Nettie (Natalie?) Elizabeth Schrock

Notes:

Lived north of Eureka, IL.

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Cemetery

Nettie married Joseph William Rocke on 1 Jan 1922. Joseph (son of Jeff Rocke and Lucy Stoller) was born on 29 Mar 1898 in Eureka, Woodford Co., IL; died on 21 Nov 1961 in Eureka, Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Roanoke, Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Norman Joseph Rocke
2. Mildred Louise Rocke was born on 4 Jul 1926 in Oakville, Louisa Co., IA; died on 18 Dec 2001; was buried in Gridley, McLean Co., IL.
3. Richard Allen Rocke
4. Arlene Ruth Rocke was born on 1 Apr 1931 in Roanoke Twp., Woodford Co., IL; died on 25 May 2013 in Eureka, Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Tremont Twp., Tazewell Co., IL.
5. Eldon Ray Rocke

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer, apple orchards
• Religion: Apostolic Christian Church
• Residence: 1865, Farnisville, Woodford Co., IL

Notes:

At his death, Jonathan’s estate totaled $205,162.23--divided among his eight children at $16,956.03 each.


On October 1, 2000, I attended the Jonathan Schrock Reunion in Carlock, IL. This was the first contact I had with the Joseph Schrock (oldest son of Johannes) family. I received the following information:

“In October and November of 1947, Ada Marie Schrock wrote “Portrait of Father” which pertained to her father, Jonathan Schrock. He passed away shortly after she completed the writing. The following are excerpts from “Portrait of Father.”

I think the reason for Father’s condition is just pure weariness of life--he is tired of it all. At 80, he’d still had his fine dairy herd in which he took a great interest, but he was forced to sell his cows when the war came and took his herdsman away. After that he could not find a reliable man--”What’s the matter with people nowadays!” Father would storm. “Nobody knows how to work, nobody wants to, they’re no good anymore now. When I was young...,” etc. In those days, he still had Mother to listen to him. When she died three years later, he did not shed a tear that we saw. But, he soon began to droop noticeable. He looked lost and defeated and sad. For that reason, I wanted to stay with him, even though he made me feel just about as sad by looking on. But I gained something of lasting value through the experience of walking with him through the lonely years.

“I used to wish he had some absorbing hobby. That he would have learned to knit like Mother, or weave beautiful bedspreads like a dear old departed friend of his had, or make hooked rugs, or carve, or whittle, or anything, so he could keep his mind occupied and feel needed. But Father couldn’t be bothered with “little things.” He had been interested in doing only big things that required strength because he had always been so strong and well. He had not planned for old age, and loneliness for the “old days” gripped him often. He had seen a great many changes in his lifetime of 86 years, but he loved the old days best--the days when he began to farm his mother’s land, with nothing to his name but an old blind mare and a horse with “heaves”--but then, he had been young and confident. He lived with his mother. She was glad to have her too-large house occupied, for she was alone then. A little town had sprung up, rather suddenly, not far from their back door because of the railroad that had just been built through the farm. That was before fences were constructed along the rights of way, so swinging gates were built across the tracks to protect the livestock. Trains were forced to stop and open gates in order to pass through his mother’s property.

Also, in those good days, his mother used to bake loaves of bread in a great brick oven outdoors. She made it of flour from their own wheat, which they had ground at the local mill. They cracked grains for their cereal, too, between large stones. Sugar was “dear” so they used mostly crude molasses for sweetening. Molasses was plentiful and cheap. Their apple pies never saw cinnamon except on rare occasions. Well-to-do people used it more frequently. They “boiled down” apple butter in a large iron pot outdoors, with a fire built underneath it. And then there were days and days of walking behind a plow--those were the days of the walking plow. One had ample time for long and serious thought then. At harvest time, Father was obliged to walk behind the crude reaper and bind the sheaves by hand. He boasted about this ability to keep up with the reaper. Father walked much in his lifetime. He thought nothing of walking several miles to “meetin” on Sundays--come mud or snow. He visited the churches around, and listened earnestly to the preachers who traveled about. They came and went a great deal in those days.

Father did not marry until he was almost thirty, and then he married a frail and delicate little French girl who had come to America with her parents in her early teens--she was a far cry from the typical farm woman. Brought up in a household of servants, she hardly knew how to keep house on a farm, especially in America where everything was so different and rugged. But she was very optimistic and loved life. She managed well, with the hired girl Father insisted upon having.

After Father had accumulated enough money, he bought 40 acres of hilly land and planted almost all of it in apple trees. He grafted and budded many of the trees himself. He had wonderful success in growing fruit, and he loved the work that went with it. His apples were exceptionally fine. It seems he always walked about with the deep pockets of his coat bulging with apples, and he ate them incessantly. He used to hand them out to children he passed along the way. they learned to look at him expectantly as he approached, which always amused him. “Children need apples,” he would say. He thought nothing of taking a bushel of apples to a family with many children because their parents couldn’t afford to buy them. People came from far and wide to buy Father’s apples. Although he asked a good price for them, he always filled the baskets to overflowing, for he loved to give a good measure. He was right when he said folks remember a good measure much longer than the price they paid for a basket of apples. the same people came year after year.

