Franz Peter WANKEL was born on 1 Dec 1811, in Germany - in "Hesse Cassel" (Fulda, Hessen) according to the 1880 census data. He died on 9 Dec 1894 in Virginia, IL. Buried in Arenzville East Cemetery, Arenzville, Illinois. He was a Farmer. Profession listed as "clerk" on 1850 census records from Cass Co. Illinois, page 125. Franz Peter WANKEL and Anna Marie Adelheid HAMM were married on 6 Mar 1845. Father of: George Wankel (1845-1866) [never married]; Adelia Wankel-Kraft (1846-1933) [married William Kraft]; Peter Wankel Jr. (1848-1848) [died in infancy]; Emma Katherine Wankel-Kuechler (1880-1939) [married: Edward Ernest Kuechler]; Theresa Lenore Wankel-Riemann (1852-1929) [married Francis Henry Riemann (d.1924)]; Anna Wankel-Adleman (1854-1879) [married Alfred Adelman]; Peter Frank Wankel (1856-1951) [married: Ellen Anna Marie Steinkuehler (1860-1932)]; Lena Wankel (1858-1944) [never married]; Friedrich "Fred" Wankel (1860-1943) [married: "Ollie"]; "Jennie" M. Wankel-Reichert (1862-1947) [married: Charles S. Reichert (d.1947)]; Rhinholdt "Riney" E. Wankel (1864-1950) [married: Mae Bingham (d.1947)]; Richard Wankel "Dick" (1865-1951) [never married]; George Wankel (1869-1945) [married: Jennifer Lee Eads (1847-1955)].
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Profession listed as "clerk" on 1850 census records from Cass Co. Illinois, page 125.
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Peter Franz Wankel was born on 1 Dec 1811. His wife, Anna Marie Adelheid Hamm (Hammer) was born on 28 Sept 1823. They had 13 children, all were born in Illinois, and are listed below.

CHILDREN:
- George Wankel was born in 1845. He died on 5 Jun 1866.
Adelia Wankel was born on 31 Dec 1846. She married William Kraft. She died on 28 Jul 1933.

- Peter Wankel was born in 1846 and died in 1848.
Emma Wankel was born on 11 Nov 1850. She married Ed Kuechler. She died on 2 Dec 1939.

- Theresa Wankel was born on 25 Oct 1852. She married Frank Riemann. She died on 19 Apr 1918.

- Anna Wankel was born on 16 Sep 1854. She married Alfred Adleman. She died on 3 Mar 1879.

- Peter Frank Wankel was born on 12 Aug 1856. His wife, Ellen Marie Steinkuehler, was born on 27 Dec 1860. They had 6 children who are listed on their sheets.

- Lena Wankel was born on 19 Aug 1858. She died on 21 Oct 1944.

- Fred Wankel was born on 26 sep 1860. He died on 7 May 1943.
- Jennie (Jenney) Wankel was born on 11 Jul 1864. She married Charles Reichert. She died in Nov. 1947.

- Rineboldt "Riney" Wankel was born on 11 Jul 1864. He married May Bingham. He died on 17 Jul 1950.

- Richard "Dick" Wankel was born on 20 Nov 1865. He died on 22 Jan 1951.

- George Wankel was born on 12 Feb 1869. He married Jennie Eads. He died on 20 Jun 1945.

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The scant family records indicate that Peter Franz and Anna Marie Hamm were married in Germany in 1845. Peter was born in the town of Fulda and in the state of Hesse. The couple's first child, George, was born in Illinois in 1845. Thus the trip to the United States was made during their first year of marriage. He would have been 34; she was 22. Their reason for coming to America is not known. His occupation was listed on the 1850 census as clerk, but the various members of the Wankel family acquired farm land in Illinois over the years. These German families were large. The couple had 13 children - 7 boys and 6 girls. All 13 were born within a range of 24 years. Names were recycled, as two of their children were named George, and two were named Peter. The name George was used for the last child. Peter died at birth, so his name was given to Peter Frank, the next son born in the family. Peter Franz lived to be 83 years old. Anna was 79 years old when she died. Both are buried in the Arenzville, Illinois, East Cemetery.
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"US CENSUS 1850"
Name: Peter Wankel [sic] {Franz Peter}
Residence: Arenzville, Cass, Illinois
Age: 39 years
Calculated Birth Year: 1811
Birthplace: Germany
Gender: Male
Race (original):
Race (expanded):
Death Month:
Death Year:
Film Number: 7672
Digital GS Number: 4193248
Image Number: 00551
Line Number: 6
Dwelling House Number: 844
Family Number: 861
Marital Status:
Free or Slave:
Household Gender Age
Peter Wankel M 39y
Adelaide Wankel F 26y
George Wankel M 8y
Adelia Wankel F 4y
Emma Wankel F 1m

SOURCE: US Federal Census, 1850.
Source [link]: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M85J-XLY
Source [image] link: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12392-245277-76?cc=1401638
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"US CENSUS 1880"
Name: Peter Wankel [sic] {Franz Peter}
Residence: Township 17 N., Range 12 W., Cass, Illinois
Birthdate: 1811
Birthplace: Germany
Relationship to Head: Self
Spouse's Name: Adaline Wankel
Spouse's Birthplace: Germany
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Race or Color (Expanded): White
Ethnicity (Standardized): American
Gender: Male
Martial Status: Married
Age (Expanded): 69 years
Occupation: Farmer
NARA Film Number: T9-0178
Page: 741
Page Character: A
Entry Number: 3624
Film number: 1254178
Household Gender Age
Peter Wankel M 69
Spouse Adaline Wankel F 58
Child Peter Wankel M 23
Child Lina Wankel F 21
Child Fred Wankel M 19
Child Jane Wankel F 17
Child Reinhold Wankel M 16
Child Richard Wankel M 14
Child George Wankel M 11

SOURCE: US Federal Census, 1880.
Source [link]: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MXNW-P5Y