German Settlement of the Cole Camp Area

(Northeast Benton County, Missouri and adjacent parts of Morgan and Pettis Counties)



THE FIRST ARRIVALS

Benton County was surveyed and sectionalized in 1836, and in 1837, new German immigrants
Henry Gehrs, John Gerken,  Henry Holtzen,  and Conrad Ringen entered land in the Lake Creek area of
northeast Benton County.  By end of October 1839, Gesche and John Boeschen, John Eifert, Peter Gerken,
Oelrich Jagels, Gesche Mueller and son Peter, and Jacob Timken and son John had joined them.  Also
arriving in the spring of 1839 were John Knoop and his sons-in-law Claus Albers and Peter Ficken, who
each purchased U. S. land in the Williams Creek area south of above. Others who arrived before 1840
were Claus Boeschen, Christoph Gerlt, Cord Meyer, Henry Windler, and Cord Mueller. These were
Lutheran families from the Kingdom of Hanover, and that continued to be the origin of most Cole 
Camp area immigrants, although there were smaller groups of Catholics from the Rhineland, and 
others from varied areas of Germany, Austria, France, and Poland. 
*In 1850, the Benton County census listed about forty German-born families, and the settlement 
extended into southeast Pettis County and northwest Morgan County.  By 1860, there were almost 
600 German families, and later arrivals probably found the best lands and opportunities taken, as at 
least six of the families who arrived in 1857 were in the Concordia area of Lafayette County by 1870.


*The 1850 Benton County census enumerators erroneously listed many Williams Township families in 
Cole and White Townships,  and the Claus and John Mahnken families were recorded in both White 
and Williams Townships.


Anyone with documented proof of German ancestry can research how to get German citizenship by descent. 
If your ancestors hail from the German province of Hanover, you may want to visit the German Immigrant 
Memorial in Cole Camp, Missouri.


Descriptions of Early Life in the Settlement



THE CIVIL WAR

The dawning of the Civil War had a sudden and lasting impact upon these immigrant families.  Most of central and
southern Benton County families were from southern states, and many were slave owners, whereas the German families
supported the Union. Confederate forces rallied in the Warsaw area, and a "German Regiment" was mustered in the
Cole Camp area. The page linked below outlines the result:

Benton County Home Guards (aka German Regiment)



IMMIGRATION ROUTES & SHIPS

                                                                       
Some of the earliest entered the United States at the Port of Baltimore:
The John Gerlach Bruehl family arrived there 1 December 1835 on the Johannes from Bremen.
Claus Albers, Peter Ficken, and the John Knoop family arrived Baltimore 1836 and 1838, and were in Cincinnati 
before continuing west to Missouri in spring of 1839.  Christoph Gerlt and the John and Peter Gerken, Henry Holtzen,
Henry Goehrs, and Peter Knoop families arrived at Baltimore on the Bremen ship Charles Ferdinand
4 August 1837.  Henry Jagels and the Joachim Gruben and John Meyer families arrived there on
 the ship Apollo from Bremen 13 August 1842.
 
Others came more directly through the Port of New Orleans, and several of the earliest arrived there on the ship Sophie
from Bremen 12 November 1838:  They included families of Claus and John Boeschen, John Henry Gefken, Oelrich Jagels, John Henry Papen,
Jacob Timken, and Henry Windler, and singles William Behrens, Dietrich Bremer, Claus Oelrichs.

Arriving New Orleans 30 November 1839 on the Julia from Bremen: Louis Kahrs, Cord Meyer, Henry and 
John Ohlrogge families; Mary Kahrs, Gesche Blohm (dau of John H & Gesche Blohm, next list).

Arriving New Orleans 24 December 1840 on the Iris from Bremen: John Henry & Gesche Blohm 
with son-in-law and daughter Henry & Becke (Blohm) Gehlken, brothers Cord & Peter Kahrs and Cord's sons 
Herman & John Kahrs, John Joachim Kruse, John Henry Luetjen families, and Frederick Wahlers.

