial in the Beemer cemetery."

Nicholas married Catherine (Katie) Litwiller on 1 Apr 1855 in Tazewell Co., IL. Catherine (daughter of Joseph Litwiller and Barbara Ulrich) was born on 21 May 1834 in Milford, Butler Co., OH; died on 1 May 1930 in Milford, Seward Co., NE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obit: Gospel Herald, June 1930:
"Catherine (Litweiler) Martin was born in Butler Co., Ohio, May 21, 1834; died at the home of her eldest daughter, Barbara Birky, Milford, Nebr., May 1, 1930; aged 95 y. 1 m. 10 d. She was married to Nicklos E. Martin in April, 1854. He preceded her in death Feb. 19, 1905 at Beemer, Nebr. This union was blessed with 4 daughters and 1 son (Barbara Birky, Joseph, Mary Birky, Emma Birky, and Katie Stoltzfus). She leaves 4 daughters, 37 grandchildren, 92 great-grandchildren, 13 great-great-grandchildren and many friends. She was exceptionally blessed with long life and good health. Even in her last days she could think clearly and see the beauties of nature. The last four years of her life she lived with A. D. Birky's. She accepted Christ as her Savior in her youth and was a member of the Amish Mennonite Church for about 78 years. She died trusting in the Lord. It was her desire to depart and be with Christ, and she patiently waited for the call. "Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his abundant mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Tit. 3: 5). Short funeral services were held at the home of Bro. Birky on Sunday afternoon. On Monday her remains were taken to her former home at Beemer, Nebr. Services were conducted by J. E. Zimmerman of Milford, Nebr. Text, I Pet. 1: 4, 24, 25."

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer/Deacon; A Horseman In Germany
• Reference Number: 182
• Religion: Amish
• Residence: 1839, Butler Co., OH
• Immigration: 12 Oct 1839, Le Havre to New York
• Residence: 1840/44, Tazewell Co., IL
• Ordained: 1847 and 1864, Tazewell Co., IL
• Census: 1860, Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

“Big John,” “Black John”, lived in Tremont. A deacon in the Dillon Creek Congregation by 1864. Attended the 1875 conference of Amish ministers in the Sutter barn.

“In Germany....John was a horseman and a good horseman he was, as I found out for myself when I stayed with him in the spring of 1868-69, when he was breaking four-year old colts to work that had been raised in the woods, wild and vicious.”

The 1850 census of Tazewell County shows the households of Valentine, Andrew, John (with Jacob and Joseph), and Christian in consecutive order on one page.
Their household on the 1850 census of Tazewell County: farmer John Burkie, 35, Germany; Elizabeth, 25, Germany; Elizabeth, 2, Illinois; John, 1, Illinois; laborer Jacob, 25, Germany; and laborer Joseph, 22, Germany. John is found as a 65-year-old retired farmer on the 1880 census of Elm Grove, living with three children. He stated that his father was born in France, his mother in Hesse.

Birth:
Near Augsburg

Residence:
With brother Christian

Immigration:
Aboard the Burgundy. Passenger list shows J. Burky, 24, and C. Burky, 31.

Residence:
Along Dillon Creek

Ordained:
Served Dillon Creek, later Delavan Prairie congregations

Census:
Page 168:
John Bergy age 45, farmer b. Bavaria; Elizabeth age 31 b. Bavaria; Elizabeth age 12 b. IL; Christian age 9, b. IL; Valentine age 5, b. IL.

Johannes married Elisabeth Bircky (Birky) on 7 Jan 1847 in Tazewell Co., IL. Elisabeth (daughter of Valentin (Valentine) Bircky (Birky) and Elisabeth Unzicker (Hunsiker)) was born on 19 Nov 1826 in Nymphenburg, Bavaria, GR; died in Oct 1866 in Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: 169
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Immigration: Oct 1846, NY

Notes:

Birth:
Weibach Castle, No. 17, normal birth at 7:30 am with midwife N. Gunzler in Nymphenburg.

Immigration:
On Ship Kilby: Joseph, 29; Catherine Augustein, 21; Barbara Augustein, 20 (Joseph’s wife-to-be); and Valentine Burkey, 26, Joseph’s brother. Catherine Augustein later married a John Burkey.

