Gerlach residence, Papsdorf Windmill, Saxony

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Gerlach - First Immigration

Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Gerlach immigrated for the first time to the U.S.A. in 1881.  He came with the Fiedler family, his sister Pauline and brother-in-law Julius (Ida Gerlach's cousin was Sidonie Fiedler Schafer).  They departed Hamburg on 12 Mar 1881 for Hull, England on the English ship Empress enroute to America via Liverpool.  A story passed down from Ida Gerlach says that her father Wilhelm Gerlach was teased upon arriving in America, because his style of pants had no pockets. 



Here's the names from the ship's list:
all from Marschwitz, Saxony to California (California, Missouri)

Julius Fiedler, 42, Seiler (rope maker)
Pauline Fiedler, 41
Martha Fiedler, 10
Toni Fiedler, 9 (this is probably Sedonia)
Oskar Fiedler, 6
Theodor Fiedler, 4
Artur Fiedler, 3
Wilhelm Gerlach, 43, Zimmermann (carpenter)


Wilhelm Gerlach returned to Saxony and immigrated with his own family in 1882. See separate post here:
http://gerlachsachsen.blogspot.com/2011/06/gerlach-immigration-ships-list.html