Hello, Heigert

I've been spending a lot of time trying to work on the Italian side of my family tree, simply because it's a challenge; and I love a challenge.  Records from Italy, especially Asiago, have been lost in a variety of ways, including fires, floods, and war.  So this time I'll touch on the German side of my tree; one I know intimately.

I think I will start from the top, and this is really just for my own amusement, and showing what you can find in different records on different sites.

My earliest known ancestor on the Heigert side is Johannes Michael Heigert, (B. 1737 D. 1778) in the Black Forest of Germany.  I found his name while researching his son Josephi Heigert (back in Germany, in the 17 and 1800's, the name was spelled Hiegert) in the 'Deutschland, Baden, ausgewählte Kirchenbuchduplikate, 1810-1869' or "Germany, Baden, Select Church book Duplicates, 1810-1869" found on Ancestry.com.  I cannot confirm, but being as Josephi and several subsequent generations where born in Baden-Württemberg , it's a pretty good guess Johannes was as well.  His wife was Catherine Julg  (B. 1743 D. 1812) which I attained from the same book.

Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg historically formed part of the Baden, the Prussian Hohenzollern, and Württemberg, part of Swabia.

In 100 CE, The Roman Empire invaded and occupied Württemberg, constructing a limes (fortified boundary zone) along its northern borders. In early 200 CE, Alemanni forced the Romans to retreat beyond the Rhine and Danube rivers. In 496 CE the Alemanni themselves succumbed a Frankish invasion led by Clovis I.


After World War II, Allied forces established three federal states in the territory of modern-day Baden-Württemberg: Württemberg-Hohenzollern, Baden and Württemberg-Baden. Baden and Württemberg-Baden were occupied by France and the United States respectively. In 1949, each state became founding members of the Federal Republic of Germany, with Article 118 of the German constitution providing an accession procedure. On 16 December 1951, Württemberg-Baden, Württemberg-Hohenzollern and Baden voted in favour a joint merger via referendum. Baden-Württemberg officially became a state of Germany on 25 April 1952.

Baden-Württemberg shares borders with France, Switzerland and the states of Rhineland Palatinate, Hessen and Bavaria.

Josephi Heigert (B. 1763 D. 12 Jan 1838) lived and died in Baden-Württemberg, marrying Maria Anna Panther in 1786.  From the Church books I know they had at least two children, Andreas and Zäzilia .

Andreas Heigert (B. 26 Oct 1800 D. 22 Feb 1873 Waldulm, Germany) is the first I can prove came from Waldulm, where our family will live all the way until emigrating to America.  Church records were getting better by this point, I am able to see the proper birth and death dates for everyone, as well as town names, instead of just a year and state or province.  Andreas married Ottilia Berger (B. 1813 D. 12 Feb 1879) 15 Jun 1836 in Waldulm; He was 35.

Zäzilia Heigert (B. 23 Aug 1807 Unterberg, Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg D. 19 Feb 1875 in Waldulm, Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg) Married Ignaz Hodapp (B. 29 Jul 1800 in Waldulm,  D. 15 Feb 1875 in Waldulm) 30 May 1827 in Waldulm; she was 19, he was 26.  The Hodapp and Heigert families will stay very close for generations to come.

Marriage record for Zäzilia and Ignaz.  (No, I can't read it either.) 

Benedict Heigert (B. 20 Mar 1840 in Oberberg, Baden, Germany D. 04 NOV 1907 in Dorchester, Macoupin, Illinois) is my direct line ancestor from Josephi and Ottilia.  His parish birth record lists witnesses and God parents as Andreas Heigert, Georg Fischer (the Fischers and Schmelzle's have a long line of marriages) and Caroline Berger, wife of Franz Joseph Heigert.  He married Paulina Schmelzle (B. 14 Dec 1845 in Waldulm, Baden, Germany D. 15 Aug 1906 in Dorchester, Illinois) 29 May 1865 in Waldulm, Germany; He was 25, she was 19.

