Family Stories
The Bohnert Family Schrub
Everyone in our family is probably aware that our Bohnert Grandparents were related in some way. Of course, this was not uncommon at the time, when the ability to travel long distances was so limited. I thought it might be interesting to deconstruct the convoluted shrub that is the Bohnert family tree.
Our American Bohnert heritage began when two brothers, Lucas and Caspar Bohnert, emigrated from Germany. Lucas came first in 1839. He married Elizabeth Hurst in 1843. In 1846, Caspar and his wife, Francisca Meyer, followed with their two surviving children, Ignatz and Charles.
Sometime after September, 1852 (the birth of their daughter) and January, 1853, Caspar's wife died (possibly in childbirth). Caspar was left with several children, including an infant daughter.
On October 1st, 1852, Lucas and Elizabeth's 3 year old son died. Then, a month later on November 1st, 1852, their 9 month old daughter died. Finally, on December 8, 1852, Lucas died leaving Elizabeth bereft and with other children to support. In January, 1853, Caspar and Elizabeth married.
John and Sarah Bohnert
Lucas and Elizabeth's son, William, came to live with his mother and uncle (now step-father). Caspar and Elizabeth had five more children, including a son named Anthony (Anton). William and Anton were 1/2 brothers by their mother, Elizabeth.
Meanwhile...another German immigrant - Vincent Leible - had married Maria (Mary) Martha Boschert and lived next door to the Bohnerts. They had several children, including a daughter named Maria Elizabeth. After Vincent's wife, Mary Martha, died, Vincent married Helena (Ellen) Riehl. Together they had more children, including a daughter named Rosalia (Rose) Catharina. Maria Elizabeth and Rose were 1/2 sisters by their father, Vincent.
As the years passed, 8 of the 15 Leible family married into the Bohnert family. Included in this number was Maria Elizabeth Leible who married William Bohnert and Rose Leible who married Anton Bohnert.
So...two half brothers (Bohnerts) married two half sisters (Leibles).
William and Maria Elizabeth had many children together, the youngest of which was John Vincent Bohnert.
Anton and Rose also had a large family (13 children). Included in this number was a daughter, Sarah Helen Bohnert.
John Vincent Bohnert married Sarah Helen Bohnert. They were our grandparents.
Because John and Sarah's fathers were 1/2 brothers and their mothers were 1/2 sisters, this made John and Sarah 1/2 first cousins, both through their mothers and through their fathers (double half first cousins).
Hope that clarifies things a bit!