During Valentin’s youth and young manhood,
Neunkirchen changed hands politically several times. When he was born, Valentine’s
home lay on the border between the Duchy of Zwelbrücken
and Nassau-Saarbrücken. In 1793, the
French expelled these regional rulers. In 1798, the area was annexed into the
First French Empire under Napoleon as part of the larger département Sarre. When
Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig in 1814, most of the Sarre became part of
Prussia, although some areas were assigned to the Duchy of Oldenburg and
Bavaria.
Neunkirchen did not
escape the direct effects of the wars that followed the French Revolution.
On September 12, 1793, a battle occurred between Austrian-Prussian troops and the
revolutionary forces in the forest of Neunkirchen. Other battles were fought in
the region through 1793 and 1794. Both fighting and troop movements affected
villages and towns, including Spiesen, the municipality that included the
Faulenberg. People stayed in their homes as much as possible and did not
venture away from their villages.2 The war and political upheavals
must have made a stressful climate in which the young man grew to maturity.
 |
| Margaretha Walzer Mensch |
Despite the stresses, on November 26, 1806, Valentin married Margaretha (Margaret) Walzer in Neunkirchen.3 Margaretha was born on May 21, 1787,4 probably in nearby Waldmohr.5 Together Valentin and Margaretha had at least 11 children. It appears that Margaretha was a Roman Catholic, while Valentin was a Protestant, and they made an unusual compromise about the religions of their children. All their daughters were baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, but there are no corresponding baptismal records for the sons. Later records show that at least two of the sons (Valentin, Jr. and William) were Lutherans.6 Another son (Philip) may have been baptized a Roman Catholic as an adult.7,[1]
Valentine’s and Margaretha’s children were as
follows:
Georg Valentin (Valentine, Jr.) Mensch
was born on January 6, 1807, in Neunkirchen8 and died on March 17,
1850, in Buffalo, Erie County, New York9 at age 43 or 44. He married
Catharina (Catherine) Stutzman on August 18, 1831, in Neunkirchen.10
Catharina was born in Ottweiler, Saarland on March 28, 1816,11 and
christened there on March 31, 1816.12 She died in Buffalo about 1879.12
Valentine and Catharina had seven children: Frederick, Johann Christian (John),
Amalia, Catharine, Valentin, William, and Carl (Charles).
Frederick Mensch1 was born on December 20, 1808, in Neunkirchen13 and died on
April 9, 1851 in Erie County, New York.14,15 In Buffalo, Frederick
worked as a blacksmith. He married Catherine Dentlinger,16 daughter
of Jacob Dentlinger16 and Catharina Philipps,16 in
Buffalo on October 13, 1839.16 Catherine was born about 1808 in
Germany.17 They had six children: Catherine, Margaret, Christian,
Frederick, Mary, and Elizabeth.
Philip Mensch1 was born
about 1809 in “Bavaria,”18 although records of his birth date vary
considerably. The 1809 birth year comes from the passenger record of the Mensch
family’s arrival in New York.1 The civil registration record from
Neunkirchen shows a Phlp. Thibo Mensch born or registered on 23 Mai 1810 (May 23,
1810). However, along with Valentin Senior's known children (for whom the birth
years correspond to passenger records), other Menches are registered. Philip’s age
stated in his will suggests that he was born in 1807.15 Thus, it is
unclear whether the “Phlp. Thibo” in the civil register is Valentin Senior’s
son. Philip served in the 100th N.Y. Infantry during the Civil War.19
He wrote his will anticipating that he might not survive. The will, dated 1862,
began: “…now aged fifty-five Years, being of sound mind and memory, but having
enlisted in the New York State Volunteers, in abating the Existing rebellion,
and not knowing how long my life may be spared…”15 His life was not
spared for long. He died on October 7, 1863, in a U.S. Army hospital in New
York City, New York.15, 19 Philip married Franciska15 (Frances),17
whose surname is not currently known. They had at least three children: Sarah,
Louis, and Christine. A male child under 5 years old, who is listed in the 1840
census as part of Philip’s family, may have died before the 1850 census.17
Margaretha Elizabeth Mensch1
was born on March 23, 1812, in Neunkirchen.20 She was baptized on
March 27, 1812, in Neunkirchen, Ottweiler,[2] Rheinland, Prussia.21 Although her baptismal record lists
her birthday as March 26, the civil record shows a Margaretha Mensch born or
registered on March 23. Margaretha died in Buffalo, New York on January 2, 1896,22, 23
at the age of 83. She was buried in the United German and French Cemetery in Cheektowaga,
Erie County, New York.22 On August 19, 1841, Margaretha married Frederich
William (William) Brandt in Erie County, New York.24 William was
born about 1806 in Prussia30 and probably died on November 10, 1878.25
A Frederich W. Brandt, who died on this date and was born in February 1806, is
buried in the United German and French Cemetery in Cheektowaga, but his grave
does not appear to be associated with Margaretha’s. The Brandts had two
children, Frederick William (William) and Mary.
