| 14. | George* Christian "Johann" Gentz, (immigrant) was born on 11 Aug 1794 in Mellenthin, Usedom, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Prussia; was christened on 17 Aug 1794 in dutchman and leaseholder (son of Martin* Bogislaff Gentzen and Esther* Dorothea Witten); died in 1868 in Grigsby Bluff, Port Neches, Jefferson Co, Texas; was buried in 1868 in Oak Bluff Memorial Park (Block Cem), Port Neches, Jefferson Co, Texas. Other Events and Attributes:
- Immigration: 13 Jun 1850, "Bark Neptune," Bremen, Germany; Galveston
- Census: 2 Nov 1850, Tyler Co, Texas
- Residence: Bef 1853, Weiss Bluff, Jasper Co, Texas
- Residence: 1853, Grigsby Bluff, Jefferson Co, Texas; moved to
- Possessions: 1858, Grigsby Bluff, Jefferson Co, Texas; built home
- Census: 13 Jul 1860, Grigsby Bluff, Port Neches, Jefferson Co, Texas
Notes:
1850 Tyler Co, Texas
Gentz, Maass, Knupple, and Koch (soon changed to Cook) familes together in Tyler County.
An attempt to explain the relationship of these families, Christian Gentz (res 122/122) oldest daughter married William Maass in 1845 Prussia. They were in Jasper at the time of this census and had traveled to New Orleans as newlyweds. Possibly with them was William's brother, Charles Maass (res 119/119). However, we know that "Father" Maass was here prior to '45 because he sent a letter back to Prussia from Orleans for William and Charlotte to be married. So, Charles Maass may have traveled with his parents pre-'45 instead of his brother and new sister-in-law. Though records have been found stating the senior Maass names were Zimmermann Maass and Johanna Gatzen, it seems safe to assume that the senior couple in res 120/120, Chas D and Mary, must be the Maass parents using what they perceived as Americanized names. Of note, Gentz was shortened from Gentzen, so that is another avenue of research to pursue. Fred Koch (res 121/121) sister Louisa was married to Johann (John) Knupple; and they, too, were on this 1850 voyage along with two sons, Ferdinand and Ernest. They had a 3rd son, Augustus, who had traveled to America ahead of them in 1846 on the Bark Constitution, making the voyage with the Block family. It is with Augustus that John and Louisa and Ernest are staying in this census record in res 118/118. Now the Block family is a bit mysterious as how they connect with these families as no inner marriages have been found; but in addition to Augustus traveling with them, the Gentz and the Blocks were clearly at least good friends if not related, particularly evident after the two families moved to Port Neches from Sabine Pass sometime before 1870. At this time in 1850 the Blocks were already in Sabine Pass, Jefferson Co. Of interest, Christian Gentz had traveled with 5 children, 3 boys and two girls. The sons are with him in Tyler, and the girls, Fredrika, 16, and Alwine 15, are found in separate households in Sabine Pass, Jefferson Co. Fredrika seems to be in a boarding house in res 259/259, and Alwine is staying with the town assessor/collector and his family. He was from NY and was actually the census taker. That household was res 251/151. The Blocks were in res 253/253, right in between the two sisters. The oldest Gentz daughter, Charlotte Maass, is recorded in 1850 Jasper census in December, one month after this census was taken; and by then her brothers Charles and Fred are listed with her. So, those two young boys (Charles is my direct ancestor) got counted in two counties. Perhaps times were really rough and they sent the girls either with or to the Blocks, or they knew they were going to Sabine Pass soon at the behest of the Blocks and they sent the girls on ahead. Ferdinand Knupple, also on this Bark Neptune voyage, is not recorded in these households but shows up in the 1880 Hardin Co census. Most probably had been there for some time. He had married by about 1864. And his bride was little Alvena Koch, the young 7 year old daughter of Fred Koch and Augusta Maass Koch of this 1850 census, who had grown up. By that 1880 census, they had 7 children. These brave immmigrants, a close and wondeful family unit, helped to settle much of Southeast Texas. The Blocks and the Knupple and part of the Maass family are credited with setting what was then Cook Bluff. Gentz and Maass, at least William and Charlotte, along with the Blocks, helped to setting Sabine Pass and later Port Neches. They make me all the more proud of my heritage. See the manifest of the Bark Neptune 1850 here http://sherrysharp.com/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=899 and the manifest of the Bark Constitution here http://sherrysharp.com/genealogy/documents/bark-constitution.htm
