Grossmick Line
Paternal Grandparents
Lester John Grossmick
25 Apr 1896 - May 1964 Born in Camden, New Jersey, USA |
Alberta Petrine Erickson
24 Mar 1903 - 25 Mar 1976 Born in Tvedestrand, Aust-Agder, Norway |
Lester was born as a second generation American in Camden, New Jersey. His grandparents Frederick Grassmueck and Maria Sophia Klehm (Fred Grosmick and Mary Clem) emigrated in 1862. Alberta emigrated in 1907 at three years old from Norway with her parents Ole Andreas Eriksen and Karen Talette Thorstensdatter (Andrew Erikson and Karen T Thompson).* Life for their families was usually a struggle as they were not well off and came to this country for a better life. (See Andrew and Karen on the Norwegian page.)
Lester, along with every other American male of age, had to register for the draft and he escaped being sent to fight in World War I due to an injury on his left leg. In the draft card dated 5 Jun 1917, he reports that he's unmarried, living at 1034 North 19th Street and works as a boilermaker helper at R.D. Wards.
Lester's cousin Jacob has a WWI draft card as well. He's married, living at 1107 North 23rd Street and reports that he's an air brake inspector for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It's also recorded that he previously served three years in "Battery B." He is six years older than Lester. |
They married sometime after early January in 1920 when Lester was 23 and Alberta was 17. (see Norwegian page, Andrew and Karen, for details). They lived in the city of Camden, moved around a few times, but the last house Alberta lived in was on Harrison Avenue in the Cramer Hill section of Camden. Alberta spent much of the next 10 years pregrant, having had all six of her children by 1930. In 1930 they were living at 2614 Pierce Ave in Cramer Hill, and the house was owned and it's value is $1,200. John was working as a laborer doing odd jobs. This was around the time of the Great Depression. By 1942 they are living at 1161 North 33rd Street in Cramer Hill, as shown on Lester's WWII draft registration card.
Their four sons all will serve in the military during World War II and all came home safely. I remember stories my dad would tell us of my grandfather. He grew the vegetables and would take them by horse and wagon over to Philadelphia to sell each day. My dad said he was a "huckster," selling fruits and vegetables from a horse and buggy over in Philadelphia. He used to take the buggy across the bridge!
Some time after Lester's death in 1964, Alberta had a "companion" (they lived together), Jack Kennedy. I remember him but do not remember my biological grandfather. Mr. Kennedy, as we called him, was a very nice man. My mother helped take care of him before his passing.
Their four sons all will serve in the military during World War II and all came home safely. I remember stories my dad would tell us of my grandfather. He grew the vegetables and would take them by horse and wagon over to Philadelphia to sell each day. My dad said he was a "huckster," selling fruits and vegetables from a horse and buggy over in Philadelphia. He used to take the buggy across the bridge!
Some time after Lester's death in 1964, Alberta had a "companion" (they lived together), Jack Kennedy. I remember him but do not remember my biological grandfather. Mr. Kennedy, as we called him, was a very nice man. My mother helped take care of him before his passing.
Their Children
They had six children:
* My father's oldest sister, my Aunt Marion, gave me the names years ago but I couldn't find anything then. Now with the Norwegian archive project, there are tons of resources for Norway.
- Marion M Grossmick - 20 Oct 1920 - 17 Aug 2007
married first John Wytupeck and had two children, John and Ronald, married second Larry Sviben, no children - John Lester "Jack" Grossmick - 7 Oct 1921 - 20 Nov 1975
married multiple times and had at least three children, John L Grossmick, Jr. 1943-2009, Randall, 1958-2005, and Living - Walter Charles Grossmick - 12 Jan 1923 - 12 Jan 1996
married Myrtle (unknown) and had four children - Eleanor Carolyn Grossmick - 13 Apr 1924 - 31 Jan 2007
married William Silcox and had four children - Lester A Grossmick - 6 Nov 1925 - 25 Oct 2004
married Margaret K Reineck and had three children - Edward Robert Grossmick I - 23 Sep 1927 - 25 Apr 2005
married Helen Mary Haines and had six children - My Parents
* My father's oldest sister, my Aunt Marion, gave me the names years ago but I couldn't find anything then. Now with the Norwegian archive project, there are tons of resources for Norway.