Arriving New Orleans 23 December 1844  on the Astracan from Bremen:  Henry Beckman, 
Dorothea Dammann, Herman Henry Heimsoth,  Christopher Hesse, Cord Henry Koester  families, and 
John Henry Rotermund.  (The Hesse and Rotermund families settled first in Jefferson County, Missouri 
and moved to Lincoln area of Benton County in 1854 and 1855) Dorothea Dammann's parents died 
at sea and she was raised by the Beckmann family.


One of the largest group of families and individuals headed for Cole Camp area were those on the Eliza Thornton from Bremerhaven, 
arriving New Orleans 30 October 1845: Families - Henry Balke, Claus Henry Brockman, Henry Bruenjes, Melchor Bruenjes, 
Diedrich Brunkhorst, Anton Ehlers, Barthol Gestman, Lutje Grother, Henry Loeden, John Mein, John Henry Meyer, Hein Miesner,
William Schluesing, and John Willman.  Singles -  Henry Albers, Gerd Bremer, John Bremer, and John Henry Ratje.

Arriving New Orleans 18 June 1852 on the Uhland from Bremen: 
William Martens, Louis Meyer, and Frederick Nolting families; Wilhelmina Dieckmann, 
Fritz and William Fischer, Louis Koch, August Munsterman, Henry Nolting, and Frederick Wassman. 

Arriving New Orleans 8 November 1852 on the Eberhard from Bremen: Juergen Buchholz family, 
Cord & John Gehrken and Cord & John Schnakenberg families, Cord Sporing family, Anna Borchers.

Arriving New Orleans 13 June 1853 on the Ernst Moritz Arndt from Bremen: Cord and Henry Aldag, 
Joachim Mathias, Peter Reck families, and singles Diedrich Mueller, Nicolaus Von Minden.

Arriving New Orleans 12 October 1853 on the H. von Gagern from Bremen: 
Jacob Cordes, John Ehlers, John Mangels, and  Berend Witte families, and Henry Albers, Cord Ehlers, Beta Haase, John Koenke.

Arriving New Orleans 23 December 1853 on the Monmouth from Bremen: Claus Boerger, 
*John Buck, Claus Goosen, Harm Hesse, John Henry Imbusch, Henry Schumacher, Henry Tiedemann, 
Joachim Wichmann families; Frederick Tietjen, Rebecca Engelke. 
*Both parents and an infant sister died at sea, and survivors Henry & Anna were raised by their uncle, Gerd Buck.

Arriving New Orleans 1 June 1854 on the Adonis from Bremen:  Frederick Fischer, Frederick Kipp, 
Christian Loges, Louis Martens, Frederick Munsterman families, and Henry Bultemeier, Fredericka Tagtmeyer, 
Frederick and Herman Wittrock.

Arriving New Orleans 25 November 1857 on the D. H. Watjen from Bremen: Henry Brunjes, 
Cord & John Gieschen, Martin Grimm, Henry & Adelheid Grother, Herman Hoehns, Frederick Junge, 
John H. Junge, Frederick Kueck, John H. Kueck, John H. Lackman, Gevert & Hedwig Luetjen, 
Herman Luetjen, Paul Martens, Carl Noack, widow Catharine Adelheid Otten and children, 
Cord Ringen, William Schuman, and Claus Vogts.
 
Arriving New Orleans 5 November 1859 on the Magdalene from Bremen: John and Claus Becker families, 
Diedrich Bellman, Henry Bohling and Claus Duden families, Martin Gerken, Frederick Grabau, Margaret Krenzel, 
Cord Meyer, Henry Prigge, Henry Renken, Claus Schroeder Sr and Jr, Diedrich Stelling.

Others from Bremen to New Orleans:

18 December 1838 -- Caledonia --*Gesche Mueller & sons Peter and John Henry.
21 January 1839 -- Olbers -- Emil J. M. Wege -- first pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1842-55.
27 May 1842 -- Diana -- Louis Granneman.
16 December 1844 -- Trenton -- Henry Ebeling family.
3 June 1845 -- Diana -- Frederick Bischoff family.
3 July 1846 -- Charles Ferdinand -- Frederick William Keseman.
3 November 1846 -- Alesto -- John Henry Beckman and John Hink families.
14 December 1846 -- Constantine -- John Frederick Feldman family.
18 November 1847 -- Kepler -- Herman "Sea" Harms and Herman Henry Viebrock families.
6 January 1848 -- Itzstein & Welcker -- Henry & Metta Grother family.
24 July 1848 -- Hannibal -- Jacob Staus.
11 December 1848 -- Itzstein & Welcker -- Frederick Bahrenburg, Cord Bohling, Herman Haase, Peter Holtzen families.
22 December 1848 -- Uhland -- Oelrich Meyer family and Henry Peters.
30 November 1849 -- Kepler -- George Frederick Bockelman family.
4 June 1850 -- Ernestine -- Herman Henry Harms and Harm Hinken families.
25 November 1850 -- President Smidt -- Louis Kunolt (went first to Texas and St Louis, moved to Benton Co. late 1850s).
29 November 1850 -- Martha -- Henry Kracke family and stepson Martin Monsees (Henry died at sea).
4 November 1851 -- Rebecca -- Claus and John Harms, Berend and John Schnakenberg.
10 May 1852 -- Ernestine -- Bernhard Schutte family.  
16 June 1852 -- Uhland -- William Martens and Louis Meyer families
21 October 1852 -- Louisiana -- Adolph and Gerd Cordes families.
26 October 1852 -- Heinrich -- John Peter Bahner, Daniel Hahn, and Daniel Meyer families. 
27 October 1852 -- President Smidt -- Gerd Buck, Hans Henry Eckhoff families; Jacob Henry Kroenke.
29 November 1852 -- Uhland -- Frederick Steinbrink family and Bernhard Luebbert
30 November 1852 -- Johann Schmidt -- John Wrieden family.
7 May 1853 -- Louisiana -- Henry Kerksiek and Frederick Koch families; August Oehrke, Fredericke Sievers.
12 May 1853 -- Heinrich von Gagern -- Frederick Gersting  family.
2 November 1853 -- Leonidas -- Henry and Diedrich & Dorothea Wiechen.
7 November 1853 -- Ella -- Henry Luetjen family.
16 January 1854 -- Fides -- John George Johannes, William Tagtmeyer, Louis Thielke families.
8 November 1854 -- Ernst Moritz Arndt -- Jurgen & Margaret Borchers;  John Alpers  and Claus Mueller families.
18 November 1854 -- Anna Delius -- Henry F.  Beckman and Henry Priesmeyer families (Beckman Sr. died at sea).
28 November 1854 -- Admiral -- Claus Ahlf, John & Beta Harms families; Frederick Krenzel.
16 October 1855 -- Hermann -- Claus Brandt and John Warnke families.
5 November 1855 -- Anna Delius -- Frederick Pape family.
19 November 1855 -- Bessel -- John Knoop (born 1841, later moved to Lafayette Co. and Kansas).
22 November 1855 -- Auguste -- Henry & Gesche Hesse family. (moved to Kansas late 1860s, spelled name Hess there).
16 December 1856 -- Neptune -- Frederick Hagedorn family.
19 May 1857 -- Anna Delius -- William Finkeldei family.  
13 October 1857 -- Hermann -- John Ehrichs, John F. Hagenah families, Claus Viets.
6 November 1857 -- Anna Delius -- Henry Bammann, Peter H. Harms families, and Joachim Klindworth, Meta Tiemann.
7 November 1857 -- Olbers -- John Ahrens, Adolph Ohrenberg.
24 May 1858 -- Eberhard -- John Henry Doescher family; Martin & Dorothea Hennemeyer.
31 May 1858 -- Bremen -- John Borchers.    
16 October 1858 -- Anna Delius -- Claus Blanken, Claus Pregge.
15 November 1858 -- E. F. Gabain -- John H. Cordes, Christian Meyer families; Herman Blanken, Diedrich Kellner, John Thonhoff.
20 November 1858 -- Sirius -- John Henry Ficken family, and  Christian, Gesche, Anna Elisabeth Bergman.
27 December 1858 -- H von Gagern --Paul Wnuk family.
17 November 1859 -- Albert -- Henry Boettjer, Peter Gehrken, Herman Semken, Henry Viets families.
25 November 1859 -- Goschen -- John Blanken family; Peter Bergman.
29 October 1860 -- Magdalene -- Christian Brandes, Claus Haase, John D. Wiese families and Frederick Boettjer.
29 October 1860 -- Senator Iken -- John Peter Holsten.
22 October 1866 -- Carl -- John Wilshusen family; Cord & Thees Brandt, William Roehling, Henry Tambke, Henry Wienberg.
29 November 1866 -- Auguste -- Henry & Katherine (Engelke) Bruenjes family.
1 December 1866 -- Arracan -- Conrad Jacobson and Cord Koehnken families.
3 December 1866 -- Ocean -- Henry Wischmeier and sister Christine Wilhelmina.
28 October 1867 -- Hedwig -- Diedrich Buerke family.
9 November 1867 -- Astronom -- Henry Jung (Young) family.
30 November 1869 -- Hermine -- Wilken Koenke family, Cord & Rebecca Meyer and son John H. Meyer.
1 December 1871 -- New York -- John P. A. Kohrs family.
18 May 1872 -- Frankfurt -- Henry Rosebrock.