Wilhelmina Margaretha Mensch26
was born on November 15 or 16, 1814, in Neunkirchen.26,27 She was
christened on November 17, 1814, in Neunkirchen, Ottweiler.26 She might
have died young because she was not with the family when they immigrated to New
York. Alternatively, she might have married and remained in Europe.
Johann William (William) Mensch1,28
was born in Neunkirchen on May 24, 1817,28,29 and died in Buffalo on
September 30, 1864.29,30 For details of his life see “William
Mensch.”
Amalia Marie (Amelia) Mensch1
was born in Neunkirchen on April 7, 1820,31 and christened in
Spiesen, Ottweiler, Rhein, Preußen.32 She died on June 19, 1899 in
Lake County, Illinois,33 and was buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery
there.33 Amelia married Nicholas Lux, who was born on June 16, 1817.33
He died on August 26, 1874, in Lake County, Illinois,33 and also was
buried in St. Patrick's Cemetery.33 Amelia and Nicholas Lux had 11
children: Amelia, Charles, Johannes, Helen, Barbara, Nicholas F., George, John
H., Edward, Matilda Anne, and Caroline Mary.
Elisabetha (Elizabeth) Mensch1
was born on November 28, 1824,1 and was christened in Spiesen,
Ottweiler.34 She died sometime before 1866, when she was listed as
deceased in the probate of her brother Philip Mensch.16 Elizabeth
married Valentine Young.16
Charles Mensch1 was born
about 1825 in Prussia.1 He died on May 17, 1887, in Cook County,
Illinois35,36 and was buried in Oakridge-Glen Oak Cemetery, Hillside,
Cook County, Illinois.36 Before moving to Illinois he lived in Manitowoc,
Wisconsin, where he was a steamboat agent in 186037 and a sailor in
1870.38 On October 12, 1846, Charles married Mary Klein39
or Cline40 in Erie County, New York.39 Mary was born
about 1826 in France.41 She died on September 2, 1909, in Chicago,
Cook, Illinois42 and like Charles was buried in Oakridge Glen Oak
Cemetery, Hillside, Cook County.43 Charles and Mary had six
children: Mary, William C., Carolina, Frances, Flora, and Minna.
Barbara Mensch1 was born
on December 7, 1826,1 and christened in Spiesen, Ottweiler.44
She died at the age of 80 on December 27, 1906,45 and was buried in the
United German and French Cemetery, Section B, Cheektowaga, New York.45
Barbara married Johannes Marcus46 (John) Wackerman,35 who
was born about 1818 in France.47 They separated, and he died by
suicide on July 22, 1868, in Clinton, Huron Co., Ontario, Canada.48 Newspapers
reported that he had cut his own throat with a razor.48 Before his
life fell apart John Wackerman owned a cooking store in Buffalo.47 The
1860 census showed that the family was relatively well off. Their household
included a servant, and John had real estate valued at $3500 and personal
estate worth $4500.47 Barbara and John Wackerman had four children:
Amelia, John Valentin, Caroline, and George.
Catharina (Catharine) Mensch1,35
was born on March 3, 182949 and christened in Spiesen, Ottweiler.50
She died on June 16, 1885, in Chicago, Illinois.51 In 1870,
Catherine was running a saloon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.52 Catharine
married Joseph Widmer or Witmer,49,35 who was born in Baden about
1815.49 He apparently had died or separated from Catherine in or before
1870, as he was not listed with her in the 1870 census. Catherine and Joseph
had five children: Joseph, Christian, Rose, Emma, and Catherine.
According to The Peter Stutzman Family Story,12
Valentin and Margaretha had another son, Daniel, who did not emigrate with the
rest of the family. The civil birth register for Neunkirchen shows a Grg.
Daniel Mensch born or registered on May 4, 1811.53 Since the civil
register does not include the parents’ names, the record does not confirm that
Valentin and Margaretha had a sixth son named Daniel.[3]
In 1834, Valentin immigrated to America with
his wife and most of his children. His eldest son, Valentin, Jr., initially remained
in Neunkirchen, but he would bring his family to New York about a year and a
half later.
According to his ship’s passenger record, Valentin
was 52 years old.1 He left no record of why he had chosen to leave
his homeland relatively late in life. However, by 1830, German emigration had
begun to increase dramatically, with most going to the United States. The emigrants
wrote letters home to family and friends describing the opportunities available
in their new locations. German newspapers published these letters, which
prompted others to emigrate.54
There were additional reasons that could have
prompted Valentin to seek a new home with safety and better opportunities for
his children. The industrial revolution had changed the way of life in Europe.
