Notizen zu dieser Person
BIOGRAPHIE: Passenger List: GROSSMANN, Jos 48, Barbara, 38, Elizabeth 15, Franziska 16, Anton 4, Mag. 2, Baby 7/12, BREMEN 25 May 1868 Joseph Grossmann (Josef Großmann) and Katharina Zischka and Barbara Stadelbeck
Note:
Joseph Grossmann was born on 16 December 1819 at House #6 in Muttersdorf, a market village in the foothills of the beautiful "Böhmerwald" the Bohemian Forest. Bohemia was then a Crown Province of the Austrian Empire. The Bohemian Forest is a band of beautifully wooded low mountains on the western border of the present day Czech Republic. Joseph was the son of George Grossmann of Muttersdorf and Gertrude Löberl of Metzling. Joseph came from a long line of wealthy millers from Muttersdorf. His family had operated the Lord's Mill (Herrenmühle) for many generations dating back to Mathias Grossmann in 1644. The family had originated in the neighboring milling village of Scwanenbrückl. In 1831 George Grossmann divided the double farmstead#6 Spörlhof into two farmsteads. The eastern half of 18 joch he sold to son Josepf Grossmann for 1000 gulden. The other half was sold to daughter Franziska and her husband Mathias Sellner who built house #144 Tischlermühle on the property. This double farmstead was the largest in Muttersdorf. On 23 April 1839 Joseph Grossmann married Katharina Zischka of House #52 in Muttersdorf. They were married in the Church of St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Muttersdorf. Katharina was the daughter of Johan Zischka and Elizabeth Sellner Spörl. Three children were born of this union, George born 6 Dec. 1840, Franziska born 18 Jan. 1852 and Elizabeth born in 1853. On the fifth of September 1859 Joseph's wife Katharina died. He then married Barbara Stadelbeck who was born in Muttersdorf on 16 Aug. 1831. From this union a son Anton was born on 6 Aug. 1864 and Margareta was born 31 Mar. 1866. In 1866 George, then 20 years old, left for America. George being the eldest son, was sent ahead to find a suitable home for the family .He first spent a few months in Milwaukee, a city with a large German population, and then traveled on to Mankato, Minnesota by rail and riverboat up the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. From Mankato he walked the remaining twenty-six miles to New Ulm. There were already living in the New Ulm area, numerous families that had emigrated from the Muttersdorf area as early as 1856. By 1862 the flow of immigrants to this area had been halted by the Civil War and the Sioux Indian Uprising, but by 1866 the War had ended and the flow of immigrants began anew to the Minnesota frontier. In the Spring of 1868 the remainder of the family also left Muttersdorf and arrived in the port of New York on May twentyfiftof that year. Joseph's brother Edward located in Chicago and started a clothing store at 178 State St. "Exclusive Clothier and Fur House". Joseph was 48 years old, his wife Barbara 35, and their four children Franziska age 16, Elizabeth 15, Anton 5 and Margareta 3 years old and a seven month old baby. This young child must have died shortly after arrival because no futher records can be found. The family first found a farm in Linden Township, Brown County, Minnesota just south of Searles. In 1869 Franz was born and in 1870 Wilhelm was born. In reality, Joseph Grossmann fathered two very different families. George, Franziska, and Elizabeth were raised in a very cultured environment of wealthy landed gentry. They developed very expensive tastes in food and clothing. Their mother Katharina Zischka died shortly after Elizabeth was born and the children were raised by Joseph's parents who were of some means. Anton, Margareta, Franz and Wilhelm were the children of Joseph's second wife Barbara Stadelbeck. They did not develop the refined tastes of their half-brothers and sisters. In fact they were know to live a rather "Bohemian " existence probably influenced by their mother's peasant background. On 13 June 1868, George married Maria Hogen of New Ulm who was also a native of Muttersdorf born on 13 June 1844. They also farmed in Linden Township until 1892 when they moved to New Ulm. The issue of this marriage was three children who died in infancy. They later adopted a son also named George. Maria died in 1912, George Sr. in 1905. On 3 Feb. 1872 Franziska then 20 years old married George Rewitzer a native of Neubäu, Bohemia, a very small village in the hills not far fromMuttersdorf. They