My second great grandparents, Johann Mülleken and Henrietta Muhlenweg sailed to England from Prussia, armed with a gun and a sword, with their daughter, Henrietta Elizabeth, circa 1862. Johann probably arrived at Sunderland before moving on to Hull.
Although Johann’s profession was Joinery, he soon opened up a Grocery shop in Hull. Both of Johann’s sons were Master Joiners and both established their own construction companies.
The reason as to why Johann and his family left Prussia is unclear although it was probably due to political and economic circumstances. There is a story that Johann murdered somebody in Prussia and had to flee the country although this seems unlikely!
The name Mülleken underwent a process of Anglicisation, firstly changing to Molleken and finally Mollekin.
With help from family members, I’ve been able to ascertain the connection of all English Mollekin members to Johann. I’ve had some difficulty however in finding all descendants of Johann due to females marrying and losing the Mollekin surname. If you descend from a Mollekin, and you haven’t previously been in contact with myself, please contact me and explain your connection. Any photos would also be greatly appreciated.
So far, it hasn’t been possible to trace the Mülleken or Muhlenweg families any further back than Johann and Henrietta. However, there is bound to be a connection to the families of the same names that emigrated to America in the 1850’s/1860’s.
To view the Mollekin family tree, click here.