Work came easy with father. He loved to work and was proud of the fact that at quite an age he could outwork any of his boys. His boys were amused at that. Always an early riser, he would often get up before dawn and go about from chore to chore singing his favorite hymn at the top of his voice. The music floated far and wide in the crisp and still morning air. We hoped the neighbors appreciated it! He had a fine voice, and sang a beautiful old-fashioned tenor at sings and when his family sang hymns together.

He seemed immune from petty hurts and never bore a grudge, and no one ever gave sounder advice, or quicker sympathy, help and comfort in distress than he. When any of US looked sad, or down and out, he was quick to ask in kindness, “Is anything troubling you?” This made it easy to confide in him. We learned to be grateful for Father. He made many sacrifices throughout his lifetime to keep his children’s faith in “The Way”--and in the Heavenly Father who had called him into service. No child of his must ever lose faith because he himself had failed to walk straight. He set a good example. He had grievous faults and failures, but his sorrow and remorse over them served only to strengthen and encourage his children. One learned to be tolerant, and to know that no one is perfect.

Sin was a different matter, however. to commit sin after a true conversion, deliberately and intentionally, was in Father’s eyes an abomination--and hardly forgivable. Such a man denied the power to overcome, which God promises to all who turn to Him.

Father had an eye for the beautiful and would stand in awe before a bed of flowers. He often carried flower seeds in his pockets to sow along the road during his long walks. “Flowers look pretty along a road,” he would say.

Living in the age he did, with its many and rapid changes, life was sometimes a problem for Father. He did not adapt himself easily or readily to the new, but then, he even hated new clothes. he sort of grew into his clothes and felt “at home” in them after a time. One had to use the greatest of tact and mental skill to get Father into the notion of needing a new coat, or new shoes, or a hat. After one succeeded in that, there was still the problem of getting him to wear them. He looked fine in good clothes. Six feet tall, broad of shoulders, and straight as a candle, even at eighty odd years. But, that meant nothing to Father. He had always been conservative, and had saved too long throughout his lifetime to spend money for what he termed “unnecessary things.”

But he was sentimental, too. We have three old ramshackle buildings near our house which Father never consented to have torn down. why, one had been his mother’s kitchen! We couldn’t hurt him, so we planted honeysuckle bushes to hide it. Another, he finally decided to give up for the lumber in it that could be used. “But save the roof,” commanded father, “That’s a good roof, and it might come in handy some day. People don’t build good roofs like that anymore.” We wished, with a sort of desperation, that we knew where we could put a good roof in order to save it!

A sadness that i can’t explain steals over me, at times, when now I see Father lying so peacefully--but thin and white and almost lifeless against his pillows. I do not regret so much that he is about to pass away. In fact, I long for the time of his deliverance. I think it is because his going seems more than the death of one weary old man who is my father. He seems to be taking so much with him--a whole long lifetime of experiences--and it seems, in fact, like a whole generation is marching out of the picture, leaving US behind with only shadowy memories of something great and good and genuine that one filled our world.”
--------------------------------------
“The Apostolic Christian Church was built in Farney in the 1870s. It was called the “Mackinaw Dells Church”. It still stands there. It’s cemetery was once called the “Mackinaw Dells Cemetery”. If you go on the road north past Slabtown Cemetery, under the railroad tracks, and another quarter mile, you reach this cemetery which is on the right. It is still in use. Jonathan was a member of the Mackinaw Dells church, which is now called the Congerville Church.”

Found in the family notes compiled by Alta Heiser Detweiler (no date) is the following notation about Jonathan Schrock:
“Joseph’s son Jonathan lived on this Schrock farm until his death. I remember my grandfather John visiting his cousin Jonathan at Congerville a number of times. He was impressed with the large orchards of fruit trees which Jonathan cared for. In fact, on one of these visits Jonathan gave Grandpa a sweet cherry tree which he (Grandpa) planted in my orchard,and we still enjoy sweet cherries every year (of the birds don’t get them).”
--------------------------------------------------
“Dad and Mom lived the early years of their married life in a little house immediately north of the Congerville water tower on the west side of the street. Dad had referred to these as the happiest years of his life. Here, the four oldest children were born: Noah in 1892, Jesse in 1894, Nettie in 1896, Nima in 1900. After Grandpa Joseph SCHROCK died in December of 1901, Dad and Mother moved to the present home known as the SCHROCK homestead where Grandma lived. Grandma had an addition built on the house and reserved two rooms for herself but had her meals with us. I have fond recollections of visiting with Grandma and reading to her out of the Bible storybook. She passed away in 1922 when I was 13 years old.

