The "New Page"

I think I didn't give you these two before.  They are from the book

Schaumburger Auswanderer  1820-1940
by Heinrich Rieckenberg

Schaumburg refers to the principality of Schaumburg-Lippe

1.  Conrad Wilhelm Begemann from the village of Hessich Oldendorf,
    occupation Nagelschmied [nail smith], single, without property
    Emigrated in 1861 to Prussia [probably Westphalia]

2.  Heinrich Begemann from the village of Rosenthal, occupation shoemaker
    Emigrated to America 22 May 1858

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I am researching my Grandmothers family in Indiana, in Knox County, and Sulivan Co., My Greatgrandfather Frederick W. Begemann was born in Indiana in 1850, his parents were from Prussia according to the 1880 census, he married Melissa Jane Bedwell, 28 Oct, 1875, according to her diary, and they moved to freedlandville, in Knox Co., were a large German population had settled around 1850, and I assume his parents were from there as well, he died in Mo., and Mellisa moved back to Indiana with her three children, the oldest my grandmother Stella Rose Begemann, often spelled Begerman, as on her marriage certificate, Mellisa married Valentine Vest, whose late wife was Caroline Begemann, and there may be a connection there as well. Any info you may have on this side of the family would greatly be appreciated as i have not been able to locate who Fredericks parents were, and any info you would like I will send.

It's Peter again from Cuxhaven, Cuxhaven is truly a German city. If you have a map of Germany or Europe around, look at the northern part of Germany, you'll find the river ELBE, one of the largest and longest streams in Europe. Right at the mounth Cuxhaven is located. On less detailed maps you may not find it, the population ist just approx. 60,000.

Cuxhaven itself was founded about 1100 by a gang of robbers, pirates and thieves, who shanghayed the sailing ships going up the river Elbe towards Hamburg, which at that time was already a major trading point in Europe. The time came, when the mayor of Hamburg got sick the those gangster at Cuxhaven, they sent their city army and conquered Cuxhaven in 1392 and only in 1937, as we sarcasticly say, we where freed and got our own "city rights". There still today some animosities between Cuxhaven and Hamburg, yet we were "occupied" for almost 600 years!

Now to the Begemann's (or Begeman's). When I said, my father did his reasearch in the 30th, I mean between 1935 and 1939, before he went to this unholy war and never came back. Unfortunaley all papers got lost or went astray because our two houses were burned out completely.

I haven't done very much in this direction, except asking older relatives about this or that. Collecting a few things here and there. But I promised myself, once I am on pension, I'll do a better job. I have been once the the village of BEGA, which is to be said the homestead of all MEN of BEGA, as they were called at that time. Here in Germany we have a few different opinions about the origin of Begemann, prevailing, however is the story of Bega, as peaople tell and report,in previous times a rather fortified little village, the people of which emptied the pockets of by-passing travellers on one of the major routes through Westphalia, which still excists today, now know as route 66, and believe this is not a b.s. story, it is really 66.

The country of Westphalia was always governed by dukes and earls who treated the people badly, this is one of the reasons for the exodus to America. It is not located in the Rhine vally as I read somewhere, rather in a slightly mountenous region, known as the district of Lippe-Detmold. Bega is right in the center on the river of BEGA. And here you have another connection to the name. In ancient German the word for river is Beghe, to which our name could be related, as for instance the "men from the river or riverside"!

Now, my friend, I'll be going on pension on Oct. 1st this year and I hope, my wish comes true. Anyhow, I shall keep you informed and should I come across any other interesting infomation, I certainly shall write to you. For the time being,

I met Paul Begeman at our 50th reunion at Purdue University. We have been in contact since. He gave me your web site address. We are trying to find out how we are related.

I visited the Begeman cemetery a couple of days ago. It is all mowed and there is a mowed path back to it. I found William, Heinrich (my great grandfather), Sophie (Sander), and J Conrad, along with my grandfather Carl and several of my aunts and uncles. Several of the stones could not be read at least with the mosquitos biteing. My father was Henry August Begeman buried in Sandborn cemetry. As soon as we get things strighten out I`ll sent you what I have.

How to get to the Begeman cemetery. There is a road going due North, a little West of the junction of Ind 67 and Ind 58 (center of Westphaila,Ind). This road goes past the old German church (United Church of Christ). It dead ends in a T. Go left (West) 1/2 mile to a lane back to a house (is was for sale). Park in front of the house, and walk North for about 1/8 of a mile, turning West of the hedgerow. The cemetery is in the middle of the field about a 100yds West of the fence row. It is mowed and has a few trees around the perimeter, and a sign Begeman cemetery.

A Short History of Begeman Name
© 1998 Herbert Begemann D-63477 Maintal    h.begemann@scd.de
The german surname Begeman or Begemann is first mentioned in a document of 1465 
(Cloister of  MÖllenbeck, near Rinteln/Weser): 
        Godeke Beghemann    from Betzen (that is a burg in Lippe Province) 
        die Beghemannsche     that means: widow of a man named Beghemann

Equivalent names in the same region are: 

        in the middle-age      Beghe (burg)        and         Beghe (river) 
        in modern times        Bega                                   Bega

About 500 years ago Begemann was not the name of a certain family but the name of a certain place of residence ("Wohnstätte"). You lost the name by leaving the place or accepted the name by moving to it. Therefore the same surname is not a proof of family relationship.

        As burgs of those "Wohnstätten" are known in the 16 th century: 

        name in old times                          name in present time (or part of it) 
        (modern spelling) 

        Salzuflen                                    Bad Salzuflen 
        Wüsten                                       Bad Salzuflen 
        Voßhagen                                     Bad Salzuflen 
        Hollwiesen                                   Vlotho 
        Lemgo                                        Lemgo 
        Schwelentrup                                 Dörentrup 
        Humfeld                                      Dörentrup 
        Betzen                                       Dörentrup 
        Asmissen                                     Extertal 
        Alverdissen                                  Extertal 
        Bösingfeld                                   Extertal 
        Schönhagen                                   Extertal 
        Niese                                        Schieder-Schwalenberg

Nearly all these places were under the influence of the Grafschaft Sternberg. The castle of Sternberg still exists 2 miles from Bega on the Bega River. Later on the Grafschaft Sternberg became part of the Fürstentum Lippe (in present time: Kreis Lippe).

All Begemann or Begeman outside the Lippe Province have their roots in the Grafschaft Sternberg. Most of them left their homeland under bad oeconomic conditions. The main destinations were North-West Germany, the Netherlands (Friesland) and Nothern America.

References:                        Lippische Landesbibliothek Detmold 
                                   Deutsche Bibliothek Frankfurt/Main 
                                   Nordrhein-Westfälisches Staatsarchiv Detmold