Silas C. Birky

Notes:

Buried:
Morton Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery

Silas married Katherine Anna Carius on 16 Dec 1920. Katherine was born on 31 Jan 1899; died on 23 Feb 1998; was buried in Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Grace Lucille Birky was born on 25 Nov 1922; died in 2000.
2. June Rose Birky was born on 28 Jun 1925; died on 11 Jun 1928.
3. Vilas June Birky was born on 9 Nov 1929 in Deer Creek Twp., Tazewell Co., IL; died on 23 Nov 2008 in Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Apostolic Christian
• Residence: 1914, Deer Creek, Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Buried:
Morton Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery

Peter married Rosina E. (Rose) Knapp on 5 Mar 1889 in Tazewell Co., IL. Rosina (daughter of George Carl Knapp and Christianna Shenk) was born on 11 May 1870 in GR; died on 26 Jul 1918 in Deer Creek Twp., Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Congerville, Woodford Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Buried:
Apostolic Christian Cemetery

Other Events and Attributes:

• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The SE 1/4 Of The NE 1/4 Of Section 19 Town 22N, R8E Of 3rdPM (40 Acres At $70 Per Acre =$2800)
• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The W 1/2 Of The NE 1/4 Of Section 19 Town 22N, R8E Of 3rdPM (Excet One Acre In NE Corner Thereof, Deeded For Cemetery Purposes (79 Acres At $80 Per Acre=$6320)
• DESC: At Time Of Death Owned Land As Follows: The W 35 1/2 Acres Of The SW 1/4 Of The NW 1/4 Of Section 20, Town 22N, R8E Of The 3rdPM (35 1/2 Acres At $70 Per Acre = $2485) Purchased From Cora Baker
• Occupation: Farmer
• PURC: Champaign Co., IL
• PURC: Champaign Co., IL
• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Residence: 1872, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 16 Feb 1888, Tazewell Co., IL
• Naturalization: 3 Mar 1890, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1892, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

“After Andrew and Veronica married, they probably soon moved into the [Johannes] Sutter home, after the elder Sutters moved into the smaller house just across the garden. Their home was about eighteen feet long and sixteen feet wide. Its one room was divided into a kitchen and bedroom by a curtain. The hired man had to climb a ladder to his bed in the loft. Later an addition was built to the house for use as a kitchen in the summer. It could not be used during the winter because it was not built very warm and was floorless. The pole barn was eight feet high, sixteen feet wide, and eighteen feet long. In the wall in front of the horses was a flap door, which was opened at feeding time. The haystacks were just outside. Oats was kept in a rail pen nearby.”

Andrew and Veronica bought 80 acres of the Sutter land in 1882 for $50 an acre. In 1891 they sold the land for $95 an acre and moved to Fisher. He bought some land in the same section where daughter Mary and her husband had purchased land and built a house.

Birth:
Perhaps Arzbach. Birthdate on gravestone is 31 Mar 1830

PURC:
Section 19 portion purchased from George W. Mathews, who had himself derived title by patent from the United States.

PURC:
35 1/2 acres in Section 20 purchased from Cora A. Baker, who had derived title indirectly from the United States by patent.

Residence:
Daughter Mary lived in Morton as a child

Naturalization:
Intent to become a citizen

Naturalization:
Final certificate signed

Residence:
Moved from Tazewell Co., IL

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery (First burial)

Andrew married Veronica (Fannie) Sutter on 25 Mar 1858 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL. Veronica (daughter of Johannes Sutter (Suttor) and Barbara Oesch) was born on 11 Nov 1838 in Neuberg-an-Donau, Bavaria, GR; died on 16 Apr 1927 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Apr 1927 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite
• Immigration: 1851, New York, NY
• Residence: 1863, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL
• Residence: 1914, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL

Notes:

Obit: May 26, 1927 Gospel Herald
Birkey--Fannie S. Birkey was born Nov. 11, 1838; died April 16, 1927. She was the daughter of John Sutter of Berlin, Germany, who with his family came to the United States in 1848. She became a member of the Mennonite Church in her youth. In 1858 she was married to Andrew Birkey, who preceded her in death in 1895. She was the mother of five sons and two daughters. She is survived by three sons, one daughter, twenty-six grandchildren, and thirty-nine great-grandchildren. The funeral service was held in the East Bend Mennonite Church near Fisher, Ill., by A. H. Lehman of Chicago, Ill.

"Our dear Mother's tasks are finished,
Labors o,er and victories won
Now she's gone to be with Jesus,
Beckons to US all to come."