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Two large German families arrived at Grigsby?s Bluff about May, 1846, having sailed from Bremen on Feb. 10, 1846, but they moved around some before settling at Grigsby?s Bluff permanently in 1854. George Frederick Block, wife Augusta, and six children lived in Beaumont from 1848 until 1854, when they sold out and moved back to Grigsby?s Bluff. George Christian and Charlotte Gentz and their six grown children moved to Wiess Bluff in Jasper County a few years before moving back to Grigsby?s Bluff about 1853, where in 1858 they built their home at Block?s bayou (now Oak Bluff Memorial Park), on land belonging to T. F. McKinney. After Christian Gentz? death in 1868 at age 75, the house and land were purchased by Albert Block, born in Germany in 1840, who was both a farmer, the last Grigsby?s Bluff postmaster, and the writer?s grandfather. The lumber for the Gentz or Albert Block home had been cut at the Remley sawmill in Grigsby?s Bluff.[8]
http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/smith.htm
[GENTZ-IRMELA.FTW]
dutchman and leaseholder
a twin_________________
Charlette' last name, parents, and George Christian parents, their other children who were still in Prussia, and all the Prussia relatives were sent to me by Irmela, researched in the Church Books of Benz Morgenitz. Irgeibel@aol.com
(Note: 1820-1871 Economic hardships, including those caused unemployment, crop failure, and starvation, was the primary cause of emigration during this period in combination with wars and military service. Most of the emigrants came from Alsace-Lorraine, Baden, Hessen, Rheinland, and Wuttemberg.]
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Smith?s Bluff and Grigsby?s Bluff, Texas:
Two German Immigrant Communities of Jefferson County, Texas, 1850-1880
By W. T. Block
http://www.block.dynip.com/wtblockjr/smith.htm
Prior to 1871, Germany or "the Germanys" consisted of 300 free cities, principalities, baronies, provinces ruled by a graf or count, with Brandenburg-Prussia being the only kingdom among them. However in 1845, that part of Central Europe was exceedingly overpopulated and under the tyrannical grip of Prince Metternich of Austria, with the poorest or peasant classes being unable to own one acre of land or to earn a decent living. Thus for sixty years, German immigrant ships continued to arrive at Galveston; many of them were plague ships, quarantined because of cholera or yellow fever aboard. Usually one-tenth of the Germans had already succumbed to the long, 3-months voyage, and those who arrived were usually so weakened physically, that they quickly fell victim to any pestilence within the city. The crew and all the passengers of one quarantined German immigrant ship died while anchored in the harbor.
It was said that the foul odors aboard a German immigrant ship were second only to the odors aboard an African slave ship. When the 588 persons aboard the Wendish ship Ben Nevis sailed from Germany in 1854, 76 persons died of cholera and were buried at sea. Slave ships often had less loss at sea than that. The 588 Wends were crammed into a sail ship only 146 feet long, or about the length of one city lot.
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Migrated to US 6/13/1850 at age 56 on BARK NEPTUNE, Master Vespuman, to Port of Galveston from the port in Breman, Germany, place of origin was Usedom, Germany. Listed with him were wife Charlotte, age 54; Frederika, age 17; Alwine (male), age 12; Johann (male), age 12; Carl Friedr, age 10; and Carl Ferdin (age 6), as listed in Ships Passenger Lists, Port of Galveston, Texas 1846-1871.
comparisons:
George, age 56 (concurs w/ census)
Charlotte, age 54 (census says 2 yrs dif)
Frederika, age 17 (concurs w/ census)
Alwine (male), age 12; (concurs w/ census on Alvina, except she's female)
Johann (male), age 12; (must be William E, concurs w/ census age)
Carl Friedr, age 10; (our Charles Christopher, concurs w/ age)
Carl Ferdin (age 6), (Ferdinand, concurs w/ census age)
http://www.icedata.ca/icedb/ice/bergs2_01e.html#B
The Bark Neptune hit an ice berg in 1880 and sank...
