Helene Dirks (1867 - 1878)

Born 21 Apr 1867 in Korzeniec, West Prussia (Poland)

Biography

Helene Dirks died young.

Helene was born on 21 April 1867 in Korzeniec, West Prussia (Poland).^[1]

Helene died at the age of 10 on 21 February 1878. Note: A Dec 1995 family history supplement letter from Dorothy Isaak attributes death to "an inflammation of the brain - stroke.". [ALDirks-2012]^[1][2]

Research Notes

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Death: Abbreviation: Dirks Family Group Sheets - 1996-03 Title: Paul Isaak, , Leonard Dirks Family History 1996 - 02; supplied by Paul Isaak, [<sc>address for private use</sc>], Inman, Kansas. Distributed to family. Note: Family Group sheets (part 3 of 4) included in the Dirks Family History 1996, based upon family survey. Object: File: G:\`FAMHIST\Data\Dirks-Woods\Docs\Dirks\Dirks96\Dirks96_FGS\Dirks96_FamGps01.pdf Format: pdf Title: DirksHist96-FGS01 Note: Dirks96 Family group sheet 1 Type: DOCUMENT Scrapbook: Y Primary or Preferred: Y Object: File: G:\`FAMHIST\Data\Dirks-Woods\Docs\Dirks\Dirks96\Dirks96_FGS\Dirks96_FamGps02.pdf Format: pdf Type: DOCUMENT Scrapbook: Y Primary or Preferred: N Object: File: G:\`FAMHIST\Data\Dirks-Woods\Docs\Dirks\Dirks96\Dirks96_FGS\Dirks96_FamGps03.pdf Format: pdf Title: Dirks96 FamGps03 Type: DOCUMENT Scrapbook: Y Primary or Preferred: N Object: File: G:\`FAMHIST\Data\Dirks-Woods\Docs\Dirks\Dirks96\Dirks96_FGS\Dirks96_FamGps04.pdf Format: pdf Title: Dirks96_FamGps04 Type: DOCUMENT Scrapbook: Y Primary or Preferred: N. Citing: Page: Dirks96_FamGps01, p. 3 Quality or Certainty of Data: 2 (accessed before 1 July 2013)
2. ↑ Will: Abbreviation: DirksHist_1995supplement Title: Dorothy Klemper Isaak, (Aberdeen, Idaho) to Arthur W. Dirks, letter, 15 December 1995; privately held by Arthur L. Dirks. [<sc>address for private use</sc>], Taunton, MA, 2012. Dirks Family Supplement (1995). From Martha Woods Dirks papers.. Text: December 15, 1995
   Dear Art and Martha,
   Your Christmas letter and picture were so welcome. I got busy today and found the copy taken from the Aberdeen Times many years ago of your mother's obituary. I do not remember just where Elmer got it or under what circumstances. This type of information was always treasured. All the old issues of the newspapers have been put on film in American Falls at the Power County Press office. A person can go there and search the files. The same people now own both papers. Some of the old papers have been lost. So we were glad that we had this copy, we may not be able to get the information now.
   I am sending the copy of your father's obituary also.These are copies of my copies. Also had a quick copy made of their wedding license and certificate of marriage, and a computer printout of information we gathered after Paul's research for the 1972 reunion. One of the ladies who still read and could translate German did this for us a few years ago from the hand written notes by David Dirks so it must be accurate. I stapled them together the way they were written. I was sorry that she wrote right on the certificates but guess she was tired of rewriting everything. She passed away this last year. She also translated some of the notes from family and friends to Leonhard and Minna but there were just snatches of information in a note.But we gleaned what we could and hope it is understandable.
   The book is the history of the Aberdeen Church, of the people who came to Aberdeen in the early years. The families included in the book were the families that were members here at the time of the 75th celebration. Not all the pioneer families still had members here and some families just didn't respond. But it does give the background of settling the area,and the start of the two churches, the Emanual Church and the church town as well as the start of the whole community. It tells a lot about your parents part in the church. You may find parts of it very boring but I hope not all of it.It is my gift to you.
   I am glad to share this information with you. Maybe you have this already but I'm sending it in case you don't. Hope it helps. Thanks so much for the picture of you and Martha. Hope to see you at the reunion next year.
   Love,
   Dorothy
   Dirks Family Supplement (1995)
   CONT This information has been found through the years since Paul Isaak researched the Dirks family history for the reunion in Colorado, in 1972. Some of this may be a repeat of his information, but in order to make itclear, I have included it.
   David Dirks was born to Peter and Catherine Nickel Dirks,on 12-30-1834, in Montau Germany (known then as West Prussia known now as Poland).
