BOOK ON Missing Uncle and Aunt of Larry Winter Roeder
Elizabeth and Johan Wilhelm David Röder
See also books on early American Roeder family members
We know that Dad's grandparents had three
children, two boys and a girl. The girl died before coming to America, perhaps
on the voyage to America as my father thought or perhaps back in Germany – more
likely. This book is a record of my
search for the two missing children, and any living descendants.
By Larry Winter Roeder,Jr. roederaway@yahoo.com
Table of Contents
Chapter on Elizabeth Röder The
Missing Aunt
Chapter on Johan Wilhelm David
Röder, brother of Lorenz
Who was
Johan Wilhelm David Röder?
The SS Salier takes the Roeders to America
How did Margaret and her children get from
New York to St. Louis?
Could William be the wrong name?
Annex One: The Family of a Barber named William Roeder
Julia
Baumann, wife of the Barber
Walter
T. Roeder, Child of Julia Baumann and William (the Barber) Roeder
Annex Two: Possible William Leads
February, 1998, National Archives,
Washington, DC. Tuesday, January 01,
2002; 19 April 2004, Thursday, August 10, 2006, 12/23/2006; March 3, 2007,
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The bottom line is to document what happened
to the two siblings of my grandfather, Lorenz Wilhelm Roeder, as well as any
descendants. The siblings were Elizabeth
Röder (16 Mar 1869, Bad Neustadt, Germany - 24 Jul 1869, Untersteinach,
Germany) and Johan Wilhelm David Röder (probably known as William) (25 Sep
1870, Bad Neustadt, Germany, Immigrated to the Untied States probably in 1880,
death unknown, wife and children unknown).
Dad told me when I was a child that Lorenz
had a brother who split with his family over religion and a sister who was lost
at sea on the way over from Germany. Dad
met the gentleman once when a teenager; but lost track of his name. He did remember that a man named Edward
Roeder at the Department of State looked like his father and wondered if they
were relatives. Dad also recalled that
the missing uncle moved from Saint Louis to East Saint Louis, which is in
Illinois across the Mississippi river.
This is the basis for one of the few family mysteries my father wanted
me to research.
My great grandfather Anton Röder was brought
up in Germany as a Catholic and married Catherine Margaretha Hahn in the home
country. She was an Evangelical
Lutheran. According to my Germany cousins,
it was usual on marriages between Catholics and Evangelicals that the wedding
ceremony was held corresponding to the confession of the bride. In other words, even though Anton was a
Catholic, the mother likely tried to raise her Children as evangelical – if
tradition was followed.[1] If Margaretha was a true Evangelical she
might have joined the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, “doctrinally the most
conservative as well as the most numerous branch of the Lutheranism in America[2].
However, given that Elizabeth was baptized a Catholic, I suspect William was as
well.[3]
I don’t know anything about Anton’s religious
beliefs but Dad did say more than once that grandfather Lorenz did not believe
in organized religion and thereby speculated that the missing brother may have
been more like the mother, that being perhaps the basis for a family split.
Perhaps supporting Dad’s theory, Lorenz, who
was a leader in the St. Louis Knight’s Templars (a Masonic Movement) also
married into the Winter family.
Grandmother Martha’s father was a Socialist and member of the Ethical
Society. Fran Winter has since informed
me that her family was not religious particularly. My Dad, though religious in a private way,
felt that organized religion was a waste of time.
Clearly the family had a rift of some sort,
whatever the cause, with Dad having virtually no contact with the Uncle. Dad’s parents died when he was a very young
man and he ended up being protected by his mother’s family, the Winters. I still count Winter relatives as close
friends. Still, Dad felt a loss in not
knowing his own family well – one of the reasons for my research.
The story of the lost Uncle and Aunt was
first told to me in the late fifties or early sixties when I first took an
interest in family history. Before Dad
died he thought perhaps a man named William Roeder at the Department of State might
be a relative because the man came from Missouri and looked my grandfather
Lorenz. Unfortunately, that man died of
a brain tumor and I never learned more.
His wife and kids also didn’t know about his history.
Later I began to suspect that a barber in St.
Louis named William Roeder might be the Uncle, and that gentleman is described
in this book; but I don’t know he was indeed the relative. Finally in 2006 researchers in an archives in
Germany informed me that Lorenz’s eldest sibling was Elizabeth, who died in
infancy in Germany (not on the way over).
His brother was Johan Wilhelm David Röder. I am now on the hunt to learn what happened
to Johan and if he has a family today.
