Forkheim.ca

The Forkheim Family Story

Currently this branch of my tree is wider than it is deep. I am, however, following up on leads found by another Forkheim. When I get the records I will expand the story. There are currently three different variations of spelling for this name. They are "Forkheim", "Forgheim" and "Vorgheim".

I start back at Franz Johann Forgheim. He was born around 1780. He married Eva Angermann and had at least one child, Mathias Forgheim. Mathias was born around 1803 and was married to Katharina Wurdak. They had at least 5 children; Margaretha, Joseph, Stephan, Catharina and Peter. Mathias died in Izydorowka Galizia on March 3rd, 1877.

Joseph Forkheim Sr was a woodworker, making cabinets and spinning wheels. He was born in 1838 in Machlinec Galizia.He married Margarethe Putslocher On October 12th, 1855. Together they had at least three children; Anton, Michael, and Joseph Jr.

Anton went on to have 7 children; Michael, Margarette, Anna, Michaelina, Ludmila, Thomas and Joseph. Michael and Margarette both came to Winnipeg, Margarette becoming a nun. Most of Anna's descendents live in the Sacramento area. Michaelina immigrated to the New Jersey area. Ludmila moved to Quebec.

Michael had one son, Felix. Felix had four children in Galizia. He then moved the entire family to Canada and settled in Winnipeg. Most of his descendants have since moved over to Alberta.

Finally there was Joseph Jr. He was born around 1870 and married Elisabeth Kraus. They lived in Niniow-Gorny Galizia. They had 6 kids together; Joseph III, Theresia, Johann, Georg, Andreas and another that died young. Joseph Jr did manage to spend some time in Canada during his life. Theresia died of pneumonia during WW1. Joseph Jr and Elisabeth both died of either pneumonia or flu in 1918-1919. After the war Johann served in the Polish army's peacetime force. Johann moved to Canada in 1929. He married Anna Hoffmann in 1931. They had 4 children together, 2 girls and 2 boys. John worked as labourer for the CNR until sometime in 1953. In 1953 he fell off some scaffolding and landed on his back. Doctors then didn't give him much of a chance to live. Happily though, he outlived all of the doctors. He retired from the CN in 1965. He lived to be 88 years old. He died of a heart attack at his home in my Dad's arms.