BIRTH 1 JUNE 1878 • Friedenstal, Bessarabia Russia
DEATH 11 OCTOBER 1950 • Tacoma, Pierce, Washington
(Father: Alois Winkler- Russia. Father is also listed as Raphael) (Mother: Margaretha “Mary” Schenkel- Russia)
Rosina “Rose” Englehardt
BIRTH 21 DEC 1888 • Hoffnungstal, Bessarabia South, Russia
DEATH 19 MAR 1927 • Pasco, Franklin, Washington, United States
(Father: Fredrich Englehardt- Russia) (Suggested Mother: Eva Christina Boettcher- Ukraine)
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George and Rosina’s Children
- Oscar 1906-1983
- Charles “Carl” 1908-1992
- Emma 1910-1921
- Albert Fredrick 1912-1991
- John “Johnny” 1914-2003
- Herbert Alfred 1916-1998
- Benjamin Hugo “Bennie” 1918-2000
- Edward William 1922-1996
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The Bessarabia Germans (German: Bessarabiendeutsche, Romanian: Germani basarabeni, Ukrainian: Бессарабські німці) were an ethnic group who lived in Bessarabia (today part of the Republic of Moldova and south-western Ukraine) between 1814 and 1940.
From 1814 to 1842, 9,000 of them immigrated from the German areas Baden, Württemberg, Bavaria, some Prussian areas of modern-day Poland, and Alsace, France, to the Russian Governorate of Bessarabia at the Black Sea. The area, bordering the Black Sea, was part of the Russian Empire, in the form of Novorossiya; it later became the Bessarabia Governorate.
Throughout their 125-year history, the Bessarabia Germans were an overwhelmingly rural population. Until their moving to the Greater Germany (Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact), they were a minority consisting of 93,000 people who made up some 3% of the population. They were distinguished from the Black Sea Germans who settled to the east of Odesa, and from the Dobrujan Germans in Dobruja.
The most prominent person of Bessarabian German ancestry is the former German President Horst Köhler. Before emigrating in 1940, his parents lived in the German colony of Rîșcani in northern Bessarabia, being later on moved to Poland, which was by that time occupied by Germany, where Köhler was born. (found on Wikipedia)
~~1900~~
~George and Rosina were Married on February 4, 1906. Unfortunately, there was no image. If you are ever up in Alberta Canada, you may be able to get this certificate for a small fee. *Update found the certificate thanks to Bonnie Winkler Kniveton*
| Name: | Rosina Engelhardt |
|---|---|
| Gender: | Female |
| Marriage Date: | 1906 |
| Marriage Place: | Josephsburg, Alberta, Canada |
| Spouse: | George Winkler |
| Certificate Number: | 41 |
~~1910~~
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~1911 Census of Alberta Canada
George and Rosina “Rose” Winkler are living in Alberta Canada with their children. Oscar 5, Charles “Charlie” 3, and Anise [sic] “Emma” 1-year-old were all born in Elkwater, Alberta Canada. George immigrated in 1905 and was naturalized in 1910. Rosie immigrated in 1897 and was not naturalized as of 1911. The family’s Race or Tribe is listed as German. Their religion is listed as Lutheran. George is a farmer and Rose is keeping home. Both George and Rose can read and write and their language is German.
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~1913~
George 35, Rosie 26, Oscar 6, Charles 5, and Emily (Emma)3 years old. The bottom image is the family’s 1913 application for admission into the United States from Canada at the Port of Eastport Idaho. They do not have friends or relatives living at their destination of Wheeler, Washington. I always wonder who or what made people migrate to certain areas. It was possible it was for the farming opportunities. What made them pick Wheeler over Moses Lake? The photo above is a stock image of the Us/Canada border.
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~~1920~~
1920 Census. The family has added three more kids after moving to Washington, John, Herbert, and Benjamin. They are still living in Wheeler (Grant County) and George is a farm laborer.
| First, Last Name | Relation | Age | Year Imm. | Naturalized | At Sch. | Can Read | Can Write | Birth Place | Tongue | Fathers Birthplace | Fathers Tongue | Mothers Birthplace | Mothers Tongue | Speaks English | Occupation | Industry |
| Winkler, George | Head | 41 | 1900 | Papers | Yes | Yes | Russia | German | Russia | German | Russia | German | Yes | Farm Laborer | Farming | |
| Rosa | Wife | 31 | 1898 | No Papers | No | NO | Russia | German | Russia | German | Russia | German | Yes | None | ||
| Oscar | Son | 14 | 1914 | Alien | Yes | Yes | Yes | Canada | German | Russia | German | Russia | German | |||
| Charley | Son | 11 | 1914 | Alien | Yes | Yes | Yes | Canada | German | Russia | German | Russia | German | |||
| Emma | Dau | 9 | 1914 | Alien | Yes | Yes | Yes | Canada | German | Russia | German | Russia | German | |||
| Albert | Son | 7 | 1914 | Alien | Yes | Canada | German | Russia | German | Russia | German | |||||
| John | Son | 5 | Washington | Russia | German | Russia | German | |||||||||
| Herbert | Son | 3 3/12 | Washington | Russia | German | Russia | German | |||||||||
| Bennie | Son | 5/12 | Washington | Russia | German | Russia | German |
After reading this you might be thinking why is my relative born in Russia but speaks German? This article might help answer some questions. It’s based on German-Russians brought to North Dakota for reference. This type of immigration happened all over North America.