As you will see in this book, the reason I think he went the name
William was because that name appeared in an obituary for his grandfather
Anton. William was a popular name. It was also the middle name of my
Grandfather.
Margaret and Anton had a girl whom Dad said
was lost at sea. I found no records on her on the manifest of the Salier; so I
began to wonder if she died in Germany.
We now know of at least one daughter named Elizabeth who was born to
Anton and Margaret March 16, 1869 at 11pm in Bad Neustadt, Germany and was
baptized March 18th at 4pm by Paster Weigland. There is some speculation that because she
was baptized so soon after birth, she may have been born ill. This theory is supported by the fact that she
died July 24th. No cause is listed. Interesting as well is that instead of a god
mother, she had a wet nurse at the baptism named Elise Fruchter.
Elizabeth died in Untersteinach, which was
the home town of Margaret. At the time
of her death, Anton was working as a beer keg maker.[4] He later changed into a braumeister in Fulda,
Germany, a profession he retained in St. Louis after immigration in 1880-1882,
though he did have to work for a bit as a common laborer on arrival.. Research
point: Elizabeth died in
Germany, not on the voyage over to America; but that doesn’t mean another girl
wasn’t born, perhaps in Fulda where the family lived before coming to America,
so in my family research software, I have left a slot open for this person –
sort of a reminder of a possibility.
The death entry for Elizabeth
Roeder says July 27, 1869 at Bad Neustadt Elizabeth Roeder died at 10pm She was listed as the child of a Buettner,
someone that manufactured barrels for the packing and the transport of liquid
and firm goods of all kinds, thus also for wine or beer. She was also listed as a Catholic, resident
in Bad Neustadt and der Saale. She was 4
months old with cramps “Todesurache: Darmcatarrb,” and was treated by Dr.
Billmann from 07:30 o'clock, according to Pfarrr Weigand, the local priest. Since no special place of the funeral is
indicated, the funeral probably took place in the cemetery in Bad
NeuStadt.. The researchers I contacted
feel the grave probably does not exist today any longer but recommended I talk
to the city administration. I suspect
they are right; but I plan to investigate.
I’ve heard that wooden grave markers and remains
were often removed and replaced with another burial in German cemeteries after
two or more decades have elapsed.
Rathausgasse 2, 97616, Bad
Neustadt an der Saale.[5]
Records in the Archives of Wurzburg, Germany
revealed in 2006 that the name of the brother was Johan Wilhelm David
Röder. He was born September 25, 1870 at
8pm and baptized on October 2, 1870 at 10am.
The pastor was the deputy priest.
Godfather was Conrad Staubach of Herbstein. No godmother.[6] We know from census records (see Book on
Anton Röder) that the Roeder family probably immigrated to the United States in
1880. .
William is mentioned by name in Anton’s
obituary in 1908. Dad actually didn’t
remember his Uncle’s name, and the only event from which Dad ever remembered
his Uncle was likely when Dad was a child, seeing him in the street, so I
assume William had little contact with him.
By the time Dad was born in 1918, the Uncle was 38 and if we assume
Dad’s last visit was with him as a teenager, the guy was around 60, perhaps as
late of 65 if Anton waited until 1935 when he died.
Dad thought his uncle was living in East St.
Louis; but Anton’s obituary in 1908 was intended to be reprinted in Los Angeles
and NY. So perhaps William lived in a
variety of cities, NY, Los Angeles and East St. Louis. I certainly had the impression that the
family lost touch with him.
It is always great to know when your family
arrived in America. I did find one entry
that suggested that my great grandmother Margaret Roeder, William and
Lorenz arrived on the SS Salier in NY in May 1883. The Salier was a mail steamer described at
length in the initial book on American Roeders. Margaret
Roeder (age 58), Wilhelm age 12 and Lorenz age 6, sailed on the
Salier from Bremen and South Hampton to NY, arriving May 2nd, 1883. Margaret was passenger 354. Wilhelm was passenger 355 and Lorenz was
passenger 356. Their purpose was listed
as permanent sojourn. They lived in
Steerage and shared just two suitcases, not uncommon for poor immigrants. Margaret spelled her name Röder in the manifest, which is how we
spelled our name before coming to America.[7]
1.
Wilhelm
was born in1870, so this is the right age for him, given that we now know
that a birth record that Johann Wilhelm
David Röder was born .September 25, 1870
2.
Lorenz
was born in March, 1878, so this child was also about the right age.
3.
Margaret
is listed as age 58. She was really
37, but this might have been a handwriting error. Assuming this is the right entry is a
guess of course
4.
Anton is not listed.
