Johann (John) was a very poplar name for boys.  It was not unusual to find several Johann siblings in the same family.  Johann Förtsch-Beck-Bauer (1670-????) and Cunigunda Wachter-Ponla (1668-????) were the common ancestors of ALL of the Foertschbecks who immigrated to Baltimore and New York City in the 19th century. They had two sons, Johann Martin (1708-1772) and Johann (1711-1771).  

     The son of Johann Martin (1708-1772) and his wife, Catherine Hauck (1716-????), also a Johann (1743-????), married Margarete Wich (????-????) and was the ancestor of the immigrant Foertschbeck families: Johann Andreas (1842-1892) and Catharina Baetz  (1840-1903), Johann  (1855-1930) and Anna Baetz (1858-1927), Johann  (1862-1931) and Anna Deuerling (1863-1931), New York City butchers, Johann (1857-1913) and Frank (1861-19??), and Neufang butcher Pankraz (8167-1924) and Anna Angles (1878-1928). 

     The other son, Johann (1711-1773) married a woman only known as Catharina, was the ancestor of immigrant Johann Andreas (1849-1899) and Catharina Foehrkolb (1852-1923).

     The first Foertschbeck who emigrated to the USA was Johann (1849-1899), the son of Eva Förtschbeck (1811-1877).  This John was listed as being 23 years old when he arrived in Baltimore, 9 June 1871, on the S.S. Ohio.  The Föhrkolb family was on the same ship.  John later married Catharina Föhrkolb (1852-1923) at St. Michael's Church Wolfe St.  When John died in 1899, his wife Catharina supported the family by operating a grocery store on Rose St.  The family later moved to S. Clinton St. where they operated a bar and lunchroom.

     Johanna Keil Foertschbeck (1844-????), widow of Josef Förtschbeck (John's (1849-1899) half-brother), and her three children, John (1871-????), Johanna (1873-????), and Georg (1876-????) arrived in Baltimore in 1885, and joined in-laws, John (1849-1899) and Catharina (1852-1923) on Rose St.  Johanna married August Hahn in 1886.  Her son John (1871-????) married Mary Waechter in 1890, they had a son, John (1892-1893).  Daughter Johanna (1873-????) married George Bunke in 1899.  No additional info was found on this family.

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     Another Johann (1857-1913) and his half-brother, Frank (1861-19??), settled in New York City where they operated, "Foertschbeck Brother's Butcher Shop" in Manhattan.  

    Johann (John) (1857-1913), son of Johann (1830-1906) and Katherina Hertel (1827-1858) later moved with his daughter to Rock Island, IL, where they joined his sister, Margarete Foertschbeck Wich and her husband, Johann Wich.  John died in Rock Island in 1913.

     Frank (1861-19??), son of Johann (1830-1906) and Agnes Welscher (1835-1898) fate is unknown at this time.  He probably died in New York City.

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     Johann (1855-1930) and his wife Anna Baetz (1858-1927) arrived around 1879-1880 before his younger brother, Johann (1862-1931) arrived in 1886, on the S.S. Rhein, with his wife Anna Deuerling (1863-1931).   The younger Johann, "GermanJohn's" great-grandfather, was known as John Foertschbeck, Jr., to distinguish him from his older brother John.

     At one time, both Johns lived at 3201 Foster Ave. in Baltimore.  The older John later moved to a "truck farm" on Mace Ave. in Rossville / Essex.  The younger John and his children lived with Henry and Anna Marie Kupfrian at 3205 Foster Ave. and later on German Hill Road and Eastern Ave.  His son, John, (German John's grandfather) lived at 3205 Foster Ave. when he first married Catherine Rockstroh in 1913.  They moved to 909 S. Conkling St. in 1919 with children - John (1914-1976) (German John's father), Marie, and Henry.  The "tailor" John's son, John (1876-1959) and Eva Margarete Reissig (1876-1932) and family lived at 915 S. Conkling St.

     Johann Andreas (1842-18??) arrived in Baltimore with his family in 1883.  This Johann and his young son,  John were tailors and had shops on Clinton St.  The son, John (1876-1959) and Eva Margarete Reissig and family lived at 915 S. Conkling St.  just  a few houses down from "German John's" grandparents and great-grandfather at 909 S. Conkling St.   "German John's" great-grandfather died while playing cards with the Foertschbecks at 915 Conkling St.  His last words were, "ich Pass" (I pass) and then fell over dead from a massive coronary.