Family history post:
My Great GrandUncle, John Wabbena, was born 153 years ago this weekend. John was the second known child born to Jaus and Amke (Sterrenberg) Wubbena. The surname spelling goes back and forth a lot, document to document.
John's parents, Jaus and Amke, were married in July of 1868, then jumped on a ship and came to the United States, arriving on September 7, 1868 (along with Amke’s widowed mother, and four of Amke’s Sterrenberg siblings). The ship’s manifest states their destination was Illinois (two more of Amke's brothers had been living in Minonk, IL for 2 years and sent for the rest of the family). We know their first born (my Great Grandmother, Katie) was born in Minonk in 1869. Their location in the 1870 census is still a mystery, and then John was born in 1872 in Kansas. His mother Amke, died in Labette KS, the following year. His father never remarried, as far as I can tell.
It’s unknown why the family went to Kansas, or for how long… but in looking into the history of Labette County, the railroad had just been completed in 1870 in that area... and there was a serial killer family in the county from 1871-1873. Yikes!
By 1880, the Wabbena family was back in Illinois, and living in Danforth. At the time of the census, John’s father was the head of household, but there were others living with them. John’s uncle (his mother’s brother) and grandmother (his mother’s mother) were living there as well. In addition, there was one more person living there… an “Alvert G.”... and I can’t make out the last name. He is listed as a “servant” and worked on the farm.
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| 1880 Census, Danforth IL |
John married Jennie Matilda Johnson in Livingston County, IL, in 1898. They had five known children, one died in infancy. In the 1900 census, John is listed as a Saloon Keeper. In the 1910 and 1920 censuses, he’s listed as the Village Marshal. His obituary states that he was the Village Marshal (of Danforth) for 20 years.
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| old postcard from Danforth IL |
In the 1930 census, John wasn’t working anymore. He owned his home, and it’s value was given as $3,000. The family owned a radio, and lived on Jefferson Street in Danforth. No house number is given. Three grown daughters were still living at home, and were all public school teachers.
John passed away on March 22, 1938, at the age of 66. He is buried beside his wife (who had passed two years earlier) in the Danforth Cemetery.
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| John Wabbena obituary, 1938 |
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| John Wabbena gravestone, Danforth Cemetery |
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