Jochim Heinrich Christian Engel (known by his 2nd name "Heinrich", or in later years as "Henry C.") was born on March 25, 1825 in the village of Qualitz in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (now part of province of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany). He was the 5th of 8 children born to the shepherd Heinrich Engel and his wife Sophia Schindler.
In 1839, when he was just 14 years old, Heinrich's father passed away - making life very difficult for him, his mother and siblings. With little to no opportunities to improve their station in life in Mecklenburg, the Engels made the decision to emigrate to the United States in search of a fresh start. Heinrich and his younger brother Ferdinand made the long journey first - in late 1851 or early 1852. That passenger ship record has not yet been located.
2.5 years later, in 1854, they were followed by their widowed mother and siblings Johann, Sophia and Christoph. That passenger ship record indicates that Heinrich (listed under his first name "Jochim") accompanied them - meaning that he had returned to Mecklenburg to retrieve them. The Engels arrived in New York City on August 16, 1854 - and continued further west until they arrived in Detroit, Michigan - where they intended to make their home.
Shortly after the Engels arrived in Detroit, Heinrich married another German immigrant named Louise Maria Christiane Harning. The Engel and Harning families apparently met at some point during their months-long journey from Mecklenburg to Michigan, and had became close. (In fact, Henry's 1st cousin Caroline Leesch married Louise's older brother John Harning in 1854, and Henry's younger brother Christoph went on to marry Louise's younger sister Friederike in 1862.) There were 3 children from Henry and Louise's marriage before Louise's untimely death in 1860 from Scarlet Fever:
1855 - William Christ Engel
1858 - Amalia Friederika Engel
1859 - Louisa D. Engel
On January 6, 1862, Henry married for a 2nd time to Christiana Friedrika Wilhelmina Mosch, another recent German immigrant. There were 4 more children from this marriage:
1862 - Mary C. Engel
1864 - Caroline Engel
1866 - Frank Engel
1868 - Fredrika Wilhelmina Engel
After living in Springwells Township (on Detroit's west side) for a few years, Henry and his growing family settled on a farm in Hamtramck Township, on the near east side of the city of Detroit - north of Belle Isle near Mack Avenue. The Engels were hard workers, and over time became an immigrant success story.
Henry died on March 10, 1891 at the age of 65 - due to apoplexy (a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke). That same year, the Henry Engel farm and the surrounding township was annexed by the rapidly expanding city of Detroit.
In 1839, when he was just 14 years old, Heinrich's father passed away - making life very difficult for him, his mother and siblings. With little to no opportunities to improve their station in life in Mecklenburg, the Engels made the decision to emigrate to the United States in search of a fresh start. Heinrich and his younger brother Ferdinand made the long journey first - in late 1851 or early 1852. That passenger ship record has not yet been located.
2.5 years later, in 1854, they were followed by their widowed mother and siblings Johann, Sophia and Christoph. That passenger ship record indicates that Heinrich (listed under his first name "Jochim") accompanied them - meaning that he had returned to Mecklenburg to retrieve them. The Engels arrived in New York City on August 16, 1854 - and continued further west until they arrived in Detroit, Michigan - where they intended to make their home.
Shortly after the Engels arrived in Detroit, Heinrich married another German immigrant named Louise Maria Christiane Harning. The Engel and Harning families apparently met at some point during their months-long journey from Mecklenburg to Michigan, and had became close. (In fact, Henry's 1st cousin Caroline Leesch married Louise's older brother John Harning in 1854, and Henry's younger brother Christoph went on to marry Louise's younger sister Friederike in 1862.) There were 3 children from Henry and Louise's marriage before Louise's untimely death in 1860 from Scarlet Fever:
1855 - William Christ Engel
1858 - Amalia Friederika Engel
1859 - Louisa D. Engel
On January 6, 1862, Henry married for a 2nd time to Christiana Friedrika Wilhelmina Mosch, another recent German immigrant. There were 4 more children from this marriage:
1862 - Mary C. Engel
1864 - Caroline Engel
1866 - Frank Engel
1868 - Fredrika Wilhelmina Engel
After living in Springwells Township (on Detroit's west side) for a few years, Henry and his growing family settled on a farm in Hamtramck Township, on the near east side of the city of Detroit - north of Belle Isle near Mack Avenue. The Engels were hard workers, and over time became an immigrant success story.
Henry died on March 10, 1891 at the age of 65 - due to apoplexy (a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke). That same year, the Henry Engel farm and the surrounding township was annexed by the rapidly expanding city of Detroit.