   Eva Adrian was born to David and Maria Baltzer Adrian, on3-3-1832 in Korszniec, Thorn (West Prussia).
   Parents: David Adrian (1792-1850), Maria Baltzer Adrian(1808-1894). David and Eva (Adrian) were married 9-4-1862 in the Nischender Congregation. Her father had died, but her mother was still living, and lived to the age of 88.
   Children born to David and Eva 
   1. Maria 1-1-1864---1920
   2. Ernestine 3-5-1865---1958 (93 years of age)
   3. Albert 4-25-1866---1940
   4. Helene 4-21-1867---died 2-21-1878 at age 10 yrs., 10 mo.from an inflammation of the brain--stroke.
   5. Gerhart 8-26-1868---1902. (Some records show 1867- that is impossible)
   6. Wilhelm 8-(18)-1870---died 6-5-1872 from whooping cough.
   7. Hermann 12-4-1871 no record of what happened
   8. Leonhard 2-22-1877---died 2-18-1921. (born 2:00 p.m.--under the zodiac sign of the twins).
   David Dirks died 1-10-1888 at the age of 54 from a stroke.
   Eva Adrian Dirks died 11 years late at the age of 67, in 1899.
   Maria married Adolf Dirks on 9-4-1890 (4 children) She stayed in West Prussia.
   Ernestine married Wilhelm Ewert on 9-(6 or 10)-1888.Wilhelm died 4-5-1928. They came to America when they were married and lived in Hillsboro, Kansas.
   Albert came to America--he never married. He joined Leonhard in Aberdeen_ When Leonhard died in 1921, Albert took over the management of the farm until about 1927, then he moved to Kansas to live with Ernestine. He lived there until his death in 1940.
   Gerhard married Hedwig Franz. They stayed in West Prussia.
   Hermann married Helen---?----. They lived in Canada andwere in the grain buying business with Leonhard. Due to faulty investments made while Leonhard had gone back to marry Minna in Thorn, the business failed.Shortly after that Hermann disappeared and was not heard from since. They had at least 4 children, Louetta, Helene, Hilda, David and baby Carl (?).
   Leonhard was baptized on 6-21-1891 at the age of 14. He was received into membership in the Obernessau Church where his father was minister.
   Leonhard served in the military for several years, as a noncombatant, in a hospital. He went to America in 1898, first to Kansas, then to Gretna, Manitoba, Canada where he went into the grain business with Hermann.He returned from Canada to West Prussia in 1904 and married [...]
   Minna was born 1-8-1878 in Obernessau to Cornelius and Sara Ewert Bartel. At the time of the wedding the Bartels were living in Podgorz.This is a village along the Vistula River a few miles from Thorn. I cannot find it on a major map of Poland. It is listed on the hand drawn maps that Elizabeth Ewert and Frieda Bartel brought to the reunion in 1960. Cornelius Bartel had been a farmer but was now a custodian.
   Minna had three brothers- one was named Max, and two sisters-one was named Olga and one named Alice. There is an old photo of the Bartel family. Olga died as a young adult- no dates are readable in the picture of her grave. Max came to America. He was married and lived in San Francisco at least until 1920. We have an envelope dated then. His last known address was 2110 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, Calif. (In 1992 a friend, while in S.F., drove by the house. It is still there and is well cared for, by whom we have no idea.) Max also had some land in the same section as Leonhard's farm in the Aberdeen area briefly in the early 1910s.
   After the wedding Leonhard and Minna returned to Manitoba aboard the ship Frankfort. The marriage certificate is dated 7-23-1904 and the marriage license is dated 8-8-1904, so they left after that date. They lived in Canada until the fall of 1906 when they moved to Aberdeen, Idaho.
   In 1980, with the help of Frieda Becker, we translated some of the congratulatory notes from the wedding, and some of the letters written by family in West Prussia in the following years. These bits of information were found about the family and we can only guess about who they all were.
   Leonhard's cousin, Alexander Dirks, was the groom's attendant at the wedding.
   These names were mentioned as cousins: Alexander, a G.Dirks, Alice Dirks, and a Walter Dirks, who spoke (familiarly) of Alexander Also mentioned are a Gerda and a Willy Dirks.
   Leonhard's sister Maria, had been married 14 years at the time of Leonhard and Minna's wedding, and had 4 children. In the picture of the four children we think are hers, the dates given and ages indicate they were born prior to the wedding of Leonhard and Minna in 1904. In a congratulatory note someone stated that "only Maria's two oldest children would go to the wedding with Maria. Her husband was too busy building ". ???
