3-7
Haven Hill Cemetery, Olney Illinois
by Thomas Allen Bohnstedt, California USA
(the text of this page is my intellectual property. Please do not copy and repost without my written permission)
Haven Hill Cemetery, Olney Illinois. Picture provided by Lois Branch
Haven Hill Cemetery, near Olney Illinois, must have the largest concentrations of Bohnstedt grave sites, if not in the world, at te very least, in the United States. Olney Illinois is where Johann Carl Christian Bohnstedt and his large family settled after leaving Ohio. Although some of Johann Carl Christian and Mary Bohnstedt's descendants moved on to other areas of the American continent, many of them stayed in and near Olney and consequently were buried there when they died.
Haven Hill Cemetery, Olney Illinois. Picture provided by Lois BranchHaven Hill contains the graves of Carl and Dorothea Bohnstedt, as well as several of their descendants. In 1977 Duane "Sparky" Bohnstedt discovered a document or publication in the Burton Historical Collection of the Detroit Library called Cemetery Inscriptions, Richland County by Barbara J. Craddock, 1969.
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1. Grave marker of Johann Carl Christian Bohnstedt Sr., the ancestor of the majority of the Bohnstedts in America. Photo by Kathy Hursta
2. Grave marker of Dorothea Fritze, Johann Carl Christian's wife. Photo by Kathy Hursta
3. Grave marker of Johann Heinrich Christoph "Henry" Bohnstedt, Carl and Dorothea's son who died in the Civil War. Photo by Kathy Hursta
4. Johann Heinrich Bohnstedt's grave marker with contrast enhanced. The name on the marker actually reads "Henry C. Bohnstedt"
According to Sparky, page 12 listed nineteen (19) Bohnstedts buried in Haven Hill Cemetery in Olney, Illinois. The names which have been positively identified in this list as being related to descendants of Carl and Dorothea Bohnstedt are hyperlinked to their appropriate family tables:
Section A
1. Bohnstedt, Charles C. born July 11, 1800 in Braunschweig, Germany, died Sept. 1875...
2. Bohnstedt, Dorathe A. born Febr. 6 1809 in Meitzendorf, Germany. Died 14 Febr., 1894.
3. Bohnstedt, Frankie A. born 1877-died 1882
4. Bohnstedt, Harry born - died April 29, 1967
5. Bohnstedt, Henry C. born Dec. 13, 1845 died 20 August, 1864...
6. Bohnstedt, John H. born Jan. 7, 1875 - died May 8, 1944
7. Bohnstedt, Margaret born 1849 - died 1929
8. Bohnstedt, Milla P. born 1891 - died 1891
9. Bohnstedt, Minnie born 1881 - died 1881
10. Bohnstedt, Ollie born 1880 - died Jan. 12, 1882
11. Bohnstedt, William born 1849 - died 1924
12. Bohnstedt, Willie born - died Sept 26, 1895, was 7 yrs., 8 mo., 23 days old. son of Wm. and M.Section B
13. Bohnstedt, Charles C. born 1829 - died 1915
14. Bohnstedt, Mary Ann born 1835 - died 1932
15. Bohnstedt, Mary Ann born 1860 - 1881...Section H
16. Bohnstedt, Harold A. born - died July 10, 1967
17. Bohnstedt, Harriet Mae born 1871 - died 1934
18. Bohnstedt, William F. born 1867 - died 1949Section D (Military)
19. Bohnstedt, Charles E. born - died Febr. 21, 1940...
1. Grave marker of Johann Carl Christian Bohnstedt II, Mary Ann (Cappel) Bohnstedt, and daughter Mary Ann Bohnstedt. Photo by Kathy Hursta
2. Grave marker of Ann Bohnstedt, the first wife of Ludwig "Lewis" Bohnstedt in Richland Cemetery. The smaller marker on the right is for Anna's baby daughter. The marker is worn off, but we believe that Anna and baby both died during delivery, or the baby died soon after and was then, buried with Anna.Another Bohnstedt was found in Richland Cemetery, south of Olney and Parkersburg, Illinois.
Bohnstedt, Ann born April 31, 1855 - died May 1, 1878...
It was later discovered that this "Ann Bohnstedt" was in fact the daughter of Daniel Poff and Marian Poff, and was the first wife of Ludwig "Lewis" Bohnstedt. Next to Anna's graver marker is a smaller stone. According to Lois Branch this stone was placed for Anna's infant, who was buried with her. The baby's marker is either worn off completely, or never had an inscription. We believe Anna died during childbirth. The baby most likely died during delivery, or shortly after. So far no record of death has been found for this baby.