11 May 1880 Off River St.Lawrence, from Queenstown (Ireland) Bark NEPTUNE hit berg Crew lifted from boats by GANGER ROLF Sank
GANGER ROLF - Emigrant ship from Norway
_
other passengers: Okonom Friedrich Koch and wife Augusta Maass (sister to William Maas, husband of Charlotte Jr) and their children Johan Knupple and his wife Louisa and their children. http://issuu.com/gdickert/docs/silsbee_bee_sesquicentennial/1?mode=a_p
92 Johann Knickkel 61 M Farmer Lassan
93 Louise Knickkel 50 F
94 Ferdinand Knickkel 26 M
95* Ernst Knickkel 24 F
97* Friedr. Koch 48 M Farmer Lassan
98 Augusto Koch 34 M
99 Augusto Koch 12 M
100* Cristine Koch 8 M
101 Alwine Koch 6 M
102 Frederich Koch 5 M
103 Peter Koch 2 M
104* Christian Koch 9m M
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Smith?s Bluff and Grigsby?s Bluff, Texas:
Two German Immigrant Communities of Jefferson County, Texas, 1850-1880
By W. T. Block
http://www.block.dynip.com/wtblockjr/smith.htm
Two large German families arrived at Grigsby?s Bluff about May, 1846, having sailed from Bremen on Feb. 10, 1846, but they moved around some before settling at Grigsby?s Bluff permanently in 1854. George Frederick Block, wife Augusta, and six children lived in Beaumont from 1848 until 1854, when they sold out and moved back to Grigsby?s Bluff. George Christian and Charlotte Gentz and their six grown children moved to Wiess Bluff in Jasper County a few years before moving back to Grigsby?s Bluff about 1853, where in 1858 they built their home at Block?s bayou (now Oak Bluff Memorial Park), on land belonging to T. F. McKinney. After Christian Gentz? death in 1868 at age 75, the house and land were purchased by Albert Block, born in Germany in 1840, who was both a farmer, the last Grigsby?s Bluff postmaster, and the writer?s grandfather. The lumber for the Gentz or Albert Block home had been cut at the Remley sawmill in Grigsby?s Bluff.[8]
(note about Wiess Bluff: Most of us have heard of that particular rise of shoreline overlooking the Neches River some 15 miles north of Beaumont called Wiess Bluff. Located on Farm Road 1131 in the extreme southwestern corner of Jasper County, the site, on the east bank of the Neches River,was known as Grant's Bluff before Simon Wiess opened a general store there in January 1840.
http://www.texasnationalpress.com/texlog/article.php?story=20070424221245175&mode=print)
Settled Grigsby Bluff (Port Neches).
Sapphire on the Neches, by Block: George Christian and Charlotte Gentz were ages 53 and 49 when they arrived in Texas, and some members of the family were living at Wiess Bluff, Jasper County by 1850. By 1853, Gentz was living on Block's Bayou, where he died in 1868.
The Mosley home, the Remley residence, both built in 1857, and the Albert Block home (later Will Block) wer the only antebellum houses that faced the Neches River and survived well into the twentieth century. The Block house was built in 1858 y George Christian Gentz, who was then a tenant farmer on the large McKinney tract." (house built at Oak Bluff Cemetery in 1858, torn down in 1937) All the homes were built with the front porch facing the river because the Neches River was the road in those days.
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METHODISM CAME TO PORT NECHES IN 1881
By W. T. Block
http://www.block.dynip.com/wtblockjr/methodis.htm
In 1981, First United Methodist Church of Port Neches celebrated its centennial anniversary. It was there on September 6, 1881, that Rev. W. H. Crawford organized the first Methodist congregation in the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Gentz.
Half of the earliest residents were German-speaking immigrants, who probably had been Lutherans in their native Prussia, but found no church of that denomination in Jefferson County. Early immigrants included Frederick Rexas, Frederick Behlke, George Christian Gentz, Fred Gentz, Charles Gentz, William Gentz, George Block, William Block, Charles Block, Albert Block, George L. Block, August Schramm, John Wiltz, Mikiel Staffen, Karl Meinke, Henry Wendt, Henry Wendling, Joe Block, Adolph Block, Leopold Block, August Block, and John Kline.
Native-born families included John C. Beaumont, Jack Beaumont, Sam Lee, B. G. Whittington, Oliver and George Keith, Albert Smith, 'Bud' Smith, Sam Remley, Henry Heisler, W. G. Gentz, Will Merriman, Marion Merriman, Otho Merriman, Walter Merriman, Albert C. Block, Will Block, Sr., Martin Block, Charles Hemmingway, Albert Staffen, Charlie Staffen, Jim Rachford, Robert Rachford, W. M. Nelson, Seburn Berry, Radford Berry, Levi and Lastie Hillebrandt, D. A. Bibb, and D. W. Sampson.
