Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 69

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

USA > New York > Erie County > Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1) > Part 69

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The first German known to have settled permanently in this county was John Kuecherer, who arrived in Buffalo in 1821. He became known as "Water John," from his having acted as a public carrier of water in the village. Little is known of his antecedents, except that he first located in Pennsylvania. He died in Buffalo at the age of eighty-eight years. The second comer was John Siebold, in 1822. He was from Wurtemberg and became a successful business man, and was one of the founders of the Board of Trade and a director of the Buffalo Savings Bank. Rudolph Baer came in 1826 and started the first brewery in the village; he was also proprietor of a tavern at Cold Spring. Philip Meyerhoffer came about the same time and is designated in the first village directory of 1829 as a teacher of languages. He conducted the first German Protestant religious service in the place. Gottfried Heiser also came about the same time. No other names of Germans appear in the first directory ; but the late E. G. Grey (Grau?), who settled in the village in 1828 and passed a long life in the place, is authority

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for the statement that when he arrived he found about twenty-five families of Germans in the village, or about seventy persons. Dr. Daniel Devening also came here in 1828. In 1829 Father Nicholas Merz settled as the first Catholic priest in Buffalo.

During the decade 1828-38 there are found among the names of immigrants those of Christian Bronner, Jacob Schanzlein (who opened the first wirthshaft on Main street), Michael Mesmer, Philip Beyer, George Goetz, George Metzger, Michael Hoist, Christopher Klump, Joseph Haberstro, Anton Feldmann, George Gass, George Lang, Se- bastian and Frederich Rusch, George Urban, George Pfeifer, Jacob Roos, John Greiner and perhaps a few others. The early professional men were Dr. F. C. Brunck, Dr. Carl Weiss and Dr. Baethig. Many of these names have become Anglicized in spelling and pronunciation.

Dr. Frederick Dellenbaugh settled in Buffalo in 1830 and became prominent in the medical profession. He was honored with election to the office of alderman in 1839 and was the first German city official elected in Buffalo. In 1831 Dr. John Hauenstein began his long and eminent professional career in the city.

It was about 1831-2 that the first Germans, aside from a large number of the Pennsylvania Germans, began to settle in Erie county outside of Buffalo. They located in and about White's Corners (now Hamburg), and a few found their way to the high lands in the eastern part of Eden. The Pennsylvania Germans referred to had settled in large numbers in the old town of Clarence, which then included Lancaster and Alden as later formed. They almost without exception bought land and by their steady-going habits and thrift soon established comfortable homes and became useful citizens.

The early German press exerted a powerful influence, especially dur- ing the period before the German language had become so largely su- perseded by the English. In the columns of the journals printed in their own tongue the Germans read and learned of the government under which they were living; of the growth of a country founded upon principles of equality and freedom; of political affairs; and of the social and business customs of the American people. The first German newspaper in Buffalo was issued December 2, 1837, under the title Der Weltbuerger. Its publisher was George Zahm, who also kept a book store; the editor was Stephen St. Molitor. The following extract from its brief salutatory is of interest in this connection :

The number of the German population of Buffalo has increased largely during the

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last four or five years, and the commercial as well as the political circumstances of this city have become of such great significance for the Germans living here, that the appearance of a newspaper in the German language has long been felt as an urgent need. Its aim is the instruction of the Germans in the politics of this coun- try, and the communication of the most important American and European events. As this instruction will be one of its main purposes, it will advocate no special party, but try to develop independently and impartially those principles which are neces- sary to the preservation of the Constitution.

This first German paper was in reality Democratic in politics, and in a leading editorial counseled its readers to ally themselves with one or the other of the great political parties. This newspaper remained under the control of George Zahm until the fall of 1844, when he was accidentally killed at a pole raising in Cheektowaga. A year later Dr. F. C. Brunck and Jacob Domedian purchased the establishment, en- larged the paper, and began publishing a small semi-weekly. In 1848 a second German weekly was started and called the Demokrat. About a year and a half later it was purchased by Carl De Haas and a Mr. Knapp, who began the issue of a daily. In 1853 these two papers were consolidated and Knapp's interest was purchased by Fred Held. Der Weltbuerger was continued as a weekly and the daily kept the name of Demokrat. Mr. Held acquired the interest of De Haas in 1859 and that of Dr. Brunck in 1875. Both of these journals advocate Democratic princi- ples, and the Demokrat is the leading political German daily in West- ern New York. The present editor is Otto F. Albing.

