Family history galore: A whole bunch crammed into one long post

The scrapblog post that follows, focused on our branch of the southeastern Minnesota Sprick and Augustin/Augustine families, is long, confusing and probably not that fun to read. Though unwieldy for the casual reader, it's set up so family members and genealogy buffs can easily Google stuff in it for their own family histories. (There are a lot of holes in it that I will fill in over time.) It contains a whole lotta family history related to Claus Sprick, our grandfather, as well as some from our grandmother, Maria Augustine Sprick.

We'll start with the no-nonsense pair above. They are Claus' father and stepmother -- Frederick Sprick and his second wife, Margaret Klein Sprick, who helped raise Claus after his biological mother, Adelheid Ehlers Sprick, died in childbirth.

Fred was born in Hanover, Germany, on Sept. 10, 1848, the son of Gustav and Sophia (nee Fischer) Sprick, and the grandson of Christopher Sprick, a bricklayer.

Like Fred's three brothers and two sisters (see bottom of this posting for more details about them), Fred and the aforementioned first wife, Adelheid Ehlers, emigrated to the United States with three small children, including 1-year-old Claus. They arrived in New York harbor on July 4, 1876 and marveled at the fireworks display inspired by America's centennial, wondering if perhaps Americans set off fireworks every day. They took a train from New York to the then-busy station of Frontenac, Minn., and settled in nearby Belvidere Township, in Goodhue County.

Life was hard at first; Fred barely could scratch out a living for his young family. A fourth child, Minnie, was born in 1876, and a fifth, Lydia, in 1878. Adelheid died giving birth to Lydia, a tragedy that was astoundingly common in that era. In 1881, Fred went back to Germany, leaving his young children in the care of his sister and brother-in-law, Minnie and John Hoeft, and fetched a second bride, Margaret Klein (Aug. 3, 1863-November 1941), and brought her back to Minnesota. Margaret Klein's parents, John and Engel Klein, came with.

Fred, a seasoned 33, and Margaret, just 18, were married in the Methodist church in Belvidere Mills, Minn. (The ruins of this church are across from the Union Mills Cemetery in Belvidere Township.)

Fred and Margaret (whom Claus' children would later refer to as "Grandma Sprick") had 13 more children. Adelheid's children had been Fred, Minnie, Metta, Claus and Lydia. Margaret gave birth to Christopher, Sophia, Margaret, John, Henry, Anna, Lillian, Raymond, Amanda, Emma, Alfred, Harry and Elda.

The Sprick family lived in Belvidere Township until 1887, when Fred rented the Follett farm in Mount Pleasant Township, Wabasha County. In 1891, he bought a 160-acre farm in Section 31, Mount Pleasant Township, and thrived as a farmer, dairyman and stock raiser. The rural school in that district was named the Sprick School in honor of him. Years later, Fred's farm would be run by his great-grandson, John Diercks.

The farmhouse on the Sprick land burned down at some point, and it is assumed that many family papers, including passports, were lost in the flames. Fred built a new house, as well as a 30x40x18-feet frame barn, a 30x76x15-feet horse barn, a 24x30x12-feet granary with a lean-to for tools, a stave silo, a garage, an icehouse and another house that his wife's mother, Engel Klein (1835-1926) lived in after her husband, John (1832-1904 or 5) died.

Fred died in 1920. Margaret Klein Sprick died on Nov. 7, 1941. All or most of these folks are buried in Belvidere Union Mills Cemetery. (Margaret Klein Sprick's brother, Hinrich Klein, who was born in Wedel, Hanover, Germany, is buried in St. Peter's Lutheran Church Cemetery, Belvidere.)

What follows is a story about Fred Sprick taken from "The History of Wabasha County," published in 1920, the year he died. I corrected and updated it in a few areas, especially the offspring lists, but left the florid but frank language pretty much as it was in 1920, including the hair-raising assertion that all in all, losing just two or three of one's children as babies wasn't too bad. (For the times, that was probably true.)

THE STORY OF FRED SPRICK, from "The History of Wabasha County" (published in 1920)
Fred Sprick, who died June 24, 1920, on his farm in Section 30, Mount Pleasant Township, Wabasha County, Minn., was a good example of the value of industry and self-reliance, as through the posession of those qualities, together with patience, he rose from a condition of poverty to one of comparative affluence.

He was born in Hanover, Germany, on Sept. 10, 1848, the son of Gustav and Sophia Sprick. His early life up to the age of about 28 was spent in his native land, where he attended school and subsequently became a farmhand.