Lena, Romond, Fritz, Frank

Paulina, Benedict

They had two children in Germany before emigrating to the United States, Gotfried "Fritz" Heigert (B. 28 Feb 1866 in Waldulm, Baden, Germany D. 6 Mar 1918 in Illinois) and my great-grandfather Romond.  

Family history has it that the owner of Springman Lumber in Alton, Illinois was looking for someone to run his grape orchard.  I am not sure how Springman got in touch with the Heigerts back in Waldulm, but however it happened, they were sponsored to come to the US by Springman.  They arrived at Ellis Island, New York 16 Mar 1870, on the steam ship Cimbria, when Benedict was 29.  This trip was not without peril, a tale I will recall when I introduce you to Great Grandpa Romond.  By the time they got to Illinois, Springman had found someone else to run the vineyard, apparently, but here they thrived.  Three more children were born to the Heigerts; Frank, Paulina, and Emma Pauline (who died at age 2.)

Springman Lumber, 1963

By 1880 the family was residing in Godfrey, Illinois, on a farm just outside of town . I do not know the name of the street, but the house number was listed as 343.  Anton Hount, a 59 year old widower, is listed as a 'servant' and farm laborer, although I think he is an acquaintance from Waldulm.  If he came with them, he was not listed on the Cimbria that I have found, so he may have emigrated before or after the Heigerts.

The Cimbria docked in Hamburg.

Aboard the deck of the Cimbria.

Nov 1, 1884 the family moved to Jerseyville, IL.  This was the same year Benedict became a naturalized citizen of the United States.  By the 1900 census, they lived in Dorchester, IL. Benedict died at the home of his daughter Paulina, and her husband Ignatz Berkel (remember Ignatz.  We will come back to him later.) from 'Bright's Disease' or Kidney disease.  He was buried in St Michael's Cemetery, Staunton IL on Nov 6th, 1907, with the Reverend J. A. Duval officiating.  His death certificate said he suffered from cirrhosis for three years prior to his death, and complications from the disease had resulted in paralysis of his lower extremities.  Paulina had passed the year before.  I do not know Paulina's cause of death, but Benedict's is not surprising.  Family history has it that they liked their booze.  One story goes on to say that Paulina had gone in to town, and the horse and wagon came home but she did not.  Upon backtracking the route she was found laying in a ditch beside the road, apparently intoxicated, or perhaps sleeping it off.  It makes sense that they had 'liked their beer' knowing that they came from a heavy wine making community of the Rhine River valley back home, and were brought to the US for the sole purpose of making wine.  Either way, Paulina had 'fallen off the wagon.' HaHa.  The source though, is unknown, so we all take the story with a grain of salt.

Romond Heigert (B. 08 AUG 1867 in Baden, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany D. 02 Mar 1956 in Staunton, Illinois) was only two years old when the family arrived in America.  Somewhere along the route young Romond became very ill, and a decision had to be made.  On transatlantic voyages, if someone became deathly ill or died, their body was not held, it was thrown overboard.  This is probably to help ensure that the entire ship does not become infected, and it probably has to do with available space as well.  Romond was on the brink, and it came up as to whether he was to be thrown overboard or allowed to continue.  It's said a young child, perhaps his big brother Fritz, or maybe another passenger on board, begged the captain to spare Romond's life, and the Captain agreed.  If not for this favor, my line of Heigerts would not be here today.

Romond married Freida Wilhilmenia Brackman (B. 30 May 1876 in Altrup, Lengerick, Westfalen, Germany D. 02 May 1972 in Stannton, Illinois) 17 April 1894; he was 26, she was 17.  Freida had emigrated with her family at the age of 7, in 1882.  They resided in Dorchester, IL until moving to Staunton in 1920.  This is the home my dad fondly remembers, with a big wood burning oven in the kitchen where she would fry potatoes.  

 They had ten children; Albert, Benjamin, Oscar, Lawrence, Ella, Edna, Clarence, Otto, Frank, and Mary.  Albert died at 18, Edna at 8, and Mary at birth. 

