KARL   HARTMANN

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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

The Hartmann family can be traced in Gellershausen bei Wildungen, Waldeck region of Germany to at least mid 1700s.   One possible set of parents of our Wilhelmina Hartmann was taken from the Waldeckische Ortsippenbucher Band 62.  (Hochgrebe, Heinrich; Waldeckischer Geschichtsverein e.V. Bad Arolsen; 1998. History of the village of Gellershausen. Contains index of family surnames and data taken mostly from Church records. Written in German.) Scott Hanson provided the information.  I am very grateful!

Gellershausen is one of 13 small villages that make up the administrative community of Edertal.  At the time Wilhelmina emmigrated to America Gellershausen was in the small Principality of Waldeck.  Waldeck continues as a small city north of Edertal.  Waldeck and the Edertal communities are now part of Hesse Germany.  They lie in the northwest of Hesse and about 40 kilometers southwest of Kassel.  They are in the foothills and forests of the low Kellerwald mountain range.

Karl Hartmann was born on June 29, 1809 in Gellershausen.  His parents were Henrich Hartmann, a town leader (Grebe) and Johannetta Kruhofer.  Both of Gellershausen.  He married Wilhelmina Fuchs on Aug. 7, 1831.  She was also from Gellershausen.

This couple had the following children.  They fit the profile of the known children who immigrated to America. page 58 of Buch Band 62 lists 3 of the 4 and the dates they immigrated.

# 3,   Johannette Wilhelmina Henriette Hartmann, emigrated by the early 1850s and settled in Wilmington Delaware.  She was known as Hannah, and married Gottlieb Mamele.  She lived to 1906.  Gottlieb Mamele was a hog butcher, re the 1860 Census. That census shows trhat they had 3 children by that time.   Bathelmina born 1855, female, Charles, born 1857 and Frederik, born 1859.  They had at least 3 more children: Caroline born 1862, Kate born 1867 and Helen born 1878.   Hannah was widowed by 1893 where she is listed in the 1893 Wilmington Directory, page 438 as Jeanette Mamele, widow of Gottlieb.

#4, Carl Christian Heinrich Hartmann, emigrated and was living in Wilmington by the late 1850s. He was listed in the book as immigrating in 1854.  It is possible he came with his sister Hannah.  The 1859 Wilmington Directory has him as Charles Hartmann living at 512 Walnut St. with the occupation painter. What is interesting is that the Mamele name continued in Wilmington throughout the 20th century as the name of a paint store.  His Naturalization Petition was on Sept 17, 1860 in the District Court 2-3.  Found at the Delaware Archives, reel RG0705, Index to naturalization petitions for US Circuit and District Court 1795-1911.

#10, Friederike Wilhelmina Johannette Hartmann emigrated to Wilmington in 1868, the year her father died.  She was  17 years old and probably  lived with one of her siblings.  She met and married on March 26, 1870  Johann Daniel Maier at the Zion Lutheran Church.

#11,  Georg Ludwig Hartmann immigrated in 1868 with his sister.  No trace of him has been found in America, yet.

The open question is why did Hannah and Charles come to Wilmington?  Were there others from Gellershausen that came before them?  They were also in their teens.  Why did they leave?  Being a small village, and a large family, it probably had to do with the need to find jobs and more opportunities.

Their mother, Wilhelmina Fucks Hartmann died after they left, in August 1855.  There were still 4 children until 10 years old at that time.  Fortunately, their father continued for another 13 years.  Karl Hartmann died December 21, 1868.  They are most likely buried in the church cemetery.

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

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Date Created: 11/14/2011
Date edited    1/18/2013
Date edited 10/13/2013