85. Johan Heinrich Clamor Johansmeyer
This birth was confirmed in Bad Essen Lutheran Church records. This family had 9 children. Accofding to the 1910 Census, he immigrated to the United States in 1852, although that seems unlikely.
If I have my facts straight, he and his wife lived in the 19th Electoral District in the 17th Ward in New York during the 1870 census. He is listed there as a painter. He is similarly listed as having the occupation of painter in the 1880 census, living in Manhattan, New York, New York. 1900 census also lists his occupation as painter. At that time, the family was living at East 134th Street in the Bronx, New York, New York.
Catharina Margarethe Schwoeppe
Listed in the 1880 census as living in Manhattan, New York, New York. The Schweppes were on the same ship as the Johansmeyers on their way to America. She was living at 1032 E. 134th Street in the Bronx when she died. Her death certificate also says her mother was Fredericka. Thus, Ernst might have had a second wife and a different one for each of his two children listed here. Her cause of death is listed as chronic endocarditis with dilatation.
140. Minnie Johansmeyer
Listed in the 1880 census as attending school.
144. Charles Johansmeyer
1900 Census shows his occupation as office work.
Perhaps shown working a a maid in the 1920 Manhattan New York Census, living at West 118th Street..
88. Clamor Adolph Johannsmeyer
The birth register at the Lutheran church in Bad Essen shows Clamor's last name as Kaump since he was born on the Kaump farm, his father had become owner of the Kaump farm through the marriage of the widow Kaump, and farmers took the name of the farm as their own surname. Still, his father was a Johannsmeyer and also owned the Johannsmeyer farm in Rattinghausen, so Clamor retained the last name of his father.
When 20 years old, Clamor enlisted in the 6th Hanoverian Regiment (Prussian Guard). In the spring of 1865 after 3 years of service, Clamor hired a mercenery to finish his service, paying $110, and left for the United States. He arrived in the United State on 31 July 1865 at 24 years of age. After working as a grocery clerk in New York City for two months, he made the overland trip to Kansas City, and then, traveled by boat to Leavenworth. He then traveled overland to Randolph and Swede Creek, 23 miles north of Manhattan, Kansas. He then sent for his fiance, who he married soon after arrival in Randolph in late 1865. Their first home was a log cabin on their farm 2 1/2 miles north of the old Randolph (moved with the creation of Tuttle Creek Reservoir).
Clamor learned of opportunity in the Swede Creek area of Riley County from his future mother-in-law, Maria Elenora (Meisemeyer) Baune. Her sister, Anna Marie Elizabeth Meisemeyer, lived in Riley County, Kansas and was married to Charles Meyer. Charles died from drowning in the Blue River, and the widow remarried Fred Toburen. Erna Bisig, a grandaughter, wrote a letter while doing research on the family that says Anna Marie Elizabeth Meisemeyer went to Illinois with her bachelor brother, apparently from Germany. Somehow, she met and married Charles, and they ended up in Kansas Territory on the Blue River.
No doubt, after the marriage to Fred Toburen, Maria Elenora Baune arranged through her sister to have Fred Toburen accommodate Clamor's, and then, their move to Kansas. Maria Elenora (Meisemeyer) Baune's younger sister, Anna Marie Engel Meisemeyer, evidently came to the United States at the same time and subsequently married Fred's younger brother, Herman Heinrich Toburen. Maria Elenora (Meisemeyer) Baune's younger brother Fred and the rest of the brothers and sisters also apparently joined them in the Swede Creek area given the census information in 1880.
Clamor Adolph was a very successful farmer. When he moved to Kansas he purchased 160 acres of bottom land on the Big Blue River. The 1870 census showed the value of his real estate at $3,000 and his personal estate as $2,140. When he died he owned 340 acres. He had held various township offices, and on the 5th of Novermber 1889 was elected Commissioner on the Independent ticket. His life is discussed in "Portrait and Geographical Album" of Washington, Clay, Riley Counties, Kansas," prepared by Chapman Brothers Publishers, Chicago, IL, 1890, and "Pioneers of the Bluestem Prairie." There is also a family published manuscript "Clamor Adolph Johansmeyer, Wehrendorf Prussia and his descendant families in America," dated July 1986. Ivan Harrisberger conceived the idea for the Johnsmeyer story, researched and wrote the majority of the initial document. Forest Harrisberger prepared the manuscripts for publication and distribution. Various family members have a copy of this manuscript.
