He was baptized Aug. 28, 1853 in Brobberow, Meecklenberg, Germany

Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany, Census, 1867
Household:Bröbberow, Domanialamt Schwaan - 4
Place:Bröbberow
District Office:Domanialamt Schwaan
Roll:14946
Line:2
Household Members:
Name
Age
Carl Schildt 84
Fritz Heidenreich 55
Maria Schildt 51
Fritz Heidenreich 27
Friederich Heidenreich 25
Christoph Heidenreich 24
Sophia Heidenreich 18
Christine Heidenreich 16
Minna Heidenreich 8
Carl Heidenreich 6

The emigration document for the horse-hand Carl Heidenreich from Brobberow near Gersdhagen, Schwaan office, Kambs parish. Mr von Restorff was the estate owner at Brobberow/Radegast. He did apply for the State Authorization to emigrate on behalf of the applicant: on September 20/21 1880. C Heidenreich received an emigration permit which confirmed his release from servitude in Mecklenburg. The certificate of release from German citizenship was issued in Schwerin on September 25, 1880.
Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934


Name:Carl Heydenreich
Departure Date:3 Nov 1880
Destination:New York
Birth Date:1853
Age:27
Gender:männlich
Residence:Radegast, Mecklenburg
Occupation:Arbeiter
Ship Name:Jessica
Captain:Elingius
Shipping Clerk:W. Wolff
Shipping Line:A. Kirsten, Hamburg
Ship Type:Dampfschiff
Accommodation:ohne Angabe
Ship Flag:Deutschland
Port of Departure:Hamburg
Port of Arrival:London (Amerika via London)

He was a horse hand in Germany. He had a twin brother Wilhelm Johann Thedor who died Dec. 16, 1853 in Brobberow, Mecklenburg, Germany. Wilhelm was about 4 months old when he died.

He was naturalized March, 26, 1888 in Saginaw, MI.

He married Bertha Kobus January 13, 1884 at St Paul's Lutheran Church, Saginaw, MI.by Pastor Charles L Eberhardt. Witnesses were Fred Kobus and Christopher Pruess.

Name: Bertha Kobus
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birth Year: abt 1858
Birth Place: Germany
Marriage Date: 13 Jan 1884
Marriage Place: Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Age: 26
Residence Place: Saginaw
Spouse: Carl Heidenrich
Spouse Gender: Male
Spouse Race: White
Spouse Age: 30
Spouse Birth Place: Germany
Spouse Residence Place: Saginaw

He lived in Gouldtown near Mershon's Mill (location Carrollton, MI), so maybe he worked in the mill as other family members (the Pries family, his sister's family) worked at mill. And due to the fact that transportation
in rural Carrollton was limited. Most folks lived close to where they worked. Information regarding Mershon's Mill-William B. Mershon's saw mill was in Carrollton Township. It was built in 1871 at a cost of $25,000.00 They shipped 250 car loads of lumber in 1880, and also 220 cars of box shooks. Their first well was bored on Feb. 1, 1889. 27 men were employed which stood on 3 acres of ground. The business was taken over by Mershon, Schuette & Parker Company in 1901.

U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
Name:Charles Heidenreich
Death Date:24 02 1891
Publication Title:Saginaw, Michigan, City Directory, 1891

Saginaw Evening News, February 21, 1891
CHARLES HEIDENREICH

Charles Heidenreich died at his residence in Gouldtown near Mershon's mill, last evening at 10 o'clock of inflamation of the lungs, age 73 (not correct should be 37). He leaves a wife and dour children. Mr. Heidenreich was a member of Concordia Tent, NO 132, K.O.T.M., under whose auspices the service will be held. The funeral will take place from the residence, Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The members of Concordia Tent are requested to meet at their hall tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock to make arrangements for the funeral of their late brother.

Another obituary from The Saginaw News Feb.25, 1891
The funeral of Charles Heidenreich took place yesterday from his residence in Gouldtown. The service which was impressive was under the direction of Concordia Tent #132 KOTM of which the deceased was a member. Notwithstanding the inclement weather, a large number of Maccabees turned out. The funeral cortege which was headed by Prof. Boefband was a large one.

He was a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, a fraternal society where deceased members family would receive money in the event that the member died. To become a member you had to be white, of sound health and good character, and under the age of 70. He was 37 years old. There name comes from the biblical Maccabees. The order was founded in London, Ontario in 1878 and reorganized in 1883. At one time 1/3 of membership was in Michigan. It was incorporated in Michigan in 1884. Originally it operated on an assessment basis, whenever a member died, each living member was assessed 10 cents to go into a pot to provide for the widow $1000.00. After reorganization, it became much more sophisticated, collecting monthly assessments based on payouts. By the 1890’s it provided not only death benefits, but also sick benefits of $4-$10 per week; total and permanent disability benefits of $60, $200, or $300 annually (depending on the size of your assessment)’ $175-$2000 for loss of hands, eyes, feet etc; funeral benefits, and so on. The Maccabees were one of the more successful of fraternal benefit societies which spang up after the Civil War. Many insurance companies were not interested in sales to ordinary people and there was little in the way of ”safety nets”. The fraternal activities ceased to exist in 1932 when they became a life insurance company.

Charles was buried Feb 24, 1891. Notice KOTM on the top of the headstone Knight Of The Macabees.

Rhea-great granddaughter of Charles was able to find this stone. Charles had been buried for 122 years. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. Rhea spotted a tiny piece of stone. It was totally hidden beneath the grass. July 2013

Cause of death: Inflamation of the lungs/congestion of the brain (conflicting information)