Wilken- Strickert Family Connections A close connection exists between the Wilken family and the Strickerts –both Karl Strickert and Fredrich Strickert branches—that spans life together in Canada, Kansas, and Washington.
The Strickerts and Wilkens lived near each other already in Logan Township, Perth County, Ontario, Canada between 1856 and 1893--just north of the towns Bonholm and Brodhagen.
According to 1871 and 1881 census reports, Frederick and Sophia Strickert had six children.
Among these William Wilken, born 1858, and John Wilken, born 1860, both marry Strickerts
1871 census @ca.on.030a3 family 103
@ca.on.perth.logan_township division 3 page 29 film C9940 lds0349157
Electoral District of Perth North
WILKEN Frederick m 46 Germany Lutheran German farmer married
lot 24 concession 11
WILKEN Sophia f 46 Germany Lutheran German married
WILKEN Louise f 16 Ont Lutheran German
WILKEN Mary f 15 Ont Lutheran German
WILKEN William m 12 Ont Lutheran German
WILKEN John m 10 Ont Lutheran German
WILKEN Henry m 8 Ont Lutheran German
WILKEN Anny f 7 Ont Lutheran German
1881 census @ca.on.172a3 family 131
@ca.on.perth.logan_township division 3 page 32 film C13271 lds1375907
electoral district of Perth North
WILKEN Frederick m 58 Germany Lutheran German farmer married
WILKEN {?} Sophia f 58 Germany Lutheran German married
WILKEN William m 22 Ont Lutheran German farmer
WILKEN John m 20 Ont Lutheran German farm labourer
WILKEN Mary f 24 Ont Lutheran German
WILKEN Henry m 18 Ont Lutheran German farm labourer
WILKEN Anna f 16 Ont Lutheran German
According to the 1879 McGill County Atlas project http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/CountyAtlas/search.htm , the Frederick Wilken family lived in proximity to the Fredrich Strickerts and Karl Strickerts. The difficulty with this project is that spellings of names are not always accurate. “Strickert” appears as “Strickart”. Likewise Frederick Wilken is listed as “F. Wilker”. The location of the “F. Wilker” farm, however, is XI: 24 – information that corresponds with “lot 24 concession 11” in the 1871 census. This location is several miles directly east of the Fredrich Strickert farm at XI: 18. See the map at http://www.strickertfamily.com/Strickert_Farms_Bonholm.html where the four Strickert (two under the name Fredrich and two under Karl) plots are marked on this map in white.
Wilken Strickert Marriage # 1
It is the Karl Strickert family that will first connect with the Wilken family in marriage. William Wilken married Karl Strickert’s step daughter Emelia Elizabeth Kreise on January 15, 1884 in Logan Township. The Perth County record is somewhat confusing since the groom is listed as Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Wilken—however, he apparently went by William. The bride’s last name was Kriese. After the death of his first wife Caroline Bach in 1864 (they had married in 1861), On Oct. 22, 1865, Karl married Gustina Scherbarth who had likewise been widowed in 1864. Her daughter Emilie Kriese was only two years (born Sept. 22, 1863) when she married Karl Strickert. So although she kept the name Kriese, Karl Strickert was father to her for 18 years at the time of her marriage.
William and Emelia Wilken continued to live in Canada for the first four years of their marriage. Three children were born to them during this time, Caroline ( Lena, born Aug. 27, 1884), August (born 1885), and Carl (born 1887 or 1888).
Move to Kansas
The Scott City newspaper, probably The News-Lever, reports on March 15, 1888: “Carl Strickert and Wm. Wilkin of Canada are in the city prospecting, with a view to buying farms and locating here. They have already purchased five quarters. Nine families from the Dominion of Canada will settle on these. They are thrifty German farmers.”
Already in 1888, both Karl Strickert and William Wilken families moved to Scott City Kansas, Keystone Township. According to the 1895 census, three more children were born to William and Emley (Emilia) in Kansas: Emley (born 1890), William (born 1892), and Mary (born 1894).