People left the trades and the farms to work in factories, but the working
conditions were miserable, and unemployment was high. These conditions led to
political unrest. A small-scale uprising by tailors occurred in 1830 but
was rigidly put down by the authorities. There would be subsequent uprisings
culminating in German Revolution (or March Revolution) in 1848 – 1849,55
but by then the Mensch family would be safely in America.
To reach the United States, the Mensch family
travelled to Le Havre, France, a journey of over 600 km. There they boarded the
ship Asia, which carried them to New York City, arriving on May 26, 1834.
The ship’s passenger list, filed in the Port of New York, lists Valentin as a
laborer from Prussia bound for Ohio.1 The passenger list translates
the family’s forenames into French. Thus, Wilhelm is listed as Guillaume, Elisabetha
as Elise, and Catharina as Charlotte.1
There is no record of why the family had
intended to go to Ohio or why they instead settled in Buffalo. However, had
their intended destination been somewhere in northern Ohio, from New York City
they might have travelled up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal and then up the
canal to its terminus in Buffalo. Buffalo was a major port for shipping on the
Great Lakes. Daily passenger service had been running between Buffalo
and Cleveland, Ohio since 1830.56
There are several
possible reasons why the Mensch family remained in Buffalo. They might have
been short of money and unable to pay for the ship to Cleveland. They might
have been tired of travelling, or they might simply have liked what they saw in
Buffalo. The city was young and vibrant. Although it had been inhabited for
over thirty years, it had been incorporated as a city only two years earlier. Buffalo
had grown from 2400 people in 1825 to 10,000 in 1832, and by 1835 the
population had increased by another 5,000 inhabitants, many of whom were German
immigrants. The city’s first bank opened in 1834, and its first railroad was
chartered the same year.57
Valentin, Jr. followed his father and siblings
at the end of 1835. He sailed from Le Havre on the packet ship Silvie de
Grasse accompanied by his wife Catharina and two children, Frederick and Johann
Christian (John). They arrived at the Port of New York on December 26, 1835.58
The Buffalo city directories provide a glimpse
of the Mensches’ lives. Valentin, Sr. first appeared in a city directory in
1836, shown as a laborer living on Elm Street above Genesee59 in the German section of the city. In
1839, Valentin, Jr., recorded as “Georg V Minsch,” was working as a blacksmith
at Elm Street below Genessee, while Valentine “Minsch”
was a laborer with a house on Genessee below Michigan.60 By 1842, both Valentin, Sr. and Valentin, Jr. were listed as
blacksmiths located at the corner of Elm and Genessee Streets.61 In
the previous (1841) directory, Valentin, Jr. had been listed as a blacksmith at
the same location, while Valentin, Sr. was shown with no occupation but living
in a house on Elm Street west of Genessee.62
By the
mid-1840s Valentin appeared to have acquired some financial means, as he was
able to lend money and become a mortgage holder. On November 13, 1846, he lent
money to one Philip Hellriegel, and on March 1, 1847, he provided a
mortgage to his son Valentin, Jr.63
However,
Valentin had little time to enjoy his wealth. He died in Buffalo on August 7, 1848,35
leaving a will that was not probated until after the death of his son Valentin,
Jr. in 1850. He appointed his wife “Margaret” as his executrix. The probate
package lists the names of his children, including daughters and their spouses
and the children of his deceased sons, Valentin, Jr. and Frederick.
Margaretha lived
for another 17 years, with her unmarried daughter Catherine in 185064
and without any family in 1860.65 Apparently, she was not suffering
financially. Census records show that she owned a house worth $3,000 and
personal estate worth $300.64,65 Although she lived in the house, she
generated income by renting part (or most) of it to another family. 64,65
She also worked as a midwife.65 Margaret died on August 27, 1865,66
and was buried in the United German and French Cemetery in Cheektowaga, Erie
County, New York.66
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[1]
A record transcription without a supporting image shows that Phillipus Mensch,
son of “Valentini Mensch and Margarethae Walzen,” was baptized in Buffalo,
Erie, New York on May 17, 1858. The transcription shows Philippus’ birth date
as 1847, which is clearly impossible. It is unclear whether this is an
incorrect transcription of the birth date (possibly 1807) or the person
baptized was actually a grandson of Valentin and Marguerite.
[2]
Ottweiller appears to be a parish that includes subordinate churches. It was
also a civil district created in 1814.
[3]
Note that the baptismal record transcriptions of the six daughters list their
parents’ names.
