left to right circa 1915
standing, Clara Angolin, Herbert Angolin, Charles Angolin Jr., Martha Angolin
seated, Charles Angolin and Marie (Tohman) Angolin

The derivation of this name sounds English (Angelin or Anglin). The Angolin families that came to Berrien County, Michigan, in the mid to late 1800s, were from the area of Pommern/Prussia/Germany. My mother-in-law, Lillian (Henspeter) Hauch once told me the name was originally Angolina, which makes it sound almost Italian.

The last of the Angolin name in Berrien County is John Angolin, son of Herbert Angolin. John is also known as Jack Angolin. Jack told me a family story: His great grandfather was born in Italy and was for some reason living in Germany where he worked on the estate of Kaiser Wilhelm. There he met and married a German lady and they came to America and settled in Royalton Township. His grandfather (Charles Angolin) came over in 1885 and the family name was spelled Angolino. Charles decided to drop the last “o” and the name became Angolin. I contacted a person who speaks fluent Italian and they indicated that the name probably derived from the word “agnello” which means lamb. This is the singular form and the plural form would be agnelli or lambs. In Germany the name could have been transformed to Angolini or Angolino. This does make sense as the family story indicates he worked for the Kaiser on his estates and perhaps he tended the sheep by trade. It is also thought that this name is a spelling variation of Angeli or Angelo, which means angel in Italian. The House of Names says this name originated in the region of Venice in Italy and was first found in the town of Treviso.

Looking for the origin of this name I consulted the German/English dictionary as well as a person who speaks German. The name appears to be of two parts, the first being either “angle” or “enge” and the second part being “leine”. In German angle means “to fish” and enge means narrow. Leine in German means line or string. Enge is pronounced eng-ah and leine is pronounced line-ah. If you put these sounds together you get either angle-line-ah or eng-ah-line-ah. Angleleine is German for fishing line and Engeleine is German for a narrow line or narrow place. It is from these phrases that I believe the name Angolina developed. This name could have been devised around a fishing family or a family from a narrow place or of a narrow line? This name appears in Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Finland and Germany. When clerks wrote this name they heard either a short “a” or short “e” sound which are very difficult to distinguish especially if pronounced with an accent.

There were some by the Angolin name in Wurttemberg, Germany when Maria Regina Angolin married Antreas Max on 18 Nov 1690. This name also appears in Ardeche, France when Andre Angolin married Marie Mazaudier on 17 Feb 1681. In Finland on 06 Apr 1711 Elias Angulin was christened in Helsinki, Uusimma, Finland. There were some by the Angelina name in the Netherlands during the 1700’s. There were families in Prussia about 1750-1890 who’s name was spelled Engelin, Engelen and even Engelien. There was an Abraham Engelen who was the son of Adam Engelen and was born in 1594 in Pfalz, Bayern, Germany. There were several by the Engelen name in the Rheinland section of Prussia as early as 1750. There was a Aafje Engelen in Zuid, Holland, Netherlands in 1645. There was a Katharina Engeline in Gottshaus, Thurgau, Switzerland about 1593. This name is sometimes spelled Angoline in the Berrien County records. The geography of this area and the placement of these names would indicate the name developed around the Rhine River near the changing borders between Germany, France, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland.

Carl Angolin was born in Germany on 27 Dec 1823 and died in Royalton Township in Berrien County, Michigan on 25 Jul 1899. He is buried in the old section of the Spring Run Cemetery in Scottsdale in Royalton Township. Carl is buried in the family plot of Anthony J. Patzkowsky. His stone reads “Our Father Carl Angolin 1823 1899”. He is the only person with a marker in this plot who is not a Patzkowsky. Also in this grave plot are Anthony J. Patzkowsky, his wife Ernestine Patzkowsky, Arthur Patzkowsky and Raymond Patzkowsky. Anthony J. Patzkowsky was born 1861 and died 1925, Ernestine M. Patzkowsky was born in 1857 and died in 1903, Arthur Patzkowsky was born in 1886 and died in 1890 and Raymond Patzkowsky was born in 1911 and died in 1920. I searched for the Angolin/Patzkowsky connection.

