CARL Heinrich Friedrich RENZELMANNwas born at Klein Lessen, Germany and christened at the Lutheran Church of Sulingen on29 SEP 1861. Sponsors were: Heinrich Lubbering and Wilhelm Keller. Anne Sophie Dorothee Ehlers was born 23 APR 1865 in Nienstedt, Germany. Carl and Dora Ehlers were married in 1881 in Germany. They had 11 children during their marriage. Dora's death record at the Trinity Lutheran Church, RFD Walton, NE states that she died having 11 children, 3 of whom were born in Germany. The 3rd child born in Germany was Carl Heinrich Frederick Renzelmann, nicknamed Charlie. Charlie was born 01 APR 1885.

Carl, Dora and Charlie, age 3, immigrated to the US from Bremen, Germany 24 JAN 1888 on the vessel SS Fulda. A daughter was born either in Germany or during the voyage or the travel west from New York to Nebraska. Dorothea Sophia was born 24 JUN 1889. The 27th day of August, 1890 at 28 years of age, Carl declared his intention to become a citizen of the US, at Nebraska City, Otoe Co., NE.

The family settled near Nehawka, Cass Co., NE in 1890. Charlie attended school at 5 years of age in District 19, July of 1890. Annie Marie was born in 1891 and christened at St. Lukes Lutheran Church north of Otoe, NE. In 1894 the family lived near Turlington, just east of Syracuse. Tillie was born and baptized 1894 at the Christ Lutheran Church Delaware, southeast of Syracuse. Fred was born in 1896 and was baptized in Oct. 1896.

During the years that the Renzelmann family lived near Nehawka, the parents of the mother Dora, Herman Ehlers and Sophia Vogt Ehlers immigrated from Germany, living a few years in New York and finally settling in Weeping Water Precinct in Cass County and attended church at the North Branch Trinity Lutheran Church north of Syracuse. In 1899 Heinrich Herman Johann (Harry) was born near Syracuse. A few months prior his older brother Charlie was baptized and confirmed.

In July 1901 the 4 children, Charlie 16, Dora 12, Anna 10, and Fred 5 attended school at District 69 and lived at Section 5, Township 8, Range 11 with their parents. The daughter Tillie lived with her grandparents until Grandma Sophie's death in 1906. Tillie lived with her parents then and started school at District 80 in 1906. The family moved to Section 17, Township 7 to accomodate the growing family.

Emma Renzelmann was born in 1902. The family lived in Section 29-9-11 near District 69 near the grandparents who lived in District 66. Emma was baptized June 8, 1902 at the First Lutheran Church in Syracuse.

During this time that the family lived at District 9 (1900-1902), the son Charlie, age 17 or 18 was found to have left school (per census records). It is theory that he did not get along with his father and left his home with 2 friends to be a cowboy. A few years later the family had received a letter from a minister that Charlie had died. His personal belongings were also sent home, including a gold watch that his father had given him. (Today that watch is with Dennis Buchmeier, grandson of Charlies' sister Emma Renzelmann (Mrs. Walter Buchmeier).

Word was that Charlie may have gone to Wyoming, Montana or even Canada. His youngest brother August, who never had met him, said that Charlie was killed by a horse. In 1984 a search was made for any death record and burial place of Charlie with no success. A memorial card was found among Emma's belongings stating Charlie Renzelmann had died 19 Jan. 1906.

In 1906-1908 the family lived south of Syracuse at District 80 and then moved to District 69 again 1909-1910, near Unadilla, NE. Son August was born in 1906. After 1910 the Renzelmanns lived in Lancaster County near Bennett, NE. They attended church at Trinity Lutheran, 3 miles north of Bennett. Dora Renzelmann died at their farm 22 FEB 1917 and is buried at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery. After Dora's death, her husband Carl and the unmarried children moved near Thompsen, Jefferson Co., NE.

Carl Renzelmann died 1934 and is buried at Fairbury, NE.

Dora Ehlers Renzelmann 1865-1917 is buried at the Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery
near Bennet, Lancaster Co., NE (RFD Walton, 162nd and Old Cheney Rds).

If you have come to my website via Ancestry: Several years ago the genealogy giant Ancestry absorbed the genealogy websites of Rootsweb along with personal databases posted at Rootsweb's WorldConnect Project that included a large database of my own family information. I started using Rootsweb in 2000 and they gave us the capability to add, remove, and update our information at anytime and I used these options frequently to post correct and current data. Presently (2006) I am told by Ancestry that we cannot maintain our own databases, we cannot even remove them. If you find information at Ancestry with my name attached please search my website for current information, the databases posted at Ancestry contain inaccurate information. - Karen Rowe.