Hello Derek,
I am loking for any information on the Yanks family. My great-grandfather was Matthew Yanks (his birth name was Matews Yankauskas). He was born 2/2/1894. He died 10/13?/1980. He came to America around the age of fifteen with a cousin...this is what I have been told. The city he puts as his place of birth is Mielaishkamysis, Russia. I have been told he is from Lithuania...is this city in Lithuania that you know of? His father's name was Anthony Yenkauskas. His mother's name was Mary (maiden name unknown). Any information would be a great help. Thanks for your time and effort. Take care.
Sincerely,
Jenn

Hi Jenn,

Sorry,

My Yank family is just that. Yank. They come from the Alsace Lorraine.

I also thought that a name like Yank was probably a shortening of something to make life easier for a recent emmigrant. But, I was wrong. The name was Yank in France and they never changed it.

Good luck with your search.

Derek Hastings

Hi Derrick: I'm looking for family of Wilhelmina Yank. I spotted your note, and I know that Wilhelmina was from Alsace-Lorraine. She came to US about 1865 with 2 children. Is she part of your family?

Hi Barbara,

Well, simply yes most likely. There were from what I can gather from the French Geneaology sites that not a whole lot of Yanks. And, the ones that were there were most likely related.

I will get more info together and get you in contact with the rest of the Yank clan when I get to work on Monday.

Derek Hastings

New e-mail address jandsweber@frontieernet.net

updated address jandsweber@frontiernet.net

Your family legend about Joseph and Louis are accurate. They went to Shasta county for Gold, which angered their father so much that they were barely mentioned in the will.

Tragically, Louis/Lewis was murdered on 02 Jun 1863 at Little Cow Creek, Shasta Co., California for his gold. There is a one-line blurb in the Alta California newspaper. Lewis was buried in the Catholic Old Shasta Cemetery.

Joseph married Suzanna Kurchenbach on 15 Jul 1860 in Shasta, CA.

Maary Anne Yank, the youngest sister, married John Grom who went South to fight with the Confederates in the Civil War. I have not found anyuthing on this line.

The entire family originated in Beinheim, Bas Rhin, Alsace, France. Their line can be traced to about 1700 in local church records.