Other information from the Johnsmeyer history follows - quoting son Herman Johnsmeyer regarding the decision of Clamor Adolph to go to America and the subsequent events. "My father, Clamor Adolph Johnsmeyer, was the son of a rather well-to-do land owner called a Baron which meant that he was sufficiently wealthy to have peasant farmers on his land. Peasant farmers were people who had a small house, a parcel of land large enough to make a meager living, and were subject to call at any time to work for the land owner, and this included women. My mother's folks were one of the peasant families who lived on my father's folks' land. They were quite a distinguished family and were known as von Johannsmeyer's. My mother was the only child and was considered very pretty. Her weight was only about 100 pounds, and was what one would call a 'pretty and sweet young thing.' As things will happen, Dad fell in love with this pretty little peasant girl.
"His main concern was economics since he could not inherit the family estate as provided by the German law; and now that he had gotten 'involved' with the pretty little peasant girl, running away seemed to be the perfect solution.
"So, arrangement were made between the two lovers for father to go ahead and get established, find a place for his bride-to-be, and as soon as his ambition was realized, he would send her the money to come to him. We can readily see that this took very much courage. My father's age at that time was in the early 20's, and mother was only 17. But they, like a lot of others, had the true pioneer spirit. He started for Amerca in mid-1865, leaving from Bremen, Germany, by sail boat and arriving in New York about two weeks later. From theire he went by rail to Manhattan, Kansas, and took up a homestead about 23 miles north of Manhattan on the Big Blue River. Then, he bought a tract adjoing the homestead from Bill Meyer, which had a small one-room log house on it; after which, he sent for his bride-to-be.
"My mother left her country with her parents to join her husband-to-be in Riley County, Kansas. They had a relative by the name of Fred Toburen (his wife was Elenora Boehne's sister) who lived not too far from my father's homestead which was their destination. They set sail for their new home in a sailboat which must not have been of the best kind. She was on the boat nine weeks drifting in the rough sea. They had just about given up hope of getting across the ocean. They started rationing food and water and things looked very gloomy, but they finally reached land, and subsequently, Leavenworth, Kansas by train. They arrived there without any trouble and took rooms in a boarding house. Then there was trouble getting word to Mr. Toburen that they had arrived. The only way was by mail and that was so very slow. They waited for quite some time before Mr. Toburen got the word, but when he did he rigged up his old wagon, pulled by an ox team, and went after my mother in Leavenworth. Mr. Toburen had been in this country a few years and was somewhat established in his home in Swede Creek. These old settlers had to locate on the creek or river so that they would have water and wood; also, lumber with which to build their homes.
"In due time, father and mother set up housekeeping in their little log cabin to face the future. The nearest trading post was at Junction City, about 45 miles away and there was no established road, just prairie tracks across the country. Indians were quite common, but not vicious. If not molested, they were mostly friendly, there was drouth and scarcity of food. They had some cultivated ground. It was plowed, leveled down, marked with a wooden marker 3 feet apart both ways, then planted with a sharp stick punching a hole in the ground and dropping in the kernel. Then, the growing corn was cultivated with a one horse shovel plow both ways. In the fall, the corn was shocked out, thrown in piles, and hauled out with wagons. Small grains - as wheat and oats - were handled much the same.
"Building material was plentiful along the river but all work had to be done by hand. A fireplace provided heat, cooking fire, and light until candles could be made. Log and stone fences were built after the housing needs were provided. Wells were sunk - the hole being dug by hand, walls lined with stone. The women did hand laundering, gardened, sewed for the family, often spinning the thread and weaving the cloth. They made lye, needed for soap making, from wood ashes.
"As the family grew, they needed a new house, so in 1879, a large eight-room frame house was erected. Then, other buildings of stone and mortar were built. The mortar was burned in pits in the hillside. Many miles of stone fences were laid by the Swedes who were early settlers, and were stone masons by trade. The little town of Randolph was started at about the same time the new house was built, and a grade school was built in 1868. The older children went to this school which was two and one-half miles from our house.
"In 1886, the Union Pacific Railroad was built through our farm and was done with mule teams. About a dozen teams were used at one time for grading. The father-in-law, C. A. Boehne, who by trade was a carpenter, and who made wooden shoes and wove baskets, helped with the buiding projects. He also wove a casket for a worker who died on the railroad project. Soon a little country school was built down the road from our house with the help of the railroad, and the younger children received their education there.
"The nearest church, Swede Creek Church, was six miles away over rough ravine roads, but we attended quite regularly uising a lumber wagon for transportation. Later, a spring wagon was used, and still later a carriage with top for curtains to help weather the cold north wind. When weather would not permit us to attend church, father would gather us into the large dining room and read to us from a large book of sermons he had brought with him from Germany. They also attended the 5-day camp meeting held on the camp ground 2 miles from the church. Clamor helped build the church and served as a trustee.