*Gesche's son Cord Mueller, twin of John Henry, arrived New York 4 October 1837 on the
Isabella from Bremen. He joined them in Benton County 1839, then to Pettis County 1840s, and to Morgan County 1850s. 


Arrivals and departures other ports:
2nd Quarter 1836 --Unknown -- Peter Ficken and Claus Albers -- Baltimore from Bremen.
30 August 1836 -- Henriette -- George H. Goetze family, Louis Momberg -- New York from Hamburg.
2nd Quarter 1838 --Unknown -- John Knoop family  -- Baltimore from Bremen.
22 July 1841 -- Elard -- Henry & Anna Otten family -- New York from Bremen.
2 July 1842 -- Caroline -- Theodore Hucker and Henry Schroeder families -- New York from Bremen.
13 January 1845 -- Adler -- John Henry Cordes (b.1820) -- New York from Bremen.
28 May 1846 -- Chateaubriand -- Carl Henry Jost, Carl Schupp families -- New Orleans from Le Havre.   
29 June 1846 -- Bedford -- Frederick Jung family -- New Orleans from Le Havre.
27 July 1846 -- Rockall -- Louis and Mary Kreissler -- New Orleans from Le Havre.
5 May 1847 -- Charlemagne -- Ferdinand Eichholz, Anton Schupp families -- New Orleans from Antwerp.
21 July 1847 -- Timoleon -- Carl and August Dueber  families and Peter Weller -- New Orleans from Le Havre.
11 September 1847 -- Europe -- Frederick Kroeschen and Henry Wittrock families -- New York from Bremen.
15 May 1848 -- Desdemona -- John Christian Modenbach family -- New Orleans from Antwerp.
21 May 1848 -- Magdalena -- Herman Holterman and Margaret Buchholz -- New York from Bremen.
24 July 1848 -- Hannibal -- Jacob Staus -- New Orleans from Le Havre.
23 August 1848 -- Pactolus -- Carl Bruehl and Henry Imhauser families -- New York from Antwerp.
30 October 1848 -- J H Adam -- Frederick Kanenbley and Elizabeth Stumpenhausen -- New York from Bremen.
6 November 1848 -- Atlas -- Cord Prigge family -- Philadelphia from Bremen.
28 May 1849 -- Argyle -- Claus Oelrichs -- New York from Bremen.
5 November 1849 -- George Stevens -- Carl Raiffeisen -- New Orleans from Le Havre.
17 May 1850 -- Johann Heinrich -- *Claus Fajen -- New York from Bremen.
5 June 1850 -- Meta -- Henry & Meta Lutgen -- New York from Bremen.
24 April 1852 -- Elizabeth Denison -- Christian Bitzhoefer family -- New York from Antwerp.
11 May 1852 -- State of Maine -- Frederick Kraemer family -- New Orleans from Le Havre.
24 June 1852 -- Queen -- John W. Kurtz (b1809) -- New Orleans from Liverpool.
6 September 1852 -- Thecla Josephine -- Michael Hirschvogel family -- New York from Hamburg.
30 April 1853 -- Theodore -- David Meuschke -- Baltimore from Bremen.
5 May 1853 -- Joseph Holmes -- John William & Frederick Klein and Paul Schick families -- New Orleans from Le Harve.
1 June 1853 -- Solon -- John and Peter Brandt -- New York from Bremen.
23 June 1853 -- Lemuel Dyer -- John Peter Schmidt (Smith) family -- New Orleans from LeHavre.
15 August 1853 -- Arnold Boniger -- Henry & Gesche Otten family -- Baltimore from Bremen.
20 September 1853 -- Hansa -- Eisenbach and Kraxberger families -- New York from Bremen.
26 April 1854 -- Marianne -- John Meuschke family -- Baltimore from Bremen.
1 June 1854 -- Garton -- Frederick Fischer family; William Koester, Henry Pieper -- New York from Bremen.
24 July 1854 -- Regulus --  Juergen Warnke, Jacob Martens  families -- New York from Bremen.
19 September 1854 -- Clemens -- Paul Jach  -- New York from Bremen.
6 October 1854 -- Memphis -- George Loeffler family  -- New York from Le Havre.
31 October 1854 -- Ellsfleth -- Andrew Wenig and son William -- Baltimore from Bremen.
15 November 1854 -- J. C. Humphreys -- Phillip Hebel and Conrad Mertgen families -- New Orleans from Antwerp.
