John Joseph Steinebach
1879-1948
John Steinebach was born December 07, 1879 in North Dorr, Allegan County, Michigan to Joseph Steinebach and Anna Mary Vogt. His father was a German immigrant from the little village of Hartlingen in the Westerwald region of the Rhineland. His mother, Mary was born in Ontario, Canada but her parents were from the province of Hesse, Germany. North Dorr and the little villages surrounding it (New Salem, Byron Center) were settled by Catholics primarily from western Germany. The Steinebachs belonged to Visitation parish. Later on, there were tensions between the different families, the parish priests, etc. which caused many of these people to relocate to southern Grand Traverse County, to a little area west of the village of Kingsley, which was named Hannah. Visitation parish would burn to the ground and families gathered together to rebuild. When the Bishop (who was rather rational) informed these folks that there were two neighboring German parishes (St. Mary in New Salem, St. Sebatian in Byron Center) that they could attend and that there was no need to continue building, they kept on and finished the church. The families gathered to read their missals and pray their rosaries on Sunday mornings even though a priest was not provided for them by the Bishop. This went on for quite some time and the parishoners were threatened with excommunication. Eventually, a parish priest was provided. This gives you and idea of how strict and stubborn these Germans were!
Steinebach Family 1891
Grand Traverse Co., MI
(John standing behind his father, far right)
John's parents came to Hannah via covered wagon. The Steinebachs lived in this wagon while their home was being built. John and his older sisters helped their parents clear the land, gather timber, and build their home. The first Mass ever said in Hannah was said in this house and it is still standing today in 2018. The parish priest would come from Traverse City or Grand Rapids and would stay with them, always saying Mass until St. Mary's Church was built. Even as an old woman, John's mother would walk daily to church to attend Mass.
German, of course, was spoken in Hannah up until the time of the WWI in 1914. Mass was in Latin, but the sermons and announcements were always in German. John served as a translator for the community. His sister, Anna Steinebach Petit had married an Irishman. He was not well liked by the family as he was an alcoholic. Whenever Mr. Petit was in their company, they would purposely speak German so he couldn't understand them!
John was an accomplished carpenter and businessman. He built several homes in Traverse City, as well as the Detroit area.
How John met Phoebe Ebare, my Great-Great Grandmother, is unknown but she was not too far away living in Traverse City, where her family came when she was a little girl, to the Long Lake area from upstate New York.
A little about Phoebe...
Phoebe Ebare Wares Yeomans Steinebach
1875-1956
Grandma Phoebe was born 22 June 1875 in Clyde, Wayne Co., NY. Her father, Felix (A Civil War veteran) was the child of French Canadians, David Ebare and Euphemie ("Phoebe") Patrie. She was named after her paternal grandmother. Her mother, Sarah Elizabeth Hutchins was from NY, family being of British ancestry.
The Ebares came to Long Lake, Grand Traverse Co., MI near Traverse City when Phoebe was about 8 years old. At one time, as a teenager, Phoebe was living in what is currently North Peak Brewery on Front Street in TC, which at the time was a candy factory, working as shop girl.
At the age of 15, May 10, 1891 in Traverse City she married Myron Wares, who was 13 years her senior. It is has been said that her father arranged this marriage. No children were the result of this marriage, and Phoebe ran off to Kalamazoo, MI in order to escape this unhappy situation.
A few years later, 25 Feb. 1894, she was married to George Yeomans in KZoo. Three sons were born to them: Gordon, Floyd (who died in infancy), and Clarence.
The Rev. Snelgrove
Anglican clergyman who married John and Phoebe in Ontario, Canada.
Where and how John Steinebach and Phoebe Ebare met, we're not sure. For a very long time, it was believed that the date (claimed in both their obituaries) May 17, 1904 was the date of their marriage. Their eldest child, Louise came along in March of 1906. It has been discovered that despite the couple living together as man and wife, having children, that Phoebe's divorce to George Yeomans was not finalized until 1910, and that John and Phoebe snuck into Essex, Ontario, Canada where they were married in an Anglican ceremony in September of that year. The first few children were born under the name of Yeomans, NOT Steinebach, which was quite a shock for my Great-Grandmother, Louise to discover years later when she came across legal paperwork. Interesting note, 1910 Census for Grand Traverse County, has John Steinebach listed as a "Boarder" while living with Phoebe and children.
Some have thought that perhaps these children were not John's, but children from George Yeomans. DNA has proven that descendants of the older children, are indeed Steinebachs, matching us to descendants of John's siblings. So, technology and science has ruled that out of the question.
There does seem to be a mystery surrounding Phoebe's youngest Yeoman boy, Clarence. He was born in 1903, quite a few years after his older brothers, particularly, the elder. My Grandmother was of the strong opinion that Clarence very well could have been a child of John Steinebach. Ancestry DNA may soon give us an answer and settle that question once and for all.
1911 the family is living in the Detroit area. The children are attending Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, and John is working in construction. Phoebe was raised a Protestant, and eventually will become a Catholic (as will her 2 living sons from previous marriage), with the marriage finally being recognized and blessed by the Roman Catholic Church in 1913. I assume a lengthy annulment process had taken place prior. My Grandmother felt that because John's parents were so devout, that the family relocated to the Detroit area in order to not cause scandal to them and his siblings.
Once the marriage was recognized as such, the family relocates to Hannah.
St. Mary's of Hannah
Altar as it appeared in 1940
John and Phoebe return to Grand Traverse County to the little village of Hannah, where John was raised and where his parents have been living. Building a home directly across from the church, they also build and operate a small country store where they sell groceries, farm implements, gasoline. Ontop of this, John is farming, serving as a County Commissioner, and still serving as a translator for the Germans in the area. The families become pillars of the parish. The local families gather in the store before and after Mass on Sunday, including the Dominican Sisters. People would get so engrossed in conversation that they would trickle into Mass late, causing Father Joseph Grinzinger to become irrate. He had the church bell rung 10 mins. before Mass and made a point of telling people that they were to get into church as soon as they heard it! The store was successful, with money being given by the family to donate two new stained glass windows. One for John's German Immigrant father, Joseph Steinebach and the other for Gordon Yeomans, oldest child of Phoebe, who passed away of pneumonia while serving in WWI in France.
Gordon was much loved by Phoebe. She had went to the mailbox to gather the mail one afternoon, Opening a letter right then and there which gave her word of Gordon's death. She collapsed right on the spot and was inconsable for a long time after.
John passed away in 1946. Phoebe continued to keep up the store until she couldn't do it anymore.
My great-grandmother, Louise attended school and made her First Communion at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit while they were living down there. As they were "city kids" when they relocated to Hannah, country life was a bit of an adjustment. When they were asked by someone to help "weed the garden" they had no idea what they were talking about!
My Grandma remembers John having a wonderful sense of humor, with a slight German accent. He would play Rummy and other card games with her, and would cheat on purpose to tease her. Her Grandma Phoebe was a wonderful cook and baker, and did beautiful lace work, making many intricate baptismal gowns, doilies, etc.. As her grandparents lived right across from church and school, my grandma would stay with them during the week as a small child as it was so close. They would tuck her in at night, and two little terriers that they loved, would snuggle up with Rita in bed.
I could ramble on for hours, but in the end, it all worked out for this couple and their family. More posts to come on this blog and soon!
Thanks!
Very informative and interesting, Blog on!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I can't wait to read more! -Missy
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