   Minna also had a cousin named Marie. A Bernard and Helene are mentioned as being sorry L. and Minna have riot joined Mariechen. ????
   L. Bartel and wife Minna, living in Berlin at the time sent a letter. They mention a "Lottchen". They could be the ones inthe old photo of a couple and daughter. If so, is he Minna's older brother in the Bartel family picture? In the photo the girl "Lotta" is 19 years old in 1919. The small picture of the man, beside the family picture, was made in Berlin---and he looks like the older man, just at a younger age.
   Minna had an aunt A. or H. Bartel who had children. Her parents have a sister-in-law A. Bartel and children. (Frieda Becker wrote H.not A.) The lady did not mention a husband.
   Minna had an uncle Leonhard Bartel---"Aunt"---no name given- went to live with Trudchen. "Tis well the children are all married". They aren't the people in the old photo, wrong name for the daughter.
   It is interesting to note the repetition of the names in the Bartel and Dirks families and that these names are still used in the naming of the descendants.
   Hedwig Dirks sent a letter to Aberdeen in Feb. 1914. She was [...]
   in 1914. Is this maybe the stomach problem his obituary mentions he suffered from? She mentions a Gretel "who will be baptized,also that there is no religious training for the children (at the place where they were) so don't know what hers will do." She is talking of someone else in the family, so Gretel is not Hedwig's daughter. She also mentions aMinna and says Lottchen is 14 in 1914. (Girl in the old photo).
   Sister-in-law Lena has three girls and celebrated Kurt's birthday. Kurt was proud to have his two sisters there." (This could coincide with the other picture of the four children in the album, three girls and one boy). "Will the cousins ever see each other?" Lena is not the name of any of Leonard's brother's wives, so Lena must be on Hedwig's side of the family, or a Bartel relative.
   Leonhard and Minna Bartel were married on 7-23-1904 Children born to Leonhard and Minna Dirks:
   1. Eva Sara Oct. 5, 1905 in Gretna, Manitoba, Canada; died April 6, 1981 in Pocatello, Idaho
   2. Alice Hedwig Nov. 16, 1906 in Aberdeen, Idaho
   3. Herbert Leonard Sept. 6, 1908 in Aberdeen, Idaho; died Jan.8, 1978 in Ogden, Utah
   4. Erna April 5, 1910 Aberdeen, Idaho; died 1992 in Woodburn,Oregon. I have no correct date.
   5. Margaret Elizabeth Sept. 19, 1911 in Aberdeen, Idaho; died Jan. 16, 1985 in Pocatello, Idaho
   6. Henry 1912 in Aberdeen, Idaho; died Jan. 6, 1915 in Aberdeen, Idaho
   7. William Mar 27, 1915 in Aberdeen, Idaho; died May 9, 1916 in Aberdeen Idaho (tragedy and joy 2 days apart)
   8. Walter May 11, 1916 in Aberdeen, Idaho
   9. Gertrude Charlotte June 14, 1918 in Aberdeen, Idaho
   10. Arthur W. April 9, 1920 in American Falls , Idaho
   Minna passed away from complications of childbirth on April 19, 1920. In 1991 at the reunion in Prescott, Arizona, aunt Alice told Dana Metcalf, Art's daughter, that Minna decided since this was the tenth child she was to have, she would go to the hospital so she would have better medical care than at home so nothing would go wrong. Because there were such sick people in the hospital, she developed a massive infection in the hospital and could not overcome it and died as a result of the infection. No one had discovered penicillin then.
   Leonhard passed away on Feb.18, 1921 from complications of pneumonia. Some of the children recalled that it was similar to a stroke. He was partially paralyzed. Both Leonhard and Minna are buried in the Homestead Cemetery, also Henry and William. The cemetery is just north of the site of the Emanuel Church where Leonhard was the Elder, and just a short distance west of their home. Leonhard and Minna had deeded a portion of their land on which to build the church.
   With the death of their mother Arthur Dirks was taken to Kansas to be cared for by Leonhard's sister Earnestine and husband, Wilhelm Ewert. When Leonhard died a year later the children were taken care of by Uncle Albert, Leonhard's brother who never married, and Frieda Ewert who came for a year from Kansas. A Mrs. Hiebert then took care of the children for several years. That didn't work out. Since the family had decided to stay together some arrangements needed to be made. Eva gave up high school in 1923 to run the household with Uncle Albert running the farm. By 1927 Eva was married, Alice was working at the John. L. Toevs family during her high school years. Marge was living with the Fugate family working for them while attending school. At that time Walter and Gertrude were taken to Kansas and they were taken care of by the Ewert relatives. At about that time Uncle Albert also moved to Kansas.When Walt reached high school age he came back to Aberdeen and lived with Pete and Eva and attended school here.
