One of the family stories passed down about Ulrich Tolstedt was that he was accompanied to this country by a brother. For years we have searched for evidence of such a relation. The 1860 census for Ogle County showed a 25 year old Antone Tolsted from Baden, German and a 22 year old Frederick Tolsted from Oldenburg (living with the Aaron Weeks family). In 1870 it appears that Frederick has aged to 46 year old and is living with children in neighboring Lee County. He is listed as being from Oldenburg. The State of Illinois archives shows an Adelaide S. Tolstede who married Eliza Martin's cousin Alanson Woodcock on December 02, 1855. However, we could find no indication that any of these people were related. As far as we could tell, Ulrich came here alone. However, as we became a bit more inclusive of variations in spellings, we discovered a family tree on the internet that appears to connect them all. It was an Ancestral File on FamilySearch, the web site sponsored by the Latter Day Saints. It connected all of the names: Ulrich, Anton, Frederick, and added a few more. Using Rootweb and Ancestry.com, we found the family trees of Eden Allison, Bill&Jane Conrad, the DuBrul Buchanan White Thurlow, Hoff-Granbau Family Ancestry, and the Taylor Millman Family Ancestry. Together they paint a picture that suggests that Ulrich was one of 7 siblings who came from German during the 1850s and settled in Ogle County.
Why are we so convinced that this family is the right one? Lots of coincidences:
"Proof"?.....Finally!! After looking for years to find a definitive connection between our Ulrich and the Tolstede family members found in the other family trees, we have finally found it. Knowing that Ulrich was from Tettens in Oldenburg, we contacted Historical Research Services in Bremen, a genealogical research company. Ines Weissenberg spent a day in the State Archive in Oldenburg (Staatsarchiv Oldenburg) transcribing baptismal, marriage and burial records from the Evangelical-Lutheran Parish registers of Tettens and Wüppels parishes.
First, the name itself. Old German records have the same inconsistencies of spelling as do American ones. The most consistent name that shows up is Tölstede (without the umlaut, this is written as Toelstede). It is easy to see how Tolstedt and Tolsted might have come into common use.
The family was predominantly from two neighboring parishes in the Duchy of Oldenburg. The map below, derived from one found on genealogy.net, shows where these parishes are located.
Ulrich Tölstede did indeed emigrate with his sibilings, and very likely his father. The 27 year old Ulrich arrived in February 1855 aboard the Philadelphia, sailing from Bremer Haven. This data is from his 1906 passprt application. We do not know the port of arrival, nor do we know when his family arrived. We do know that by 1860 all of his siblings were living in Illinois: Anton, Friederich (with wife and son), Catharina, Adelheit, Friederica, and Teta Sophie. By 1860, Ulrich was married with a young son. The census shows a 70 year old Edward (from Germany) living with Ulrich, Eliza and Edmund/Edward. This would be the correct age and nativity for Nanne Eden Tölstede.
Ancestry of Ulrich Tölstede
Ulrich Bernhard Tölstede was the third child, and third son, of Nanne Eden Tölstede and Catharina Maria nee Friederichs. He was born 27 July 1828 and baptized 30 September 1828. These events occurred in Tettens Parish and were registered in the Evangelical-Lutheran Parish registers. His godparents included Otto Friedrich Seetzen, Johann Harms Haschenburg, and Imke Behrens.
Nanne Eden Tölstede was the youngest child of Anton Bernhard Tölstede and Adelheit nee Eden. He was born in Tettens 9 November 1790, baptized on 11 November 1790 in the church. His godparents included Clas Classen, Margarete Carstens, and his maternal grandfather, Nanne Eden.Young Nanne was also named for a brother of the same name who was born and baptized in January of 1784. Nanne is listed on many of the baptismal registry entries as "master smith at Friedrich-Augusten-Groden" and on the twins' baptismal registry the phrase include "inn-keeper" is also included.
Catharina Maria Friederichs was a native of Wüppels, a neighboring parish. It is likely that she and Nanne Eden were married in that parish and that their first two sons were born there. Together, Nanne and Catharina had 7 children. Anton Friedrich (1823/4), Friedrich Gerhard (1824), Ulrich Bernhard (1828), Catherina Maria (1831), Adelheit Sophia (1834), and twin daughters, Friederica Sophia and Teta Sophia (1837).
By the time of Ulrich's immigration to the United States in 1855, Friedrich had married and had a young son. In all likelihood, Catharina passed away sometime between the birth of the twins and her families departure from Oldenburg. The twins would have been 17 years old.
Anton Bernhard Tölstede, the father of Nanne Eden, was born in Tettens Parish on 3 November 1732 to Mehne Behrends Tölstede and Catharina (probably Böschen). Anton was married twice, first to Catharina Margaretha Alts. Together they had (at least) 3 children, one died at birth or in infancy. On 3 December 1772 he married Ahleit nee Eden. Together they had (at least) 7 children, the youngest of whom was Nanne Eden. Anton is listed as "master carpenter of the 'Amt' resident in Ziallerns." 'Amt' refers to a county-like administrative district. Anton died in November of 1808.
Ahleit (also written as Adelheit)Eden was the oldest daughter of Nanne Eden, the "oldest daughter of Nanne Eden, local 'Hausmann' and 'Kirchenvogt' in Tettens." She died 11 July 1809.
