Weisbach, Weißbach

Weisbach, my mother's name. The name I have tattooed on my left arm. Translated into English, it roughly means "white water."

I can only go back as far as my fifth-great-grandfather, Andreas Weißbach (or Weissbach, if you eschew the ß in favor of the double-s). The only thing I know about him is that he married my fifth-great-grandmother, Catharina Charlotta Schaffernin on 18 April 1766, at Meisenheim, Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

I'll admit it here first: I am somewhat -- if not completely -- ignorant of German geography. I know that Bavaria is in the south and Berlin is up in the north (right?), and Cologne, otherwise known as Koln, is located in the west. That is it, so if you asked me where Meisenheim is, I'd shrug my shoulders. So, I turned to my good friend, Wikipedia, to learn more: Meisenheim is located in the western part of the country and as of 2012, it had a population of 2,833. So it's a relatively small town. It also appears that 62 percent of the population there, as of 2013, were Evangelical Christians. The record I found for Andreas and Catharina hints to "Evangelisch," which I take to mean they fell into this religion. (My German is rusty. Just ask my mother....I mean, mater.)

Andreas and Catharina had at least one son, also named Andreas Weißbach, my fourth-great-grandfather, who was born 6 December 1778, and was baptized (again, in "Evangelisch") on 18 December 1778, in Meisenheim. I'm guessing since there is a twelve year gap between their marriage and the birth of Andreas, it is likely there were other children. Andreas, the younger, appears to fall under the same fate as his father, research wise, as the only thing I know about him, other than his birth and baptism information, is that he married my fourth-great-grandmother, Maria Elisabetha Schmidt, on 30 March 1812, in Meisenheim.

As the generations go by, more and more information can be found about the family. Andreas and Maria Elisabetha had at least one child, a son named Frederich Carl Weisbach, my third-great-grandfather, who was baptised in Meisenheim on 23 May 1816. (I can't find a birthdate, but it was probably in May 1816.) He was the immigrant ancestor; an immigration list says that Fredrick Weisbach, aged 21 years, arrived in New York on 14 August 1837 on the Ship Majestic. The record stated that his destination was Ohio, although it looks as though he didn't make it that far and settled in Pennsylvania instead.

On 6 October 1841, in Macungie, Pennsylvania, Frederich married my third-great-grandmother, Louisa Garden. Census records state that Louisa (or Lucetta in some records, or Louisette according to the gravestone of her daughter) was born around 1821 in Pennsylvania, and that her parents were also born in Pennsylvania. I find her surname to be intriguing, and I don't know why. It's just a feeling I get when I hear it. I can't find any more information on her parents, whom I have recorded as Mr. and Mrs. Garden. When I searched the United States Federal Census (1830) for any Garden families, I found a household headed by a John Garden, who lived in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. In this household was a nine-year-old girl -- unfortunately in 1830, U.S. censuses were not specific in regards to names and other information and instead just listed the genders and ages of household members. Longswamp Township, Berks County, borders the Macungie area, so it is possible that Louisa belonged to this family.

Frederich and Louisa had at least three children:

1. Maria A., born 21 March 1842. She died the day after her first birthday, on 22 March 1843, and was buried in Saint Paul's UCC Cemetery, in Trexlertown.
2. Charles Frederich, my great-great-grandfather, born 20 April 1852.
3. Rosa, born in 1857. She died 22 April 1938.

• I am intrigued by the ten-year gap between the birth of Maria and Charles. Were there more children? Was the loss of their infant daughter so great that they mourned for ten years before trying for another child?

Frederich and Louisa cannot be found in the United States Federal Census (1850), but in the next census, from 1860, it lists them as living in Allentown, Pennsylvania (Macungie is a suburb of Allentown), in the First Ward. Frederic was recorded as being a laborer with $100 in personal estate, and that his birthplace was "Meisenheim."

From 5 September 1861 to 24 September 1864, Frederich was a Private in Company G, in the 47th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil War.

The United States Federal Census (1870) listed the "Weissbach" family as still living in the First Ward of Allentown, although it is unknown if they were still at the same address as in 1860. This census, however, offers more insight. For starters, it noted that the family -- Frederich and Louisa, along with their children, 18-year-old Charles and 13-year-old Rosa, could not read or write. It is possible that the census may have eluded to the English language and that Frederich, who had immigrated as a young man, may be more well-versed in the German language. The census now says that he is from "Prussia," and that he is a "Worker in R. Mill," while his son, Charles, is a worker in a foundry. It also notes that Frederich's parents are foreign born, and that Charles and Rosa's father is foreign born, thus again stating that Louisa was American-born, as were her parents, the aforementioned Mr. and Mrs. Garden.