When he was 14, his mother died, and 12 years later, the father, who was a brickmaker, followed his wife to the grave. In the meanwhile, in 1870, the subject of this sketch had assumed the responsibilities of domestic life, marrying Adelheid [the Wabasha County history book says Adeline, but that's wrong.] Ehlers.

In 1876, with the view of bettering his condition, he came with his wife and three children to the United States, landing in New York City on July 4 -- 100 years after this country became a nation.

Four days later he and his family arrived in Red Wing, Minn., whence they proceeded to Belvidere Township, Goodhue County. There Mr. Sprick found employment for a while at grubbing and general farm work, turning his hand at anything he could find to do, as he was very poor, the expenses of the journey having used up all his funds.

He and his family at first lived in a little shack, and when he had contrived to get a cow, he had to cut a hole in the side of the bluff to shelter it, covering the entrance with hay and straw. He often walked 5 or 6 miles to and from his work, and split rails and chopped wood for 50 cents a day.

Two more children were born to him, and with the advent of the fifth child, Lydia, the mother took her flight to the spirit land. Mr. Sprick drowned his sorrow as well as he could in hard work, and made gradual progress to a more prosperous condition of life.

In the fall of 1881, he went back to Germany, where he found another wife, Margaret Klein, being married May 21, 1882. With her and her parents he returned to the United States, and continued to reside in Belvidere Township until the fall of 1887.

He then rented the Follett farm in Mount Pleasant Township and was engaged in its operation until 1891. By that time, he was becoming prosperous and attracting attention as a man bound to make his way in the world. His next move was to buy the farm on which he died, 160 acres in Section 30, Mount Pleasant Township. There was a fairly good house, but after he lived in it a while it burned down, and he erected the present residence, a good two-story frame structure, substantial and commodious.

Other improvements, which he added from time to time, and which now stand on the place, were a frame barn, a horse barn, a granary with a lean-to for tools, a stave silo, garage and icehouse, and another residence in which his wife's mother now lives, the father, Mr. Klein, having died about 1905.

As a general farmer, stock raiser and dairyman, Mr. Sprick made a good record, and continued at work until 1911, when he rented the farm to his son, John, and until his death, he and his wife enjoyed a well-earned leisure.

Though not a strong party man, he usually voted the Republican ticket. He and his family were members of the Zumbro Falls M.E. Church and were widely known, useful and respected members of the community.

Mr. Sprick was no advocate of race suicide, but to the contrary obeyed the scriptural command to "increase and multiply," having been the father of 18 children, five by his first wife and 13 by his second.

Fred Sprick's children with his first wife, Adelheid Ehlers:

Fred Jr.: 1870-1940. Born in Germany. Lived in Lake City, Minn. Married Rebecca Von Helmst. No children, but raised Emma Sprick (later O'Brien), Fred's half-sister. Died of cancer. Alverna Sprick Miller wrote of Fred Jr: "Most of us remember how he always used to bring us candy when he came out to the farm to visit."

Metta: 1872-1953. Born in Germany. Married Henry Edward Luchau (1869-1941), farmer in the Red Wing, Minn., area. Children Arthur (married Ruth ? , who later became a Featherstone; they had three children -- Winston, who was killed in a plane crash at Wold-Chamberlain Airport (later Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport); Marcia (married ? Stauff); Frederick, who worked for IBM in Rochester); Minnie (married Herbert Kernkamp of St. Paul; two children, Harriet Skinner and Geraldine Luella Kernkamp Brann, who Google indicates has at least one child, Wendy Brann), and Lulu (-1974; married Ted Herberger of St. Paul; had one child who died in infancy). Metta, known as "Aunt Mattie," also raised several foster children.

Claus: Oct. 13, 1874-Nov. 24, 1942. Born in Mulsum, Hanover, Germany. Baptized in Evangelische Kirch there. Married Maria Augustine on Nov. 20, 1907, in Lake City, Minn. Children Adelaide, Edward, LeRoy, Annette, Emma, Clarence, Anna, Marion, Florence, Alverna (my mother), Elmer and Catherine (lots of history about them elsewhere in this blog). Built a house for his family at 715 S. 6th St. in Lake City. Claus decided to buy a farm to raise the children on, and in 1922 or 1923 they moved to a 240-acre farm in West Albany Township. In 1940, he retired from farming, being in very poor health. He built many of the farm buildings in the area, and was on the building committee for St. John's Lutheran Church in Lake City.