On 10 Dec 1885 in St. Joseph, Anton Julius Patzkowsky married Ernestine Maria “Angoline”. It was recorded that both of them were 24 years of age. This record indicates Ernestine was born in Germany on 22 Dec 1857 and Anton was born in 1861 in Michigan, therefore they could not have both been 24? Anton (Anthony J.) Patzkowsky was the son of Andrew and Anne Patzkowsky of Lincoln Township. Ernestine was the daughter of Charles and Emelia (Krueger) Angoline. Ernestine Patzkowsky died on 13 Jan 1903. The Carl Angolin buried in the Anthony J. Patzkowsy plot was Ernestine’s father, Carl (Charles) Angolin. It is believed he was also the father of Charles Angolin below. Andrew Patzkowsky’s family can be found in the 1870 census of Lincoln Township. Anthony J. Patzkowsky’s 2^nd wife was named Nellie.

Carl (Charles) Angolin may have been married at least twice if Carl (Charles) was the father of both Ernestine, born 1857 and Charles born 1860. In 1885 when Ernestine was married her mother was recorded as Emelia Kruger and in 1930 when Charles died his mother was recorded as Caroline Skibbe. Emelia may have been the 1^st wife and Caroline the 2^nd. Carl Angolin’s death record in 1899 lists his father as “Joseph Anglin” and his mother’s name was not listed.

Steve Miller has provided me with some information that sheds more light on this family. He indicates that, Caroline (Skibbe) Angolini the first wife of Johann Carl Angolini died on 09 May 1876 in Varzin, Kreis Rummelsburg. Her parents were Johann and Friederike (Pagel) Skibbe. Caroline Skibbe was born on 24 Jun 1823 in Treten, Kreis Rummelsburg. He also indicates that Dorothea Angolin died on 24 Apr 1876 in Varzin, Kreis Rummelsburg and was the widow of Joseph Angolin. Dorothea was born on 23 Sep, 1793 in Varzin and her maiden name was Ziemke. Her father’s given name is not listed but her mother was Sophie (Schemann) Angolin. This would indicate that Joseph and Dorothea (Schemann) Angolin may have been the parents of Carl Angolin and that Caroline was probably his 2nd wife. Rummelsburg was in Pommern or Pomerania, which became part of Prussia and is now part of Germany and Poland. The town of Varzin is known today as Warcino and is in Poland.

These two records were translated by Steve Miller and Iris Goerner:

The death record for Caroline (Skibbe) Angolin is dated 10 May 1876 and reads:

# 38/1876

Wendisch Puddiger, Wussow Civil Registry, Koslin District, Kreis Rummelsburg, Death Certificate 10.05.1876

Today appeared the person before the authorized Registrar, who signed this document below…

Manorial Day Laborer, Johann Angolini, a resident of Varzin, states that his wife, Caroline Angolini born Skibe, his lawful wife, 52 years, 10 months old, of the Evangelical Religion, resident of Varzin, born in Treten on 24.06.1823, married to the person reporting, day laborer Johann Angolini, daughter of the deceased day laborer Johann Skibe and his deceased wife, Friederike born Pagel of Treten, resident of Varzin on 09.05.1876 died of fever of the nerves in the evening at 8.

Read, signed and approved

Carl Angolini (signature)

The Registrar

Zutz

Caroline would have died at 8 pm on May 9, 1876

The death record for Dorothea Angolin is dated 26 Apr 1876 and reads:

#34/1876

Wendisch Puddiger, Wussow Civil Registry, Koslin District, Kreis Rummelsburg, Death Certificate 26.04.1876

Today appeared the person before the suthorized Registra, who signed the document below…

The married laborer, Marie Radtke born Angolin, resident of Varzin, states that her mother, the widow, Dorothea Angolin born Ziemke, 83 years old, of the Evangelical Religion, resident of Varzin, born in Varzin on 23.09.1793, married to the deceased day laborer Joseph Angolin. The daughter of Ziemke and his wife Sophie born Schemann of Varzin, on 24.04.1876 died in the evening at 8 o’clock.

Read and approved and, because of ignorance of hand writing by the person signed,

+ + + (xxx)

The Registrar

Zutz

Dorothea would have died at 8pm on April 24, 1876

Joseph Angolin or Angolini married Dorothea Ziemke. Dorothea was born on 23 Sep 1793 in Varzin. They had children:

Johann Carl Angolini or Angolin born on 27 Dec 1823 died on 25 Jul 1899

and

Marie Angolin or Angolini who married … Radtke

It is this Johann Carl Angolini who came to Berrien County Michigan and was known here as Carl Angolin.