Notes:

Christian married Elizabeth (Marie Barbe) Zehr on 13 Dec 1810 in Domevre-sur-Vezouse, Meurthe-et-Moselle, FR. Elizabeth (daughter of Christian Zehr and Catherine Litwiller) was born in 1789 in Hellering-lès-Fénétrange, Moselle, FR; died on 3 Mar 1873 in Imling, Moselle, FR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Their civil marriage entry described the groom as cultivator Christianne Martin, a resident of Zilling, a son of cultivator Christianne Martin and Elizabeth Kog [Barbe Koch] who were present and consenting. The bride was described as Elisabethe Zert, a resident of Domèvre, daughter of cultivator Christianne Zert and Catherine Littviller who were present and consenting. Witnesses included cultivator Christianne Zert, 49, father of the bride; Christian Kerbre [Gerber], 49, friend of the bride living at Herbéviller; Christian Martin, cultivator, 68, father of the groom living at Zilling; and Jean Frey, 40, friend of the groom living at Zilling.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Wheelwright (Carter/charron)
• Immigration: 1831, Butler Co., OH
• Residence: 1850, Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Joseph and Barbe sailed from Le Havre with Barbe's brother Peter in May 1830, arriving at New York in July. They raised their family in Butler County. After Barbe's death Joseph brought his children to Dillon, where Joseph appears on the census in 1860 and 1880.

Joseph married Barbara Ulrich on 19 Sep 1829 in Hirsingue, Haut-Rhin, FR. Barbara (daughter of Peter Ulrich, Jr. and Katharina Lauber) was born on 20 Mar 1804 in Walheim, Upper Alsace, FR; died on 29 Dec 1847 in Butler Co., OH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish

Notes:

Like her father and brother, she was illiterate, could only pen marks, not signatures, at the bottom of their marriage record.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: 34
• Religion: Mennonite
• USR1: Pneumonia, per Dr. Heelbast from Augsburg
• Residence: 1804-1813, Geretsried, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 22 Jun 1829, Unterdiessen, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 1830, Abstried, near Diessen, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 13 Feb 1832, Heimberg, Bavaria, GR

Notes:

Previously from Freudenbergerhof near Bitche in Lorraine.
Later at Heimberg, near Augsburg.

Harry F. Weber, in his book "Centennial History of the Mennonites of Illinois" reports them as the Big Burkeys and listed them along Dillon Creek in 1841. Reference is made to them as the Big Birkeys because of their large stature. Joseph was the youngest of the six sons and the smallest, and he was a man of over 6 feet in height and weighed over 200 pounds. In 1850, according to U.S. census files, Joseph Birky was 22 years old and his brother Jacob was 24, and they were living with their brother John Birky in Tazewell County, Illinois.
—————————————
While in Bavaria, Christian was one of the signatories to a letter sent March 18, 1811, to King Maximilian I. Joseph (ruler from 1806-1825). In it the “Elders of the Menonists” of the dairy farm Oberndorf, appealed to the King for permission to hire their own private instructors to educate their children in their own catechism, since he had allowed them freedom of religion. But “some of the community have received legal orders to send their children to school a good half hour away.”

The answer came to them on Sept. 11, 1811, that “attendance of the local school remained compulsory, but the Mennonite children were not compelled to participate in religious instruction.”

Other signing the letter were: Christian Güngerich, Heinrich Stalter, Daniel Zehr, Johannes Bächler.
———————————————————

Following are the memories of Valentine Birky (recorded in 1935) of his grandfather Christian Birki (1781-1840).

“The son, who was my grandfather, grew to manhood in France. He, being of more than ordinary strength, was wanted for the army, so he fled to Germany, settling in Bavaria near the town of Augsburg. The French hunted for him in the hay and grain with their bayonets. His mother and sister came to Bavaria later.

“In Bavaria, Christian set up housekeeping. He raised a family of six sons and two daughters.... They tell me the Birkys were of the nobility, whatever that may mean. The Birky brothers were large men; they stood six feet tall and over. None of them fleshy, as I remember them--large frame bone and muscle.

“One thing we must give them credit for: none of them were drinkers, which was a trouble with some of the German people in those days when liquor flowed so freely. I knew the brothers well, all but my own father, which I regret very much not knowing. I have always heard him highly spoken of. Their father was considered the strongest man in Bavaria, I am told. “

The following taken from "A Brief Account of the History, Ancestry & Descendants of the John C. Birky Family."

“The son [of Christian Birki [b. abt 1700], also named Christian, grew to manhood and was constantly sought for service in the military. Eventually he escaped back into Germany. There he was married and raised a family six sons and two daughters. The names of the children in order of age were: Katherine, Christian, John, Andrew, Valentine, Jacob, Joseph and Elizabeth.

