KOENEKE
Also spelled Koenecke, Koeneka, Koenicke, Konaka, Konecke, Koeneke, Konicke, Konnecke, Konneke, etc!
JOHN PHILIP KOENEKE was born 03 Dec 1831 in Kurhesson, Germany, and died 08 Jan 1901 in Kingston, DeKalb, IL. He married SOPHIA DOROTHY STAAS 02 Sep 1868 in Freeport, Stephenson, IL. She was born 31 Jan 1840 or 1841 in Lippe-Detmold, Germany, and died 09 Jun 1922 in Kingston, DeKalb, IL.
J. Philip emmigrated to United States from Germany in 1858. On 11 Aug 1862 he enlisted from Elgin, IL for three years in the Civil War. He was mustered into service 05 Sep 1862 at Chicago, IL and was a part of Company I, 127th Infantry. On 19 May 1863 he suffered a severe gun shot wound in the right arm above the elbow in the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He was treated on a hospital boat and then in Milikens Bend Hospital near Vicksburg. He was transferred to the 80th Company, 2nd Battalion of the Veteran Reserve Corps in the fall of 1863 and was
J. Philip and Sophia Koeneke
scanned photo from a photocopy
stationed at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri until his honorable discharge on June 29, 1865. Written family history states that General Grant chose J. Philip to be his personal hostler after finding he was taking such good care of his own horse. That has yet to be proven.
WILLIAM CHRIST KOENEKE b. 09 Sep 1876, near Garden Prairie, Boone County, IL; d. 28 Sep 1948, Belvidere, Boone County, IL; m. (1) ELIZABETH "LIZZIE" MEYER 26 Feb 1898, Herbert, Boone, IL; b. 06 Nov 1874, Belvidere, Boone County, IL; d. 13 Jul 1913, Kingston, DeKalb County, IL; m. (2) HARRIETT VINETTA NICOSON, 28 May 1917, Sycamore, DeKalb, IL; b. 06 Apr 1895, Brazil, Clay, IN; d. 25 Nov 1991, DeKalb, IL.
Elizabeth and William Koeneke
Harriett and William Koeneke
Koeneke Farm ca. 1912
Elizabeth Meyer Koeneke died of a broken neck when her horse-driven buggy overturned in 1913. Daughter May, who was only 12 at the time, had to take over the duties of running the home, which included feeding farm hands.
William Christ Koeneke
Critically burned late at night on September 27, 1948 when gasoline exploded while he was working at the Mid-West Bottle Cap Company, William died at 10 a.m.on September 28, 1948 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Belvidere, Illinois. Third degree burns covered his body.He was reportedly cleaning a machine with an open bucket of gasoline when cleaning rags caught fire, and the gasoline exploded. Fellow workers prevented flames from spreading, and Koeneke was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. He had been employed with the bottle cap firm about four years.
Koeneke Family 1910
William, Leslie, May, Elizabeth
(Lillian) May and Leslie
Koeneke ca. 1901