A German paper with the title Buffalo Volksfreund was started in 1840 by John M. Meyer for campaign purposes in the Whig interest; its publication was soon abandoned. On January 1, 1843, the Frei- muethige was issued, in which Mr. Meyer and Alexander Krause were interested; its publication ceased in 1845, in which year H. B. Miller started the Telegraph, which continued as a weekly until 1854, when it was issued as a daily by Miller & Bender. Philip H. Bender after- wards bought out his partner, and then sold to F. Geib, who discontin- ued it in 1873.

Die Freie Presse, a weekly paper, was established in 1853, under ed- itorial charge of Fred Reinecke. So successfully was it managed that in 1873 it appeared as a daily, under the management of the firm of Reinecke, Zesch & Baltz. Its present publishers are Reinecke & Zesch and the editor is Dr. Hubert Rust. This journal is an able exponent of Republican principles. Der Taegliche Republikaner was established October 16, 1875, under management of I. S. Ellison; in November, 1879, it was merged in Die Freie Presse.

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In 1868 the German Printing Association established a paper called Der Volksfreund; it was Democratic in politics and Catholic in religious affairs, and has been ably conducted from the first. Its silver jubilee was celebrated in August, 1893, by a banquet over which Lieut. - Gov- ernor William F. Sheehan presided. There are also two Catholic week- lies published in the city; the Aurora, which has been edited by Chris- tian Wieckmann since 1858, and the Christliche Woche, which was long conducted by Rev. Joseph Sorg.

The first German Sunday paper was established in September, 1875, by Haas, Nauert & Klein, with the title, Sunday Herald; it was short- lived. In January, 1876, the second Sunday paper was founded by a number of striking printers, with the title, the Tribune. It is still published and widely read.'

The first influx of Prussians and North Germans to this county were Lutherans, and left their country chiefly on account of religious perse- cution. In 1839 several hundreds came, led by Johann Andreas, L. F. E. Krause and August Grabau. Another element of our German pop- ulation came early from Mecklenburg to escape the tyrannical restrictions of the old feudal institutions; most of them settled in the Seventh ward of Buffalo. The large Alsatian element allied itself wholly with the Ger- mans, and was among the first to build churches, establish schools, and organize societies and long held to the customs of the Fatherland. Of the political fugitives from the Revolution of 1848 not many found homes in Buffalo. These different German elements have gradually become amalgamated not only with each other, but to a considerable extent with American families, and are constantly and more and more rapidly crossing the already indefinite boundary line which formerly separated them from their fellows in this country. In the later years of

1 A few other German papers, which, as a rule, lived only brief periods, were the following: The Luegenfeind, started in 1850 by I. Marle; lived about two years. The Lichtfreund, established in 1835, soon expired. Die Wachende Kirche, founded in 1856, by Rev. J. A. Grabau. The Buffalo Patriot, issued in 1857 by Young & Vogt; only a few numbers were published. The Buffalo Union,, another daily, started in 1863 by Reinecke & Storcke, survived only two days. The Buffalo Jour- nal, also started in 1863, by Nauert, Hansman & Co., was soon sold to Dr. Carl De Haas and Fr. Burow; it afterwards passed to Philip H. Bender, and was subsequently merged with the Buffalo Telegraph. The Journal was afterwards re-established, but survived only through one political campaign. The Evangelische Gemeinde-Zeitung was started in 1878 in the interest of the Protes- tant church; its name was soon changed to Volksblatt fuer Stadt und Land. A daily edition was afterwards issued, but the paper suspended in January, 1880. Die Arbeiterstimme am Erie started in 1878, lived about a year. Die Lanterne, established in February, 1880, by Emile C. Erhart, passed through several hands and died in 1883. Der Buffalo Wecker was issued seven weeks in 1880. Die Sonntagsport was published a short time by Herman Hoffmann, and within the last few years two labor organs, Die Arbeiter Zeitung, edited by John Most, and Der Herold, edited by Joseph Mosler, came into existence.

