Bernard George Fliehe (1803 - 1891) and Elisabeth Lem (1826 - 1877)
At the time that Napoleon Bonaparte was recognized as the First Emperor of France, Adolf Fliehe and Anna Catharina Gausmann gave birth to a son and named him Bernard George.
Bernard grew up in the town of Mettingen, about 50 kms from the Dutch border, during a period of considerable political turmoil. The impact of the French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon greatly influenced the rest of Europe. Prussia joined with Austria to invade France but they were unsuccessful. Jerome Bonaparte was made King by his brother over Westphalia, where Mettingen was located. With the defeat of Napoleon in Russia in 1813, and later at Waterloo in 1815, King Willem Frederik III returned to again rule Prussia.
In 1817, on the 300th anniversary of the Reformation, he decided to unite the Lutheran and Evangelical churches. This interference from the government caused the church body to undergo a major schism in the 1830's, which included the persecution of many parishioners. During this time of industrialization in Prussia, there was also an outcry for more freedom and political reform. The economy was unable to support the dense population. Taxes and the cost of getting married increased. During this time there was a continual threat of revolution in Germany.
As a result of these social, religious and political conditions, we see a large migration of Mennonites from West Prussia to Russia in the years 1820 to 1841. At the same time, word of free land and no taxes in the Americas and Australia helped many to decide to come to the newly created colonies. Among those leaving Mettingen at this time were Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer, who started the famous C&A store chain in Sneek, Friesland.
Less famous, but also from Mettingen, was Bernard George Fliehe. He also went to the Netherlands, and settled in Delft, where at the age of 43 he married the 19-year old Elizabeth (Betje) Lem, the young daughter of Johannes Lem and Helena Bovendeert from Boxtel, Noord Brabant, who was about 7 months pregnant at that time. The couple quickly settled into domestic life, with Bernard taking up the trade of cobbler (schoenmaker), probably already learned as a young apprentice in Mettingen. During the next 23 years, Betje bore 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. Three of the boys died in childhood. Anna Maria Fliehe, the future wife of Cornelis Bernardus van Woerden was born on February 7th, 1860.
Betje had her 12th child at the age of 43, while her husband was 66 years old. She died 8 years later at a fairly young age of 51, while Bernard continued strongly until his 88th year. Records show that he died in Vrijenban, which is a former municipality which became part of Delft in 1921.
On the picture of Betje, it shows that they lived at 136 Zuiderstraat in Delft. This is right at the East Gate of the city, which was built in 1400, with the 2 towers being added in 1514 as part of the defense structure of this medieval city. I don't know whether this address still exists today. Perhaps someone in the Netherlands can tell me?
Bernard grew up in the town of Mettingen, about 50 kms from the Dutch border, during a period of considerable political turmoil. The impact of the French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon greatly influenced the rest of Europe. Prussia joined with Austria to invade France but they were unsuccessful. Jerome Bonaparte was made King by his brother over Westphalia, where Mettingen was located. With the defeat of Napoleon in Russia in 1813, and later at Waterloo in 1815, King Willem Frederik III returned to again rule Prussia.
In 1817, on the 300th anniversary of the Reformation, he decided to unite the Lutheran and Evangelical churches. This interference from the government caused the church body to undergo a major schism in the 1830's, which included the persecution of many parishioners. During this time of industrialization in Prussia, there was also an outcry for more freedom and political reform. The economy was unable to support the dense population. Taxes and the cost of getting married increased. During this time there was a continual threat of revolution in Germany.
As a result of these social, religious and political conditions, we see a large migration of Mennonites from West Prussia to Russia in the years 1820 to 1841. At the same time, word of free land and no taxes in the Americas and Australia helped many to decide to come to the newly created colonies. Among those leaving Mettingen at this time were Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer, who started the famous C&A store chain in Sneek, Friesland.
Less famous, but also from Mettingen, was Bernard George Fliehe. He also went to the Netherlands, and settled in Delft, where at the age of 43 he married the 19-year old Elizabeth (Betje) Lem, the young daughter of Johannes Lem and Helena Bovendeert from Boxtel, Noord Brabant, who was about 7 months pregnant at that time. The couple quickly settled into domestic life, with Bernard taking up the trade of cobbler (schoenmaker), probably already learned as a young apprentice in Mettingen. During the next 23 years, Betje bore 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. Three of the boys died in childhood. Anna Maria Fliehe, the future wife of Cornelis Bernardus van Woerden was born on February 7th, 1860.
Betje had her 12th child at the age of 43, while her husband was 66 years old. She died 8 years later at a fairly young age of 51, while Bernard continued strongly until his 88th year. Records show that he died in Vrijenban, which is a former municipality which became part of Delft in 1921.
On the picture of Betje, it shows that they lived at 136 Zuiderstraat in Delft. This is right at the East Gate of the city, which was built in 1400, with the 2 towers being added in 1514 as part of the defense structure of this medieval city. I don't know whether this address still exists today. Perhaps someone in the Netherlands can tell me?