Notizen zu dieser Person
Julius E. Belser, the patriarch of our branch of the family in America was born on May 5, 1864 in Germany. I have seen his birth place listed both as Waiblingen and Herrenburg, but I believe Waiblingen to be correct. As a young boy of 14 he had decided on his life’s work and he began his travels across the German country side as an apprentice tinsmith. From a paper dated Heilbronn, July 31, 1878 we learn the following: “Julius Belser, apprentice, born May 5, 1864, son of Lottie Belser, single, has attained local citizenship rights and that no known hindrances stand in his way to his return”. In 1879 he received his “Arbeits Buch”, or work book. This book was carried with him as he traveled from town to town, from one master tinsmith to another, while learning his trade. The master tinsmith would record in the book the date on which the apprentice would enter his establishment, as well as the date on which he was dismissed.
The first entry in Julius’ book is dated August 14, 1881, when he arrived as a tinsmith’s helper for a Mr. Paul Durn in Heilbronn. Julius remained there for 8 months and departed on April 14, 1882. From Heilbronn he travailed to Nuertingen, where he began working on April 19, 1882 as a “worker, tinsmith’s helper”, in the shop of Wilhelm Schweiger. Julius left Mr. Schweiger’s employ there on February 3, 1883. While
traveling, the apprentice would wear special clothing, which usually included bell bottomed trousers, which would identify his as one going through an apprenticeship. It was understood that people along the way would provide them with food and shelter as they made their way from one master to another. His next and presumably last stop was in Stuttgart where he entered as a Journeyman in the establishment of H. Eipper on February 6, 1883. He is believed to have stayed there about 6 months.
On August 14, 1883 a passport was issued in Herrenberg, Kingdom of Württemberg, “for the single person, Julius Belser from Waiblingen, who travels to North America” At that time 19 year old Julius was described as of medium stature, blue eyes, light blond hair, round face, with no special markings.
On September 2, 1883 Julius boarded the Steamship ODER in Bremen bound for the United States. Among the belongings that he brought with him was an autograph book containing poems and verses penned by friends. The last entry made in the book in Germany is dated “Stuttgart, August 28, 1883”. The next entry and the first written to him in this country is dated September 19, 1883 and contains a verse signed in Lancaster, Pa. by Wilhelm Dintz. Additionally there are five entries from Lancaster in 1883 and 1884, as well as a verse written by Henry Hoffart dated August 18, 1885, in Millersville, Pa., where it is believe Julius was living at that time.
Shortly after his arrival Julius would move to Mount Joy, where he met and would later marry Anna Pietsch who was living in the neighboring village of Florin (later incorporated into the borough of Mount Joy). Julius and Anna were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mount Joy by Rev J. H. Umbenhen on October 11, 1887.
Having lived in the United States for three years, Julius filed a Declaration of Intention with the Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 1886, to become a citizen of the United States of America. On October 4, 1888, having lived in this country for the required five years and…
… “appearing to the satisfaction of the court, that during that time he had behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same; and declared on His Solemn Oath before the said court that he would Support The Constitution of the United States, and that he did absolutely and entirely Renounce and Adjure All Allegiance and Fidelity to every Foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatever, and particularly to The Emperor of Germany, his heirs and successors forever. The said Julius E. Belser was thereupon by order of the said court admitted a Citizen of the United States.”
On April 29, 1896 Julius and Royer S. Buch filed an application with the United States Patent Office for their invention of a “Milk-Heating Vat”. They received their Patent, number 573-389, on December 15, 1896
Julius and Anna’s first three children were born in Mount Joy. For reasons unknown to me the family moved to Elizabethtown in 1894. Their first residence was on Union Street, now know as College Ave. On August 20 of that year Julius became a member of Christ Lutheran Church. From that date to the present, decedents of his have had continuous membership in that congregation.
On July 18, 1898 Anna Pietsch Belser died of Typhoid fever, and was buried on July 1898 in Mount Tunnel Cemetery, Elizabethtown. On Christmas Day of that same year Julius was married to Fannie Kuhn at Christ Lutheran Church.
Fannie was one of 11 children born to John Martin and Anna Maria (Kottler/Kuttler) Kuhn. Although she was known as Fannie to everyone, the register recorded at Christ Lutheran Church at the time of her baptism on April 13, 1862, indicate that her given name was Veronica. Her other siblings and their birth years were: Rosie, 1850; Michael, 1852; Mary, 1854; Christie, 1856; Barbara, 1858; John Jr., 1860; Henry, 1864; Jacob, 1866; Fred, 1867 and Wilhelm, 1869.
As far as is known Julius traveled back to Germany only once in his life. On May 8, 1902, at the age of 38, he applied for his passport in Lancaster. He left New York on June 8, 1902 on board the Steamship “Kaiser Wilhelm the Great” The following news paper article from a german language paper in Lancaster described his departure
(Phil Clark email)
Karl
Held
