Christian Birki

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. “
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“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:

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.

1. Maria (Mary) Birky was born on 18 Apr 1816 in Bavaria, GR; died on 13 May 1903 in Roanoke Twp., Woodford Co., IL; was buried in Roanoke, Woodford Co., IL.
2. Joseph Birky was born on 25 Feb 1818 in Pellheim, Bavaria, GR; died in 1888.
3. Christian Birki was born on 25 Apr 1820; died in USA.
4. Magdalena Birky was born on 26 Feb 1822 in Arzbach, Bavaria, GR; died in 1908.
5. Barbara Birky was born on 19 Feb 1824 in Arzbach, Bavaria, GR; died on 31 Mar 1885 in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL; was buried on 1 Apr 1885 in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL.
6. Elizabeth Birky was born on 28 Feb 1828; died on 26 Feb 1899; was buried in Nickerson, Reno Co., KS.
7. Andrew (Andréas) S. Birky was born on 3 Mar 1830 in Bavaria, GR; died on 11 Sep 1895 in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL; was buried in Fisher, Champaign Co., IL.
8. Anna Birky was born on 20 Jan 1832 in Bavaria, GR; died in 1903.
9. Katharina (Catharine) Birky was born in Nov 1834 in Bavaria, GR; died on 8 Feb 1874 in Livingston Co., IL; was buried in Flanagan, Livingston Co., IL.
10. Veronica (Fronica,fannie) Birky was born on 16 Jan 1837 in Bavaria, GR; died on 12 Feb 1916 in Reno Co., KS; was buried in Nickerson, Reno Co., KS.

Christian married Elisabeth Stalter on 4 Aug 1841 in Kirchstockach, Munich, Bavaria, GR. Elisabeth (daughter of Heinrich Stalter and Jakobine Stalter) was born on 18 Apr 1813 in Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR; died on 24 Sep 1872 in Tazewell Co., IL; was buried in Groveland Twp., Tazewell Co., IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Just east of Munich

1. Jacobina Birky was born in 1846 in Bavaria, GR; died after 1870.
2. Henry Birky was born in 1847 in Bavaria, GR; died after 1870.
3. Jacob Birky was born on 17 Mar 1849 in Bavaria, GR; died after 1870.
4. Helene Birky was born on 19 Jun 1850 in Bavaria, GR; died on 2 Oct 1878; was buried in Tiskilwa, Bureau Co., IL.
5. Johann Birki (Birky) was born on 13 Jan 1852 in America; died after 1870.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Mennonite
• Residence: late 1700s, Rimsdorf, Lower Alsace, FR
• Residence: Abt 1803, Gern, Munich, Bavaria, GR
• Immigration: 11 Jun 1803, Dehlingen, Völlerdingen, Alsace, FR
• Immigration: 1804, Dehlingen, Völlerdingen, Alsace, FR

Notes:

An entry from a document in Bern, Switzerland of emigrant families

Jan 1700
Benedikt Bürcky from Trimstein, Switzerland (abt 30 miles SE of Bern) moved to Griesbach, Alsace (Hanau-Lichtenberg)

3 Jun 1710
Christen Bürcky moving out from Switzerland

3 Apr 1727
Niclaus Bürcky from Höchststetten, Germany (Near Karlsruhe and Heidelberg) moved out with his children

19 Sep 1748 (This could be our Johannes)
Johannes Bürcky from Herblingen, Germany, moved to Zweibrücken/Palatinate/Germany.

Birth:
an estimation derived only from the birth year of his second wife

Residence:
Buscherhof, also near Saarewerden

Immigration:
Permission for emigration to Bavaria granted - from Lutterbacherhof

Immigration:
Buscherhof in Alsace to Steingaden, Bavaria

Johannes + Barbara Bircki. Barbara was born in 1748; died on 24 Jan 1826 in Perlach, Bavaria, GR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Anabaptist
• USR1: Paralysis of the lungs

Notes:

Died:
At 78 years old