The Heinrich Christian Schwiebert Family

Heinrich Christian Schwiebert, son of Christian Albrecht Schwiebert and Louise nee Rickenberg, was born Dec. 8, 1844, at Kirchwalde, Kreis Rotenburg, Prov. Hanover, Germany.

His parents and brothers and sisters came to America in 1866. Heinrich and his wife planned to follow as soon as he was discharged from his military duty. But this wasn't to be, for as soon as he received his discharge, the Franco-German War of 1870 broke out and he was redrafted and served during the entire war.

Lena, on stool in front, left to right: Henry, Mary, Ida, Grandpa, Augusta, Anna, Minnie, Grandma with Karl on her lap, Fred and Christina, 1891.

On October 15, 1871, he married Anna von der Broeling, who was born November 1, 1849, at Holtum bei Fehrden. For several years before their marriage, the young couple had been saving their money, bit by bit, for their trip to America. They didn't dream of spending any of this money for a wedding dinner. Three days after the wedding they were on their way to America and had just enough money to take them to New York. After working awhile they earned enough to complete their journey to the Okolona, Ohio area, where his parents had settled about five years before. They lived in this area about 9 years and in 1880 purchased a farm, which was mostly woods and swamp, in Marion Township. With much hard work, endurance, and the help of their children they made this land into a very productive farm. (This is now the Burdell Schwiebert farm.)

There were eleven children born to Heinrich and Anna. Their first born was a son, and died in infancy. Augusta was married to Herman Lindhorst and passed away several days after giving birth to a baby daughter whom they named Hildegard. The baby lived with her grandparents to adulthood. Wilhelmina married George Redderson and died in 1915 after giving birth to her fifth child, Albert. Ida married William Witte; Henry married Anna Michaelis; Fred married Emma Helberg. Anna married William Heinrichs, who was killed in an accident when their first child, George, was just a baby. Christine was married to William Hagen; Mary, to Henry T. Meyer; Caroline, to Albert Bremer; and Karl, to Lydia Drewes.

One of the fond memories of the grandchildren is the Annual Mission Festival of Hope Lutheran Church, of which Grandpa Heinrich was a charter member, and which was held in Grandpa's woods. Members of the congregation would invite relatives and friends to this all day occasion. Everyone would bring a basket dinner and after 2 services in the morning, one German and one English, the families and their friends would push the planks, that had been used for benches, together and make a picnic table. It didn't matter that the seats were just as high as the table so long as there was plenty of good food, and there always was. Coffee was furnished by the committee and was cooked in a huge iron kettle in the woods. In the afternoon another service was held. The mission fest was one time during the year when the girls would get new dresses and the other time was for the Church Christmas program.

Grandpa Heinrich passed away at the age of 83 and Grandma at the age of 81. Both are buried in Hope Lutheran Cemetery.

Left to right: Grandpa Schwiebert, Henry, Hilda standing in for her mother Augusta, Anna, Ida, Caroline, Fred, Mary, Christina, Minnie, Karl and Grandma Schwiebert.

A family gathering

All of the children and their spouses are now deceased except Hildegard and Lydia. They both live in Hamler and are active in many things.

Grandpa Heinrich's parents are also buried in Hope Lutheran Cemetery. They lived in a small house just south of the cemetery.