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Lisanne Lange contacted me in March 2018 and noted that according to Ancestry DNA her mother, Joan Walter Lange, and I have a predicted distant cousin relationship – possible range: 5th – 8th cousins and moderate confidence. Also, a number of  surnames  of ancestors are common to both of our family trees. While we could not immediately find a relationship, we decided that we are probably related.

In July 2018, Lisanne noted that she thought she had found a connection:

When reading through your communication with Daniel Oetjen, I see Jacob Johann Cordes and Gedruth Kracke.  I have found that some of my ancestors are also descendants of Jacob Johann Cordes and Gerdruth Kracke:

Johann and Gerdruth (Kracke) Cordes’s fifth child: Maria Elisabeth Cordes was born 26 May 1752 in Scheeßel.  She married Johann Jürgen Bassen (son of Peter Bassen and Catharina Bellmann) on 9 Nov 1775 in Scheeßel.  Maria and Johann Jürgen had 2 children, Peter and Johann Bassen.  Maria also later married Heinrich Riefesell on 9 Nov 1780 and had 2 more children, Catharina and Jacob Riefesell.

Peter Bassen was born in Wittkopsbostel about 24 Sep 1777 and married Anna Catharina Grimm on 29 Oct 1801.   They had 9 children: Maria, Engel, Anna Catharina, Margaretha, NoName, Sophia, Anna, Johann Peter and Florentina.

Margaretha Bassen was born 8 Feb 1809 in Wittkopsbostel  She married Claus Heinrich Baden on 22 Nov 1833 in Scheeßel.  Their daughter, Maria  was born 9 Feb 1842 in Westeresch and married Claus Rathjen (son of Claus Rathjen and Maria Lüdemann)  on 22 Nov 1867 in Scheeßel.  Maria and Claus had 4 children: Heinrich, Maria, Johann and Christina.

Johann Rathjen was born 18 May 1873 in Helvesiek.  He was my great grandfather.  He immigrated to New York on the ship Fulda in 1888 as a young man.  He married Maria Böschen from Sottrum on 27 Apr 1902.  “John” and Maria had 2 daughters: Anna Margaretha, who was my grandmother, and Maria.

With this genealogical information together with our respective family trees on Ancestry, the following relationship was found:

Lisanne noted that John Rathjen was very active in the Lutheran Church and was part of the ground breaking of the Lutheran Church on 19th St in Manhattan. He was an astute businessman who became the proprietor of Rathjen Fancy Grocers and later owned an apartment house in Sunnyside, Queens.  He passed away on 23 Jan 1953 but left a wonderful legacy.  We are thankful for his hard work and family dedication.

Lisanne also included the wedding photo of her great-grandparents, John Rathjen and Maria Boschen, as well as copies of two slides she found of her great-grandfather. One is from his birthday in 1951. Her mother thinks that the second slide is of his card group: “Fred Ludemann” and “Mrs Cordes” and “Mrs Ludemann”.