Nikirk Family Information

There has been considerable data on Nikirks   developed over the years, including several books.  Data was put together on the Texas Nikirks in 1995 that was published in a book by Mr. William Hurley, a Nikirk descendant. There was not enough information known on the McNeeleys for them to be included

The books were prepared by William Hurley in 1995.  The publisher was Heritage Books and can be reached at www.heritagebooks.com.  The work was published in two parts and covers a lot of families. Our family is covered in Part 2 and is listed at $33.00.  On the web site do a search on Nikirk to find the listing. 

About ten years after the books were published, information was found that tied all of the families in both books together as well as finding a direct trace of the family back to Gerhard Von Neukirchen, born in 1315, at Harff Castle. They lived at Harff Castle until the 1600's and most moved to Holland or came to the US in the early 1700's (1710 - 1738). 

We have photos of the castle which was torn down in the 1960's to make room for a coal mine.  Around 1400, Johan von Neukirchen married Anna von Nievenheim and he added the von Neivenheim family crest to that of von Neukirchen.  The family name remained von Neukirchen gt von Nievenheim until they moved to this country. 

My father was a few years younger than your father and he used to speak of him.  My father was Buford and he was about 6 months of age in the 1913 photo; he is being held by his mother, May.

The photo  is John and Harriett (the black & white photo of the couple, woman has bible in her lap).  They are also in the center of the 1913 photo as I am sure you have observed. John and Harriett had 5 children:  Nettie Christ, born c.1879, in Monroe Co., Indiana.  She married Joseph Avery Lee and they had six children;  Maggie Ann, born august 10, 1880, in Monroe Co. She married Charles Winston West and they had twelve children; Roena, born c.1885, in Wise Co., TX.  She married T.G. McNeeley and they had seven children; Lewis, born November 6, 1887, in Wise Co., Tx.  He married Hattie May Prince and they had eight children:  Homer, born November 6, 1887, in Wise Co., Tx.  He married Della Wiley and they had seven children.  Lewis and Homer were identical twins and only members of the immediate families could tell them apart. 

Our German ancestors were Barons, Dukes and Knights and were very well off until they picked the wrong side in a war and had to leave Germany.

Jeanne and I lived near Alvord, Tx, on the land originally purchased by John and Harriett in about the mid 1890's. Some of the land was purchased from the McNeeley's, but I am not sure of the date (before the 1930's). I heard my dad speak of your father many times.  I believe that they spent some time together while they were growing up.