1. Grave marker of William Frederick Bohnstedt in Haven Hill Cemetery. Photo by Jim Michels
2. Grave marker of Harriet Mae "Hattie" Bohnstedt, wife of William Frederick Bohnstedt in Haven Hill Cemetery. Photo by Jim Michels
Most of these Bohnstedts in Haven Hill Cemetery have been positively identified as having been descended from, or in some way related to, Carl and Dorothea Bohnstedt. However, there were four for whom no information is available to establish a relationship. These were:
Bohnstedt, Frankie A. born 1877-died 1882
Bohnstedt, Ollie born 1880 - died Jan. 12, 1882
Bohnstedt, Minnie born 1881 - died 1881
Bohnstedt, Milla P. born 1891 - died 1891Even though I don't have sufficient evidence to prove it, I do believe with certainty that these four individuals must have been descendants of Carl and Dorothea Bohnstedt. There simply was not any other Bohnstedt family in, or anywhere near, Olney Illinois at that time; just Carl and Dorothea and their descendants. I decided to try and figure out, through process of elimination, to which Bohnstedt families these "lost" Bohnstedt children might have belonged. My criteria (1) Living in or near Olney Illinois when these children were born, so that they showed up on census records, and (2) significant gaps in the children, by which I mean, a time gap between one child and another where a birth should have occurred, but so far none is known about. There are four sons of Johann Carl Christian and Dorothea Bohnstedt whose families fit the criteria I've listed here.
1. Grave marker of Charles E. Bohnstedt, son of William Frederick and Harriet Mae Bohnstedt in Haven Hill Cemetery. Photo by Kathy Hursta.
2. Grave marker of Byron V. Bohnstedt, son of William Frederick and Harriet Mae Bohnstedt in Haven Hill Cemetery. Photo by Kathy Hursta.
3. Grave marker of Harold A. and Pearl Bohnstedt, son of William Frederick and Harriet Mae Bohnstedt in Haven Hill Cemetery. Photo by Kathy Hursta. In this case Pearl's year of birth might be incorrect; her death certificate says "1903".The first candidate family is that of Johann Carl Christian Bohnstedt II and his wife, Mary Ann. According to a court record from Olney, Illinois, Harry George Bohnstedt was referred to as the "12th" child, but we know of only nine children, including Harry. But there is a significant time gap between Harry, born 1879 and his older sister, Kate, born 1876. There was probably a child born in that three-year gap who did not reach adulthood. That child could have been Frankie. This would bring the count of children up to ten. We could also add Ollie and Minnie to this list, after Harry George was born. This would bring the count to twelve. However, if the document referring to Harry as the "12th" child was produced at the time of this birth, Ollie and Minnie would still not account for the other two missing children. There is also another significant gap between Minnie (born 1871) and Kate (born 1876). There is room enough for two more children. There is a problem with adding the lost child Minnie into this structure: there was already a Minnie, born in1871 and still alive when "lost" Minnie was born in 1881.
A revised family table for the family of Johann Carl Christian Bohnstedt II with Frankie, Ollie and Minnie added in would look like this:
1. Amelia (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1856, Dec 29, Olney, Illinois / d: 1942
2. Elizabeth Christine (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1858, May 8, Olney, Illinois / d: 1931
3. Mary Ann (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1860, Olney, Illinois / d: 1881
4. Theodore "Dick" (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1862, Aug 10, Olney, Illinois / d: 1926
5. William Frederick (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1867, Feb 28, Olney, Illinois / d: 1949
6. Sarah Margaret (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1869, Jul 4, Olney, Illinois / d: 1954
7. Minnie (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1871, Aug 20, Olney, Illinois / d: 1929
8. Katherine "Kate" (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1876, Jul 19, Olney, Illinois / d: 1931
9. Frankie A. (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1877, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
10. Harry George (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1879, Nov 12, Olney, Illinois / d: 1967
11. Ollie (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1880, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
12. Minnie (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1881, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1881(1880 and 1900 census records shows this family in Olney, Illinois)
The second candidate family is that of Johann Christian Friedrich Bohnstedt. As we currently know it, Frederick's family table does allow room for a child, Frankie, between Christian (1874) and a male baby who probably died in infancy in 1879. It's also possible that the baby boy could have actually been Ollie.
m1:
1. William Henry (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1857, Illinois / d: 1936
2. Amanda Louise (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: c.1859, Illinois / d: 1941
3. Samuel (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1860, Illinois / d: probably before 1870
4. Danial B. (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: c.1862, Illinois / d: 1933
5. Ada Bell "Addie" (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1864, Mar 23, Olney, Illinois / d: 1949
6. Lillian Dale (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1866, Nov 23, Illinois / d: 1905
7. Mary A. (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: c.1868, Illinois / d: 1911
8. Harrison (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: c.1870, Illinois / d: probably before 1880
m2:
9. Christian Frederick (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1874, Illinois
10. Frankie A. (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1877, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
11. baby boy (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: c.1879
12. Ollie (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1880, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882(1800 census shows family in Olney, but 1900 census shows JCF Bohnstedt, with son, Christian (27 years old) living with daughter of JCF Bohnstedt, Amanda Miller, in Laramie Wyoming. Without the 1890 census it is difficult to know whether it was possible for Frankie to have been a child of JCF Bohnstedt)
The third candidate family is that of Georg August Heinrich Gottlieb "James" Bohnstedt and his wife Elisabeth. Beginning in 1880 this family appears in census records in Madison township, Richland County, Illinois. There is no noticeable "town" to speak of in this area, which means that if one of James and Elisabeth's children died he/she might still have been buried in Haven Hill Cemetery. Currently, what we know of James's and Elisabeth's family is that they had seven children. There was a substantial gap between Isaac Carl Bohnstedt (born 1874) and Margaret (born 1881). Frankie and Ollie can easily be placed in this gap, especially Frankie. Milla could also have been added at the end of this list, bring the total count of children to ten. However, this would create another substantial time gap between Minnie and Florence.
