Catherine Brunjes, the daughter of Hienrich Brunjes of Wachholtz, married Gerhard Blanck, the son of Johann Friedrich Blanck, in Lehe on December 14, 1804.

Birth of Catherine Brunjes

There is no record for the baptism of Catherine Brunjes the daughter of Heinreich Brunjes in Lehe. Based on an age of twenty at the time of her marriage, Catherine was born no later than 1784. Gerhard Blanck was born in 1777. Heinrich Brunjes, for whom records exist in Lehe, died in 1770. It, therefore, seems unlikely that Heinrich Brunjes in the records in Lehe was the father of the Catherine who married Gerhard Blanck.

The Heinrich Brunjes who was the father of Catherine Brunjes, was not baptized in Lehe, he did not marry in Lehe and he did not have children in Lehe.

The Brujes in the Records in Lehe

There are only a handful of Brunjes in the records in Lehe in the 1700's. All of the available records are connected to:

1. Johann Freidrich (dob and dod unknown) and Anna Brunjes (born circa 1701, died 1776)
2. Heinrich Brunjes (born c. 1729-1770)
3. Ann Margarethe Brunjes, daughter of Carsten Brunjes, born circa 1761, married Matthias Buchman and had two children in Lehe 1782 and 1785

Johann Frederick Brunjes

Birth: Unknown

Marriage: Johann Frederick Brunjes married Anna (last name unknown), date and place, unknown.

Children:

1. Trieneke: The date, place of birth, and mother of Trieneke Brunjes are unknown. Based on an age of at least 20 at the time of her marriage in 1763, Trieneke was born 1743 or before. The records for the period of her birth are missing from the Lehe records. In addition, it is possible she was not born in Lehe.

   Marriage: Trieneke, the daughter of Frederich Brunjes, married Carl Berend Meyre (?), widower, on May 6, 1763.

   Children:

   1. Johann Friedrich, the son of Claus "Maancken" ____ and Trienke, nee Brunjes, born _____, Witnesses, Johann Christian Meyr, _____, Heinrich Brunjes _____, Hinrich Brunjes____, Hinrich Heneker, _____, Dierck Hinrich Hencken, schif____, Rebecca Wichts, Johann Ludwig Wicht _____.

   Note: Neither of the Heinrich Brunjes who were witnesses to this baptism could have been the Heinrich Brunjes listed below, as he died in 1770.

The death of the Ann, the widow of Fredrich Brunjes: Anna Brunjes, the widow of Frederich Brunjes died March 11 and was buried on March 14, 1776, age 75 years, 2 months and 3 days.

Note: This would mean Anna was born in 1701. Too early for the records in Lehe.

Heinrich Brunjes

Based on his death record, Heinrich Brunjes was born in 1729, place unknown.

Notes:

• The records in Lehe are missing around the estimated period of his birth
• It is possible that he was not born in Lehe.
• Given the limited number of records for Brunjes in Lehe, it is possible that Heinrich was the son of Johann Fredrick Brunjes

Marriage: Rebecca (last name unknown), date and place unknown.

Children:

1. Frederich Jacob Brunjes, circa January 1758, place unknown

   Death: Frederich Jacob Brunjes, son of Hienrich Brunjes and Rebecca died on May 12 and was buried in Lehe on May 17, 1759, age 1 year and 6 months.

   Note: This is the first record for the name Brunjes in the parish. Since the baptism of Fredrich Jacob Brunjes was not recorded in Lehe it could indicate that the Brunjes family moved to Lehe circa 1758.

2. Anna Rebecca Brunjes, daughter of Heirich Brunjes, schif--- (this occupation has something to do with boats, it may be an inland waters sailor, schiffer) and Rebecca (no maiden name given) was born on the 9th and baptized on April 10, 1760, witnesses: Fedde Fedder, Christopher Muller, Anne Brunjes, Magreta Muller and Konike Schuslers.

   Death: Anna Rebbecca Brunjes, age 2 years, daughter of Heinrich Brunjes, schif---, and Rebecca, was buried on October 25, 1762.

   Notes:

   • This was the only appearance of the name Fedden in the Lehe records.
   • Christopher Muller was a carpenter. His wife was Becke. There are several baptisms and a death listed for the family of Christopher Muller in the Lehe records.
   • The were Schuslers in the records.

3. Johann Friedrich Brunjes, son of Hienrich Brunjes, schif--- and Rebecca, was baptized in Lehe on February 26, 1765.

   Death: Johann Friederich Brunjes, son of Hinrich Brunjes, schif--- and his wife, Rebecca, died February 26, and was buried on March 1, 1765.

