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Germans in Hamilton County, Ohio: Difference between revisions
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Before 1830, Germans immigrating to Hamilton County came from the southwestern area of German-speaking Europe, particularly from Württemberg and Switzerland, as well as Baden, Alsace and northern Germany, especially Oldenburg. German-Americans from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey also settled in Hamilton County in this early period. | Before 1830, Germans immigrating to Hamilton County came from the southwestern area of German-speaking Europe, particularly from Württemberg and Switzerland, as well as Baden, Alsace and northern Germany, especially Oldenburg. German-Americans from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey also settled in Hamilton County in this early period. | ||
Between 1830 and 1870, German immigrants to the region came from the same areas as in the early period, but increasingly from northern Germany, particularly Hannover and Oldenburg (specifically, Damme and Diepholz).<ref | Between 1830 and 1870, German immigrants to the region came from the same areas as in the early period, but increasingly from northern Germany, particularly Hannover and Oldenburg (specifically, Damme and Diepholz).<ref>Tolzmann, Survival of an Ethnic Community, 44, 46.</ref> | ||
Many Germans in Hamilton County came from the Osnabrück district in Hannover, now Niedersachsen. Approximately 20% of the nearly 100,000 people who left this area came to Greater Cincinnati. Between 1830 and 1890, over one half of the emigrants from the Osnabrück town of Venne, at least for a period of time, were residents in Cincinnati. Of the 318 founding members of Cincinnati’s North German Lutheran Church in 1839, 80% came from the Osnabrück district.<ref>Udo Thörner, Venne in America (Osnabrück: Arbeitskreis Familienforschung Osnabrück e.V., 2008), 99, 101, English translation.</ref> | Many Germans in Hamilton County came from the Osnabrück district in Hannover, now Niedersachsen. Approximately 20% of the nearly 100,000 people who left this area came to Greater Cincinnati. Between 1830 and 1890, over one half of the emigrants from the Osnabrück town of Venne, at least for a period of time, were residents in Cincinnati. Of the 318 founding members of Cincinnati’s North German Lutheran Church in 1839, 80% came from the Osnabrück district.<ref>Udo Thörner, Venne in America (Osnabrück: Arbeitskreis Familienforschung Osnabrück e.V., 2008), 99, 101, English translation.</ref> | ||
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*Two articles in the Hamilton County Genealogical Society’s ''Tracer'' 26:2 explain the strong connection between the Osnabrück region and Hamilton County: Jim Dempsey, “Osnabrücker Land” and Udo Thörner, “Venne, Osnabrücker Land - Emigration History” | *Two articles in the Hamilton County Genealogical Society’s ''Tracer'' 26:2 explain the strong connection between the Osnabrück region and Hamilton County: Jim Dempsey, “Osnabrücker Land” and Udo Thörner, “Venne, Osnabrücker Land - Emigration History” | ||
The 1870 census, which most often records the German state of birth, shows the origins of the 49,442 Germans in Cincinnati as shown below. 5,831 Germans lived in Hamilton County outside Cincinnati in 1870.<ref>Ninth Census of the United States: Statistics of Population (Washington, DC: U.S. Census Office, 1872), 339, 368, 388. | The 1870 census, which most often records the German state of birth, shows the origins of the 49,442 Germans in Cincinnati as shown below. 5,831 Germans lived in Hamilton County outside Cincinnati in 1870.<ref>Ninth Census of the United States: Statistics of Population (Washington, DC: U.S. Census Office, 1872), 339, 368, 388.</ref> <br> | ||
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Compared to all Germans in the U.S., in Cincinnati in 1870 there were seven times as many Oldenburgers, two and half times as many Hannoverians, one and a half times as many Bavarians, and the same proportion of Badenese. On the other hand, there were half as many Brunswickers, Hessians, and Saxons in Cincinnati compared to the rest of the U.S., and even fewer people from Nassau and Mecklenburg. Most of the Hannoverians and Oldenburgers in Ohio lived in Cincinnati.<ref>Walter Kamphoefner, The Westphalians: From Germany to Missouri (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987), 84-85.</ref> | Compared to all Germans in the U.S., in Cincinnati in 1870 there were seven times as many Oldenburgers, two and half times as many Hannoverians, one and a half times as many Bavarians, and the same proportion of Badenese. On the other hand, there were half as many Brunswickers, Hessians, and Saxons in Cincinnati compared to the rest of the U.S., and even fewer people from Nassau and Mecklenburg. Most of the Hannoverians and Oldenburgers in Ohio lived in Cincinnati.<ref>Walter Kamphoefner, The Westphalians: From Germany to Missouri (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987), 84-85.</ref> | ||
