Schrock Immigrant Day & Reunion

A reunion of the ancestors of the children of Joseph Schrag and Maria Neyhouser — Johannes, Pierre, Andreas, Magdalena (Smith), Barbara (Belsly)

This event took Place on June 18-20, 2010 at the Illinois Mennonite Heritage Center, 675 State Route 116 in Metamora, Illinois

Heritage Center Arboreatum, Metamora

Sutter Barn, Heritage Center

June 18 – Friday evening Picnic Social for Schrock Descendants

Registration 5:30-6:00 p.m.
A light meal began at 6:15

  • Professional photos of the five family line groupings
  • Get acquainted with your cousins activities
  • Sing along – Songs sung by Schrock ancestors from the Amish Ausbund and the Apostolic Christian Zion’s Harp, led by hymnodist Mary Oyer
  • Gather ’round the campfire for famous Kandel Kettle Popcorn
  • Charted Family Trees were available for viewing during the evening

June 19 – Saturday – Schrock Family Presentations – Open to the Public

8:00 – 8:45 Registration, coffee and rolls
9:00 – 9:15 Welcome and announcements
9:15 – 9:45 Session 1

  • Overview of Schrock European ancestry and movement of the families from Switzerland to Illinois

10:00 – 11:30 Session 2

11:30 – 11:45 Announcements and explanation of afternoon tour of historic sites

12:00 Noon Meal

  • Visit the Illinois Prairie Display that will include two quilts with prairie plants (one by a Schrock descendant), and walk through the Reeser Prairie on the grounds of the Heritage Center

12:45 – 2:15 Session 3

  • Sketches of two family lines:
    • Magdalena (Smith)
    • Schrock Family Singers – Songs of our Ancestors Barbara (Belsly)

2:15 – 2:30 Announcements, closing hymn, prayer

2:30 – 3:00 Ice cream social and goodbyes

3:00 – 5:00 Tour of Historic Schrock Sites

  • Tour will include the site of the first Amish/Apostolic Christian meetings; burial site and home area of Andrew; homestead and farm of Johannes and family; small town of Congerville (for a time called Schrock), home of the Joseph Schrock family, and site of Magdalena and Christian Smith’s home; burial site and farm of Barbara and Joseph Belsly.

June 20 – Sunday Worship Service – Open to the Public

Apostolic Christian Church, Morton, Illinois

  • Until the 1950s the Schrock families in Illinois worshipped in either an Amish, Mennonite, or Apostolic Christian church. This is an opportunity for cousins to share Sunday worship with one of those church families.

Three Generation Family Chart

Click on image to view a large three-generation chart of descendants and see where you fit into the Schrock family.

Below are photos of European areas and sites where Joseph Schrag, his parents, and his children lived and worked.

More information on our European ancestry

Bachats Farm near Rhodes

Bischwald Mill Ruins near Rhodes

Ketzing Estate near Gondrexange

Alzing Farm near Gosselming

Peter Schrock (1839-1922) Family Bible

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