Swedish American Genealogist Volume 27 | Number 1 Article 10 3-1-2007 Michelle Pfeiffer's Ancestors Dick Eriksson Bo Lindwall Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag Part of the Genealogy Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons Recommended Citation Eriksson, Dick and Lindwall, Bo (2007) "Michelle Pfeiffer's Ancestors," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 27 : No. 1 , Article 10. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol27/iss1/10 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Michelle Pfeiffer’s ancestors The film star is a product of the American melting pot BY DICK ERIKSSON AND BO LINDWALL In 1996 Bo Lindwall edited a book Michelle on her paternal grand- 3 Donna Jean Taverna, born 20 Aug. published in conjunction with the father’s side are Catholics from the 1932 in New Rockford, Eddy Co., 150th anniversary of the beginning Rhine country. Unfortunately, it has North Dakota. of the significant Swedish immigra- not been possible to try to trace them tion to the U.S. The book was called in German records. Generation II 24 Famous Swedish Americans and The ancestors of her paternal Their Ancestors. One of the many grandmother were from Pennsylva- 4 William John Pfeiffer, born 19 May Swedish-American actresses who nia and mirror fairly well the various 1904 in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co., were not included in the book was groups of people who settled in this Minnesota, died 6 Aug. 1968 in Michelle Pfeiffer, whose heritage Bo state, such as the Pennsylvania Lynwood, Los Angeles Co., Califor- Lindwall and his friend Dick Eriks- Dutch, Palatines (Pfalz), Welsh nia. Farmer and later machinist son decided to trace anyway. After Quakers, and some Scotch-Irish. in Carrington, Foster Co., North having solved the Swedish connec- The ancestors of her maternal Dakota.1 tion, they found it interesting to try grandfather were all from the area Married 1 Nov. 1926 in Carrington, to see how much information, besides of Davos in the Canton of Grau- Foster Co., North Dakota, (later the Swedish lines, that it was pos- bünden in Switzerland. Their reli- divorced) to sible to find without leaving Sweden. gion was evangelical and they were 5 Dorothy Straley, born 15 Oct. 1908 It turned out to work very well. ethnic Germans, with some influx of in Carrington, Foster Co., North Michelle Pfeiffer’s ancestry dem- Räto-Romans, as is shown by the Dakota, died 19 Feb. 1986 in San- onstrates the various waves of immi- name Taverna. ta Ana, Orange Co., California. gration from Northern Europe and The maternal grandmother’s an- Later remarried twice. can be divided in four distinct groups, cestors were all from Värend, one of one for each of her grandparents. the many small “folk lands” that 6 Jacob “Jake” Bernhardt Taverna, Her paternal grandfather’s an- together make up the province of born 28 Aug. 1905 in New Rock- cestors were all Catholic Germans. Småland in Sweden. ford, Eddy Co., North Dakota, died Her great-grandfather was born in 19 Dec. 1983 in New Rockford, Saxony to Catholic parents. The 1 Michelle Marie Pfeiffer, born 29 Apr. Eddy Co., North Dakota. Farmer grandfather’s maternal grandfather 1958 in Santa Ana, Orange Co., and livestock buyer in Rosefield is said to have been born in “Prussia” California, U.S.A. Actress. Township, Eddy Co., North Dako- and also the grandfather’s maternal ta. grandmother’s parents are said to Generation I Married 1 Oct. 1929 in Fargo, Cass have been born in “Prussia.” When Co., North Dakota, to you see the name of Prussia you may 2 Richard “Dick” Pfeiffer, born 28 7 Delma Lillian Hill, born 19 Aug. think of Eastern Germany, Brand- Oct. 1933 in Carrington, Foster 1911 in Sheyenne, Eddy Co., North enburg for instance. In this case Co., North Dakota, died 21 Dec. Dakota, died 19 Dec. 1999 in New Prussia probably means the Rhine 1998 in Midway City, Orange Co., Rockford, Eddy Co., North Dakota. country, which was made a part of California. Salesman and contrac- Prussia already in 1815. It looks like tor in Midway City, California. all the “Prussian” ancestors of Married to Swedish American Genealogist 2007:1 29 Generation III Sheyenne, Eddy Co., North Dako- Fairmont, Fillmore Co., Nebraska. ta. Carpenter in Sheyenne, Eddy Blacksmith and later pastor in 8 Wilhelm “William” F. J. Pfeiffer, Co., North Dakota.5 New Enterprise, South Woodbury, born 30 June 1863 in Calbe an der Married 1st 29 Oct.1891 in Barrett, Pennsylvania.8 Saale, Saxony, Germany, died 6 Grant Co., Minnesota, to Anna J. Married 11 May 1871 in New En- Aug. 1942 in Jamestown, Stuts- Betland, born 2 Feb. 1872, died 2 terprise, South Woodbury Town- man Co., North Dakota. Farmer in Feb. 1899 in Lien Township, Grant ship, Bedford Co. Pennsylvania, to Saint Mathias Township, Crow Co., Minnesota. 