According to some family members, Emil Gustav Venzke was a stowaway on a ship from Germany. The story, as I heard it, is that Emil stowed away and then later helped his brothers move to Maryland. They lived and farmed in Bel Air and Perry Hall north of Baltimore. Emil must have also helped his father and mother, Gottlieb and Wilhelmine, to come over as the will of Gottlieb is extent (see below).
Unfortunately, I have found litlle clarity in searching German records. A large family of Venzkes also settled in Wisconsin, with names like Emil and Wilhelmine. Surely they are also related to this Emil.
Scrapbook
* Gottlieb Venzke Will