Person:Friedrich Wessels (4)

[The following information is from Shanda Jaremus:]

The following information was found at the Old Courthouse in Watseka, Illinois, in the Genealogical and Historical Society Room:

Naturalization Book Records:

1 - 1876-1893 3 - 1904-1906 4 - 1903-1906

The document is the Final Certificate of Naturalization of Frederick J. Wessels, dated October 24, 1876. Testimony was given for Frederick by Geike Geiken and Reiner Heinrichs Voight. This document was in the Red Registrar Naturalization Docket Book No. 85 in Book October 1876 Bk B - 1876-1893

Note: There is also a document for a Harm Meiner Wessels in same book, p. 194, official document, January 14, 1890 with two other names, Heinrich Wessels and Altle Meimmen/Meimnen? (writing was hard to read)

Also Luttmer H. Freiriks, p. 125, same book, Doc. No. 994

At the New Courthouse in Watseka, Illinois, cross-reference card index:

In Naturalization Book there is a copy of final certificate for a Frederick Wessels, #85 Date October 24, 1976, Doc. B, p. 11. This copy just has signatures, no other information; and Gerd, listed minor, #724 Date October October 9, 1888, Vol. 2, p. 321, Doc. B, Pg. 91, states is a resident of Crescent Township, name of witness is Friedrich J. Wessels.

Harm Meiner Wessels #856, date January 14, 1890, Doc. B, p. 108, also Vol. B, Page 51, 10/13/1886?, states resides in Crescent Township.

Remt Frerichs - Vol. B, p. 123 -- October 31, 1892

[1991] Information on Friedrich's and Gesche ancestory was obtained through Eddie Dirks from Hans Wulff's research in Germany. It was handcopied by Hans and I do not have any copies of actual documents from Germany yet.

[10/10/94] The following information was relayed to me by my mother, Winifred R. Burrow:

Friedrich and Gesche Wessels lived in the white two-story house which is on the corner of Rt. 24 and the street which runs North/South past Crescent-Iroquois High School on the East side of Crescent City.

The following is a summary of Robert R. Wessels put together by information from the Iroquois County Historical Book on Families in the local area of Iroquois County and my own research through the Iroquois County Genealogy Society records, Courthouse records, local churches, and a few family documents.

Friedrich and Gesche (Reinholz) Wessels came with their four sons, Gerd, Jacob, Geike, and Thomas Tjarks to America, in approximately 1869. They lived near Washington, Illinois, then near Ashkum, Illinois, and finally came to Crescent City, Illinois. In Crescent City, they owned a foundry which manufactured drainage tile and bricks.

My grandfather, Fred H. Wessels, talked about the tile factory and Sena Wessels Sloter's (daughter of Jacob Wessels, who was my great-grandfather's older brother) daughter, Hildegarde Sloter Hofmeister from Crescent City, Illinois also talked about the factory with me.

I also have a piece of small stationery with the Tile Logo Heading on it with a note written by Geike Wessels when he was corresponding with a County Judge concerning monies which Geike was to receive for his Daughter, Magadelena, through his late wife's, Lena Gruessing, now deceased father's estate.

I was told that for a while all four sons worked at this tile factory. The tiles were in great demand by area farmers because the land was so swampy. Lorenz ZumMallen's home which is by the grade school in Crescent City was built with bricks made from this Tile factory (it is still there).

The Tile and Brick foundry was in the Northeast corner of the village (where AWAY Chemical and Fertilizer now is).

Friedrich and Gesche were part of the founding families and lifelong members of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Crescent City. The original church was built in 1889 and then a new second one was built across the street in 1912. The families were originally served by Pastor Philip Ackermann of St. John's Lutheran Church in Schwer, Illinois. Many of their friends and other family members were from the Schwer and Ash Grove areas. Friedrich and Gesche are buried in St. Peter's Lutheran Cemetary which is South of Crescent City, Illinois.

I have been able to research and document Friedrich and Gesche's death, their children's and grandchildren's marriages, baptisms and deaths, by going through the sources listed earlier. It clearly states on many of the marriage certificates, the village/town, Country, and the designated area "Ostfriesland." I have also obtained pieces of information from older family relatives.

These Wessels and Rothfuss (Rothfuss coming into the picture with my grandfather, Fred Hillern Wessels married Theda Caroline Rothfuss) families socialized together and later became interwined in marriages and are the ancestors of many families in the area. The families were both involved in the Lutheran churches at St. John's at Schwer, Illinois and at St. Peter's in Crescent City, Illinois. They also interacted and/or married with the following famiies who were either in the Crescent City, Ashgrove/Schwer, Milford, and a few from Ashkum, Illinois areas: Frerichs, Grussing/Gruessing, Siemers, Duis, Van Hoveln, Siems, Smith (Schmidt), Ulitzsch, Tegtmeyer, Wallrich, Lucht, McKee, Rapp, Wiechman, Schaumbur, Hurling, Schultz, Focken, etc. The local ministers who married, baptized, confirmed, and buried these families were Rev. Langkammerer, Rev. Krebs, Rev. Troge, and Rev. Ackermann.

[August 1997] According to information that Irma received from cousins:

Great Grandparents Frederich J. Wessels and Great Grandma Wessels were both born in Aurich, Ostfriesland, Germany.

_FSFTID: LDT5-RD2

_AMTID: 250108267301:1030:113160583

1. ↑ Registry of St. Peter Lutheran Church, Crescent City, Illinois
   p. 338.

   _TMPLT:
   FIELD:
   Name: Page
   VALUE: p. 338

2. ↑ [August 1998] Place of birth recorded as "Spekendorf, Kirchapiel Middels, Germany" by Robert Wessels.
   
   Irma Mueller recorded the place of birth as Aurich, Ostfriesland, Germany.
3. ↑ Parents Friedrich Janssen Wessels and Gesche Reinholz, Wessels immigrated to America in June 1869 bringing their four sons, Gerd, Jacob, Geike Harm and Thomas Tjarks with them.