The Fleckenstein family is listed as having applied for a homestead in the Matanuska Valley by 1915. The patriarch of the Alaska Fleckensteins, was Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein born 1/18/1870 in Iowa City, Iowa and his wife  Marie Antoinette Doane born 1867 in California, daughter of Sharon P. Doane and Ellen Threlfall.

Joseph B. Fleckensteins parents were Adam C. Fleckenstein (born 1842 in Bayern, Germany - died 1890 Sherrill, Iowa) and Anna Cathrine Tigges. His grandparents were Thomas Fleckenstein (born 1810 Germany - died 1871 Sherrill, Iowa) and Catherine Heurtel.
 

THE ALASKA FLECKENSTEINS

Below is a compilation of Fleckenstein information that I've extracted from the U. S. Census records as well as the Herning diaries and online sources:

1900 U. S. Census  Hydesville, Humboldt Co., California

Joseph (Bernard) Fleckenstein 30  b. Iowa    father b. Germany    mother b. Germany
Marie (Antionette) Fleckenstein   32  b. California      father b. Illinois   mother b. Georgia
Earnest Fleckenstein.......not on census but shows up in family records
William Fleckenstein  age 9  b. California   son
John P. Fleckenstein age 7 b. California  son
Christopher Fleckenstein age 9 b. California
Frank Joseph Fleckenstein  age 3  b. California
Sharon David Fleckenstein age 2  b. California
Lawrence Edward Fleckenstein    1 month  b. California
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1910 U. S. Census  Eureka, Humboldt Co., California
Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein age 40  b. Iowa      married 17 years
Nettie  Fleckenstein age 42  b. California    married 17 years  (2nd marriage for Nettie)
William Joseph Fleckenstein age 19
John Fleckenstein age 17
Christopher Fleckenstein 15
Frank Fleckenstein 12........ (later murdered at Dillingham, Alaska 1925 hit over head by Indian)
Sharon Fleckenstein 11........(later married Maxine Crocker...and Florence Strigga Edlund)
Lawrence Fleckenstein 10...........(later married Helen ______ of Finland)
Ellen Catherine Fleckenstein 7.………(later married Floyd Dewey Smith) see below
Eva Marie Fleckenstein 6  ………. (later married George Stanley Herning)
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1920 U. S. Census taken between Knik and Wasilla
Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein age 53       Farmer
Marie Fleckenstein age 52
Ellen Cathryn Fleckenstein age 17
Eva Marie Fleckenstein age 15
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1930 U. S. Census taken in Kanakanak (Old Dillingham)
Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein   age 60   Head  U. S. Deputy Marshal
Maria Fleckenstein age 63  wife
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Notes from Herning diaries:
Fleckenstein proved up on his homestead 11/18/1919 (working for railroad)
Fleckenstein boys bought sawmill from Forty Mile Miller (O. C. Miller)
Chris Fleckenstein running Road Commission Cat at Moose Creek 1922
Chris Fleckenstein Cat hauling at Baxter Coal Mine 1923
Chris Fleckenstein overhauling Alaska Engineering Commission Cats and trucks 1923
Chris Fleckenstein sold his homestead to Jim Kennedy in 1946
Joseph B. Fleckenstein in Wasilla for visit, heading to Bristol Bay  1924
Sharon Fleckenstein and Maxine Crocker married after 11 day courtship Wasilla’s FIRST wedding 1924
Sharon Fleckenstein's 2nd marriage was to Florence Strigga Edlund 1938
Eva Fleckenstein married Stanley Herning 1926
Ellen Fleckenstein married Floyd Smith 1926 in Fairbanks then they left for Chatanika
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1920 U. S. Census  taken on railroad route from mile 236 north to Dead Horse
Sharon Fleckenstein age 21 Head of household
Christopher Fleckenstein age 25   brother

1920 U. S. Census taken on railroad route from Willow Creek to Montana Creek
Frank J. Fleckenstein age 22 b. California

Notes from Herning Diaries first mention Frank Fleckenstein as being elected to the school board of Wasilla’s 1st school in 1917.  He also did the concrete work under the original Herning (later Teeland) store in Wasilla as well as a lot of the carpentry work on the building.  In 1918, he left to go to the Army. Herning’s notes also say Frank Fleckenstein was clubbed to death by a Native in Dillingham in 1925.  He is buried in the Anchorage Memorial Cemetery in the Pioneer section.  His headstone reads, born 6/1/1898 died 5/1/1925.

WWI Draft Registration for Sharon Fleckenstein age 19:
Gave Wasilla as Sharon's permanent address, nearest relative listed as Nettie Fleckenstein,
occupation as miner at Willow Creek Mining District.  Birthdate given January 2, 1899.

