From "Genealogy of The Engbrock Family - The Ancestors and Descendants of William Jacob Engbrock and his wife Barbara Braden (1840-1994) and Allied Families of Wendel, Matzke, Reitz, Kainer, and Brandes" Compiled by Joyce Herrmann Schmidt

Page XV

OUR ENGBROCK ANCESTORS

    The first Engbrock (Engbroich) ancestors were found as early as 1645 living near Oedt, Rhineland, Prussia.  It is not known exactly when the Engbrock family left the Oedt area to go to Huls, thence to Krefeld, Barmen, and Elberfeld.  Peter Engbroich was the first of the family to be found.  It is not known when he was born, however he and his wife Hellena were parents of a son Joannes {Engbroich}, who was born on March 18, 1728, in Oedt, Rhineland, Prussia.  Joannes Engbroich married Catherina Eiler and a son Jacobus Peter {Engbroich} was born to this union in Odet on January 25, 1754.  Joannes {Engbroich} died in Oedt on May 25, 1783, but nothing is known about his wife, Catherina.

    Jacobus Peter Engbroich was a linen weaver by trade and was married to Maria Catharina Rutten.  Jacobus and Maria became parents of a son, Joannes Matthias {Engbroich} born on December 15, 1778 in Oedt.

    Joannes Matthias {Engbroich}, like his father was trained to be a linen weaver.  On December 30, 1803, Joannes Matthias Engbroich and Maria Johanna Hover were married in Oedt.  Maria Johanna {Hover} was born on August 23, 1785 in Oedt to Petris Josephus {Hover} and Maria Anna Beroix Hover.  Joannes Matthias {Engbroich} and Maria Johanna {Hover Engbroich} were residing in Elberfeld, Rhineland, Prussia, when their daughter Johanna Margaretha {Engbroich} was born on November 19, 1806, followed by the birth of their twin sons Johann Heinrich {Engbroich} and Johann Michael {Engbroich} on November 25, 1809.  It is believed there were four other sons born: Carl, Johann Matthias, Michael, and Fredrich.  Joannes Matthias {Engbroich} died in Elberfeld on July 11, 1841, {and} his wife Maria Johanna {Hover Engbroich} died October 30, 1854.

    Joannes Matthias {Engbroich} and Maria Johanna {Hover Engbroich}'s  daughter, Johanna Margaretha {Engbroich} married Gottfried Boettcher and upon his death left her a widow with three children.  Johanna Margaretha {Engbroich} then married Johann Arnold Knipscheer and they became parents of three children.  Johanna {Margaretha Engbroich}, Johann {Arnold Knipscheer} and the children immigrated to America in 1848, settling in Texas.

    It is not known what happened to the twin Johann Heinrich Engbroich.

    The twin Johann Michael Engbroich married Maria Henrietta Meyer daughter of Johann {Meyer} and Gertrude Wecken Meyer. They were parents of four children: Robert, Wilhelm Jacob, Gertrude, and Johanna.  In September 1853 Johann Michael and his family immigrated to America also settling in Texas.

    It was from these forefathers that the Engbrock family roots have spread into the present and undoubtedly future generations shall emerge.

Page 15-16

WILLIAM AND BARBARA ENGBROCK

    William {Jacob} John Engbrock was born February 9, 1840, in Elberfeld, Rhineland, Prussia, to Johann Michael {Engbrock} and Maria Henrietta Meyer Engbrock.  He at age thirteen along with his parents departed Elberfeld for America and arrived at the port of Matagorda, Texas.  From there the family proceeded inland to Industry, Austin County, Texas, later settling near Frelsburg in Colorado County, Texas.  William grew to manhood in the pioneer days which helped to prepare him for the many hardships which he endured during the War Between the States.  William volunteered for service in the Confederate Army and records show that in September of 1861 at age 21 he enlisted in Captain Martinus C. Heuvel's Regiment, Active Company of Mounted Rifles, Shelby Beat, Austin County, 23rd Brigade, Texas Militia.  Another record shows that on March 21, 1862, William enlisted as a private in Captain Daly's Company "C", Ragsdale's Battalion, Texas Cavalry, Confederate States of America.  He saw service in Texas, Arizona, and Louisiana, serving with distinction and honor and at the close of the war having served four years he received an honorable discharge and returned to the home of his parents.

    William {Jacob John} Engbrock and Barbara Braden were united in marriage on January 19, 1867 at St. Roch's Catholic Church in Mentz, Colorado County, Texas.  The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Peter Tarrillion with Andreas Braden and Justina Frey serving as their witnesses.

    Barbara {Braden} was born to Andreas {Braden} and Katherine {Catharina Odiloe} Schmitt Braden in Bingen-Büdesheim, Hesse, Darmstadt, Germany, on August 28,1848.  She was three weeks old when her parents and their eight children departed through the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, in September 1848 on the ship John Holland arriving in Galveston, Texas, on November 27, 1848.  The Braden family settled in Bernardo Prairie, Colorado County, Texas, where Andreas {Braden} was engaged in farming.

    William {Jacob John Engbrock} and Barbara {Braden Engbrock} resided in the farming community near Frelsburg after their marriage later moving to Mentz and thence to Vox Populi in Colorado County, Texas.  They had thirteen children with ten surviving, five sons and five daughters, to adulthood.  William opened the first general store in Nada, Texas, in August, 1893.  In December 1899, William sold the store and he and Barbara moved to Wharton County circa 1902.  They built their home on North Mechanic Street in El Campo.  At this time, their children Emma, William Jr., Fritz, Sophia, Cecelia, Elo, and Selma had married and most of them followed their parents to make their homes in and near El Campo.  William and Barbara both devoted their best efforts in a long and useful life to the building of their adopted country and in aiding to make it a better place for their children and their descendents.  They were one of El Campo's pioneer families and were instrumental in helping to build St. Philip's Catholic Church which they faithfully attended.

    On June 5, 1930, Barbara {Braden Engbrock} died at her residence at age 82 and was buried the following day at Garden of Memories Cemetery in El Campo.  William {Jacob John Engbrock} was taken to Austin, Texas, and placed in the Confederate Home for the Aged where he died April 3, 1934 at age 94.  His body was returned to El Campo for burial beside that of his wife of sixty three years.