Minna Schoenebeck and August Wilke

August Gottlieb Wilke was born in 1802-1803 in Angermünde, Prussia, about 72 km northwest of Berlin. The Anglicized versions of his parents' names were William and Emilie.

Sometime before 1854-1856, August married Friedericke Wilhelmina "Minna" Schoenebeck, born 1824-1826. The family had at least two daughters. Anna Franciska Ottilie was born in Angermünde in 1854-1856. Martha Elise and/or Augusta was born in 1858-1860. She's described in US documents as being born in Berlin. Either the family was living in Berlin at the time of her birth, or she found it easier to give Americans the name of a familiar large city that was easier for them to spell.

"Our" August may or may not be the Aug Wilcke, merchant, who arrived in NYC on January 30, 1868, aboard the SS New York out of Bremen. However, it's fairly certain that Minna and her daughters arrived in NYC on March 5, 1868, aboard the SS Bremen out of Bremen. By 1870, the family was living in Manhattan's 10th Ward. Living with them was Edward Schoenebeck born in Prussia in or around 1840, probably Minna's younger brother. August is described as a retired merchant. Edward is some kind of clerk, I can't quite make it out.

By 1880, both Anna and Edward were gone from the family circle. Edward may or may not be the Edward Schoenebeck, born in Prussia in or around 1840, who was enumerated as a farmer in Cuming Precinct, Cuming Co, Nebraska, in 1880. I was unable to find him in any subsequent records, including the 1885 Nebraska State Census.

I know that Anna's first husband's last name was Herrmann. She may or may not be the Anna F Wilken born 1855 who married Louis A Herman on August 8, 1879, in Jersey City, New Jersey. According to the marriage record, Ms "Wilken's" father was Prussian, which would fit with our Anna. Louis Herman was born in or about 1852 to German parents.

Anna's marriage to Mr Herrmann doesn't seem to have lasted long. On January 9, 1883, a son was born to her and Paul Heinrich George Hans ("John") Heise. Anna and John were married three years later in Manhattan on April 23, 1886. John had been born in Magdeburg, Prussia, in 1850, the son of Heinrich August Heise and Charlotte Nöhring.

The 1880 census found August, Minna and Martha living at 12 Forsyth Street in Manhattan. August was enumerated as having no occupation, while Martha worked in dress trimmings. August died two years later, on December 21, 1882. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery. His death record lists his marital status as "unknown," so I don't know if Minna was still living or not. In fact, I don't have any information on Minna at all after 1880.

Three months after her father's death, on February 4, 1883, Martha married John William Meincke in Manhattan. William had been born in Hamburg in 1849. According to the marriage record, his parents' Anglicized names were Henry and Henriette.