German relatives plan Labor Day trip to Jones Co.

     Jones County, Iowa, particularly the Wayne Township area, has strong German ties. Many of the family surnames from that area have direct links to Germany, and now German relations will soon be visiting Jones County for the first time.

     The trip, which is being organized by Steve and Sharon Hanken of Monticello, and sponsored by the Jones County Historical Society, will bring 32 German relatives to the area over Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2.

     This trip has been something the Hankens have been working on for quite some time, at least since 2014.

     “It helps when you’re retired,” Steve said of having the time to dedicate toward such a meticulous trip.

     The Hankens have visited Germany twice together as recent as last September; Steve went by himself on one occasion.

     Some of the surnames associated with the group coming to Jones County include: Hanken, Tobiason, Antons, Heyen, Eilers, Ricklefs and Hinrichs, just to name a few.

     “If your last name ends in ‘s’ or ‘en,’ you’re probably from the same part of Germany,” said Sharon. She said so many people in Jones County today share the same family lines that all lead back to Germany.

     During the extended weekend trip, the German visitors will be split between two local hotels: Boulders Inn & Suites in Monticello and AmericInn in Anamosa.

     There will also be two meet-and-greet opportunities for locals to attend to visit with the Germans, with translators made available. Steve said there are also helpful apps on smartphones to assist with translating as well.

     He said the group is coming to Eastern Iowa as part of a larger Midwest tour to Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

     Both Steve and Sharon have extensively researched their family histories and lineages back to Germany, and have been corresponding with their German cousins for quite some time. Steve’s “Hanken” side of the family stems from a small village in Germany called Wiesde. In 2000, Steve visited Wiesde for the town’s 200^th anniversary.

     “I met so many distant cousins,” he said.

     In fact, through their own family research, the Hankens have found that the two of them are distantly related.

     Inside the Hanken home is a panoramic photo featuring well over 200 people. The centerpiece is a couple, Steve’s great grandparents, celebrating their 50^th anniversary in 1925. The large-group photo was taken next to a barn in Scotch Grove that is still standing today. In the photo, the barn reads: “G.H. (Gerke) Bohlken 1914.” Steve said he’s been able to identify 208 people in the photo thus far, many of them relatives and neighbors of his great grandparents.

     When he was last in Germany, he met a 91-year-old woman who happened to have the exact same photo in her home. Steve said there’s a family connection there somewhere.

     When the group arrives on Aug. 31, the Hankens will greet them at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa. From there, they will head to the fairgrounds in Monticello for a presentation put on by the Germans, which will include live music.

     “This will be an open house, meet-and-greet,” said Steve.

     “Anyone can come and join in the fun,” urged Sharon. “You don’t have to be German,” she joked.

     On Sept. 1, Steve organized a group tour of the Stone City historic district, with lunch at the General Store. From there, he said the Germans requested to see a dairy operation, and Kyle Ulferts’ farm in Anamosa is on the list.

     “He’s my second cousin,” said Steve of using local family connections to keep the group occupied while in Jones County.

     Other highlights that day will include: St. Peter & Paul Lutheran Church, Prairie Hill Cemetery, St. John’s Lutheran Church and cemetery, and Edinburgh Village.

     “Prairie Hill is full of German ancestors,” said Steve. “And St. John’s was the first German church here in 1864.”

     Once they arrive in Edinburgh, there will be a second public meet-and-greet with a home-cooked BBQ dinner. There will be a threshing demonstration. The museum buildings will be open for tours as well.

     On Sept. 2, the 32-member group will attend church at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church. Steve said the large social area inside the church will serve as a gathering place as well following the service.

     “They’ll have a light lunch at church and head out of town,” said Steve.

     He said all of the Lutheran churches in the Monticello area were German churches at one time.

     The Hankens are also working on putting together gift bags for the German visitors, filled with mementos of Monticello and Jones County. The Historical Society is also accepting donations for the two public meals. Any donations are tax-deductible because the Historical Society is a non-profit.

     The Hankens have been members of the Historical Society board for several years, serving as museum curators.

     “We’ve helped write grants and sought donations,” Sharon said of some of their duties.

     They also put in time helping to prepare for the annual Edinburgh Days.

     The Hankens said this trip is an effort to bring the German heritage and connection back to Jones County.

     “There are a lot of things about this community that people don’t pay attention to or hang on to,” said Steve.

     Sharon said this trip is also an effort to bring tourism into the area, even if it’s for the weekend.

     “There’s a lot of good about this area,” she said. “People want to see how we live.”