4 Johann Heinrich
Christian Wettig(308) , son of Johann Heinrich and Catherine Marie
(Engehausen) Wettig, was born 19 Jun 1795,. in Neustadt am Rübenberge,
Hannover, Prußia Johann Heinrich Christian died 28 Aug 1873
in Richmond, Wayne, Indiana, USA and was buried from St. Paul
Lutheran Church, Richmond, Indiana, USA. Johann Heinrich married
Sophie Elisabeth Charlotte Auguste Glade(309), on 9 April 1820
in Neustadt, Hannover. She was the daughter of Conrad Heinrich
and Sophie Henriette (Biester) Glade of Mecklenhorst. We have
not found records of the life or death of Sophie Elisabeth Charlotte
Auguste, but we are still searching. We believe that she lived
in Richmond, Indiana, with Henry and probably died and was buried
there, but we do not have documentation of that yet. We know that
she was born in Neustadt am Rübenberge on 29 October 1797.
Her father, Conrad Heinrich Glade was born in Ottenhagen, just
a few Km east of Neu am Rbnbg., where Sophie Henriette (Biester)
was born. Conrad and Sophie Henriette were married on 21 January
1796. She died on 20 January 1828, and he died in March 1852,
both in Mecklenhorst, which is a suburb of Neu am Rbnbg.
We have no information about the lives of Johann Heinrich and Sophie Elisabeth. We know that Johann was listed in the Church records as being a Tagelöhner, which translates to "day worker.". This should be placed in the perspective of the day. There were no large companies hiring people for steady jobs. Most workers were hired for a specific job, and when that job was over they took on another. The term, Tagelöhner, is used today specifically for farm workers.
Johann Heinrich and Sophie Elisabeth had 8
children, all born in Neustadt am Rübenberge, Hannover between
the years 1820 and 1837. A 9th child was born dead on 7 June 1843.
Of their 9 children, two died at age 1, one died at age 5 and
the other was stillborn. The remaining five all traveled to the
USA to start a new life. It is their story that we tell.
These children included Johann Heinrich Ludwig, Carl Heinrich
Friedrich, Georg Heinrich Christian and Wilhelmina Dorothee Marie
who ausgewandert nach Amerika mit der Eltern in 1847. It seems
probable, that Wilhelmina Louisa Eleonore married Lorenz Decker
and they traveled with the Eltern to the new country. It is probable
that Georg Heinrich Christian, who was 14, made the trip with
the parents, but Ludwig and Heinrich Friedrich did not go to the
USA until 1849.
Records of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Richmond, Indiana,
USA, have much information about the Wettig family. The first
clue that we had of the German connection of the family was the
note: "Johann Heinrich Wettig, geboren Neustadt, am Rübenberge,
in Hannover in 1795, gesturben 28 August 1873 at the age of 78
years, 2 months." In the U S Census of 1870 for Richmond,
Indiana, is the family of Henry Grieve, age 38, Cabinetmaker,
born in Prussia, living with his wife, Minnie, age 32, also born
in Prussia, and their three sons George age 10, born in Ohio;
Edward age 7, born in Indiana; and Louis age 6, born in Indiana.
Living with them was Henry Wettig, age 78, born Prussia. Although
the age of this Henry Wettig is 3 years different from the Johann
Heinrich who died in Richmond 3 years later, there is strong evidence
to suggest that this was indeed the Eltern Wettig, living with
his daughter, Minnie (which is the diminutive of the name Wilhelmina
.)
Further research will be necessary to find
where Johann Heinrich and Sophie Elisabeth had been staying during
those years from emigration to his death. There is a record in
the Directory of Richmond, Indiana, 1865, that Henry Wittich,
lived with Henry Grieve, Cabinet Maker, on the West side of Washington
between Sycamore and Mill streets. I had thought that this Henry
was the eldest son of Ludwig and Maria, but now it appears more
likely that Johann Heinrich was living with Henry and Minnie in
1865. There was no mention of the mother.
The "three brothers" are identified in Cincinnati area
in the Census of 1850. There is also a Wilhelmina Wettig, age
14, Ward 10, Cincinnati, who lived with the Lorenz and Wilhelmina
(Wettig) Decker Families. There are also later references to an
Albert who seems to fit this time period and may be a relative:
Williams City Business Directory: 1867 Cincinnati, lists Wittich,
Albert, Meats, 536 W 6th; 1868 Cincinnati, Albert Wittich, house
123 Carr. This reference to Carr Street was next door to George,
who was also listed as Wittich in this issue. Of course Wittich
is a legitimate name of its own.
Children:
416 Johann Heinrich Ludwig Wettig b. 29 Jul 1820 d.?
745 Wilhelmina Louise Eleonore Wettig b. 2 May 1822 d.?
767 Georg Heinrich Wilhelm Wettig b. 12/Oct/1824 d. 24/Jun/1825
768 Carl Heinrich Wilhelm Wettig b. 1/Jan/1824 d. 9/Feb/1830
63 Carl Heinrich Friedrich b. 30 May 1826 d. 1 Sep 1901
769 Dorothee Louise Marie Wettig b. 14/May/1832 d. 2/Oct/1837
417 Georg Heinrich Christian Wettig b. 17 May 1835 d. 3 Sep 1906
669 Wilhelmina Dorothee Marie Wettig b. 5 Oct 1837 d. ?
770 Not named Wettig b. 7/Jun/1843 d. 7/Jun/1843