Johanna (Baker) Specht (abt. 1814 - 1904)

Born about 8 Apr 1814 in Sarstedt, Hildesheim, Hanover, Prussia, Germany

Wife of Johannes Specht — married 1835 in Galena, IL

Descendants

Died 2 Jun 1904 at about age 90 in Specht's Ferry, Dubuque, Iowa, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Elizabeth x [send private message]

Biography

Birth

8 APR 1814 ^[1]

Sarstedt, Hanover, Germany ^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Alternate Birth date: Mar 1818

Census

^[7] 1860

Peru, Dubuque, IA

John Specht: M, age 50, born in Bavarian, farmer, $25000 estate, $2350 personal estate

Anna Specht: F, age 45, born in Hanover

Edward Specht: M, age 24, born in Iowa, farm laborer

Caroline Specht: F, age 18, born in Iowa, in school

Werner Specht: M, age 16, born in Iowa, farm laborer, in school

Henry Specht: M, age 19, born in Iowa, in school

John Specht: M, age 8, born in Iowa, in school

Thomas Hansel: M, age 19, born in Bohemian, farm laborer

Henrich Kend: M, age 30, born in Mecklinberg, Wagon Maker

Scholastica Schmidt: F, age 16, born in France, servant, at school

^[8] 6 June 1870

Peru Township, Dubuque, IA

Hannah Specht, F, age 54, born in Hanover, widowed, age 54, Keeping House, $16500 in real estate, $5500 in personal estate, parents of foreign birth

Henry Specht, M, age 24, born in Iowa, attends ferry, parents of foreign birth

Werner Specht, M, age 28, born in Iowa, works on farm, parents of foreign birth

Caroline Specht, F, age 26, born in Iowa, at home, parents of foreign birth

Mary Specht, F, age 20, born in Iowa, at home,parents of foreign birth

Michael Kunz, M, age 50, born in Württemberg, Domestic Servant, parents of foreign birth, cannot read or write

Charles Liekisch, M, age 19, born in New York, works on ferry

note: next door is son Edward Specht and his family

^[9] 2 June 1880

Township of Peru, Dubuque, IA

Hannah Specht, Self, F, age 61, born in Hanover, widowed, Keeps hotel and owns and runs ferry boat

Edward Specht, Son, M, age 43, born in Iowa, United States, married, Engineer Ferry Boat, unemployed 4 months in 1880, parents born in Hanover

Caroline Specht, Daughter, F, age 39, born in Iowa, United States, single, Domestic Servant, parents born in Hanover

Werner Specht, Son, M, age 37, born in Iowa, United States, married, Pilot on Ferry boat, unemployed 4 months in 1880, parents born in Hanover

Henry Specht, Son, M, age 35, born in Iowa, United States, married, Engineer on steamer, unemployed 2 months in 1880, parents born in Hanover

John Specht, Son, M, age 29, born in Iowa, United States, single, Steamboat pilot, unemployed 2 months in 1880, parents born in Hanover

Christian Leidecker, boarder, M, age 62, born in Pomerania, single, Laborer, unemployed 3 months in 1880, parents born in Pomerania

Michael Spiel, boarder, M, age 59, Laborer, born in Bavaria, parents born in Bavaria

John Henderr, boarder, M, age 69, widowed, Carpenter, unemployed 3 months in 1880, born in Bavaria, parents born in Bavaria

Tena Vonderom, boarder, F, age 18, single, Domestic Servant, unemployed 2 months in 1880, born in Wurtenberg, father born in Wurtenbert, mother born in France

Swan Caskey, boarder, M, age 17, single, Fireman on ferry boat, unemployed 5 months, born in Wisconsin, United States, parents born in Pennsylvania

Hermann Zeal, boarder, M, age 36, single, Hoop-pole shaver, unemployed 1 month in 1880, born in N. Germany, parents born in N. Germany

Annie Specht, Daughter-in-law, F, age 23, married, Cooks on boat, born in Wisconsin, United States, parents born in Hanover

^[10] 1885

Johanna Specht: resides at township 90, range 2, section 4, street address Pt Lot 4, age 67, female, white, widowed, occupation Keeping House, born in Germany, parents are foreigners

Carolina Specht: resides at township 90, range 2section 4, street address Pt Lot 4, age 42, female, white, single, born in Dubuque, IA, parents are foreigners, cannot read and write

Michael Roche: resides at township 90, range 2, section 4, street address Pt Lot 4, age 22, male, white, single, occupation Cutting Wood, born in Germany, parents are foreigners, eligible for military and voting

Joseph Roche: resides at township 90, range 2, section 4, street address Pt Lot 4, age 18, male, white, single, occupation Cutting Wood, born in Germany, parents are foreigners, eligible for military

George Heinzelman: resides at township 90, range 2, section 4, street address Pt Lot 4, age 55, male, white, single, occupation Working ont the f???, born in Germany, parents are foreigners, eligible for voting

Alexander Burnett: resides at township 90, range 2, section 4, street address Pt Lot 4, age 25, male, white, single, occupation Laborer Cutting Wood, born in Scotland, parents are foreigners, eligible for military and voting

Obituary

^[11] Obituary of Johanna Baker Specht, from the June 3, 1904, Dubuque Telegraph-Herald :

WORKED FOR PRES. VAN BUREN ONCE

Mrs. Specht of Specht's Ferry, passes away -- she was a resident of this city in 1838.

