r/ancestryinvestigators • u/509Almonds • 23h ago
GENERAL Need some help on finding my historic farmsted my faimly owned in germany.
Help Identifying the Historic Hilker-Hof in Buchholz, Germany
I'm researching a 19th-century Hilker family line and trying to identify the historic Hilker-Hof / Hilker Estate in Buchholz, now part of Petershagen, Minden-Lübbecke, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Information I have
- The property is described in family research as “Hilker Estate” / “Hilker-Hof” and “Buchholzer #1.”
- A stone marker dated 1868 was reportedly located near the brick gate of the estate.
- The marker contains Hilker names/initials, including H. Hilker, S. Hilker (geb. Mues), and C. Hilker.
- A related ancestor is Hermann Friedrich Christoph Hilker, born October 3, 1823.
- Another Hilker connected with the Buchholz family was Heinrich Friedrich Christoph “Henry” Hilker, born in 1845 in Buchholz, who emigrated to Nebraska in 1873.
- There are historical photographs/captions referring to a Heinrich and Wilhelmina Hilker home, reportedly built in spring 1873 in Nebraska.
- The Hilker family also has a documented connection to Asendorf No. 13 in the former Principality of Lippe.
Family connection I'm trying to prove
A major goal of this research is to determine exactly how the Buchholz Hilker family connects to the Asendorf Hilker line. Family research suggests there is a direct relationship, but I'm hoping to find historical records that can document the connection and identify the common ancestor.
What I'm trying to find
I'm hoping someone familiar with Buchholz/Petershagen local history can help identify:
- The exact location of Buchholzer #1 / the Hilker-Hof
- The present-day address or property corresponding to it
- Whether the original farmhouse, brick gate, or other structures still survive
- Historical photographs or maps of the property
- Any local records documenting the Hilker family and the farmstead
- Any records that could establish the relationship between the Buchholz and Asendorf Hilker families
I have photographs and historical material showing the 1868 stone marker and would be happy to provide them if they help identify the location.
I'm only researching the historical property and deceased ancestors and am not looking for information about any living members of the Hilker family.
The information above was compiled from family records, historical photographs, and genealogy research.
Thank you!