Picture Gallery
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By clicking on the following, you may view and optionally download many
of the pictures included in this site and others that are not posted elsewhere.
Index of Subjects
- Schloß (Castle) Eisenbach, the historical seat of the
Riedesels, Freiherren zu Eisenbach
- A fanciful version of the coat of arms belonging to the Riedesels, Freiherren zu
Eisenbach (and not just to anyone named Riedesel)
- The simple heraldric shield
of the Riedesels of Eisenbach, published in 1605 in Johann Siebmacher's
Wappenbuch. Note that they are referred to as the Riedesel "von Eisenbach",
but this a descriptive fact (they were "from Eisenbach") rather than a title.
- This shield of the Riedesel zu Eisenbach hangs in the Fürstensaal of the
castle of the Landgrave of Hesse in Marburg
- A family tree (Stammbaum) of the principal members of the
Riedesels of Melsungen and later Eisenbach from 1200 to 1500. Hermann II (1407-1463)
was the one who took possession of the already old fortress "Eisenbach" in 1430.
- A similar tree which also shows the branch that I believe led to
the Riedesel peasants of Wittgenstein.
- Close-up of a wall of Schloß Eisenbach (Photo by Herbert
Schilbe)
- Chapel at Schloß Eisenbach (Photo by Herbert Schilbe)
- The Burg in Lauterbach, part of an ancient family complex (photo
1997)
- 19th century painting of the Burg in Lauterbach by Wilhelmine
Riedesel Freifrau zu Eisenbach
- Lauterbacher Pils; the family was in the beer
business for four centuries, but recently sold off its brewery.
- General Friedrich Adolph Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach (1738-1800
- Luise Charlotte von Massow (1745-1808), wife of the General
and beloved diarist of their experiences during the American Revolution
- Riedesel Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Named for the
General who was quartered there with his family after being captured following the battle
of Saratoga during the American Revolution).
- The house on Brattle Street in Cambridge, where the Riedesels were quartered.
- Introduction of the Christmas tree in Canada by General
Riedesel. The import of this German custom to the North America is attributed to the
General, who was stationed in Canada before and after his campaigns (on behalf of the
British) against those colonial upstarts. The original painting is in the Governor's
Museum in Sorel, Quebec.
- Battle flag of the infantry regiment commanded by General
Riedesel . The officers and common soldiers were all in the employ of the Duke of
Brunswick (Braunschweig). The Americans called them all "Hessians", though they
came from several different German states.
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Sketchy information exists about other lines of knightly Riedesels who died
out or lost their rank. The most enduring were the Riedesel zu Josbach. Others
had residences at Bellershiem, Camberg, and Vers, and may have been offshoots of the
Josbach branch. One
member of this line was Johann Riedesel zu Josbach who died about 1559. He is buried with
his two wives, Anna von Gilsa (d.1535) and Maragarete von Hund (d. 1553) in the church in
Josbach, Hessen.
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I know very little about this knightly branch which appears to have died out
during or after the 30 Years War (1618-1648). Neumark is a small village even
today, and is connected to the city of Weimar. These photos were sent to me by
Rüdiger Bier from the interior of the church in Neumark.
- A plaque noting that Johann Riedesel was the
godparent to a child of D.M. Luther (Dr. Martin Luther it is supposed)
- A plaque noting the burial of a Hans-Heinrich
"Ritesel" and his wife (no dates)
- The grave marker
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The branch of Riedesels that included family members in Alsace/Lorraine (Thionville), Belgium,
France, Luxembourg, New York state and points west, as well as in Germany has a common root in the village of Winnen
near Marburg (although the connection goes back to Girkhausen). Christian Friedrich Riedesel built a substantial
house for the time around 1750. His son Johannes was born here in 1766, served as a Corporal in the regiment
of the Hessian state, and eventually settled at Leidenhofen. As far as I know, there are no living Riedesel
descendants of this branch other than through Johannes.
- The former Riedesel house in Winnen.
- Another view of the former Riedesel house in Winnen.
- This is a map of the former villages that now make up the community of Ebsdorfergrund. One of them is
Leidenhofen and it was the ancestral home of the Riedesels who moved on to Diedenhofen (now Thionville).
- This picture shows the family of
Balthasar Riedesel (the elder) and Anna Katharina Schomber.
- Balthasar had one son, Konrad. This photo from the 1920s shows the family.
- Konrad married Katherine Bier.
- This picture shows Konrad
(1903-1937) and his cousin, Friedrich Weimer (1902-1986).
- This picture shows the Riedesel house in about 1950.
- The oldest daughter of Balthasar Riedesel and Anna Katharina Schomber was
Katharina, who married Daniel Weimar. This picture
shows the couple with two of their children, probably during the time of World
War I.
- Another daughter, Elisabeth, married Balthasar Lemmer. They are
shown here with two children and Anna Katharina
(Schomber) Riedesel.
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Johannes Riedesel, born in Leidenhofen, moved with his father to the then-German area called Diedenhofen. He had
five children with his wife, Margaretha Ferry.
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- From Haase Haus in Wunderthausen (L. Henry, Anna, J. Ludwig, George, John)
- From Weymers Haus in Wunderthausen (George, Henry, Fred)
- George, Henry, and Fred Riedesel came to the U.S. at various
times and lived in different places. This photo was taken in 1906 or later.
- This picture shows George, his
wife, and most of their children. All came from Germany to America.
