Friedrich (Fred) Christoph Heinrich Kensing was the son of Henry and Johanna Kensing's, born on 8 May 1853 on Honey Creek, Gillespie County (1). The baby was baptized at the Verein Kirche in Fredericksburg. In 1858, when his parents joined the Methodist faith, Fred became a member of Hilda Methodist church.
After the tragic death of Henry and Johanna's, Fred's parents, he possibly found a foster home with the families of Heinrich Bierschwale and Fritz Brandenberger. When Freidrich completed his education, he became a teacher at Mason.
On 11 December 1873, the young man met Miss Mathilde Lemburg (born on 16 October 1856 at Koocksville), daughter of Detlef Heinrich Lemburg (farmer and shoemaker) and Catherine Marie Eggers. Mathilde's parents had emigrated to Texas together with her older sisters Emma and Minnie.
Mrs. Kate Lemburg passed in 1859. After her death, Mathilde lived with foster families until the year when her father married Mrs. Auguste Behrens. The girl was 12 then. Mr. Heinrich Lemburg died in 1870. After that, Mathilde lived with her step-mother and half-siblings, Louisa (who married Mr. Philipp Pfeifer), Bertha (married to Benjamin Goalson), and Henry Lemburg. Mathilde's only brother died when he was 7 years old. She joined the Methodist Church in 1874.
In 1871, Mrs. Agusta remarried. Mathilde's step-father was Leonard Fostel. A couple of years later, Fred married 17-year-old Mathilde. On 1 June 1800, the young Kensing family (Fred, Mathilda, and their two daughters Bertha and Emma) were registered by a Census clerk. They lived in Mason County (2). Besides teaching, Fred also did farming.
During the Hoo Doo War, it happened that a cattle thief was in jail. When Deputy Sheriff Whorle had to go out of town, before his departure, the lawman left the jail key in Friedrich's care. The thief supporters raided Fred and Mathilda's home trying to get the key and free the prisoner. The situation grew serious - Mathilda hid her husband at the back of their wagon, on which she put their 2 children, and drove it to safety in Fredericksburg.
After some time, the Kensings came back to Mason County. Fred was quite an enterprising man. Besides, teaching and farming, he was also engaged in freighting, and carpentry. Mr. Kensing ran a livery stable and served as a public weigher for freight wagons as well. In 1900, Friedrich, Mathilda, and their three children (Alfred, Clara, and ben) lived in Mason township. They had a boarder Mr. Emil Schreader who was a day laborer (3). Mr. Friedrich Kensing farmed 160 acres west of Mason.
Fred and Mathilde had seven children. One of them, Heinrich died as an infant in 1883.
Other children were: Bertha, Emma, (mentioned above), Mary,
Willhelm Alfred - born on 5 July 1885 in Hilda, Mason County (4),
Thekla Clara - born on 7 Sep 1887 in Hilda, Mason County (5),
and August Benjamin born on 6 Jul 1891, Hilda, Mason, Texas (6).
There has been some confusion regarding the youngest girls' birthdays. The birthday record of Auguste Bertha says she was born on 28 February 1878, Hilda, Mason, TX (7) but the death certificate of Bertha's gives a different date - 17 November 1875 (8).
The day of birth of Emma Wilhelmina's given on her death certificate is 12 February 1878 (9). Considering Bertha's birth record, the two girls were probably twins, and they both were born on 28 February 1878. At least it seems not possible that Emma was born 6 days earlier.
Now Mary. There is a birth record of Marichen Kensing, daughter of Friedrich and Mathilde, born on 12 February 1881, Hilda, Mason, Texas (10). The data given in that record is probably more correct than the information provided for Mary's death certificate - according to which her day of birth was 11 March 1881.
An interesting fact Fred Kensing that he was sensitive to the sight of a bleeding person. He tended to faint when he encountered such a view.
Fred and Mathilda lived in the west part of Mason, not far from the Whorlie Well. After Friedrich's death (7 March 1925), his wife lived alone. Sometimes she served as a midwife and helped deliver babies.
A year after his father's passing Ben (Benjamin Alfred) left this world. He died on 4 March 1926 in Marlin, Falls, TX (11).
Mathilda passed over on 4 February 1938 (12). The spouses were buried at the Crosby Cemetery in Mason.
Bertha Kensing married William von Donop. More about them and their children in the post here.
Emma W Kensing married Albert Metzger.
Mary married Charley John Worley.
Thekla Clara married C C King, and Ben married Myrtle Minnie Hanson.
| Resources: |
1. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3QG-736 : 13 March 2018), Fred Henry Kensing, 07 Mar 1925; citing certificate number 11308, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,113,844.
2. "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFJM-BBY : 14 November 2020), Fred Kensing, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 104, sheet 494A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,319.
3. "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3PK-JSH : accessed 17 January 2021), F N Kensing, Mason, Mason, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 53, sheet 10A, family 192, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,658.
4. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LGR-TD3Z : 14 February 2020), Friderich Kensing in entry for Wilhelm Alfred Kensing, 188
5. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LGH-1WT2 : 14 February 2020), Friedrich Kensing in entry for Thekla Clara Kensing, 1887.
6. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-M2PZ : 14 February 2020), Friederich Kensing in entry for August Benjamin Kensing, 1891.
7. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-74W2 : 14 February 2020), F. Kensing in entry for Auguste Bertha Kensing, 1878.
8. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K39V-N42 : 13 March 2018), Frederick Kensing in entry for Bertha Kensing Donop, 15 May 1947; citing certificate number 22185, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,218,599.
9. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSY2-XZ8 : 13 March 2018), Frederick Kensing in entry for Emma Wilchinina Metzger, 02 Jan 1970; citing certificate number 05635, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,218,582.
10. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-8LPZ : 14 February 2020), Friedrich Kensing in entry for Marichen Kensing, 1881.
11. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K37J-GZP : 13 March 2018), Fredrick Kensing in entry for Bess Kensing, 04 Mar 1926; citing certificate number 9821, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,114,062.
12. "Texas Death Index, 1903-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZDF-4RZ : 24 May 2014), Mathilda Kensing, 04 Feb 1938; from "Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2006); citing certificate number 9191, Mason, Texas, Texas Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Austin.
"Mason County Historical Book", Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976.
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