 Although we always speak of our ancestors,
August and Rika (Knaack) Heiden as having come from
Germany, in reality, that was only true for the last two
years before they left for America. Germany did not exist as a unified
nation as we know it today until 1871. Prior to then, this area of Europe consisted
of a loose confederation of about 300 independent dukedoms and
principalities.
One of these territories in the northern region
was called Mecklenburg-Schwerin
which is now known as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. According to the available
church and other records, ancestors of the Monroe County Heiden
Family had lived in this
area at least as far back as the mid-1700's. The
earliest ancestor that we have found so far,
Friedrich Heiden was born there in 1755.
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Within Mecklenburg-Schwerin, our
Heiden and Rambow ancestors came from several very small, rural towns within a
relatively short distance from each other. August and Rika lived in the town of
Gross Wokern which is spelled
Groß Wokern
in German. August was born there in 1838 and was a resident until emigrating to
America in 1873. He was a brick mason by trade so he probably held a slightly
higher status in the community of farm laborers and house servants.

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