The United States Federal Census (1880), which again lists Frederich "Weissbach" as being Prussian-born (as well as his parents), shows that by this time, the household was just Frederich, a laborer, and Louisa (or Lucetta, as the censuses appear to call her.), who kept house. The census is more specific in regards to their address; the Weisbach's were living on Third Street.

A census of the U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, dated 1882, stated that Frederich was admitted to the home, in Hampton, Virginia, on 19 October 1882, at the age of 66. His disability was recorded as "rheumation" It appears that Frederich remained living there for the rest of his life, which would end on 23 April 1894, due to senile debility and disease of the heart.

His son, Charles, my great-great-grandfather, had remained in Allentown. He married my great-great-grandmother, Mary Jane Osman (Osmun), on 22 October 1872, in Allentown. He was 20, and she was seventeen. She was born 17 September 1855, in Pennsylvania. Mary was the daughter of Tilghman and Amelia Osman/Osmun, and the family had also lived in Allentown.   [Check back, as I will write an entry on the Osman/Osmun family.]

Charles and Mary Jane made their home in Allentown. They had the following children:

1. Tilghman Charles, my great-grandfather, born in April 1875.
2. Bertha, born around 1878. She married a Mr. Magee.
3. Henry, born 28 January 1878. He died 6 November 1882, and was buried in the Union-West End Cemetery, Allentown.
4. Edgar, born around 1881 or 1882.

• There was a Claude W. Weisbach, who was born 10 June 1889 and died 25 August 1894, who was buried in the Union-West End Cemetery. Seeing as the only Weisbach family buried there was Charles', is it possible that Claude was another of their children?

 

The United States Federal Census (1880) stated that the Charles Weisbach family lived at 135 Sixth Street, Allentown. (There is now a North Sixth Street and a South Sixth Street, so it is difficult to locate this address accurately.) Charles, aged 29, was a worker in a foundry, while Mary, age 23, kept home with the three children.

Allentown city directories helped form an important part of research as this gave me insight on where and when Charles and Mary lived. It appears that while Charles and Mary moved around a lot, they remained in Hamilton District neighborhood, located in the south central part of Allentown:

• 1887 - Charles, a moulder, and Mary lived at 434 Willow Street
• 1889 - Charles, a moulder, lived at 528 Hickory Street
• 1890 - Charles, a moulder, lived at 528 Hickory Street
• 1894 - Charles, a moulder, and Mary, lived at 121 South Sixth Street.
• 1895 - Charles and Mary lived at 121 South Sixth Street

Between 1895 and 1900, Charles and Mary were divorced. The United States Federal Census (1900) listed Charles as being a 48-year-old moulder who was divorced and boarding at the home of Samuel and Mary Kemmerer, located at 513 Chestnut Street, in the Hamilton District. Curiously, in the same census, I find his ex-wife, Mary Weisbach, who is listed in the census as being a 45-year-old widow! Again, like Charles, Mary remained a few blocks away from their previous residence. Mary and her son, Edgar, lived at 923 Hamilton Street. (Judging by the number of households living at this address in 1900, I am presuming that this was an apartment building. The building is now home to a pawn shop, but it is a five or six story building, which appears to accommodate apartments.) Also interestingly enough, the census stated that Mary had only one child, who was also living: Edgar. (There is no mention of Tilghman, Bertha or Henry; even as they were adults, they would still be mentioned. Odd.) Mary was stated as working as a mender at a knitting mill. She would die later that year, on 21 November 1900. (While I do not have a copy of the obituary, I remember reading it once and it stated that Mary had suffered from headaches and had collapsed at the factory, where she died.) Mary was buried in the Union-West End Cemetery, Allentown.

On 30 May 1901, Charles married his second wife, Savannah Fietta Ibach. Savannah was born 30 November 1866, the daughter of William and Mary Ibach. Savannah was, like Charles, a divorcee; the United States Federal Census (1900) listed Savannah as being a 30-year-old divorced woman living with her sister, Carrie Ibach, at 321 North Law Street, Allentown. She had one child, although this child was not living with her in Allentown.

Charles and Savannah had one daughter:

1. Marian, born around 1904.

In 1903, Charles and Savannah lived at 321 North Law (the same residence where Savannah lived with her sister in 1900). Charles' occupation was listed as moulder. Also living in the household was his daughter, Bertha, a silk worker. The United States Federal Census (1920) listed Charles and Savannah as living at 514 Pine Street. In addition to their daughter, Marian, the family had a boarder, 25-year-old Charles P. Raine.

Savannah died 6 July 1922, and was buried in the Union-West End Cemetery, Allentown. Charles survived her  by eight months before he died, on 28 March 1923, and was buried next to Savannah.

