This is one of another in a series of snippets of family trees I mapped out while working on discovering connections with DNA matches. Quite a few of my matches of interest have come from Gramenz, with names such as Abraham, Lübke, Freiberg, Färber, and Keske appearing frequently and often intertwining. One of these branches of interest is for the ancestors of August Keske and Auguste Barz who immigrated to the United States. (Various censuses list 1897 or 1898.)

This study was mapped out using Standesamt and church books. When necessary, records were connected from pieces of family trees on FamilySearch. All records with links have been personally verified. This is the most thorough study of this lineage to date at the time of this publication.

One thought I had was that my Geske ancestors might have had their name alternatively spelled with a “K.” This currently remains unclear. However, there were Jeske families living in the same area, one who married an Abraham.

Generation 1 – Keske

August Friedrich Bernhard Keske
Born: April 6, 1861 in Gramenz, Neustettin, Pommern
Died: December 11, 1936 in Osseo, Hennepin, Minnesota
His death certificate listed his parents incorrectly as Christian Keske and Wilhelmena Beckie. Before immigrating, he was a Tagelöhner in Ernsthöhe.

He was married on November 13, 1885 in Gramenz, (page 2) both living in Ernsthöhe, to:

Auguste Friederike Caroline Barz
Born: January 15, 1860 in Gramenz, Neustettin
Died: October 1, 1937 in Hennepin County, Minnesota

Generation 2 – Keske

Carl August Julius Keske
Born: March 14, 1832 in Gramenz, baptized the March 25 in Gramenz.
Died: in Gramenz before November 1885.
August was a Tagelöhner in Gramenz, like his father.

Married on March 11, 1859 in Gramenz to:

Marie Wilhelmine Böttcher
Born: abt. autumn 1834 (calculated from marriage)

These are some (but not all) of their children:

1. Emilie Wilhelmine Auguste Keske, born March 16, 1859 and died March 18, 1859.
2. August Friedrich Bernhard Keske, born April 6, 1861 in Gramenz, Neustettin, Pommern.
3. Gustav Friedrich Ernst Keske, born March 5, 1869.

Generation 3 – Keske

Julius Friedrich Keske
Born: abt. May 29, 1787 (date calculated from death).
Died: December 19, 1847 in Gramenz. He died of old age and was buried December 21 at the age of 60 years, 6 months, and 20 days, leaving behind his widow, three children of legal age and five children who were still minors.
Julius was a Schneidermeister in Gramenz. He was named “Georg August” in his death entry, also saying he was a Tagelöhner. In 1835, he was a Büdner.

He was married on May 17, 1816 in Gramenz to:

Sophie Elisabeth Abraham
Born: abt. 12 Oct 1793, most likely in Gramenz (date calculated from death).
Died: February 19, 1873 in Gramenz of Altersschwäche (old age) at the age of 79 years, 4 months, and 7 days old. She was buried on February 23, leaving behind five children of the age of majority. Her surname was also occasionally spelled “Abram.”

They had the following children:

1. Caroline Wilhelmine Keske, born October 22, 1817 in Gramenz and baptized on October 26.
2. Luise Friederike Henriette Keske, born February 27, 1820 in Gramenz and baptized on March 5.
3. Johanne Justine Keske, born December 26, 1822 in Gramenz.
4. Marie Charlotte Keske, born November 1, 1825 in Gramenz.
5. Dorothee Ulrike Keske, born November 1, 1825 in Gramenz. She died being only 12 days old on November 12, 1825 in Gramenz.
6. Juliane Christiane Ulrike Keske, born May 8, 1829 in Gramenz.
7. Carl August Julius Keske, born March 14, 1832 in Gramenz and baptized on March 25.
8. Friedrich Ferdinand Keske, born May 10, 1835 in Gramenz and baptized on May 13.
9. Ernestine Emilie Keske, born July 6, 1838 in Gramenz and baptized on July 8.

Generation 2 – Barz

Carl Ludwig Barz
Born: February 24, 1830 in Lübgust. (His death incorrectly lists his birthday as February 26, 1831).
Died: May 10, 1877 in Ernsthöhe.
He was a Tagelöhner and an Einwohner.

He was married to:

Dorothea Pagel
Died: May 26, 1868 in Grūnwald Abbau (Grūnewald, though her daughter’s marriage states “Ernsthöhe”) at the age of 36 years, 4 months, and 24 days. She died after the delivery of her child, “In folge der Entbindung.” She was buried May 29, leaving behind her husband and two minor children.

Their children were:

1. Auguste Friederike Caroline Barz, born January 15, 1860 in Gramenz, Neustettin and was baptized January 29. She died October 1, 1937 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
2. Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Barz born May 30, 1863 in Storkow and was baptized June 14 in Gramenz.
3. – Barz, born on May 23, 1868 in Grūnwald Abbau and died the same day without being baptized.

After Dorothea Pagel’s death, he married Wilhelmine Caroline Friedrike Labes (Labs). There may be children from this marriage, but further research was not pursued.