1st Great Grandparents
John Grossmick
22 Jul 1870 - 15 Mar 1926 Born in Stockton Township, Camden, New Jersey |
Stella M Vandoren
Mar 1874 - 6 Aug 1953 Born in Pennsylvania |
John was born in New Jersey, the fourth child of German immigrant parents Frederick and Mary (below). According to all of the census documents and his next older brother Henry was born in Pennsylvania. The two older siblings, Jacob and Mary were both born in Germany.
I had always heard from my father that his grandparents owned a "saloon" in Philadelphia. He was never quite sure where it was but I do remember him saying his grandmother's name who lived there was Stella. In the 1887 Gopsill's Philadelphia City Directory, we find the following listing for John and his older brother Henry. The spelling of the last name is Grassmuck. They have a wine business called "H & J Grassmuck.
From the listing below, it appears that they live and have the business on John St which in the addendum in the Gopsill's Directory says had been changed to Markle Street. Markle Street is listed in Manayunk section, the 21st Ward of Philadelphia and its suburbs. Note: I'm not entirely sure what the "h" means in the line. The directory, and most, use the "h" but I am still trying to find out what it means because they never seem to list it in their abbreviation listing. I am fairly certain it means "home" address.
I had always heard from my father that his grandparents owned a "saloon" in Philadelphia. He was never quite sure where it was but I do remember him saying his grandmother's name who lived there was Stella. In the 1887 Gopsill's Philadelphia City Directory, we find the following listing for John and his older brother Henry. The spelling of the last name is Grassmuck. They have a wine business called "H & J Grassmuck.
From the listing below, it appears that they live and have the business on John St which in the addendum in the Gopsill's Directory says had been changed to Markle Street. Markle Street is listed in Manayunk section, the 21st Ward of Philadelphia and its suburbs. Note: I'm not entirely sure what the "h" means in the line. The directory, and most, use the "h" but I am still trying to find out what it means because they never seem to list it in their abbreviation listing. I am fairly certain it means "home" address.
Henry goes on to run a bar at 2046 Federal Street in the Stockton Township (now East Camden) near 23rd Street from 1890's to 1906. The building is no longer there. Phil Cohen's website DVRBS lists him in two places, one is the buildings on Federal Street and the other is Bars and Saloons in Camden. I'm not entirely sure what year John's parents moved to New Jersey but in the 1870 census, before John was born, the family is already living in Stockton Township (East Camden) section of Camden, so I'm not sure how Henry got to be born in Pennsylvania.
The couple marry in Camden on 27 Sep 1893. The birth certificate of their first child, daughter Clara, says that she was born on 4 Apr 1893 which would have made her 6 months old when they married. This can be a mistake however because it seems the person who recorded the birth may have had sloppy penmanship! The last names are spelled Grasnick and Vandoran with the first names being correct. And in all of the censuses that Clara is with them, the number of years of marriage were always one year older than Clara. Sloppy penmanship or a bit of fibbing. Who knows!
By 1900, John and Stella "Grasmick" are living at 934 Main Street in the City of Camden and on the census of that year in a neighborhood surrounded by mostly immigrant German families or first generation Americans. John is no longer in the wine business with Henry and is working as a day laborer with a mortgage. They also now have their son Lester at 4 years old, and a daughter Florence at 2 years old. |
Stella was a bit of a live wire it seems and apparently had a drinking problem. In January of 1910, this story appeared in The Morning Post. No reason stated as to why she wanted to keep her son out of school. She may have had some kind of mental illness as well, sadly.
