Ancestors of Henry George Grabenhorst

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Generation 2

Hans Heinrich Gravenhorst and Dorothea Sabine Heinemann

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1-Hans Heinrich Gravenhorst, son of Johann Jacob Gravenhorst and Anna Sophia Barbara Borchers, and the father of  Heinrich Georg Grabenhorst,, was born on 1 Jan 1752 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany and died on 2 Apr 1811 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany at age 59. 

Hans married Dorothea Sabine Heinemann on 27 Jan 1785 in Gevensleben, Braunschweig, Germany. Dorothea was born on 19 Feb 1759 in Gevensleben, Braunschweig, Germany and died on 28 Mar 1824 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany at age 65. They had five children: Dorothea Elizabeth, Anna Maria Dorothea, Dorothea Luise, Marie Hedwig, and Heinrich Georg (Henry George).

2-Dorothea Elizabeth Grabenhorst was born on 28 Oct 1785 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany and died on 28 Oct 1785 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany. 

2-Anna Maria Dorothea Grabenhorst was born on 11 Dec 1786 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany and died on 12 Aug 1809 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany at age 22. 

2-Dorothea Luise Grabenhorst was born on 3 Sep 1789 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany. 

2-Marie Hedwig Grabenhorst was born on 19 Feb 1795 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany and died on 11 Sep 1842 in Ampleben, Braunschweig, Germany at age 47. 

Marie married Johann Heinrich Philipp Cramer on 2 Dec 1821 in Warle, Braunschweig, Germany. Johann was born on 8 Jun 1798 in Ampleben, Braunschweig, Germany and died on 13 Feb 1869 in Ampleben, Braunschweig, Germany at age 70.

2-Henry George (Heinrich Georg) Grabenhorst was born on 17 Mar 1799 in Watzum, Braunschweig, Germany, died on 23 May 1899 in Webster County, Iowa at age 100, and was buried in Dayton Cemetery, Webster, Iowa. 

Hans Heinrich Gravenhorst was a younger son of Johann Jacob Gravenhorst. Johann Jacob was the owner of a large farm, Ackerhöf ASS Nr 44, in Watzum. Johann Jacob became owner of the farm sometime after his marriage to Anna Sophia Barbara Borchers when it was transferred to him by her father, Ludolf Borchers. (For additional information on Johann Jacob and the farm see the section on the Ackerhöf ASS Nr 44). As a younger son Hans Heinrich did not stand to inherit the farm so he became a tradesman. In the church records of the time, his occupation is given as “garnhändler” or yarn dealer. He is also listed as a “Häusling” or person with no farm or house of his own. People in that period of time in Brunswick did not usually own property outright but instead leased it from the Lord of the Estate who was a member of the nobility.

Henry George’s mother was Dorothy Sabine Heinemann. Her father, Lüddeke Heinemann, was a “Kothsaß” or owner of a small farm from Gevensleben, a village about 4 miles from Watzum. Her mother was Elizabeth Müller, whose family lived in Veltheim, another near-by village. Dorothea Sabine Heinemann and Hans Heinrich Gravenhorst were married 17 January 1785 at her parent’s farm.

It was during Hans Heinrich's generation that the spelling of the name changed from Gravenhorst to Grabenhorst.

In April of 1811 Hans Heinrich died. He left behind his widow, a 16 year old daughter, Marie Hedwig, and 12 year old Henry George.

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Watzum Church Book Records and Transcriptions

Birth Record Hans Heinrich Gravenhorst			Birth Record Dorothea Sabine Heinemann		Marriage Record Hans Heinrich Gravenhorst Dorothea Sabine Heinemann

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A special thanks to Walter Lehmann for researching and sharing these records

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