Mischke Mysteries ☺

November, so far, has brought a veritable wealth of new old information to Hesch History, for instance: Joy, from Nevada, found mention of Mischkes here on HH and wrote because she realized her relationship to Frank* and his family in Buckman.  Ok, so it's hardly a CLOSE relationship, but it's fun to know how far back people are able to trace relatives.  Besides, no doubt the Mischkes, Otrembas and Rauschs knew each other for hundreds of years in Falkenberg, Silesia, in the area that would become Poland.

So, Joy's tree includes "Joseph Mischke (father of Frank Mischke in your blog) was the grandson of Anton Mischke and Rosa Rademacher.  Anton "Miszke" b. 1765 was the brother of my 3rd great-grandfather, Franz Miszke.  Here is a diagram of my line:

Hans George Miszke and Catharina Kubin, parents of

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Franz Miszke (1770 - 1850) - brother of Anton *1765 - and Maria Zirz (1757 Tillowitz -1858 Ellguth), parents of

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Johann Mischke (1819 Ellguth - ) see attached photo

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Heinrich (Henry) Mischke (1861 Schwammelwitz - 1907 NYC) see attached photo

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Isabella Angelica Mischke (1898 NYC - 1993 Roseville, CA)"

...then her mother and herself.  We (Joy, me and Larry, by extension) have been perusing the pictures she sent, and debating whether the military photo of Johann Mischke could really be...well, the years don't make sense.  We believe the military pic was taken about 1866, but if he was born in 1819, then  he would have been 47, when he looks 30ish. The formal photo looks about the same age, tho the photo is much better quality.

Turns out Johann was the coachman for a local Baron, and he was possibly the burgermeister, or mayor.  Joy said..."The..photo is the last
known image of him with his wife.  It must be 1895 or later because that is when the photographer established his business, according to my research". (Man, genealogists gather FACTS, huh?) That would make Johann 76 years old.

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We're pretty sure these three pictures are of the same man.  Sure, it's possible that Johann joined the army when he was, say, 25 (military pic) but that would have been 1844 when photography was still being discovered: 

"On 7 January 1839, Daguerre announced this first complete practical photographic process to the French Academy of Sciences, and the news quickly spread." Still, it took 20 more years to get the bugs worked out of the process.  1844 would have been VERY early for a portrait, I think. 

Then, there's the suit coat Johann's wearing in the formal portrait.  Remember the Kapsner post we did last year? ('Course you do!) The stylin' pic of August Kapsner and his buddy August Janorske was taken in Pierz in 1883.  They were wearing the same style coat with only the top buttons fastened...just like Johann in his formal pic.  We know the current fads in Europe were copied here in America, but not immediately.  Even if it took 3 years for that style to get here, Johann would have posed for it in 1880 or so...when he was 61.  Conundrum!

Just for fun, Joy sent two pictures of Heinrich Mischke, who was supposed to be Johann's youngest child...OR possibly his brother.  

    With any luck, we'll figure this all out, someday.

THANKS for the pics and information, Joy!

 Later:

A Mischke family photo taken about 1900.  I assume the woman pictured here is the same as grandma in the last pic on this post, so of the two sons, one would have been Frank.

COOL, huh?