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~In 1921 at the age of 11, Emma Winkler passed away. She was born on August 26, 1910, in Elkwater, Alberta, Canada. She was the only daughter George and Rosina had. Her final resting place is at Sunset Memorial Gardens on Warden, Grant County, Washington. Section B2 Space 51.
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~ On March 19, 1927, Rosie passed away at the age of 38 in Pasco Washington. I cannot find a cause of death. Does anyone know? Her final resting place is at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Warden, Grant County, Washington. Section B2 Space 52 near her daughter Emma.
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After Rosie passed away, George married Elsie Gregor (Schefsky) Witt on April 2, 1928, in Odessa Washington. She brought 4 kids into the marriage. Elsie, Fred, Berthe and Edna Witt. Now George was the father/step-father to 12 kids with 9 of them still living at home. Both George and Elsie had lost a daughter in the 1920s. Emma Winkler-11 and Maria Witt-13.
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~~1930~~
~1930 Census Kahlotus, Franklin, Washington, USA. Where in the heck is Kahlotus? I had to look it up
| Name Last, First | Relation | Home Data | Farm | Home Value | Personal Sex,Color,Age | Edu. -At School | Can Read& Write | Birthplace | Fathers Birthplace | Mothers Birthplace | Native Language | Naturalized | Speaks English | Occupation | Industry | Veteran |
| Winkler, George | Head | Rent | No | $10 | M, W, 50 | No | Yes | Russia | Russia | Russia | German | No | Yes | Section Forman | Railroad | No |
| Winkler, Elsie | Wife | F, W, 38 | No | Yes | Russia | Russia | Russia | German | No | Yes | None | |||||
| Winkler, Albert | Son | M, W, 18 | No | Yes | Canada | Russia | Russia | German | No | Yes | Laborer | Railroad | ||||
| Winkler, Johnny | Son | M, W, 16 | No | Yes | Washington | Russia | Russia | German | Yes | Laborer | Railroad | |||||
| Witt, Elsie | Step-Dau | F, W, 16 | Yes | Yes | North Dakota | Russia | Russia | German | Yes | |||||||
| Witt, Fred | Step-Son | M, W, 11 | Yes | Yes | Montana | Russia | Russia | Yes | ||||||||
| Winkler, Herbert | Son | M, W, 13 | Yes | Yes | Washington | Russia | Russia | Yes | ||||||||
| Winkler, Benjamin | Son | M, W, 10 | Yes | Yes | Washington | Russia | Russia | Yes | ||||||||
| Winkler, Edward | Son | M, W, 8 | Yes | Washington | Russia | Russia | ||||||||||
| Witt, Birthe | Step-Dau | F, W, 8 | Yes | Montana | Russia | Russia | ||||||||||
| Witt, Edna | Step-Dau | F, W, 1 | No | Montana | Russia | Russia |
The family has moved to Kahlotus WA and George is the Section Forman at the Northern Pacific Railroad. Albert and Johnny are also working at the railroad as laborers.
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~~1940~~
| Name | Relation | Sex | Age | Married Single Widowed | Highest Grade Completed | Birth- Place | Citi- Zen- Ship | Hours Worked Week | Occupation | Industry | Pay | Weeks Worked |
| Winkler, George | Head | M | 60 | Married | 8th | S. Russia | Naturalized | 48 | Crossing Watchman | Railroad | $996 | 52 |
| Elsie G. | Wife | F | 47 | Married | 8th | Romania | Naturalized | |||||
| Edward | Son | M | 17 | Single | HS 2 | Washington | ||||||
| Witt, Edna | Step-Dau | F | 14 | Single | 7th | Montana | ||||||
| Witt, Fred | Step-Son | M | 21 | Single | HS 3 | Montana | Labor Section | Railroad | $840 | 52 | ||
| Witt, Maria | Lodger | F | 78 | Widowed | 8th | Romania | Naturalized |
1940 census both George and Fred are working at the Northern Pacific Railroad. I believe Maria the lodger maybe Elsie’s Mother-in-law or Grandma-in-law even?
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1940~Oscar Winkler’s WWII Registration
Carl Winkler’s 1940 WWII Registration
Herbert Alfred Winkler’s 1940 WWII Registration
Fred John Witt’s 1940 WWII Registration Card
Benjamin Hugo Winkler’s 1940 WWII Registration Card
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George’s grandson Donald (parents were Oscar & Ethel), dies in Yakima after wading in the Naches River and drowned. He was so young and gone too soon. Heartbreaking!
