Mellenbrook (Moellenbrock) Families from Hüsede Germany to Olmsted Falls, Ohio

First Generation: GERHARD "HENRY" MOELLENBROCK, SR.

ARRIVAL, 1865. The bark St. Bernhard out of Bremen Germany, arrived in New York City on Saturday, September 23, 1865. This date marks the beginning of the Mellenbrook family's history in America. Gerhard Henry Moellenbrock, his wife Marie Engel, their two small boys, Henry (age 7) and Herman (age 4), and baby daughter Engel (age 2), were processed through the Castle Garden Immigration Center. (There was no Ellis Island in 1865.) They were accompanied on the ocean voyage by friends from Hüsede, the Fred Stolte family (party of 8) and Henry Westerfeld (farmer, age 19), who were possibly also relatives of the Moellenbrocks.

The group would have stayed briefly in an immigrant house or hotel, then booked passage for Cleveland, Ohio on the New York Central R.R. via Buffalo. (The more southerly B&O line was still recovering from the Civil War.) They could have traveled directly to Olmsted Falls on the NYC, but their plan was apparently to live and work in Cleveland first, to build up their savings in the hope of purchasing a farm.

CLEVELAND 1865-1867. The family lived in Cleveland for at least two years. Their first American-born child, William Moellenbrock, was born here in "April 1867" (from 1900 census) or 1866 (from 1870, 1880 census). If it was 1866, then Marie was several months pregnant during the transatlantic journey. During their stay in Cleveland, baby Marie Engel died at age 4. Disease tends to run rampant in the close conditions of the city. It is no surprise that the Moellenbrock family soon moved west to Rockport Township (today's Lakewood, Rocky River and Fairview).

ROCKPORT TWP, 1868-1871. While the family was living in Rockport, their second American child, Frederick Moellenbrook was born. Henry Moellenbrook Sr. was working as a Farm Laborer. The U.S. census lists his family under "Henry Manbrook," with Henry Jr. now age 12 (b. 1858), Herman age 9 (b. 1861), William age 4 (b.1866) and Fred age 2 (b. 1868) -- two boys in school and two at home. In 1871 the boys gained a new sister, Marie Moellenbrook, born in Rockport.

DOVER TWP, 1872-75. Before 1873 the Moellenbrock family moved again, creeping closer to Olmsted with each step. Anna Moellenbrook was born in Dover Township (which later became Bay Village, Westlake, and part of north Olmsted). Another baby girl, Lydia, was born to the ECKHARDT family, also of Dover. Lydia later became the wife of Herman Moellenbrook, while her sister Amelia became Henry Jr.'s wife. We are guessing that the Moellenbrooks first met the Eckhardts in Dover Township.

In 1873 Gerhard's father, Jobst Henry Westerfeld Moellenbrock, died back in Germany. It is possible that Gerhard Henry Sr. received some inheritance money at this time to supplement his savings. Soon the Moellenbrook family made its final move to Olmsted township where they purchased a 20-acre farm.

OUR OLMSTED HOMESTEAD. The name, "Henry Moellenbrook" first emerges on the 1880 Olmsted plat map. The family homestead was on Jennings Road at the northwest corner of the intersection with Schady Road, all in the most southwesterly (Dist. #8) section of the Township. We have pictures of a large two-story farmhouse standing today at that location; but it was more likely built at a time later than 1875-1880. It may have been built by Herman Mellenbrook who acquired the property around 1900. In 1876 the eighth and youngest child, John Henry Moellenbrook, was born at the family home in Olmsted Township.

DEATH OF GERHARD HENRY MOELLENBROCK SR. Only a few years after his family at last had their own farm, G. Henry Sr. died of "lung fever," on October 16, 1881. He was only 49 years old. His youngest son was only 5, with daughters age 8 and 10, and three teenage boys, age 13, 15, and 19. Somehow, with the help of her children, Marie was able to maintain the farm for almost nine years after the untimely death

The 2nd & 3rd Generation: MELLENBROOKs

There will be a history page for each of the following, with pictures when they are available:

HENRY MOELLENBROOK & AMELIA ECKHARDT
HERMAN MELLENBROOK & LYDIA ECKHARDT
Marie ENGEL MOELLENBROCK

WILLIAM MELLENBROOK & JEWELL BOWMAN
FRED MELLENBROOK & MABEL NEAL
ANNA MELLENBROOK HIBSCHMAN

MARY MELLENBROOK (CLODELL) STELLER
JOHN MELLENBROOK & ELSIE SEEHOLZER
Also: our step-grandfather, WILLIAM HABER

Fourth & Fifth Generations: THE COUSINS

OUR ONLINE MELLENBROOK REUNION...

These pages represent our "Family Reunion on Paper" so far, plus our known German roots traced as far back as we can currently go (see Husede link).

