An Officer or a Gentleman - Haenke Beginnings

Johann Christoph Hahnke

The story of the Haenke family in America, as we know it today, begins with Michael Hahnke, born about 1800 in Prussia, probably in Posen, Prussia.  Today, Posen today is a part of Poland, just east of Berlin. There have been many different spellings of the Hahnke name recorded over the history of the family in the America. Some of these spellings may have been dependent on the census taker's ability to translation the name from the German spelling to English, or the family's desire to become more American.

The family story passed down through several generations of the family about our illustrious ancestor's need to immigrate had to do with an officer's duel.  Apparently, Johann Christoph Hahnke, son of Michael Haehnke, was an officer in the Pruessen army.  His unit was called out because it failed to pass an inspection, and being a gentleman, he took this as a great insult.  A challenge was made, whether it was by Johann or by another officer, we do not know.  However, it is told, that Johann did not relish the idea of having to fight a duel, and taking the risk of being killed of severely injured. Nor did he want the responsibility of shooting another man. Dueling was illegal in the Pruessen army at at the time, so rather than face his opponent, Johann supposedly fled.  The question in the family since then has been, did he escape, change his name, and immigrate to the US (one possible ending to the story). Or, was he captured after he fled, and suffer the dire consequences of abandoning his position by facing the firing squad? We do not know if he arrived in America or not!

We do know that Johann married, Beata Kussmann, daughter of Michael Kussman, on February 22, 1835 in Zielonowo (Gruenfier), Kr. Filehne (Wielen), Posnan, Prussia. Johann was 27 and Beate was 23 at the time of the marriage.

The couple had four children of record.

1. Henriette Kussmann Haehnke  b. February 26, 1830
2. Ernestine Kussmann Hahnke b. November 1832
3. WILLIAM (Wilhelm) FREDERICK HAEHNKE  b. October 4, 1835
4. Johann Friedrich Albert Hahnke  b. March 13, 1840

We also know that Beata remarried on May 9, 1842, to Christian Wilhelm Messerchmidt in Zielonowo (Gruenfier), Kr. Filehne (Wielen), Posnan, Prussia.  together they had five children.

1. Julius Messerschmidt  b. Nov 16, 1842
2. Albertine Messerschmidt    b. Dec 23, 1844
3. Johann Friedrich Albert Messerschmidt    b. Jun 25, 1847
4. Caroline Messerschmidt    b. Dec 9, 1847
5. Ferdinand Messerschmidt    b. Sep 8, 1852