Birth:
Forsthof

Immigration:
On the ship Samuel M. Fox from Havre

Residence:
Living with Veronica’s parents

Buried:
East Bend Mennonite Cemetery

George + Christianna Shenk. Christianna was born on 9 Sep 1843; died on 24 Apr 1900. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: In Europe A Bauer (Farmer), In USA Farmer
• Reference Number: 97
• Religion: Mennonite
• Residence: Bef 1800, Völlerdingen, Alsace, FR
• Residence: 1811, Flugelsberg, Bavaria, GR
• PURC: 10 Nov 1815, Arzbach, Bavaria, GR
• Residence: 1818-1824, Pellheim, Bavaria, GR
• Immigration: 13 Mar 1851, Bavaria, GR
• Immigration: 7 Jun 1851, Le Havre to New York
• Census: 1860, Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Of Kirshstockach, Bavaria. Lived first in Odenstockah, near Munich, Bavaria, then moved to Neukirchstock, also near Munich.

According to Hermann Guth's 1989 research, “at 62 years of age Christian applied to emigrate to Illinois on 13 Mar 1851, with his second wife Elizabeth Stalter, age 37. He had 10,000 fl of assets and his wife had an additional 2,225 fl. This was much more than most immigrants had. Traveling with them were Elizabeth 23, Andréas 29, Anna 28, Katharina 17, Veronika 15, from his first wife, and, Jakobine 5, Heinrich 4, Jakob 3, and Helena 6 mo. from his second wife. Christian noted to authorities that several older children were already in America.

Christian's daughter, Barbara Birki, from Kirchstockach (unmarried, but with child, Jacob, whose father was Thomas Luiderer from Putzbrunn) applied on 29 Feb 1849 for permission to emigrate to Illinois. Her father gave approval because she wished to travel with his brother, Valentine Birki from Gern, who was the child's guardian. The document indicated that three brothers/sisters were already in America. Barbara and Valentine planned to travel via Mannheim-Le Havre-New York, with ship agent Karl Dick from Augsburg, but evidently plans changed since they are on the ship list of the Minnesota sailing from Liverpool, England to New York in 1849. Included were Valentine Birki (1794) with niece Barbara and her illegitimate son; Valentine's daughter, Mary Burkey Birky (1833); and Daniel Zehr. “
—————————————————————————————
“Christian Birkÿ, farmer at Mair in KIrchstockach and widower, intends to marry Elisabeth Stalter, forestry farmer’s daughter from Gern, and sought reception into and consent of the community. Since Christian Birkÿ possesses an entire estate, and his future bride brings a dowry of 800 guilders, and their advancement is adequately assured, and they are liable for insignificant debts, we agree to this marriage on behalf of the entire community.
In confirmation of this, Brunnthal the 13th of August 1841, the local authorities of Brunnthal:
Andreas Zimmermann, Georg Fischer[?], Johann Heiss[?]”

“Christian’s assets at the time of immigration were 10,000 fl. and the assets of his children’s mother was a further 2,225 fl. for the children of his first marriage. He emigrate from Bavaria to the New World with one of the higher known fortunes. His brother Valentine also left the Europe with 10,000 fl. Many immigrants left with only a few hundred.”

“In the 1860 Illinois census, Christian and Elizabeth "Berky" are found in Groveland Township where Christian had purchased 120 acres of land in Section 22. Seventy two year-old Christian and 48 year old Elizabeth lived with their children, Henry, Jacob, Helena, Jacobina, and John (born in Illinois after the family arrived). Upon arriving in Illinois, Christian purchased 80 acres of farmland just north of Groveland in Tazewell County. Christian died on February 14, 1866 and was buried on his farm next to Heinrich Stalter, his father-in-law. His son Joseph was appointed administrator of his estate. The estate was valued at $2050.75 plus 120 acres of land valued at $4400. Each child received $264.13 from the estate settlement on 4/15/ 1868. Elisabeth received her widow's share. The last documentation of Elizabeth Stalter "Burky" is in the 1870 Census when she was living in Groveland, Tazewell County with her 5 children, Jacobine, Henry, Jacob, Helena, and John. Elisabeth died on September 24, 1872 and was buried next to her husband and father. In 1875 the children sold the land to Meinrad Biender, reserving one quarter of acre where the cemetery lay. It is now referred to as the “Birki Cemetery”.

Birth:
Near Diemeringen

Residence:
Lutterbacherhof. This is assumed because we know his brother Valentine lived there before going to Bavaria.

PURC:
Near Dachau, borough Rohrmoos. A half farm, the “Pasten estate,” house No. 8. Purchased from Jakob Hiser (Heiser) from Hanfeld, Country Court Starnberg. Size of the half farm was 84 days work and included a potato distillery.

Residence:
Mennonite and partial leaseholder on the grounds of the Pellheim estate of major general Maximilian Graf von Spreti at Arzbach, Bavaria, a few miles north of Dachau.

