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