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Friedrich and Louise were Roman Catholic and members of the parish at Meiste. They are buried at Meiste. Their children were:

FRIEDRICH HENKE

b.Ettingerhof; 13 Aug. 1877

d.Unknown

FRANZ HENKE

b.Ettingerhof; 19 Oct. 1879

d.Ettingerhof; 15 Nov. 1936

ANTON HENKE

b.Ettingerhof; 7 Oct. 1881

MARIA HENKE

b.Ettingerhof;

BERNARDINE HENKE

b.Ettingerhof; 13 Aug. 1887

JOSEF HENKE

b.Ettingerhof; 9 July 1889

PAUL HENKE

b. Ettingerhof; 30 June 1917

HERIBERT HENKE

b.Ettingerhof; 12 Mar. 1919

RUDOLF HENKE

b. Ettingerhof; 27 Aug. 1921

FRIEDRICH HENKE

b. Ettingerhof; 5 Mar. 1923

LIESELOTITE HENKE

b. Ettingerhof; 6 June 1924

WERNER HENKE

b.Ruethen; 20 Dec. 1927

FRANZ JOSEF HENKE

b.Ettingerhof, 4 July 1915

m.Meiste; 20 Sep. 1950 HELGA FALKE, daughter of Josef and Helene (Geiecke) Falke.

b.Krefeld; 7 June 1927

FRANZ JOSEF HENKE was the oldest son. He had his classical education at the secondary school (Gymnasium) of Brilon and graduated in 1933. After some time of training in agriculture, he has run the farming operation on Ettingerhof since his father's death in 1936. In 1941 (World War II) he was called to the Army (Anti-Aircraft) and came home again when the war was over in 1945. In 1950 he married HELGA FALKE from the Altenhof -- a farm near Fredeburg. They are the parents of four daughters:

ANNE HENKE

b.Paderbom; June 1951

d.1982

SIGRID HENKE

b.Paderborn; Aug. 1952

MARGRET HENKE

b. Paderborn July 1955

HELGA HENKE

b.Paderborn; Jan. 1957

****

MARGRET HENKE

b.Paderborn; July 1955

m.Ruethen; Aug. 1981 THEODOR UNTIEDT, son of Theodor and Gertrud (Buescher) Untiedt

b.Ahlen; Nov. 1955

MARGRET HENKE decided to be educated for taking over Ettingerhof from her father when grown up. She had her education at secondary school in Bueren, and after that attended agricultural classes in Soest, had practical training and gathered experience at different places besides home. She married THEODOR UNTIEDT in 1981, a farmer who himself will inherit a farm in Ahlen which up to now is still managed by his father in close cooperation with him. They have

one son:FRIEDRICH UNTIEDT

b.Lippstadt; Mar. 1982

****

Frederick Helle

FREDERICK HELLE was born in Ruethen in the Kingdom of Westphalia; a kingdom greatly influenced by Napoleon and the French occupation. For example, in his personal account, which appears later in this chapter, Frederick used the French term "Gendarmes" instead of "die polizei." The spirit of independence found in the citizens of cities of the former Hanseatic League still prevailed. The iridustrial Revolution had swept across Europe by the time of Frederick's birth in 1835, bringing rapid changes to the structured way of life which had prevailed for centuries. The sporadic Revolution of 1848, although a failure, opened the door to political ideas heretofore unknown. Citizens were briefly exposed to ideals of freedom and, more importantly, unity.

During the months of 1848 the middle classes recognized the need for better administration. Prussia developed an excellent administrative system but at the same time required strict obedience by the population. As a young adult, Frederick participated in some meetings of the democrats who "were considered dangerous subversives of society by both the conservatives and the liberals." The democrats wanted immediate and radical reform, the liberals wanted cautious constitutionalism and the conservatives -- nobility and aristocrats -- wanted no changes. The conservatives prevailed at this time.

Frederick was born into well respected upper middle class families but the untimely death of his father in 1852 would have changed the family's economic base. The bakery and inn were given to a leaseholder by Frederick's mother. Five years later, in 1857, Frederick left the town of his birth forever and immigrated to the United States of America.

The story of his life as Frederick told it to James K. P. White, the Prairie Rambler, follows.

A RAMBLER'S NOTES

Recopied from the Canton Weekly Register, Canton, Illinois, Thursday, May 12, 1904.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Helle, Sr., of Cass township, whose portraits are shown herewith, are early pioneers of Illinois, coming to the state about 50 years ago. They belong to that class of German - American citizens of whom we have reason to be proud, on account of the example they present of industry and good citizenship.

This happy couple, although living alone -- their children, with one exception, being married and settled in homes of their own -- find much to enjoy in life. One of their greatest pleasures is to converse with an interested listener regarding their early life in Germany and their voyage across the water to America.

The wild tract of land on which they settled when they first came to Cass township was heavily timbered, but they have cleared it all off and now have a well-improved farm and one of the most elegant and comfortable homes in Central Fulton.

Mr. Helle was reared and educated in Germany, being 22 years of age when he left the "Fatherland" and sailed for the new world. He was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in June, 1835, and is of German parentage both on his father's and on his mother's side.

When he reached his majority he began to make arrangements to come to America, but the government interfered and the authorities tried to force him to enter the army and serve the four years required of every able - bodied citizen of the German empire. In a conversation relative to the matter he finally said: "If I want to go to America, the king of Prussia and all his army can not stop me." This was considered a direct insult to his majesty, the king, and his army, and disrespect for the government.

"The gendarmes were sent to arrest me," said Mr. Helle, "and I determined to flee to America. In fact, I was arrested three different times, but with the assistance of a friend, Frederick Bush, the government emigration agent, I eluded the police and was hidden away among some boxes, and was soon on my way to a country where the freedom of speech is not prohibited by law.

"The incidents of the voyage from Germany to New Orleans are well remembered, for several attempts were made to arrest me while on shipboard. Had they succeeded in getting me I would have had four years in a military prison.

"I landed in New Orleans in 1857, with about $90 in my pocket, and came from there to St. Louis, where I worked two months. I went to Chicago from St. Louis, and worked at the baker's trade for 10 months, and worked through harvest near Bloomington in 1858 for 50 cents a day. From Bloomington I went to Peoria and worked on a construction train on the Peoria and Oquawka railroad (now the C., B. & Q.) but did not get my pay. I finally sold my account of $31 for $3, and came to Canton in November, 1858, and secured a job in George Nagel's bakery at $8 a month.

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