Individual Details

Arend Janßen "Johnson" Gerdes

(12 Apr 1852 - 21 Apr 1920)

Steve Read relates that "My great, great grandmother was Johanna von Besten (as the name came to be spelled in my line over the years). My great, great grandfather was Arnd Janssen Gerdes, who immigrated to America and Jones Co. IA around 1869. He was a stowaway on a ship out of Bremen and was discovered mid-passage and made to work in the kitchen until it docked in Baltimore. From there, he worked his way west to Iowa. I don't know if the Gerdes family knew the von Bestens in Germany or if he met her when they arrived in Jones County in 1872. Arnd's parents and siblings also immigrated in 1872 (as paying passengers, I assume.) "

Events

Birth12 Apr 1852Germany, Ostfriesland, Leerhafe / Kirmeer
Baptism9 May 1852Germany, Ostfriesland, Leerhafe
Immigration1872
Marriage10 Oct 1874Anamosa, Jones, Iowa, United States - Johanna Elisa "Elise" Von Beeston
Census (family)Jun 1880Monticello, Jones, Iowa, United States - Johanna Elisa "Elise" Von Beeston
Census (family)25 Jun 1900Barneston Township, Gage, Nebraska, United States - Johanna Elisa "Elise" Von Beeston
Census (family)1910Barneston, Gage, Nebraska, United States - Johanna Elisa "Elise" Von Beeston
Death21 Apr 1920Barneston Township, Gage, Nebraska, United States
BurialSaint Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Gage, Nebraska, United States

Families

SpouseJohanna Elisa "Elise" Von Beeston (1850 - 1919)
ChildWilhelm Frederick "Fred" Gerdes (1873 - 1961)
ChildGerhard "Garret" Gerdes (1875 - 1957)
ChildTjark Johann Gerdes (1877 - 1942)
ChildLouise Margaretha Gerdes (1878 - 1979)
ChildGrace Henricka Gerdes (1884 - 1975)
FatherGerhard Gerdes (1819 - 1900)
MotherGesche Margaretha Kruse (1817 - 1895)
SiblingAncke Maria Gerdes (1846 - 1846)
SiblingAnna Margaretha Gerdes (1847 - 1901)
SiblingHinrich Janßen Gerdes (1849 - 1917)
SiblingKnabe [boy] Gerdes (1854 - 1854)
SiblingRicklef Gerdes (1855 - 1935)
SiblingJohann "John" Gerdes (1858 - 1902)

Notes

Baptism

Godparents Harm Heren Landherr, Arbeiter, u. Gerd Janßen Gerdes, son of weil Hinrich Eilerts Gerdes, Colonist, Kirmeer. Anna Marg. Kruse, jüng. daughter of Here Kruse, Köther, Schnapp.

Immigration

ausgewandert 1872 mit den Eltern

Census (family)

95, 96, Gerdis, Johnson, WM 27, Farmer, Hanover Hanover Hanover
Elizabeth, WF 30, Wife,Keeping house, Hanover Hanover Hanover
Wm. Fred, WM 7, Son, IA Hanover Hanover
Garret, WM 4, Son, IA Hanover Hanover
John, WM 3, Son, IA Hanover Hanover
Louisa, WF 1, Dau, IA Hanover Hanover

Census (family)

167, 169, Gerdes, Arnd J, Head, WM, April 1852, 48, Married 27 yrs, Germany 3x, Imm 1864 29 yrs in US, Farmer
Johanna, Wife, WF, May 1850, 50 yrs, M-27, Germany 3x, Imm 1872 28 yrs in US
Tjark, Son, WM, Feb 1877, 23, single, IA
Louise, Daughter, WF, Sept 1878, 21, single, IA
Grace, Daughter, WF, May 1884, 16, single, IA
VonBeston, Jacob, Brother-in-law, WM, - 1848, 62, single, Germany 3x, Imm 1872 28 yrs in US Na, Farmer

Census (family)

family 47, pg 2
Johnson Gerdes M 58y, self, married Germany 3x
Johanna E Gerdes F 60y, wife, married, Germany 3x

Endnotes

1. Steve Read, "Descendants of Gerhard Gerdes," e-mail message from (McPherson, Kansas) to Nancy Prouty, July 2007, Deutsche Ortsippenbücher, A 233 - Ostfrieslands Ortsippenbücher, Bd. 45, The Villages of the Parish of Leerhafe, family #1596.

2. , Ortssippenbuch Leerhafe (N.p.: n.p., n.d.), selected pages emailed by Jeanee Thompson (Ostfriesen List).

3. Steve Read, "Descendants of Gerhard Gerdes," e-mail message from (McPherson, Kansas) to Nancy Prouty, July 2007.

4. Jones Co. Iowa marriage books, online. BOOK D 1877-1884 :: BOOK E 1884-1891 :: BOOK F 1891-1898 (USGenWeb 2002.), Von Beesten Johanna E Gerdes Jansen 10/10/1874 Anamosa pg 335.

5. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1880 > IOWA > JONES > MONTICELLO Series: T9 Roll: 348 Page: 301 .

6. U.S. Census images. Heritage Quest Online. Subscription database through the Sonoma County Public Library. (ProQuest LLC, 2009.), 1900 > NEBRASKA > GAGE > BARNESTON TWP Series: T623 Roll: 927 Page: 20.

7. Steve Read, "Descendants of Gerhard Gerdes," e-mail message from (McPherson, Kansas) to Nancy Prouty, July 2007.