Arend Vinkenvleugel - Finkenflügel and his Prussian family, what is (un)known

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Vinkenvleugel Finkenflugel

Arend Vinkenvleugel was born on 22 January, 1789 on Het Beggelder, the son of Hermanes Vinkenvleugel and Hendrina Oostendorp. He was baptised 3 days later, on 25 January, 1789 in Dinxperlo^[1].

He died December 22, 1849 in Breedenbroek, Gendringen, Gelderland, Netherlands, listed as Arnold Finkenflügel.^[2]

He should not be confused with his double first cousin, Arend Vinkenvleugel, son of Alexander/Zander Vinkenvleugel and Anna Catharina Oostendorp, who was born 24 September, 1786, baptised on October 1, 1786 with Manes (Hermanes?) Vinkenvleugel and Maria Bussink as witnesses/godparents. This older Arend Vinkenvleugel was married to Elisabeth Hermens, and died on January 25, 1846 in Dinxperlo.^{[3] [4]}

He was married to Anna Sophia Raasch, who was born in Nessin near Kohlberg in Pommeren, Prussia. These places are nowadays known as Nieżyn and Kołobrzeg in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. From this marriage, 6 children are known^[5]:

1. Theodora Vinkenvleugel
2. Johann Martin Jacob Finkenflügel
3. Frederik Vinkenvleugel
4. Karel Vinkenvleugel
5. Carolina Maria Frederica Finkenflügel
6. Bernardus Vinkenvleugel ("zich noemende en schrijven Finkenflügel")

Of these children, only Bernardus was born in Dinxperlo.

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Johann Martin Jacob Finkenflugel is listed in about a dozen different records. Of those, I've collected 6 different ways to write his name. The Vinkenvleugel family that Arend is part of lived in the area bordering the Netherlands with Prussia/Germany, frequently baptised their children across the border at the St Michael church in Suderwick, just metres away from the Dutch/Prussian border with Dinxperlo. On his daughter Johanna's birth record, Johann's surname is recorded as "Finkenflugel". He was able to sign it himself, and the name looks as "Finkenflugel", though there appears a single dot above the 'g' near the end. Was he trying to sign the name as "Finkenflügel"?

On records, Johann's children usually show up as Finkenflügel/Finkenflugel, while his brother Bernard is listed as Vinkenvleugel (as are Bernard's children). Johanna's son Bernadus Huls marries Johanna Aleida Vinkenvleugel, Bernard Vinkenvleugel's granddaughter, bringing both the Finkenflügel and Vinkenvleugel branches back together: although their surnames are spelled differently, they are both part of the same family.

Of note here is that Bernard's marriage record attachments states that while he was named Bernardus Vinkenvleugel, he called himself (and wrote it too) as Bernardus Finkenflügel, like his siblings.^[6]

It is likely Johann's birth record is to be located in the church records near modern day Kołobrzeg, Poland.

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Hypothesis: Johann's father, Arend Vinkenvleugel, was conscripted in one of the regiments for the Grande Armée; he deserted somewhere near Kołobrzeg, either for the Siege of 1807, or on the way to/from Russia.

Current evidence in this direction:

1. The surname Raasch does appear a few times around 1790 in Kolberg in church registers.^[7]
2. There is few, if any, other reasons for Arend to make it all the way to Pommeren. Within the area, as well as within the family, people married within the community. Arend is one of the first to leave the comfort of marrying within the community. Emigrating to Pommeren around 1814 is not likely. Nor is emigrating and returning around 1830 and continuing the family line in the surroundings of Arend's birth area.

Current search tracts:
- Looking through French records regarding conscription/enlistment in the Grande Armée for the names Vinkenvleugel, Man(n)eszoon and variations thereof.
- Searching church records around Nessin and Kolberg for mentions of the Vinkenvleugel/Finkenflügel & Raasch family.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "DTB Dopen (Church records baptisms)"
   Gelders Archief, Collection: Dinxperlo, Archive: 0176, Inventory number: 473, Folio: 162
   OpenArch Record (accessed 7 September 2023)
   Gelders Archief Record
   Arend Vinkenvleugel baptism on 25 Jan 1789 in Arnhem, Nederland.
2. ↑ Death: "BS Overlijden (Civil registration deaths)"
   Gelders Archief, Collection: Burgerlijke stand Gelderland, dubbelen, Archive: 0207, Inventory number: 4680, Record number: 104, Book: Gendringen
   OpenArch Record (accessed 7 September 2023)
   Gelders Archief Record
   Arnold Finkenflügel death 22 Dec 1849, son of Hermanus Finkenflügel & Hendrina Oostendorp, husband of Sophia Raasch, in Breedenbroek (Oude IJsselstreek), Nederland.
3. ↑ Baptism: "DTB Dopen (Church records baptisms)"
   Gelders Archief, Collection: Dinxperlo, Archive: 0176, Inventory number: 473, Folio: 137
   OpenArch Record (accessed 7 September 2023)
   Gelders Archief Record
   Maria Bussink baptism on 1 Oct 1786 in Arnhem, Nederland.
4. ↑ Death: "BS Overlijden (Civil registration deaths)"
   Gelders Archief, Collection: Burgerlijke stand Gelderland, dubbelen, Archive: 0207, Inventory number: 5714.10, Record number: 3, Book: Dinxperlo, Overlijdensregister
   OpenArch Record (accessed 7 September 2023)
   Gelders Archief Record
   Arend Vinkenvleugel death 25 Jan 1846, son of Alexander Vinkenvleugel & Catharina Oostendorp, in Dinxperlo, Nederland.
5. ↑ Population Register: "Bevolkingsregister Dinxperlo deel 2. Gemeente Dinxperlo, 1830-1838"
   Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers, Collection: 02, Archive: 0521, Inventory number: 792, Folio: 163
   OpenArch Record (accessed 6 September 2023)
   Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers Record
   Arend Vinkenvleugel, age 42, born in Dinxperlo, Nederland. Sophia Raessen, age 40, born in Nessin near Kolberg in Prussia. Johan Vinkenvleugel, age 12, born in Nessin near Kolberg in Prussia. Bernardus Vinkenvleugel, age 3/4 year, born in Dinxperlo, Nederland. It further states that the family moved "from Nessin near Kohlberg in August 1831", and then moved away from Dinxperlo again: "left to Gendringen in 1834".
6. ↑ Marriage: "BS Huwelijk (Civil registration marriages)"
   Gelders Archief, Collection: Burgerlijke stand Gelderland, dubbelen, Archive: 0207, Inventory number: 4746, Record number: 9, Book: Gendringen
   OpenArch Record (accessed 7 September 2023)
   Gelders Archief Record
   Bernardus Vinkenvleugel (28) marriage to Aleida Baten (29) on 25 Feb 1862 in Gendringen, Nederland.
   Specifically, see the marriage attachments
7. ↑ Geneteka, Polish church records; accessed 2023-09-07