So Little Knowledge of the Enke's

Lydia (what a lovely name) Enke is my second ggrandmother. She married William Wilson and they had twins, Rosetta and Rosella. Rosetta married Lucius Carrington. They are my grandmother Irene Carrington Daugherty's parents.

I don't know much about this family, that's why it's a good thing to mention the Enke's here. Perhaps in writing about this family, facts may become more clear to myself and to readers.

I've been corresponding with Robert Enkey, (my fourth cousin) who gave me a great deal of information on the family, however as his branch breaks from ours with Lydia, I'm still searching for information that defines Lydia.

My 4th cousin, twice removed, Erich Enke has also written, but again though related, his family branch is not directly connected to Lydia. We do share the same 3rd ggrandmother Nancy or Ann Susan Pryor (English descent). My 2nd great grand uncle, Hiram Enke is mentioned in the 1886 Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Illinois. The article mentions his German descent. Hiram was one of Lydia's 14 siblings.

Gail Bernkopf has also written, concerning Elizabeth Enke as a possible sister of John, Lydia's father. I have some written accounts concerning Lydia's brother Josiah and his wife's family (Bevans).

Danielle Koenig is also in contact with our family, though her possible family connection might have been made in Germany. Here's an interesting sentence from Danielle, "sister-in-law in Germany dumped the family records in cleaning out parents' house - arghh!" A nightmare for anyone interesting in finding family roots!

Briefly, Lydia Enke was born Oct. 27, 1840 in Ohio and died January 17, 1919 in Nance Township,South Dakota. She married William White Wilson, April 26th, 1866 in Knox County, Illinois. they had five children: William E. Wilson, who died as a young man at Omaha, Nebraska, Rosella Brachvogel and Rosetta Carrington (twins), Mary Brachvogel, from near Forsyth, Montana, and Pearl Cavenee, who resided near Wessington. Lydia also raised her niece, Mary (Maimie) Wilson Hill, of Walla Walla, Washington from infancy.

Those are the facts...but facts are only part of Lydia's story. With some searching, perhaps we can find out more about her.

Picture is of Lydia and William and their children with niece Mamie sitting between them.