Jean Frédéric Lebeau1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 37, (abt 1815 - 1854)
FatherPierre Isaac Lebeau2 (21 Dec 1789 - 19 Dec 1864)
MotherChristiane Elisabethe Margerthe Stehter2 (28 Jun 1793 - 14 Apr 1874)

Key Events:

Birth: about 1815, Bad Homburg4,5
Marriage: 14 Jul 1839, French Reformed Church, Offenbach, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, Johanna Christina Baum (31 Aug 1820 - 21 Jul 1907)6,7,8
Death: 17 Nov 1854, Frankfort, Indiana9,10,11
Burial: Frankfort, Indiana12,13

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Jean Frédéric Lebeau was born about 1815, before his parents married. Such "premature" births were not uncommon at the time. He was later reported to have been "of Friedrichdorf," but most likely he was born in Homburg, now known as Bad Homburg, his mother's home village. His birth was not recorded in Fredrichdorf, and records from Homburg are not available.4,5
     Jean settled in Friedrichsdorf with his parents after their marriage in 1816.
     On 30 Aug 1837 Jean declared in a statement to the head priest of her parish that he was not father of Johanna Louise Baum, the daughter of his future wife, but nevertheless wanted to accept the child as his child. On 21 Jun 1839, after he had married her mother, he confirmed the adoption by declaring that he represented himself as her father.14
     He joined the French Reformed Church in Offenbach on 6 Jul 1839.14
     Jean married Johanna Christina Baum, daughter of Johann Heinrich Nicolaus Baum and Anna Margaretha Schreid, on 14 Jul 1839 in French Reformed Church, Offenbach, Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine.6,7,8
     Jean and Christina settled in Offenbach, where they joined the Moravian Church.15
     In the German-speaking community in Offenbach, and after emmigrating to the America, he used the German spelling of his given name, John Frederick.2,3
     His granddaughter Louise A. Fenker said he was an artist or designer, and that she had a folio of his work in her cedar chest.12

Influanced by Engelhard Riemenschneide --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     Engelhard Riemenschneide was born 1815 in the Electorate of Hanover, and immigrated to the America in 1835.16 He became a preacher in the German Methodist Church, initally as a circuit rider. In 1845 he become the fourth pastor of the Race St. Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, the mother church of German Methodism. The church, a Methodist Episcopal Church, had been founded by William Nast to serve the German-speaking community.17
     In 1851 Riemenschneider was sent back to his native German states as a missionary. He mainly spoke in private homes, and constantly faced the objections of local officals, and was even arrested. He began his work in Frankfurt am Main, preaching there and in nearby towns, including Oberrod. John attended his meetings in both places.18
     John requested that Rev. Riemenschneider conduct classes in Offenbach, and he and Christina invited him to speak in their home. He accepted and preached there weekly for a time, to mixed audiances of Christians, Jews, and unbelievers. They both joined the Methodist Episcopal Church.19,20
     John was issued an Exhorter's license by Rev. Dr. Louis Nippert, who succeeded Rev. Riemenschneider. An exhorter was what is now known as a lay speaker, authorized to hold meetings for prayer and exhortation under the direction of the preacher in charge. John frequently conducted the services during Dr. Nippert's absence.21

Immigrating to America --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---


     John felt called to the ministry, but found the persecutions and restrictions so severe that they sold their home, and in 1854 immigrated to America with their daughter Louisa.22,23,24
     They initially came to Cincinnati, but Dr. Nast, founder of the German Methodist Church there, encouraged him to enter the Conference as a travelling minister.15 John accepted a post in Huntingburgh, Indiana, and they moved there.15 He was received on trial into the South Eastern Indiana Conference and stationed in the South Indiana German District. He was appointed to the Huntingburgh, Indiana, circuit, supposedly the first circuit riding German Methodist in that district, but survived only a few months.25,26,27
     John died on 17 Nov 1854 in Frankfort, Indiana.9,10,11 He was buried in Frankfort, Indiana.12,13

Children:
     Child with Johanna Christina Baum:

