1852 Immigrants from Senheim, Grenderich, Liesenich, Mittelstrimmig and Altstrimmig in the counties of Zell and Mosel in Germany, near Koblenz.

 

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE UMSTEAD FAMILY!!!

 

This is a plea from a man in Germany to help locate some people who came from these towns in 1852. He had written to the Chicago German-language newspaper "Eintracht," on February 9, 2002. I am adding this information here as a service to descendants of these immigrants and in the hope of helping with this project. I have not checked around on the Internet to see whether there are other websites where this information might more logically belong. If you know of one, please click home and contact me at the email listed on that page. Cris

Following are the pertinent points from his letter, translated into English. He says:

I've worked for many years researching the 1852 emigration from the Hunsrück-Mosel area (of Germany) to North America, or, more to the point, the forced emigration.

There were no large cities here, only small towns with fewer than 1000 residents, and in the year 1852, the poverty was great. The people had little land, and other opportunities didn't exist, so many could not feed themselves. There was much theft going on, and this put a burden on the community, one that they didn't know how to handle. As a result, the mayors of five communities, Senheim, Grenderich, Liesenich, Mittelstrimmig and Altstrimmig, in the counties of Zell and Mosel, developed a plan to send the poor to North America.

They decided to send those who were willing to America, at the cost of the community, because at this time many people from all parts of the country were going there. Delegates of these communities acquired funds from a local steel mill and arranged an all-inclusive contract with an emigration agent in Koblenz, and in return were able to get rid of large groups of people. These people, or so they said, were a burden to others, and a threat to their personal property.

In the wake of the euphoria of being able to emigrate at the cost of the community, most voiced approval, and no consideration was shown for the few who were less enthusiastic. Acceptance of travel money from community funds was under the condition that the immigrants would give up their German citizenship and never again set foot on German soil. They got rid of a large number of people and it was hoped that those who remained behind would profit from it. The preparations proceeded in spite of this being against the will of some.

So it came about that on the 26th of May 1852, about 530 persons, all on one day, were loaded onto two ships and transported on the nearby Mosel River, from Senheim and Beilstein, via Koblenz to Rotterdam, and the journey to North America began. Two mayors from these communities accompanied the group to Liverpool in England and ensured their departure.

I have gathered documentation on this unusual emigration and also on the arrival in New York of two ships on the 13th and 16th of July. From there the immigrants were to be transported inland. What's lacking is information on where these people finally wound up. Some say Wisconsin and Illinois. A few letters indicate that this is in fact where they settled, but all contact and connection to their old homeland ended quickly, for many reasons. Furthermore, the people who remained in Germany quickly forgot all about it, and, during my time in school, this part of our history was no longer mentioned.

May 26 of this year (2002) marks the 150th anniversary of the emigration and I am in the process of collecting the facts and letting them be known to people today, and above all, to the descendants of these immigrants. It would be a very special historical development if we could determine where they finally wound up.

I have already written many letters to people in America in an effort to find the descendants of these immigrants. I would consider a trip to the U.S. if I knew I could find a German-speaking area. I turn to you with a plea for help. I would much appreciate hearing from you.

Best regards,
Arnold Gossler
Nikolausstr. 2
56858 Leisenich/Rheinland
Germany

Following is a list of the names of these immigrants. If you know anything about these families or would like further information, please contact Arnold Gossler: [email protected]

Arnold Gossler also has a webpage, written in German - agossler.homepage.t-online.de (which was not working last time I checked - email Arnold for correct URL if you can't get to it)

UPDATE: May 2017 I received an email telling me about an article using this material that had been published in The Sheboygan Press. Here's the web address: http://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/life/2017/05/19/forced-immigration-brought-european-families-wisconsin/101880854/

MALE ADULTS - WIFE'S NAME

FROM ALTSTRIMMIG

Departure: 26 May 1862
Arrival in New York: 16 July 1852
Ship: "Oregon" Captain W. Sirth
Destination: North America, Wisconsin

