Remembering My German Ancestors on German-American Day, 2016

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 6 as German-American Day in honor of 13 German families from Krefeld, Germany, who arrived in Philadelphia three centuries earlier, on October 6, 1683, and created the first German settlement in the original American colonies in Germantown, Pennsylvania.  Read more about the holiday here.

In honor of German-American Day I'm spotlighting my known German immigrant ancestors.  As far as I know, all became citizens of the United States, hence, were German-Americans.  Below are their countries of origin as I've found in my research.  I continue searching for information to locate their cities of origin.

Henry Carl Meinzen ➞ William Carl Robert Meinzen ➞ Audrey Victoria Meinzen ➞ me
b. 25 July 1837, d. 30 December 1925

• Prussia.  Naturalization document of 9 October 1871, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Prussia.  1870 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Hanover.  1880 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Germany.  1900 U.S. Census, Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Germany.  1910 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Hanover, Germany.  1920 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio

Frederick K. Gerner ➞ Beulah Gerner Doyle ➞ Lee Doyle ➞ me
b. 28 September 1848, d. 26 March 1926

• Germany.  Passenger list of ship "Cotton Planter," arriving in New York in June, 1853.  Fried., age 4, traveled with [uncertain name], 26, farmer; Anna Marie, 6; Elisabeth, 2; and Carl, 1/2.
• Prussia.  1860 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia.  1870 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Germany.  1880 U.S. Census, Putnam County, West Virginia
• Germany.  1900 U.S. Census, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Germany.  1910 U.S. Census, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany.  1920 U.S. Census, Butler County, Pennsylvania

John Froman ➞ Tressa Froman ➞ Gust Doyle ➞ Lee Doyle ➞ me
b. ~1841, d. December 1871

• Hessen - Passenger list of Bremen ship "Julius," arriving in Baltimore, Maryland, on 4 August 1856.  Surname spelled Frommann.  Johann (as he was identified on the passenger list) traveled with Werner, 54; Maria, 21; Anna, 12; Elisabeth, 7; Heinrich, 5; Caspar, 4; and Christiane, 23.  To date I have been unable to document a familial connection between John and the Frommann passengers.  Werner could be the father or uncle of John and the rest.  Or not.
• Hesse Cassel - Naturalization document, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 9 October 1868
• Germany - 1860 U.S. Census, Hickory Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.  Living with Werner, 58; Henry, 10; and Casper, 7
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Catherine Saylor ➞ Tressa Froman ➞ Gust Doyle ➞ Lee Doyle ➞ me
b. 5 June 1844, d. 20 December 1928

• Baden - 1870 U.S. Census, Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Rhine-Bonn - 1880 U.S. Census, Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1900 U.S. Census, Lake Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1910 U.S. Census, Lake Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Rhineland, Germany - 1920 U.S. Census, Stoneboro, Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Christian Gerner (father of Fred Gerner)
b. ~1820, d. 16 February 1899

• Prussia - Passenger list of ship "Hungarian" departing from Havre, arriving in New York on 10 May 1852.  He traveled with Th. Daniel, 28, and Elisabeth, 25.
• Prussia - 1860 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1880 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Elizabeth (or Mary) Stahl (wife of Christan Gerner, above)
b. ~1824, d. after 1880

• Prussia - Passenger list of ship "Hungarian" departing from Havre, arriving in New York on 10 May 1852.  She traveled with Christian, 32, and Th. Daniel, 28.
• Prussia - 1860 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1880 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Jacob Saylor (father of Catherine Saylor)
b. abt. 1812-1816, d. ~1870

• Baron, Germany - A Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1850 U.S. Census, Hickory Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1860 U.S. Census, West Greenville P.O., West Salem Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania

I'm grateful these ancestors chose to come to the United States of America and become citizens.  I hope to learn more about their cities of birth in Germany.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014-2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

My German-American Ancestors

I'm racing the clock to post this before the end of October and German-American month.   Below is a list of my known German-born American ancestors.  It includes their names, birth and death dates, countries of origin, and the sources that gives those locations.  I'm aware that all census information may be inaccurate, depending on who responded to the census taker's questions.  