Minnie: 1875 or 6-1904. Born in Minnesota. Married Albert Smith of Minneapolis around 1903. No children. Buried in an unmarked grave in Lakewood Cemetery in Lake City, Minn.

Lydia: 1878-1923. Born in Minnesota; her mother, Adelheid Ehlers Sprick, died giving birth to her. Married John Weick (1876-1923) of Mount Pleasant Township, Wabasha County. Children Minnie (married Clark Cliff and lived in Denver, Colo.; children Robert, a school psychologist in St. Louis, Mo., and Lorraine, of Denver), Elsie (married Ira Lamb; lived at 504 W. Center St., Lake City, Minn.; children Catherine, Beatrice, Laverne, Tom, Robert, John, Donald and Beverly), Elmer (married Verna Kuehl; children Dale, John, Gary and Ruth), Clarence (-1975; lived in Denver, Colo.; one son, who drowned at age 10).

Fred Sprick's children with his second wife, Margaret Klein:

Christopher: June 9, 1883-Jan. 13, 1895 (gravestone says 1894).

Sophia: Oct. 10, 1884-. Married John Heitman of Mount Pleasant Township, Wabasha County, Minn. Children Edwin, Arthur, Emil, Margaret (married Harry Diercks), Minnie (married Elmer Juers; children Robert, of Chicago, and Barbara, who married Robert Hawkinson).

Margaret: April 2, 1886 or 8-Jan. 1, 1913. Married Benjamin Franklin Holt, a U.S. Army tailor stationed in Washington state. Daughter Goldie (1912-?; married Raymond Holzworth; lived in Brownsville, Minn.; two adopted sons, David and Daniel). Margaret died of food poisoning when Goldie was only 9 months old, so Grandma Margaret Klein Sprick and Grandma Margaret Hoeft Meincke took the train to Washington state and brought her back to Lake City, where she was raised by Grandma Sprick.

John: April 26, 1887-1968. Never married. Worked on farm of Isadora Hoeft.

Henry: Feb. 8, 1889-?. A carpenter at the home farm. Served in France during World War I and in Germany in the army of occupation; returned to United States on June 22, 1919. Married Amanda Rademacher in 1920. Children Rogene (married Gail Brandcker), Richard and Kenneth. Killed by a falling tree, by some accounts.

Anna: Dec. 23-, 1890-1974. Married John Fick of Zumbro Falls, Minn. Children Eleanor, Helen, Carl, Herbert and Ralph.

Lillian: Aug. 15, 1892-June 1976. Married Arthur Bellman. Lived in Winona, Minn. Children Eunice, Beverly, Donald, Charles.

Raymond: July 2, 1894-1964. Farmer and engineer in Mount Pleasant Township, Wabasha County, Minn. Married Laura Leiter (-1953). Children Willard, Orville, Janice (married Frederick Klindworth), Marilyn (married Wilburt Klindworth), Frederick.

Amanda: May 14, 1896-Feb. 8, 1989. Married Clarence Klindworth on July 25, 1914 (-Aug. 15, 1980). Lived in Wheaton, Minn. Children Alfred, Beatrice (married ? Eckholt; lived in Louisville, Colo.), Elvira (married ? Whaley, lived in Knoxville, Ill.), Delores (married ? Barlage, lived in Tenney, Minn.), Georgene (married ? Wehrs, lived in Elgin, Minn.), Virginia (married ? Thomas, lived in Des Moines, Iowa), Verle (married ? Bemis), Louella (married ? Moriarity) and Lowell.
Emma: Jan. 19-1898-?. Married Harold O'Brien. Son Eugene (married Freda Hoeft). Emma lived in the house that Rebecca and Fred Sprick lived in at 310 Lakewood Av., Lake City, Minn.

Alfred: Jan. 6, 1901 (gravestone says 1900)-April 10, 1903 (gravestone says April 30, 1901).
Harry: April 6, 1903-?. Married Elvira Brunkhorst (Schilling in another account). Lived in Lake City, Minn.

Elda: April 25, 1905-?. Married Leo Kelly (Kelley?) of Hammond, Minn.; later divorced. Lived for a time in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, later in Rochester, Minn. One adoptive son, Roger, who died of cancer in 1985 or 1986.

The fact that so few died out of such a large family gives evidence of good stock on both sides, and it may be added that all the children were well brought up, the survivors reflecting on their parents.

*****
The aunts and uncles we know and love: the children of Claus Sprick (Oct. 13, 1874-Nov. 24, 1942) and Maria Augustine Sprick (April 27, 1887-Feb. 24, 1987), who are buried at St. John's Cemetery in Lake City, Minn. These folks are, of course, much-profiled in other parts of this blog and its sister blog, http://www.thesprickfamily.blogspot.com/.

