Looking for my grandmother's father: HEINRICH HORN of Schonberg, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany.?

Question

He was "a man of portfolio". I have a snap of him in military uniform taken at Altona Military Barracks, Hamburg. Great Grandmother born 1875 & he looks about that age. Family legend is that "he was the son of Duke George of Mecklenburg-Strelitz" (ie: G.D. Adolf Friedrich V). Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

Even if we give you information that he's not, hang onto those stories and continue to research as there might be some truth, but not the exact truth as you've been told.. I have family stories and when I post them, I'm told it's not possible because they aren't mentioned in in Starr's Indian books nor Morovian diaries (relates to Indians).  My stories also have an explaination for that but I get resistance from every turn. These have been passed down generation to generation.  I'm even doing DNA to prove or disprove.

In your case DNA would be a great way to find out for sure but in the mean time, he could have been an illigetimate son and not in the current family trees.

Duke George:

Georg Friedrich Karl Joseph (12 August 1779 - 6 September 1860) was a Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz.

He was born in Hanover the eighth child of Grand Duke Charles II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Landgravine Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt (1752-1782). Following the death of his mother in 1782 his father married her sister Charlotte in 1784 and the family moved from Hanover to Darmstadt where he was educated until 1794 when his father succeeded as Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Soon after arriving in Strelitz he enrolled at the University of Rostock where he studied until 1799. In 1802 he went to Italy where he lived until 1804 when he returned to Germany and settled in Darmstadt.

Following the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt Georg travelled to Paris where he negotiated Mecklenburg-Strelitz's entry into the Confederation of the Rhine.

Grand Duke

When he succeeded his father on the 6 November 1816 he found the Grand Duchy in a bad state a proceeded to build schools where by at the of his reign the majority of his subjects could read and write. During his reign he also improved agriculture and abolished serfdom.

Georg died on 6 September 1860 at Neustrelitz and was succeeded by his eldest son Friedrich Wilhelm.

Marriage and children

On 12 August 1817 he married Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) (1796-1880) the daughter of Prince Frederick of Hesse, and they had four children.

Duchess Luise (1818-1842)

Duke Friedrich Wilhelm (1819-1904)

Duchess Caroline (1821-1876) married Frederick VII of Denmark

Duke Georg August (1824-1876) married Grand Duchess Catherine Mikhailovna of Russia father of Duke Charles Michael of Mecklenburg

Marriage and children

Friedrich Wilhelm was married on the 28 June 1843 at Buckingham Palace to Princess Augusta of Cambridge, a member of the British Royal Family, and a granddaughter of King George III. They had three sons.

Son, born dead (1843)

Friedrich Wilhelm (1845)

Duke Adolf Friedrich (1848-1914)

Friedrich Wilhelm and his wife Augusta celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary by distributing 25 Pfennig to every citizen of the Grand Duchy from the public treasury.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_W...

Here's a blog that might help

http://royal-portraits.blogspot.com/2007...

Answer 2

I'd be careful with the family legend...it's a pretty long stretch that a nobleman had a last name...let alone one as common as Horn. Had his name been Heinrich von Strelitz, I'd give it more credibility. After almost 30 years of research, I can't tell you the number of "disowned European royalty" stories I've been asked to prove for people. I can count the number that were legitimate on a couple of fingers. First find everything you can about your great-grandmother, then search church records (which are available on film from the LDS) and contact the German Military Archives to find his military records. I'd be happy to suggest a few military museums (Luxembourg's is excellent) to ask them to help identify more about his military service from the photo you have. Never hesistate to ask military historians to research a photo...they eat up the opportunity to solve a mystery that has a solid point of reference.

Answer 3

When was he born?  There are 12 with this name.  Did he ever immigrate?