Between 1830 and 1840, when the older sons were approaching manhood, plans were made for the Christian Birky family to move to America, but the father suddenly became ill and died. Even so, loyalty to their faith of non-resistance caused them to continue plans to go to America. The two older sons, Christian and John, went to America alone first and settled in Butler County, Ohio. About a year later the other four brothers joined them in Ohio, and a short time later all six went west and located along Dillon Creek in Tazewell County, Illinois. This was in the year 1839 or 1840. The sister Elizabeth, who had married Jacob Eichelberger, came to America with her family and settled in the vicinity of her brothers. The mother and older sister, who married a man by the name of Jacob Rogie, remained in Germany.”

“[Christian] left his wife, one son, and one daughter. The French army sought this one son, Christian, to serve in the army. They often dug in the hay and grain with their bayonets, thinking that they might find him. To avoid this persecution, Christian fled to Germany and then into Bavaria. His mother and sister came later. This took place about 1800 or a little later. In Bavaria, Christian was married and became the father of six sons and two daughters, although it is thought that there was a third daughter who died early in youth. The names of the children were, in order of age: Katherine, Christian, John, Andrew, Valentine, Jacob, Joseph and Elizabeth.

Sons Came Over.
Of the six brothers it was apparent that there were three deacons and one minister. Between 1830 and 1840 this family prepared to come to America, but the father suddenly took sick and died, so it was decided that the two oldest sons, Christian and John, should make the journey alone, which they did.
It was customary for voyagers to take along enough provisions for the journey and also to do their own cooking. There were quite a few Hungarians on the ship and as the Birky boys were the only Bavarians, the Hungarians held the majority. One day John was seasick and Christian went down in the kitchen to do the cooking he found that an Hungarian had a large pot of potatoes on the stove. When Christian came with his kettle, which was small, to cook some soup the Hungarian told him to get out as he couldn't cook.
The boy went upstairs and told his brother John, the story goes, that he must come down to the kitchen, as the Hungarian had insulted them. Christian went down again and tried to put his kettle on but again without success. The Hungarian told him to get out. But Christian, his ire called up, was himself the aggressor this time and seizing the pot of hot potatoes, turned them upside down on the Hungarian's head. In the meantime John came downstairs, and while the Hungarian was trying to get at Christian a seaman tripped him and he fell at John's feet. Thinking the boy had thrown him he left them alone, his fight gone.
About a year later the other brothers came to America and settled in Butler county, Ohio, with the two oldest brothers, but they remained there only a short time and then moved to Tazewell county, Illinois, about 1859 or 1860. The sister Elizabeth, who had married Jacob Eichelberger, came to America with her family and settled in the vicinity of her brothers. The mother and the oldest sister, who married a man by the name of Jacob Rogie, remained in Germany.
The name was formerly spelled Purckey, but has been changed to Burky, Birkey and Birky. The P was changed to B and the C omitted in Switzerland, and other minor changes have been made by the different branches of the family.”

Residence:
South of Munich. Leased Schwaigwall (Gut Wahl/Wolfratshausen-Waal estate), succeeding Joseph Stalter; Joseph rented only 50 days, Christian had a contract for 10 years. A Schwaige was not a ordinary farm, and according to Helmut Gingerich it provided for for a castle or monastery, needing skills such as distilling and cattle raising and a knowledge of business processes. Christian and his people farmed the 240 Bavarian acres of meadows and pastures until 1813.

PURC:
Tafernwirt. Purchased an inn that included 53 acres of farmland. In 1831, Christian is mentioned twice as witness of the Mennonite community, and as innkeeper in Schwabunterdissen.

PURC:
Heimberg estate, near Daniel Unzicker

PURC:
Bought farm estate near Fischach and 25 km S.W. of Augsburg, from Baroness von Grimmenstein for 4,000 Guilders. This farm was also near Daniel Unzicker’s Abstried Schwaige.

Died:
At 11:00 am in the house of Peter Hochstetler while visiting the family. Services at his funeral were conducted by minister Peter Hochstettler (1814-1884), a resident of Meringerau. Hermann Hage says he died at “Siebenbrunn b. Augsburg.” This is 20 miles east of Fischach, Christian’s home since 1838.

Buried:
At the wall from the chapel, in the presence of Stephan Klughammer the priest in the parish of St. Georg, near the Hochstetler family “the oldest from the Mennonite Peter Hochstetler, tenant to the Brik’schen farm.” Peter was in charge of the burial. (Haunstetten equals Siebenbrunn: they are very close together.)