Although our family information has been lying unseen in the public records for decades, even centuries, it is surprisingly new to most of us. We have never seen our own History before, or thought of ourselves as part of the history of Olmsted Township, of Ohio, the U.S.A., or even the history of Germany. How should we respond to this new knowledge?

We are now a group of Mellenbrook descendants larger than ever before, people with a common heritage. How did our family branches become so separated from one another? Each of us thought at times that we were "the only ones left." What should our next step be?

"THE COUSINS" KEEP GETTING OLDER...

We have only two living cousins left of the Third Generation (Norman Mellenbrook and Jean Brown Quay). The rest of our Mellenbrook Cousins are now oldsters of the Fourth Generation, with grown children and grandchildren in the 5th-6th generations, and even great-grandchildren of the 7th generation. Virtually all Mellenbrook descendants (except for 3 living males) now have a different surname. What will we tell those new generations of descendants about our Mellenbrooks and the ancestral Moellenbrocks of the past?

Should our grandchildren know as little about their Roots and relatives as we did? Can we do better this time? Our Mellenbrook online histories, here and at Myfamily.com, represent a first step in that direction. Can we do more?

SPECIAL PICTURE SECTIONS

-- The EARL MELLENBROOK MEMORIAL GALLERY will feature art work that resides in the family, plus photos of Earl, Helen, Treva and others.

-- We have a ton of pictures from Dory Wagner Ward (Pearl's daughter) and from our genealogist-photographer and friend, Louise Varisco. So there will also be a PEARL MELLENBROOK ALBUM (if I can figure out how to upload them all into our limited amount of megabytes).

-- The ECKHARDT Family Bible, owned by Margaret Wagner Lyndes (Pearl's youngest daughter), contains much valuable informaton; this info will be found on the Related Families page.

That page will also feature information about the SIMMERER branch at Olmsted, and the EILERT (RAHE) branch in the Sandusky-Toledo area.

You never know when you might bump into a distant cousin!

AN ONGOING PROJECT...

I hope you will explore all the pages here, especially the links about the Moellenbrock Homeland in Germany and about those Related Families, in Ohio, USA and Germany.

The full Family Tree is available on our private, password-protected site; don't forget to visit that one too. (Let me know if you need help in accessing it.)

Please feel free to e-mail me with corrections, new information, more photos, plus comments or suggestions. Reach me at: Kilowat357@aol.com

Game Piece
"L"
(game link)

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Continue the Story (Henry, Herman, Engel)
Moellenbrock Ancestors in Hüsede Germany
A Moment of Silence...

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	Mellenbrook (Moellenbrock) Families from Hüsede Germany to Olmsted Falls, Ohio



	First Generation: GERHARD "HENRY" MOELLENBROCK, SR. ARRIVAL, 1865. The bark St. Bernhard out of Bremen Germany, arrived in New York City on Saturday, September 23, 1865. This date marks the beginning of the Mellenbrook family's history in America. Gerhard Henry Moellenbrock, his wife Marie Engel, their two small boys, Henry (age 7) and Herman (age 4), and baby daughter Engel (age 2), were processed through the Castle Garden Immigration Center. (There was no Ellis Island in 1865.) They were accompanied on the ocean voyage by friends from Hüsede, the Fred Stolte family (party of 8) and Henry Westerfeld (farmer, age 19), who were possibly also relatives of the Moellenbrocks. The group would have stayed briefly in an immigrant house or hotel, then booked passage for Cleveland, Ohio on the New York Central R.R. via Buffalo. (The more southerly B&O line was still recovering from the Civil War.) They could have traveled directly to Olmsted Falls on the NYC, but their plan was apparently to live and work in Cleveland first, to build up their savings in the hope of purchasing a farm. CLEVELAND 1865-1867. The family lived in Cleveland for at least two years. Their first American-born child, William Moellenbrock, was born here in "April 1867" (from 1900 census) or 1866 (from 1870, 1880 census). If it was 1866, then Marie was several months pregnant during the transatlantic journey. During their stay in Cleveland, baby Marie Engel died at age 4. Disease tends to run rampant in the close conditions of the city. It is no surprise that the Moellenbrock family soon moved west to Rockport Township (today's Lakewood, Rocky River and Fairview). ROCKPORT TWP, 1868-1871. While the family was living in Rockport, their second American child, Frederick Moellenbrook was born. Henry Moellenbrook Sr. was working as a Farm Laborer. The U.S. census lists his family under "Henry Manbrook," with Henry Jr. now age 12 (b. 1858), Herman age 9 (b. 1861), William age 4 (b.1866) and Fred age 2 (b. 1868) -- two boys in school and two at home. In 1871 the boys gained a new sister, Marie Moellenbrook, born in Rockport. DOVER TWP, 1872-75. Before 1873 the Moellenbrock family moved again, creeping closer to Olmsted with each step. Anna Moellenbrook was born in Dover Township (which later became Bay Village, Westlake, and part of north Olmsted). Another baby girl, Lydia, was born to the ECKHARDT family, also of Dover. Lydia later became the wife of Herman Moellenbrook, while her sister Amelia became Henry Jr.'s wife. We are guessing that the Moellenbrooks first met the Eckhardts in Dover Township. In 1873 Gerhard's father, Jobst Henry Westerfeld Moellenbrock, died back in Germany. It is possible that Gerhard Henry Sr. received some inheritance money at this time to supplement his savings. Soon the Moellenbrook family made its final move to Olmsted township where they purchased a 20-acre farm. OUR OLMSTED HOMESTEAD. The name, "Henry Moellenbrook" first emerges on the 1880 Olmsted plat map. The family homestead was on Jennings Road at the northwest corner of the intersection with Schady Road, all in the most southwesterly (Dist. #8) section of the Township. We have pictures of a large two-story farmhouse standing today at that location; but it was more likely built at a time later than 1875-1880. It may have been built by Herman Mellenbrook who acquired the property around 1900. In 1876 the eighth and youngest child, John Henry Moellenbrook, was born at the family home in Olmsted Township. DEATH OF GERHARD HENRY MOELLENBROCK SR. Only a few years after his family at last had their own farm, G. Henry Sr. died of "lung fever," on October 16, 1881. He was only 49 years old. His youngest son was only 5, with daughters age 8 and 10, and three teenage boys, age 13, 15, and 19. Somehow, with the help of her children, Marie was able to maintain the farm for almost nine years after the untimely death

