Pfeiffer and Mueller Family History information

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The Beginning that we know of right now We have not yet been able to trace the family of Ernst Pfeiffer and wife Henrietta Borchert any further back than their arrival in the United States in the early 1880's. On this page I will be documenting what information I have on the family from their departure from Germany to their settling in Minnesota and then much of the family moving on to North Dakota and Idaho.
The journey to America The following is a translated copy of a letter written describing Ernst and Henrietta's voyage from Bremerhaven, Germany. Saying Goodbye and wishing Bon Voyage, for the 23rd at 6 am we went to the railroad station. At 7:30 our train left for Bremerhafen. On our arrival, everything was overcrowded because everyone wanted to be first. Not even the police was able to help the ones that were trying to board. first came the passengers already booked, then the relatives and friends of the departing passengers. Leaving Bremerhafen was exciting and also frightening hours started. Dear sister, there we saw the mighty ships lined up next to each other, also our ship, the Ohio, the one that we started our horrible voyage across the ocean, nobody had expected. A large gangway was attatched to the ship. You should have seen the excitement going on, when we had to pass through the police line. The crying of the relatives who had accompanied the departing passenters up to that point was heartbreaking. Dear sister, it was not quite as hard on us, since we already done our crying saying good byes earlier. But seeing the rough water and the turbulence in the sky, I got a scary feeling that tried to tell me, a horrible journey lay ahead. But kept my cool, not frighten my wife, yet it proofed to be right. Getting aboard our sleeping area were assigned to us. Each family got their own. Since our friend Mueller traveled with us, he was able to stay with us dear sister. We were stacked up like sardines 2 feet wide by 3 feet high and 6 feet long one place right next to each other. At 2 o clock our ship left the harbor going into the river Weser. We kept moving till dark. Arriving at the dangerous point where the river Weser flows into the North Sea, we dropped anchor. We were all ordered to the upper deck. The captain knew that the sea sickness was going to start now. I remained always on the upper deck and watched the ship bounce around. My wife and Anna stayed with me and I held on to them. You should have seen how everybody started throwing up! My wife, Anna, and everyone else on board got sea sick. Myself, Wilhelm and our travel companion, Mueller were not affected, because we had brought a bottle along and just kept drinking. If someone had known, or the ship would have turned back, they gladly would have said goodbye to their money, but it was too late. Travelling through the North Sea, the suffering began dear sister. You would not believe when I say waves as high as houses. Our ship had a 700 hp engine. All the time we had to hold on in order not to get thrown over board.Dear sister you have probably seen pictures of a ship bouncing from side to side. We were thrown up as high as 40 or 50 feet. By storm and rain we continued our journey until December 5th. The following day we will never forget in all our lives. Despite the rain, the next morning all sails swere set and our joy was great because we were on the move again. But, during the day the winds changed and the sails had to be taken down. It got pitch dark, and the officer on the Captain's announced a dangerous storm and ordered everyone below deck. All of the Mothers and Anna went below but the two of us could not make it since we were standing too far from the entrance leading down. Dear sister, suddenly the water was above my head, and I lost my breath. Being so close to death, I wished I was with my wife and children to die at their side but could not get there. With two other guys we had to hold on for a long time before we were able to see our ship again, because it had gone down. finely the storm seized and our ship was brough up. We were still hanging on but did not know our whereabouts. Then the ship's carpenter came up on deck to lock everything up. He found us and took us below, we were totally exhausted. There the "Oh Heavens" the screaming of the women and the water had reached the room where we were staying. This is all that we have of the letter so we do not know what happened later, or who the letter was written to or sent to originally? If anyone else knows more about this, please contact me.
Biographies of Family members The following biographies were given by various family members during a WPA history and research project in the 1930's. Case workers collected and documented family stories for the local libraries and historical societies. Shannon- Anna of Daggett Brook Twnshp, husband Millard F Shannon. Inoformation given by Mr and Mrs. William Pfeiffer in October 1936 Mrs. Anna Shannon, formerly Miss Anna Pfeiffer was born in Germany, came over here in 1881, her residence being the same as Mr. pfeiffer's (they were brother and sister) She worked for two years at house work before her marriage in 1887 to Millard F. Shannon. They Settled on his homestead. Later they purchased eighty acres of land. Mr. Shannon died about six years ago, and Mrs. Shannon and her son still carry on farming. They follow general farming. They now have 40 acres of land under cultivation. The son owns also and 80 acre tract- all hayland. Mr. Shannon was born in Ohio of Scotch-Irish descent. Mrs. Shannon is German Lutheran. Mr. Shannon's parents were Harvey and Sarah Shannon of Ridgeway Ohio. He had a brother Harry who died many years ago and is buried at St. Mathias says Mrs. Shannon. Mrs. Shannon's words- My parents came from Table Prussia. My father was Ernst Pfeiffer and my Mother was Henrietta Borchert. They too are buried in the St. Mathias cemetary. Mr Shannon and I spent our honeymoon on our homestead at St. Mathias. I drove the ox-team and he held the breaking plow. That's the sort of honeymoon we had! I helped my family with their homesteads and have helped my husband with three farms. Two in St Mathias, and the one we have here at Daggett Brook. Did we do any building in the county? Yes, we built the houses, barns, etc, on all the farms. My husband was school treasurer in dist. 84. We used to drive our ox-team in and out of Brainerd on a corduroy road across the swamp leading off from 6th street. It was made of first a big log then a little one and was so rough the men couldn't stay on the wagon, so they made me drive! (Mrs. Shannon's mild blue eyes twinkle as she tells this) Mr. Shannon died in 1930 and is buried at St. Mathias. He came here in 1874. His son Claude remains on the farm with the widow Shannon. Mr. Shannon was a fine man and a good neighbor says Mr. Dudley Gordon.
