Christoph Frederick and Anna Maria Imle, Germany

Born in Gündelbach, on 30 Sep 1842, Christoph was one of ten known children (Magdalene Friederike, Jane, Christina, Christoph, Frederike Catherine, John Karl, Maria Beata, Jakob Christ, and two unnamed infants) of Christoph and Maria Beata (Sommer) Imle. Probably named “Christoph Friedrich,” he eventually dropped the “Christoph” and in America changed “Friedrich” to “Frederich” and then to “Frederick,” but usually going by “Fred” or “Fred Sr.” (to distinguish him from his son Fred). In this book, the name “Christoph” is often used to avoid ambiguities.

On 17 May 1869, in Weissach, a town 16 miles south of Gündelbach, Christoph wedded Anna Maria Reichert (often called “Marie” or “Mary” in the U.S.). Born in Weissach, Maria had six known siblings—Christiana (chr 4 Oct 1838), Christina Magdalena (chr 31 Mar 1841), Johann Friederich (chr 2 Feb 1845), Johann Adam (b 21 Nov 1851), Johann Martin (b 2 Jul 1854), and Abraham (chr 28 Oct 1855), all born in Weissach—children of Johann Martin and Christiana (Hahn) Reichert. Johann Martin is named as a surviving sibling in Maria’s obituary.

Over the years, Maria has been given a variety of birthdates. Two different, relatively reliable, secondary sources, the Imle Family Tree and a Family Group Sheet for Cristoph Frederick and Maria Imle, both prepared by close relatives, give Anna Maria's birth date as 12 Nov 1849, as does Maria’s obituary. But these do not agree with her cemetery marker’s birth year of 1848. A letter dated 1 Apr 1980 from officials at the City of Vaihingen an der Enz in Germany concerning the family’s immigration gives a birthdate of 30 Sep 1848, and the 1900 U.S. census gives April 1848. The last source is particularly significant since Maria’s birthdate was presumably recorded by the census taker in her presence and birthdates for all other family members in the 1900 census agree with other records. But the most likely birthdate is none of these. Most reliable is 12 Nov 1848, the date given in a transcription of an official Weissach birth and christening record.

Vineyards of Gündelbach (2011).

In Gündelbach. Christoph and Maria resided in a still-standing house, lived on the proceeds from a 12-acre vineyard, and parented five children. And in that town they made a momentous decision, to go to America to avoid required service by their sons in the German military. It is said that Christoph sold his 12 acres to pay for the trip, traveled to Rotterdam with his wife and five children, and on 23 Mar 1881 started across the Atlantic for America.