Mehne Behrends Tölstede and his wife Catharina (probably Böschen) were the parents of Anton Berhard Tölstede.
For photos of the exterior and interior of Tettens church, click here.
Ulrich's Siblings
Anton
While we do not yet have concrete evidence of Anton's place and existence in the family, we have good reason to believe that he was the oldest of the Tölstede siblings. He was likely born about 1824 in Wüppels Parish, Duchy of Oldenburg. It was in this same parish that we believe his mother was born, his parents married and his younger brother, Friedrich was born. The choice of name, Anton, was also also consistent with the naming practice at the time, i.e. his paternal grandfather was Anton.
To the best of our knowledge, Anton never married. In 1860 the US Census for Illinois shows him living in Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois with the Wadsworth family. His last name is spelled Tolstedt. He is listed as being a 35 year old painter from Baden, Germany. In 1870, the US Census shows him living with his sister Sophia and her husband Wilbur Earl. He is listed as a 47 year old painter from Prussia. His name is spelled Trestrad.
Anton died at the age of 57 in Ashton in February of 1881.
Friedrich
Friedrich Gerhard Tölstede was born in Wüppels Parish in August 1824. Two entries show in the Tettens registers. First, the Baptismal register shows the birth, on 20 May 1852 of Eduard Eden Tölstede "born before the married of his parents but baptized after the same". The marriage register shows the June 1852 marriage of Freidrich Gerhard Tölstede, master smith in Moddoge parish to Geshe Helena Margaretha Hinrichs "daughter of deceased Harm Janssen Hinrichs, once carter in Esens and his deceased wife Teite Margaretha nee Boyungs". It futher stated that "the Grand Ducal 'Amt' has certified that there are no objections against the intended marriage of F.G. Tölstede in secular regard."
Friedrich's wife, perhaps after immigration, used the name "Gesine Margaret". Eduard became Edward. Immigration must have occurred some time between Edward's birth in 1852 and the birth of Henry in 1856. Fredrick (1859) and Mary (1963) followed. In 1860, Frederich G. Tolstin from Oldenburg was show in the census as being a farm laborer, 36 years of age, married to 39 year old Mary, from Hanover. They are living in Lafayette Township, Ogle County, Illinois. The 1870 census shows him with the last name Tolstede, age 46, married to 52 year old Mary in Rochelle, Alto Township, Lee County, Illinois. the 1880 Census shows Friedrich (Frederick) as a widower living with two of his children.
Friedrich died in Maywood, Cook County, Illinois in July 1904. His wife died in September of 1878 in Creston, Illinois. Both are buried in the family plot in Creston.
Catharina
Catharina Maria Tölstede, born February 1831, would have been about 24 years of age at the immigration. Shortly after arriving in Illinois, she married William Kilgore Stitt. William was a Pennsylvanian. The Stitt Two were born in Lee County, Illinois, 2 in Appanoose County, Iowa, and youngest two were born in Leesville, Missouri. The 1860, 1870 and 1880 Census entries reflect these moves. Catherina/Catherine died in Bronson, Bourbon County, Kansas. William died in Osawatomie, Miami County, Kansas 13 years later.
Adelheit
Adelheit Sophia Tölstede, later to become Adelaide, would have been 21 at the time of immigration. She married Alanson Woodcock of Ogle County, Illinois. Alanson was a first cousin to Eliza Martin, Ulrich's wife. Alanson was a Canadian immigrant with "American" roots. His great-grandfather, Jonathon Woodcock, served in the Revolution fighting the English. (More on the Woodcock heritage can be found at www.cwoodcock.com.) Adelaide and Alanson were married in December of 1855. The 1860 Census shows them living with one child and 2 boarders in Marion Township, Ogle County, next door to his parents. He is listed as a farmer. By the time of the 1870 census they have relocated to Franklin Township, Bourbon County, Kansas. Census takers found them there in 1880, 1900 and (Adelaide only) in 1910. Alanson died in 1902 and was buried in the Woodcock burial plot in Ogle County, Illinois. Adelaide died in a house fire in 1914.
Teta Sophia
Teta Sophia Tölstede was the older of the twin girls born on the 24th of July, 1837. She was about 17 years of age at the time of immigration. In 1860, Sophia, listed as Sophia Halsted, shows up in Marion Township, Ogle County, Illinois is the household of the Wilson Family. In 1864 she married Wilbur Earl, a Canadian. They had one daughter, Melissa. In 1870 they are living in Ashton, Lee County, Illinois. The 1880 census shows them as having a boarder -- Sophia's brother Anton. They are living next door to her sister Friederica. The census of 1910 shows her widowed and living with Lizzie (Melissa) in Ashton Township without Sophia.
Friederica
Friederica Sophia Tölstede was the younger of the twin girls. The 1860 census shows her as living in the household of Aaron Weeks, his wife and children, in Lafayette Township, Ogle County, Illinois. (Note: she is listed as being male.) The 1870 census shows her as married to Aaron, still living in Lafayette Township. By 1880 she shows up in the census in Lafayette Township. She is listed as a widower with an 8 year old daughter (Hattie) and a father-in-law. The death date that we have for her is 1907.
The following family tree is composed of all of the information that we have gathered except for the information about Ulrich and his descdents, which is in a separate tree in another section.