1895 Scott County Census, Kansas
Dwelling # Surname First Name Age Sex Birth Place
Keystone Township
page # 1
1 Wilken Wm 36 M Canada
1 Wilken Emley 31 F Canada
1 Wilken Lena 10 F Canada
1 Wilken August 9 M Canada
1 Wilken Carl 7 M Canada
1 Wilken Emley 5 F KS
1 Wilken Wm 3 M KS
1 Wilken Mary 1 F KS
Wilken-Strickert Marriage # 2
Also immigrating to Kansas in 1888 was William Wilken’s brother John. According to his 1889 wedding registration in Logan township, he is listed as “John Wilkins, 28, bachelor, farmer, b. Logan Twp., living in State of Kansas, U.S.; s/o Frederick & Sophia Wilkins.” This was the second Strickert-Wilken marriage. John Wilken’s bride was Anna Louise Wilhelmine Strickert , born Feb. 11, 1868 to Fredrich Strickert and Wilhelmina Giermann (after Wilhelmina died in 1872, Fredrich married Catherine Neumann in 1873).
While Karl Strickert moved to Kansas in 1888, his brother Fredrich Strickert had remained in Canada where he looked after his elderly parents. It was not until 1893, after the death of the family matriarch Kristina Strickert at the age of about 90, that Fredrich, taking along his 90 year old father Johann Strickert, also moved to Scott City, Kansas.
So in early 1889, John Wilken returned to Canada to marry Fredrich’s oldest daughter. They immediately moved to Keystone (Scott Cit y, Kansas) where their first child Henry Wilken was born in Nov, 1889 and Frederick William Wilken in 1892. This is confirmed in the 1895 census:
1895 Scott County Census, Kansas
Dwelling # Surname First Name Age Sex Birth Place
Keystone Township
page # 4
4 WILKEN JOHN 34.0 M CANADA
4 WILKEN A 26.0 F CANADA
4 WILKEN H 5.0 M KS
4 WILKEN T 2.0 M KS
An 1890 photo of new Scott County residents before the Buffalo School House shows William Wilken, Carl Strickert, and John Wilken standing together while their wives Amelia (Emelia), Justine, and Anna are positioned in the three windows. Amelia (wife of William) is holding "Millie" who must be "Emley" as listed in 1895 census above. Anna is holding Henry, born in 1889.
John and Anna Wilken remained in the Scott City area. They had nine children altogether,
all born in Keystone (Scott City, Kansas)
- Henry Frederick Wilken, born Nov. 17, 1889
- Frederich William Wilken, born Oct. 1892
- Adolph John Wilken, born Sept 5, 1896
- Sophia Katherine Wilken, born Aug. 1, 1899
- Louise C. Wilken, born 1902
- Clara A. Wilken, born 1904
- (Boy) Wilken, born Jan 20, 1907 ( http://www.strickertfamily.com/Scott_City_Births.html )
- Lena Marie Wilken, born Jan. 17, 1909
- Clarence Wilken
Henry Frederick Wilken developed a friendship with Frederick Franz Strickert
(son of Fredrich & Catherine Strickert), both sons born in 1889.
(Henry on left and Frederick on right in front row below in 1912 photo).
Anna Strickert Wilken died in 1913, leaving a number of young children.
Sophie, Louise, Lena, and Clara are shown in 1912 photo below.
John Wilken died six years later in 1919. Both are buried in the Scott City cemetery.
By the time of their death, Henry had married.
However, Lena was only 10 and Clara 15.
According to the 1920 census, Sophie Wilken, age 20, had rented a house in Scott City and was listed as
the head of household with Lena, age 10, Clara, 16, Louise, age 18, and Frederick 28 living together.
For the John Wilken-Anna Strickert family tree see http://www.strickertfamily.com/Friedrich__Giermann_Family.html
William Wilken to Washington
In 1901 or 1902 William and Emelia Wilken moved from Scott City, Kansas to Lincoln County, Washington.
They would have move between April 4, 1901 when Martin Wilken was born in Kansas and Jan 20, 1903
when Rosa Wilken was born in Washington. Although they did not arrive in the 19th century as other pioneer families, they were recognized in the Wilbur
Golden Jubilee on June 22, 1939:
Wilken: “Mr and Mrs William Wilken, parents of Mrs Fred Ladwig and Mrs Henry Schuster, bought land south and west
of here in 1902. Though a little too late to be in the original pioneer class, they are deserving of mention in this edition.
