New Berlin Township History Waukesha County, Wisconsin

New Berlin Township History

Source: WAUKESHA FREEMAN Thursday, January 19, 1933

JACOB KORN FAMILY FIRST GROUP OF GERMAN SETTLERS TO TAKE UP PROPERTY IN TOWN OF NEW BERLIN

Others From Surrounding Neighborhood in Germany Soon Followed to Aid in Township's Farm Land Development

The following is the second installment on "The German Pioneers of New Berlin" prepared and read by J. H. A. Lacher at a recent meeting of the Waukesha County Historical Society, 1933.

The German element which became a most important factor in the making of New Berlin was represented by the first death in 1837, that of a blacksmith named Klein in the employ of Curtis Davis. Before 1850 our census records were no criterion of nationality, for German names were usually spelt phonetically or anglicized, while employes were credited to their employers. The first group of German settlers was Jacob Korn and wife, her mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Damm, and his brother, Henry Korn. They hailed from Rhenish-Bavaria, which is part of the old Palatinate whence came so many of the New York and Pennsylvania Palatines of the colonial period. He arrived in New York in 1834, living for a time in Columbia county, the original seat of the Palatines who were settled there in 1710 to make naval stores and to defend the frontier.

Their coming to section 20, New Berlin, in 1840 led to a number of accessions from Korn's native place, many of whom likewise tarried in Columbia county before locating here. Among these were Mr. and Mrs. William Schwartz, the grandparents of our present hosts, and their great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schwartz. Locating there in 1837, they settled here on section 19 in 1844, the 80-acre purchase being then an unbroken forest. In 1841 Paul Buchner, Michael Hubman and David Kaiser ("Emperor") settled with their families on section 19. They had sojourned for some years near Buffalo, New York, and constituted the first group from the district to Sulzbach east of Nuremberg in Old Bavaria, followed the next year by John C. Mayer. They were soon augmented by quite a number from the same picturesque region. In 1841 the first contingent of Rhenish Prussians arrived, including the families of Valentine Kratz, Henry Luke and Philip Striedter.

KERNS ARRIVE

The year 1843 saw the arrival of Lawrence, Abraham, Henry and William Kern, and John Lunkenheimer from Hesse-Darmstadt; Andrew Schneider (now Snyder), the first Alsatian; Joseph Michel (Michael) and Phil. Eiler, Rhen.-Bav., and Michael, Joseph and John Stephany (later Stephens) from the neighborhood of Treves (Trier) in Rhen.-Pr.; Michael Buchner, O. B.; Jacob and William Kling, "Germany." Eighteen hundred and forty-four saw the arrival of Henry Bornheimer, Jacob Eckel (Eagle), and John Gredler, from O. Bav.; Balthazar Damm and Cath. Zahn, Rh. B.; Peter Kuntz and John M. Schafer, Rh. Pr; and Phil. Stahl, H.-D., 1845, George Sittel of Kriegsfeld, Rh.-B., Peter Haupt and H. A. Kipp. Eighteen hundred and forty-six saw the arrival of Balthazar Alexander, F. Johannes, Martin Jung (Young), H-D.; Matthias Philip (s), Philip Puetzer and George Peter, Rh. Pr.; John Wolf, O. Bav.; N. Ladrich, Christian Nauertz; 1847, Nicholas Biwer, gieser, Rh. Pr.; John Berg, Bav.; Jacob Gesser, Joseph Kannengieser, Rh. Pr.; John Berg, Bav.; Wendel Hepp, H-D. (H. had settled in Prairieville in 1842); H. L. Hildebrand, Hanover, later moved to Brookfield; M. Loch, J. J. Nicholaus, Andrew Wentzel, and Matt. Joos (Yoos). Eighteen hundred and forty-eight-J. Bellinger, John J. Hafner, Peter Schroeder and John Wirtz, Rh. Pr.; Chris. Hamm, Rh. Bav.; J. K. Meidenbauer, O. Bav.; August and John Wilde (y), and August Marferding from near Berlin, Old Prussia; (Marferding, a shoemaker, was in Prairieville as early as 1843); 1849-George Casper, Alsace; S. Christian, Wm. Eiler. John Mueller (Miller), Daniel Schleh (Schley) and Peter Wagner, Rh. Bav.; Joseph Marx, Rh. Pr.; Dr. Christian Fessel, Mecklenburg (he was a noted physician, scholar and musician); 1850-Louis Bickert, Jacob Dexheimer, and Wm. Wolf, Rh. Bav.; Hubert Graf, Phil. Imig, Jr., and Nicholas Imig, Rh. Pr.; (in 1845 Phil. Imig, Sr., with a large family settled on the Guthrie road in the town of Waukesha. He was a blacksmith and hailed form near Coblentz).

