The ancestral Eckhard family resided in Germany. Three sons of the family – John, Henry, and George, came to America more than one hundred years ago to improve their economic opportunites and in search of religious freedom. In their day the State Religion in Germany was Lutheran, and it was the only faith tolerated.
An introductory page provides information on this “first” family. The history of the three brothers and their descendants is recorded in Parts, I, Il and III respectively. Part IV contains brief records of five daughters of the family who did not emigrate. In Part V are records of the immigrant members of the Pullman family, related by marriage to George, one of the three brothers.
In the lines of descent there are now many Eckhar(d)ts. They are widely scattered from Philadelphia and the Atlantic seaboard on the East, through the central and mountain states to Los Angeles and the Pacific on the West. Some retained the original spelling, Eckhard. Some added the letter “t’. Some changed the letter “d” to “t”.
An attempt was made to obtain the correct name and accurate information of every descendant. It was only through the cooperative efforts of interested relatives that an accurate and somewhat complete history of almost every family in line of descent has been made possible.
Diligent search was made for some “lost” family groups. A few were found and records provided. If in the future others are located, and if there are any corrections in present records to be made, it is suggested that the information be recorded and passed on to interested relatives.
The Parents
One hundred fifty years ago, a young couple, then in their first months of married life, lived in the village of Grosszimmern, Germany. The husband was JOHANNES ECKHARD (Dec. 6, 1770-Dec. 6, 1818). He was a son of J. Henrik (Ober-Kinzig) and Barbara (Wagner) Eckhard. Johannes was engaged in the weaving of hosiery.
Johannes was married on Oct. 13, 1801 to ELIZABETHA KATHARINA KREISEL (May 23, 1779-Dec. 10, 1840). She was a daughter of Johann (from Spachbruecken) and Dorothea (Goebel) Kreisel. The home village, still in existence, is near the city of Darmstadt in the Province of Hessen. The area is known as the Odenwald, a mountain region between the Main and Neckar rivers.
The Children – To Johannes and Elizabetha (Kreisel) Eckhard were born nine children, – four sons and five daughters. Three sons, – JOHN, HENRY and GEORGE, came to America. Their lineage records follow in Parts I, II and III, respectively. The daughters, – ELIZABETHA, DOROTHEA, MARTA, ANNA and BARBARA remained in Germany. Records available for them are provided in Part IV.
The original 1952 volume contained the first 5 sections through the Pullman Family (I-V). The updated 1991 volume by John Martin Smith included the supplement, errata and addenda.
Contents
The Eckhard Family in Germany
- JOHN ECKHARDT, immigrant in 1838. His six sons.
- Henry ECKHARDT (1836-1917)
- George ECKHARDT (1839- 7?)
- Charles ECKHARDT (1841-1915)
- William ECKHARDT (1843-1906)
- John ECKHARDT (1848-1918)
- Francis ECKHARDT ( ? )
- HENRY ECKHARD, immigrant in 1846. His six children.
- George ECKHARD (1832-1910)
- Michael ECKHART (1834-1918)
- Elizabeth OBERLIN (1837-1930)
- John ECKHART (1839-1902)
- Catherine ECKHARD (1841?-1851?)
- Martha REINOEHL (1847-1923)
- GEORGE ECKHARDT, immigrant in 1847. His five children
- Eva FROEHLICH (1845-1928)
- John ECKHARDT (1846-1895)
- George ECKHARDT (1851-1913)
- Mary MILITZER (1855-1948)
- Franklin ECKHARDT (1861-1863)
- Five Eckhard Sisters
- The PULLMAN Family
Supplement to the History of John Echkardt
This is a more detailed account of the activities of Charles and his descendents, due to the necessity for brevity in the general history.
History of an Eckhardt family, Errata and Addenda
Source
Smith, John Martin, Reinoehl, Charles M. and Echart, George B. History of an Eckhar(d)t family : whose three sons (John, Henry, George) came to America before 1850; Bryan, Texas : The Scribe Shop, 1991.