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our local history many Germans came into the community whose names soon became familiar and prominent in business circles and public af- fairs. It will not, perhaps, be considered invidious to mention such names as Solomon Scheu, who arrived in this country in 1839 and set- tled in Buffalo in 1844, to rise in later years through various minor positions to the office of mayor of the city, and to occupy a conspicuous position in the local business world; Jacob F. Schoellkopf, who settled in Buffalo in 1844, and became eminently successful in the leather and milling industries; Albert Ziegele, sr., who came in 1849, and be- came conspicuous among the many Germans who have created a great brewing industry in the city; and the Lang and the Zesch families, and others, all of whom have been important factors in promoting the pros- perity of the community.

One of the peculiar characteristics of the German people is their uni- versal propensity, wherever they are located in any considerable num- ber, to form organizations of various kinds for social, musical and ath- letic improvement. In the city of Buffalo the number of these organi- zations ' is so great as to preclude more than the briefest historical men- tion of each. In their religious predilections, also, they are conspicuous, as is testified by the many beautiful churches and other institutions that are wholly or in part of a religious character, which are generously supported by them.

Their oldest church is St. Louis Roman Catholic, on the corner of Main and Edward streets, which has been noticed in an earlier chap- ter. This was followed in 1831-32 by the organization of the German Evangelical St. Peter's church, through the immediate efforts of Rev. Joseph Gumbell, who settled in Buffalo as a missionary in 1831. In the spring of 1832 there came from Wurtemberg a German family con- sisting of John Schwartz and his wife, her brother, Konrad Seeger, her step-brother, John George Scheifer, and a nephew of Mr. Schwartz named Gottlieb Weibert. These persons organized the church, and from that time forward its congregation has increased rapidly. About 1834 a lot on the corner of Genesee and Hickory streets was purchased by the society; the Niagara Street Methodist church generously do- nated their house of worship, which these Germans soon removed to the above named site, where it stood until 1850. On February 25, 1850, the congregation purchased St. Paul's Episcopal church, a frame building on the corner of Pearl and Erie streets, for $800; this edifice

1 There are 200 German societies of all kinds in Buffalo.

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was removed to the Genesee and Hickory street lot, where it was superseded by the present handsome structure in 1877. The church has a membership of about 750 families, and maintains a large paro- chial school, two women's societies organized in 1866, a Sunday school teachers' society formed in 1876, and a flourishing Sunday school.

At a conference of the Church of the Evangelical Association held at Rebersburg, Pa., March 28, 1836, it was resolved to send Rev. Joseph Harlacher to Buffalo to organize a congregation of that faith, which was effected after more than a year of hard labor, under the name of the First Church of the Evangelical Association of North America. In 1839 a frame church was built on Mortimer street; in 1846 a lot was purchased and the building removed to the corner of Spruce and Syca- more streets, where a new brick structure superseded the old one in 1854; in May, 1879, this edifice was torn down and the present gothic structure was erected on the site at a cost of $16,000. In 1841 the congregation numbered only sixteen members; now there are about 200, and services are held in both German and English.'

As early as 1828 an attempt was made to organize a German Evan- gelical Lutheran congregation and many meetings were held; but the purpose was not effected until February, 1833, when St. Johannes ( John's) church was organized. Rev. F. H. Guenther was the first pastor and worthily filled that position for twenty-four years. A house of worship was built in 1835-36 on Hickory street, between Broadway and William, and in 1874-75 this structure was replaced with the pres- ent gothic edifice. The Lutheran Orphan Asylum, noticed in another chapter, was founded through the efforts of Rev. Mr. Guenther in 1864. The church has a congregation of about 1,000 families and a Sunday school of 100 teachers and 800 scholars. -

In 1843 several families left St. John's congregation and organized the German United Evangelical St. Paul's church. A lot was pur- chased on Washington street, between Genesee and Chippewa streets, and there the first edifice was erected. This building was occupied until 1882, when the present handsome structure on the west side of Ellicott street, between Tupper and Goodell, was completed. The church is very prosperous, and in its congregation are many of the leading Germany families of the city.

1 A second church of the Evangelical Association (the Krettner street church) was organized in 1857 and a house of worship built on the corner of William and Emslie streets in the same year; this was burned in December, 1872, and the site was sold. The present edifice was erected in the following summer on Krettner street, near William.

