Johann Colonius & Eva Theresa Hartmann in Germany

Johann Colonius - German Homeland 1824-1846

In 1848 on May 16th, at the age of 21, Johann Heinrich Colonius immigrated to Castle Garden America (Lower Manhattan, New York, New York) from the Port Of Bremen, Germany on the ship Antoinette as a Cabin Passenger. Through early passenger lists I have discovered Johann and his wife did not arrive together. In my previous blog I shared my study of his life in America. What about their life before America? Where on the map is their homeland? What was life like for them growing up in the early 19th century? Why did they leave their families and all they knew for the unknown? To understand we must look at the German 19th century culture, politics, and geography.

In the 1880 Census in St. Louis, Grandfather Joann declared his Father was born in Hesse-Darmstadt and his Mother was born in Prussia, Joann stated in a number of Official records that he was born in Prussia Frankfort. So then this puts all of our subjects in Prussia in 1824.

1820 to 1871. This wave of emigration was caused chiefly by economic hardships, including unemployment and crop failures. Many Germans also left to avoid wars and military service. In some cases, government entities encouraged poor citizens to emigrate.

 

 

German Emigrate 1874 Drawing

From the Old to the New World is the title of this sketch of German emigrants boarding a steamer in Hamburg, Germany, to relocate in America.

Published in Harpers Weekly November 7 1874

 

First, lets look at Hesse Darmstadt Germany:

*The state of modern Hesse, Germany and the historical kingdoms, duchies and the like that Hesse contains. .

 

Hesse

Free City of Frankfurt am Main, Grand Duchy of Hessen-Darmstadt (less the province of Rheinhessen), part of Landgraviate Hessen-Homburg, Electorate of Hessen-Kassel, Duchy of Nassau, District of Wetzlar (part of the former Prussian Rheinprovinz), Principality of Waldeck.

Prussia (Preussen) and Saxony (Sachsen) present special problems. The name of Prussia has disappeared from the map. The conquering allies after World War II didn't like the images it conjured up of blood, iron and militarism.

*source: How to Germany - Searching Your German Ancestors

 

 

With the above historical boundaries within Germany established, this hints that it is possible the Colonius and Hartmann families were from the same general area and perhaps lived in the same area that changed names as the monarchy of those times determined the name of the land. This helps with genealogy study in that the area in which I search for birth and death records pinpoints one large area. Resources all say I must narrow the area to a town, village, or parish.

To be continued...

Johann Colonius 1824-1896

Johann Colonius 1824 - 1896, from Prussia to St Louis Missouri

Before I begin the story of Johann Colonius, it is important that we understand the culture and historical background that made our ancestor who he was. This is the maternal Grandparents of Minnie Mae Richards Meadows.

German Americans (German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of German ancestry. They comprise about 50 million people, making them the largest ancestry group ahead of Irish Americans, African Americans and English Americans.

None of the historical German states had overseas colonies, so not until the 1680s did the first significant groups of German immigrants arrive in the British colonies, settling primarily in New York and Pennsylvania. Immigration continued in very large numbers during the 19th century, with some eight million arrivals from Germany. They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Europe by shortages of land and religious or political oppression. Many arrived seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others simply for the chance to start fresh in the New World. The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would pay off. After 1840, many came to cities, where "Germania"—German-speaking districts—soon emerged.

German Americans established the first kindergartens in the United States, introduced the Christmas tree tradition,and originated popular American foods such as hot dogs and hamburgers.

German American celebrations are held throughout the country, one of the most well-known being the German-American Steuben Parade in New York City, held every third Saturday in September. There are also major annual events in Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and other cities. Like many other immigrants that came to the United States, an overwhelming number of people of German or partial German descent have essentially become Americanized.