5 May 1856 -- Helene -- Conrad Grupe and Frederick Rasa families  -- New York from Bremen.
20 August 1856 -- Shakespeare -- Christian Lemke and Frederick Loges families  -- New York from Bremen.
1 December 1856 -- Sir Robert Peel -- Carl Rambow --New York from Hamburg.
10 August 1857 -- Marianne -- Jacob & Metta Meyer family (both parents died 1861) -- Baltimore from Bremen.
3 October 1857 -- Amalia -- Frederick Schroeder family  -- New York from Bremen.
13 October 1858 -- Carl -- Albert Preuss -- New Orleans from Antwerp. 
26 July 1860 -- Bremen -- John Wassung -- New York from Bremen.
16 October 1862 -- Elise & Mathilde -- John Henry and Gerd  Brunkhorst -- New York from Bremen.
25 July 1863 -- Wilhelmine -- Christian Schlichtig -- New York from Antwerp.
19 April 1864 -- Saxonia -- Christian Schlichtig's wife and children -- New York from Hamburg.
25 August 1865 -- Orpheus -- Diedrich & Catherine Harms  -- New York from Bremen.
10 November 1865 -- Stella -- Peter Wienberg -- New York from Bremen.
23 November 1865 -- Jenny -- Claus Kahrs -- New York from Bremen.
11 December 1865 -- Liverpool -- John Mies family -- New York from London.
30 April 1866 -- Erin -- Martin Hansen family -- New York from Liverpool.
14 August 1866 -- United States -- August Bauer family -- New York from Bremen.
23 August 1866 -- Athena -- Christian Harms family -- New York from Bremen. 
14 June 1867 -- Germania -- John Henry Bruns family -- Baltimore from Bremen.
23 September 1867 -- Bremen -- Christian Duvel -- New York from Bremen.
28 October 1867 -- Gutenberg -- John H. Brauer, Claus Luetjen, John Mahnken, Gevert Kueck   -- Baltimore from Bremen.
23 May 1868 -- Harmonia -- Alexander Kipping family -- New York from Hamburg.
5 November 1868 -- Freihandel -- Diedrich Rodekohr family -- New York from Bremen.
28 May 1869 -- America -- Louis Schlesselman -- New York from Bremen.
19 June 1869 -- Baltimore -- Claus Wilshusen family -- Baltimore from Bremen.
10 July 1869 -- Capella -- John Henry Koeller -- New York from Bremen.
23 July 1869 -- Donau -- William Heismeyer -- New York from Bremen.
26 June 1871 -- Berlin -- Jacob Schuber -- Baltimore from Bremen.
9 September 1871 -- Donau -- Anna Von Holten and baby Mary -- New York from Bremen.
28 October 1871 -- Hansa -- John D. Bruns and John D. Denker families -- New York from Bremen.
13 December 1871 -- Dr Falk -- Henry Steffens family -- Baltimore from Bremen.
8 April 1872 -- Donau -- Catharina Gernandt	 -- New York from Hamburg.
20 June 1874 -- Mosel -- Henry Wehrmann family -- New York from Bremen.
8 August 1878 -- Hermann -- Englebert Borne -- New York from Bremen.
9 November 1878 -- Leipzig -- Peter Smasal family -- Baltimore from Bremen.
8 January 1879 -- Donau -- Christian Gernandt.
3 October 1879 -- Main -- George Wickler  -- New York from Bremen.
10 May 1880 -- British Empire -- Henry Rugen family -- Philadelphia from Liverpool.
6 April 1881 -- Vandalia -- August Eldenburg family -- New York from Hamburg.
12 August 1882 -- Elbe -- Claus Miesner, Christian Tonjes, Claus Wienberg -- New York from Bremen.
21 August 1882 -- Main -- Frederick Wischmeier Jr & Sr -- New York from Bremen.
31 July 1883 -- Westphalia -- Hans J. and Nis A. Anton  -- New York from Hamburg.
29 September 1883 -- Rhein -- Henry Rathjen family  -- New York from Bremen.
8 October 1883 -- Silesia -- Arthur Kaden  -- New York from Hamburg.
25 March 1884 -- Neckar -- John P. Fitschen  -- New York from Bremerhaven.
15 January 1885 -- Donau -- Frederick Ditzfeld -- New York from Bremen.

