The Hinrichs Genealogy

Among my wife's ancestral families from Ostfriesland in northwest Germany is a family of poor 17th-century farmers who alternately bore the patronymics of Steffens and Hinrichs (which mean, quite simply, "child of Steffen (Stephen)" and "child of Hinrich (Henry)"). The name "Hinrich" derives ultimately from the Old Frankish name "Heimeric," which means "Home Ruler," ruler of the home or homeland. My wife's descent from this family traces back to a man named Hinrich Steffens, who lived in the late 1600s and early 1700s in the Electorate of Hannover. The following account of our Steffens-Hinrichs lineage is derived from Lutheran church registers of the districts of Norden and Aurich in the old Electorate of Hannover (now in the German state of Niedersachsen).

1. STEFFEN, parentage and ancestry unknown, an Ostfriesisch German who lived in the latter half of the 1600s in Hannover. Steffen is known to have had a son named Hinrich.

     2.  HINRICH STEFFENS, born perhaps circa 1680 in Hannover.

2. HINRICH STEFFENS, son of Steffen, born perhaps circa 1680 in Hannover, died May 1752 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, buried 12 May 1752 in Wallinghausen. Hinrich married circa 1707 probably in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, to CHRISTINE FRERCKS ("Christina Friderichs"), born circa 1680 in Hannover, died 14 April 1766 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, buried 21 April 1766 in Wallinghausen, daughter of Frerck (NN). Hinrich and Christine are known to have had four sons and three daughters.

This detail from page 78 of the burial register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1752 burial record of Hinrich Steffens of Wallinghausen.

This detail from page 8 of the burial register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1766 burial record of Christina Frercks of Wallinghausen, widow of Hinrich Steffens.

The known children of Hinrich and Christine were:

     --  WOPKE HINRICHS, baptised 17 Dec. 1708 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.
     --  MARGARETHE HINRICHS, born 19 Sept. 1711 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.
     --  STEFFEN HINRICHS, baptised 9 March 1714 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, died young before July 1725 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.
     --  FREERTJE HINRICHS, baptised 23 Oct. 1716 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, died young before Aug. 1722 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.
     3.  FRERKJE HINRICHS, born 2 Aug. 1722 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.
     --  STEFFEN HINRICHS, baptised 8 July 1725 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, died young before Feb. 1727 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.
     --  STEFFEN HINRICHS, baptised 23 Feb. 1727 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover.

3. FRERKJE HINRICHS, daughter of Hinrich and Christine (Frercks) Steffens, born 2 Aug. 1722 in Wallinghausen, Aurich District, Hannover, died 11 May 1784 in Extum. Frerkje's name, which sometimes appears as "Frertje" and "Frerichen," is a Low German variant of the name "Frederica." She married 4 June 1748 in Extum, Aurich District, Hannover, to ERDWIEN JANSSEN, born in late April 1723 in Extum, Aurich District, Hannover, died 20 Aug. 1794 in Extum, Aurich District, Hannover, buried 26 Aug. 1794 in Extum, son of Jann and Gesche (Andressen) Erdwiens. Erdwien was baptised 2 May 1723 in the Lutheran church of Extum. His baptismal record identifies his parents as "Johann Erdwien" and "Gesche Andreessen." Erdwien and Frerkje are known to have had two daughters and three sons. One of their sons, Hinrich, had a daughter named Frerkjen whose descendants emigrated to Adams County, Illinois.

This detail from page 358 of the marriage register of the Lutheran churches of Aurich District, Hannover, shows the 1748 marriage record of Erdwien Janssen and Frerkje Hinrichs, identified in the record as, respectively, the son of "Jan Erdwins" and the daughter of "Hinrich Stephens."

The known children of Frerkje and Erdwien were:

     --  GESCHE ERDWIENS, born circa 1748 probably in Aurich District, Hannover, married Christian Boÿen.
     --  JANN ERDWIENS ("Johann"), born circa 1752 probably in Aurich District, Hannover, died 4 May 1814 in Extum, Aurich District, Hannover, married Frauke Willms.
     --  CHRISTINA ERDWIENS, born circa 1756 probably in Aurich District, Hannover.
     --  HINRICH STEFFENS ERDWIENS, born circa 1757 probably in Aurich District, Hannover, married Margarethe Hinrichs Reemts.
     --  ANDREAS ERDWIENS, born circa 1763 probably in Aurich District, Hannover, married Helenst Maria Sibelts.

Hinrichs Genealogy Resources:

The Reed Family Tree of Albuquerque, N.M., with Dirk Wobben Janssen descendants and Johnson and Oltman family photos.
Find-A-Grave memorial: Fannie Ferden (sic - Marie) Oltman Johnson (1864-1933), with links of husband and children.
Map of Aurich District, showing locations of Aurich and Wallinghausen in the District of Aurich, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Germany.
Map of Aurich District, showing locations of Extum/Haxtum and Walle in the District of Aurich, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Germany.

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