Johann and Lena (Zierjack) Tiedt

Heinrich Friedrich Christian Tiedt Family. Standing: (L to R) Wilhelm, Friedrich, Caroline "Lena", and Emma. Seated: Catharina Margarethe Maria Auguste "Lena" (Zierjack) Tiedt (mother of Heinrich), Heinrich and Louisa Saphia Maria (Leeseberg) Tiedt holding Ernst Heinrich Johann Tiedt. (Photo take in 1883)

Catharina Margarethe Maria Auguste "Lena" Zierjack, the daughter of Heinrich Georg and Catharina Margaretha Elizabeth (Bössow) Zierjack, was born on February 10, 1809, in Döbbersen, Amtsgericht Wittenburg, Landgericht Schwerin, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

Johann and Lena married on August 4, 1835, in Warin, Amtsgericht Warin, Landgericht Güstrow, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg -Schwerin, and they had 9 children:

Christian Johann Carl Tiedt	Christian was born on September 28, 1835, in Zurow-Jesendorf-Büschow, Amtsgericht Wismar, Landgericht Schwerin, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He married Maria Christina Carolina Spangenberg on February 26, 1862, in Immanuel Lutheran Church, DuPage County, Illinois. Christian died on August 4, 1892, at the age of 56.
Stillborn Son Tiedt	Johann and Lena had a son who was born on April 4, 1837, in Zurow-Jesendorf-Büschow, Amtsgericht Wismar, Landgericht Schwerin, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and died stillborn.
Johann Franz Ernst August Tiedt	Johann was born on May 3, 1838, in Zurow-Jesendorf-Büschow, Amtsgericht Wismar, Landgericht Schwerin, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Büschow. He married Caroline Rackow on May 16, 1865, in Immanuel Evangelical Church, Bensenville, Illinois,. Johann died on April 30, 1893, at the age of 54.
Heinrich Friedrich Christian Tiedt	Heinrich was born on February 21, 1840, in Zurow-Jesendorf-Büschow, Amtsgericht Wismar, Landgericht Schwerin, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin; Büschow. He married Louisa Sophia Maria Leeseberg on February 22, 1869, in St.Paul's Ev.Church, Maxfield Twp. Bremer County, Iowa. Heinrich was a founder of the Lutheran St. Matthews Church near Readlyn, and was a long member of the community. He joined Zion church in Readlyn in 1918. Heinrich died on 31, 1918, at the age of 78.
Maria Sophia Christine Elisabeth Tiedt	Maria was born on November 16, 1841, in Mankmoos, Amtsgericht Warin, Landgericht Güstrow, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg -Schwerin. She married Michael Ganske on February 1, 1863, in Cook County, Illinois. Maria died on 31, 1923, at the age of 82.
Sophia Maria Dorothea Tiedt	Sophia was born on February 9, 1844, in Mankmoos, Amtsgericht Warin, Landgericht Güstrow, Grandduchy Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She married Leopold Heinrich Leistikow on June 21, 1865, in St. John's Lutheran Church Roselle, DuPage County, Illinois, and they had 13 children. Sophia died on 31, 1915, at the age of 71.
Sophia Maria Dorothea Elisabeth Tiedt	Sophia was born on February 27, 1846, in Mankmoos, Amtsgericht Warin, Landgericht Güstrow, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She died as a child on April 3, 1847, at the age of 1.
Sophia Elisabeth Dorothea Marie Tiedt	Sophia was born on September 18, 1848, in Mankmoos, Amtsgericht Warin, Landgericht Güstrow, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She married Rudolph Messerly on April 24, 1870. Sophia died on 31, 1929, at the age of 81.
Lisette Friederike Sophia Maria "Lizzie" Tiedt	Lizzie was born on October 17, 1851, in Mankmoos, Amtsgericht Warin, Landgericht Güstrow, Grandduchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She married Phillip C. Davis on March 23, 1870, in Waverly,Bremer County,Iowa,.

Johann and Lena immigrated with their family to the United States in 1855, first settling in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. They then moved to Bremer County Iowa. He eventually became one of Bremer county's most prosperous farmers and at the time of his death was treasurer of the of the Wapsie Valley Creamery of which he was one one of the founders.

Johann died on November 24, 1871, in Bremer County, Iowa, at the age of 66. Lena died on November 4, 1884, in Bremer County, Iowa, at the age of 75.

This 1894 map of Maxfield Township, Bremer County, IA shows 2 80-acre parcels in Section 7 owned by John and Henry Tiedt. Most likely this was the original 160-acre homestead of Johann Christian Tiedt. Johann Christian died in 1871, and it is likely that his two sons Johann Franz and Heinrich Frederick each inherited 80 acres of the homestead. Johann Franz died in 1893, the year before this map was published, so it is most likely it is his son John who now owns this 80-acre parcel.

This Historic 1894 map of Franklin Township, Bremer County, Iowa shows 2 additional 80-acre parcels in Section 7 owned by John Tiedt, which connect at the southwest corner to the Maxfield Township acreage owned by John. According to family historian/reasearcher 'cousin' Don Leistiko, Johann Christian purchased 120 acres in Bremer County for $1,200 in 1865, a few years after his son Johann Franz Tiedt was mustered out of the army with a disability. This was six years before Johann Christian died, so it might be that this Franklin Township acreage is where Johann Franz lived when he married in 1865 and started his family. There is a house shown on this property (though the Franklin Township property totals nearly 160 acres, not 120). In any case, Johann Franz likely inherited this farm when his father died, and it probably passed to his son John who in 1894 owned both the Franklin and the Maxfield Township farms. Johann's brother Christian Tiedt also died not long before this map was published, and his second wife Marie (Piehl) Tiedt is shown as owning their family farm in Sections 18 & 19. Most likely it is Maria's nephew, Henry, son of her brother Henry (Hienrich) Piehl who owns the 120-acre parcel in Sections 29 & 30. Henry J. Tiedt owns 200 acres in Section 10, and is likely Christian's oldest son. Leopold Leistikow, who married Christian's sister Sophie, owns a 320-acre farm in Sections 19 & 20, and hs son Fred owns an adjoining 40-acre parcel.

Maxfield Township on left and Franklin Township on right. Blue dash line separates townships. In 1894 Henry J Tiedt b 1862 owned 200 acres in section 10 in Franklin Township, Bremer County Iowa. By 1917 Christ F. Judas, Henry’s sister’s husband, owns this land and Henry J. Tiedt owns land in Section 15 and 16.

(My thanks to Sue (Tiedt) Rife for supplying this later map, and the Warranty Deed documenting the purchase of the land by Christian Tiedt in 1868.)

First published April 25, 2016. Last revised September 19, 2019. If you have comments, corrections or additional information or pictures you would like to contribute, feel free to contact Dave Nims.