I also vividly remember her children visiting her; they were a very interesting family, tremendous conversationalists. And when those four SCHROCK girls came to visit, Aunt Katie, Aunt Maggie, Aunt Mary, and Aunt Susan; then you know Uncle John Sutter, they had relatives at Goodfield, the Helderles, and they came more often, and I could just sit and enjoy that night with Uncle John Sutter. They were all good and never lost their tongues. After Naomi, the following children came along: Ada in 1902, Mae 1904, Joseph 1906, and Alvin 1909. Ada was the first death of the children. She passed away December 18, 1955. Noah passed away April 6, 1976.

During the lifetime of our parents, tremendous changes occurred; even during the lifetime of the children of the children for that matter. Father told of keeping up with his station at 12 years of age; binding bundles of grain by hand. About this time he saw the first self-binder that Grandpa bought from George Hacker, an implement dealer in Eureka.

Mother told of the streetcars in Peoria being on tracks but pulled by horses. She worked in Peoria for $3.00 a week and saved money. Instead of buying a new hat she would take some shoe blacken and go over the hat she had and perk it up a little.

They told of the first electric lights they ever seen and automobiles. The first autos. In the horse age, automobiles were kind of a nuisance. The horses became frightened when they met a car and sometimes had to be held by their bridles. Father used to say, "Here comes one of those cars at a gallop." The first practical car for mass distribution was a Model T Ford. I remember when Noah got his first car, a 1915 Ford Model T. It was the first year they had electric lights on them. He sometimes took the children to German school that was held in Goodfield. Mary Nohl was the teacher. Later when Noah got a car, it had quite an innovation, a windshield wiper. A handle came through the windshield. You turned the handle to wipe the windshield.

Jess got a Model T in 1917. He went out to teach our sisters how to drive this car. These cars were open touring cars, which had side curtains for bad weather, and the tops could be put down in nice weather. This was seldom done but it made for a nice breeze. Our first family car was a Nash purchased about 1922. This was the year the hard road was built through Congerville.

7.02-7

Father used to tell about an outside oven Grandma used. These ovens were constructed with a brick floor. A combustible material was placed on the bricks, with a hole situated at one end. This floor was covered with clay. The fire inside would bake the clay so we had a self-contained situation. After the oven was formed, they would burn wood in the oven and then rake the coals out, put the bread in which would bake from the heat in the bricks and clay.

Noah writes in his memoirs of the simplicity of life. He states that our parents were very conservative. Father made his own lye by placing straw on the bottom of a V-shaped box that had a trough at the bottom. Wood ashes were placed in this container. From time to time water was poured over the ashes. This produced a dark brown liquid, which was lye, and from this our soft soap was made.

In October, Father would send someone to Carlock with two and a half bushels of white dried corn to grind into fine white meal. This was our winter supply for corn mush and corn bread. Mother would place a large black iron kettle on the stove about 4 p.m. and heat the water to a boil and begin to add the meal until it was the right consistency. This was served with milk and sugar and was delicious.

What mush was left over was put in bread pans about 3 inches deep. By morning it had set enough so it could be sliced and fried. At noon sometimes we would have corn bread and milk. Sometimes we had fruit dried in the sun or dried in a dryer we had built for this purpose (Jess SCHROCK mentioned that the dryer held 5 bushels of fruit at one time).

Dad, always concerned for our health went to the woods each spring and dug up some sassafras roots. The peelings were used to make tea. We were put on this tea to thin our blood. In the wintertime your blood was supposed to thicken up you know. When nose bleeding began, it was the signal that the thinning was enough. Mother had a large assortment of homeopathic remedies, which she resorted to. Father had a grape vineyard, planted an apple orchard, and he also raised pears and peaches.

I've made some notes during the years regarding father's physical fitness. You remember that late in life he still walked erect. He was taught to do this by a man in Kansas who got after him for slumping. Dad minded him and he thought it was a good investment. The man's name was John Habaker. I must have thought at that time those notes were worth writing down. In the fall of 1931, a few weeks before father's 70th birthday, he picked 12 bushels of Willow Twig apples in 59 minutes using a long ladder, possibly 20 foot.

In the same fall, while picking apples, he very carefully set his ladder. The ladder fell forward... mind you... and he fell backwards; as he fell he reached down and caught the rung of the ladder below his feet. It might have saved his life. Resetting the ladder he resumed his apple picking. It may have taken the kink out that he had in his back. In the fall of 1932 father was picking apples and the ladder turned in such a way that the bottom went up and the top went down. He just turned and walked back up the ladder in the other direction.




7.02-8

Father spent his 75th birthday in the timber working on wood, and on his 80th birthday he helped haul straw. On his 81st birthday it was cold and he worked outside most of the day. He passed away December 3rd, 1947 at age 86. Mother preceded him in death passing away on August 10, 1944 at the age of 76. Pa was never the same after Mother's passing... a lonely man, ready to go home.

There were interesting and humorous things that happened as the family was growing up but time does not permit. I do want to say a few more things. Father had a deep concern for the young people as to the company they closely associated with. The wrong kind of companionship can be disastrous. His advice was to try to associate with decent people. He used to say, "Be somebody or nobody."