Between 1870 and 1920, the population of the City of Camden soared from 20,000 to 116,000 due to the industrialization of the area. By 1910, John and Stella had moved their family to the Cramer Hill section of the city. Now living at 934 North 26th Street, Clara is now 16 and has just starting working as a typesetter in a printing house, Lester is 14 and daughter Florence is 12. John is employed as a driver on an oil wagon and he owns the house free of mortgage according to the census. The address is a couple of houses behind where the Pavonia House was and I believe in the row of house that Dr. Gartzman, long-time physician of our family, had his office. It's the block between River Road and Hayes Avenue and down the street from Veteran's Memorial Junior High School. In 1918 there was the great flu pandemic that swept through the world, killing thousands and moving around with soldiers during World War I. Camden schools were closed for one week because of it. In 1920 the couple are now renting a house at 1032 North 25th Street. Clara and Florence have married and moved out. Lester is 23 and still living with his parents. John and Lester are both laborers in the shipyard. |
John's Death Leaves Stella in Dire Straits
John died on 15 March 1926 leaving Stella apparently with property and no way to pay for it. Life for her goes downhill quickly without that support and in 192 she is jailed for fighting with a police officer who was trying to break up a fight between two men in her kitchen!
The 1930 census has her living at the same address, as the owner, and she claims to be a sales lady in a department store. Apparently she didn't work there long or she didn't make the money to keep the property because in In 1931, legal notices are printed in the paper for Sheriff's Sales of her property. She is in a desperate search to try to raise the money to save her property.
Stella was jailed for 30 days for fighting with a police officer and the following article appeared in the Courier-Post on 21 October 1929.
John died on 15 March 1926 leaving Stella apparently with property and no way to pay for it. Life for her goes downhill quickly without that support and in 192 she is jailed for fighting with a police officer who was trying to break up a fight between two men in her kitchen!
The 1930 census has her living at the same address, as the owner, and she claims to be a sales lady in a department store. Apparently she didn't work there long or she didn't make the money to keep the property because in In 1931, legal notices are printed in the paper for Sheriff's Sales of her property. She is in a desperate search to try to raise the money to save her property.
Stella was jailed for 30 days for fighting with a police officer and the following article appeared in the Courier-Post on 21 October 1929.
She decides to make a desperate move! Advertise for a hubby!
Did it work?
It looks like she found a husband but too late to save her property. Her obit has her living in Philly for 15 years prior to her last year in Camden. I have found her obituary which gives her surname now as McAdams. I was wondering why I couldn't find a death date on her! I am now searching for who this mysterious Mr. McAdams is. He's not mentioned in the obit or even that she's a widow.
It looks like she found a husband but too late to save her property. Her obit has her living in Philly for 15 years prior to her last year in Camden. I have found her obituary which gives her surname now as McAdams. I was wondering why I couldn't find a death date on her! I am now searching for who this mysterious Mr. McAdams is. He's not mentioned in the obit or even that she's a widow.
John and Stella's Children:
- Clara B Grossmick - 4 Apr 1893 - 15 Feb 1970 - Married Arthur E Hummel, at least one child: May Hummel born abt 1911
- Lester John Grossmick - 25 Apr 1896 - May 1964
married Alberta P Erickson and had 6 children, my grandparents - see above - Florence H Grossmick - Dec 1897 - ?
Married William James Deerr (sp) 1895 - 1945 - Children: Clara (born 1920), Miriam F (born 1922), William J (born 1926) Arthur James (born 1939-2001) Clara does not appear in any censuses after 1920. I was in email contact with Florence's grandson in 2003 and have emailed him again (save all notes!) to see if he can shed some light.
A Very Brief German History
Before 1815, there was no country called Germany (Deutschland). It was the Holy Roman Empire (962-1806). It was considered an extention of the Roman Empire and consisted of all of what is now Germany, parts of Italy, Austria, Belguim and the Netherlands. The Holy Roman Empire was potentially Europe’s greatest state. However, by 1600 the Holy Roman Empire was a mere shadow of its former glory. The heart of the Holy Roman Empire had been Germany. But by 1600, a better term for the area would have been "Germanies" as the heart of the Holy Roman Empire had become split into a mass of princes and states who since the time of Luther had done what they could to extend their independence and power at the expense of the emperor. The real power within Germany lay with 30 secular and 50 ecclesiastical princes.