The eldest of Charles and Mary (Osman) Weisbach's children, Tilghman was raised in Allentown. In 1894, Tilghman was working as a wire worker and living at 121 South 6th Street.

He was first married to  Lillie E. Trumbauer, around 1896. [The United States Federal Census (1910) stated that Tilghman had been married for 14 years.]. Lillian was born 13 May 1876, the daughter of Franklin John and Emma Matilda (George) Trumbauer.

Tilghman and Lillie had the following children:

1. Arthur Stanley, born around 1898 or 1899.
2. Lillian M., born in 1900 and died in 1992. She married a Mr. Merkle and had three children.
3. Warren Tillman, baptized 20 August 1903 at the Asbury United Methodist Church, in Allentown. He died sometime before 1910.
4. ?, died in infancy or early childhood; died before 1910.
5. ?, died in infancy or early childhood; died before 1910. The United States Federal Census (1910) stated that Tilghman had five children, only two of which were living; those living children were Arthur and Lillian, so the remaining three were Warren and the two other unknown children who died before 1910.
6. Carlton John, born 27 April 1910, and baptized 11 March 1917 at Salem United Church of Christ, Allentown.
7. Frederick Charles, born 8 October 1912, and baptized 11 March 1917 at Salem United Church of Christ, Allentown.

Like his father, it appears that Tilghman did not stay living at the same place for too long, as city directories give a variety of addresses for him:

• 1901 - Tilghman, a silk worker, and Lillie lived at 441 North 8th Street, rear, Allentown.
• 1906 - Tilghman, a laborer, lived in the Emaus borough.
• 1907 - Tilghman, a moulder, and Lillie lived at 1149 Lawrence.

Tilghman, Lillie, and their children Arthur and Lillian, lived at 362 North 3rd Street, Allentown, according to the city directory from 1903. Tilghman was listed as being a "silk worker." The United States Federal Census (1910) says that while Tilghman, a moulder in a brass foundry, is listed as being married, he was not living with his wife. Instead, he was a boarder at the home of Violet Dougherty, at 18 South Eighth Street, Allentown. If this was a separation, Tilghman and Lillie were apparently reconcilled as two more children were born to them. However, in 1914, they were divorced.

In 1915, Tilghman was working as a silk weaver and living at 910 Maple Street, Allentown.

Tilghman married his second wife, Ida Caroline Holland, my great-grandmother, on 18 February 1918. Ida was born 11 January 1887, the daughter of Jeremiah and Ellamanda (Kurtz) Holland. [I will be writing entries on the Holland and Kurtz families.] Like her husband, Ida was a divorcee. Her first husband was Leo Zanazzi, an Italian, whom she married in 1905. They had two daughters, Alma, and a daughter who died at birth. They were separated in 1908, but were not legally divorced until 1917. During their separation, Alma was living in a common-law marriage with a man named Nelson Prutzman, and from this union, she had a daughter, Claire. (While Alma went by Zanazzi, Claire used Weisbach as her surname.)

Tilghman and Ida had two children:

1. a daughter, who was born in July 1918 and died at birth.
2. Charles George, my grandfather, born 26 November 1921. 

When Tilghman enlisted to serve during World War I, in September 1918, he recorded his address as "12th Street, Catasauqua." He gave "ribbon weaver" as his occupation, and his employer was the Allentown Silk Company.
The United States Federal Census (1920) stated that Tilghman and Ida were living in rented accomodations at 524 Race Street, Catasauqua. Tilghman and Ida were both listed as being silk weavers.

The City Directories show that Tilghman and Ida moved around:

• 1919 - Tilghman, a ribbon weaver, and Ida, lived at 408 Race Street, Catasauqua.
• 1924 - Tilghman, a silk worker, and Ida lived at 123 North 7th Street, Allentown.
• 1925 - Tilghman, a ribbon weaver, and Ida, lived at 216 North Church, Allentown.
• 1926 - Tilghman, a janitor, and Ida lived at 216 North Church.
• 1928 - Tilghman, a silk weaver, and Ida lived at 216 North Church.

My grandfather recalled that his mother became sick -- possibly with what sounds like sinus cancer -- and entered the hospital (Allentown General Hospital) where she died on 16 January 1929, just five days after her 42nd birthday. She was buried in the Schoenersville Cemetery. After Ida's death, my grandfather recalled, Tilghman developed a mistrust of doctors. Tilghman remained living in Allentown.  A city directory from 1929 and the United States Federal Census (1930) stated that Tilghman, a silk weaver, lived at 436 Chew Street. In 1945, and from 1947 to 1949, Tilghman lived at 625 Turner Street and worked as a shuttle worker. He died in October 1953, and was buried next to Ida.