Source: Wikipedia, German American http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American



Our Ancestor, Johann Colonius arrived in New York, New York from Prussia in the early 1840's. Johann and his wife Eva Theresa Hartmann had 2 children while in New York, the first born was Johann "John" Heinrich Colonius b. 1852 and Christened in Lower Manhattan at *First German Presbyterian Church on Rivington Street in 1853. The second child, which we descend from was Katherine Susan "Kate" Colonius Wende Richards born 10 March 1853 in New York City.
"New York, Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDG3-TYC : accessed 13 Nov 2012), Johann Heinrich Colonius, 15 Jul 1852; citing reference , FHL microfilm unknown

*First German Presbyterian Church, Manhattan, New York
According to the "Inventory of the Church Archives of New York City: Presbyterian Church in the USA," (New York, NY: Historical Records Survey, 1940), First German Presbyterian Church, New York, New York, was organized 1852 and dissolved 1872. Services were held at 91 Rivington Street, Manhattan.

The following is from wikipedia.org:

Little Germany, known in German as Kleindeutschland and Deutschländle and called Dutchtown by contemporary non-Germans,was a German immigrant neighborhood on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City.

The German immigrant community began to settle in Manhattan in the 1840s. By 1855, New York City had the third-largest population of Germans in the world after Berlin and Vienna. Most were educated and skilled in crafts; many bakers and cabinet makers at the time were of German descent.
At the time, Germans tended to cluster more than other immigrants, such as the Irish, and in fact those from particular German states preferred to live together.This choice of living in wards with those from the same region was perhaps the most distinct and overlooked feature of Kleindeutschland. For instance the Prussians, who by 1880 accounted for nearly one-third of the city's German-born population, were most heavily concentrated in the city's Tenth Ward. Germans from Hessen-Nassau tended to live in the Thirteenth Ward in the 1860s and in the ensuing decades moved northward to the borders of the Eleventh and Seventeenth Wards. Germans from Baden by the 1880s tended to favor living in the Thirteenth Ward, and Wurttembergers began by the 1860s to migrate northward into the Seventeenth Ward. The Bavarians (including Palatines from the Palatinate region of western Germany on the Rhine River, which was subject to the King of Bavaria), the largest group of German immigrants in the city by 1860, were distributed evenly in each German ward except the Prussian Tenth. Aside from the small group of Hanoverians, who had a strong sense of self-segration forming their own "Little Hanover" in the Thirteenth Ward, the Bavarians displayed the strongest regional bias, mainly toward Prussians: at all times the most distinctive characteristic of their settlement pattern remained that they would be found wherever the Prussians were fewest.
SOURCE: Wikipedia  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Germany,_Manhattan> accessed 14 Nov 2012


By 1856, the family had moved to St Louis, Missouri. At least four more children were born to Johann & Theresa. Born in 1856 Theresa "Tressa" died in 1860, born in 1858 Elizabeth "Lizzie", born 1860, Otto Charles Theodore, born 1862, Christina.

1859 March 31 - Johann "John" Colonius files his 2nd Papers for Naturalization in St Louis, Mo - Law Commissioner
Johann listed his home country as Frankfort.

One of the family homes was a brick duplex at 1308 Montgomery Street built in 1872. The pitched roof has been removed in a recent google search. (Photo included)

 

The house still stands and was recently refurbished extensivley in 2008 as part of the community restoration efforts of the historic St Louis downtown area. Of Course there are other family home addresses listed in Census' however this Montgomery Street address was no doubt where our German family celebrated many Christmas', Birthday's and a father returning home from the Civil War.
Also a red brick tenament house at 1440 Sullivan Ave. Johann & Teresa are listed living in 1877. The structure no longer stands however, at 1438 Sullivan Ave. An old building still stands awaiting the wrecking ball that probably mirrors the old residence of the Colonius.
In 1861, a riot broke out in St Louis:
When war officially broke out on April 12, 1861, St. Louis, like the entire state of Missouri, was divided between pro-Confederate and pro-Union forces. Through political maneuvering, Union General Nathaniel Lyon assumed control of the St. Louis arsenal and its troops. He shipped almost all of the arsenal’s weapons to safety in Illinois. Thousands of untrained volunteers from the city’s German community helped defend the arsenal. Most German immigrants opposed slavery and this stand made them unpopular among many native born citizens.
Governor Jackson hoped to provoke a confrontation with Lyon and his volunteer troops by ordering the Missouri State Guard to muster for training outside of St. Louis at Camp Jackson. Fearful that the guard was sympathetic to the South, Lyon led his untrained militia on the Missouri State Guard camp. He took prisoners and marched them through the city. Riots broke out in St. Louis when Lyon’s militia fired upon a civilian mob and killed twenty-eight people. This event became known as the “Camp Jackson Affair.”