German history is very complicated and I certainly am no expert! After days and days of reading about it (not to mention the years that I was there), I find there is no easy way to explain it. I will attempt to give brief explanations where I can about the region, the people and what events led up to the mass migration from the area. You can find more information from an essay written by Gene Garmen on his website page "The Poor Palatines." His essay gives about the easiest explanation I've found. And while his main focus is on a mass migration from the region to England and eventually to America in the 1700's (which doesn't include our Fred and Mary), he explains the history of the area well. While our Fred and Mary came in 1862 to America, the history the essay provides will illustrate what their ancestors had to endure. Times weren't that much better a few years later when Fred and Mary decided to leave Germany.
German history is very complicated and I certainly am no expert! After days and days of reading about it (not to mention the years that I was there), I find there is no easy way to explain it. I will attempt to give brief explanations where I can about the region, the people and what events led up to the mass migration from the area. You can find more information from an essay written by Gene Garmen on his website page "The Poor Palatines." His essay gives about the easiest explanation I've found. And while his main focus is on a mass migration from the region to England and eventually to America in the 1700's (which doesn't include our Fred and Mary), he explains the history of the area well. While our Fred and Mary came in 1862 to America, the history the essay provides will illustrate what their ancestors had to endure. Times weren't that much better a few years later when Fred and Mary decided to leave Germany.
Religion
The main religion in Germany was Catholicism up until Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door and began the Protestant religion. For generations the people were whatever religion the royalty in their province/state said they were to be. Wars were fought over religion (including the famous 30 Years War).
Note: Baptized and Christening are used interchangebly here.
The main religion in Germany was Catholicism up until Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door and began the Protestant religion. For generations the people were whatever religion the royalty in their province/state said they were to be. Wars were fought over religion (including the famous 30 Years War).
Note: Baptized and Christening are used interchangebly here.
Notes on German Records: For our ancestors in Germany, the majority of the records are from church log books that record the dates of the christening/baptism but only sometimes the actual birth date. The clergy would record sometimes the parents' entire name and sometimes just the last name, and sometimes just the father. The log books also recorded the weddings, sometimes with the parents' names, sometimes not. Some deaths were also recorded. There were no hospitals or government recordings as such.
2nd Great Grandparents
Frederick Grossmick
born Friedrich Jakob Grassmück 12 Mar 1832 - 20 July 1895 Born in Siebeldingen, Germany |
Mary Grossmick
born Maria Sophia Klehm 2 Nov 1833 - ? Born in Düdelsheim, Germany |
Graßmück = Grassmueck = Grassmück
(ß means a double S, "ue" is alternative for the ü - but ultimately, it sounds like Grossmick to American ears!)
(ß means a double S, "ue" is alternative for the ü - but ultimately, it sounds like Grossmick to American ears!)
Friederich "Fred" was born on 12 Mar 1832, the youngest of six children to Johann Jacob Grassmueck and Eva Christina Kaiser (below). He was christened on 18 Mar 1832 in the church in Siebeldingen. The two villages of Siebeldingen and Birkweiler are so close together that I have found church records for the Grassmueck family in both.
Maria "Mary" was born in 1833 in Düdelsheim third child of Johann Georg Klehm and Maria Margaretha Ruth. She was baptised in the Evangelical Church on 17 Nov 1833. It's worth noting that Mary's maternal grandmother was Maria Margaretha Knauss, a member of the Knauss. Some of the Düdelsheim Knauss family from came to Pennsylvania beginning in 1723 and no doubt were a part of the mass migration and by the 1790 census, there were at least 25 Knauss families with an average of 6.3 persons in each family. I have traced Mary's line back 8 generations to 1700.
It is unknown how Fred and Mary met but at that time, Germany was undergoing an industrialization period with many skilled artisans finding themselves being replaced by machines. Movement into the cities created urban slum and decay.
They married about 1858 and lived in Düdelsheim prior to traveling to Bremen in the north to board a ship, the "Brem Ship Carl" for America. They landed in the Castle Gardens immigration station in New York on 15 Sep 1862.