   Frieda and Elizabeth were in Aberdeen for the first family reunion in 1960 when all the Dirks children were together, for the first time since Arthur had been taken to Kansas as a baby. Frieda married John A. Bartel,becoming mother to his 3 children. She passed away Feb. 9, 1978. Elizabeth never married and died on Jan. 12, 1995 in Hillsboro, Kansas.
   Paul has more details in his Dirks History that he prepared for the reunion in South Fork, Colo. in July 1972.
   Leonhard and Minna were greatly loved and respected by the people in Aberdeen. He was selected to be Elder of the Emanual Church when Jacob Hege returned to Paso Robles, and he served there until his death. They donated land to the church west of their home. The church anniversary book mentions that they had delays in deeding over the land. Elmer researched that and found that in homesteading a farm under the Carey Act one of the requirements was producing a crop within a set time. Leonhard had to get water on the land so he could farm it and produce a crop after so many years. The canal was just being built at that time, with highline and lowline canals. Part of the farm was able to be watered out of the highline canal, but this west portion was just enough higher for gravity irrigation not to work. We know that Leonard was working with a pump company trying to arrange to bring water to the higher ground. However not enough farmers were interested in a major pumping project because it was so costly, and so it was dropped. This then made that part of the farm unable to produce a crop and Elmer felt that may have delayed meeting the requirements for proving-up on that portion of the farm, and securing the title. We in later years can only guess as to details.
   The location of their farm was at the west edge of irrigated land and the beginning of the dry farming area. In the late 1940s and early 1950s much of the land immediately west of their land and on out into the desert lands was put under wells and pumps and opened up to farming by sprinklers, and then the desert bloomed.
   Leonhard was elected to the school board as trustee for a total of 7 years. He served 2 3 year terms. He had won the election again in 1920. He was a talented singer and often sang in church. One of his favorite songs was "The Holy City" and my mother, Elsie Hunsinger Klempel,said no one sang it as well. As a young girl she would baby sit for the Dirks children and her father would not let her take any money for it as it was for the minister. My mom had nothing but high praises for both Leonhard and Minna. Minna wrote in mom's autograph book the following verse:
   Look at the flowers in lovely spring weather,
   How quietly they open to the sun their leaves,
   So open to God your heart; then you will receive
   Light and Life, and the quiet influence of all virtues.
   In friendly remembrance, Aberdeen, 29 of July 1912
   Your
   Minna Dirks nee Bartel
   With all the difficulties the children faced, each one to"make it or break" it on their own, they all became wonderful people and parents, and are all an example to later generations to do our very best too.
   CONT RESPECTED CITIZEN DIED MONDAY
   Mrs. Dirks Passes Away At American Falls Hospital After Illness of Nine Days
   On Monday April 19, death entered the home of Reverend Leonard Dirks taking with it to the Great Beyond Mrs. Dirks, who had been ill but nine days. Miss Minnie Bartel was born in West Prussia, January 8, 1878 and was married in Prussia to Rev, Leonard Dirks in 1904; coming to this community in 1906 where she had made her home since that time, making many friends, loved and respected by all who knew her. She was the mother of 10 children, 8 surviving, one of whom is a tiny infant but a few days old. Mrs. Dirks was a member of the Homestead Mennonite church of which Rev. Dirks is one of the pastors. Funeral services were held in the home at 2 p.m. and at the church at 2:30 p.m., Rev. John Toevs, Rev. E. J. Neuenschwander and Rev. A Friesen officiating. Interment was in the Mennonite cemetery. Rev. Dirks and his family have the sincere sympathy of the entire community in their sad bereavement.
   CARD OF THANKS
   We wish to extend our most cordial thanks to those kind friends who by their thoughtful aid and kindly sympathy did what they could to lighten our sorrow in the illness and death of our beloved wife and mother.
   Leonard Dirks and Family
    