Immigration:
Applied for emigration

Immigration:
On French Bark, Adhimary (Adhema?), with his second wife and nine children, and Christian’s brother-in-law, Georg Kettner and his family (husband of Maria Birki).
Traveling with Christian and Elisabeth were Andréas (29), Anna (18), Elizabeth (23), Katharina (17) and Veronika (15) -children of Christian and his first wife - and Jakobine (5), Heinrich (4), Jakob (3), and Helena (6 mo.) - children of Christian and Elisabeth. He left capital of10,000 guilders. He deposited 2225 guilders for the children of his first marriage.

Census:
Listed as age 72 with wife Elizabeth, age 48.

Died:
Estate document from Tazewell Co. on file. Burial site is in Section 22 of Groveland Two., Tazewell Co., IL.

Buried:
Birki Cemetery - https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2596053/birki-cemetery/map#share_email

Christian married Maria Anna Gascho about 1815 in Pellheim, Bavaria, GR. Maria (daughter of André Gascho and Anna Zwalter) was born in 1798 in Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, FR; died between 1840-1841 in Bavaria, GR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

“Maria Gajou from Nancÿ in Frankreich”

“Christian's first wife was named Mary [Gascho]. On August 10, 1854, Christian Birky petitioned the court to be named legal guardian of his daughter Fronica (Veronica), as follows:

To the County Court Tazewell County Illinois The undersigned respectfully shows that Fronica Birkey aged seventeen years in January last is a minor heir of his wife Mary deceased and that the said Fronica is his daughter, and that heir aforesaid she is entitled to certain property of about the value of $178---- and he preys that letter of Guardianship may issue to him the said Christian Birkey for his said daughter. Affirmed to this ?? (Signed) Christian Birki before me this 10th day of August, 1854 Jno M Bush.

Also in the file is the Court's Order that appointed Christian the legal guardian of Fronica (Veronica) until she reached the age of 18. This suggests that Mary received a bequest (most likely from her father at the time of his death). Since she had apparently pre-deceased the benefactor, her bequest was divided among her natural children (Mary, Joseph, Magdalena, Barbara, Elizabeth, Andrew, Anna, Catharina, and Veronica). All save Veronica were of the age of majority in 1854. In order for her to collect her property, she needed a legal guardian, and that became her father. The person leaving the bequest may have been of some means since Mary's share was $1602, and an equal amount may well have been left to any of Mary's siblings or their issue. The entire process suggests that Mary Birki's father may have died intestate in Illinois in 1853 or 1854 and it thus may be possible to identify him through probate or other guardian records. “ Gary Yordy (Source: Tazewell County Probate Records, File 11 “Fronica Birkey”)

Notes:

Married:
Arzbach was the name of an estate outlying the village of Pellheim (about 1.7 miles north of the center of Pellheim. It was the site of Schloss Pellheim, the house or palace of a count. The house is now a restaurant. Pellheim was administratively incorporated into Dachau in 1972.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Estate manager/Minister/farmer - Bauer in Dittenfeld
• Religion: Amish
• Residence: 1825-27, Probfeld, Bavaria, GR
• Ordained: 19 May 1824, Bavaria, GR
• Immigration: 11 Nov 1851, New York, NY
• Census: 1860, Morton Twp., Tazewell Co., IL

Notes:

Birth:
One history has the year 1795. Source #360 gives birthplace as Münchweiler (probably Münchweiler an der Rodalbe.

Residence:
John and Barbara were born there

Immigration:
From Le Havre. After 36 day voyage on the Samuel L. Fox (left Le Havre about 5 Oct 1851).
https://www.immigrantships.net/v3/1800v3/samuelmfox18511111_01.html

Census:
pg. 149 farmer John Sutter, 65, Germany; Barbara, 61; Andrew, 19; Andrew Buky [son-in-law Andrew Birkey], 29; Fanny [Veronica], 22; and Barbara, 1, born in Illinois.

Buried:
Birky-Landes Mennonite Cemetery - Grave #36 on printed plot map, or Plot #2 on the 8/12/2013 version.

Johannes married Barbara Oesch on 31 Oct 1819 in Hanfeld, Bavaria, GR. Barbara (daughter of Christian N. Oesch and Katharina Burki) was born on 24 Jun 1799 in Saarbuckenheim, Alsace, FR; died on 10 Sep 1884 in Morton, Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Groveland, Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Amish Mennonite

Notes:

Birth:
(Sarre-Union) Day could be read Jun 23 or 27 just as well.

Buried:
Landes Cemetery - Grave #10 on printed plot map dated 8/12/2013.

Notes:

Married:
Near Lake Starnberg, below Munich. They were first cousins.