August 08, 1937

Skipping forward in time a bit- my grandpa Frank is the nice dressed fellow on the left, the baby of the family.  Which apparently left some with a grudge.  'Frankie' was spoiled, the only one to be encouraged to play an instrument, the only one not worked on the family farm.  The nicest dressed boy in the bunch.

Remember when I mentioned Paulina's husband Ignatz? Here's where his story gets funny.  Ignatz's first wife was someone named Caroline.  They had a daughter, then divorced.  Ignatz then married Paulina Heigert.  They had (from what I can gather) five children- Hilda, Harry, Walter, Stella, and Ida. Ignatz would go to Freida's house (yep. Freida Heigert) so he could see her sister, Elizabeth Brackman.  Ignatz left Paulina and got his own place around 1920, and Elizabeth would go to his blacksmith shop to see him.  So he then married Elizabeth (and had two more children, Iona and Netah. They too, seperated and he moved to Ohio before he died. Must have been quite the man *rolls eyes.)  This was VERY confusing to me at first before I got it all sorted out. 

Romond and Freida

My dad has Freida's Bible, filled with names and dates and family history.

Frank Anthony Heigert SR (B. 07 Feb 1915 Staunton, IL D. 02 Oct 1963 Carlinville IL) was my grandpa, who I never got to meet.  Frank was the golden boy (and, Oh my gosh, adorable.)

Frank entered the Coast Guard and earned several certificates, two of which I have copies of:

He was stationed for a while in Long Island NY, and often wrote home to his then-girlfriend, Mary Barra, sending many pictures along.

He married Mary Barra (B. 08 Oct 1920 Benld IL D. 14 Aug 2008 Carlinville IL) while home on Furlough 07 July 1943 (My birthdate, no wonder I was my 'Nona's' favorite.)   

Frank was on the USS Evansville, according to one of the articles, and was a MoMM (Motor Machinist Mate.)  Mary was working in Chicago at the time.  She was either tending home and children for relatives (the Strazzaboscos, mentioned in other articles) or at the Hot Point factory, where she made bullets for the war effort.  Being as we were still in the throws of WWII in '43, I have to assume it was at the factory.

USS Evansville

Frank and Mary's wedding. Notice Freida in the background.....

Frank made it home and the ridiculously in love couple started a family.  Three boys were born to the couple, Frank JR, Alan, and my dad, William, all residing in Carlinville, IL.  Unfortunately, it would not last.  Frank passed away Oct 02, 1963 of a massive heart attack, leaving Mary to raise her young sons alone, just like her mother Angelina did after her own father died.  Frank's death as told by my dad, Bill; "Frank (Jr) and I were sleeping in the middle (of three) bedroom, and dad had been lying in the front bedroom, sick.  Mom called Frank in to help her, Dad had rolled on to his side and was unconscious.  He slept in a T-shirt but nothing else, and Frank had to help Mom dress him, as she had called an ambulance and wanted him dressed before they came.  I think he'd been dead by the time they rolled him over.  All I could think, being 12 at the time, was what was going to happen to us?  Were we going to the poorhouse? Would they separate us? They did that back then, and as a young boy that's what I thought about.  Alan was away at Seminary school and didn't get the news until the next morning."  My beloved 'Nona' Mary passed in the same house from cancer, in 2008.  She wanted to go where he went, and that's just what she did.

I like to think they had a lot of good years, despite the fact they were too few.  All the pictures I have show them very much in love, and Frank did what he loved.  He played violin since he was young, and was in several bands throughout the years, one being the "Ranger Riders" with Jack Sikorski and Albert Reed.  Mr Reed was shot by 2 AWOL soldiers who went on a killing spree in 1961. 

Nov 02, 1943

Camping with friends Jun 04, 1944

Frank with bass violin

When Nona passed, we found some old recordings we thought might have been Frank playing in the band.  My dad took them and had them digitized, to find (to his horror) it was a old radio recording....of him singing as a child. HaHa.