   [Copied February 6, 1956 from The Aberdeen (Idaho) Times,issue of April 22, 1920, by John Beer]
    PROMINENT LOCAL CITIZEN PASSED AWAY FRIDAY
   Rev. Dirks Died Last Friday After Illness of Several Weeks. Buried Tuesday.
   Numerous friends sorrowed deeply last Friday when word went out that Reverend Leonard Dirks had passed to his last reward. Unusually sad is the death of Rev. Dirks in view of the fact that Mrs. Dirks passed way less than a year ago and now this second death leaves eight small children orphans.
   Leonard Dirks was born the son of David and Eva Dirks in West Prussia, Germany, in 1877. At the age of 15 years he became a member of the Mennonite church and in 1898 he journeyed to the Land of Freedom and made his home in Kansas, remaining there only a few months when he moved to Winnepeg, Manitoba. In 1904 he left Canada and returned to the land of his nativity and on the 23rd of July of that year he wedded Minnie Bartel. In 1906 they came to America and made their home in Idaho for their remaining years. Of this union ten children were born of whom only eight survive, Eva age 16, Alice 15, Herbert 13, Erna 12, Margaret 11, Walter 5, Gertrude 3, and Arthur born April 9, 1920. On the 19th of April 1920 Mrs. Dirks gave up her earthly burdens and passed away.
   Rev. Dirks was an active worker in his church, the Emanuel Mennonite, where he was ordained as minister in 1912 and as pastor in 1914 and continued in that capacity until his death. He was also a faithful school worker and for seven years he served on the board of the Aberdeen Consolidated school.
   Mr. Dirks was a patient sufferer, being afflicted with stomach trouble and on January 21st he contracted pneumonia but was seemingly on the way to recovery when on the 14th of February he became paralyzed on the right side. He remained in this state for four days passing to the God he served at 1 p.m. Friday, February 18th.
   Mr. Dirks leaves his children, one sister, Mrs. J. Ewert,of Hillsboro, Kansas, and one brother, Albert Dirks, who made his home with his brother.
   Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. at the home on February 22, and at 2 p.m. at the Emanuel Mennonite church. Beautiful floral offerings and numerous friends attending the funeral were testimonials of the esteem in which his friends held him. The services were in charge of Rev. John Toevs, Rev. Abraham Friesen and Rev. E. D. Schmidt.
   Miss Ewert, Rev. Dirks' niece, arrived here from Kansas last week and will be with the children for a time. Many homes have been opened to sympathy for the little ones, but while it is not yet definitely decided it is thought that Miss Ewert will take them back to Kansas.
   The bereaved family of Rev. Leonard Dirks and his congregation of the Emanuel Mennonite church wish to express through the Times their deep feeling of gratitude to those who ministered to him during his illness and to them when he had passed away and for the beautiful flowers by his friends.
   [Copied February 6, 1956 from The Aberdeen (Idaho) Times,issue of February 24, 1921, by John Heer.]
     Note: This is a transcribed or a scanned/recognized copy of the original communication. Quality or Certainty of Data: 2 Object: File: G:\`FAMHIST\Data\Dirks-Woods\Docs\Dirks\IsaakD_DirksHist-1995.pdf Format: pdf Title: 1995 Dirks family history supplement Date: 15 Dec 1995` Note: Dorothy Isaak letter December 15, 1995 to Arthur and Martha Dirks. This is a transcription of the original letter, which has been lost. Type: DOCUMENT Scrapbook: Y Primary or Preferred: Y. Citing: Quality or Certainty of Data: 2 Data: Text: 4. Helene 4-21-1867---died 2-21-1878 at age 10 yrs., 10 mo. from an inflammation of the brain--stroke. (accessed before 1 July 2013)

See also:

• Abbreviation: Dirks, Bob Title: Dirks, Robert G. (Kelowna, BC, Canada) Text: Submission to GRANDMA Project by Bob Dirks. Repository: #R85 Page: 2 May 2009
• Abbreviation: GRANDMA 6 Title: Genealogical Registry and Database of Mennonite Ancestry (GRANDMA) v. 6, California Mennonite Historical Society (Fresno, CA 2009)