Born in Prussia.
Departure: June 1, 1846 from LeHavre, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France
Arrival: June 29, 1846 at New York, NY on the ship Argo

John Recktenwald was born either to John Recktenwald and Mary Ann Trapp in 1789, or to George Rectenwald and Margaret Zimmer in 1791. Because of the date of birth, the latter is more likely. Another possibility, though less likely again because of the date, is to the single parent Margaret Recktenwald in 1787.

Marriage record of Johannes Rectenwald and Elisabetha Jochem July 30, 1816

"Today, the 30th of the month of July in the year eighteen hundred-sixteen, at 11 o'clock in the morning, appeared before us … the mayor of … in the Ottweiler canton of Ottweiler, to which Welschbach belongs; and Johannes Rectenwald, a single … 20-year-old born in Welschbach November 12, 1795, by profession a farmer, who lives in Welschbach, an underage son of the farmer Conrad Rectenwald who lives in Welschbach and Elisabetha Donig …; and then the single Elisabetha Jochem, a 19-year-old born in Welschbach May 11, 1797, by profession a …, who lives in Welschbach, underage daughter of the deceased Johannes Jacob Jochem, a farmer from Welschbach and Elisabetha Georg. "

This civil document, written in German, from Stennweiler, Prussia , in the German federation, goes on to say that it is the mother of the bride who gives permission for her to marry since the father is deceased and she is underage. It states that the young couple met all the legal requirements; banns were posted and no one objected; the couple were asked if they wished to be married and they replied in the affirmative; they were legally pronounced husband and wife. There were four witnesses.

During the time around the Napoleonic wars, no church records were kept of weddings, none that I could find anyway. The official record was the civil record. Only several years before this document, and for several years, the official civil records in this area of Prussia were kept in French, reflecting the social turmoil caused by the wars.

Spouse:
Maria Margaretha Elizabetha (Mary Elizabeth) Jochem (MAY 11, 1797 Welschbach, Ottweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany - OCTOBER 11, 1850 Welschbach, Ottweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany), daughter of Johann Jakobi (John Jacob) Jochem (NOVEMBER 20, 1755 Welschbach, Saarland, Germany - MARCH 31, 1801 Welschbach, Saarland, Germany and Marie Elizabeth Gerg rg (1759–1830).

Elizabeth's younger children were living with her the first year of their emigration to the United States.

Marriage Record·
Marriage record of Johannes Rectenwald and Elisabetha Jochem July 30, 1816

FROM THE RONNIE GELLER (OF PORTLAND, OREGAN) FAMILY TREE:

Father:
Johann Konrad Recktenwald (11/24/1763 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - 11/15/1846 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany)

Mother:
Maria Elisbeth Doni (1769 - 1829)

Grandfather:
Johann Adam Recktenwald (9/30/1723 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - 10/1/1782 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany)

Grandmother:
Anna Margarethe Jochum (1734 - 1794)

Johann Rectenwald and Elisabetha Jochem's children
1. Margarethe Elisabeth Recktenwald
BIRTH 20 DEC 1818 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany
DEATH BET. 1868–1870 Deerfield, Lake, Illinois, USA

Spouse:
Franz (Francis) Stupey (Stuppi) (18 OCT 1815 Schiffweiler, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - AFT. 1880 Deerfield, Lake, Illinois, USA). Margarethe and Franz had the following children:

---(i.) Catharine Stupey (Stuppi) (2/6/1844 Schiffweiler, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany–____)
---(ii.) Peter Stupey (4/3/1848 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois –3/3/1928 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois). Peter married Anna French Rhymes (1856-1921)
---(iii.) Julian Nicholas Stupey (12/16/1849 Highland Park, Illinois –1930 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois). Julian married Nellie Yorke (1861-1939)
---(iv.) Mary Stupey (Abt. 1852 Illinois–____)
---(v.) Mary Elisabeth (Lizzie) Stupey (Abt. 1855 Highland Park–____ San Mateo, CA). Mary married William Henry Dingwell (1859-1936)
---(vi.) Margaret Stupey (3/4/1856 Highland Park, IL–11/8/1919 Winnetka, Cook County, IL)
---(vii.) John Stupey (03 APR 1858 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois - 24 APR 1931 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois). John married Minnie Burbie (1866-1919)
---(viii.) Maria Stupey (ABT. 1861 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois - ABT. 1895 Cook, Illinois). Maria married John Taylor (1856-____)
---(ix.) Frank Stupey (30 JAN 1863 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois - 05 MAR 1925 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois). Frank married Rachel Peterson (1863-1923).
---(x.) James Stupey (Abt. 1868 Illinois–____)

2. Johann (John) Recktenwald (18 SEP 1821 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - 09 JUN 1880 Deerfield, Lake, Illinois)

Spouse: Mary Unknown (1823–1856)

Children:
(i.) Mary Recktenwald (1850–____)
(ii.) Catharine Recktenwald (1852–____)
(iii.) Louisa Recktenwald (1853–____)
(iv.) Barbara Recktenwald (1855–1931)

Second Spouse: Anna Unknown (1832–1910)

Children:
---(v.) Amy Anna Recktenwald (1859–___)
---(vi.) John Recktenwald (1861–1931)
---(vii.) Mary Recktenwald (1864–____)
---(viii.) Nicholas Recktenwald (1867–1948)
---(ix.) William Recktenwald (1869–____)

3. Peter Recktenwald (18 SEP 1821 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany – ____)

4. Jakob Recktenwald (07 JUL 1824 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany-AFT. 1850 USA)

5. Johann Nicolaus Recktenwald (26 NOV 1826 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - AFT. 1880 Deerfield, Lake, Illinois)
Spouse:
Mary Sandley (Abt. 1851 Illinois –____)