According to the books Germans To America, Volume 26, which covers October 1871-April 1872 and was edited by Ira A.Glazier and P. William Filby there was a Carl Angalen who arrived in New York on 29 Nov 1871 from Germany. Carl was 32 years of age and came to America as a laborer. If his age is correct he would have been born in 1839? He came on the ship “Colorado”. Volume 25 of this same publication covers January 1871-September 1871 includes a Johann Angelin who arrived in New York from Bremen, Germany on 11 Sep 1871 aboard the ship “City of Brussels”. John Angelin was 22 years of age. Volume 49 covers April 1884 to June 1884 and includes a Carl and Franza Angelin who arrived in New York from Bremen, Germany on 02 May 1884 aboard the ship “Neckar”. Carl was 63 years of age and Franza was 53 years old. Volume 50 covers July 1884 to November 1884 and includes a Caroline Angolin who arrived in Baltimore from Bremen Germany on 05 Nov 1884 aboard the ship “Salier”. Caroline was 22 years of age. Volume 53 covers May 1886 to January 1887 and includes a Carl Angelino who arrived in Baltimore from Bremen Germany on 23 Dec 1886. Carl was 26 years of age.

The interesting thing about Carl Angelino is that he was bound for St. Joseph (Michigan). Carl would have been born in 1860 the same year as Charles J. Angolin. Since he was born the same year as Charles and was bound for St. Joseph he must have had relatives here. It is believed that his sister Ernestine Angeline and his father Carl Angolin were here at that time. I believe this is Charles J. Angolin. Carl in German is the same as Charles in English. It is possible the person transcribing these records mistook the last letter of the name for an “o” instead of an “a”. Also the record indicates Carl Angelino was from Prussia. Charles J. Angolin was from Berlin, which was the capital of Prussia and later Germany. The Caroline Angolin above may have been another sister. The age would make her birth year 1862 and she may have been Charles’s younger sister? These records suggest many things but only assumptions can be made. We do know Charles J. Angolin immigrated in 1886/87. It also appears that the Carl Angolin with his wife Franza, who arrived in New York in 1884, was probably the Carl Angolin buried in the Spring Run Cemetery in 1899. If this is the same person this would have been his 3^rd wife. The Caroline Angolin who arrived in Baltimore in 1884 may have been the same person as the Ernestine Angolin who married Anton Patzkowsky in 1885. Many Germans had as many as five given names, more often three or four. They chose to go by one and may have used another for legal purposes.

Charles J. Angolin was born in 03 May 1860 in Germany and died in 1930. His wife Marie (Mary) was born in Jul of 1862 in Germany and died in 1938. Both Charles and Marie Angolin are buried in the Galien, Michigan Cemetery. They emigrated from Germany in 1886-1888. It may be that Charles came first and then sent for Maria and Charles W.? One record indicates they came in separate years. Charles Angolin married Marie Tohman in 1885 probably in Berlin, Germany.

Carl Angolin has an intention of naturalization on file in Berrien County. His intention to naturalize is in Liber "F" on page 146. Charles Angolin has a citizenship certification is in Liber "H" on page 354 and is dated 01 Oct 1900. These documents revealed little information except that the signatures are very legible and clearly the name was spelled Angolin. The name appears as Angulin when the clerk wrote it on two of these documents. It is not clear if these are one record or possibly Carl’s intent and Charles’s certificate but the signatures do not appear to be by the same person.

The 1900 census of Lake Township in Berrien County includes:

Angolin, Charles who was born in Germany in May of 1860 and was 40 years of age and his wife Mary who was born in Germany in July of 1862 and was 39 years of age. His occupation is listed as farmer. This record indicates they immigrated in 1886. It also states they were married for 15 years. Their children are recorded as:

Charles who was born in Germany in Sep. of 1886 and was 13

Martha who was born in Michigan in Oct. of 1888 and was 11

Clara who was born in Michigan in Oct. of 1890 and was 9

Herbert who was born in Michigan in Oct of 1895 and was 4

also in this household was:

William, Christ, baker, 29 years of age born in Germany

Schade, Charles, laborer, 34 years of age born in Germany

Patterson, Pearl M., berry picker, 22 years of age born in New York

The 1910 Census of Weesaw Township includes:

Angolin, Charles J., 49 years of age

Angolin, Mary L., 47 years of age

Angolin, Charles W., 23 years of age

Angolin, Clara A., 19 years of age

Angolin, Herbert H. 14 years of age

This record also indicates Mary had given birth to six children of which 4 were living. Martha Angolin had married Max Yeske by this time.

