Gerhard Brunken (1835-1910) and his wife Anna Margrette Spars Brunken (1841 - 1914) lived in Kielburg, near Westerstede, Oldenburg, Germany. Gerhard was the son of Frederich and Wupke Hupens Brunken. Anna was the daughter of Eilert and Anna Vuhlken Spars. Gerhard Brunken had a linen mill. That is the reason that the linen background was selected for this page.

Gerhard and Anna were the parents of several children. For information on their children and the Brunken ancestors, go to the Brunken Genealogy page. Among them was Anna Brunken. Anna was born August 26, 1870. Anna grew up in Germany and in 1893, she came to America. She went first to Nebraska, where she worked for a few years. She then went to Illinois, where she met her future husband. On January 2, 1897, Anna married Albert Saathoff in Charlotte, Livingston County, Illinois.

Old Post card from Westerstede, Oldenburg

Home of Gerhard and Anna Spars Brunken, Kielburg, Westerstede, Germany

German photo of Fred Brunken family; wife, Meta; children, Anna, Helen, Martha, and Gerhard (on lap). Also pictured is Anna Spars Brunken, mother of Fred Brunken and Anna Brunken Saathoff.

Anna Brunken left from Bremen, Germany on March 23, 1893.

SS Trave. The ship that brought Anna Brunken to America.

Anna travelled to America with her future sister-in-law, Anna Niemeyer.

Anna Brunken Saathoff, ca 1916

Go back to Lyndon's Genealogy page.

The background music on this page is "Kinklets", by Arthur Marshall, 1906