The news was announced in the city this morning of the death of Mrs. Hannah Specht, one of the oldest residents of this county. She died at six o'clock Thursday evening at her home at Specht's Ferry. The deceased woman was born at Sarstett*, Germany, in 1814. On the 8th of last April she celebrated her ninetieth birthday. When a young girl she came to this country and entered the service for a time of President Van Buren. In 1834 she came to Galena, removing to Dubuque two years later. The last fifty years of her life were passed in Specht's Ferry. Her marriage with John Specht occurred in Galena in 1835. Her husband built the first frame house in Dubuque. Seven children blessed their union, of whom five are now living. They are John, Henry, Edward, and Miss Caroline of this vicinity, and Mrs. Mary Allen of Austin, Minn. The deceased woman was a perfect example of the finest type of German immigrant, a devoted mother and a loving wife. Her character was above reproach.

The funeral will be held Sunday morning, from Specht's Ferry to Sherrill's Mound. Rev. Bush will officiate.

[* Note from Jerry Specht, August 3, 2003: I believe this is the same as the current Sarstedt, which is southeast of Hanover, about half the way to Hildesheim. ]

Death

JUN 1904 ^[12]

Specht Ferry, Dubuque, IA ^[13]

Note

^[14] Johanna (Baker) Specht - The subject of this sketch is the widow of John Specht Sr. who was born in Byron, Germany, in 1807. He came to the United States, landing in New York City in the year 1832 where he remained but a short time. He left New York for Dubuque, IA, where he remained for five years, working at his trade, that of a carpenter, and he had the honor of building the first framed house in Dubuque. From here he removed to Peru Township where he took up one thousand and three hundred acres of land and settled down. He remained in this place until his death, which occurred Oct 24, 1866 when he had reached the age of 58 years. He left property consisting of one thousand and three hundred acres of land in Peru Township and land in Minnesota, also the only ferry line between Specht's Ferry, Potosio and Dubuque. The land was divided among his family, and the ferry line is now owned by his widow.

John Specht, Sr. was the most prominent man in Peru Township, and was widely known for his generosity, there were no schools in those days and he hired a private teacher to educate his children who were named as follows: Edward, Herman, deceased; Caline; Werner, deceased; Mary, Henry and John Jr.

Johanna Specht, our subject, is a native of Germany and was born in Hanover about 1814. She is the daughter of Fred Baker and Johanna Benson, who were also native of Hannover Germany. To this union were born two children Caline Baker Swear and our subject Johanna.

John Jr. the youngest of the children of John and Johanna Specht, was born in Peru Township, March 15, 1851 and was united in marriage with Miss Ida May Roberts of Dubuque Iowa on November 1, 1883. To them have been born children, Sarah, Alline and John. Mrs. Specht is the daughter of Henry and Anna (Bonham) Roberts, the former born in Iowa and the latter in Ill. They were the parents of seven children. The parents were of Scotch and Welsh ancestry. the father is dead and the mother lives in Tacoma, Washington. Mr. Specht left the parental roof when he had reached his majority and having purchased a boat engaged in business for himself until 1891, when he sold the boat and became pilot and captain of his mother's boat, the "Teal" which runs between Specht's Ferry, Potosia and Dubuque. He resides in Dubuque and is the owner of one hundred and seventy-five acres of choice farmland and other real estate.

Our subject is the possessor of one hundred and fifty acres of land, the ferry line and other personal property, and she lives in the building - which was put up about forty-three years ago. The homestead is called Specht's Landing. She is an exemplary member of the Presbyterian Church, and her son John is a member of the Congregational Church; politically he is a Republican and an ardent advocate of the party of reform. he has never been troubled by aspirating for political office, but accord true and loyal citizen, is ever ready to lend a helping hand in matters of public enterprise and improvement.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S7
2. ↑ Source: #S3
3. ↑ Source: #S4
4. ↑ Source: #S5
5. ↑ Source: #S7
6. ↑ Source: #S8
7. ↑ Source: #S5
8. ↑ Source: #S3
9. ↑ Source: #S4
10. ↑ Source: #S2
11. ↑ Source: #S8
12. ↑ Source: #S8
13. ↑ Source: #S8
14. ↑ Source: #S7

• Source: S1 "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJ6F-5JF : 8 March 2016), John Specht in entry for John Specht and May Roberts, 1882.
• Source: S2 "1885 State Census of Iowa - Dubuque County, Peru Township", Transcribed and Proofread by Frank A. Dunwoody for the IAGenWeb State Census Project. MEDIA SOURCE: Ancestry.com, MICROFILM NUMBER: FHL# 1021464, pages 477. http://iagenweb.org/census/. Copyright (c) 2013 by Frank A. Dunwoody. Formatted Apr 2013 by IAGenWeb Census Project File Manager, Polly Eckles. [1]
• Source: S3 "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDVM-TSV : 17 October 2014), Hannah Specht, Iowa, United States; citing p. 7, family 56, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,889.
• Source: S4 "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD28-939 : 14 July 2016), Hannah Specht, Peru, Dubuque, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district ED 184, sheet 408C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0338; FHL microfilm 1,254,338.
• Source: S5 "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M825-GFN : 30 December 2015), John Specht, 1860. Household ID: 51, Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Affiliate Publication Number: M653, Affiliate Film Number: 320, GS Film Number: 803320, Digital Folder Number: 00516628, Image Number: 00149.
• Source: S6 "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDW3-HHK : 4 December 2014), John Specht in entry for Mary A. Allen, 18 Feb 1943; citing Austin, Mower, Minnesota, reference 8845; FHL microfilm 2,243,471.
• Source: S7 Protrait and Biographical Records of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties, Iowa, 1894 [www.rootsweb.com/`iadubuque/bios.rootsweb.ia]
• Source: S8 Obituary of Johanna Baker Specht, from the June 3, 1904, Dubuque Telegraph-Herald [2]

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Elizabeth x for creating WikiTree profile Baker-9256 through the import of Kirkhoff, Specht, Rasmussen.ged on May 18, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Elizabeth and others.