Bauer, Anton - Anna Kath. nee Wirtz
Becker, Jakob - Maria Kath. nee Hein
Becker, Peter Josef - Maria Anna nee Massmann
Berschinger, Peter - Barbara nee Heinzen
Bickler, Nikolaus - Anna Maria nee Becker
Bickler, Peter Josef - Margaretha nee Petry
Christmann, Franz - Susanna nee Angsten
Henrichs, Mathias - Anna Maria nee Schweizer
Kaspers, Johann Peter - Anna Maria nee Wellems
Ketter, Peter Josef - Anna Maria nee Jacobs
Ketter, Peter Josef, II - Maria Kath. nee Kneppel
Klein, Johann Peter - Anna Kath. nee Massmann
Klein, Peter Josef - Single
Linden, Peter Josef - Klara nee Becker
Meurer, Anton - Katharina nee Becker
Morsch, Mathias - Margaretha nee Müllen
Rauschenberger, Mathias - Margaretha nee Hansen
Scheuer, Anton - Anna Maria nee Berschinger
Steffens, Johann Peter - Susanna nee Klein
Theisen, Andreas - Single
Theisen, Nikolaus - Single
Thomas, Johann Peter - Widower
Wellems, Johann Peter - Anna Marg. nee Henrichs
Wellems, Nikolaus - Anna Maria nee Petry
Wilhelms, Johann Peter - Widower
Wüst, Peter Josef - Maria nee Gilles
Wüst, Paul - Widower

FROM GRENDERICH

Departure: 26 May 1852
Arrival in New York: 16 July 1852
Ship: "Oregon" Captain W. Sirth
Destination: North America


Bonn, Johann - Susanne nee Theisen
Gräf, Johann - Maria nee Schmitz
Gros, Johann Peter - Single
Gruen, Mathias - Klara nee Reinhard
Höllen, Johann Peter - Anna Margaretha nee Bauer
Hölzmann, Josef - Katharina
Justen Nicolaus - Gertrude nee Hoelzmann
Kalter, Johann - Susanne nee Hammes
Klingel, Jacob - Single
Louis, Michael - Gertrude nee Neumann
Mainz, Mathias - Katharina nee Rosenbach
Morsch, Johann Peter - Luzia nee Cornely
Müllensiefer, August - Maria Katharina nee Weihrich
Peifer, Mathias - Single
Peifer, Mathias - Elisabeth nee Simon
Peifer, Nicolaus - Elisabeth nee Pielen
Peifer, Peter - Single
Pielen, Johann - Susanne
Rosenbach, Jacob - Margarethe nee Michels
Sachs, Jacob - Anna Maria
Theisen, Johann Peter - Margarethe
Weihrich, Jacob - Margarethe nee Hansen

FROM LIESENICH

Departure: 26 May 1852
Arrival in New York: 16 July 1852
Ship: "Oregon" Captain W. Sirth
Destination: North America


Adams, Johann Peter - Susanne. West to Wisconsin
Altenweg, Nicolaus - Single
Braun, Peter - Widower
Endres, Johann - Maria Josefine
Endres. Johann Josef - Susanne nee Marx
Endres, Nicolaus - Maria Anna
Endres, Peter Anna Katharina
Endres, Peter Josef - Maria Katharina
Haubrich, Johann - Anna Maria
Heinzen, Andreas - Margarethe
Heinzen, Johann Anton - Single
Heinzen, Josef (Sr) - Apollonia
Heinzen, Josef (Jr) - Margarethe
Klein, Johann Peter - Anna Maria nee Hansen
Lander, Mathias - Susanne
Linden, Johann Josef - Single
Massmann, Johann - Luzia
Nick, Jakob - Sibylle
Nuss, Jakob - Ursula
Peifer, Peter - Sibylle
Peifer, Peter - Maria Anna
Rainhard, Nicolaus - Maria Katharina
Rieländer, Josef - Maria Catharina
Schmitz, Jakob - Single
Schunken, Johann - Widower
Schweizer, Josef - Margarethe
Steffens, Anton - Sibylle
Theisen, Peter - Elisabeth nee Altmeier
Zirwes, Jakob - Margarethe