Assuming
this is the right manifest, he likely arrived first to set everyone up. That was a common practice.
We may never know this; though I have always
assumed they went by rail. There are no
records so far; so I don't know if Anton went to NY to get his family, or if
they took a train by themselves – in fact I really don’t know if they came
through New York at all. It could have
been any port, even St. Louis I suppose.
There is no family history to support any particular theory. I also do not know if other Roeders came to
America first, perhaps living in NY.
When my grandfather Anton died, his records were placed in the home of
one of his brother in law’s, a Winter who was a lawyer. Those records were destroyed in “a flood”
possibly caused by broken pipes in the basement. Action
for me: See if an Anton Roeder shows up
in NY in the time.[8]
Doubtful, but possible. According to the 1900 Census, Lorenz was in
the States twenty years, which means 1880.
The arrival records for the Salier indicate 1883, which could be ok,
especially as no Anton was in the manifest.
In addition, the obit for Margaretha said she was mother[9] of Anton Roeder;
but obits can have errors. There is not
indication of an Anton, Jr. in any oral tradition or written record.
I am trying to run down who were the children
of Johan Wilhelm David Röder (whom I think was called William). One lead is a barber I am investigating. He appeared in the 1900 St. Louis Census may
offer the best clue. If he was my
William, then in 900 he lived at 1309 Montgomery Street in St. Louis.[10] (Dad always had a thing for hair cuts.
(connection?)[11].)
He doesn’t show up in the 1920 Census but he does have fairly good statistics.[12] This William was born in Germany in
September, 1870, which is when we know from birth certificate records in
Germany is when my William was born. The
immigration year is shown as 1882. The
Salier arrived in 1883, only one year different from this record, so this is
also within the realm of reason.
According to the 1900 census for St. Louis
and as of that year had been married for nine years (probably 1891) to Julia Baumann, a woman born in Missouri. He also wrote and spoke English, and rented
his home. He also arrived in America in 1872.[13] which is earlier than the Salier record.
Once again, I don’t really know if Julia is a
relative. For now, she is only a suspect
because she married William the barber.
Julia was born in Missouri in 1871 but the parents of William and Julia
were born in Germany. The pair had three
children, all living with them at the time of the census,
Julia’s maiden name was Baumann, which I
surmised because her widowed mother Elizabeth Baumann was living with
them. Elizabeth was born in January,
1834, came to America in1852 and was mother of eight, only four of whom were
living in 1900.
From the 1900 Census for St. Louis, we are
told Julia had a child named Walter T born in June 1895. According to the draft records for St. Louis
for the First World War a Walter A. Roeder was also born June 23, 1895,and in
June 1917 (the date of registration)
lived in St. Louis and worked in East St. Louis as a Teamster. At the time he registered for the draft he
was the sole supporter for his wife (not named) and his mother (not named) and
lived at 1412 Wright St., St. Louis. He
was tall, slender and with brown eyes and hair.
[14]
1.
Anton’s
1908 obituary asks that it be reprinted in Los Angeles and New York, which
probably meant that William, or some other relative, lived there. Perhaps William stayed in NY, instead of
moving with his mother to St. Louis?
2. In
1940 and 1944, the St. Louis City Directory listed a William L. Roeder. (wife Florence) at 4134 Green Lea Place.
3.
A William Roeder married on September 28, 1891, see license
#42809. See also license 188182, April
24, 1914. Tuesday, September 19,
2006. Discussion with St Louis county
recorder of deeds Nothing. Probably applied in City. . St.
Louis City Archives: 314-589-6796. Baumann.
$3. $3. Written Records of Deeds office. Attn archives. City hall room 127, Saint. Louis. 1200 market street., st.
louis 63103. plus envelops. Both
copies. Volume 43, page 65. See also license 188182, April 24, 1914.
4.
Even
though William should not have been found in St. Louis in 1908, I decided to
review older census records for the city, to be sure. I didn’t find him in the Missouri, Illinois,
California or New York census records, which was a surprise, so I plan to
research this again.
St. Louis
Genealogical Society: 314-647-8547. According to them, the marriage records for
the 1890's in St. Louis will show the name of the parents of the husband. So
this will be the real proof if this William is mine. www.stlgs.org.
I’ve since learned this is not so for married adults. See Roll 1683629 for Draft Board 3
Annex
Three: Bibliography
Ř
Obituary: Anton Roeder
Ř St.
Louis city Directories: 1940 and 1944
(for William L. Roeder
Ř Marriage
Certificate: William
Roeder, September 28, 1891, see license #42809.
