Caterina Elisabetha (Ehresmann) German (1801 - abt. 1861)

Born 16 Mar 1801 in Neustadt-On-Hardt, Pfalz, Baden, Germany

Wife of Johann George Frey — married 20 Jan 1820 (to about 1833) in Neustadt, Bavaria, Germany

Wife of Jacob Elias Frey — married about Aug 1837 (to 1846) in New York, United States

Wife of John German — married 26 Feb 1848 (to 1861) in Holmes, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died about 1861 at about age 59 in Tiverton Township, Coshocton, Ohio, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Catherine Elisabeth was born in Germany in 1801, the daughter of Johann Frederich Ehresmann and Barbara Gerber. In 1820, when she was 18 years old, she married George Frey. They had _ children before George's untimely death in 1833. Honoring a death-bed wish by her husband, she agreed to marry his younger brother, Elias Frey. Since such a marriage was illegal in Germany at the time, and since her oldest son, Frederick, expressed a strong desire to go to America, she and the children, along with Elias, travelled to La Havre, where they boarded the Andrew Scott for the 17-day journey to America, arriving in New York on 08 Aug 1837.^[1] There Elias and Catherine were married within a few days.^[2]

Although they intended to remain in New York, the opportunity for both Elias and Frederick to be employed building the canal system in Ohio drew them to head to the Midwest. The 1840 Census indicates that they were in New Castle Township, Coshocton County, Ohio, by that time. The enumerated household consisted of the following:^[3]

MALES: (1) born 1831-1835; (2) born 1821-1825; (1) born 1801-1810

FEMALES: (1) born 1821-1825; (1) born 1801-1810

Elias is recorded as employed in manufacturing.

After the death of her second husband in 1846, Elizabeth third married John Gorman,^[4] who then lived in Holmes Co, Ohio. At the time of the 1850 census, John (56, Germany) and Elizabeth (56, Germany) were in Richland Township, Holmes County, Ohio, with no children living in the home.^[5]

In June 1860, they were in Tiverton Township, Coshocton County, Ohio, with the household consisting of John (64, Switzerland), Elisabeth (59, "Biron" Germany), and a Magdalena Hosteter (17, OH)—a "domestic" of unknown relationship. John was farming, valuing his real estate at $800 and his personal estate at $200.^[6]

The house in which they lived for some time after their marriage [Holmes County] has been torn down and the land was owned by Fred Fites as of early 1900s. (Fred had married one of Elisabeth's granddaughters.) Mr and Mrs German afterward moved to Coshocton County, where they lived until her death of heart disease about 1861. She is buried in the Young graveyard (now Honey Run Cemetery) near Bluff, Ohio.^[7]

Research Notes

—Surname of third husband could be "German," "Gorman," or "Garman." It seems to appear differently on each source. However, in the history presented by her grandson, who would have known her, it is given as "German."

Sources

1. ↑ "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891": Catherine Frey, 36; Frederick Frey, 16; Peter Frey, 13; Barbara Frey, 11; Christine Frey, 7; Jacob Frey, 3; Elias Frey, 34; Passenger list of the ship Andrew Scott; 8 August 1837 FamilySearch (Image)
2. ↑ Citation Needed
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1840": Elias Fry household; New Castle Township, Coshocton County, Ohio; Sheet 1 FamilySearch (Image)
4. ↑ '"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016": John Garman and Elizabeth Fry; 26 February 1848; Holmes County Marriage Records, Vol 2, p 356 FamilySearch (Image)
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1850:" John German household; Richland Township, Holmes County, Ohio; 8 July 1850; Dwelling 76/Family 77, Lines 37-38 FamilySearch (Image)
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1860": John German household; Tiverton Township, Coshocton County, Ohio; 20 June 1860; Dwelling 146/Family 148, Lines 17-19 FamilySearch (Image)
7. ↑ “The History of the Fry Family.” Presented at a family reunion in the early 1900s by W. F. Garver of Millersburg, whose mother was Anna Barbara Fry, daughter of George and Catherine Elizabeth. A typed transcript of it is in the hands of WikiTree Member Kirch-132.