[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Grenke or Gruenke in California

[Paul Rakow]

  Dear List members,

     In the past few weeks I've been making progress on the family
  of Ferdinand Gruenke (1834-1919), who emigrated from Volhynia
  to California. Ferdinand was the brother of my great-great grandfather,
  who emigrated to Manitoba - quite a bit different from California!

     Is there anyone here related to the following people who lived
  in Anaheim and later Long Beach? There are also some other family
  members I know of, I have just listed here the ones I've found most about.

========

  Ferdinand Gruenke or Grenke (1834-1919)

  Born 11 Nov 1834, Zgierz, near Lodz

  Moved about 1843 to Knyszyn, near Bialystok
  Married his first wife Friedrike Jakob, 8 July 1856, in Bialystok
  Worked as master shoemaker Suprasl, near Bialystok

  Moved about 1867 to Volhynia

  Married his second wife, Ernestine Steinke (widow of Gottlieb Hennig) c 1882

  The family emigrated to USA June 1889 on the ship "Werra"

  Ferdinand farmed in Anaheim, California

  He retired about 1908, went to live with his son Gustav, Long Beach, California
  Ferdinand died 9 Jan 1919, Long Beach.

====

  Adolph Grenke (1861 - 1893)

  Ferdinand's son Adolph was born 16 July 1861, Suprasl
  Adolph married his step-sister Julianna (Julia) Hennig, probably 19 Feb 1882.
  Adolph died in an accident (run over by his own horses while making hay)
  30 June 1893, Anaheim

====

  Gustav Grenke (1870 - 1942)

  Ferdinand's son Gustav was born 4 July 1870, Zhitomir parish, Volhynia.
  In 1894 married Julia Hennig, his brother's widow.
  From about 1908 working as a cement contracter in Long Beach.

=======

  Herman Grenke (1892-1966)

  Adolph's son, born in Anaheim, 9 Aug 1892. In France with US army
  in WWI, 1918-19. Treasurer of the Pacific Electric Railway Co. in
  the 1940s and '50s. Married Suzanne Marriott.

===========

     I've already looked through the records in Zgierz, Bialystok
  and Zhitomir parish in some detail, but would be interested in
  any hints or tops about sources to research in California. I've
  looked at censuses, city directories, indexes to the vital records,
  and some newspapers.

      I googled the Pacific Electric Railway Co - there is an
  enormous amount of material about it on the web.

        Thanks,

           Paul Rakow
           paul.edward.luther.rakow at desy.de