While many changes have been mentioned one thing is much the same, little children are about like they were then, innocence, curious, original personalities. Children are still children; parents be of good cheer when children go through changes which we hope are only stages, sometimes we can think this too will pass.

Editor's Note: The tape now reveals that there was some additional story-telling from various people at the reunion. Much to my regret, most of it cannot be understood, as the speakers were too far from the tape recorder. Following are those portions that can be heard.

Jess SCHROCK related that Aunt Minnie as a young girl remembered when she saw her first train go by which was the Big 4 line. Also, Grandma's sister Aunt Anne, who married Joe Sommers had no children. The SCHROCKs became heirs to her farm. They went to look it over; John and Joe from Kansas, Uncle Dave and Father. I drove them in my Model T to Tremont to see the farm. I later told Noah that I took the Big 4 down to Tremont, he said "You took the train?" I told him it was the Big 4 SCHROCKs.

Alvin SCHROCK related that John Zimmerman said that those stiff white collars were so high up the neck that you had to stand on a stump to spit over the top of one.

Someone said that her sister, Barbara, was the only one who inherited Grandma's red hair. Someone else said that they had a lock of Grandma's red hair. Alvin SCHROCK said he had red hair when he was little.

Nina SCHROCK related that her Dad was so disgusted when someone commented that he was still very erect in his old age. He said, "They don't know that I'm so stiff that I can't bend."

Don Schrock related (in 2010) that he never saw his grandfather smile--and there was no idleness, or he’ll have you picking the hairs off grasshoppers. He also said thetwo younger brothers started the seed corn company in abot 1947 and the fertilizer in about 1951. One brother “went like a freight train and the other kept putting on the brakes.”

Don Schrock: “When I was in 7th grade I made a map of every house in Congerville and knew the name of every person who lived there (and some of the dogs?)”

“Jonathan had fruit orchards and made many barrels of wine each year. He sold wine quite widely. He had a wine cellar in his Congerville house with 12-15 barrels full. He also had seven buggies--the last one purchased for 25 cents. Asked why he bought the seventh one, he said he couldn’t pass it up for 25 cents.” --Don Schrock}

Residence:
At age four moved with family to a farm two and one-half miles east of Farnisville. Congerville was later built on part of this farm.

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Cemetery (Dells)

Jonathan married Naomi Gerber on 26 Jan 1890 in Peoria, Tazewell Co., IL. Naomi (daughter of Christian Gerber, II and Elizabeth Zimmerman) was born on 17 Jul 1868 in FR; died on 10 Aug 1944 in Congerville, Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Congerville, Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 1882

Notes:

Immigration:
At the age of 14, with her parents.

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Cemetery (Dells)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite Then Apostolic Christian
• Immigration: 30 Apr 1831, Baltimore, MD

Notes:

“Joseph Schrock, a well-to-do and successful farmer and stock-raiser of Montgomery Township is located on section 22. The village of Congerville, which was begun in the spring of 1888, is situated on a portion of his farm.* He owns about 320 acres of land, which is divided into two farms. Some of this land was bought in 1864, in which year he first came to this county, buying wild land and improving it with fences, trees, buildings, etc., and as fortune smiled upon him, purchasing more land, which he also improved until he is now very comfortably situated. Before coming to Montgomery Township, he resided some seven years in Roanoke Township, which was the second place in which he had located after coming to the state of Illinois in 1850.

“...reared in Butler County, Ohio, and attended the common schools of the district through the winter, and in the summer assisted on the farm and in the mill, thus acquiring a practical knowledge of agricultural matters, and getting a good insight into business transactions while an employee in his father's mill. He was of legal age, but unmarried, when he came to this state. While a resident of Tazewell County, he was united in marriage with the lady of his choice, Miss Magdalena Guingerich, a country-woman of his....” ,

“Mr. and Mrs. Schrock are good, intelligent German people, industrious, thrifty, and provident, and although not mingling in political matters, yet make excellent citizens, and are worthy members of the New Amish Church.” (Apostolic Christian)

According to Illinois Public Land Purchase Records found at Ancestry.com, Joseph Guingerich purchased 20,000 acres of land between Oct 1861 and Mar 1869, paying $224,000.

Joseph Guingerich, his father-in-law, along with Peter Farni, built a mill in Woodford County (near Farnisville, Mackinaw River area).

The first Joseph and Magdalena Schrock reunion was held in 1949. Several Pekin Schrocks and Tillman Smith attended, but did not return other years. So it became known as the Jonathan Schrock reunion.

*The History of Congerville (page 10, 17) tells the story of the town’s original intention of being named Schrock and the ultimate decision to name it Congerville.

Birth:
In Dompcevrin, Meuse, France where his sister was born. However, Frederic Schwindt says he was not born in the village of Dompcevrin, but at some other place within the broader territory of Dompcevrin.

Immigration:
Information from quarterly listing of Baltimore arrivals. Exact date and ship are unknown.