They reared a family of 12 children who are now scattered over the states of Washington and Oregon.”
http://www.wagenweb.org/lincoln/bioswilburjubileetthruz.htm
They settled in the town of Govan, on Highway 2 between Almira and Wilbur.
Today the town is listed among "Ghost Towns" http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/wa/govan.html .
Six children were already listed in the 1895 Scott City Census:
Lena Wilken 10 F Canada
August Wilken 9 M Canada
Carl Wilken 7 M Canada
Emley Wilken 5 F KS
Wm Wilken 3 M KS
Mary Wilken 1 F KS
The 1910 Census for Washington lists an additional six children:
Ella Wilken 5- 6-1895 F KS
Alvena Wilken 4-14-1897 F KS
Albert Wilken 5-22-1899 M KS
Martin Wilken 4- 4- 1901 M KS
Rosa Wilken 1-20-1903 F Washington
Pearl Wilken 6- 6- 1909 F Washington
Son Carl Wilken married a young woman named Emelie, but he died young in 1916.
Mary Wilken married Herman Hamp. His obituary is listed at http://wagenweb.org/lincoln/obitswilburhl.html
or http://www.strickertfamily.com/Herman_Hamp.html
Two daughters married Fred Ladwig and Henry Schuster. August Wilken is also listed as married.
William Wilken died in 1935 (76 years old) and Emelia died in 1948 (85 years old).
Both were buried in the Govan cemetery. However that cemetery was later closed and burials were
moved to the Wilbur cemetery. http://www.interment.net/data/us/wa/lincoln/govan/govan.htm
Also buried there were their son Carl W. Wilken and his two infant sons.
Wilken, Carl W., b. 1887, d. 1916, B-127/L-1
Wilken, Elmer B., b. Jan 02, 1908, d. 1908 Jan 06, s/o Carl& Emelie, 127/L-1, Moved from the Govan Cemetery c.1975, no marker, B-17/L-8
Wilken, Elmer Daniel, b. Jan 01, 1907, d. 1907 Jan 05, s/o Carl & Emelie (Moved from Govan Cem), 127/L-1
Wilken, Emelia, b. 1863, d. 1948, s/w William, B-127/L-2
Wilken, William, b. 1859, d. 1935, B-127/L-2
http://www.interment.net/data/us/wa/lincoln/wilbur/wilbur_tz.htm
Wilken-Strickert Marriage # 3
Washington State Marriage Records note that in Govan, Washington on May 12, 1904,
John Carl Strickert married Lena Wilken.
http://www.wagenweb.org/lincoln/brides1903thru1904.html
John Carl was the son of Fredrich Strickert and Wilhelmina Giermann and the older brother of Anna Strickert
who had married John Wilken. Lena Wilken was the daughter of William Wilken (John Wilken's borther)
and Emelia Kreise (step-daughter of Karl Strickert). John Carl was 18 years older having been born in 1866 while
Lena was born in 1884. So he was already 38 years old at the time of the marriage.
According to the 1895 Scott County Census records, John Carl Strickert was listed with the family of Karl Strickert
not Fredrich Strickert, his father. (This is not absolutely certain because the name is John Strickert and he is listed
as 34 years old, a few years older than John Carl was.) Probably John Carl Strickert had been among those who
moved from Ontario Canada to Scott City, Kansas in 1888, along with Karl Strickert, William Wilken, and John Wilken.
Fredrich had stayed behind in Canada another five years. So when he arrived with a large family with his third wife
Catherine, it is quite understandable that he would have remained in the house of Karl Strickert.
http://www.strickertfamily.com/Scott_City_Records.html
1895 Scott County Census, Kansas
Dwelling # Surname First Name Age Sex Birth Place
Keystone Township
page # 1
2 Strickert Fredrick 56 M Germany
2 Strickert Catherine 39 F Canada
2 Strickert Mary 16 F Canada
2 Strickert Tilday 13 F Canada
2 Strickert Henry 9 M Canada
2 Strickert Augusta 8 F Canada
2 Strickert Fredrick 5 M Canada
2 Strickert Edger 0.3 M KS
3 Strickert Carl W. 61 M Germany
3 Strickert Angnstine 50 F Germany
3 Strickert Carl W 22 M Canada
3 Strickert Fredrick 14 M Canada
3 Strickert John 34 M Canada
John Carl Strickert, then would have been close to both John Wilken and William Wilken and would
have watched Lena Wilken grow up through her entire life. When William Wilken moved to Washington in 1902 or 1903, it appears
that John Carl followed them and married Lena there. His step-father William was only 7 years older.
