Nelke Family Genealogy: Sources and Notes

The Nelke Family

• Johann Nelke, 1839, West Prussia - 6 Feb 1888, St. Louis, Missouri
• Amelia (Emilie) Mahlke, 10 Dec 1839, West Prussia - 12 May 1915, St. Louis

• Johann (John) Nelke, 27 Oct 1866, Barkenfelde, West Prussia - 23 Jan 1930, St. Louis (my great grandfather)
• Adeline (Lena) Nelke, 17 Dec 1869, Barkenfelde - 19 Nov 1913, St. Louis
• Hermann Nelke, 2 June 1872, Barkenfelde - Aug 1873, Barkenfelde
• Hedwig (Hattie) Nelke, 19 Oct 1873, Barkenfelde - 20 Aug 1915, St. Louis
• Bertha Nelke, 12 May 1875, Barkenfelde - 19 July 1944, St. Louis

Ship Passenger Lists

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, NY, 19 May-6 June, 1887; Port of Entry: NY, 27 May 1887, Ship: SS Rotterdam. NARA microfilm publication M237-507 (list #630), FHL Microfilm #1027375. Port of Departure: Rotterdam. Nelke family: Joh (age 40), Emily (age 40), Hedwig (17), Adeline (18), Bertha (19). FamilySearch Images: Johann, Emily and Hedwig Nelke; Adeline and Bertha Nelke. This passenger list has been transcribed online at: SS Rotterdam Ship Passenger List, Rotterdam to New York, May 1887

Hamburg Passenger Departure List, Jan-Jun, 1884; Port of Departure: Hamburg, 2 April 1884, Ship: SS Bohemia; LDS Microfilm #0472922; NOTE: Emigrated with his uncle's family: Herman Schewe (age 40), Henriette (wife, 40) and their children: Emma (8) and Ida (11 months). These passengers are numbered 819-823. Town of origin: Barkenfelde. ERROR: Johann Nelke is listed as Johe Schewe (age 17), he was identified as Johann Nelke by his sister Bertha in her memoirs. This information provided by Roy Held, great-nephew of Bertha Nelke, December, 1998.

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, NY, 1820-1897; Port of Entry: NY, 18 April 1884, Ship: SS Bohemia; NARA Microfilm #M237-475; NOTE: Port of Departure: Hamburg, Immigrated with his uncle's family: Herman Schewe (age 40), Henriette (wife, 40) and their children: Emma (8) and Ida (11 months). ERROR: Johann Nelke is listed as Johanna (Johe.) Schewe (age 17) on the ship manifest, he was identified as Johann Nelke by his sister Bertha in her memoirs. This information provided by Roy Held, great-nephew of Bertha Nelke, December, 1998.

West Prussia Church Records and Churches

From the Schlochau Catholic Church Records:

Baptism: Johann Hermann Nelk. Geburt (born): 27.10.1866 in Barkenfelde. Taufe (baptized): 04.11.1866 in Schlochau. Eltern (parents): Johann Nelk und Emilia Mahlke. Taufpaten (godparents): Martin Nelk, Johanna Strey. Quelle: Pfarrei Schlochau - Taufregister, Nr. 70/1866.

Baptism: Maria Carolina [Adeline] Nelk. Geburt: 17.12.1869, Barkenfelde. Taufe: 29.12.1869, Schlochau. Eltern: Johann Nelk / Arbeiter, Emilia Mahlke. TP: Johann Bentkowski, Henriette Mahlke. Priester Theodor Hasse. Pfarrei Schlochau - Taufregister, Nr. 69w/1869

From the Christfelde Catholic Church Records:

Baptism: Catharina Hedwig Nelke. Geburt: 19.10.1873, Barkenfelde. Taufe: 01.11.1873, Christfelde. Eltern: Johann Nelke und Emilia Mahlke. TP: Andreas Schall, Catharina Alfeldt. Pfarrei Christfelde - Sterberegister, Nr. 32w/1873

Baptism: Bertha Franziska Nelke. Geburt: 12 Mai 1875 in Barkenfelde. Taufe: 17.5.1875 in Christfelde. Eltern: Johann Nelke / Arbeiter, Emilia Mahlke. TP: Albert Ross / Käthner, Barkenfelde - Albertina Mahlke / ledig. Priester Eduard Schulz. Pfarrei Christfelde - Taufregister, Nr. 20/1875.