William Zingsheim from Baden also settled in the town in 1850; 1851-John Edenharder, Rh. B.; G. and E. Ehrig, Nich. Theiss (Tice), Matt. Schneider, Carl and William Schiffmann, N. Stigler, and Chas. Vogel, Rh. Pr.; Bernard Casper, Alsace; Adam Gruber, H. D.; G. Petri; 1852-Mich. Battendorf, Henry Weber, Mich. Zingsheim, all Rh. Pr.; Franz Elger, Austria; 1853-Matt. Oberbillig, John Kau, Bernard Mueller (Miller), Joseph Salentin (e), and Susan Weber, Rh. Pr.; John Link, Austria; Wm. Thiesenhusen, Meck.; Peter Weber, George Walter, Bav.; Robert Zingsheim; 1854-Mary Brunner, Chas. Gigler, George Mueller (Miller), and Jacob Wagner, Rh. Bav.; John Kimpel, Christian and George Knoepfel (Knipfel), Hesse-Cassel; John Phillips, Alsace; Peter Graf and Michael Windrath, Pr.; Rud. Hauswirth, Swiss; Henry Schwartz, Saxe-Weimar; Jacob Jager (Yager), John and Matt. Wecker, Chas. Gigler, Baden; Chris. Vogel, Pr.; 1855-Peter Lauer, Matt. Kau, Peter Schmidt (Smith), Matt. Johann, and Fred. W. Lucas, Pr.; 1856-Chris. Behres, H-D.; George Luber, John Lindner, O. B.; L. Lohnerer, Rh. B.; Hans Gosch, Holstein, section 31.
MUTILATED BY CENSUS

The census of 1850 fearfully mutilated the German patronymics. Others were omitted entirely. Years of diligent study of public and church records, biographies and interviews with descendants have enabled me to decipher most of them, but far from all. The census of 1860 is likewise full of errors of this sort and for the first time records the native countries of the Germany immigrants. The largest number came from Rhenish Prussia and only a few from Old Prussia. Next in number are those from Rhenish and Old Bavaria. Indeed, according to the latter census two-thirds of the Germans of New Berlin originated in these countries, the rest coming in the order named from Hesse-Darmstadt, Alsace, Mecklenburg, Hesse-Cassel, Baden, Switzerland, Holstein, Austria, Saxe-Weimar, Frankfort A. M., Hanover, Saxony, Luxemburg (4), and Nassau (3). Curiously 88 per cent hailed from the same districts to the south of Coblentz which supplied the heavy German immigration during colonial times. While our hills are not so high and rugged, the topography is similar. Under the circumstances, the German element of New Berlin is quite homogeneous. There were mixed marriages among them, such as Alsatians with Rhenish-Prussians, etc.; but there were also intermarriages in that early day between Yankees and Germans (Mrs. E. N. Needham and Mrs. Enoch Kennedy); Irish (Mrs. George Walter); and colonial Dutch (Mrs. Matthias Phillips, nee Ostrander). A daughter of this couple was the mother of the present Swartz brothers. In 1850 the Germans and their children comprised 29 per cent of the town's population; in 1860 they constituted 43 per cent, and thereafter gained steadily. While I cannot vouch for the absolute accuracy of the data cited above, they are the result of painstaking study, the capital letters indicating the countries of origin, Pr. meaning Prussia, and Rh. Pr., Rhenish-Prussia; Rh. B., meaning Rhenish-Bavaria, and O. B., Old Bavaria, etc.

