Genealogy Drefahl

Two families Drefahl from the village of Drusewitz, Mecklenburg emigrated to  USA

birth and marriage records of Drefahl at Drusewitz

see photographs of the village of Drusewitz

map of Germany with links to other cities and persons lists

Maybe  50 to 100 persons named “Drefahl” lived  in their home country in the middle of the 19th century at the same time.  As far as I could find out only  three or four families Drefahl emigrated to USA at that time.  I suppose that all  150 - 200  Drefahl´s / Drafahl´s  who live in USA today are followers of these three or four  families.  

Christopher Ludwig Friederich Drefahl , * 5 MAY 1816  at the village of Drusewitz,  with his wife Sophia Magdalena    and   their four sons

     Drafahl, John J    *  3 OCT 1841
     Drafahl, Friederich Johan Pete  * 27 OCT 1843
     Drafahl, William * 1851
     Drafahl, Peter * 1860

All birth-, marriage- and death records back to the year 1650 are now in the church book archive in Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg  (Kirchenbuchamt Schwerin).  The archive is open for public.  In summer 1999 I was there and went through the lists of the village of Drusewitz.  All records concerning the names of Drefahl at Drusewitz from 1740 to 1880 you find   HERE.   

I also visited the village of Drusewitz and made some photos of the village and the old cemetary today.  Click  HERE  see them.

Here you can see copies of some records of one of the emigrated families:

Marriage record of the parents of  Christopher Ludwig:

All birth-, marriage- and decease records of Drusewitz/Vilz and Mecklenburg are now in the archive of the church office in Schwerin, the capital of Mecklenburg.  There are two volumes of Drusewitz, 1.) year 1740 to 1786    2.) 1787 to 1875

The first generations in USA 

(source:  Index to Copliens,  the genealogy homepage of the family Coplien)

                          http://www.bell-labs.com/user/cope/Genealogy/Coplien/index.htm

PARENTS (in Germany):

Friederich Johann Peter Drefahl    X   Christina Sophia Mueller (F: Johann Friederich Mueller)

*around 1770  Drusewitz ( Mar. 17th, 1768 ?)

married  on  October 26th, 1804  in Drusewitz, parish Vilz, Mecklenburg,  Germany (see  above)

Children:

Maria Hanna Magdalena Drefahl     * 23 DEC 1806                                           

Christopher Ludwig Friederich Drefahl      *  5 MAY 1816

                   ____________________________________________________

Christopher Ludwig Friederich Drefahl                                     

 * 5 MAY 1816 Drusewitz,Germany  +14 DEC 1887 , Rock County, Wisconsin
|
 x   Sophia Magdalena Friederich Drafahl
* AUG 1818 Drusewitz, Germany  +14 DEC 1887 , Rock County, Wisconsin
                                        (Father: Joachim Ernst Theodorus * 21 NOV 1779)
|
Children:

     Drafahl, John J b: 3 OCT 1841
     Drafahl, Friederich Johan Pete b: 27 OCT 1843
     Drafahl, William b: 1851
     Drafahl, Peter b: 1860
                  ____________________________________________________
 
John J Drafahl     x    Coplien,  Dorothea Regina b: 30 MAY 1847
* 3 OCT 1841 Mecklenburg, Germany
+ 15 MAR 1921 Bethel Cem., Rock, Wisconsin
|
Children:         Drafahl, Edith Mary b: 12 MAY 1871
                        Drafahl, Peter b: 25 JAN 1873
                        Drafahl, Anna Tina b: 1875
                        Drafahl, Augusta b: 18 JUN 1877
                        Drafahl, Nelly b: SEP 1880/1881
                        Drafahl, Martha b: SEP 1885
                 ____________________________________________________

Friederich Johan Pete Drafahl  x   Mohus, Ernestine b: 1852
* 27 OCT 1843 Drusewitz, Parish Vilz, Germany

Children:       Drafahl, George b: 1875/1876
                       Drafahl, Willie b: 1876/1877
                       Drafahl, Edward b: 1879/1880
                 ____________________________________________________

Drafahl, William b: 1851
                 ____________________________________________________

Peter Drafahl              x              Amelia b: 1860
* 1860 Mecklenburg, Germany

Children:     Drafahl, Ella b: 1872/1873
                    Drafahl, Emma b: 1874/1875
                    Drafahl, Anna b: 1879/1880
 

                            More data you will find in this  -->   Ancestors  List Germany

Another family from Druesewitz  emigrated to US in 1871 .  It was Conrad Friederich Georg Drefahl ( in USA  called  Fred Conrad Drefahl ) with his wife Louise and their son John Theodor.

    More data you will find in this  -->   Ancestors List Germany

Another family Drefahl (maybe the one who emigrated from the village Buelow near Crivitz) I could find on this internet site:          http://www.rootsweb.com/

History of Guthrie and Adair Counties, Iowa

Christopher Drefahl  was born in Germany, March 13, 1837, his parents being John and
Mary (Jennings) Drefahl, natives of Germany. His parents both died in Germany--his
father dying in 1842 and his mother in 1878. Christopher emigrated to the United States
in January, 1864, settling in Linn county, Iowa, where he remained until 1877, when he
came to Grant township and settled on section 6, where he owns one hundred and sixty
acres of improved land, on which he has a bearing orchard containing one acre. He
intends to build a fine residence and barn next spring. His marriage was solemnized in
Germany in 1864, his wife being Miss Sophia Klockow, and the Rev. Mr. Stiffler
officiating. They now have two children living--Mary C. S., and Louisa M. K. During the
rage of diphtheria, in 1880, they were called upon to give up five of their children--John,
Eureka, Elizabeth, George and Louie. Mr. and Mrs. Drefahl are members of the German
Lutheran church, while in politics Mr. Drefahl is a democrat.

The records of all immigrants in the USA are available on microfilm.  I you wish to find a person go to the

WorldGenWeb site for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany