Honke Honkey

[Ratty2]

There is a Joe Honke(y) found on the 1900 US Census as having arrived 1854 from Germany (asge 14-15).
He is the father of Joe Honkey born 10 May 1858 at Michigan. 
How do we locate 1858 Michigan birth records with Honke(y) name?
Thank you in advance

[*Sandra*]

Sadly the State of Michigan Vital Records Office has records of births, deaths, and marriages that occurred in Michigan and were filed with the state as early as 1867 - Before 1867, births were not recorded formally by the county or the state.

Sandra

[oldohiohome]

Sometimes you can find an announcement of a family event in an old newspaper, but I think your family had left Michigan too soon. A tree at ancestry.com (maybe yours) says they were in Manistee, Michigan, in 1860, but in Wisconsin by 1864. Google news archives has some Manistee newspapers, but the earliest starts in 1876.

[shellyesq]

Depending on their religion, maybe baptism records exist.

[Ratty2]

Thank you very much for those helpful suggestions.
I've checked the Family Tree on Ancestry and found it well credentialled and useful, there are clues there to be followed up.
The family religion has been Evangelical Lutheran, which means I have been in touch with the Manistee Lutheran churches.
The family tree has a migration arrival in 1850 to New York - to be followed up and verified.
Thanks again
 

[Ratty2]

The Family name in the 1860 Census was recorded as HANKE, with Joseph, a labourer age 28, Maria his wife also age 28 born in Germany, and Lucy age 2 born in Michigan, and Sebastian age 1 born in Michigan. Sebastian's first names changes later on to be Joseph.
Still looking for the baptism record.

[Vance Mead]

You can search immigration records to New York:

http://www.castlegarden.org

[Ratty2]

Thanks for that. I've checked all known lists without result.
I have, however, found a Reconstructed list by Clifford Neal Smith 'Reconstructed Passenger Lists for 1850' pub 1980 which has a Joseph Hanke on board. I can't yet see the name of the ship, but will find a copy of the book in a few weeks time.
Cheers

[Ratty2]

Re: Immigrants circa 1850-1855 into USA.
Was it known that some jumped ship on arrival in USA, evaded the migration officers and ran away? I am thinking of the experiences in Australian where a number of men (especially) arrived as crew of one sort or another, and when they arrived at their chosen port, they also chose not to collect their meagre pay for the chance to get away and get to the gold as quick as they could?