Jochim Heinrich Christian Engel (known by his 2nd name "Heinrich", or in later years as "Henry C.") was born on March 25, 1825 in the village of Qualitz in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (now part of province of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany). He was the 5th of 8 children born to the shepherd Heinrich Engel and his wife Sophia Schindler.
In 1839, when he was just 14 years old, Heinrich's father passed away - making life very difficult for him, his mother and siblings. With little to no opportunities to improve their station in life in Mecklenburg, the Engels made the decision to emigrate to the United States in search of a fresh start. Heinrich and his younger brother Ferdinand made the long journey first - in late 1851 or early 1852. That passenger ship record has not yet been located.
2.5 years later, in 1854, they were followed by their widowed mother and siblings Johann, Sophia and Christoph. That passenger ship record indicates that Heinrich (listed under his first name "Jochim") accompanied them - meaning that he had returned to Mecklenburg to retrieve them. The Engels arrived in New York City on August 16, 1854 - and continued further west until they arrived in Detroit, Michigan - where they intended to make their home.
Shortly after the Engels arrived in Detroit, Heinrich married another German immigrant named Louise Maria Christiane Harning. The Engel and Harning families apparently met at some point during their months-long journey from Mecklenburg to Michigan, and had became close. (In fact, Henry's 1st cousin Caroline Leesch married Louise's older brother John Harning in 1854, and Henry's younger brother Christoph went on to marry Louise's younger sister Friederike in 1862.) There were 3 children from Henry and Louise's marriage before Louise's untimely death in 1860 from Scarlet Fever:
1855 - William Christ Engel
1858 - Amalia Friederika Engel
1859 - Louisa D. Engel
On January 6, 1862, Henry married for a 2nd time to Christiana Friedrika Wilhelmina Mosch, another recent German immigrant. There were 4 more children from this marriage:
1862 - Mary C. Engel
1864 - Caroline Engel
1866 - Frank Engel
1868 - Fredrika Wilhelmina Engel
After living in Springwells Township (on Detroit's west side) for a few years, Henry and his growing family settled on a farm in Hamtramck Township, on the near east side of the city of Detroit - north of Belle Isle near Mack Avenue. The Engels were hard workers, and over time became an immigrant success story.
Henry died on March 10, 1891 at the age of 65 - due to apoplexy (a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke). That same year, the Henry Engel farm and the surrounding township was annexed by the rapidly expanding city of Detroit.
In 1839, when he was just 14 years old, Heinrich's father passed away - making life very difficult for him, his mother and siblings. With little to no opportunities to improve their station in life in Mecklenburg, the Engels made the decision to emigrate to the United States in search of a fresh start. Heinrich and his younger brother Ferdinand made the long journey first - in late 1851 or early 1852. That passenger ship record has not yet been located.
2.5 years later, in 1854, they were followed by their widowed mother and siblings Johann, Sophia and Christoph. That passenger ship record indicates that Heinrich (listed under his first name "Jochim") accompanied them - meaning that he had returned to Mecklenburg to retrieve them. The Engels arrived in New York City on August 16, 1854 - and continued further west until they arrived in Detroit, Michigan - where they intended to make their home.
Shortly after the Engels arrived in Detroit, Heinrich married another German immigrant named Louise Maria Christiane Harning. The Engel and Harning families apparently met at some point during their months-long journey from Mecklenburg to Michigan, and had became close. (In fact, Henry's 1st cousin Caroline Leesch married Louise's older brother John Harning in 1854, and Henry's younger brother Christoph went on to marry Louise's younger sister Friederike in 1862.) There were 3 children from Henry and Louise's marriage before Louise's untimely death in 1860 from Scarlet Fever:
1855 - William Christ Engel
1858 - Amalia Friederika Engel
1859 - Louisa D. Engel
On January 6, 1862, Henry married for a 2nd time to Christiana Friedrika Wilhelmina Mosch, another recent German immigrant. There were 4 more children from this marriage:
1862 - Mary C. Engel
1864 - Caroline Engel
1866 - Frank Engel
1868 - Fredrika Wilhelmina Engel
After living in Springwells Township (on Detroit's west side) for a few years, Henry and his growing family settled on a farm in Hamtramck Township, on the near east side of the city of Detroit - north of Belle Isle near Mack Avenue. The Engels were hard workers, and over time became an immigrant success story.
Henry died on March 10, 1891 at the age of 65 - due to apoplexy (a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke). That same year, the Henry Engel farm and the surrounding township was annexed by the rapidly expanding city of Detroit.
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