4. Carsten, the son of Heinrich Brunjes, schif---, and his wife, Rebecca was born on April 4 and baptized in Lehe on April 5, 1766, witnesses: Jacob Eden, Reimeld, (?) Scha?er, Christian Meirers, Barbara Luers, Albert Norden.

   Death: Buried with his mother April 14, 1766.

Note: All the children of Hinrich and Rebecca Brunjes, whose baptisms were recorded in Lehe, died and were buried in Lehe. Did they have other children who were baptized in another parish or whose baptisms occurred in a year when the records are missing? See below for more on the Brunjes in Lehe.

Rebecca Brunjes, wife of Hienrich Brunjes, was buried on April 14, 1766, age 34. As near as I can make out, her 8 day old son Carsten was buried with her.

Note: Rebecca was born was born circa 1732.

Remarriage of Hienrich Brunjes

The widow, Hienrich Brunjes, schif---, married Rebecca Dutschen, the daughter of Jurgen Dutsch, on February 26, 1767 in Lehe. One of four marriage recorded that year.

Children of Hienrich Brunjes and Rebecca Dutschen

Children:

1. Johann, son of Hienrich Brunjes, schif---, and his wife, Rebecca, was baptized in Lehe on November 11, 1767. Witnesses: Johann Dutsch, Reimeth Schusler, Hienrich Brunjes, Frienike Eifs and Luke Schuslers.

   Marriage: "Youngman", Johann Brunjes, son of Hinrich Brunjes -------, married Anna Rebecca Kosters, daughter of Hienrich Kohters on January, 1797 in Lehe.

   Children:

   1. Hienrich Brunjes, son of Johann Brunjes and Anna Rebecca Kosler was baptized on March 18, 1798 witnesses: H. Hanekes, J. H. Vollers, and H. Heneken.

      Hienrich had a twin brother Johann Georg.

      Death: Hienrich Brunjes was buried on April 1, 1798, age 4 months.

   2. Johann Georg, baptized the same day as Hienrich, witnesses: ? G. Fischer, B.F. Meyers and G Hehn.

      Death: Johann Geog Brunjes was buried April 29, age 6 months.

   3. Hienrich, the son of Johann Brunjes, and Anna Rebecca, nee Kosters, was born on the 16 February, 1801, witnesses, John. Becker, H. Ductsch, G Wagener

      Marriage: "Youngfellow", Heinrich Brunjes, the son of Johann Heinrich Brunjes, married Anne Dorothe Tardel on March 11, 1831.

      Children:

      1. Johann Heinrich, born January 2, and baptized January 22, 1832, Can't read sponsors.

         Death: Johann Heinrich Brunjes died on July 30 and was buried on August 3, 1835, age 3 years and 7 months.

      2. Hienrich baptized on October 7, 1833. Writing is bad, can't read witnesses.

      3. Fredrich born January 4 and baptized January 25, 1835. Can't read witnesses. Friedrich died on August 23 and was buried August 26, 1835, age 7 1/2 months

      4. Diedrich Heinrich born August 3 baptized September 4, 1836. Can't read witnesses.

      5. Anna Rebecca, born March 14, baptized March 22, 1838. Can't read witnesses.

      6. Georg Heinrich, born January 16, baptized January 17, 1841. Can't read witnesses.

         Death: Georg Heinrich Brunjes, son of Heinrich Brunjes and Anna Dorethe Tardel age 3 years and 5 months died on June 25 and was buried on June 29, 1844.

      7. Mina Friedericka born January 16, baptized January 17, 1841. Can't read witnesses.

         Death: Mina Freidericka Brunjes age 9 months and 5 days, the daughter of Hinrich Brunjes and Anna Dorothes Tardel died on October 21 was buried October 26, 1841.

      8. Maria Dorothe the daughter of Heinrich Brunjes and Dorthe, nee Tardel, was born on May 15, and baptized on June 5, 1842. No witnesses. The page may be missing.
      9. Heinrich Ludwig, the son of Heinrich Brunjes and Anna Dorethe, nee Tardel, born March 5 and baptized on March 15, 1849. Witnesses, Ludwig___, Johann ___, Anna Elizabeth Lubmann (?).

         Death: Heinrich Ludwig Brunjes, the son of Heinrich Brunjes died on March 17, and was buried on March 22, 1849, age 12 days.

