Using a website for organizing the information developed with Brian Habing, my 1st cousin once removed (Tom Habing’s son). He too has a great interest in genealogy. With the help of time, the help of my son Greg ( the computer expert) and the guidance of Brian, we will see how the idea will develop.
Joseph G. Habing (1862-1949) wrote a sketchy genealogy in July 1929. There are several original copies of the family history. I copied an original from Agnes Kitten which will be reproduced here. It mentions that the early Habings came from “Fensteele”. I attempted to locate the place on a map of Germany, unsuccessfully. A letter to the German consulate in Chicago informed me that it was “Tenstedte”. Those who are familiar with old German script would understand the error. That was an important clue in researching the Habing name in Germany at that time (pre-computer).
There are numerous male Habings descendants who were given the second name George or Georg, the name of the founding immigrant Habing who came over from Germany, Georg Gerdhabing (1833-1886). An understandable assumption but perhaps not completely accurate. There is information that may indicate the “G” came from a shortened Gerdhabing. Three examples. Joseph Habing (1862-1949) was baptized with that name, not a second name. He often used the “G” initial, including his tombstone. Joseph’s half-brother, Bernard, was baptized Bernard Francis G.Habing in 1871. Other references to the Habing name in the baptism were prefaced with “G”. A third example also comes from this baptism. Anna Maria Elizabeth Ahlerring, nata (born) G.Habing) was B. G.’s aunt from Evansville. Other records show the name written as Gerd Habing. Other immigrant Gerdhabing/Habings used the same shortening of Gerdhabing to G.Habing.
This immigrant Gerdhabing family came to America in 1845. (Another group would come in 1847, more information about that later).