The first congregation had only sixteen members. The earliest services were conducted in the homes of the Keiths, Smiths, Beaumonts, Gentz, Remleys, Klines, Sampsons, Lees, Nelsons, and Merrimans.
According to the late George Keith, Rev. Crawford once commented about the hardships of his circuit-riding days, which resulted in the establishment of the Port Neches congregation, as follows:
"In 1881, I served Sabine Pass and Terry Mission (Orange County) and elsewhere in Orange, Hardin, and Jefferson Counties," Crawford reported. "I traveled 200 miles each month and organized a church at Grigsby's Bluff of 16 members. Alligators, which infested Taylor's Bayou by the hundreds, were the only inhabitants of what is now Port Arthur. I was once lost between Grigsby's Bluff and Taylor's Bayou in a dense fog, and came near losing my life."
Usually, a foot-pedaled organ accompanied the services. Coal oil lamps and lanterns lit the sanctuary at night. As was then the custom, women sat on one side of the church and men on the other. Sometimes worshippers brought lunches, prepared for an entire day of services. Although a Sunday School was conducted each week, circuit riders came only infrequently until well into the twentieth century, with rarely more than a single service each month.
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George Christian Gentz had died in 1868, to become the first burial in what is now Oak Bluff memorial park, and in 1870 his widow had moved into the home of a son (Charles C). As a result, the old Gentz home, on Block's Bayou at the foot of Block Street, passed into the possession of the Albert Block family. Despite Gentz' burial at Oak Bluff Memorial, the graveyard that was to become the 'Gentz Cemetery' was located at the William Gentz home near Jefferson (Texaco) Chemical Co. Before his death, George C. Gentz requested that a pine tree be planted on his grave. In 1868, there were no pine trees growing anywhere in Grigsby's Bluff, and his sons arranged for a steamboat pilot to dig up a tree during a voyage up the Neches River. By 1928 that pine tree had reached a diameter of about 28-30 inches, but pine beetles and disease had damaged it until it was dying (and it was cut down that winter).
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Mr. Block, Would like to know about the yellow fever epidemic about 1862. I have two relatives, Alexis and Aspasie Hebert Blanchette, who died in Sabine Pass, March of 1864. Would like to confirm the cause of death. Where might I locate this info? Are there any lists of casualties of the epidemic in Sabine Pass?.
Joan Blanchette Lowrey lowreyne@hal.lamar.edu
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I have recently (11/23/1998) obtained my own email account, wtblock@msn.com, but since I am still new to the internet, it would be a good idea to CC: my son's email account at bill_block@msn.com as well.
_________________
All the Prussia relatives were sent to me by Irmela, researched in the
churchbooks of Morgenitz. Irgeibel@aol.com
___
Like so many churches on Usedom is the Morgenitzer Church, for the first time in 1318 a based on a rectangle spätgotischer Backsteinbau which was built in the 15.jhd. mentioned.
Surrounded by a wiederhergerichteten Cemetery from Feldsteinen visitors next to the Church of the bells in a stand-alone Holzgerüst from 1820 can tour, which included for reasons of saving in a church tower.
Next to the church without Tower and special choir old millstones, the large fortgeschaffte of sixteen horses Findling on the church yard and iron, labeled Grabkreuze which are no longer readable but some are still viewing.
Inside the Church, the are paintings and Rundbögen created from the Western Portal six of Künstlerhand to admire from Hirt from the years 1775-1777.
The oldest crypt on Usedom beneath the altar of the Morgenitzer Church.
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=BVNav&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hotel-usedom.de%2Fstadtustolpe%2Fkirchemorgen.htm
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website of Germany, Prussia, Pomerania Church Records 1544-1945
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/results?count=20&query=%2Bsurname%3Agentz~&collection_id=1874205
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Ancestry match to all of us is
CMackley63
predicted distant
range 5th - 8th
confidence good 19.9 centimorgans shared across 1 DNA segment
to Gloria
Jacob Aldrich & Huldah Thayer 8th 1R
John Pray & Sarah Brown 8th 1R
Aaron Forman & Dorothy Craig (if Edward is son of Ben Sr) 9th
Chaddus Brown & Elizabeth Sharparowe 10th
Her grandmother was a Gentz from Michigan.
unk which of four matches above is the one that made the connection. Or could the Gentz in Michigan be related to our Gentz in SE Texas??