*Claus Fajen first helped found the Walhalla, S.C. colony, and came to Cole Camp area 1866.

Ships and ports unknown (many lists missing 1840s-1850s):
About 1840 -- Ulrich Freund family.
Fall of 1841 -- Claus and Margaret (Ficken) Mahnken family.  
Fall of 1843 -- John Henry Brauer, John Mahnken, Claus and Martin Monsees, Gerd Muller, Peter Tobaben families.
Fall of 1854 -- Herman Kroenke family.

Description of the Immigration Experience


CONFOUNDING OF NAMES

By the 1860s, there was such a concentration of families from Hanover that families and individuals
with the same full names had become a problem, and notations appear in public, church, and military
records to distinguish them.  Church records note "on the prairie" for one John F. Feldman, and
"on Haw Creek" for the other of that name.  In the German Regiment there were many duplicates,
and some in the same Company were identified as "Jr" and "Sr" to identify age difference, and not
family relationship, while four of the five Henry Grother's in Company D were assigned numbers 
(the fifth was Captain of Company D).
Notes found in the tax ledgers were probably not intended for public eyes, such as "Big Belly"
after one individual, and "Johannes Jalace" after another with same name.  Anyone 
researching these families should not assume kinship on basis of surnames alone:  They may
have been neighbors in both Germany and USA, yet still not be related.





Compiler: Homer R. Ficken
 Descendant of the Ficken, Knoop, Cordes, Hink, Schluesing and Mueller families.

Assisted by: Neil R. Heimsoth
Cole Camp resident and Manager of the Cole Camp Maennerchor und Kinderchor.
 
And: Paul F. Scheele
Descendant of the Jagels, Schnakenberg, Meyer, Rodenburg and Holtzen families.



Art Heimsoth's Picture Album -   Links to Art's photo coverage of current Cole Camp activities and events, including the annual Plattd?tsches Theator and S?ngerfest,  presented in the ancestral language and dialect.



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