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Cemetery (Dells)

Joseph married Magdalena Guingerich on 8 Jun 1852 in Tazewell Co., IL. Magdalena (daughter of Joseph Gingerich and Magdalena Guerber) was born on 29 Nov 1830 in Enroute To America, at sea; died on 29 Nov 1922 in Congerville, Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Congerville, Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite, Then After Marriage, Apostolic Christian
• Immigration: 1830

Notes:

Obit: (from November 28, 1922 newspaper)

Magdalena Schrock 1829-1922
Magdalena Schrock, one of the eldest and most highly esteemed residents of Montgomery Township, Woodford County, died at the home of her son, Jonathan Schrock at Congerville, Thursday evening after a two month’s illness with complications incident to old age.
Magdalena Guingerich was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Guingerich, natives of Lorraine, France, and she was born on the sea on the way to America, November 20, 1829.
The family first settled in Ohio where they lived only a few years, later coming to Illinois. They settled near Mackinaw Dells over ninety years ago and where the deceased had since made her home and at Congerville.
When Mrs. Schrock was a child, her mother died and she then went to make her home with Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gerber. Her father, Joseph Guingerich, left soon after his wife’s death for the Gold Fields of California, driving a team of cows that were taken on the trip to furnish milk for the prospecting party.
She married Joseph Schrock in 1852. They were the parents of nine children, as follows:
Mrs. John Zimmerman of Carlock; John Schrock, Wichita, Kansas; Mrs. Samuel Roth of Fairbury who died 38 years ago; Mrs. John Sutter, Paulding, Ohio; Joseph Schrock, Goodfield; Jonathan Schrock, Congerville; Mrs. Nathan Gudeman, Paine, Ohio; Mrs. Paul Gerber, Latty, Ohio; David Schrock, Congerville.
She is also survived by one sister, Mrs. Anna Sommers of Mansfield, Ohio.
Beside her sister and children, Mrs. Schrock is survived by fifty-nine grandchildren and seventy great-grandchildren. Her husband died several years ago.
Mrs. Schrock was a member of the Christian Apostolic Church. The funeral will be held from the Church of that denomination at Mackinaw Dells at 1 o’clock Friday afternoon.

Her parents came to the US in 1830 from Le Havre to New York, and Magdalena was born during the crossing. After her mother’s death, young Magdalena lived with “Aunt Gerber” (Barbara Guerber Gingerich Strubhar).

Birth:
Family Bible gives date as 30 Nov 1829

Died:
Family Bible gives date as 28 Nov 1922

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Cemetery (Dells)

Notes:

“After the wedding, a supper and reception were held in their home south of Deer Creek, Illinois. There was a gathering of Mennonites to help celebrate. Joseph Verkler, an elder in the Apostolic Christian Church who was visiting in Slabtown, was invited to attend the reception. After supper, the couple brought out a game of dominoes for all the guests to enjoy. When they invited Joseph Verkler to join them, he politely declined and said that that was not for him. The young bride witnessed the way he stood for his religious beliefs and did not bend temporarily to satisfy his peers. As time unfolded, Joseph and Magdalena Schrock joined the Christian Apostolic Church.”

Married:
by Andrew Ropp

Notes:

This large family came to the US after the War of 1870 when Alsace Lorraine was taken over by the Germans. Brother Froehlich baptized this couple in Europe before coming to the U.S.

Lived in Peoria.

Birth:
Alsace Lorraine, FR ?

Buried:
Ellington Center Cemetery

Christian married Elizabeth Zimmerman in 1853. Elizabeth was born in 1834 in Alsace Lorraine, FR; died on 11 Jun 1887 in Peoria, Peoria Co., IL; was buried in Peoria, Peoria Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obit:

Elizabeth Gerber, 1009 Spencer, 53 years of age, native of Germany, died June 11, 1887 in Peoria, from a heart condition. Burial in Springdale Cemetery June 12.
Source: “Undertaker’s Reports” submitted to the Peoria Health Department.

1009 Spencer was the address that Christian Gerber, laborer, was listed at in the 1884-1885-1886-1887 Peoria directories.

Emil Gerber, broommaker for J. Kirkman was also shown in the 1884 directory at that address. In the 1886 directory, still living at 1009 Spencer, Emil's occupation was malster for the Monarch Distilling Co.

Contributor Sue Mickatavage has located what appears to be the Gerber family's entry into the United States: New York Passenger Lists, May 9, 1883 - May 25, 1883, ship Normandie:

Christin Guerbert, age 56
Elisa Guerbert, age 49
Emile Guerbert, age 24
Julie Guerbert, age 20
Jules Guerbert, age 16
Noemie Guerbert, age 14
Aline Guerbert, age 11
Heloise Guerbert, age 10
Charles Guerbert, age 8

Birth:
(Germany)

Buried:
Springdale Cemetery and Mausoleum

Other Events and Attributes:

• Education: In French
• Occupation: Farmer In Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL 1850-1875
• Occupation: Miller At Cheppe Near Dompcevrin In 1829
• Occupation: Miller In Butler Co., OH (And Perhaps Farmer?) 1832-1850 (Possibly worked with the Flenner mill, since his brother Peter lived at one time near the Flenner family.)
• Religion: Amish, Amish Mennonite
• Residence: 1826, Blâmont, Moselle, FR
• Residence: 1829, Dompcevrin, Meuse, FR
• Residence: 1829, Cheppe, Dompcevrin, Meuse, FR
• Immigration: Spring 1831, Le Havre to Baltimore
• Residence: 1831, Lancaster Co., PA
• Census: 1840, Butler Co., Lemon Twp., OH
• Naturalization: Sep 1844, Butler Co., OH
• Census: 1850, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1832-1850, Butler Co., Lemon Twp., OH
• Census: Oct 1850, Butler Co., Lemon Twp., OH
• Residence: Oct 1850, Butler Co., Lemon Twp., OH
• Residence: Nov 1850, Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Census: 1860, Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Census: 11 Aug 1870, Elm Grove Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

“John Schrock, a native of Lorraine, was of German ancestry, but was educated in French, which he spoke like a native. He was wedded to a lady of Lorraine, Miss Catherine Saltsman, and when the couple were the parents of two children, Joseph and his sister Catherine, they came to America in 1831 leaving the port of Havre in the spring. The passage across the boisterous Atlantic consumed forty-four days. They at length disembarked in Baltimore, Md., very much fatigued from the hardships they had endured during the long journey. From there they went to Lancaster, Pa., and a year later, in 1832 removed to Ohio, and located on a farm which the father operated, and in connection with it rented a mill, which he managed very successfully, it being the business in which he was most proficient. While living in Butler County, Ohio, the family was increased by the addition of three children, namely: John, Peter and Magdalena, who were bright and intelligent, and their mature years have not disappointed the fond expectations, which their parents conceived of the little French-Americans. In the autumn of 1850, Mr. Schrock and his family removed to Tazewell County, Ill., and located near Pekin, taking up wild land, but subduing it by patient industry until at their decease they were surrounded by numbers of broad acres well cultivated and supporting numerous fine domestic animals. During life they were members of the old Amish Church, and died in that communion. The father entered into his rest in his seventy-fourth year and the mother in her fifty-seventh."

(Although the newspaper article said Johannas rented a mill, I’m wondering if in fact he might have managed a mill owned by the Flenner family. Daniel Flenner bought a mill site in 1812 and sold it in 1853, according to the book “Woodsdale’s Story” by Doris Page. Johannas and his family lived in that area during that time. Amishmen Iutzi and Augspurger are mentioned also in connection with the mill. (DB)
—————————————————————
Newspaper article 20 Apr 1935 (at event of son John’s death)
“...Back in Ohio lived Johannes Schrock, German born and also a follower of Menno. Schrock found Ohio pretty well settled, but from the Mennonites in mid-Illinois he heard of a growing new land where acres were cheap and crops were abundant. So Johannes Schrock with three horses, pushed through from Trenton, Ohio, to Pekin and looked at this new west. He liked it. He left one horse here and drove the other two back to the Buckeye state. Arriving, he told the anxious wife, who had been Katharina Salzman in her girlhood days in Germany, that they were moving to Illinois. To Joe, the oldest youth, was given the task of driving through with the horses and cattle and what goods they had. The father and mother took the rest of the family to Cincinnati where they took a boat down the Ohio to Cairo and up the Mississippi and Illinois to Pekin.

Joseph’s son, Jonathan, was later able to point out to his family an American elm tree along the road west of Bloomington where Joseph had camped under his wagon the last night of his trip from Ohio. He had the reputation of being an excellent marksman.
——————————————————————
“The [Johannes Schrock] family located in a log house on what is now the Allen Miller farm five miles east of Pekin. They were made at home by the Mennonites here and kindly neighbors; and because they were honorable and thrifty, they prospered.” ,
——————————————————————
Johannes and his family were counted in the 1850 Butler Co. census and were still there in October. They turn up in Tazewell in November. Land records seem to indicate John made a trip to Illinois prior to taking the family in November, since he had made arrangements to purchase land from the Niewkirk family before arriving. The sale was completed in December 1850. He likely stayed with the Christian Ackerman family and happened to be there when the census taker knocked and was counted again—twice in 1850!
———————————————————————
From John Garber information, Walter Ropp records:
“Danny Garber, whose death by blood poisoning followed a threshing accident, should come in about here. My old Uncle Christ Ropp, who remembered everything that ever happened around there, said that his grave was the first one in the Railroad Cemetery. John Schrock, six months older and much like him said, "I know your Uncle 'Crysthel' had an awful good memory but there's one time when he was mistaken. It was the third one." And now that they are both gone these twenty years, who is going to settle it!”

Bishop Samuel Gerber many times officiated at weddings and funerals of East Bend Mennonite Church members in the early 1900s. While living in Tazewell County, the Schrocks were surrounded by Gerbers and Ropps, including Bishop Samuel Gerber and Bishop Andrew Ropp. The families were obviously close neighbors and friends, and attended church together. So it was natural for both Bishops to be involved in the marrying and burying of these people, even after they had moved to Champaign County.