Copies of these records were obtained from the Diösezanarchiv Pelplin (Poland) with thanks to researcher Hans-Jürgen Nelke.
Note: Although the girls were raised Lutheran, they were baptized Catholic.

Book: Sternberg, Paul. Churches of County Schlochau. Self Published, 2009.

Missouri Death Certificates and Coroner's Report

Adeline Marie (Nelke) Held. Missouri Death Certificate; 1913; State of Missouri, Department of Health, Jefferson City, MO, Certificate #37948. Birth: Dec 17, 1869. Death: Nov 19, 1913. Parents: John Nelke, Emilie Mahlke.

Hattie (Nelke) Hinkelmann. Missouri Death Certificate; 1915; State of Missouri, Department of Health, Jefferson City, MO, Certificate #26318.

John H. Nelke. Missouri Death Certificate; 1930; State of Missouri, Department of Health, Jefferson City, MO, Certificate #3273.

Bertha (Nelke) Heyderich. Missouri Death Certificate; 1944; State of Missouri, Department of Health, Jefferson City, MO, Certificate #26298.

All of the above from the Missouri State Archives: Missouri Digital Heritage, Collections, Death Certificates. https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/Archives/ArchivesMvc/DeathCertificates

O'Hennessy, Thos., Deputy Coroner. Report on John Nelke. Inquest held at 5430 Natural Bridge Rd, St. Louis, February 7th 1888.

St. Louis Marriage Records

Adeline Nelke and William R Held. Marriage License; 19 Nov 1891; St. Louis, MO, License #43733; NOTE: Information found in St. Louis Co. Index to Marriages, Female H-N; 1881-1911; Sutro Micro Film 481, Reel 6117; Sutro Library, San Francisco, CA. Image from FHL microfilm roll 529040: License no. 42616-46575 v. 43-44 1891-1892, Marriage records of St. Louis and St. Louis Co., 1806-1965. Married by "ordained minister of the Lutheran church, M. Marteus, pastor" [this corresponds to Bethany Lutheran Church] on 22 Nov 1891. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898M-YXJC?i=195&cc=2060668&cat=178298

Bertha Nelke and Charles Heyderich. St. Louis Marriage License Records, 1904-1905; 29 Apr 1904; St. Louis, MO, License #110786; Page 156; FHL Microfilm #0529049; NOTE: Married at Lutheran Bethanie [Bethany] Church, 29 Apr 1904; ERROR: Bertha's last name is given as MELKE. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98M-BWQC?i=85&cc=2060668&cat=178298

Hedwig Nelke and Hermann Hinkelmann: St. Louis Marriage License Records, 1897-1898; 17 Oct 1898; St. Louis, MO, License #77655; Page 563; FHL Microfilm #0529044: License no. 70333-78217 v. 51-52 1897-1898. NOTE: Married at Luth[eran] Bethanie Church, 19 Oct 1898. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998M-B8H9?i=643&cc=2060668&cat=178298

John Nelke and Elisabeth Oxmann. Marriage License; 26 Oct 1887; St. Louis, MO, License #25258. Married at the Church of the Holy Ghost by Catholic priest, Rev. M. Busch on 27 Oct 1887. Marriage records of St. Louis and St. Louis Co., 1806-1965. License no. 22912-26799 v. 33-34 1887-1888. FHL Microfilm Roll #529035, Page 127. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98M-1WKV?i=412&cc=2060668&cat=178298

Images for the above from FamilySearch digitized microfilm: Marriage records of St. Louis and St. Louis Co., 1806-1965
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/178298