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In March, 1853, the Evangelical St. Stephen's church was organ- ized. This was an offshoot of St. Paul's congregation, and began with twenty-five families under the pastoral care of Rev. Karl F. Soldan, who was succeeded in August, 1854, by the present pastor, Rev. Fred- erick Schelle. The present edifice, on the corner of Peckham and Adams streets, was built in 1857 and cost about $25,000. A parochial school is maintained by the church; a Home for Aged and Infirm People, noticed in another chapter, owes its existence largely to Rev. Mr. Schelle and the benevolent societies connected with his congre- gation.

The German Evangelical Lutheran St. Andrew's church was organ- ized by Rev. J. A. Grabau in 1858, with thirteen members. The church edifice, on the corner of Sherman and Peckham streets, was dedicated July 10, 1859. The school house connected with the church was built in 1871.

The United Evangelical St. John's church was organized in 1847 with twenty members, and first worshiped in a school house. The first pastor was Rev. P. Grumbach. In 1850 the congregation occupied an English Baptist church on Dearborn street, and in 1852 the present edifice was erected on Amherst street, near East; this building was en- larged in 1874. There is a parochial school connected with the church.

The German Evangelical Friedens church was organized in 1880, with forty-five families, and the house of worship on Eagle street at the foot of Monroe was completed in the same year.

The German Evangelical St. Lucas church was formed in 1870, and the church edifice, corner of Richmond avenue and Utica street (where it superseded the old building of the Westminster church Sunday school), was erected in 1881.

The United Evangelical Protestant St. Matthew's church belongs to the German Evangelical Synod of North America, and was organized in 1868. A year later a brick edifice was erected near the junction of Swan and Seneca streets. Rev. Dr. Hugo Kuehne was the first pastor. A parochial school is taught in a commodious brick building connected with the church.

The Evangelical Reformed Zion church was organized in September, 1845, by Rev. J. Althaus, with sixteen members. The members of the congregation purchased a lot on the corner of Cherry and Spring streets and built a frame house of worship. This was superseded in 1854 by a more commodious structure on Lemon street, near Cherry. A paro-

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chial school is connected with the church and in 1866 a parsonage was built.

The United Evangelical St. Trinitatis church was formed in the fall of 1882, and a lot of land purchased on the east side of Gold street, near Ludington. On this a chapel was built. The congregation was incorporated in the summer of 1883. In August of that year Rev. H. A. Kraemer was called from Westfield and has since ministered to the church. To accommodate the growing congregation a new house of worship was built near the same site in 1887, and the old building was converted into a parochial school.

St. Paul's Church of the Evangelical Association was formed in 1874 through the efforts of Rev. M. Lauer, later editor and publisher of the Christliche Botschafter, in Cleveland. The first regular pastor of this congregation was Rev. Adam Bornheimer. The church was incorpo- rated in 1875. The church edifice and parsonage are situated on Grape street, near Virginia. The society is prosperous and active and has several societies connected with it.

The Evangelical Reformed Emmanuel church was organized in 1883, through the efforts of the late Dr. J. B. Kniest. A church site on the corner of Humboldt Parkway and East Utica street was donated by Henry Heinrich and a chapel at once erected; this was occupied until 1896, when the present brick edifice was erected on the same lot. Rev. Jacob Stoerer was the first and is present pastor.

The Evangelical Lutheran Concordia church was organized in the eastern part of the city, as the result of mission work done there in 1891, under direction of Rev. J. Brezing. The first Sunday school was opened in Rochevot's Hall and was well attended. In June of that year a number of men who were ready to form a congregation pur- chased the present church property on Northampton street, near Jef- ferson, and a chapel was at once erected. The first pastor was Rev. Ernst F. Bachmann, who still continues in the office. The congrega- tion was incorporated July 21, 1892. Since March, 1893, an English as well as a German Sunday school has been maintained.

In 1873 Rev. Mr. Schornstein, who was acting as substitute over the St. Paul's congregation during the absence of the regular pastor, with- drew from that church and formed the German United Evangelical St. Marcus church. Services were held at first in a small church on the corner of Tupper and Ellicott streets. Mr. Schornstein was suc- ceeded in 1875 by Rev. G. A. Zimmerman, under whose administration

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the new edifice was erected at 393 Oak street. The congregation is thoroughly German, and that language is used in the services and the several connected institutions.