1930 U. S. Census  Knik Road  near Wasilla, Alaska
Sharon D. Fleckenstein age 30   b. California      occupation Fur Farmer
Maxine** (Crocker) Fleckenstein age 22  wife  b.  Minnesota
Frederick Crocker age 75   Father-in-law   b. New York                Owns own ranch

Sharon and Maxine (Crocker) Fleckenstein
(Photo from private collection of Louise Loberg Bidondo)

Maxine died at the early age of 26 and is buried in the Anchorage Memorial Cemetery in the Pioneer section. Her headstone reads born 7/17/1906 died 7/4/1932. I was told that she drowned (in the Little Susitna River) when a car she was riding in (with her husband and two other people) crashed into Pinnacle Rock on the Hatcher Pass Road and rolled into the river, on the 4th of July 1932.

Sharon Fleckenstein's second wife was Florence Strigga Edlund (m. 9/17/1938). They are buried in the Wasilla Cemetery.  Their headstones give the following dates:  Sharon 1895-1959    Florence 1905-1985

1930 U. S. Census for Anchorage
Lawrence Fleckenstein age 29 b. California     (died 1978 Soldotna)
Helen Fleckenstein age 30 b. Finland  (came to USA 1915)    (died 1980  Soldotna)
Myrtle Fleckenstein age 14 b. Pennsylvania

Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein buried at Anchorage Memorial Cemetery in the Pioneer section. His headstone reads
born 1/18/1870 died 3/23/1948.  His wife Marie is also buried there, her headstone reads born 3/24/1897 died 10/20/1946. He is listed among the original 1915 homesteaders of the Matanuska Valley.

ONLINE FLECKENSTEIN INFORMATION:

Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein had five sisters: Mary, Elizabeth K., Catherine, Anna and Emma.
His father, Adam C. Fleckenstein's siblings were: Elizabeth 1838, Ignatz 1844, Mria Johanna 1846 and Joseph L. 1850.

His wife, Marie Antoinette (Doane) Fleckenstein, was the daughter of Sharon P. Doane and Ellen Threlfell. Her siblings were: Joseph W. Doane 1857, Ada Doane 1859, John F. Doane 1860, Isabel Doane 1863, Tessa Doane 1864, Hattie Doane 1867 and Lizzie Doane 1870.
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Joseph Bernard Fleckenstein's 2nd youngest daughter, Ellen Catherine married Floyd Dewey Smith at Chena, Alaska in 1926. Here is the information I have for the Smith family:

1930 U. S. Census for Kanakanak (Old Dillingham) (see Smith info below)
Floyd Smith age 37  born Oregon*   occupation Trapper in fur business
Ellen Catherine (Fleckenstein) Smith age 27 b. California
Marion F. Smith age 2 years 5 months b. Alaska   (Smith family says this should be Frank Marion)
Marie Smith* age 11 months b. Alaska (Smith family says this should be Laura Marie)
Lavina Ethel "Lee" Smith* b. 1937 Kanakanak.......(Smith family says this child born after 1930 census)
David Floyd Smith b. 1933..........................(Smith family says this child born after 1930 census)

Lavina "Lee" Smith died 8/22/1998 Littleton, Colorado
Laura Marie Smith died 2/12/1996 Wasilla, Alaska
 

FLOYD DEWEY SIMITH's  PARENTS WERE:
Theodore Monroe Smith born about 1850 Michigan and died about 1931 in Oregon. Online records show three wives for Floyd: Julia Knoth, Laura Bell Lynd and Sarah Elizabeth Holt.
His  children were:
Charles Agustus Smth b. 1877 Palouse, Whitman Co., Washington  died 1958 Sand Point, Idaho
Elbert Hazen Smth b. 1885     "             "                     "
Walter Monroe Smith b. 1886 "             "                     "               died 1950 Eugene, Oregon
Ethel L. Smith b. 1888            Spokane, Washington
Lenn James Smith b. 1890      Palouse, Whitman Co., Washington   died 1944 Monmouth, Oregon
Vernon J. Smith  b. 1892        "             "                     "                died 1896
Mabel Lorenda Smith b. 1894 "             "                     "                died 1958 Redmond, Oregon
Floyd Dewey Smith  b. 1898 Absarokee, Montana                          died 1979 Wasilla, Alaska
Lyle Theodore Smith  b. 1902       Lamonte, Oregon                       died 1985 Redmond, Oregon
Marvin Loren Smith b.                   "             "                                died 1979 Eugene, Oregon

FLOYD DEWEY SMITH's GRANDPARENTS WERE:
James Monroe Smith b. 1815 in New York  d. 1889 Nye, Stillwater, Montana and Lorinda Burton Smith
Their children were:
Francis M. Smith b. 1843 Michigan
Stanford Hess Smith b. 1846 Michigan
Theodore Monroe Smith b. 1850 Michigan
Elizabeth J. Smith b. 1850 Minnesota
Isabella Smith b. 1855 Minnesota
Wilbur F. Smith b. 1858 Minnesota