Source: http://shs.umsystem.edu/historicmissourians/name/l/lyon/index.html accessed 14 Nov 2012
Read more about it at:http://www.civilwarstlouis.com/arsenal/index2.htm

Johann Colonius volunteered along with other Germans in St Louis with the Union Army. Civil War Pension Record includes the following as Johann service, answering Union General Nathaniel Lyon's call.


Johann "John" Colonius' Military Record is documented as follows:
 Enlisted 11 May 1861 Ordinance Sergeant, Company E 5th Missouri Regiment Reserve Corps. Discharged 31 Aug 1861.

St Louis Arsenal Ordinance Sergeant - Possibly Johann Colonius

Union at St Louis Arsenal

Preserved Building of the old Arsenal

5th Regiment United States Reserve Corps Infantry (3 Months)
Organized at St. Louis, Mo., May 11, 1861. Attached to Lyons' Army of the West. Riot at Fifth and Mark streets, St. Louis, May 11. Duty at St. Louis until June 15. Companies "A," "D" and "K" moved to Jefferson City, Mo., June 15. Regiment moved to Booneville, thence to Lexington July 5-9. Lexington July 9. Moved to St. Louis July 16-19. Between Glasgow and Booneville July 17-18. Blue Mills July 24. Brunswick August 17. Mustered out August 31, 1861.

Regiment lost during service 6 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 11 Enlisted men by disease. Total 17

Enlisted 12 Sept 1861, Lieutenant, Company's C, D, I 4th Missouri Regiment Reserve Corps. Discharged 13 Jan 1862.

St Louis 1861

 

4th Regiment United States Reserve Corps Infantry (3 Years)

Organized at St. Louis, Mo., September, 1861. Duty in District of St. Louis until January, 1862. Mustered out January 13, 1862.



Johann was a Wheelwright/Millwright by trade according to Census records until 1880, records show Johann was a Grocer as well as his eldest son John Heinrich. The record shows Johann living on Broadway. There were 2 1880 Census done for some reason unknown. One of the census takers for his own family was John Heinrich Colonius. This would be the most accurate record of census records, provided he consulted his parents for information instead of relying on information he had heard during his lifetime and recording the info without asking them directly. In the 1880 Census Johann states his father was born in HESSE-DARMSTADT and his Mother in Prussia. This is the first record I can find recording the location from where Johann immigrated to New York.

Johann Colonius died a widower in 1896. The death record states Johann was senile due to advanced age and was the main contributor to his death.
Both Johann and Theresia are buried in Zion Cemetery in St Louis in unmarked/unlocated graves. A tragedy for a Union veteren, who is entitled to the benefit of a government marker which apparently was never applied for.

 

This Family Group tells the story of immigration that Americans are proud of, it tells of a brave Civil War Veteran who volunteered to protect the city he was so new to, but so loyal that he protected it with his life and yet a forgotten soul. Researching this family will continue as it now takes me across the Atlantic Ocean to Hesse-Darmstadt Germany.
Compiled by Lori Jo Lee
lorijolee445@gmail.com
14 Nov 2012 - 15 Jul 2013

Ohio County, Kentucky and life there in the 1880's

~Map of Ohio County, Ky 1890~

The Life and Times of Nicholas Phipps Davis

What we know for sure

Nicholas Phipps Davis was born in 1848 in the community of Rosine to Garrett L Davis (1805-1870) and Mary Ann "Polly" Elms (1804-Aft 1880).

Phipps married Mary Polly Ann Minton in 1871, who was his niece the granddaughter of his parents and the daughter of his sister Rebecca K Davis Minton (1839-1868) and Nehemiah Minton Sr. (1818-1905)

 

Writers Note: By the time Phipps and Polly married her Mother Rebecca was dead and in those days this marriage was acceptable. In order to understand the family genealogy you must take a lesson in the social life of people in rural communities during the times of our ancestors.

 

In 1861, many of our Davis, Faught, and Minton ancestors enlisted in the Union Army at Hartford, Kentucky serving with the 17th Kentucky Infantry Regiment Company D, F, & I.