The First Evangelical Lutheran Trinity church (Unaltered Augs- burg Confession) was organized by Lutheran immigrant families from Silesia in 1839, and in 1841 Rev. E. M. Buerger was called to the pas- torate. In 1842 a lot on the corner of William and Milnor streets was purchased and a brick edifice erected. In 1867-68 the new church on Michigan street, between Sycamore and Genesee, was built, and the parochial school was taught in the old church until 1873, when a new school house was erected on Michigan, near Genesee street. From this congregation have sprung a number of missions which have greatly prospered. The first, the Emmaus congregation, in 1888, grew rapidly and the valuable church property on Southampton street, near Jefferson, testifies to its success. A second field was in the vicinity of Concordia Cemetery on Walden avenue, where a place of worship was rented and regular services held. The Gethsemane con- gregation was organized, a church and school room built on Goodyear avenue, near Genesee, and Rev. George Bartling installed. On Leroy avenue, near Fillmore, is a prosperous mission (Tabor) of this de- nomination and a handsome chapel has been built. In the Calvary church, on the corner of Dodge and Ellicott streets, the gospel is preached in the English language to the younger members of the mother congregation who do not speak German. On September 1, 1889, the First Lutheran Trinity church celebrated the fiftieth anniver- sary of its organization, on which occasion the venerable Rev. Emer. Buerger, then eighty-three years old, preached a sermon; it was his last; he died March 22, 1890.

The founder of the Lutheran Trinity church was Rev. J. A. Grabau, whose coming to Buffalo in 1839 with a large number of Lutherans from Prussia has been mentioned. No sooner had they reached their destination than they began holding religious services, and a lot was soon purchased on the corner of Goodell and Maple streets. The so- ciety was incorporated in December, 1839, and in June, 1840, the new church was consecrated there and is still in use. In 1845 Rev. Mr. Grabau and others holding his views organized the Synod of Buffalo. In 1858 the German Evangelical Lutheran St. Andrew's congregation organized as a branch from the older society. In December of the same year the late S. V. R. Watson gave this church a lot on the

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corner of Sherman and Peckham streets, where the present edifice was at once erected. The school house connected with the church was built in 1871.

There are three German Baptist churches in Buffalo. The first was organized by the noted evangelist, Alexander von Puttkammer, in 1849, services being held in a school house at 41 Spruce street, on the site of the present handsome church; this was erected during the pastorate of Rev. I. P. Grimmel. The Second Baptist church was organized in 1859, under Rev. Edward Gruetzner, and in the following year a house of worship was built on Hickory street, near Genesee. A third Baptist society was founded in 1875 and holds meetings in the mission chapel, corner of High and Mulberry streets.

The First German Methodist church was formed in 1846 by John Sauter, and in 1847 a house of worship was erected on the corner of Sycamore and Ash streets. The present edifice at 149 Mortimer street was built in 1871.

The German Episcopal Methodist church was founded in 1852, by Rev. Johann Swahlen. In 1867, under the pastorate of Rev. F. W. Hoppemann, the society built an edifice on East street, between Ham- ilton and Austin, at a cost, including the lot, of $3,580; this building was struck by lightning in August, 1890, and in 1891 the present church was erected on the same site.

There are a number of prosperous German Catholic churches in and near Buffalo, one of the oldest of which is St. Mary's, which celebrated its golden jubilee May 13-15, 1894. In 1833 Rev. Benedict Bayer, superior of the Redemptorists in Rochester, made an effort to collect a few German Catholics who withdrew from St. Louis church for the purpose of forming a new parish. Services were first held in St. Patrick's church, which stood on the corner of Ellicott and Batavia (now Broadway) streets, and in 1843-44 an edifice was dedicated by Rev. M. Alig. In 1845 a parochial school was opened, a residence for the Redemptorist Fathers erected, and Rev. Benedict Bayer appointed first superior. In 1849 the Sisters of Notre Dame took charge of the school and in 1858 a new parsonage was built; on December 18, 1861, Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis came from near Philadelphia and opened an asylum for aged and infirm people on Pine street, near Broadway, which is still conducted by them. On October 17, 1847, Bishop Timon laid the corner stone of the present stone church edifice, which was consecrated July 28, 1850, to St. Mary of the Immaculate

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Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York (Volume 1), Part 69

Author: Truman C. White Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Truman C. White
Publication date: 1898
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017