John Froman  - b. ~1841, d. December 1871

• Hessen - Passenger list of Bremen ship "Julius," arriving in Baltimore, Maryland, on 4 August 1856.  Surname spelled Frommann.  Johann (as he was identified on the passenger list) traveled with Werner, 54; Maria, 21; Anna, 12; Elisabeth, 7; Heinrich, 5; Caspar, 4; and Christiane, 23.  To date I have been unable to document a familial connection between John and the Frommann passengers.  Werner could be the father or uncle of John and the rest.  Or not.
• Hesse Cassel - Naturalization document, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, 9 October 1868
• Germany - 1860 U.S. Census, Hickory Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.  Living with Werner, 58; Henry, 10; and Casper, 7
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Frederick K. Gerner - b. 28 September 1848, d. 26 March 1926

• Germany - Passenger list of ship "Cotton Planter," arriving in New York in June, 1853.  Fried., age 4, traveled with [uncertain name], 26, farmer; Anna Marie, 6; Elisabeth, 2; and Carl, 1/2.
• Prussia - 1860 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1880 U.S. Census, Putnam County, West Virginia
• Germany - 1900 U.S. Census, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1910 U.S. Census, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1920 U.S. Census, Butler County, Pennsylvania

It is entirely possible that the "Fried." in the passenger list mentioned above and the Christian of the passenger list below, are not my ancestors but I've found no other individuals that more closely resemble my great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather.

Christian Gerner - b. ~1820, d. 16 February 1899

• Prussia - Passenger list of ship "Hungarian" departing from Havre, arriving in New York on 10 May 1852.  He traveled with Th. Daniel, 28, and Elisabeth, 25.
• Prussia - 1860 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1880 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Henry Carl Meinzen - b. 25 July 1837, d. 30 December 1925

• Prussia - Naturalization document of 9 October 1871, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Hanover - 1880 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Germany - 1900 U.S. Census, Cross Creek Township, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Germany - 1910 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio
• Hanover, Germany - 1920 U.S. Census, Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio

Catherine Saylor (wife of John Froman) - b. 5 June 1844, d. 20 December 1928

• Baden - 1870 U.S. Census, Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Rhine-Bonn - 1880 U.S. Census, Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1900 U.S. Census, Lake Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Germany - 1910 U.S. Census, Lake Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Rhineland, Germany - 1920 U.S. Census, Stoneboro, Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Elizabeth (or Mary) Stahl (wife of Christan Gerner, above) - b. ~1824, d. after 1880

• Prussia - Passenger list of ship "Hungarian" departing from Havre, arriving in New York on 10 May 1852.  She traveled with Christian, 32, and Th. Daniel, 28.
• Prussia - 1860 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1870 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• Prussia - 1880 U.S. Census, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Knowing the country of origin is good.  Knowing the city or town would be better.  I'll continue research.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014-2016 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.

Mary, Elizabeth, or Both? - Mystery Monday

I'm writing of Elizabeth or Mary Stahl, wife/wives of Christian Gerner.  Christian's wife's name is given both ways on different records.  Are they the same woman?

From U.S. Census records I've gathered the names of Christian's children (and given their approximate birth years based on the census records). 

• Emma (~1847)
• Frederick (~1849)
• Isabell / Elisabeth / Lizzie (~1851)
• Charles (~1853)
• Christena / Christopher / Christian (~1854)
• John (~1856)

The 1860 and 1870 census records do not identify relationship.  The 1880 census is the first census to give relationships and only the last four children were living at home and are identified as Christian's sons and daughter.

Death Certificates


Mary Stahl is named as mother on

• Emma (Gerner) Vensel's death certificate (1846-1922)
• Christian Gerner's death certificate (1854-1935)

Mary E. (could it be Mary Elizabeth?) is named as mother on

• Charles Gerner's death certificate (name is Mary E. Sthal [sic]) (1851-1929)

Frederick Gerner's death certificate gives no names for either parent.  (And wouldn't you know, Fred's my direct ancestor.)

Census Records
Elizabeth/Elisabeth appears as Christian's wife (and identified as such only in the 1880 census) in

• 1860 U.S. Census, age 37, with Christian Gardner, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• 1870 U.S. Census, age 45, with Christopher Gardner, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
• 1880 U.S. Census, age 56, with Christian Garner, Fairview Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

FamilySearch FamilyTree
The following information was added by FamilySearch with no source information given.  To my mind it confuses the situation more than clarifies it.

• Elizabeth Stahl is named as Christian Gerner's wife and Emma Gerner's mother.

The Possibilities

• Christian could have been married twice.  All of the children on these records were born before the family appeared on their first U.S. Census in 1860.  Mary could have died after giving birth to the youngest child in 1856 and Christian could have married Elizabeth.  
• Could Mary and Elizabeth have been sisters?  
• Mary/Mary E. and Elizabeth could be the same person.

I have been unable to find death records for either Mary Gerner or Elizabeth Gerner, nor a marriage record for Christian and Elizabeth.  (Christian and Mary would have been married in Germany before arriving in the U.S.)  Considering that my only records for Mary/Elizabeth are census and death certificates, anything is possible.

--Nancy.

Copyright © 2014 Nancy Messier. All Rights Reserved.