| Briggow--The Home of the Breetz Family |
| In a letter to Robert Breetz, her nephew, Marion Louise Breetz wrote, "The Breetz family worked for a large
landowner (similar to the serf system). The farm was called Braatzgarten and when they transposed it
to English, it came up Breetz. They settled in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio.” Although it is oral
history, it is very close to the truth. It is quite possible that the Breetz family members were serfs
in the 18th century. See Mecklenburg. In fact, there is a
Gutshaus (manor house) named Breetz that was built in the middle of the 19th century.
A Gut is a landed estate. There is also a stately Guthaus in Briggow that dates back to
1791. The spelling of the surname was changed from Breitz to Breez in
Briggow, (population 395) probably
by a change in pastors. Johann Christian Breitz (1786-1848) was born and
married as Breitz. When his son, Johann Christoph Theodor, was married
in 1843, both he and his son are listed as Breez on the marriage certificate.
From then on the family surname is Breez on all birth and baptism certificates
of the four children. When they immigrated to America, the spelling was
changed to Breetz. No one knows why. Johann Christoph Theodor had two brothers,
and it's possible that their descendants immigrated to America and retained
the Breez spelling. Thus, the Breetz's and the Breez's could be related.
|
| Johann Christoph Theodor Breetz was one of five children. See
ancestor tree. He
had a twin brother, two sisters, and a younger brother. His father was Johann
Christian Breitz (1786-1848) and his mother was Dorothea Elisabeth Abraham
(1784-1848). His paternal grandmother was Sophie Dorothea Peters. His maternal
grandfather was Johann Friedrich Abraham and his maternal grandmother was
Margaretha Dorothea Heinricht (1762-1842). They all died in Briggow. As the
name suggests, the Abraham's were Jewish. |
| Johann Christoph Theodor Breetz (1816-1898) and his family immigrated to America in 1872
from Briggow, Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The Breetz family boarded the steamship
S.S. Holsatia in Hamburg on October 23 and arrived in New York City on November 7. They processed through
Castle Garden; Ellis Island did not open until 1892. The journey lasted 14 days; the ship's captain was
Barendes. According to Sophia Breetz Zabel's obituary, the Breetz's came to Youngstown, Ohio approximately
11 months later on October 24, 1873. They settled in Brier Hill where many of the Germans lived.
They joined the German Lutheran Church (Immanuel Lutheran Church on Redondo Road in Youngstown)
which still preserves their old German records of Geburts, Tauf, Confirmation, und Sterben-
register. Chris and his wife, Christine Maria Dorothea Becker (1823-1884), had four children and
eventually 15 grandchildren. |
| As of 1 Apr 2010, Johann Christoph Theodor Breetz had 186 known direct descendants, 49 dead and 137 living. The name Breetz is quite rare in America. As of 1 Apr 2010, there are only 26 Breetz's listed in the Social Security Death Index. There is only one Breez. |
| Children of Johann
Christoph Theodor and Christine Maria Dorothea Becker Breetz |
| Henriette Johanna Frederike Wilhelmina Breetz (1845-1927) was born March 14 in Briggow. In 1870 She married Ludwig Birkholtz (1843-1918). They had four children: |
- Freida Birkholtz (1872-1876)
- Martha Ella Johanna Birkholtz (1875-1967) m. August F. Stoll (1873-1958)
- Emma Friedericke Caroline Birkholtz (1878-1967) m. Theodor M. Kosche (18xx-1948)
- August Johann Wilhelm Birkholtz (1883-1949) m. Carrie L. Raver (1881-1938)
|
| Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Breetz (1847-1924) was born July 8 in Briggow. He married Wilhelmina Johanna Wolf (1857-1931) in 1874. They had four children: |
- Emma Caroline Sophia Breetz (1875-1946) m. Harry Dornbrack (1875-1938)
- Carl Friedrich Ludwig Breetz (1879-1948) m. Isabel F. Robertson (1883-1948)
- Elsa Louise Wilhelmine Breetz (1885) m. Fred Childs
- Johann Carl Friedrich Breetz (1887-1969) m. Maria F. C. J. Bergman (1887-1961)
|
| Johann Carl Friedrich Theodor Breetz (1849-1930) was born August 16 in Briggow. He married Caroline Wellendorf (1860-1949) in 1876. They had five children: |
- Louis C Louis C Breetz (1878-1960) m. Mathilda Doepping (1879-1948)
- Augusta Breetz (1880-1965) m. Jonathan Strahorn
- Karl J F Breetz (1884-1888)
- William Louis Anthony Breetz (1889-1972) m. Elizabeth H. Strahorn (1887-1938)
- Fred Christian Breetz (1892-1976) m. Dorothy Sobke (18xx-1968)
|
| Sophia Johanna Frederike Breetz (1855-1901) was born February 3 in Briggow. She married Theodor Johann Friedrich Zabel (1852-1903). They had three children: |
- Erna Johanna Dorothea Zabel (1876-1905) m. Friedrich J. Birkholtz (18xx-1934)
- Maria Caroline Wilhelmine Zabel (1881-1915) m. John H. Heinl (1879-1940)
- William Johann Friedrich L. Zabel (1883-1961) m. Mayme C. Bartz (1882-1967)
|
Am Rande einer kleinen Niederung unweit des Breetzer Boddens liegt das Gut Breetz. Es gehört zur
Gemeinde Neuenkirchen. Der Ortsname kommt aus dem slawischen "Brezice" und bedeutet "Birkenort". Der
Ort gehörte lange den Herren von Platen auf Venz und ging Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts teilweise in den
Besitz der Familie von Krassow über. Im 19. Jahrhundert siedelten sich neben dem Hof einige
Schifferfamilien an.