Children:
---(i.) Frank Recktenwald (ABT. 1870 Illinois, USA - 27 JUL 1932 San Diego, California, USA). Frank married Mary Fay (1869-1945) and they had the following children: John N Recktenwald (1894–____); Catharine Recktenwald (1895–____) and Thomas Recktenwald (1898–____).
---(ii.) Jacob Recktenwald (23 MAR 1872 Illinois, USA - 13 DEC 1936 Woodstock, McHenry, Illinois, USA). Jacob married Margaret A. ________ (Abt. 1870-____)
---(iii.) Anna Recktenwald (21 FEB 1874 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois, USA - 23 SEP 1935 St Joseph, Berrien, Michigan, USA). She married John Doyle (Abt. 1874-____).
---(iv.) John Nicholas Recktenwald (29 JUN 1876 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois, USA - 14 JAN 1941 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois, USA). John married Estella _______ (29 APR 1887 Illinois, USA - APR 1971 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois, USA).
---(v.) Margaret Recktenwald (Abt. 1879 Illinois – ____). Margaret married Robert Miller (Abt. 1874 Germany–____) and they had the following children: Robert Miller (1902–____); Clarence Miller (1907–____); Vincent Miller (1913–____) and one other child.

Second Spouse:
Mary Loesch (ABT. 1830 Germany - ABT. 1869 Deerfield, Lake, Illinois, USA)

Children:
---(vi.) George Recktenwald (DEC 1854 Illinois, USA - BET. 1901–1920 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA). George married Mary Jane (Jennie) Lee (1862–1947) and they had the following child: Catherine Grace Recktenwald (26 OCT 1887 Illinois, USA - 22 APR 1958 San Francisco, California, USA), who married John R. Zimmer (1883-1936).
---(vii.) Catharine (Katie) Recktenwald (FEB 1857 Illinois, USA - 29 OCT 1942 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA). Catherine married Charles Inman (1855–1910) and they had the following children: Helen M Inman (1881–____); Herbert Inman (1884–____) and Josephine Inman (1890–____).
---(viii.) Josephine Recktenwald (19 DEC 1858 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois, USA - 26 JAN 1928 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA)
---(ix.) Elizabeth (Lizzie) Recktenwald (19 DEC 1858 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois, USA - 26 JAN 1928 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA). Lizzie married James Woodruff (1859–1895) and they had the following children: Willard James Woodruff (1884–____); Isabell Woodruff (1887–____) and Martha Woodruff (1890–____).
---(x.) Peter Recktenwald (19 FEB 1864 Highland Park, Lake, Illinois, USA - 19 MAR 1940 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois, USA)

6. Joseph Recktenwald (21 APR 1830 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - AFT. 1850 USA)

7. Georg (George) Recktenwald (16 OCT 1832 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - 1892 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois, USA)

Spouse:
Amelia Richards (AUG 1842 Defiance, Defiance, Ohio, USA - 11 OCT 1907 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois, USA)

Children:
---(i.) Catharine (Katie) Recktenwald (Abt. 1862 Illinois–____)
---(ii.) George J Recktenwald (May 1867 Illinois–1906)
---(iii.) Michael Edward Recktenwald (13 MAY 1869 Illinois, USA - 17 SEP 1946 Waukegan, Lake, Illinois, USA)
---(iv.) Mary Recktenwald (Abt. 1871 Illinois–____)
---(v.) Frederick Recktenwald (Abt. 1874 Illinois –____)
---(vi.) Sabina Recktenwald (Abt. 1877 Illinois–____)
---(vii.) Matthias Recktenwald (Abt. 1879 Illinois –____)
---(viii.) John Recktenwald (October 1882 Illinois–____)
---(ix.) Christine Recktenwald (May 1885 Illinois–____)

8. Friedrich Wilhelm (William) Recktenwald (30 JUN 1835 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany - AFT. 1850 USA)

CAVEAT:
K. O'Brien: Having spent copious amount of time going through the church records for Deerfield and surrounding areas, I realized both Wendel and 'Jacob John' (see beklow) that [some sources] have designated as children of Johann Recktenwald & Maria Jochem are actually children of Peter & Elisabeth Recktenwald from Urexweiler. If you read the bio on memorial 29977613, this John, son of Peter and Elisabeth, married Maria Hinsberger in Urexweiler and their children's baptismal records in Deerfield identify Maria Hinsberger as their mother...

Johann, son of Johann Recktenwald and Maria Jochem, was born in Welschbach on 18 September 1821. Little is known about this Johann. It is not known whether he lived beyond childhood and, if so, whether he emigrated to America with his family in the mid 1840s. This Johann is not in the 1860 Deerfield, Lake County, Illinois census which does list his mother and younger brothers. No marriage record or death record for this Johann has been found in the church records of the area.

--- Vendal Wendal Recktenwald (1817 –1874)

--- Jacob John Recktenwald (September 18, 1821 Welschbach, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany – June 9, 1880 Deerfield, Lake, Illinois) (Twin to Peter). John married Mary (1823–1856) and possibly a second wife, and he had the following children: Mary Recktenwald (1850–____); Catharine Recktenwald (1852–____); Louisa Recktenwald (1853–____); Barbara Recktenwald (10/15/1855–7/12/1931); AmyAnna Recktenwald (1859–____); John Recktenwald (1861–1931); Mary Recktenwald (1864–____); Nicholas Recktenwald (1867–1948) and William Recktenwald (1869–____); William's daughter Barbara married Heinrich (Henry)Berning (1855–1942) and they had the following children: Henry Berning (1882–____); MA Berning (1885–____); Arthur Berning (1886–____); Barbara Berning (1889–____); Eddy Berning (1892–____) Sophia Berning (1894–____) and Carl Berning (1896–____)