Friederich's older brother Georg (later George) came to America in 1857. I believe, but haven't found conclusive evidence yet, that Fred's older sister Margaretha also immigrated with her husband Wilhelm Wüst. Fred and Mary came with their daughter Maria and their son Jakob. It is also quite possible that Mary had relatives in America as well.
They lived first in Pennsylvania where their son Henry was born in 1866 and were living in Stockton Township in Camden, New Jersey, by the time our John was born. Fred worked as a laborer in Camden.
Fred died of stomach cancer on 20 July 1895 at the age of 63 in the Lancaster Hospital in Philadelphia. I haven't found when Mary died but Fred is recorded as being a widower when he died.
Friederich's older brother Georg (later George) came to America in 1857. I believe, but haven't found conclusive evidence yet, that Fred's older sister Margaretha also immigrated with her husband Wilhelm Wüst. Fred and Mary came with their daughter Maria and their son Jakob. It is also quite possible that Mary had relatives in America as well.
They lived first in Pennsylvania where their son Henry was born in 1866 and were living in Stockton Township in Camden, New Jersey, by the time our John was born. Fred worked as a laborer in Camden.
Fred died of stomach cancer on 20 July 1895 at the age of 63 in the Lancaster Hospital in Philadelphia. I haven't found when Mary died but Fred is recorded as being a widower when he died.
Their Children:
They had four children with the first two being born in Germany, the 3rd in Pennsylvania and the last, our John, in New Jersey.
1. Mary Grossmick - 22 Jan 1859 - ?
Born Maria Elisabetha Grassmueck and emigrated with her parents to the US.
They had four children with the first two being born in Germany, the 3rd in Pennsylvania and the last, our John, in New Jersey.
1. Mary Grossmick - 22 Jan 1859 - ?
Born Maria Elisabetha Grassmueck and emigrated with her parents to the US.
2. Jacob Grossmick - Jul 1861 - 5 Dec 1911 - Married Magdalena (Lena) Heppelen (7 Jan 1864 - 22 Nov 1937). He was born in Germany and emigrated to the US, settled in Stockton Township in Camden County, New Jersey. They had five children: Jacob Henry Grossmick, Maurice (sic) Grossmick, Harry Grossmick, Stella Grossmick, and William Grossmick. The family moved to the Cramer Hill section of Camden first near Pavonia in 1888/89, then to 2814 Arthur Avenue in Cramer Hill in 1898. (See the document below.) He died at 50 years of age and is buried under the name Jacob Grossmick in Section A, Lot 1, in the New Camden Cemetery. There is no headstone.
Children:
1. Jacob Henry Grossmick, 1890 - ?, Married Ethel M Glenn in 1915 (Philadelphia) and had four children: - Lillian, born in 1913 and died of extreme summer heat at 6 months old 29 Jul 1913 (Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 Jul 1913) - Edgar - abt 1916 - ? - Milton - abt 1926 - ? - Ethel - abt 1929 - ? |
3. Henry William Grosmick - Jan 1866 - before 1940
Henry was the first child born in America. He was born in Pennsylvania. Henry went on to spell his name with one S (Grosmick).
Married Josephine "Bridget" Caul and had five children. See above 1st Grandparents above for the story of Henry and John "Henry & John (H&J) Wines."
Henry was the first child born in America. He was born in Pennsylvania. Henry went on to spell his name with one S (Grosmick).
Married Josephine "Bridget" Caul and had five children. See above 1st Grandparents above for the story of Henry and John "Henry & John (H&J) Wines."
Children:
1. Mary V Grosmick - Oct 1893 - ?, Married Edward J Toole 2. Henry William Grosmick, Jr - 2 Aug 1895 - ?, Married Helen E ? 3. Estella Grosmick, 7 Mar 1897 - Married Harold Mason and had at least three children - John, Robert and Mariann 4. Twins Emma and William, 8 Sep 1899. Emma lived 18 days and William lived 10 months and 22 days |
4. John Grossmick - 22 Jul 1870 - 15 Mar 1926
Married Stella Van Doren and had three children. See 1st Great Grandparents above.
Married Stella Van Doren and had three children. See 1st Great Grandparents above.