Generation 3 – Barz

Gottfried Barz
Born: abt. 1784 or 1789 (according to death and marriage entries respectively).
Died: August 7, 1847 in Lübgust and was buried August 10, leaving behind his widow five minor children.
He was a Schäferknecht and Wehrmann in Storkow, 31 years old when he was married. His death listed him as a Tagelöhner, 63 years old.

He was married on November 15, 1820 in Gramenz to:

Hedwig Wilhelmine Freiberg
Born: September 20, 1800 in Gramenzer Pachthof and was baptized September 28.
She was her father’s second daughter of legitimate birth.

Together, they had:

1. Johanne Christine Luise Barz, born December 28, 1827 in Lübgust.
2. Carl Ludwig Barz, February 24, 1830 in Lübgust. He died May 10, 1877 in Ernsthöhe.
3. August Friedrich Wilhelm Barz, born November 26, 1832. He died November 28, 1832.
4. Friedrich Wilhelm Barz, born December 20, 1835. He died December 31, 1832.
5. Friederike Henriette Barz, born May 3, 1837 in Lübgust.
6. Johann Friedrich Barz, born September 5, 1839 in Lübgust.

Generation 3 – Böttcher

Friedrich Böttcher
Born: abt. 1796 (he was 29 years old when he was married).
He was a Kuhhirt in Gramenz in 1859, also referred to as a Schäferknecht. He was from Lübchow by Körlin at the time of his marriage.

He was married on September 3, 1825 in Gramenz to:

Hedwig Louise Jahnke
Born: December 22, 1804 in Gramenz. (The marriage certificate claimed she was 23 years old when she was married.) She was baptized December 26.
She was the daughter of Häusler Martin Jahnke.

Some of these are the children that were found in the Gramenz church book:

1. Caroline Friedricke Wilhelmine Böttcher, born October 10, 1825 in Gramenz.
2. Charlotte Albertine Böttcher, born July 8, 1827 in Gramenz and baptized July 15. She was widowed to a Tagelöhner named Jahnke and died on January 7, 1900 in Hasendanz, part of Gramenz.
3. Louise Wilhelmine Henriette Böttcher, born December 21, 1829 in Gramenz. She married August Zick, a Tagelöhner, who preceded her in death. She died October 2, 1892 in Gramenz. The cause of death was listed as, “gehörigen Sandgrube infolge Verschüttens gestorben ist;” she was buried by a spill in a sand pit.
4. Marie Wilhelmine Böttcher

Generation 4 – Jahnke

Martin Jahnke
He may have died on May 3, 1812 in Gramenz at the age of 59. This record stated that a Martin Jahnke, a Tagelöhner who was formerly a soldier, died in Gramenz, while two other death records gave the same name but for Lübgust. (1) (2)

He was married to:

Charlotte Zärbel (Zerbel)

They lived in Gramenz, and he was listed as a Häusler and a Scharfschutze (sharpshooter). One record listed him as a Tagelöhner, though that may have been a mistake. It is important to note that there were two Martin Jahnkes in the Gramenz parish at that time. One of them married Charlotte Krull and was a Tagelöhner in Lübgust. Her name was probably a derivative of the name Ziebell.

1. Ernst Wilhelm Jahnke, born February 15, 1797 in Gramenz and was baptized February 19.
2. Hedwig Louise Henriette Jahnke, born December 14, 1800 in Gramenz and baptized December 21. She died January 2, 1805 in Gramenz.
3. Friedrich Wilhelm Jahnke, born July 25, 1802 in Gramenz and baptized August 1.
4. Hedwig Louise Jahnke, born December 22, 1804 in Gramenz and baptized December 26.

Generation 4 – Freiberg

Johann Jacob Freiberg
Born: abt. 1763
Died: December 3, 1823 in Gramenzer Busch of Brustfieber. He left behind his widow and eight children (some must not be listed here). He died at the age of 60 years old and was a Pächter.
He was the father of Hedwig Wilhelmine Freiberg in Gramenzer Pachthofe.

He was married to:

Charlotte Baarz

They had the following children:

1. Christian Friedrich Freiberg, born May 10, 1794.
2. Christine Charlotte Friederike Freiberg, born June 10, 1796.
3. Christoph Wilhelm Freiberg, born February 26, 1798. He died February 21, 1802.
4. Hedwig Wilhelmine Freiberg, born September 20, 1800.
5. Sophia Elisabeth Henriette Freiberg, born February 10, 1802 and baptized February 14. She married Ernst Ludwig Knoop on December 3, 1824.
6. Dorothea Louise Freiberg, born October 12, 1804.
7. August Ferdinand Freiberg, born July 22, 1808.
8. Marie Amalie Freiberg, born May 16, 1809. She died May 16, 1816.

Christopher DeWuske

I founded this website to help others make connections with their genealogy. I've been at my own family history since 2014 and have made significant progress since then. My hope is to one day determine where my family name came from. In the years since I started my genealogy, I've become something of an expert on the resources and history of Pomerania. I'd like to share what I've learned with you to help you on your own journey to discover your heritage. With the right information and enough patience, I believe researchers like us can break down the barriers to our family histories and make more freely available so others can trace their families as well. Let's work together to rebuild the stories of our ancestors!