established a farm in Sigel Township and had eight children. In later life they retired to Sleepy where Franziska died on 6 March 1925. George died in the home of his daughter in New Ulm on 6 August 1932. Elizabeth married Johan Rewitzer, no know relation of George Rewitzer, on 5 March 1893 and moved to New Ulm. They had four children. Elizabeth died 19 Feb. 1910 and Johann in 1944. According to the 1880 Agricultural Census, Joseph had 29 acres under cultivation and 51 acres of pasture land. he had 5 acres of corn, 4 acres of oats, 20 acres of wheat and a 1/4 acre potato garden.. He had 3 horses, 5 milk cows, 5 beef cattle, 2 pigs, and 40 chickens. He produced 100 lbs. of butter. His property was valued at $700, his, farm implements at $300, and his live stock at $150. His total farm production for the year was valued at $200. Joseph Grossmann remained on the farm in section 24, Cottonwood Township with his wife Barbara, and their four children, Anton, Margareta, Franz and Wilhelm until sometime before 1900 when he moved in with the George Rewitzer family in Sigel. He died there on 19 December 1903 at the age of 84 and is buried on the Rewitzer lot in St. Mary's cemetery in Sleepy Eye. Margareta lived in New York for a number of years but returned to the homestead in 1916 when her mother Barbara died. Barbara is buried in the buried Catholic cemetery near Searles. Anton, Margareta, Franz and Wilhelm never married and continued to live a rather "Bohemian" existence on the farm until they died, Wilhelm in 1921, Margareta and Franz in 1936, and Anton in 1937
Note:
The Spoerlhoef in Muttersdorf in the lights of Land Registers between 1808 to 1860s. The Grossmanns were rather rich and belonged to the esteemed people in Muttersdorf. Franz Grossmann was Georgs Grossmann father. Georg had one sister, Maximilliana, who seems to have remained single until her death.
Note:
The farmstead belonged to the biggest in Muttersdorf. Alltogether 37 Jochs and 317 sq. Klafters (fathom, 1600 sq.Klafter = 1 Joch) (i.e. about 53,5 acres) of fields (28 948/1600 Jochs) and meadows (8 969/1600 Jochs) belonged to the "Spoerlhof". In 1808 the "Hof", called also "Doppelhof "- double farmstead, was evaluated at 2500 guldens in silver currency (so called Conventional currency, Conventions=Munze, or Waehrung, abbrev. CM or CW).
Note:
The most farmers in a Bohemian village were so called "Halbhufers", i.e. half-farmers with a medium area of their fields up to 15 Jochs. Larger farmers were "Fullhufners", whole-farmers with about 25 - 30 Jochs of land. If the Grossmanns owned about 37 Jochs of lands, it means, that they had 4 times more possession than their neighbors. And we do not speak about a village poor or craftsmen. A half farm (and bigger) was the only that could have secured the sustenance for the farmers family, could have met their needs by the total agricultural output. Only these farm units can be considered as economically sufficient. To compare the Spoerlhofs price of 2500 guldens with other full- and half-farms, this price was three or four times higher. Fullfarms were between 600 - 900 guldens, half-farms about 400 - 500 guldens. Even more, the Natschatins house No. 13 of Anton Helget was worth 200 guldens only in 1810 and Trohatins farm of Josef Georg Kiefner (No. 30) in 1818 was 320 guldens CM and both belonged among poor people. The purchasing contract between the father Franz Grossmann and his son Georg Grossmann was dated July 17, 1808. The price was, as we mentioned already, 2500 guldens, of which 2000 guldens were paid in cash, and 500 guldens remained to be paid at fathers request later, which included the inheritance part of the sellers daughter Maxmilliana. It seems, at the time of transfer, there were no debts and liabilities connected with the house. The father reserved for himself 1/3 of the crop production of that year, as well has 1/3 of fodder, the dwelling for himself in the upper part of the house and place in cellar, stable, and barn. Then he requested each year four strichs (1 strich = 93,5 litres) wheat, 5 strichs rye, 3 strichs barley, one "Viertl" (= 1 quarter of strich) oats, 3 strichs potatoes, 2 kraut-beds in the "langen Feld", 2 Viertels of flax-yarn, 10 sack of hay and second-hay (aftergrass), some bunches straw and fodder straw etc etc.
Note:
The price included two pairs of oxen, one cow, one swine, 6 pcs. sheep, further two wagons or carts, 3 ploughs, and other house and farm equipment.
