The Gerk's of Brazil: From Slovenia to Brazil...

In 1930, there were a series of articles published in the "Buchenblätter", which was a publication of the Fuldaer Zeitung, a newspaper out of Fulda in Germany.  This one specific article was entitled: "Die Auswanderung fuldaischer Landes-Untertanen nach Ungarn 1717-1804", which, loosely translated means, The emigration of Fulda area residents to Hungary, 1717 - 1804.

The articles document various families applying for and then leaving for Hungary.  It's a fascinating account also because emigration to Russia was illegal in those days...so many thought that the people on these lists actually ended up in Russia.

One such family is listed here in May of 1766: Joh. Bast. Gerd (?), which archivists think was Johann Sebastian Gerk with his wife and three children.  Leaving from the area of Großenlüder, specifically the village of  Kleinlüder, Germany, which was located about 5 miles from the city of Fulda.

We know the first Gerk to Russia was Sebastian Gerk, from  the area of Fulda....who emigrated from Germany to Russia in 1766...arriving in the Volga village of Koehler in 1767.

But what if it is a different Sebastian Gerk?  

What if this Sebastian Gerk and family actually settled in Hungary?  How about Slovenia? Given the changing borders of Hungary of the day, anything is possible.

But what of Church records?  Although no further information seems to be available about this Joh. Bast. Gerk, we do find a reference for a Jois Sebastian Gerck born in 1730 in Kleinlüder, married in 1750 to a Anna Maria, born also in 1730 in Kleinlüder. They have listed 3 children: Marie Agnes Gerck born 1754; Joannes Gerck born 1757 and Maria Elisabetha born 1760.

Could this be the Gerk's who settled in Slovenia, and then made their way to Brazil?

It's another of those Gerk Mysteries!

Faith of Our Fathers: A History of the Gerk Family

Well, it's almost here.  This blog has been set up to promote this book that takes a "small" look at the Gerk Family.

I say "small" because, really, how could I ever complete a project that documents every Gerk?

For those interested, the book examines the Gerk's of Russia...how they got there...and then branches off into Paul & Elisabeth (Dieser) Gerk (my grandparents).  There are additional sections on some of the Gerk families of other Canadian provinces, American states, as well as Argentina and Brazil.

Those sections have been designed as "first step" chapters.  That is, designed to assist those Gerk's from those areas to start their own family history project.

Instructions on how to order the book will be made will be made available here shortly, as well as the Facebook community page set up for members of the Gerk family.

If all goes well, this first edition should be published in June or July.

We will also publish on this blog research material that may or may not have made into the final version of the book...as well as new information and documentation that we acquired after the printing. That way members of the Gerk family can keep current on the latest research news.

Keep watching!!