By occupation they were chiefly farmers, farm laborers and domestics, but nearly all of the craftsmen in the town were Germans, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, coopers, shoemakers, a nailmaker and a potter. There were also several tavernkeepers, a dressmaker, a merchant, a cattle dealer, a doctor and clergymen. They were not only industrious but also thrifty. Thus the census of 1860 shows what progress was made by them in that heavily timbered country, citing only William Schwartz, the grandfather of our hosts. He is credited with being worth $5,400 in real and $700 in personal property; Henry Luke, $7,000 and $755, Andrew Schneider $11,900 and $800. These were large sums for those days.

SEVEN COOPER SHOPS

The industrial census is likewise illuminating. There were 7 cooper shops, employing 12 men. Hiram Hale's flour mill, capital $3,000, steam and water power, and employing two men, produced 2400 barrels of wheat flour worth $12,000; 333 bbls, rye flour, $1,332; 102,000 lbs. Indian meal, $1,680; 1680 bu. mill feed, $1,440. There was another small mill. There were 2 boot and shoe shops, 7 cooper shops, 1 nail factory kept by August Wilde (y), 1 stave factory, 1 wagon maker and blacksmith. George Weber's cooper shop with a capital of $200 using 24,000 light barrel staves, 3,000 flour barrel staves, 20,000 hoop poles, and 1 cord black ash timber made 1200 packing barrels and 200 flour barrels, total value of product $850, employing two men. Wilde's nail factory with a capital of $100 and employing 4 men, used 3 tons of Swedish iron, costing $480, and 6 tons Pitt coal, costing $36, manufactured 50 pounds wrought nails and 10,400 horse shoe nails, total value $2,637. Average cost of male labor, $80 per year.

NEW BERLIN CHURCHES

In 1840 Rev. Rufus Cheney organized the Free Will Baptist church and a place of worship was erected on Prospect Hill in 1859. Some years ago services were discontinued and the building is now used as a community center. Its story was read before our society by the late Mrs. Theodora W. Youmans and published. The records and communion service now repose in our museum.

The Germans of New Berlin were religious and built two churches before the Americans erected their first one. The Protestants were divided into Evangelicals, Lutherans and Reformed. The first German services were held in 1842 at the home of Christian Damm by Rev. Schmidt, a Lutheran minister of Milwaukee who visited them at intervals. Under the direction of Rev. John Weinmann, one of the organizers of the Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin, a church was begun in 1848 and dedicated in 1849. J. K. Meidenbauer, the first secretary and historian, names the following heads of families as contributing members: George and John Boeheim (Beeheim), Louis Bickert, Michael Buchner, C. Damm, Jacob Dexheimer, Jacob Eckel, William Euler (Eiler), Jacob Graser, Konrad and Michael Hubmann, Philip Imig, Sr., Henry Kern, John Kimpel, Jacob and Henry Korn, Peter Kuntz, Henry Luke, John Maier, J. K. Meldenbauer, Jacob Ohlweiler, Konrad Pierner, Matthias Philip (Phillips), Daniel Schleh, George Sittel, Phil. Striedter (Streeter), Peter Wagner, John and Joseph Wolf, William Wolf, and these old men-B. Damm, P. Euler, E. Hubmann, George Schleh, Peter Schwartz (buried Feb. 19, 1855), and L. Westphal. By 1852, when a parsonage was erected, the heads of families had increased to 42, including Conrad Brunner, G. Hopfengartener, Michael Luber, Henry Ostrander (N. Y. Dutch), Wm. Schwartz, G. Schlegel and N. Windrath. A parochial school, taught by the pastor, was also established. A decade later the congregation voted to affiliate with the German Reformed church to which it has since adhered. The Lutherans thereafter worshipped in the school houses. Regular services are still conducted in the brick church erected in 1865, with German preaching only once a month. Rev. S. W. Heilert is the present pastor.

The Evangelicals, a denomination organized among the Germans of Pennsylvania in 1800, were visited by itinerants as early as 1845, and by 1847 they had a class leader, Henry Hubmann, but after the erection of a church in Brookfield in May, 1850, the local adherents worshipped there and later in Waukesha.

