Edgell/Deves/Pagenkopf Family Ge

Son: Mitchel Lynn Beeson (b. 8/28/2003) Norfolk, NE
Son: Andrew Robert Beeson (b . 2/7/2005) Norfolk NE

Here is a story that has been told in our family and the extended Pagenkopf family. Coincidently, one of our Pagenkopf relatives lives in Phoenix, Arizona and we have had several visits to discuss genealogy.

Here is the story my mother told us and the same story is found throughout the Pagenkopf family. Her Great Grandfather (Johan Gotthilf Pagenkopf) was born in Pomerania, traveled to America and bought a farm in Kansas. Pomerania is on the Baltic Coast and is now part of Poland. Over the past millennium, Pomerania has been ruled by the Teutonic Knights, Polish, Russians and in more recent times, Prussia. After the WWII, it was included in the Polish territory.

On Sunday’s, Johan would dress up in his finest, gather the family on the farm and hold court: essentially keeping the story alive that he was of royal blood. This same story is told throughout the Pagenkopf family to whom we are related.

The story I tell in my historical novel is that Johan was a child of Prince William Frederick Hohenzollern who later became King of Prussia.

Prince William didn’t marry until he was 27 years old and no doubt had several lady friends. One of these lady friends at the Koenigsburg Castle

in Prussia was a young seamstress named Louise Pagenkopf, daughter of Peter Pagenkopf and older sister to Martin Pagenkopf.

Louise became pregnant by Prince William and since the young girl was not part of a royal family, the Prince was forbidden to marry her.

The solution for Prince William and the Hohenzollern family was to banish Louise from Koenigsburg and send her back to her family in Pomerania.

Peter, Martin and his family and Louise then live on the farm near Kardemin and Louise gives birth to a boy who is named Johan Gotthilf Pagenkopf.

House of Hohenzollern

The House of Hohenzollern had a 400 plus history of power in Europe. Their philosophy about power and growing their empire was similar to the philosophy of the Hapsburg family of the Holy Roman Empire: "more is achieved through marriage than through war."

Wilhelm I is proclaimed German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, France

The family line we have researched goes back to Martin Pagenkopf. Martin Pagenkopf (b.22 Nov 1799- Kardemin Pomern, Prussia ;d.30 Oct 1889-

Shady Brooks,Kansas). We believe that Martin’s father was named Peter, but have no record of his birth or death.

The story I tell is that Martin had a sister named Louise. Louise was a very popular name in Prussia for girls because the most beloved Queen was Louise who died in 1810. Louise and Prince Wilhelm Frederick Hollezollern made a child who I called Johan Gotthilf Augusta Pagenkopf.

Johan Gotthilf Augusta PAGENKOPF (b.20 Apr 1828 in Kardemin, Pomerania; d.17 Oct 1911-Nashville,Kansas)`.

spouse: Louise Maria Charlotte ROSEMANN (b.4 May 1828-

Germany

;m.23 Oct 1854;d.17 Oct 1923-Nashville,Kansas)

Daughter: Christina Wilhelmina Pagenkopf.

b.12 Dec 1861-Lyons Creek,Kansas;d.28 Nov 1934-Colby,Kansas)

Married: Aloisius Charles DEVES b.12 Dec 1864-Near Essas,Prussian of

Germany

; d.14 Apr 1936-Colby,Kansas)

Son: Carl Joseph Gotthilf Deves

b.3 Jan 1890-Bracketville,Texas; d.7 Mar 1970-San Bernardino, California

Married: Lelia Emily ROBINSON (b.14 Jul 1893-Plainville,Kansas)

Daughter: Lucille Irene Deves (my mother)

b.27 Oct 1920-Goodland,Kansas: d. May 20, 1985 Phoenix, Az)

Married: Forest Earl Edgell (b.27 Oct 1920-Akron,Ohio, d. 1998 Denver, Co.)

And you know the rest of the story from the Family menu.

What makes this story interesting is that the Hohenzollern family married into

all the other Monarchies in Europe (kings and queens). That would make us

also related to the current Queen of England, the Kings of Belgium, the

Romanov family of Russia and many more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Friedrich,_Prince_of_Prussia

So in looking at our gene tree, we are part Pomeranian (with a gene pool that

survived all the wars and changing of the guard in Pomerania) and part Royalty.

Isn’t genealogy fun?

Bob Edgell Return to Home Page