John Carl and Lena made their home in Govan, Washington where one son (Emil) and two daughters
(Sadie and Viola) were born to them (another daughter, Dora, died in infancy).
The children of the Strickert and Wilken families attended Govan school together.
Govan School Records 1915 Children attending school in 1915 in District 43, Union Valley.
All residing at GOVAN.
Parents Children Born Sex Wks in School
Month/day/year
WM WILKEN ALVENA 4-14-1897 F 0
ELLA 5-06-1895 F 0
ALBERT 5-22-1899 M 15
MARTIN 4-04-1901 M 36
ROSA 1-20-1903 F 36
PEARL 6-06-1909 F 36
JOHN STRICKERT EMIL 9-19-1905 M 36
SADIE 9-24-1908 F 0
Union Valley School District, Lincoln County, Washington.
Submitted to the WAGenWeb, August 23, 2002, by Rella Gleaton.
http://wagenweb.org/lincoln/schoolgovan1915.html
After farming near Govan from 1904 until 1937, John Carl and Lena moved to Delano, Washington.
Daughter Sadie married Roy Marcum in 1927 and Viola married Lester Canady in 1931.
Son Emil married Hulda Lotte in 1923.
At the time of his death in 1952, his obituary states that John Carl Strickert had 17 grandchildren and
5 great grandchildren. He was 86 years old. http://www.strickertfamily.com/John_Carl_Strickert_Obit.html
or
http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/SingleIndexIndView.aspx?ix=stp_str&hpp=1&rf=*,z*&qt=i&zpage=01&zd=6&zm=March&zy=1952&highlight=Strickert#centerapplet
Lena Wilken Strickert died in 1974 at the age of 90.
Both John Carl and Lena were buried in the Wilbur cemetery.
http://www.interment.net/data/us/wa/lincoln/wilbur/wilbur_ps.htm For the John Carl Strickert family tree see http://www.strickertfamily.com/Friedrich__Giermann_Family.html
Family tree of William and Emilia Wilken
William Wilken (b. 1859, so Frederick and Sophia Wilken; d. 1935 in Wilbur, Washington)
m. Emilia Kriese (b. 1863, do John Kriese and Justina Sherbarth – step- daughter of Carl Strickert, d. 1948, Wilbur, Washington)
Caroline (Lena) Wilken (b. 1884, Logan, Canada, d. 1972, Wilbur, Washington)\
m. John Carl Strickert (b. 1866, Chicago, so of Fredrich Strickert & Wilhelmina Gierman, d. 1952, Wilbur, Washington)
[ see family tree above]
August Wilken (b. 1885, Logan, Canada)
Carl Wilken (b. 1887, Logan, Canada, d. 1916, Wilbur, Washington)
m. Emilia _______________
Elmer Daniel Wilken (b. 1907, d. 1907, Wilbur, Washington)
Elmer B. Wilken (b. 1908, d. 1908, Wilbur, Washington)
Emley Wilken (b. 1889, Scott City, KS)
William Wilken ( b. 1891, Scott City, KS)
Mary Wilken (b. 1893, Scott City, KS)
m. Herman F. Hamp (b. Nov. 12, 1884,
Rockford, IL, d.Nov. 24,1927,Wilbur,Washington) 1927, Wilbur,
Clarence Hamp
Willis Hamp
Florence Hamp
Alice Hamp
Ella Wilken (b. May 6, 1895)
Alvena Wilken (b. April 14, 1897)
Albert Wilken (b. May 22, 1899)
Martin Wilken (b. April 4, 1901)
Rosa Wilken (b. January 20, 1903)
Pearl Wilken (b. June 6, 1909)
Ella Wilken (b. May 6, 1895)
Alvena Wilken (b. April 14, 1897)
Albert Wilken (b. May 22, 1899)
Martin Wilken (b. April 4, 1901)
Rosa Wilken (b. January 20, 1903)
Pearl Wilken (b. June 6, 1909)