The first Catholic services were held in 1844 at the house of Andrew Schneider, heretofore mentioned, by Rev. Martin Kundig, then pastor of the church in Waukesha. Father Kundig afterward vicar general of the diocese, being transferred in 1845, the German Catholics attended St. Mary's, and later Holy Trinity, in Milwaukee. In 1855-56 they erected a church in the town with the following building committee: Rev. F. Polack (a Pole, called Bullock by the census taker of 1860), Andrew Schneider, Bernard Casper, Philip Puetzer, and Joseph Michael. The trustees were Rev. Polack, John Schafer, and Jacob Marx. In 1889 the old church was replaced by a larger brick structure, and later a school and sisters' house, and a commodious parsonage were also erected. The church has since been enlarged and has flourished during the long pastorate of Rev. A. Lofey, the present rector. Although the membership is still overwhelmingly Germanic, mainly descendants of the pioneers, the German language is no longer taught, and is preached only once a month. Four sons of this congregation have become priests: Revs. J. J. Salentine and Julius Burbach (German), Bernhard Burant (Polish), and Thomas Regan (Irish). The church also has the largest cemetery in the town.

SERVED AS CLERK

Adam Biwer (Beaver), a Democrat, who served as county clerk in 1863-64, was the first New Berlin German to attain such high political preferment. John Stephens, a Republican, who was born near Trier (Treves), Rhenish-Prussia, served as register of deeds 1877-1880, was elected sheriff in 1880, and to the legislature in 1884. Andrew Snyder, IV, succeeded his father as town clerk in 1890, served as clerk of the court, 1891-95, was register of probate under Judge Griswold for 12 years and for the longest time has been reporter of the 13th circuit under Judges Lueck and Davison. He has the unusual ability to take testimony in both English and German. Withal, political preferment has become a doubtful distinction, and I am sure that such men as the Swartz brothers and the Kerns, who can boast of important contributions to the state in agriculture and horticulture, deserve farm more credit. And there was Hans Gosch, the father o f29 children and step-children, all of whom were well provided for by him, and the large number growing to maturity becoming useful, industrious citizens. It was undoubtedly the largest family in Wisconsin. He came to Milwaukee in 1846 and was a butcher and cattle dealer. Many of the Germans were highly intelligent.

Meidenbauer, an odd character, had a library of 250 volumes, including a de luxe copy of Paul and Virginia. He loved flowers and planted many rare specimens. Henry Korn also had a library of considerable size. Dr. Christian Fessel, scion of a noted family of Mecklenburg, graduated with honors at the University of Berlin in 1826, married a court lady of his native country where he had a fine practice and a large estate which he lost during the upheaval of 1848, coming to New Berli and their great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schwartz. Locating there in 1837, they settled here on section 19 in 1844, the 80-acre purchase being then an unbroken forest. In 1841 Paul Buchner, Michael Hubman and David Kaiser ("Emperor") settled with their families on section 19. They had sojourned for some years near Buffalo, New York, and constituted the first group from the district to Sulzbach east of Nuremberg in Old Bavaria, followed the next year by John C. Mayer. They were soon augmented by quite a number from the same picturesque region. In 1841 the first contingent of Rhenish Prussians arrived, including the families of Valentine Kratz, Henry Luke and Philip Striedter.

KERNS ARRIVE

SEVEN COOPER SHOPS

NEW BERLIN CHURCHES

SERVED AS CLERK

Meidenbauer, an odd character, had a library of 250 volumes, including a de luxe copy of Paul and Virginia. He loved flowers and planted many rare specimens. Henry Korn also had a library of considerable size. Dr. Christian Fessel, scion of a noted family of Mecklenburg, graduated with honors at the University of Berlin in 1826, married a court lady of his native country where he had a fine practice and a large estate which he lost during the upheaval of 1848, coming to New Berlie on section 19 in 1844, the 80-acre purchase being then an unbroken forest. In 1841 Paul Buchner, Michael Hubman and David Kaiser ("Emperor") settled with their families on section 19. They had sojourned for some years near Buffalo, New York, and constituted the first group from the district to Sulzbach east of Nuremberg in Old Bavaria, followed the next year by John C. Mayer. They were soon augmented by quite a number from the same picturesque region. In 1841 the first contingent of Rhenish Prussians arrived, including the families of Valentine Kratz, Henry Luke and Philip Striedter.

KERNS ARRIVE

SEVEN COOPER SHOPS

NEW BERLIN CHURCHES

SERVED AS CLERK

(Another installment exists of the Irish, Scotch and English pioneers of New Berlin.)

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