Citations

  1. [S10923] Evangelischen Kirche Taufregister (Lutheran Church Baptism Register),, 1836, pg 87, Johanna Louise Baum, shows name as Jean Frédéric Lebeau in the text and his signiture.
  2. [S10924] Französisch-Reformierte Kirche Trauregister (French Reformed Church Marraige Register),, 1839, pg 24, Johann Friederich Lebeau and Johanna Christina Baum.
  3. [S92] Christine Baum, shows name as John Frederick Lebeau.
  4. [S10924] Französisch-Reformierte Kirche Trauregister (French Reformed Church Marraige Register),, 1839, pg 24, Johann Friederich Lebeau and Johanna Christina Baum, shows him as born out of wedlock, and age 24 at marriage 14 Jul 1839.
  5. [S92] Christine Baum, shows age 39 at death 17 Nov 1854, and that he was "of" Friedrichsdorf, Hessen Homburg.
  6. [S10924] Französisch-Reformierte Kirche Trauregister (French Reformed Church Marraige Register),, 1839, pg 24, Johann Friederich Lebeau and Johanna Christina Baum, shows date.
  7. [S92] Christine Baum, shows married.
  8. [S277] Louise A. Fenker, ""The Fenker Family" and "The Wieman Family"", shows married when she was age 18.
  9. [S92] Christine Baum, gives date and age 39.
  10. [S277] Louise A. Fenker, ""The Fenker Family" and "The Wieman Family"", shows town, as Frankfort, and state.
  11. [S26] Fogg, Family File "Fenker_Al.FTW," 1 Mar 2000, shows date and city, as Huntingburg, and state.
  12. [S277] Louise A. Fenker, ""The Fenker Family" and "The Wieman Family.""
  13. [S26] Fogg, Family File "Fenker_Al.FTW," 1 Mar 2000, shows he was buried in Covington, Kentucky.
  14. [S10923] Evangelischen Kirche Taufregister (Lutheran Church Baptism Register),, 1836, pg 87, Johanna Louise Baum.
  15. [S92] Christine Baum.
  16. [S10920] Engelhard Riemenschneider, Edwin A. Riemenschneider, and Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Engelhard Riemenschneider, pg 9, shows birth; pg 16, shows immigration.
  17. [S10920] Engelhard Riemenschneider, Edwin A. Riemenschneider, and Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Engelhard Riemenschneider, pg 105, 109, shows his appointment and prior pastors.
  18. [S10920] Engelhard Riemenschneider, Edwin A. Riemenschneider, and Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Engelhard Riemenschneider, pg 130, shows journey to Bremerhaven; pp 133-142 describes meetings, police interference, and Lebeau attending meetings.
  19. [S10920] Engelhard Riemenschneider, Edwin A. Riemenschneider, and Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Engelhard Riemenschneider, pg 142.
  20. [S92] Christine Baum, shows he came in 1851, they influenced by him, joined the church, and he often preached in their home, and they became members of the Methodist Church.
  21. [S92] Christine Baum, shows John licensed by Dr. Nippert, and he held meetings in his absence.
  22. [S92] Christine Baum, shows his calling, year, with daughter, and came to Cincinnati.
  23. [S10920] Engelhard Riemenschneider, Edwin A. Riemenschneider, and Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Engelhard Riemenschneider, pg 142, shows John sold his home and immigrated because of the persecutions and restrictions.
  24. [S776] Louise Fenker household, 1900 U.S. Census, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, shows Christina and Louise immigrated in 1854, and had been in America 45 years.
  25. [S10919] Minutes of the Annual Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1854, pg 468, shows him admitted on trial in South-Eastern Indiana Conference; pg 471, shows him stationed in Southern Indian German District, in Huntingburgh.
  26. [S10920] Engelhard Riemenschneider, Edwin A. Riemenschneider, and Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Engelhard Riemenschneider, pg 142, shows he became a local preacher, a circuit rider.
  27. [S92] Christine Baum, gives details of Conference affiliation, and of death shortly thereafter.
  28. [S307] Lousia Fenker, Certificate of Death.