Catharine was from the small town of Haltern, Parish of Belm, Osnabruck, Hanover, Germany; present day in th region of Lower Saxony (Niedersachen). The KLUTE family will continue to be researched, as there is conflicting information as to who her parents were. The JURGENS brothers and their families emigrated to escape serious and depressing economic conditions. They sailed on the ship "Brig Vernon" which departed Bremen, Germany and arrived in New York City on 10/14/1834. A typical sailing journey during that time period was 9-12 weeks. Christopher was 29 years old and traveled with his wife Catherine; they had no children at that time. Gerhardt was 42 years old, and traveled with his wife and 3 young children. They are believed to be the first two families from the Osnabruck region of Germany to settle in Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana. There were a few single men from Osnabruck who emigrated about the same time. Over the next 50+ years, there were many others from that region to Richmond, Indiana. Christopher and brother Gerhardt were two of the original six vestry/founding members of St. John Lutheran Church in Richmond, Indiana year 1844. Christopher and wife Catherine had 5 children (3 daughters and 2 sons), all producing substantial families in size. At Lutherania Cemetery, there is a very tall pink marble marker for Christopher JURGENS. The name JURGENS was originally pronounced YERGENS, and was spelled as such, or variations of, on many documents researched.
Earliest church records are from St. Dionysius (catholic) Church located in the middle of the City of Belm on Linden St. The church building was built in the year 1230. The west tower is from the year 1200. The baptismal font is made of sandstone and is dated between 1250 and 1300. The whole building was renovated in 1980. The catholic church records date back to 1651 in the "Ortsfamilienbuch" of Belm. After the reformation, Lutherans had no church of their own. Their marriages, baptisms, and funerals took place at this church prior to the establishment of Christus (Evangelical Lutheran) Church in 1810. The building began in 1815 and was completed in 1819. It stands across from St. Dionysus in the Belm town center. The church tower originally came from the Monestary Marienstatte in Osnabruck. The tower was disassembled and rebuilt to the church in 1817. There is an inscription above the door stating that the tower was a generous monumental gift from the royals. The stained glass windows and installation of the clock was done in 1903. In 1914 the clock and tower received spielwerk/chimes. In Germany your place of living also indicates the church you "belong to." Every church has an area called "Kirchspiel" (Parish). Being Lutheran and living in the Parish of Belm means that you are counted as a member of the "Evangelical Lutheran Christus Kirchengemeinde Belm." Catharine Ellen Engel was presumably christened at St. Dionysius catholic church, and married at Christus Ev. Luth. church.
https://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jurgenscindy1&id=I002