Charles J. and Marie L. (Tohman) Angolin had children:

Charles W. Angolin b. 29 Sep 1886 in Berlin, Germany who never married

Marthia (Martha) Louise Angolin b. 03 Oct 1889 in Michigan who married Max Yeske

Clara Augusta Angolin b. 14 Oct 1890 in Michigan who married Frederick Henspeter

Herbert A. Angolin b. 16 Oct 1895 in Michigan who married Minnie Revell

Minnie Revell’s father was Albert Revell. Hebert and Minnie (Revell) Angolin had children:

Helen Angolin who married … Wilson

Betty Angolin who married Raymond Settig

Lois Angolin who married Leroy Krieger

Jack Angolin who married Mona …

Max and Martha (Angolin) Yeske had children:

Mary Yeske b. 17 Nov 1909 d. Jul 1979 who married Fred Kasischke

Agnes Yeske b. 1912 who married Leo Carl Wisner and they had a son Robert Leo Wisner

Walter Yeske b. 29 Oct 1913 d. 26 Jan 1990 who married Elsie Macholtz

Caroline Yeske b. 27 Jul 1916 d. 03 Oct 1998 who married Ernest Ott

Edith Yeske b. 01 Apr 1919 d. 15 Dec 2002 who married Chester Ells

Ethel Yeske b. 01 Apr 1919 d. 06 May 1993 who married Ronald Wentland

Note: Edith and Ethel Yeske were twins born on 01 April of 1919. The 1920 census shows that Max Yeske had remarried to a lady named Louise and the twins were living with their grandparents, Gustave and Mary Yeske, in St. Joseph Township, Berrien County, Michigan. Martha (Angolin) Yeske is reported to have died 9 days after the twins were born. Max Yeske married 2^nd to Louise (Stillwell) Mittan.

The Berrien County Directory for 1917-1922 includes Charles Angolin with his wife Mary and four children. Charles was reported as a farmer who owns 20 acres of land and rents 160 more acres. They have five horses, 8 cattle and live on Rural Route # 2, Galien, Michigan. This is in Weesaw Township. It also lists Herbert Angolin who was also living on Rural Route # 2, Galien.

In 1929 the Charles Angolin family was living on the south side of U. S. 12 just east of the Galien Cemetery. This is in Galien Township.

The 1920 census of Berrien County reports that both Charles and Mary Angolin were born in Germany and that they spoke German. According to this record they immigrated to the U.S. a year apart, Charles in 1887 and Mary in 1888.

Charles Angolin died on 12 Oct 1930 in Galien Township of Berrien County, Michigan. His death is recorded under the year 1930 and is number 152 of the Berrien County Death Records for that year. This record spelled his name as Angoline. He was 70 years, 5 months and 9 days old when he died. This would make his birth date 03 May 1860. It states he was born in Germany and that his father was Charles and his mother was Caroline Skibbe. His grave marker spells the name as Angolin.

Marie Louise Angolin died 14 Dec 1938 in Galien Township of Berrien County, Michigan. Her death is recorded under the year 1938 and is number 966 of the Berrien County Death Records for that year. This record spelled the name Angoline. She was 76 years, 5 months and 6 days old when she died. This would make her birth date 08 Jul 1862. It states she was born in Berlin, Germany and that her father's name was George Tohman. Her mother's name is not listed. Her grave marker spells the name as Angolin. The News Palladium carried her obituary on 15 Dec 1938 and it reads: “Mary Angoline Of Galien Dies; Rites Saturday Galien, Dec 15.-Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the Kenny chapel and 2 oclock at the German Evangelical church for Mrs. Mary Louise Angoline, 76, who died at 11:15 last night. She had been a paralytic. The rev. L.J. Kling will officiate at the services. The church choir will sing. Burial will be in Galien cemetery. Mrs. Angoline was born July 18, 1862, in Berlin, Germany. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Clara Henspeter of Galien; two sons, Herbert of Galien and Charles of Atlanta, Mich., 13 grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Anna Rosa of Germany.”