FROM MITTELSTRIMMIG

Departure: 26 May 1852
Arrival in New York: 13 July 1852
Ship: "Henry Clay" Captain George Hill
Destination: North America


Altmeier, Nicolaus - Maria Anna nee Gilles
Angsten, Johann Peter - Philippina nee Scholl
Bauer, Peter Maria - Susanne nee Heinzen
Becker, Jakob - Elisabeth nee Röhrig
Christmann, Franz - Susanne nee Angsten
Dörfer, Peter - Anna Maria nee Heinzen
Endres, Johann - Single
Endres, Peter - Single
Gietzen, Nicolaus - Anna Maria nee Endries
Hammes, Johann Peter - Single
Hansen , Phillip - Luzia nee Heberding
Heinzen, Anton - Single
Heinzen, Johann Peter - Anna Maria nee Wehren
Henrichs, Karl - Maria Kath. nee Fleschen
Henrichs, Peter Josef - Single
Justen, Andreas - Maria Kath. nee Massmann
Justen, Johann Josef - Maria Kath. nee Berenz
Justen, Johann Peter - Anna Margaretha nee Zirwes
Justen, Nicolaus - Single
Justen, Simon - Elisabeth nee Vogt
Kasper, Peter Josef - Maria Katharina nee Willems
Kölzer, Andreas - Single
Landert, Johann Peter - Single
Lehnen, Peter Josef - Margaerethe nee Hammes
Massmann, Anton - Elisabeth nee Klein
Massmann, Jahann Peter - Maria Margaretha nee Scholl
Massmann, Josef - Gertrude
Massmann, Peter Josef - Maria Magtalena nee Lehnen
Ries, Peter Josef - Anna Maria nee Theisen
Schmitz, Johann - Single
Seimetz, Peter - Single
Stalter, Wilhelm - Anna Katharina nee Schunk
Steffens, Karl - Single
Theis, Johann Peter - Maria Margaretha nee Heinzen
Thon, Anton - Single
Vogt, Johann - Single
Vogt, Phillip - Single
Wendling, Andreas - Margaretha nee Jacobs
Wirtz, Johann - Anna Maria nee Kaspers
Wirtz, Johann - Margaeretha nee Endries
Wirtz, Nicolaus - Widower
Zilles, Peter - Widower
Zimmer, Johann - Kath. nee Kölzer
Zimmer, Johann Peter - Kath. Elisabeth nee Bart
Zimmer, Mathias Josef - Anna Katharina nee Pielen
Zimmer, Simon Detlev - Single
Zimmer, Simon Josef - Kath. nee Kölzer

FROM SENHEIM

Departure: 26 May 1852
Arrival in New York: 13 July 1852
Ship: "Henry Clay" Captain Georg Hill
Destination: North America


Beck, Michael - Maria Josefa
Bremm, Jacob - Katharina nee Hildebrand
Christ, Josef - Katharina nee Immig
Deis, Jacob - Maria Katharina nee Weber
Ecker, Stephan - Maria Anna nee Friedrich
Engels, Peter - Gertrude nee Wirtz
Franzen, Josef - Single
Franzen, Peter Josef - Maria Katharina nee Mentgen
Gettmann, Georg - Margaretha nee Dies
Grüsen, Johann Jacob - Anna Katharina nee Willems
Hänski, Gottfried - Single
Heidger, Franz - Maria Katharina
Hildebrand, Karl Wilhelm - Elisabeth nee Scheid
Koch, Johann - Susanne Kath. Nee Andries
Perges, Peter Nicolaus - Veronika
Schard, Nicolaus - Klara
Sprink, Johann - Single
Walburg, Johann Josef - Single
Zingsheim, Franz Josef - Kath. Gertrude nee Brühl
Zingsheim, Johann - Elisabeth nee Röhrig
Zingsheim, Johann Friedrich - Single
Zingsheim, Jacob - Single

 

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Last updated 28 May 2017