	The 2nd & 3rd Generation: MELLENBROOKs There will be a history page for each of the following, with pictures when they are available: HENRY MOELLENBROOK & AMELIA ECKHARDT HERMAN MELLENBROOK & LYDIA ECKHARDT Marie ENGEL MOELLENBROCK WILLIAM MELLENBROOK & JEWELL BOWMAN FRED MELLENBROOK & MABEL NEAL ANNA MELLENBROOK HIBSCHMAN MARY MELLENBROOK (CLODELL) STELLER JOHN MELLENBROOK & ELSIE SEEHOLZER Also: our step-grandfather, WILLIAM HABER

	Fourth & Fifth Generations: THE COUSINS OUR ONLINE MELLENBROOK REUNION... These pages represent our "Family Reunion on Paper" so far, plus our known German roots traced as far back as we can currently go (see Husede link). Although our family information has been lying unseen in the public records for decades, even centuries, it is surprisingly new to most of us. We have never seen our own History before, or thought of ourselves as part of the history of Olmsted Township, of Ohio, the U.S.A., or even the history of Germany. How should we respond to this new knowledge? We are now a group of Mellenbrook descendants larger than ever before, people with a common heritage. How did our family branches become so separated from one another? Each of us thought at times that we were "the only ones left." What should our next step be? "THE COUSINS" KEEP GETTING OLDER... We have only two living cousins left of the Third Generation (Norman Mellenbrook and Jean Brown Quay). The rest of our Mellenbrook Cousins are now oldsters of the Fourth Generation, with grown children and grandchildren in the 5th-6th generations, and even great-grandchildren of the 7th generation. Virtually all Mellenbrook descendants (except for 3 living males) now have a different surname. What will we tell those new generations of descendants about our Mellenbrooks and the ancestral Moellenbrocks of the past? Should our grandchildren know as little about their Roots and relatives as we did? Can we do better this time? Our Mellenbrook online histories, here and at Myfamily.com, represent a first step in that direction. Can we do more? SPECIAL PICTURE SECTIONS -- The EARL MELLENBROOK MEMORIAL GALLERY will feature art work that resides in the family, plus photos of Earl, Helen, Treva and others. -- We have a ton of pictures from Dory Wagner Ward (Pearl's daughter) and from our genealogist-photographer and friend, Louise Varisco. So there will also be a PEARL MELLENBROOK ALBUM (if I can figure out how to upload them all into our limited amount of megabytes). -- The ECKHARDT Family Bible, owned by Margaret Wagner Lyndes (Pearl's youngest daughter), contains much valuable informaton; this info will be found on the Related Families page. That page will also feature information about the SIMMERER branch at Olmsted, and the EILERT (RAHE) branch in the Sandusky-Toledo area. You never know when you might bump into a distant cousin! AN ONGOING PROJECT... I hope you will explore all the pages here, especially the links about the Moellenbrock Homeland in Germany and about those Related Families, in Ohio, USA and Germany. The full Family Tree is available on our private, password-protected site; don't forget to visit that one too. (Let me know if you need help in accessing it.) Please feel free to e-mail me with corrections, new information, more photos, plus comments or suggestions. Reach me at: Kilowat357@aol.com Game Piece "L" (game link)

	FOR MORE INFORMATION: Continue the Story (Henry, Herman, Engel) Moellenbrock Ancestors in Hüsede Germany A Moment of Silence...


	My Favorite Products


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