Anna Helene Popken (H245) was born 12 Sep 1867 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany to Johann "John" and Anna Margareta "Mata" (Gorath) Popken (H243 and H244).
Anna immigrated to America with her parents at the age of 17. They sailed on the ship "Fulda" 29 Apr 1885 from Bremen, Germany and arrived 9 May 1885 at the port of New York, New York.
Anna married Johann "John" Claasen (H251) on 11 Apr 1887 in West Point, Cuming, Nebraska, United States. John was born 11 Sep 1861 in Oldenburg, Germany to John and Gasena (Sletenman) Claasen.
The following story of John's arrival in America was posted to Ancestry.com by user Stpopken4:
Scott Mahonney wrote to the Bremen State Archives in Germany to find out the mystery surrounding John Claasen’s arrival in the United States. According to his obituary he worked for the German and Italian merchant marines before coming to America in 1883; according to his naturalization papers he came to America on the steamship Neckar which arrived in New York on or about March 27, 1884 (but his name could not be found on the ship passenger list); according to Scott’s grandfather Uehling, he was a sailor who jumped ship in New York.
The Bremen State Archives has copies of ship records (passengers as well as crewmembers). According to those papers “John Claasen” became a sailor on the steamship Neckar on November 6, 1883 and was listed as a deserter (with four other crewmen) on March 29, 1884 while the ship was docked in New York. John was 14 years old at the time. The papers include his birth date (September 11, 1861) which is his correct birthdate.
The papers also list John Claasen’s birthplace: Diele. So now there seems to be 5 birthplaces for him: Diele (Seemanns-Amt Bremen records); Sweyburg (marriage record); Emden (naturalization papers); Werner (obituary); and Weisser (death certificate).
According to a map of Germany Diele is a tiny village just south of Weener in the district of Weser. Maybe Werner is a mistake for Weener and maybe Weisser is a mistake for Weser. Emden is a port city north of Diele so maybe that’s where he went when he first ran away from home and joined the merchant marines. The city of Swayburg could be misspelled and means Schweiburg, which is just south of the Jade Bay.
Diele is also only 5 miles or so from the Dutch border which might explain the spelling of “Claasen.” Scott’s grandfather always said it wasn’t a German name. The Germans spell it “Clausen” but in Dutch it’s “Claasen.”
According to Scott’s grandfather, John told him that his parents died when he was a boy (killed in the Schleswig-Holstein war) and he was taken in by an Aunt and Uncle. They did not treat him well and when he was 13 or 14 years old, he ran away and found work on a ship.The ship he worked on landed in New York and he became very impressed with the country. He heard stories of Germans who had settled in Nebraska, so the next time the ship landed in New York, he jumped and went west to Nebraska. It could be that no one new he was a deserter until Scott received the records from the state of Bremen.
Anna and John had the following children:
- Martha Gesina Claasen - born 8 Feb 1889 in Cuming County, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 56 on 12 May 1945 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States.
- Alma Johanna Claasen - born 7 Mar 1891 in Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 84 on 15 Mar 1975 in Pilger, Stanton, Nebraska, United States.
- Charles John "Karl" Claasen - born 4 Jul 1893 in Howells, Colfax, Nebraska, United States. He died at the age of 87 on 7 Nov 1980 in Fremont, Dodge, Nebraska, United States.
- Mathilda Wilhelmina "Tillie" Claasen - born 22 Mar 1896 in Howells, Colfax, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 82 on 8 Aug 1978 in Oakland, Burt, Nebraska, United States.
- Ella Katherine Claasen - born 1 May 1898 in Cuming County, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 71 on 5 May 1969 in Scribner, Dodge, Nebraska, United States.
- Ida Aline Claasen - born 30 Mar 1901 in Howells, Colfax, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 90 on 22 Aug 1991 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, United States.
- Anna Helene Claasen - born 14 Mar 1904 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 95 on 17 Jun 1999 in Scribner, Dodge, Nebraska, United States.
- Minna Leona Claasen - born 18 Feb 1906 in Cuming County, Nebraska, United States. She died at the age of 68 on 11 Jan 1975 in Genoa, Nance, Nebraska, United States.
1900 - US Federal Census - Bismarck Township, Cuming, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer)
1910 - US Federal Census - Bismarck Township, Cuming, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer, General Farm)
1920 - US Federal Census - Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States
1930 - US Federal Census - Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Truck Farmer, Farm)
1910 - US Federal Census - Bismarck Township, Cuming, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Farmer, General Farm)
1920 - US Federal Census - Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States
1930 - US Federal Census - Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States (Occupation: Truck Farmer, Farm)
John died at the age of 75 on 23 Sep 1936 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States. Anna died at the age of 95 on 14 Mar 1963 in Uehling, Dodge, Nebraska, United States. They were buried in Hooper Cemetery (Section 6, Lot 421 N half, Grave 1 and 2), Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska, United States [Find A Grave Memorial #60774917 and #34380583].
[Photo added by Julie Nelson Rican]
[Photo added by Julie Nelson Rican]