When Johannes and his family first lived in Tazewell Co., they probably worshipped in the old Railroad School just across the road from Johannes’ land. W. A. Ropp writes about the school: “This school was begun about 1840 and continued to operate until 1872 or 1873 ... about the year 1835, a company was organized to build a railway eastward from Pekin--the grade was finished nearly to Tremont when the panic of 1837 stopped the work. A primitive log school house was built near the newly-graded roadway and was named the Railroad school, altho there was no railroad within a hundred miles.

“Most of the land already had been taken up by settlers, for it consisted of some small, rich, open glades just lying round to let the sunshine in, and a good grade of timberland covered by a magnificent growth of hardwoods and elms--tall, straight and clean-trunked--that gave the township the name Elm Grove.

“The first settlers were families from a number of eastern states and several German families, immigrants from the Upper Rhine country... they said they were Amish. These folks came rapidly and bought out the earlier eastern settlers, so that by 1845 the neighborhood was predominantly German. Some of the early families were the Youngs, the Hodgsons, the Griggs, several Nieukirk families, three Garber families, six Ropp families, and the Unsickers, Sommers, Schrocks, Heisers, Kings, Yordys, Litwillers, Hochstettlers, Birkeys and a few others.“
————————————————————————
The only known photo of Johannes has sometimes been purported as his passport photo. However, according to Wikipedia: “In Europe, general peace between the end of the Napoleonic Wars (1815) and the beginning of WWI (1914), and development of railroads, gave rise to international travel by large numbers of people. Passports were not usually required; there were limited wars which caused some exceptions.” And, photos would not have been used in 1831--photography in its infant form came later--about 1839.
—————————————————————————
Joseph Staker, in his discussion of the Schrock family, describes the land on which they settled: “The Schrocks (and Salzmans) lived on ‘ministerial’ land they had purchased from the State of Ohio. On Jan. 7, 1796, the Ohio Company set aside Section 29 in each of the ten townships of its second purchase for the support of religion. This set a precedent. When John Cleves Symmes made the Miami Purchase on Oct. 15, 1788, it included parts of Hamilton, Butler, and Warren counties. Congress approved his purchase but followed the earlier model by reserving Section 29 in each of the three counties for religious purposes. The State of Ohio was authorized by Congress in 1833 to sell or rent unused parts of each Section 29. The money from sales was invested, and churches within the boundaries of the original township received the interest and rent income until 1968.”
—————————————————————————
In Ohio, the family worshipped with the Augspurger congregation, where Johannes’ brother, Peter, was a minister. This group was the more conservative of the two congregations near Trenton (the other being made up mostly of Hessian Christians who were more “liberal,” using buttons on their clothes rather than hooks and eyes). No doubt the Augspurger group followed the customs of kneeling for prayer and foot washing with communion, since the East Bend Mennonite Church in Champaign Co., Illinois, continued these customs well into the 1940s.
————————————————————————
John and his brother Peter, and Catherine’s father, Michael Salzman, purchased adjoining land in Section 29 of Lemon Township. In 1855 John sold 81+ acres to John Shertz.










———————————
With regard to John Schrock in their household, John and his family were counted in the 1850 Butler Co. census and were still there in October. They turn up in Tazewell in November. Land records seem to indicate John made a trip to IL prior to taking the family in November, since he had made arrangements to purchase land from the Niewkirk family before arriving. The sale was completed in December 1850. He likely stayed with the Ackermans and happened to be there when the census taker knocked, and was counted twice in 1850.
Donna }

Birth:
Date is according to marriage record. Aug 17, 1801 has been used by Willard Smith.

His father Joseph was the miller at Gondrexange during the birth years of his first children, so Johannes was likely born at the mill in the village. No birth document has been found. Nearby Ketzing estate housed many Anabaptist farm workers, so there were probably connections between the Schrag family and other Anabaptists living at the estate, and perhaps products from the farm were processed at the Gondrexange mill.

Residence:
At time of his marriage was living in Blâmont

Residence:
Miller at Cheppe, Commune of Dompcevrin. The mill was destroyed in 1914 during the war, only ruins remain. More than likely lived at the farm Chanteraine.

Residence:
48°56'11.53'' N / 5° 29' 35.00'' E A small village next to Dompcevrin that included Cheppe mill.

Immigration:
On ship list name recorded as Jno. Gerrard. Family lore says the trip lasted 44 days.

Residence:
No information found about the family’s time in Lancaster Co., PA

Census:
#155 (Brother Peter was listed also at #155)

Naturalization:
Two men vouched for John Schrock: Michael Saltzmann and Jacob Taylor.


Census:
Counted again, John Shrock, age 50, being in the household of Christian Ackerman

Census:
House #1175, Family #1316

Residence:
Living with wife Catherine, Joseph, Catharine, Peter, John; next to the Michael Saltzman family

Residence:
Left Ohio to settle in Illinois

Census:
Page 176: John Shrock, age 60, farmer, b. France; John age 17, farmer, b. OH; Magdalene age 16, b. OH.

