Georg Ernst Freidrich Dannheim was born at the beginning of the 1800s in Walle, Kingdom of Hanover. Some records say it was in 1806 (1), some that his year of birth was 1810 (2, 3).
Ernst married Julianne Kälberlein who was born in Walle on 10 October 1812. According to my research, their children born in Walle as well were (4):
- Marie Friedericke - born in 1834,
- Wilhelm Heinrich - born 30 March 1838,
- Wilhelmina - born 7 March 1840,
- Heinrich - born 15 December 1843.
On 18 September 1845 (5), the family left Bremen on the deck of the ship Everhardt, under Captain Haake (6). The Dannheim family registered on the list of Everhardt passengers consisted of: Dannhein Ernst Friedrich (the father), Juliana nee Kalberlein and their children Julian, Otto, Johanne, and Ernest (7).
The number of the children matches the information included above, however, the names differ. Maybe, a reason was that each of them, including the parents, had more than one (possibly, at least three) given names, and not all of them are included/known in the records?
They reached Galveston in December. Then, the family then traveled to Mineola, and later, for three weeks proceeded to New Braunfels. The place was overcrowded, packed with immigrants, and the living conditions more than horrible - disease and death assisted them all (which I have mentioned in some of the previous posts regarding the early immigrants to Texas). Finally, on 6 May 1846, Ernst and his family reached the area of the Pedernales River. G E F Dannheim had been promised some land (by the German Emigration Company) on the Colorado River, but it appeared the land was not available for settlers. It was in possession of Indians who inhabited the region.
The immigrants, including the Ernst Dannheims, put up tents not far from the place where Delaware Indians camp was situated. The newly arrived Europeans awaited food and supplies, which were supposed to be provided by Adelsverein - the Emigration Company. There was nothing, though, but starvation. The situation became critical - the people tried to survive any way they could - e.g. they used acorns to make coffee and flour for bread. The friendly Indian tribe helped them as well. Eventually, seven men (with Ernest among them) decided to go on foot to the Adelsverein headquarters in New Braunfels and claim what they had been promised. The men were assured the provisions would be delivered and that did happen later.
♦ 4 June 1848 - Hanna Sophie Caroline was born to Ernst and Julianne in Fredericksburg.
After two years, when the crops were good, the famine period in the settlement finished. Tragically, death came back in bunches with a cholera epidemic in 1849.
♡ In the same year, Marie Friedericke married Herr Fritz Winkel.
The tax record from 1950 informs that Ernst Dannheim had 20 acres of land, town lot no. 363 in Fredericksburg, block no. 53 (8). A year later, the man owned two town lots no. 363 and 257. He also had 5 head of cattle (9). In 1853, the herd grew to 10 head (each of them worth $6), and the value of Ernst Dannheim's estate was $220 including the land and the two town lots as well (10).
♦ 19 January 1852 - son Ernst Jr. was born in Fredericksburg.
♦ 17 March 1854 - another daughter Caroline was born (11).
1854 - the family number of cattle given in the tax record was 15. The value of the family property grew up to $270 (12). Later Ernst sold the town lot #257 and bought a lot no. 364. In 1856, besides 20 heads of cattle, 1 horse, and 1 wagon (13).
In the same year, the Ernst Dannheims, together with a few other families (the Hasses, Lehmbergs, Bauers, Pluennekes, Kothmanns, and Hoersters) relocated to Upper Willow Creek area (14).
On 8 August 1856, when the local charter of the Methodist Church was founded, the Dennheims became its members as well.
Not long after that, on ♡ 30 December of the same year, Wilhelmina (Minna) married Otto von Donop (15).
Six years later, the two town lots in Fredericksburg which belonged to Ernst were worth $200 (16). The value of the land grew and in 1869 it was $340 (17).
♡ 14 June 1865 - Wilhelm Heinrich married Miss Sophie Meier (18).
♡ 28 February 1867 - Sophie Caroline (19) married John Lemberg (Lehmburg).
15 June 1870, the Dannheim family lived in Mason County (post office Mason). On that day, the census clerk Mr. Francis Kettner recorded Ernst Dannheim (age 64), his wife Juliana (age 58), their children Henry (age 26), Ernst (age 17), and Caroline (age 15). The parents and their eldest son were born in Prussia, the other ones were born in Texas. Ernst and Henry's occupation was raising cattle (20).
In the autumn of the same year, on ♡ 5 October Henry (Heinrich) married Miss Minna Lemberg (Lemburg) in Hilda Methodist Church in Mason (21).
♦ Ernst Dannheim died about a year later, on 10 April 1871.
In the same year, Ernst Jr. went to Berea in Ohio, where he studied at Baldwin University to become a teacher (22).
After Ernst Sr.'s death, his wife Julianne moved to Art, where she lived at the home of her daughter Minna and the daughter's second husband Otto von Plehwe.
The youngest daughter of Ernst and Julianne Dannheim's, ♡ Caroline married Mr. Friedrich Thumm on 11 February 1875 (23).
♦ Julianne Kaelberlein Dannheim passed away on 8 August 1904.
Resources:
The post was inspired by the content of the book "Mason County Historical Book", Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976
1. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-XP6 : 2 January 2021), Ernst Danheim, 1870.
2. Geneanet.org
3. Ship Everhardt Passengers
4. Geneanet.org
7. "A New Land Beckoned: German Immigration to Texas, 1844-1847" by Chester Geue, Chester William Geue, Ethel Hander Geue, 1966
8. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RX93 : 20 February 2021), Ernst Dannheim, 1850.
9. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RXFQ : 20 February 2021), E Dannheim, 1851.
10. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RFSX : 20 February 2021), Ernst Danheim, 1853.
11. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-XK6Z : 14 February 2020), Ernst Dannheim in entry for Carolina Dannheim, 1854.
12. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RFNH : 20 February 2021), Ernst Danheim, 1854.
13. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RNL7 : 20 February 2021), Ernst Dannheim, 1856.
14."The Mason Hoo Doo War, 1874-1902" by David Johnson, University of North Texas Press, 2006
15. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-VDB : 10 March 2021), Otto Donop and Wilhelmina Danheim, 30 Dec 1856; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.
16. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-R2LT : 20 February 2021), E Dannheim, 1862.
17. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VXGC-LZ8 : 10 March 2021), Wilhelm Dannheim and Sophie Meyer, 14 Jun 1865; citing Gillespie, Texas, United States, county courthouses, Texas; FHL microfilm 982,801.
18. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-483 : 22 January 2020), Sophie Dannheim in entry for John Lemberg, 1867.
19. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-RTLR : 20 February 2021), E Dannheim, 1869.
20. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-XP6 : 2 January 2021), Ernst Danheim, 1870.
21.
Brenham Daily Banner-Press (Brenham, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. [37], Ed. 1 Saturday, May 9, 1925, newspaper, May 9, 1925; Brenham, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1180562/: accessed March 12, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library.
23. "Texas Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MM-LF4 : 22 January 2020), Carolina Dannheim in entry for Freidrich Thumm, 1875.
Findagrave.com
So glad to see this! I’ve been researching the Dannheims for years. My great great grandmother was Caroline Dannheim Thumm.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am pleased you found it interesting/useful. Good to hear from you.
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