Person:Christoph Rinke (2)

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Christoph Rinke
Facts and Events
Name[1] Christoph Rinke
Gender Male
Birth[1][2] 10 Feb 1809 Kaltenburg, Heilgenstadt, Prussia, Germany
Marriage 1831 Heilgenstadt, Prussiato Christine Kuhn
Immigration[4][3] 22 Jul 1861
Census 1870 Wayne Township, Warren, Macomb, MichiganWayne Township
with Christine Kuhn
Death[1][2] 2 Jan 1876 Warren, Macomb, Michigan
Burial[3][2] 4 Jan 1876

CHRISTOPH RINKE was born on 10 Feb 1809 at Kaltenburg, Heilgenstadt, Prussia, Germany.

He married CHRISTINE KUHN in 1831 at Heilgenstadt, Prussia. They had nine children, two girls and seven boys. Soon after the last son was born, the entire Rinke family moved from Heiligenstadt to a farm in the mountains Lake District of Rastenburg, Neu Rosenthal, East Prussia. Christoph and his seven sons worked hard and improved the property to such a degree that a man of wealth admired it and wanted it for a resort. Mr. Rinke accepted the offer and with the money received, bought passage to America for the entire family.

He and CHRISTINE KUHN immigrated on 22 Jul 1861.S6 The story was told that the six older Rinke sons joined the Union Army during the Civil War. Joseph, who was too young, joined as a drummer boy, but was sent home when they learned his true age. On February 26, 1862, Christoph founded the Rinke family fortune on four acres of farm land, now 31890 Hoover Road, Warren. The land was purchased from Joseph and Mary Kuhn. (It is not know if this "Kuhn" was related to Christine.

He and CHRISTINE KUHN appeared on the census of 1870 at Wayne Township, Warren, Macomb County, Michigan. They are living on the farm of thier son Andrew. It is likely that Christopher handed the farm down to Andrew to manage.

He died on 2 Jan 1876 at Warren, Macomb County, Michigan, at age 66. He was buried in St. Clements on 4 Jan 1876, at the age of 66. Tombstone inscriptions copied by the Louisa St. Clair Chapter of the DAR from St. Clements cemetery show Christoph's date of birth to be January 10, 1811 and Christine's date of birth to be November 11, 1806. The above dates were taken from Nina Rinke Ettinger's book, The Rinke Family, which states John A. Rinke has the family papers giving the dates of birth she uses. For this reason, I too will not use the dates on the tombstones

References
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Robert LeFevre. Rinke GED LeFevre. (GED File, Downloaded January 24, 2003).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Greg Esper. Esper Rinke GED. (GED File, Received August 13, 2003).
  3. 3.0 3.1 Audrey Martini. Rinke GED Martini. (Public Web Site, Compiled 1973).
  4. Loretta Hyde Strole. Loretta Hyde Strole Letter. (Letter, April 4, 1979)
    1979.
  5.   1870 US Federal Population Census: Warren, Macomb County, Michigan
    1870.
    1870 Christoph Rinke Census
  6.   Zimmerman, Gary. German Immigrants: Lists of Passengers bound from Bremen to New York, 1855-1862, with places of origin. (Batltimore: Genealogical Publisihing Company, 1986)
    1861.