Most of Phipps brothers, cousins and Uncles went of to war but 13 year old Phipps and the boys too young, the lame, simple-minded, crippled, deformed or men too old were left to care for their families, farming there in Ohio County, Kentucky. All three of Phipps brothers marched away from home to Calhoun, Kentucky.

 

**James Garrett Davis born 1834 died at Calhoun Military Hospital Dec 15th 1861. James died before the unit organized to March into Clarksville, Tennessee. Leaving two of his brothers to continue on to fight for the Union.

 

**McHenry Hardin "Mack" Davis born 1837 served until he was listed in Hospital at Louisville Dec 1863 with Variobola, a mild form of Smallpox it is noted he was vaccinated as a child...by March and April of 1864 he is cured and continues on at the hospital nursing other soldiers of the 17th. April 1864 he is released to return to duty. 

 

**John Wesley Davis born 1838 has a well documented service record as a Provost Guard in Co. I and was detached to Stevenson, Alabama where he was part of the Guard to oversee the occupation of confederate territory and to ensure the soldiers did not plunder, rape, or participate in any misdeeds to the community. His job was to maintain order and the respect of the people as ordered by President Lincoln. John was mustered out of service in Louisville, Kentucky on Jan. 23 1865 when he then returned home to Ohio County.

 

Writers Note: Imagine reporting for duty in 1861, three brothers together to take care of each other, which I am sure Mother Davis prayed. The eldest dies before they leave Calhoun. Many troops suffered from Typhoid Fever, Dysentery, Smallpox, and every imaginable disease due to the poor conditions. Penicillin was discovered during the war so at this time antibiotics were unknown, germs were unknown, simply washing their hands could have saved thousands. A sad note indeed.   

 

John Wesley Davis returned home to his wife Mary Jane Shroader (Family also intermingled in our tree). The couple had a large family and John lived until the age of 66 in 1904. I would think he was one of the old soldiers who attended the reunions-I am looking for his photo and will post when one is located, if it exists I will find it!

McHenry Davis married twice. 1st 1860 to Lucinda Keller they had 7 daughters and moved to Bremen, Muhlenberg County and lived on Main Street. McHenry was a Laborer leaving the farm life when he left Ohio County. I have not found their graves. 2nd he married Francis N. in 1894 they had no children and are last listed in 1910 in Bremen.

 

Now take into account the newspaper article about Phipps and sons death. Phipps was a known drunkard and in a stupor passed out on the tracks and his young son probably was killed trying to move Phipps off the tracks. We will never know, only God and the Angels and the poor Railroad Engineer that witnessed the gruesome incident. Phipps left a wife and the children of his Niece 1st wife Mary. One of which was Thomas Jefferson Davis who also was killed tragically in 1917 at Baskett Station in Henderson County.

 

 

More to come, stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Davis Jr Family Skeletons and other stories your Grandmother did not tell

 **Updated March 15, 2016**

One of the most elusive Davis ancestors has been Nicholas Phipps Davis who was killed in 1886 on the railroad tracks in Central City, Kentucky. I must caution the newspaper article is a gruesome account of what happened to Phipps and his young son James Davis. Our Grand Uncle Dan Davis called him Phipps Davis so I spent many hours deep in census records and published records prior to the evolvement of Ancestry.com and other websites searching for Phipps. In Official records he stated his name as N Phipps Davis. The N was the problem! 

Uncle Dan Davis

 Uncle Dan told me his name was Phipps Monroe Davis. That has proven to be incorrect. I also suspect he was unaware of his Uncle and Grandfathers fate since this tragic story was one he would have shared with me I have no doubt.

I have still been unable to locate their place of burial and I suspect the family was poor and could not afford markers for them. So their graves have been lost to the ages and are somewhere in Ohio County, Kentucky. Perhaps yet to be found I will keep looking. After reading in the article about Grandfather Phipps' tendency to be a drunkard I would imagine his death was of no great occasion in the community. Regardless of the man it was a victory for me to receive a copy of this article by posting an appeal to locate information on him on the Ohio County, Kentucky message board on Ancestry.com. A very nice lady looked him up in the newspaper archives she had access to and sent this to me within 24 hours! For those of you who know how long I have been researching this family you know what a find this was!