21 Leah L Stineman, born 15 Aug. Wing Co., Minnesota, later shop Married 2nd 25 May 1903 in Barrett, 1847 in Richland Township, Cam- clerk in Brainerd, Crow Wing Co., Grant Co., Minnesota, to his second bria Co., Pennsylvania, died 22 general merchant in Carrington, cousin Feb. 1916 in Grand View, Yakima North Dakota, and finally an 15 Amanda Karolina Olson, born 10 Co., Washington. employée of the Northern Pacific Oct. 1880 in Nyelund, Klackhult Railroad.² Södergård, Hornaryd parish, 22 Abner Messenheimer Griffith, Married 19 Nov 1891 in Saint Ma- (Smål.), died 25 April 1952 in born 27 July 1833 in Fishertown, thias, Crow Wing Co., Minnesota Sheyenne, Eddy Co., North Da- Saint Clair Township, Bedford Co., to kota. She came with her parents Pennsylvania, died 10 May 1914 in 9 Susanna Miller, born 11 Sep. 1866 to the U.S. in 1886 and grew up in Fishertown, East Saint Clair Town- in Owatonna, Steele Co., Minne- Elbow Lake, Grant Co., Minnesota. ship, Bedford Co., Pennsylvania. sota, died 26 Nov. 1936 at 615 Mil- Laborer in Fishertown, East Saint ton Avenue South, Jamestown, Generation IV Clair Township, Pennsylvania.9 Stutsman Co., North Dakota. Married 1st 26 Apr. 1855 in Bedford 16 Ernst Pfeiffer, born 18 Mar. 1831 Co. to Rebecka Lingenfelter, born 10 James Berton “Bert” Straley, born in Germany, died 6 Nov. 1905 in 1831 in Saint Clair Township, Bed- 20 Sep. 1874 in New Enterprise, Saint Mathias, Crow Wing Co., ford Co., Pennsylvania, died there South Woodbury, Bedford Co., Minnesota. Farmer in Saint Ma- in 1856. Pennsylvania, died 17 July 1951 in thias, Crow Wing Co., Minnesota. Married 2nd in 1857 in Bedford Co., Carrington, Foster Co., North Da- He, his wife, and the children came Pennsylvania, to his 2nd cousin’s kota. Farmer in Carrington, Fos- with the Ohio from Bremen to Bal- daughter ter Co., North Dakota. timore 21 Dec. 1881.6 23 Rachel Penrose, born 30 July 1834 Married 4 Nov. 1897 in Curryville, Married to in Saint Clair Township, Bedford Pennsylvania, to 17 Henrietta Gebhardt, born 18 Oct. Co., Pennsylvania, died 6 Mar. 11 Hulda Blanche Griffith, born 27 1830 in Germany, died 14 Aug. 1896 in Fishertown, East Saint June 1872 in Fishertown, Saint 1888 in Saint Mathias, Crow Wing Clair Township, Bedford Co., Penn- Clair Township, Bedford Co., Penn- Co., Minnesota. sylvania. sylvania, died 1 Oct. 1952 in Carrington, Foster Co., North 18 Johann “John” H(einrich) Müller, 24 Hans (Johannes) Taverna, born 29 Dakota. later Miller, born Apr. 1835 in Jan. 1837 in Davos (Frauenkirch), Prussia, died 10 July 1908 at 1519 Graubünden, Switzerland. Teacher 12 Jacob Taverna, born 24 Jan. 1868 South Seventh Street, Brainerd, in Davos (Frauenkirch), Graubün- in Davos (Frauenkirch), Grau- Crow Wing Co., Minnesota. Farmer den. bünden, Switzerland, died 22 July in Brooklyn, Hennepin Co., Minne- Married 5 July 1857 in Davos, Grau- 1920 in New Rockford, Eddy Co., sota, and later in Saint Mathias, bünden, Switzerland, to North Dakota. Farmer in Rosefield Crow Wing Co., Minnesota.7 25 Anna Engel, born 3 March 1836 Township in Eddy Co., North Dako- Married 18 June 1862 in Chicago to in Davos (Hauptkirche), Grau- ta.3 19 Katherine “Kate” Meyers, born 10 bünden, Switzerland. Married 29 Mar. 1896 in Davos Aug. 1844 in McHenry Co., Illinois, (Frauenkirch) to died 15 Sep. 1922 at 217 North 9th 26 Christian Bernhard, born 8 Feb. 13 Dorothea Bernhard, born 1 Jan. Street, Brainerd, Crow Wing Co., 1843 in Wiesen, Graubünden, 1872 in Wiesen, Graubünden, Minnesota. She had 13 children of Switzerland. Lived in Wiesen, Switzerland, died 16 July 1953 in which 8 were alive at her death, as Graubünden. Carrington, Foster Co., North Da- well as 38 grandchildren and 3 Married 27 Feb. 1869 to kota.4 great-grandchildren. 27 Dorothea Jud, born 19 Sep. 1840 in Janisberg, Graubünden, Swit- 14 John Sigurd Hill (born Charles 20 David M Straley, born 17 Feb. zerland. Alfred Peterson), born 9 Dec. 1870 1849 in New Enterprise, South in Marine Mills, Washington Co., Woodbury Township, Bedford Co., 28 Johan “John” Gustaf Peterson, Minnesota, died 28 Feb. 1962 in Pennsylvania, died 20 Aug. 1882 in born 15 Nov. 1845 in Ugnanäs 30 Swedish American Genealogist 2007:1 Påkagård, Hovmantorp parish, Mathias Township, then a part of Ft. Minnesota, 1904. Elbow Lake is in (Smål.), died 1 Sep. 1916 in Bar- Ripley. He then went to work in the Grant Co., but after corresponding rett, Grant Co., Minnesota. Post- machine shops in Brainerd. This he with the local officials it was clear that master, hotel owner, and policeman followed for two and one half years.