The News Palladium carried the obituary of Hebert Angolin on 16 Aug 1971 and it reads: “Herbert A. Angolin Bridgman-Herbert A. Angolin, 75, route 1, Sawyer. Died Saturday morning in St. Joseph Memorial hospital where he had been a patient three weeks. Mr. Angolin was born Oct. 16, 1895, in Royalton township. Surviving are his widow, the former Minnie Revell, whom he married on Dec. 24, 1926; a son John of Sawyer; three daughters. Mrs. Leroy (Lois) Krieger of Sawyer, Mrs. Raymond (Betty) Sittig of Jacksonville, Fla. and Mrs. Sanford (Helen) Wilson of Haines City, Fla.; 13 grandchildren and a brother Charles of Battle Creek. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Boyd funeral home, Bridgman. Rev. A. W. Pankratz, pastor of the Trinity Lutheran church, Sawyer, will officiate. Burial will be in New Troy cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 this evening.” Herbert Angolin died on 14 Aug 1971.

The Herald Palladium carried the obituary of Minne Angolin on 02 May 1979 and it reads: “Minnie Angolin Buchanan-Minnie C. Angolin, 85, Route 1, Box 229, Pardee Road, Buchanan, died Monday afternoon at Berrien General Hospital, Berrien Center. Graveside rites were held today at New Troy Cemetery. The Boyd Funeral Home, Bridgman, had charge of local arrangements. Mrs. Angolin was born Feb 4, 1894, in Springfield, Ill., and had resided in the area 73 years. Her husband Herbert, preceded her in death in 1971. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Sawyer. Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Helen Wilson, Haines City, Fla., Mrs. Raymond (Betty) Sittig, Tallahassee, Fla., Mrs. Leroy (Lois) Krieger, White Cloud, Mich.; a son, John, Buchanan; and 13 grandchildren.” Minnie (Revell) Angolin died on30 Apr 1979.

The newspaper, Niles Daily Star, carried the obituary for Charles W. Angolin on 11 Jun 1980. “ Galien-Charles Angolin, 93, formerly of the Galien-Buchanan area, died at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Coldwater. He was a retired farmer. Mr. Angolin was an Army veteran of World War I and was a member of the Galien American Legion. He was born Sept. 29, 1886 in Berlin, Germany and came to this country at the age of two and spent the remainder of his life in this area. Graveside services were held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Galien Cemetery. The Rev. Michael Ott of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, Galien, will officiate.”

The Promoter, was published quarterly by the New Troy Schools, in it’s November 1915 edition you can read: “Surprise Party. A very pleasant evening was spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Angolin on Saturday, Oct. 16, when about forty young people of the surrounding vicinity gathered there in honor of Herbert Angolin’s twentieth birthday. Games and contests were the main features of the evening, of course not forgetting the luncheon, which consisted of sandwiches beans, pickles, cake and coffee. In one of the contests, which consisted of carrying beans on a knife across the room, Miss Lulu Lockhart received the first prize which was a very pretty glass dish. Lois Broderick was consoled with the booby prize. Joe Woods obtained a fob for winning the prize of the boys contest. This consisted of eating apples in a certain length of time. The guests departed at a late hour, thanking Mr. and Mrs. Angolin for their delightful evening and wishing Herbert Angolin many more eventful days in his life.”

Clara Augusta Angolin married in New Troy, Berrien County, Michigan in 1910 Frederick Joseph Louis Henspeter, who was born in Illinois. Their children were:

Henry C. Henspeter b. 18 Sep 1911 d. 20 Sep 1911 in St. Joseph, Michigan

Gertrude Henspeter b. 08 Jul 1913 in St. Joseph, Michigan

Margaret Henspeter b.13 May 1915 in St. Joseph, Michigan

Lillian Alvina Henspeter b. 22 Oct 1918 in St. Joseph, Michigan

William Henspeter b. 1921 d. 1921 in Galien, Michigan

Henry C. Henspeter is buried in the St. Joseph City Cemetery (Lakeview) near his grandmother,

Alvine (Zordel) Henspeter Dombrowsky. The stone is not dated but says son of F & C. Henspeter. William Henspeter is buried in the Galien Cemetery as “baby Henspeter”. Gertrude (Henspeter) Herman told me his name was William.

Their daughter Lillian Henspeter married John Hauch in South Bend, Indiana in 1934.

Their daughter Jane Hauch married William Brackett in Lakeside, Berrien County, Michigan in 1970.