Note:
In 1831 the farmstead was divided into two parts. The contract was concluded on the 8th May, 1831 between Georg Grossmann, his wife Gertrude on the one side and Mathias Sellner and his future bride Franziska Grossmann on the other side. Mathias was son of Martin Sellner of Haselberg (now Liskovec) on the estate Grafenried, It seems that the house, the farm and individual plots were divided only ideally, and not physically.
Note:
The total amount of the sold area was 13 Jochs 474 sq.-Klafters of fields and 4 Jochs 480 sq.-Klafters of meadows. The price of one half of the divided estate was 800 guldens, of which sum the buyers had to pay 360 guldens immediately after the wedding and 240 guldens within a year. Georg Grossmann still owed to pay 200 guldens to his sister Maxmilliana and this obligation was now on Mathias Sellner and his young bride. The buyers were to provide dwelling for sellers old parents Franz and Catharina Grossmann, who were still alive. The seller reserved for himself annually a part of the crop as follows: 1 strich wheat, 2 strichs rye, 1 strich barley, 1 quarter oats, further kraut-beds, flax-yarn a part of fruit harvest, as well as hay and after grass, and straw for similar conditions and quantities as he himself had provided to his father 23 years ago. The Sellners becam owner of two tow-oxen, two tree-year-old oxen, one cow, one calf, one sow, two pcs. sheep, one wagon and a plough. Since the house was shared by both parties, the seller and the buyer confirmed, they would allow a free access to the house for the other party. In case of extinction of either family, the remaining party would have the right of succession on the other half of the divided farm having paid only 150 guldens.
Note:
In 1839 (4.April) father George assigned the farmstead to his son Josef Grossmann and his bride Katharina Zischka, but "... jedoch nur die Halfte aus der Ansache, weil selben die andere halfte der Mathias und Franziska Sellner gemass Kontrakt vom 8. Marz 1831 ubergeben hat..." (but only the half of the farmstead, because the same sold the other half to Mathias and Franziska Sellner as per contract of March 8, 1831) for 1000 guldens C.W. with the landlots in total area of 13 Jochs 474 sq.Klf. fields and 4 Jochs 480 1/2 sq. Klf. meadows. The area was the same as that sold to the Sellners, even the plot numbers (Parzellen Nummer) correspond to each other. It is the proof, that the farm was divided only ideally and both families shared the farm together.
Note:
It looks like there were problems with the regional office in Klatovy. They did not want to allow the splitting of the original farm. In fact, until 1869 the division of agrarian farms among more heirs was not allowed in general according to the Law. The Sellners bought 1/2 of the original holding in 1831. The young Grossmanns did the same in 1839. But only as soon as in 1845 the Sellners asked to incorporate their purchase and to settle the whole matter in order. The record says: " uns sodann wieder rueckstellen lassen" - ... and let us to be appointed again. But this record is incorporated on pages in the Land register, where the other half of the farm (i.e. the one, sold in 1839) is referred to. As if they received the part, having been sold to Josef Grossmann in 1839. And - Josef Grossmann and his wife are disappearing from the records until 1867 (1862) completely, when Josef Grossmann (!? - not Sellner as you assumed) had a new house No. 144 built. And to this house he bought some plots, originally belonging to his own part of the farm. The other part of the estate (original Sellners part) was in 1840 heavily in debts, was even mortgaged. In 1850 this part was sold to Georg Sellner (probably Mathiass brother). According to this, in 1850 the Grossmanns part was owned by Mathias Sellner and his wife, the original Sellnerspart was in hands of Georg Selnner. And it looks like the Josefs Grossmann family were without any property that time. Josef - as mentioned already, is building a new house only ten years later. And in 1867 he sells everything. I tried to put all the records into the following table. I would be glad if you make your own standpoint, what has happened in Spoerlhof. It corresponds with your information, regarding the nature of Katerinas Zischka children, against the nature of the remaining children from the second marriage. But, to tell the truth, I have never found any sign, that Josef Grossmann was a debtor. Only the Sellners.
Note:
** The records in land register confirm, that serious economic problems occurred in 1860s in Grossmanns and Sellners families, which later led to the emigration. In parentheses there are references to various books (Oligation Book, Book of Recipts, Source Book).
Manfred
Kolbeck