A search of “Germans to America Passenger Data File, 1850-1897” results in entries for 10,218 people coming to Cincinnati whose passenger records specified origins other than Germany and the U.S.<ref> | A search of “Germans to America Passenger Data File, 1850-1897” results in entries for 10,218 people coming to Cincinnati whose passenger records specified origins other than Germany and the U.S.<ref>Found through a fielded search for Cincinnati in this data file in the National Archives’ Access to Archival Databases, http://aad.archives.gov/aad/series-list.jsp?cat=GP44.</ref> | ||
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These percentages aren’t precise. Many ship lists did not record the origins or destinations of passengers, and it’s likely that many people from Westfalen and other states reported Prussia as their state of origin. Only 67 passengers coming to Cincinnati are listed with Westfalen (part of Prussia after 1815) as their state of origin in this database, although many more Westphalians came to Cincinnati. At any rate, this list points out the prevalence (67%) of north German states in the origins of over 10,000 passengers coming to Cincinnati between 1850 and 1897. | These percentages aren’t precise. Many ship lists did not record the origins or destinations of passengers, and it’s likely that many people from Westfalen and other states reported Prussia as their state of origin. Only 67 passengers coming to Cincinnati are listed with Westfalen (part of Prussia after 1815) as their state of origin in this database, although many more Westphalians came to Cincinnati. At any rate, this list points out the prevalence (67%) of north German states in the origins of over 10,000 passengers coming to Cincinnati between 1850 and 1897. | ||
At least thirteen regional assistance societies were established in Cincinnati by 1915. These societies and their dates of founding include Baden (1872), Rheinpfalz (1874), Bayern (1875), Schwaben (1875), Schleswig-Holstein (1880), North Germany (1884), Sachsen (1887), Germany-Hungary (1910), Rheinland and Westfalen (1891), Germany-Austria (1891), Hessen (1897), Oldenburg (1898), Siebenbürger Sachsen (1907).<ref>August Gorbach, Deutscher Vereins-Wegweiser von Cincinnati, Ohio (Cincinnati: S. Rosenthal &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Co., 1915).</ref> | At least thirteen regional assistance societies were established in Cincinnati by 1915. These societies and their dates of founding include Baden (1872), Rheinpfalz (1874), Bayern (1875), Schwaben (1875), Schleswig-Holstein (1880), North Germany (1884), Sachsen (1887), Germany-Hungary (1910), Rheinland and Westfalen (1891), Germany-Austria (1891), Hessen (1897), Oldenburg (1898), Siebenbürger Sachsen (1907).<ref>August Gorbach, Deutscher Vereins-Wegweiser von Cincinnati, Ohio (Cincinnati: S. Rosenthal &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Co., 1915).</ref> | ||
In the 1950s many Germans arrived in Hamilton County, including Donauschwaben (Danube Swabians) and others from the ethnic German areas of southeastern Europe. | In the 1950s many Germans arrived in Hamilton County, including Donauschwaben (Danube Swabians) and others from the ethnic German areas of southeastern Europe. | ||
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Hamilton County was not the final destination for many immigrants, who stayed a few years in Cincinnati and then moved on to other locations, especially up the Miami and Erie Canal corridor and along the Ohio River. Many German immigrants settled in Covington and Newport, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. | Hamilton County was not the final destination for many immigrants, who stayed a few years in Cincinnati and then moved on to other locations, especially up the Miami and Erie Canal corridor and along the Ohio River. Many German immigrants settled in Covington and Newport, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. | ||