So tonight I introduce you to...

Nicholas Phipps Davis

born 1848 in Rosine, Ohio County, Kentucky to:

 Garrett L Davis (1805-1870) & Mary Ann Polly Elms (1804-1877) 

Mary Ann Elms was the Granddaughter of the well documented:

Christopher Elms (1743-1807)

Christopher was born in 1743 in Conococheague, then Cumberland now Franklin County, Pennsylvania. His parents John and Catherine Elms were immigrants from Ulster, Ireland and were Scotch-Irish who were fleeing the pursecution of the Scottish people who were forced by England to relocate in Ireland (Hence, creating the Scotch-Irish people) the family immigrated sometime around 1730. Christopher enlisted with Capt. McClughan's Company of Delaware May 6 1758 as a Drummer Boy. He was described as having a Brown Complexion, Age 15, and 5'3 1/2 in height. He is recorded in 1777 at the Courthouse, Montgomery County, Maryland he had given his **Oath of Fidelity.

This documented act by Christopher Elms qualifys us all to enter the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. If your interested you are welcome to use my documentation to make your application with your local DAR or SAR Chapter. 

**The Oath of Fidelity and Support was an oath swearing allegiance to the state of Maryland and denying allegiance and obedience to Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. As enacted by the Maryland General Assembly in 1777, all persons holding any office of profit or trust, including attorneys at law, and all voters were required to take the oath no later than March 1, 1778.^[1][2] It was signed by 3136 residents of Montgomery and Washington counties.^[3]

Being a direct female descendant of a signer of the oath is sufficient condition to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Returning to my original subject,

 Phipps Davis born in 1848 in Rosine, it was said by Uncle Davis the Faughts' and Davis' were kin to the family of Bill Monroe the father of Bluegrass music. I have not discovered any ties but I have not looked for them either so it is possible considering how tightly woven the farming families were in the days during slavery and the years following the Civil War.
In genealogy we have what is called a collapse in the tree, meaning we have a portion of the tree where a set of parents will appear twice to explain this for the Davis' of Ohio County I will attempt it here in hopes of as little confusion as possible.

Phipps married his niece who was the Granddaughter of his parents, daughter of his sister my 4th Great Grand Mother Rebecca K Davis Minton. 
 Phipps married niece Mary Polly Minton (1855-1879). In those days an Uncle marrying his niece must have been approved by the community due to limited access to non-related neighbors. Unbelievable, none of us would be here if the law was such as it is today. Uncle Phipps, er... I mean Grandpa Phipps would be in the state pen!

Phipps was a husband, widower, father, farmer, laborer, and coal miner.

Phipps & Polly Davis had 4 children that we can document.

 Thomas Jefferson Davis 1871 – 1917

Mary Caroline Davis Hill Miller 1874 – 1965

James Davis 1876 – 1886

Sarah A Davis Gattis 1878 – 1967

Polly died in 1879 and in 1880  at Hartford, Ohio County, Kentucky Phipps married Lucinda Robertson.

We descend from Thomas Jefferson Davis who was murdered in 1917 in Baskett, Henderson County, Kentucky he was the father of

 Richard Anderson Davis (1895-1966) who was also reported in the Gleaner as mortally wounded slashed with a knife in the neck by the attacker of his Father.

Updating with full story:

9/28/2021

COMING SOON!

Richard Anderson Davis 1895-1966

Thank Goodness he recovered from his wounds or we would not be here. Once again fate steps in and allows him to live to an old age. Momma told me Mom (Marge) would throw a fit when he would come over drunk to eat family supper, she would make Grandpa take him back home before anyone could eat. Richard Anderson died in 1966 at the home of his daughter Rose Horn at 18 N Wabash in Evansville. He was the father of Richard Davis "Jr"(1924-2009).

For those of you who may not know Grandpa was not a true Junior since he did not legally have the middle name of Anderson. He was named Richard Junior Davis.

Grandpa & Grandma Richard Anderson Davis & Mattie Frances Coleman

to be continued...





Woodson Connection

 Cora Elizabeth Arflack & James Guy Woodson through the years...

  The child is Aunt Velma Woodson Stroud