An adjusted family table for Georg August Heinrich Gottlieb "James" Bohnstedt and Elisabeth with Frankie, Ollie and Milla added in would look like this:
1. Samantha (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1866, Jan 18, Illinois / d: 1929
2. Albert Godlieb (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1868, Illinois / d: 1929
3. Alfred J. (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1868, Illinois / d: 1934
4. Lydia May "Liddie" (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1872, Jan, Illinois / / d: 1941
5. Isaac Carl Sylvester (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1874, Apr 10, Illinois / d: 1959
6. Frankie A. (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1877, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
7. Ollie (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1880, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
8. Margaret Genevieve (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1881, Jan 15, Illinois / d: 1960, Indiana
9. Florence Ida (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1885, Sep 19, Illinois / d: 1946
10. Milla P. (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1891, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1891(1880 and 1900 census for Madison, Richland County Illinois, shows Family of GAHG Bohnstedt, close enough to Olney)
The fourth candidate family, that of William and Maggie Bohnstedt, is my favorite, and the one I happen to think is most likely. First, we know that, based on census records from 1880 and 1900, that William and Maggie were living in Olney at least until 1900. Second, The only children from William and Maggie that we currently know about were John Henry, Edward Harrison, Walter Scott, William "Willie", and Charles Christopher; five children. This is contrary to the typically large families of that era (prior to contraception) when married couples had anywhere from nine to twelve children (assuming that the mother was able to survive giving birth that many times). There are significant time gaps between the birth of some of these children. The four "lost" children fit into these gaps very comfortably, and bring the number of children born to William and Maggie to nine. There is a third factor which is hardly conclusive, but interesting nonetheless. William and Maggie's known fourth child, William, (who also died at the young age of seven years), had the nickname "Willie". Its likely that the names Frankie, Ollie, Minnie and Milla were also nicknames, the kind of nicknames given to children, perhaps given by William and Maggie. Finally, this is the only family in which Milla can be added in without creating another large time gap between her and the previous oldest child; Charles Christopher.
An adjusted family table for William and Maggie, with these four children added in, would look like this:
1. John Henry (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1875, Jan 7, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1944
2. Frankie A. (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1877, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
3. Edward Harrison (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1878, May 4, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1950
4. Ollie (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1880, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1882
5. Minnie (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1881, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1881
6. Walter Scott (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1884, Mar 16, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1964, Illinois
7. William "Willie" (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1888, Sep 26, Probably Olney, Illinois / d: 1895, Illinois
8. Charles Christopher (Bohnstedt) / M, bn: 1889, Oct 3. Probably Olney,, Illinois / d: 1970, Rockford Illinois
9. Milla P. (Bohnstedt) / F, bn: 1891, Probably Olney, Richland County, Illinois / d: 1891(1880 and 1900 census for Olney Illinois shows family of William Bohnstedt)
Because these children died so young they appear on no U.S. census records, which were taken every 10 years. Ollie could have been born after the 1880 census was taken in Richland County. Minnie was born in 1881 - after the census was taken - and died the same year. Likewise, Milla was born in 1891 - after the 1890 census was taken - and died the same year. The one census in which one of the children SHOULD have appeared was the 1880 census; if Frankie was born in 1877, and died in 1882, he should have appeared on a census record somewhere in Richland County in 1880, but for some reason, he does not. On the other hand, I can't find Frankie in any other 1880 census with any other family either, suggesting that Frankie's date of death (1882) may be incorrect. I do not have photographs of records or a grave marker to verify this date, so there is nothing to establish the 1882 date of death as correct.
1. Grave marker of William and Maggie Bohnstedt, with a seperate stone for father (William) and mother (Maggie) on either side. Photo by Jim Michels
2. Grave marker of John Henry Bohnstedt, son of William and Maggie Bohnstedt in Haven Hill Cemetery. Photo by Jim Michels
See Also:
3-8 / The Descendants of Theodore Bohnstedt in Nebraska
3-29 / Genealogy 3-3-1: America; Illinois and Nebraska
3-35 / Genealogy 3-3-7: America; Wilhelm Bohnstedt in Illinois
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