Surname: Brandt

The Brandt surname is part of John Samuel Krentz's maternal heritage. His fourth great-grandfather was:

• Jochim Brandt of Dammeretz (now Dammereez), Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. Jochim and his wife, whose name I don't know, were my sixth great-grandparents.
• Hans Hinrich Brandt, who was christened in Dammeretz on 6 February 1714. He and his wife, whose name is also unknown to me, were my fifth great-grandparents.
• Jurgen Hinrich Brandt, born in Dammeretz and christened 25 June 1746. He married Catharine Dorothea Luhr, with whom he had at least five children. He died 8 August 1794 and was buried two days later in Dammeretz. Jurgen and Catharine were my fourth great-grandparents.
• Hans Hinrich Brandt, born in Dammeretz and christened 2 September 1781. He married Catharine Margaretha Maria Behm on 6 November 1807 in Dammeretz. Hans died of Lungenentzundung (pneumonia) on 15 April 1853 in Dammeretz, just three weeks after Catharine died of the same thing. They were my third great-grandparents.
• Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Brandt, born 29 April 1816 in Dammeretz and christened the next day. He married Catharine Dorothea Elisabeth Hagen on 4 November 1842 in Dammeretz. They emigrated, and arrived in the U.S. in October 1874. Johann died 29 December 1896 in Monticello, Indiana and was buried two days later at the Lutheran cemetery of Reynolds, Indiana. Johann and Catharine were my great-great-grandparents.
• Christine Friederike Dorothea Brandt, born 8 May 1849 in Dammeretz and christened two days later. She married Johann Michael Krenz on 24 April 1875 in Reynolds, Indiana. Together they had eight children, the first of whom died in infancy; the last was my grandfather. Christine (who was actually called Dora) died 27 August 1903 in Reynolds and was buried at the Lutheran cemetery there two days later. She and Johann (who was called Michael) were my great grandparents.

But wait! There's more! We are not finished with the Brandt ancestors yet. Let's start again with:

• Jochim Brandt of Dammeretz (listed above). Jochim and his wife, whose name I still don't know, were my sixth great-grandparents, not once but twice.
• Hans Hinrich Brandt (listed above),who was christened in Dammeretz on 6 February 1714. He and his wife, whose name is also still unknown to me, were my fifth great-grandparents twice.
• Catharina Elisabeth Brandt, a sister of Jurgen Hinrich Brandt (listed above), born in Dammeretz and christened on 6 June 1760. She married Peter Hinrich Behm on 17 November 1786 in Dammeretz. She died there on 13 June 1805. Catharina and Peter were my fourth great-grandparents.
  

German records for the Brandt, Luhr and Behm families come from the Evangelical Lutheran records of Vellahn parish. They are available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City (film no. 069632, 069633 and 069634). These films are also on permanent loan at the LDS stake at 17140 SW Bany Road, Beaverton, Oregon.

Records pertaining to the Brandt and Krenz families in Reynolds, Indiana, are from St. James Lutheran Church. To my knowledge, these records have not been microfilmed.