Family Info and great history
The intersection of Kleiboekers and history
There is much history surrounding our Kleiboeker ancestors, that all deserves to be told. Starting with life in medieval Germany in the 1300's when the Kleiboeker Hof was established. Then after the Reformation in the early 1500's, the Protestants and Catholics fought a major war, called the 30 years war (1618 - 1648). The "Treaty of Westphalia" that ended this war was signed in Osnabrueck, nearby to the area of the Kleiboeker Hof.
Life in the Hof in the 1700's and 1800's were difficult and especially for the sons and their families that did not inherit the Hof tenancy. They were destined to a hard life of much work and little gain and no real future to which they could look forward. Such were the conditions that encouraged so many people from this part of Germany to risk the sailing trip to America.
I will try to share these stories over time about why and how they left and what they did, once arriving in America. We have some great records of Johann's early years in St. Louis where he was furniture craftsman and manufacturer, and later salesperson. One of his pieces of furniture that he made still exists.
There are stories of him helping to start a Hoyleton's Farmers Club, in Illinois, once he left St. Louis, and achieved a lifelong dream of land ownership which was never possible in Germany. He bought land via a new Land Grant Program from the Illinois Central Railroad, which was a program driven in part by Abraham Lincoln.
Later there are stories about moving to southwest Missouri and buying more railroad land.
So there is a lot to tell and share. Stay tuned.......