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My "brick wall" - DUHS / FINK



by ChantelQ
on 2008-09-25 03:35:45
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I don't know if there will ever be a day that we can find all of the information we would like but perhaps some of you can help fill in the gaps.

My great-great-great grandfather was Johann DUHS of Germany. He was born 14 February 1818. The surname can be found spelt a number of different ways; I have seen DUUS, DOUCE, DUTZ, etc. I believe his parents were Nicolaus DUHS and Phillipina SCHWENK.

A story I have been told recently is that Nicolaus Duhs was a Duke or of some noble standing, though still a builder? He apparently died after a fall while building the grand staircase at the Rothchild Mansion in Germany. None of these facts we can confirm though.

In 1848 Johann married Apollonia FINK. Apollonia was born 26 December 1807 in Wiedenstetten, Germany. Her parents were Johann Georg FINK and Apoloia CLASS.

She had three children to Johann Duhs: Helena Pauline (b. 1848), Catherine Margaretta (b. 1850) and Catherine Elizabeth (1853). Apolonia died 24 March 1858.

Her story that has been passed down through the generations is that, before marrying Johann, she was in a morganatic marriage to the Duke of Wurrtemburg. Recently Wittenburg has been suggested also. There were apparently two children from that marriage: Caroline and Sophie. When the Duke's older brother died, he divorced Apollonia so he could take the throne. We haven't been able to find anything to prove this story. Marriage records between Apollonia and Johann state that Apollonia was a housekeeper at the ducal country house in Soden. Perhaps the stories have been exaggerated, or maybe there was a relationship covered up.

The story got more confusing when Caroline FINK, the supposed daughter of Apollonia and the Duke married Johann DUHS. We have now partially figured out that Caroline was more likely a neice or step-sister to Apollonia.

Caroline already had a daughter to an unknown man, named Anna Elise (b. 1856). She became the step-mother to Apllonia's children and had a daughter with Johann named Margaretha in 1859. Soon after they travelled to Australia on the ship "Madaras", coming to Queensland in January 1863.

Johann Duhs died in Waloon, Queensland 29 August 1877. Caroline remarried John Wilhelm SCHMIDTCHEN soon after and died 27 January 1908 in Toowoomba, my home town.

I know this is a long story but hopefully one that someone can shed some light on. We are looking for anyone really - parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents...any connections that can link the two Fink girls.

Surnames: DUHS FINK SCHMIDTCHEN
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Comments

by allycat on 2008-09-25 04:56:49

Although they are not related to me, I have inadvertently been researching the SCHMIDTCHEN families from Stockoisen, Posen, Prussia, Germany emigrants to Marburg and Walloon, Ipswich, Queensland due to their connections with my Prussian ORTH ancestors.

I haven't written any journals here as yet, but surnames include HAENKE (HEINKE), BRIX (BRICKS), SCHMIDTCHEN, HAUH, STELOH, MULLER, BARRLL, SCHROEDER, JERRED, STERN, DANCE, ZERNER

Interestingly I see in my family tree that there is a John Wilhelm (Wilhelm or William) SCHMIDTCHEN born 1837 Germany died 1916 Marburg married Emma Caroline HAENKE born 1840 Gondek, Prussia died 1879 Walloon, Ipswich, buried Walloon Cemetery 20 Mar 1879, married 1865 Ipswich, Qld raised a large family of 7 children Mary, Emily, Emma, Wilhelmine, Wilhelm, Herman and Annie.

Regards,
Alison
Qld.

[Prussian names I'm researching:
VOSS / WEBER/ DEBUS / ORTH / SIEGNER / GUTHEIL / HOFFMEYER / WEIDEMANN / WAGNER / CRANZ / HASTENPFLUG / WIEGAND / LOWERMAN / CURTZE / LIEBERMANN]

PS Search for 'Germany' in the top right-hand field to see helpful sites for your research.

by allycat on 2008-09-25 14:06:40

DUHS at GeneaNet

DUHS at GenCircles

FINK at GeneaNet

More than 17,000 search results for FINK at GenCircles

by allycat on 2008-09-27 06:15:31

I did a bit more digging in my tree, and found a SCHMIDTCHEN / ZERNER / DUHS connection with marriage registration no.1896/C1478 of Bride Zerner, Friederica Elizabeth to Groom Schmidtchen, Wilhelm Friedrich Carl. NB the Bride's parents were: Frederick ZERNER and Elizabeth Catherine DUHS.

Launch the online historical index search tool.
Queensland Historical indexes online

There are a few records for your FINK family, although surname is spelled PHINK and PHINCH!

by allycat on 2008-10-02 05:52:37

Dear Chantel, Hi. Have you by any chance done a basic online search at the Queensland State Archives for your families?

Search results reveal - 3 DUHS records, about 25 for FINK, 2 SCHMIDTCHEN records etc.

by allycat on 2008-10-02 05:59:38

Zerner Duhs Badke Wissemann Holzapfel Hoffman Schmidtchen Heinemann Luke Bert Evans Dittberner Claus families in trees at RootsWeb

by allycat on 2008-10-02 21:16:12

Some interesting reading here, make sure you do searches for other surnames you are seeking.

Historical Australian Newspapers, 1803 to 1954 mentions three newspaper articles regarding the SCHMIDTCHEN families, also DUHS (but is spelled incorrectly as DUBS).

by colindu on 2009-07-17 20:55:26

Hi Chantel. You have some of the details correct. My Mother's maiden name was Duhs, and she is the decendant of the Caroline Finke and Johann Duhs that you mention. The family seat is actually Stuttgart in the old Duchy of Tek. Stuttgart Schloss was part of the family estate, but is now state property and in part serves as a military acadamy. My mother, Margaret (Margaretha)told me quite a bit about the events surrounding the lives of Caroline and Sophie, and how the family came to be in Australia, and what happened to them here. I wish I had paid a lot more attention at the time. Fortunately, my cousin(surnamed Duhs)has done quite a lot of research and has quite a bit of information. If you wish to contact me directly, I will see what I can give you.

by bermingham on 2009-11-02 11:42:16

Hi Chantel. My grandma was a Badke Nee Behrendorf.Stumers Zerners and the others are all cousins.We have extensive histories of this little hiccup to our royal lineage.Contact me and I will point you in the right direction.Bryan.

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