Biography of Ernst and Henrietta Pfeiffer Ernst Pfeiffer biography given by Susanna Driver in June of 1936 Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Pfeiffer were born and married in Germany. They came to St. Louis, Missouri from Germany with their three children. After staying there for some time, they then went on to Michigan, and then near St. Paul, MN before locating at St. Mathias MN. They reached St Mathias via Fort Ripley as at that time St Mathias was seperated from Brainerd by a large swamp. The only way to get through was to walk. Mr. Pfeiffer filed on a homestead immediately and built his house, a log cabin near where Mr. John Miller, a man of his own nationality and who was there when he came. Since he came to the U.S. Mr. Pfeiffer had been working at odd jobs what ever he could get to do, and so to get located permanently on land he owned himself looked pretty good even though it was covered densely with timber and there were no roads or schools. In the old country he had worked on fruit farms. Therefore as quickly as possible, he prepared land and put in berry bushes. But soon the home was saddened by the death of the good, loving, and patient wife and mother, Henrietta. There was a sawmill near Fort Ripley and the early settlers sold their timber to the man who owned it in most cases. They did their trading and got their mail at Fort Ripley. Mr. Pfeiffer lived on his homestead, raised fruit and gardened until his death in 1905.
Mueller Family History Our Mueller Beginnings This page is to share our earliest beginnings, that we know of right now anyway, with the Mueller and Mayer families. The photo on the right is of our ancestor, Katherine Mayer Mueller, born August 1845, McHenry co. Illinois and died 1921 in Brainerd, MN. She was born to John Joseph Mayer and wife Susanna. We are unsure of Susanna's maiden name right now, believe it may have been Lenzen? We know that she was born in 1810 in Germany, died after moving to Owatonna area with rest of her family. She is supposedly buried in the Owatonna cemetary but they can find no records for it and think she was buried in old section and those records were damaged or destroyed. We have no information on John Joseph Mayer, only know that he was not listed with family in census records as of 1850 and no mention of him was ever made in later documents. One family story is that he died in Germany and Susanna made the journey on her own with her children, and one on the way to stay with family in Johnsburg, McHenry co., Ill. Other theories are that he left the family after their arrival in Illinois. There is burial record for a John Joseph Mayer in that area but no other information on the man is listed. What we do know is that Susanna Mayer had the following children: Ellen Mayer Heinz, eventually moved to Wisconsin, was blind, had two children, 1 boy 1 girl Mary Hines- children; Birdie, Nellie Hines White, Louise Hines Holetz, Freddie, Kate Hines Crocker Benjamin born 1829 never married, crippled in civil war, buried at Owatonna John born 1834 Margaret born 1836 married Henry Servatius in McHenry Ill. 1855, moved to Owatonna Mn, children: John, Eva Servatius Betts Christine born 1838 married John Misgen moved to Ellendale, MN children: Charles, Susan, John, Mary, August, Louis, Benjamin, Elizabeth Misgen Klecker, Effie Mayer O'keefe, Theodore, Edward, Agnes Misgen Kain Elizabeth born 1844 married John Schoen moved to Owatonna area All of the above children were born in Germany. Catherine Mayer was the last child, and only one born in United States. Catherine and John Henry Mueller were supposedly married in Chicago in 1863, but all of those records were eventually lost in the Chicago fire so we have no way of verifying it. There is a thought that possibly John Henry was married previously to Catherine and the oldest child was his by that marriage. There is a record for a John Martin Mueller born to a John Henry Mueller in June of 1863 but the Mother was not Catherine Mayer? John Martin was born 1863 Illinois died feb 1934 married Mary Duffy. Children were Leander, Evelyn, Dale. Jacob Henry December 1865 to 1939 married Mary Anna Pitts lived in Brainerd, MN. Susanna born 1866 in Owatonna MN, died November 26, 1936. moved to St Mathias area with family and married William Pfeiffer, and then eventually settled in North Dakota. Children are liste in Pfeiffer family information. Elizabeth 1867 died as infant Benjamin 1869 to 1893, died of sunstroke Frederick 1869-70 infant death Martin 1870 infant death Margaret 1871 infant death Frederick 1876 married Vivian Taylor, eventually settled in Montana Margaret 1877-1938 married Peter Remmels, remained in Brainerd. Children: John, Marie Remmels wojahofski, Katherine Remmels Herron, Raymond, Martha Remmels Hoover, and Gertrude Elizabeth 1879-1942 married Frank Ludwig, moved to International Falls. Children: Francis, Joseph, Medard, Maurice, Margaret, Mary Katherine 1881-1888 died age 8 of a stomach tumor Christine Delores (Dolly) 1884-1974 married Charles Pelkey. Children Katherine, John, Myrtle Mary 1885 still born Mary (Mayme) 1886-1979 married John Pelkey, moved to North Dakota. Children: Marie Pelkey Miller, Bernard, Evelyn Pelkey Montagne, Cecil, Martin, Cecilia Pelkey Linberg, John Jr., Laverne. Martin 1888-1918 died of influenza