Climbing the Mackley Fam... CMackley63
https://www.ancestry.com/family- tree/person/tree/101975324/person/180045096175/facts
also matched to me:
confidence good 19.2 centimorgans shared across 1 DNA segment
also matched to John:
16.9 centimorgans shared across 1 DNA segment
also matched to Sheridan:
17 centimorgans shared across 1 DNA segment
Birth:
Mellenthin, Ostvorpommern, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Prussia
on the Island of Usedom
Mellenthin: During the Thirty Years' War, on June 26, 1630, the Swedish Army under King Gustav Adolf II landed in the village of Peenemünde, located on the Peene river (Polish: Piana). Usedom was annexed by Sweden after the war for almost a century, until in 1720 it was sold for 2 million thalers to the Prussian king Frederick William I. In 1740 Frederick the Great developed a seaport in Swinemünde.
map of Prussia 1804
http://www.clausewitz.com/readings/Bassford/Cworks/MapsPrussia.html
Immigration:
92 Johann Knickkel 61 M Farmer Lassan
93 Louise Knickkel 50 F
94 Ferdinand Knickkel 26 M
95* Ernst Knickkel 24 F
96* Friedr. Hillert 27 M Carpenter Stellin
97* Friedr. Koch 48 M Farmer Lassan
98 Augusto Koch 34 M
99 Augusto Koch 12 M
100* Cristine Koch 8 M
101 Alwine Koch 6 M
102 Frederich Koch 5 M
103 Peter Koch 2 M
104* Christian Koch 9m M
105* Christo Gentz 56 M Farmer Usedam
106 Charlotte Gentz 54 F
107 Fredinke Gentz 17 F
108* Alwine Gentz 12 M
109* Johann Gentz 12 M
110* Carl Friedr Gentz 10 M
111 Carl Ferdin Gentz
Bark Neptune Manifest
Includes Captain Carl Vespermann's signature, information about the baque of the middle 19th century. Family members who sailed this voyage are linked to the respective pages within this file.
http://sherrysharp.com/genealogy/documents/Bark-Neptune-manifest.htm
Census:
2 Nov 1850 Tyler County
res 118/118
A Knuppel 28 28 Germany Farmer
John Knupple 61 Germany
Louisa 57 Germany
Ernest 24 Germany
res 119/119
Chas Maass 40 Germany Farmer
Mary 25 Germany
Eliza Deurand 38
Henry Durand 6 PA
M Prieto 37
res 120/120
Chas D Maass 66 Germany Carpenter
Mary Maass 62 Germany
res 121/121
Fred Koch 49 Germany Farmer
Augusta 35 Germany
Augusto 13 Germany
Amistine 8 Germany
Alvena 7 Germany
Fred 5 Germany
Peter 3 Germany
Reinholt 1 Germany
Charles 2/12 TX
res 122/122
Christian Gentz 55 Germany Farmer
Charlotte 50 Germany
William 13 Germany
Charles 11 Germany
Ferdinand 5 Germany
Possessions:
The lumber for the Gentz or Albert Block home had been cut at the Remley sawmill in Grigsby?s Bluff.
Census:
Residence 392
Behlke Frederick 64 1796 Germany
Behlke Menah 36 1824 Germany
Behlke Henry 14 1846 Germany
Behlke Menah 10 1850 Germany
Residence 393
Gantz Christian 66 1794 Germany
Gantz Charlotte 62 1798 Germany
Gantz William 22 1838 Germany
Gantz Charles 20 1840 Germany
Gantz Ferdinand 16 1844 Germany
Residence 394
Beaumont John 53 1807 Pennsylvania
Frederica 26 1834 Germany
Josephine 17 1843 Texas
Residence 394
Beaumont Jacob 23 1837 Pennsylvania
Beaumont Luiza 6 1854 Texas
Beaumont Hellen 4 1856 Texas
Beaumont James A 3 1857 Texas
Beaumont John C 1 1859 Texas
Buried:
After building his home on Block's Bayou in 1858, Christian Gentz died at Grigsby?s Bluff in 1868, at a time when there were four Gentz families living there. A large marker in Oak Bluff Cemetery now honors Gentz as the first burial in that cemetery. His widow moved to her son Charles' home at Smith's Bluff.[20]
(W.T. Block)
George* married Charlotte* Uecker, (immigrant) on 1 Jun 1821 in Mellenthin, Usedom, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Prussia. Charlotte* was born in 1804 in Prussia; died after 1880 in Smith's Bluff, Port Neches, Jefferson Co, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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1896 - 1943 (47 years)