Volume 43, page 65
Ř Marriage
certificate: William Roeder, Llicense
188182, April 24, 1914.
Books:
Ř
Primm, James Neal, “The Gateway City,”
pg 144 in Lion of the Valley 3rd Edition, Missouri Historical
Society Press, St. Louis, 1998.
Certificates:
Ř
Birth certificate for Johan Wilhelm
David Röder. Diozesan-Archiv Wurzburg,
Matrikel bad Neustadt, band Nr. 4, Fiche Nr 12, Seite Nr 673, Taufe vom
9/25/1870
Ř
Death Certificate for Elizabeth Röder,
Diozesan-Archiv, Wurzburg, Matriekl bad Neustadt., band Nr 4, Fiche Nr 12,
Seite Nr 667, vom Taufen march 16, 1869
Letters:
Ř
To
Larry Winter Roeder, Jr. June 17, 1998 from Ferdinand Hofmann, Essener Strasse,
50B, 22419 Hamburg, Germany.
Ř
To
Larry Roeder, September 9, 2006, Archiv und Bibliothek des Bistums Wurzsburg.
Ř
To
Larry Roeder September 25, 2006 from Archiv und Bibliothek des Bistums Würzburg, Diözesanarchiv.
Memories:
See text:
Research
Questions and Notes:
See text.
United
States Federal Records:
Ř
United States Census
for 1900, St. Louis Missouri: Vol 96, ED 275 Sheet 13, Line 78. Born September, 1870, Age 29.
Ř
United States Federal
Census for 1900 Census, Vol 96, ED 283, Sheet 2, Line 35; William G. Roeder
(probably not our guy) born Feb 1865 (age 35) in Illinois. Address 1800 North
St. Louis. Wife, Elizabeth. Our William was born in Germany, not
Illinois.
Ř
United States Federal
Census for 1920,
for Illinois does show a William Roeder, age 44, born in Germany, who was an
inmate at Elgin State Hospital. See Vol
159, ED 93, Sheet 8, line 39. The 1920
also showed a William, age 42 in New York.
See Vol 188, ED 11999, Sheet 9, Line 21 (hard to read the citation),
arrived 1900, naturalized 1915. In NY
was also a William age 62, born in Hessa, Vol 4, ED 83, Sheet 3, Line 61. He arrived in 1885 and was naturalized in
1890.
Ř
United States Draft
Records for World War One, St. Louis, Missouri, Walter A. Roeder, June 5,
1917. Roll 1683629, Draft Board 3.
[1] Letter:
To Larry Winter Roeder, Jr. June 17, 1998 from Ferdinand Hofmann,
Essener Strasse, 50B, 22419
[2] Primm, James Neal, “The Gateway City,” pg 144 in Lion of the Valley 3rd
Edition, Missouri Historical Society Press, St. Louis, 1998.
[3] Letter:
To Larry Roeder, September 9, 2006, Archiv und Bibliothek des Bistums
Wurzsburg.
[4] Death Certificate for Elizabeth Röder,
Diozesan-Archiv,
[5]
Letter: To Larry
Roeder September 25, 2006 from Archiv und Bibliothek des Bistums Würzburg, Diözesanarchiv.
|
|
Rathausgasse 2, 97616 Bad
Neustadt a. d. |
(0 97 71) 91 06-0 |
|
|
|
[6] Birth certificate for Johan Wilhelm
David Röder. Diozesan-Archiv Wurzburg,
Matrikel bad Neustadt, band Nr. 4, Fiche Nr 12, Seite Nr 673, Taufe vom
9/25/1870
[7] Recollections: Of LWR, Jr.
I still retain clothing that came over on the voyage.
[8] Recollections Fran Winter and Larry
Winter Roeder.
[9] Research Question: Is this
an error? She was mother of William. Or
was obit wrong and she is mother of Anton, jr.
There are no records supporting an Anton, Jr.
[10] Research Note: I also found a William G. Roeder in the 1900
Census, Vol 96, ED 283, Sheet 2, Line 35; but I don’t think he is our man. William G. was born Feb 1865 (age 35) in
[11] Recollections: LWR, Jr.
Dad shaved his armpits and always kept his hair short. When I asked him why, he said the habit
derived from when he was a child. Lice swept
through the schools and children had to do what he did one summer. The habit, plus cleanliness, stuck. Dad was also a very neat person, a habit that
also came from childhood. All of his
toys fit into one small box, so he always kept his possessions together, tidy
and in good repair, a habit I was never able to hold on to.
[12] Research Note: The 1920 Census for
[13]
[14]