Easter gathering of the Gierke/Tower Family 2012
Gehrcke.dk genealogy site
In mid 1800 a German named Heinrich Gehrcke came to Denmark.
He was a railroad worker from Belsch, Mecklenburg, Germany who was "imported" to build the Danish railroads. In Denmark he had a son Johan Henrik Peter Gehrcke and here, our genealogical tree starts.
In November of 1910 Johan's oldest Son, Alfred Emilius Jørgen Gehrcke emmigrated to America. At Ellis Island his last name was registered as Gierke.
On the ship Hellig Olav, Alfred met Marthea Danielsen, they were married in March of 1912. Alfred and Marthea had 8 children (6 sons who lived to adulthood and two daughters who died very young), 22 grandchildren, and currently there is known to be 11 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren.
Gehrcke, Gierke, Gjerke ...
Johan Henrik Peter Gehrcke was born Gehrcke, but on Hansine's legitimation card from 1941 her name is Gjerke. It seems that the whole family changed to Gjerke and later back again to Gehrcke.
At that time German names could not have been very popular in Denmark. Johan's children called him Hans; a more Danish name, so it is fair to assume the changed family name was because of this.
The Family Tree contains 858 persons.
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Gelsted Parish, Sjørslev Parish, Olsker Parish, Gävle, Hostrup Parish, Rønne Parish, North Dakota, Østermarie Parish, Hjerting Parish, Klemensker Parish
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