Elsken Family Tree

Ferdinand "Gerhard" Elsken
Called Gerhard (Ilsken - German version)
Birth 12 Dec 1824 in Hovelhof, Kreis Paderborn,
Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany
Death 1 Jul 1896 in Subiaco, Logan, Arkansas, USA

Images

Stories

History

Family house
in Germany, built by Great Grandfater, Johannes George Ilskens in 1731.
House still standing.
Click Photo

High Cathedral of Paderborn, Germany
Click Photo
Paderbron has importance in Catholic History of German

St. Benedictine
Abby,
Subiaco, AK
Click Photo

Why the Ilskens left Germany

· Great political unrest in Europe

· German unrest between those who wanted to maintain Germany as many independent, monarchical states and those who wanted to unite and form a powerful country. (Ilskens arrived in US in 1859)

· Religon: Ilskens were Catholics in a rapidly growing Lutheran area.

· Climate changes with poor crops

Short History of Paderbron, Germany

A Brief History of the Franks

Holy Roman Emperors

Otto von Bismarck's fight for German Unification - Prime Minister of Prussia from
1862 - 1890

Timeline	Ferdinand Gerhard Elsken	Source
Birth 1824 12 Dec.	Birth: Hovelhof, Kreis Paderborn, Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany	1860 US Census
Marriage 1st Wife Age 26	First Wife: Anna Maria Elisabeth Brinkschneider Birth 20 May 1824, Hoevelhof, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany	New York Passenger Lists (1820-1957)
Departure from Germany 1859 April Age 34	Departure from Germany Origin: town of Hovela, then Bremen, Germany then, Southampton, England, then New York, USA.
Arrival from Germany 1859 Age 34	Arrival from Germany Ship Name: Bremen Port of Arrival: New York, US Arrival Date: 2 May 1859	New York Passenger Lists (1820-1957)
Arrival in United States 1859 Age 34	Elskens first settled in Germantown, Clinton County, IL Early History of Germantown, Clinton County, IL
First wife died: 1860 Age 36	First Wife Died: Anna Maria Elisabeth Brinkschneider 14 Jan 1860 (Age: 36) Germantown, Clinton Co., Illinois, USA (shortly after arrival from Germany)	St. Boniface Catholic Church Burial Records Germantown, Clinton County, IL
4th child died 1860 9 mo.	4th child: Heinrich Ilsken died 21 July 1860 - 9 mo.(few months after arrival) Germantown, Clinton Co., Illinois, USA	St. Boniface Catholic Church Burial Records Germantown, Clinton County, IL
1860 Age 36	Residence: Clinton County, Illinois, United States Laborer on older brother, Conrad's farm	1860 US Census
Marriage 2nd Wife 1861 Age: 36	Second Wife: Marriage to Theodora Musenbruk 6 April, 1861, Germantown, Clinton, Illinois, US	Copy of Orginal Church Record
Marriage 3rd Wife 1862 Age 37	Marriage to Maria NEISENS Illinois, US (From Germany, but met in Illinois)
1870 Age 46	Residence Township 2 Range 5, Clinton County, IL Occupation: Farmer Value of Real Estate $2700 / Personal Estate $420	1870 US Census
1878 Third wife died: Age 56	Third wife Maria NEISENS died:	St. Boniface Catholic Church Burial Records Germantown, Clinton County, IL
1880 Age 56	After his wife Maris died, he moved his family to Paris, Logan, Arkansas Occupation: Farmer	1880 US Census
1896 1 July Age 71	Death Subiaco, Logan, Arkansas, USA

Family Members
Parents
	Father	Heinrich Rampsel (Took on Ilsken name because no male heirs, only one daughter)
	Mother	Catherine Maria Ilskens 1789 - only Ilsken child

#1 Spouse & Children
	Spouse #1		Anna Maria Elisabeth Brinkschneider (Germany, IL) 1824 - 1860
		Children	1. Chistina (?different mother who died in Germany?) 1811 - ? 2. Hermann Conrad (?different mother who died in Germany?) Also came to US with Gerhard 1850 - 1931, Germany-US 3. Bernard Ferdinand 1853 - ? 4. Gerhard Conrad (died. age 8) 1857 - 1865, Germany-US 5. Heinrich 1859 - 1860 - d.9 mo - US

#2 Spouse & Children
	Spouse #2		Theodora Musenbruk 1824 - 1859
		Children	No children

#3 Spouse & Children
	Spouse #3		Maria NEISENS 1832 - 1878 Germany to Illinois to Arkansas Married Ferdinand Gerhard ELSKEN on Abt. 1862 in Illinois
		Children	6. John ElSKEN 1860 - ?, Illinois 7. Henry John ELSKEN 1863 - 1933 Illinois 8.Mary ELSKEN 1864 - Illinois 9. Christina - ELSKEN 1866 - Illinois 10. Charles. ELSKEN 1868 - 1903 Illinois

Records

Census: 1860, 1870, 1880

Links:
New York Passenger Lists {Ship from Germany)

Early History of Germantown, Clinton County, IL

St. Boniface Catholic Church
Germantown, Clinton County, IL
Great description of life at that time.

St. Boniface Catholic Church Burial Records
Germantown, Clinton County, IL

The Arkansas Encyclopedia of History and Culture/German immigration to Arkansas farmland

Subiaco Abbey & Academy - also info about first German Settlements in Paris, Arkansas Great web site!

Subiaco Abbey included many German-American parishes in Arkansas

Hermann Conrad ELSKEN-article about his great works in Arkansas - This was Gerhard's oldest son.

Other:
Tombstone Photo