Claus GERKEN -m- Lupta GRABA BREMEN c1800
Claus (Closs) GERKEN and Lupta GRABA are the parents of Hinrich (Henry) GERKEN (GERKIN) who was born in Bremen c1827.He emigrated to England, working in a Sugar Factory in Stepney, London in 1851 and working as a Sugar Baker in Greenock, Scotland in 1861.
He married a Scottish girl - Margaret McIVER in Oct 1858 in Greenock - a lady of strong character.She taught in a German Sunday School in Manchester and became the youngest ever female Publican in those days - having lied about her age, and managed it whilst bringing up her family single handedly after Gt Grandad went his separate way.
Can anyone pass on any clues to help me to trace the German background for Hinrich, Claus and Lupta and their families, please?
Fingers crossed!