Adelaide Anna Margaret Sprick: Sept. 15, 1908-Aug. 23, 1973. She worked at many jobs as a young woman and helped raise her younger brothers and sisters. Married Norman Detlefsen (-Oct. 21, 1981. Lived in Oak Center, Minn. No children. Had just retired as bookkeeper at the Oak Center Creamery when she was killed in a car accident in Red Wing, Minn. An extraordinarily gentle and kind aunt.

Edward Henry Sprick: Oct. 28, 1910-Jan. 20, 1985. Never married. No children. Fought across Europe in World War II. Worked for Swift & Co. in South St. Paul, Minn. Lived in Lake City with his mother, Maria Augustine Sprick, in a house built by brother LeRoy. Died of lung cancer. Beloved uncle, great fisherman. Buried at St. John's Cemetery in Lake City, Minn.

LeRoy Frederick Sprick: June 1, 1912-Jan. 29, 1985. Married Violet Sanders on Sept. 9, 1933. Farmed in West Albany area, then worked in partnership with George Olson in the Farmers' Hatchery in Lake City, Minn., then ran his own construction company in Lake City. Daughter Leah (married Duane Davidson; children Leah-Jean (married Rick Purtee; son Christopher Sands) and Richard (married Colleen Benken; children Keith, Kelsey, Chloe). A witty and wise uncle who died of a heart attack just nine days after his beloved brother Ed had passed away.

Annetta Marie Sprick Kulseth: Aug. 23, 1914-Jan. 8, 2002. Married Harter Kulseth. Lived in Maple Grove, Minn., near Eagle Lake, and had vacation cottage in Old Frontenac, Minn. (land now owned by niece Pamela Miller). No children. Worked as a servant for wealthy Twin Citians. Spoiled dogs Schnitzel, Seth and Seth II. Died of heart failure. Awesome aunt and human being. Buried at Glen Haven Cemetery in Crystal, Minn.

Emma Mabel Sprick Krociel: May 9, 1916-?. Married Gustav Krociel, a Polish immigrant. No children. Lived at 442 Snelling Av. S. in St. Paul, Minn. Worked as a secretary. Ever kind and generous despite a hard life. Died of breast cancer.

Clarence John Sprick: Sept. 11, 1918-Jan. 20, 1929. The "lost uncle" -- died at age 10 of a blood clot after surgery for a ruptured appendix. He is buried at St. John's Cemetery in Lake City, Minn.

Anna Sophia Sprick Smith: Oct. 16, 1920-Sept. 16, 2012. Married Hal Smith. Stepsons Donald and Darrell. Lived in Red Wing, Minn. Much-honored first-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Red Wing. Retired in 1985. Anna died in the Lake City nursing home on Sept. 16, 2012, after suffering from dementia and other ailments for a couple of years. She is buried at St. John's Cemetery in Lake City, Minn.

Marion Gertrude Sprick Broberg: Aug. 21, 1922-June 6, 1987. Married architect Wallace Broberg. Children Daniel Martin Broberg (married Cathy, later divorced; children Martin and Nick), Samuel Wallace Broberg (married Bridget Bayerl, children Tyler, Alex and Zachary), Sarah Broberg (beloved daughter with Downs' syndrome; lives in group home in Richfield, Minn). Was nurse specializing in surgery. Lived on Coffman Lane in Minneapolis and had vacation cottage in Old Frontenac, Minn. (now owned by son Dan). Died of cancer. Lovely, wise personality. Buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minn.

Alverna Edna Sprick Miller: July 23, 1924-April 24, 2006. Married William Alton Miller in Schwabisch Hall, Germany, while working in the USO after World War II. Children Pamela Marian Miller (Nov. 2, 1956-; married Ronald Brochu and Steven Robert Johnson; divorced twice; son Noah Miller Johnson; currently night metro editor at Minneapolis Star Tribune and keeper of this and related scrapblogs); Christopher Edward Miller (married Mary Eischen, children Zachary, Moriah, Hannah, Elizabeth and Avamarie (the last two adopted from China); sports editor at Minneapolis Star Tribune), Mary Catherine Miller Northrup (married Michael Northrup; no children; Georgetown University-educated attorney and Presbyterian minister). Lived many places as an Army wife, finally in Old Frontenac and Lake City, Minn. Killed in a car crash at Milepost 64 on Highway 61 south of Lake City in 2006. As she would say, "Missed much." Buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minn.