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~~1950~~
Sadly in the late 1950s, George passed away at the age of 72 in Tacoma. He is buried at Riverview Heights Cemetery, 1200 South Olympia Street Kennewick, WA 99337.
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Benjamin marries Anne Manwaring on June 6, 1952, in Grant County Washington.
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George’s stepson John Witt passed away at the age of 39. Gone too soon.
~~1960~~
May 15, 1963. Herbert and Lucille celebrate their 25th Anniversary at Albert’s home in Kennewick Washington.
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John, Carl, Oscar, Ben, and Herb hosted Albert and Edith’s 25th Anniversary at the Kennewick Grange in Kennewick Washington. April 1966
~~1980~~
George and Rosa’s oldest son Oscar passes away at the age of 76 in Yakima Washington.
~~1990~~
Albert Fredrick passed away in 1991 at the age of 78 in Kennewick Washington.
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~~2000~~
Benjamin Hugo Winkler sadly passes away on June 6, 2000, which was his and Anne’s 48th Anniversary.
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John Winkler died at the Lake District Long Term Care Facility in Lakeview, Oregon on February 28, 2003, at the age of 88. A private funeral service was held at the Desert Rose Funeral Chapel, Lakeview, Oregon on March 1, 2003, with the Rev. Charles Chase officiating.
A concluding memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Kennewick, Washington on March 7, 2003, at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Chuck Hindman officiating.
Visitation will be at Mueller’s Funeral Home, 314 W. First Avenue, Kennewick, Washington on Thursday, March 6th from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Desert Rose Funeral Chapel is in charge of the Lakeview arrangements and Mueller’s Chapel of the Falls is in charge of the Kennewick arrangements.
John was born to George and Rosina (Engelhardt) Winkler in Wheeler, Washington on July 9, 1914. When he was nine years old, he moved with his family to Warden, Washington., and then to Windust in 1929. As a teenager, he worked as a farmhand and laborer on the North Pacific and Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad. He then spent some time with the Civil Conservation Corps beginning in 1935.
On January 14, 1938, John married his “first girlfriend” and they made their home in Walla Walla where he worked in an automotive paint and repair shop. In March 1938, they moved to Snake River Junction where he went to work for the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad and in 1939 also purchased the Snake River Junction Store. He accepted the foreman’s position with the railroad at Levey, Washington, and then in 1944 went to Wishram, Washington as the yard foreman. in 1945, he moved to Plymouth, Washington as the track foreman and also built the Plymouth Grocery which opened for business in June of 1947. He was the section foreman in Finley, Washington from 1956 until 1970 when he transferred to Pasco, Washington as a track inspector. He retired in 1974 after 39 years with the railroad.
John loved to spend time with his family hunting agates along the Snake and Columbia Rivers. A great source of enjoyment was playing Santa Clause for various functions in Kennewick and Pasco. He played baseball on the Kennewick, Plymouth, and Finley town teams.
John was a member of the Kennewick First United Methodist Church, Kennewick Masonic Lodge #153, Alma Chapter, #100 Order of the Eastern Star, Yakima Masada Shrine, Desert Patrol, and Kennewick Scottish Rite. He was a Rainbow Dad as well as a board member for Rainbow and Honored with the Cross of Colors. John was a member of the Kennewick Kiwanis Club and American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. He also served on the board of the Finley Community Church and the East Benton Museum and was responsible for the treatment of several children, including his granddaughter at the Shrine Hospital.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Justine (Beck) Winkler of Lakeview, Oregon; daughters and sons-in-law Phyllis and Wayne Lee of Lakeview, Oregon and Bonnie and Larry Kniveton of Quincy, Washington, grandchildren and spouses, Robbi and Troy Fine of Silver Lake, Oregon, Biran and Michelle Lee of Ontario, Oregon, Kyle and Jeni Kniveton of Wenatchee Washington, and Lannette and Matt Mellburn of Quincy, Washington; great-grandchildren, Brittney, Noelle, and Ethan Fine, Karina, Mark, and Jessica Lee, Hayley Kniveton and Brandon and Brianna Melblurn; brother Eddie Winkler of Hyattsville, Maryland, stepsisters Bertha Herold of Larkspur, California, and Edna Bernard of Pasco, Washington; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Elsie Witt Winkler, brothers, Oscar, Carl, Al, Herb, and Ben Winkler; Sister Emma Winkler and stepsister Elsie Reese and stepbrother Fred Witt.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shriner’s Hospital, 911 W. 5th, Spokane, Washington 99219, or Lakeview Hospice 700 S. J Street, Lakeview, Oregon 97630.
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To Be Continued… Tell me your favorite stories or pictures. Let me know what I missed. I am still looking through records and waiting for the release of the 1950s census which will be released soon.
Happy Reading -Heather
If the Genes Fit... 