Cincinnati churches were sometimes responsible for encouraging settlement in other areas. In 1837 Father Joseph Ferneding, founder of numerous German Catholic churches in Cincinnati, invited two men from Oldenburg, Germany to plat the village of Oldenburg in southeast Indiana. Advertisements in ''Wahrheitsfreund,'' the German Catholic newspaper published in Cincinnati, appealed to people who had recently emigrated from northern Germany to settle in Oldenburg. Birth, marriage and confirmation records of those who later settled in Oldenburg may be found in Cincinnati’s Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s Catholic churches. | Cincinnati churches were sometimes responsible for encouraging settlement in other areas. In 1837 Father Joseph Ferneding, founder of numerous German Catholic churches in Cincinnati, invited two men from Oldenburg, Germany to plat the village of Oldenburg in southeast Indiana. Advertisements in ''Wahrheitsfreund,'' the German Catholic newspaper published in Cincinnati, appealed to people who had recently emigrated from northern Germany to settle in Oldenburg. Birth, marriage and confirmation records of those who later settled in Oldenburg may be found in Cincinnati’s Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s Catholic churches. | ||
German Protestant immigrants to Cincinnati also migrated to southeast Indiana, particularly those who had attended the Cincinnati churches of St. John’s, St. Peter’s, North German Lutheran, St. Paul’s and Trinity Lutheran, and later appeared in many southeast Indiana churches. St. John’s Lutheran Church in Batesville, founded by immigrants from Venne, Hannover in 1837, records the deaths of children in the 1840s and 1850s who were born in Cincinnati.<ref>Robert W. Rudig, “Southeast Indiana German History and Genealogy,” Tracer 10:3</ref> | German Protestant immigrants to Cincinnati also migrated to southeast Indiana, particularly those who had attended the Cincinnati churches of St. John’s, St. Peter’s, North German Lutheran, St. Paul’s and Trinity Lutheran, and later appeared in many southeast Indiana churches. St. John’s Lutheran Church in Batesville, founded by immigrants from Venne, Hannover in 1837, records the deaths of children in the 1840s and 1850s who were born in Cincinnati.<ref>Robert W. Rudig, “Southeast Indiana German History and Genealogy,” Tracer 10:3</ref> | ||
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*Record of Benefits, 1883-1924, Film 1548045, has personal information, occasionally including place of birth. | *Record of Benefits, 1883-1924, Film 1548045, has personal information, occasionally including place of birth. | ||
* | *[http://gacl.org/page3.html The German Heritage Museum] in Cincinnati has the society’s original records. | ||
''Deutsche Literarische Klub'' (German Literary Club) was the premier society for German intellectuals in Cincinnati, founded in 1877. On November 6, 1927 the sole remaining German newspaper in Cincinnati, ''Freie Presse'', printed a special issue in honor of the club’s 50th anniversary, with photographs of members. | ''Deutsche Literarische Klub'' (German Literary Club) was the premier society for German intellectuals in Cincinnati, founded in 1877. On November 6, 1927 the sole remaining German newspaper in Cincinnati, ''Freie Presse'', printed a special issue in honor of the club’s 50th anniversary, with photographs of members. | ||
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CHLA also has manuscript collections for ''Cincinnati Männerchor ''(Men’s Choral Group), ''Unterstützungsverein Deutscher Männer ''(German Men’s Relief Society),''Deutschen Mandolin Klub'', and ''Deutschen Schutzengesellschaft ''(German Shooting Society). | CHLA also has manuscript collections for ''Cincinnati Männerchor ''(Men’s Choral Group), ''Unterstützungsverein Deutscher Männer ''(German Men’s Relief Society),''Deutschen Mandolin Klub'', and ''Deutschen Schutzengesellschaft ''(German Shooting Society). | ||
[http://gacl.org/page3.html The German Heritage Museum] in Cincinnati has the records of ''Frauenstadtverband'' and ''Herwegh Gesangverein''. The Museum also has group photographs, with each person identified, for members of ''Deutsch-Ungarische Arbeiter Männerchor, Deutsch-Ungarische Gewerbe Unterstützungsverein, Badater Deutschen Frauen Kranken Unterstützungsverein'', and ''Deutsch-Ungarische Damen Kranken Unterstützungsverein''. | |||
== Civil War records == | == Civil War records == | ||