Florence Lillian Sprick Bye: Jan. 20, 1926-. Longtime nurse. Married William Raffery (later divorced), with whom she had a daughter, Patricia Louise Rafferty (married Steve Pepin; six children; lives in rural Red Wing, Minn.). Married Charles Schmidt (later divorced), with whom she had two children, Karl and JoAnne. Karl died of muscular dystrophy on Feb. 3, 1983. JoAnne lives in the Schmidt family home south of Red Wing. Married Virgil Bye, childhood sweetheart, who died in xxxx. Her senior-years sweetheart is World War II hero Harry Greason; they have homes in San Diego, Calif., and Maplewood, Minn. A lively and beloved aunt.

Elmer William Sprick: Aug. 22, 1927-. Married Mavis LaMont. Children Cynthia (married to Dan O'Donahoe (children Tanya (married Levi Cook; children Sonia, Maria and Perrin; lives in Denver, Colo.), Monty Leiser (lives in Eau Claire, Wis.) and Angela Brooke Thornburg (given up for adoption when Cindi was a teenager and recently reunited with Cindi)) and David Sprick (married Sarah Heisler; children Ashley, Chelsea and Katie Jo; police chief at University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire). Elmer ("Joe"), worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for many years. He and the lovely and gracious Mavis are now retired and live in Lake City, Minn., where he fishes, writes, volunteers, quietly spreads joy and wisdom and helps keeps your scrapblog editor (reasonably) honest.

Catherine Mary Sprick Kirkwood: July 6, 1930. "Kate" married Charles John Kirkwood. Children Sandra (married John Turner; later divorced; children Paul and Kelly, both adopted from South Korea; lives in Nacogdoches, Texas), Joseph (married Barbara; stepson Jeff; lives in Lake City, Minn.), Jane (married Theodore Hagberg; children Teddy and Katie; lives in Woodbury, Minn.) and John "Tuck" (married Sheila, lives in Lake City). Kate and John are retired in Lake City, where they live in Grandma Maria Sprick and Ed's old house on N. Prairie Street, which was built by LeRoy.

*****
Some related family history for geneology/history buffs:

Frederick Sprick, Claus' dad, had three brothers and two sisters, all of whom, like him, emigrated to America. They were:

Henry: He had one child, Christ Sprick, who married Margaret Ehlers. Children Henrietta (married Clarence Reese), Margaret (married Adolph Peters), Walter, Arthur, Alvin, Albert, Robert and Ernest.

Christ: Married Annie Tomfohr. Had no children, but raised Henry Bohmbach (1882-1960; married Anna (1876-1954); son Emil Bohmbach, (-June 12, 1976)). Alverna noted in her history, "This was the Great-Uncle Christ we knew who lived in Lake City when we were young."

John: Married Mattie Quell. No children.

Margaret: Married Carl Stutz. Margaret came to America the year before Margaret Klein Sprick did, and Carl came to America when Margaret Klein Sprick did. Carl and Margaret's grandson, Carl Stutz, became prominent as a contractor in Vancouver, Wash., where Stutz Avenue was named after him.

Wilhelmina (Minnie): Oct. 6, 1850-May 6, 1926. Married John C. Hoeft (June 22, 1852-Nov. 12, 1932); Minnie and John are buried in St. John's Lutheran Church cemetery in Lake City, Minn. They had one child, Margaret E. (1873-1970), who married Henry Meincke and was always known to Alverna's generation as Grandma Meincke. Claus stayed with Minnie's family when Fred Sprick went back to Germany after the death of his first wife, Adelheid, to fetch a second wife, Margaret Klein.) Henry and Margaret Meincke's children were Mina (married ? Satory), Ralph, Henry, John, Arthur and Laura (married Frank Furst).

*****

And now for a little history from the Augustine side of the family -- specifically, the siblings of our grandmother, Maria Augustine Sprick. She had three siblings:

Anna: Married Otto Leonhart. Children Hilmer (married Cynthia Moechnig; son Wesley), Forrest, Alvin (married Elsie Mickow), Elenor (married Paul Hoffman; sons Kenneth and Dorance) and Novella (married Alvin Maiwald; children Janet and Floyd).

Henry: Married Emma Buhman. Children Gaylord, Grover, Ruby and Betty Ann.

Emma: Married Herman Stegemeyer. Children Lorraine (married Cortland Funke), Violet (married Wilburt Hoeft), Maynard (married Janet Damman).