Christian + Katharina Nafziger. Katharina was born in 1776/1777; died on 3 Apr 1861 in Ehingen, Bavaria, GR; was buried on 5 Apr 1861. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Schaffhauserhof, home of her daughter Katharina Burcky Rocke. (Schaffhauser Farm by Nördlingen)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: In Europe A Bauer (Farmer), In US A Farmer
• Reference Number: 36
• Religion: Amish
• Residence: Bef 1803, Völlerdingen, Alsace, FR
• Residence: ? 1803, Riedenburg, Bavaria, GR
• Residence: 1813, Dachau, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 1825, Dachau, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• Residence: 1815 - 1828, Dachau, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• Immigration: 31 May 1828, Dachau, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• Residence: 1830, Pellheim, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 8 Mar 1833, Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 15 Apr 1841, Ludwigsfeld, Bavaria, GR
• Death: 12 Aug 1848, Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• Residence: 1831-1849, Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• Immigration: 21 Jun 1849, NY
• Census: 1850, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1860, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Valentine, father of thirteen children, all of whom emigrated to America, although not all at the same time, lived in Gern, Bavaria, when his children were born. The year after his wife died, Valentine, with some of his family came to America. He left Gern near Munich, Bavaria with five children, and with 10,000 fl., one of the larger amounts taken out of the country--much more than most immigrants. His brother Christian took the same amount. Valentine was of the "Little Red" Birky's. The family’s emigration is documented in Friedrich Blendinger’s material (the emigration to North America from the governmental district Upper Bavaria in the years 1846-1852, in: ZBLG (magazine for Bavarian national history) 27 (1964), p. 431-487. The magazine is on line with full text.

Birth:
Probably born at either Lutterbacherhof or Buscherhof (both near Sarre-Union and Rimsdorf). Lutterbacherhof is now a part of the Cultural Heritage Inventory Department Palais du Rhin. See https://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/merimee/IA67006033

Residence:
Lutterbacherhof, near Saar-Union/Saarbrücken, FR

Residence:
Lived on rented farms with brother Andreas (Country court Riedenburg [Flugelsberg]), and with Christian (in County Court Munich.
Google translation :
Gern and Riedenburg
lt. deed of citizenship of
In 1828 he stayed until about 1815
with his brother on the
Wing mountain.

Residence:
Unterweilbach tenant, of Court Spreti, near Dachau.

PURC:
Purchased an estate in Arzbach from his brother Christian.

Residence:
Tenant at Unterweilbach.

Immigration:
Received France to Bavaria immigration permit. ”Here appears Valentin Bircky from Lutterbach in Alsace, 34 years old, father of seven children, five boys, and two girls, the oldest 13 years of age, the youngest two years of age, asking for permission to emigrate.”

Residence:
Arzbach estate (about 2 miles north of the center of Pellheim) called Schloss Pellheim.

PURC:
Purchased Kandler farm estate, house No 3 from Joseph Stalter, Elisabeth’s step-father.

PURC:
Mayerrhof, house No. 8, called “Wurzer estate in Ludwigsfeld near Munich, and Dachau.

Death:
Death of wife Elisabeth Unzicker

Residence:
Valentin moved with his family to his father-in-law living in Gern near Munich

Immigration:
Via Liverpool on ship Minnesota. Evidently the family was originally booked to depart with ship agent Karl Dick from Augsburg via Mannheim-LaHavre-New York. Plans must have changed since they ultimately arrived on the ship Minnesota, via Liverpool to New York.

Census:
Age 67, living with son Joseph and Barbara (Eigsti) Birky; also living there was Christian Springer, laborer.

Residence:
Year of his death

Buried:
Birky-Landes Cemetery, personal visit, Plot #36 on cemetery map dated 8/12/2013

Valentin married Elisabeth Unzicker (Hunsiker) in 1812 in Munich, Bavaria, GR. Elisabeth (daughter of Unzicker (Hunsicker) and Magdalena Nafziger) was born in 1796 in Breimthal, Heidelberg, Bavaria, GR; died on 12 Aug 1848 in Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR; was buried on 15 Aug 1848 in Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: 37
• Religion: Mennonite
• USR1: Stroke

Notes:

Unzicker, originally Hunzicker= from Hunzicken, Canton Bern. The initial H was probably lost during a stay in France where an H is not pronounced at the beginning of a word.

















More likely, Elizabeth could have been a sister to Daniel b. 1798 who married Magdalena Kahn.}

Birth:
Near Wieslock and Heidelberg

Died:
Farmer’s wife, at age 54, on her father’s farm

Buried:
Gern Mennonite Cemetery

Notes:

Settlement of Valentine’s estate lists Joseph first and Jacob seond--the rest in the same order as here.

Married:
about 1812-1813 - 2,500 Guilders given to the bride and groom on the occasion of their marriage by the bride’s family.