NameNicolas Joseph Hemmer
1889
Birth23 Oct 1794, Berchem, Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
Birth Memoanother source says b. Jumet
Death2 Aug 1843, Berchem, Esch Sur Alzette, Luxembourg
Death Memoanother source says d. Jumet
Alias/AKANicolas Joseph Henry Hemmer?
Spouses
Birth15 Aug 1794, Warcken, Ettelbruch, Luxemburg
Death1847, USA
Marriage18 Jan 1821, Berchem, Roesser, Luxemburg1889
Notes for Nicolas Joseph Hemmer
Notes for Maria Johanna (Spouse 1)
Maria Johanna Philippy
The time is April of 1847, the place the little village of Berchem in the south of Luxemburg. Marie Philippe Hemmer, a widow with 7 children sold the family farm, livestock and household goods at auction. By August of that year her two oldest sons, both in their early 20’s left for America; presumably they left early to pave the way for their mother and younger siblings. According to the naturalization papers of the youngest son he came over in October of 1847 with his mother and almost certainly with his 3 unmarried sisters as well although they aren’t mentioned. Another sister and her husband probably came over about the same time.
What forces would induce a widow with minor children to leave home and hearth to settle in a strange country where she knew no one and didn’t even speak the language? My guess is that it was her oldest sons and maybe the son-in-law who were the deciding forces. Where they spent their first months or years in America is not known but by the time of the 1850 census the older boys were in Milwaukee and Margaret was married to Anton Fischer and the mother of an infant daughter. Her youngest brother was living with them and working as a farmhand. Marie the mother, is not found on any records, neither census nor marriage or death. Of course if she was in Oak Creek she would have belonged to St. Stephens and many of their records were destroyed in the two church fires.
OrcholskiMadded this on 23 Apr 2007
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/90629/person/-2128318181/story/fa943c4b-4574-479b-92ea-04dd288b371f?otid=9637486&opid=-768799965&pg=32799%2c32842&pgpl=pid