WILHELMINA   FUCHS

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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

The Hartmann family can be traced in Gellershausen bei Wildungen, Waldeck region of Germany to at least mid 1700s.   The parents of our Wilhelmina Hartmann is given in the wonderful Waldeckische Ortsippenbucher Band 62.  (Hochgrebe, Heinrich; Waldeckischer Geschichtsverein e.V. Bad Arolsen; 1998. History of the village of Gellershausen. It contains stories and photos of villages plus an extensive index of family surnames and data taken mostly from Church records. Written in German.) Scott Hanson alerted me to the book and Christa Siems provided us with the book itself. The present administrator of the village, Herr Muench, has also provided information   I am very grateful! 

Marie Wilhelmine Henriette Fuchs was born Jan 31, 1813 to Alexander Fuchs, miller and Henriette Theis in Gellershausen. page 92 of the Ortsippenbucher Band 62.

Gellershausen is one of 13 small villages that make up the administrative community of Edertal.  At the time Wilhelmina emmigrated to America Gellershausen was in the small Principality of Waldeck.  Waldeck continues as a small city north of Edertal.  Waldeck and the Edertal communities are now part of Hesse Germany.  They lie in the northwest of Hesse and about 40 kilometers southwest of Kassel.  They are in the foothills and forests of the low Kellerwald mountain range.

Wilhelmina Fuchs married Karl Hartmann on Aug. 7, 1831.

This couple had the following children.  They fit the profile of the known children who immigrated to America.

# 3,   Johannette Wilhelmina Henriette Hartmann, emigrated by the early 1850s and settled in Wilmington Delaware.  She was known as Hannah, and married Gottlieb Mamele.  She lived to 1906.  Gottlieb Mamele was a hog butcher, re the 1860 Census. That census shows trhat they had 3 children by that time.   Bathelmina born 1855, female, Charles, born 1857 and Frederik, born 1859.  They had at least 3 more children: Caroline born 1862, Kate born 1867 and Helen born 1878.   Hannah was widowed by 1893 where she is listed in the 1893 Wilmington Directory, page 438 as Jeanette Mamele, widow of Gottlieb.

#4, Carl Christian Heinrich Hartmann, emmigrated and was living in Wilmington by the late 1850s. It is possible he came with his sister Hannah.  The 1859 Wilmington Directory has him as Charles Hartmann living at 512 Walnut St. with the occupation painter. What is interesting is that the Mamele name continued in Wilmington throughout the 20th century as the name of a paint store.  His Naturalization Petetion was on Sept 17, 1860 in the District Court 2-3.  Found at the Delaware Archives, reel RG0705, Index to naturalization petitions for US Circuit and District Court 1795-1911.

#10, Friederike Wilhelmina Johannette Hartmann emmigrated to Wilmington in 1868, the year her father died.  She was  17 years old and probably  lived with one of her siblings.  She met and married on March 26, 1870  Johann Daniel Maier at the Zion Lutheran Church.

The open question is why did Hannah and Charles come to Wilmington?  Were there others from Gellershausen that came before them?  They were also in their teens.  Why did they leave?  Being a small village, and a large family, it probably had to do with the need to find jobs and more opportunities.

Wilhelmina Fucks Hartmann died after they left, on August 8, 1855.  The Ortsippenbucher states she was 42 years old. There were still 3 children until 10 years old at that time.  Fortunately, their father continued for another 13 years. 

Karl Hartmann died December 21, 1868.  It is not know where either or buried, but there is only one church in the village and I know it has a cemetery.

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

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Date create: 11/14/2011
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