   Death of Anna Rebecca Kosters Brunjes: Anna Rebecca Brunjes died on October 15, 1834, age 66.

2. Niclaus, son of Heinrich Brunjes, schif---, and his wife, Rebecca, born January 2 and baptized in Lehe on January 3, 1770 witnesses: Carsten Bohls, Hienrich Eiter, Metta Dittmers and Anne Aclelheit Hollen.

   Death: Niclaus, son of Hinrich Brunjes, died at age 6 months and 20 days and was buried on July 26, 1770.

Heinrich Brunjes, schif---, died on the 10th of January 1770 and was buried on the 16th January, age 41 years, 1 month, and 16 days.

Note: This would mean he was born in 1729.

Anna Margarethe Brunjes

Birth: Circa 1761, daughter of Carsten Brunjes.

Note: Hienrich Brunjes and his wife, Rebecca, had a son Carsten in 1766. Carsten is not a very common name in the Lehe records.

Marriage: Anna Margarethe Brunjes, the daughter of Carsten Brunjes, married Matthias Buchmann on November 23, 1781

Children:

1. Ernst Friederich baptized on December 17, 1782, witnesses, Niclaus Georg Hehn _____, Johann Niclaus "Labuseur" ____, Anne Ilse Lunsted (?) Johann Lunsted (?),_____, Becke Koops, Hinrich Koops, ______
2. Catherina Margaretha baptized April 25, 1785, witnesses: Joh. Nicol. "Labuschor", Meine Herbolts, Luke Meir, Margatetha Hulseberfs.

Note: Berte Erxmeyer, the niece of Henry Blanck and Melsine Erxmeyer Blanck, married Johann Labouseur in Hoboken in 1894. Berthe was the daughter of Melosine's sister, Julia Erxmeyer Lehman Tietjen. There were a number of Labouseurs in Hoboken. I don't know if or how they are connected to the sponsors of the children of Anna Brunjes. See Julia Erxmeyer Lehman Tietjen and Labouseur

Maria Brunjes

Marie Brunjes died on September 23 and was buried on September 27, 1808, age 68 years. This means she was born circa 1740. Who was she?

Catherine Brunjes, The Daughter of Heinrich Brunjes, and Her Relationship, If Any, to the Other Brunjes in Lehe

Questions:

• Why did Catherina Brunjes marry in Lehe if Heinrich Brunjes was from Wachholtz (a town about 25 miles southeast of Lehe)?

• Did Catherine's father, Heinrich Brunjes, ever live in Lehe and, if so, for how long?

• Was their any connection between Catherine Brunjes (the wife of Gerhard Blanck), her father Heinrich Brunjes and the other Brunjes in the Lehe?

Notes:

• Catherine Brunjes was born no later than 1784. The marriage record to Gerhard Blanck indicates that she was the daughter of Heinrich Brunjes of Wachholtz.

• Since the records for Brunjes in Lehe are so sparse, it is most likely that they were recent immigrants from some other city or town. It is possible that they were related to the Brunjes of Wachholz.

Brunjes in Brooklyn, New York, USA

While looking for other records in LDS Film 165676 of the Zion Church in Brooklyn, New York I came accross the following records connected with Christine Wilhelm Brunjes of Lehe

• Wilhelm Freidrich Brunjes son of Christine Wilhelm Brunjes of Lehe Hanover and Berthe Anne nee Dorman born can't read, 666 Fulton Street sponsor Wilm Aug Martin Dorman baptized 7 Aug 1883
• Eva Antonette Anne Brunjes born February 4, 1887 daughter of Christine Wilhelm Brunjes of Lehe Hanover and Berthe Anne nee Dorman born cant read, 660 Fulton Street sponsors Johann Anton Dormhan and Anna Eliza Teresa Dorman
• (can't read first name) Berthe Johanna Burnjes born March 6, 1889 to Christian Wilhelm Brunjes of Lehe and Bertha nee Dorman of Blumenthal 660 Fulton Street, sponsor Johann Feidrich Brunjes

I could not find them in the censuses in Brooklyn.

There are other Brunjes in the censuses in Brooklyn.

Wachholz

Wachholz is a small "village" just outside the town of Beverstedt about 25 miles south east of Lehe. The village today is mostly "new". There is no church and only a few old buildings.

There were 6 Brunjes listed in the phone book in Beverstedt (which includes Wachholz) in August 2005.

There were 17 Brunjes listed in Bremerhaven.

The present church of Staints Fabian and Sebastian in Beverstedt dates from 1851.