Census:
Page 18: John Schrack, age 70, farmer; Jacobine, age 53, keeping house, born in Baden.

The information below doesn’t belong to Johannes. Does it belong to his son John?
Real Estate valued at $8000, Personal Estate at $2000. Living in the same dwelling were John, Jr., age 30, farmer; Phoebe, age 24, keeping house; Peter 3; Catharine 2, and Daniel 5/12. This family was living next to Peter Unzicker family in dwelling 119.

Buried:
Railroad Cemetery (not documented, but the most likely)

Johannes married Catherine (Elisabeth) Salzman on 8 Apr 1826 in Blâmont, Moselle, FR. Catherine (daughter of Michael Salzman and Catherine Hirschy (Hergi Hirschine)) was born on 27 Oct 1804 in Sarralbe, Moselle, FR; died in Mar 1858 in Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Pekin, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Servant
• Religion: Amish
• Residence: 1826, Bistroff, Moselle, FR
• Immigration: 30 Apr 1831, Baltimore, MD

Notes:

Birth:
6 brumaire an 13 according to (Film #1981660; n/m/d 1792) Her parents were age 25 and 24 at her birth. Witnesses to Catherine’s birth: Jacob Stabe(?), age 46 and Louis Heyacker, age 23, justitier.?

Residence:
At time of marriage

Immigration:
On the April 30, 1831 ship list of Baltimore arrivals ,with her two children, Joseph and Catherine, and husband Johannes; also her father Michael Salzman and step-mother. Manifest has not been found, but they are on the quarterly summary.

Buried:
Likely Railroad Cemetery

Notes:

Johannes was living at Blâmont at the time of the marriage and Catherine was at Bistroff.
A publication of the marriage was made at commune of Rhodes at Bistroff.

Witnesses:
Father of the groom, Joseph Schrack, living at the mill at Bachats, age 52, and Marie Nayhouser, age 53, mother of the groom
Nicolas Cherrier, age 50 years; Augustin Demontzey b. 1763.
Michael Salzman, age 44, miller at Xirange, father of the bride
André Chertz, age 33 years (born 1793), an uncle “par alliance” (by marriage) of the bride.

Married:
The French marriage index says Catherine Hergi was no longer living at the time of Catherine's marriage in 1826.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Cultivator
• Religion: Old Mennonite Church
• Residence: Butler Co., OH
• Immigration: 1830, NYC
• Residence: 1837, Farnisville, Woodford Co., IL

Notes:

Birth:
Farm Vallerade . Gravestone gives year as 1803.

Immigration:
from Havre, France

Died:
At home of daughter Barbara Strubhar

Buried:
Imhoff Cemetery

Joseph married Magdalena Guerber on 21 Feb 1830 in Montigny, Haute-Normandie, FR. Magdalena (daughter of Pierre Guerber and Barbe Schertz) was born on 22 Nov 1807 in Insviller, Moselle, FR; died in 1848 in Congerville, Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Joseph Guingrich married Magdalena Gerber at Montigny, Meurthe-et-Moselle (22 miles south of Fribourg) Feb. 21, 1830. She was born on the Roderhof at Insviller Nov. 22, 1807, and died at Farnisville in 1848, a daughter of Peter/Pierre Gerber and Barbe Schertz. The marriage was recorded as that of Joseph Guingrich of Montigny and 'Magdelaine Guerber' of Ste. Croix farm at Fribourg. Peter/Pierre Gerber, the father of the bride, was working on Ste. Croix farm and attended the wedding.
The marriage entry also recognized that the couple had a child together. The birth of their daughter Barbe had been registered at Fribourg Jan. 1, 1830. The couple signed the entry as 'Joseph Guingrich' and 'M. Guerber.'
Though little is known about their passage from France to America, it has been passed down that Magdalena gave birth to their daughter Magdalena on a Transatlantic crossing Nov. 30, 1829. (from "Amish Mennonites in Tazewell County, Illinois" by Joseph Peter Staker)

Family history says that Magdalena was buried in the "Slabtown" Cemetery at Farneyville. Supposedly, horses got loose in the cemetery and trampled and broke some of the graves, including Magdalena's. Her burial location in the cemetery remains unknown.

Birth:
Roderhof

Buried:
Slabtown Cemetery

Notes:

The marriage record included the information that Magdelaine Guerber was the mother of Barbe Guerber, who had been born 1 January 1830.

The marriage was recorded as that of Joseph Guingrich of Montigny and 'Magdelaine Guerber' of Ste. Croix farm at Fribourg. Peter/Pierre Gerber, the father of the bride, was working on Ste. Croix farm and attended the wedding.

The marriage entry also recognized that the couple had a child together. The birth of their daughter Barbe had been registered at Fribourg Jan. 1, 1830. The couple signed the entry as 'Joseph Guingrich' and 'M. Guerber.'

Married:
Cultivator living at Montigny