- George (born Johann Georg) with his parents in Germany
- Henry Riedesel (undated tintype)
- Henry, his wife Charlotte, and five of their six children,
taken about 1896.
- Edward Riedesel, a son of Henry and Charlotte, married Rose Jackson in 1912. It was a
double wedding, with Rose's sister Alvida marrying Harry Sheard. This photo shows the four of them.
- Cousins Adolf Riedesel and Lisetta Riedesel Kroh
(children of immigrant George Riedesel) and Julia Riedesel Powell (daughter of immigrant
Fred Riedesel)
- Charlotte Bohle Riedesel with daughter Martha Riedesel Lathrop,
son-in-law Kasper Lathrop, niece Olive Riedesel, and Al Powell.
- From Bergmanns Haus in Wunderthausen (Henry, Wilhelmine, Louis C., Johann Daniel)
- Louis C. and Katherine (Peter) Riedesel had a large and far-flung family. The settled at
Big Rock near Wheatland.
- From Schreiners Haus in Wunderthausen (Louis D., Henry D., George, D., and John;
Phillip John)
- From Försters am Lotzenberg in Wunderthausen (John of southern Illinois)
- This sketch shows John/Johannes
Riedesel and his wife Caroline Knebel.
- Their only child to live a long life was Katherine. She married Edward Rieso, and they are shown together in
this portrait.
- From Försters hinter der Huthe in Wunderthausen (Georg Ludwig, Henry, Elisabeth and
Florentine)
- John Henry, Peter and Marie Riedesel
- Carl and Louise Riedesel from Erndtebrück
- Carl Riedesel came from Erndtebrück, a larger town in Wittgenstein, and settled in
Crookston, Minnesota. This photo of his family is from the late
1920s.
- Louise Riedesel was the younger sister of Carl. She married John Pieper and eventually lived in
Nordeim, Texas. This photograph shows the Pieper family, probably in
the 1890s.
- Ludwig Riedesel from Erndtebrück (Texas)
- August Riedesel from Erndtebrück (Texas)
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Wheatland, 1911.
On the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of its founding in 1861, the St. Paul's German Reformed Church in Wheatland
had a commemorative booklet published. Few of the founding immigrants were still alive,
but the group pictures included many Riedesels and close kin.
- Henry Riedesel (1865-1932) who came from the house in
Wunderthausen known as Försters hinter der Huthe. He was a member of the church council
at the time.
- Edward J. Riedesel (1875-1923), a son of the immigrant
George Riedesel from Haase Haus in Wunderthausen. He was a member of the church council.
- Theodor Riedesel (1859-1941), a son of the immigrant
L. Henry Riedesel from Haase Haus in Wunderthausen. He was a member of the church council.
- Frank Riedesel (1877-1950). He was a member of the
church council and a son of emigrant Henry D. Riedesel.
- George Ott (1866-1940), husband of George Riedesel's
daughter Lisetta Riedesel (1969-1930). He was a member of the church council.
- August Kramer (1856-1948), husband of George Riedesel's
daughter Mary Jane Riedesel (1861-1947). He was a member of the church council.
- Albert Dickman (1862-1925), husband of George
Riedesel's daughter Anna (1863-1848). He was a member of the choir.
- Elisabeth (Knoche) Riedesel (1835-1923), the
Wunderthausen-born wife of immigrant John Riedesel (Haase Haus). She is pictured in the
booklet as one of the founding members.
- Flora (Schneider) Riedesel (1841-1920). This is a
tentative identifcation. Her picture is included on the page of founding members but is
not in the group picture. She and her late husband Henry Riedesel (1834-1898) from
Bergmanns Haus in Wunderthausen had moved to the Lanesboro, IA, area.
- Aunt Susie Riedesel (1847-1942), another founding
member and the daughter of immigrant J. Ludwig Riedesel from Haase Haus in Wunderthausen.
She was not living in Wheatland at the time, but eventually returned.
- Esther (Riedesel) Dennie (1890-1969). She was daughter
of Theodor Riedesel (see above) and was pictured both with the choir and the Martha's Aid
society.
- Reuben Riedesel (1892-1988). He was a son of Theodor
Riedesel and was pictured as a member of the choir.
- Johannes Riedesel of Diedenhofen (now Thionville, France) spent a
few years in the U.S. before returning to Europe. His oldest daughter,
Louise, came back in 1923 to marry and lived in North Dakota.
This
photo shows the family of Johannes and wife.
- Main street in Wheatland, Iowa, 1915
- Edward Riedesel (1875-1923) and one of the Otts operated a grocery
store in Wheatland. This jug was probably a promotional item, but is
valued at over $1,000 today!
- The second generation of Wunderthausen/Diedenshausen emigrants often
married each other; they were members of the same tight community and
spoke the same German dialect. One such couple was John Philip
Homrighausen (1873-1967) and Anna Knebel (1879-1918) who lived around
Big Rock in Scott County, Iowa. Their great-granddaughter, Karen Sue
Petersen, has provided a collection of photos of them and their family
of seven children.
- Map of
Wunderthausen streets today (Adobe Acrobat pdf format)
- A large "gif" file of old Wittgenstein showing place
names. From the definitive history by Gunther Wrede, 1927. You will want to save this
file and print it offline.
- The Schloß (Castle) in Berleburg; the rulers of the
northern county of Wittgenstein lived here
- Tiffany Riedesel represented Colorado in the 1992 Miss World
America competition.
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This page was last updated on
04/02/08.