"Father passed away in 1911 at the age of 70. At that time Carl, the youngest boy, and two of his sisters, Nellie and Alma, were at home and carried on the work. Mother owned the place until 1929 when August and Nellie Richter, who were renting then, bought the farm consisting of about 350 acres for $20,000. Mother lived on the farm with them all of her remaining days, and passed away in 1940 at the age of 92."
(Excerpts from Chaplman Bros. Publishers): "C. A. Johnsmeyer. There is probably not within the limits of Jackson Township, Riley County, a more reliable liberal-minded, or public-spirited, German citizen than he with whom we introduce this sketch. He has been very successful financially, his property totalled over 400 acres. He has held the various township offices, and on the 5th of November, 1889, was elected Commissioner on the Independent ticket. . . . Our subject has been quite prominent in his community, serving as School Director and Road Supervisor, besides being Township Treasurer for six years. He is a member in good standing of the German Lutheran church, in which he served as Trustee, and assisted in building of the church edifice at Swede Creek."
Clamor Johannsmeyer filed for a homestead as soon as he arrived in the United States in 1865. He then purchased additional land from Eric Linquist. His land included Tract No. F621. It contained about 190 acres including easement, lying below elevation 1140 (M. S. L.). The acreage not sold to the government for Tuttle Creek Reservoir was about one-quarter section of land. He also purchased 227 acres at Rose Hill which he sold to son Louis for $3000. According to Erna, "There was an old stone house on it, lots of rats, and many problems. Uncle John came, and he and Dad batch there until a new house was built by Gus. Ostaff, Wm Buscher, and John Toburen. Acreage supposedly included 160 acres on Sec b, 160 acres on Sec 31, 320 acres on Sec 30, and 80 acres in Sec 25, all in Riley County, and 160 acres near Parallel in Washington, County.
According to Erna Bisig, "I don't think Grandma appreciated his being away so much, but the kids were glad when he was gone - had more fun. He was very strict and really worked, especially the older ones."
Clamor facilitated the moves of his brother, Henrich Wilhelm Johannsmeyer (in 1870), and his half brother, Heinrich Ludwig Kaump (in 1871), to the United Stated to settle in the area. Bruce Kaump, the great grandson of both Heinrich Ludwig Kaump and Clamor Adolph Johannsmeyer, still farms and raises cattle on the Kaump homestead property today.
Clamor died of prostate problems and grip. He is buried in Swede Creek Cemetery, surrounded by Kaump's, Meisemeyer's, the Baune's (Boehne's), and the other families into which his family married - Toburen, Richter, Oberhelmann, Meyer, and others. It is truly a family cemetery.
Directions to Swede Creek Cemetary: US 77 north 7 miles past Randolph; east on Swede Creek Road (Riley County Road 362 to Swede Creek Church (will be on the right). 1/4 mile east of church on left on hill is the cemetery. Past the cemetery traveling east at the T intersection turn right and then take 1st left towards Tuttle Creek Reservoir and end of road is the old Johnsmeyer property that was flooded with Tuttle Creek project.
Anna Marie Elenora Boehne ( Bäune )
Anna Marie's parents were peasants farmers who lived on the farm of Baron Clamor Henrich Johannsmeyer and Maria Elizabeth Lowekaump in Wehrendorf, Prussia. She was the only child and very small, only about 100 pounds.
One evening, the peasant families were having a kind of party - a "Husking Bee." The one getting the "red ear" of corn would be kissed. It was Anna Marie Baune that got it, and "out of the blue" came Clarmor Adolph Johannsmeyer on his horse and kissed her. Later, he came to their home to see her. Her father didn't like this, and told his daugter so. He said Johannsmeyer's were not of their class, and warned her not to see Clamor Adolph again. That didn't stop them. One time, Clarmor Adolph Johannsmeyer was with her in their small peasant house when her family was not home. Her father came home, so young Johannsmeyer hurriedly got out of the house, and made his way through the horses and other farm animals until he got away.
Anna Marie left Germany with her parents after Clamor Adolph Johannsmeyer had established a farm 23 miles north of Manhattan, Kansas (2 1/2 miles north of old Randolph) on the Big Blue River (now flooded by Tuttle Creek Reservoir). They made their way here thanks to the support of the Meisemeyer's and Fred Toburen. Fred was the brother-in-law of Clamor Adolph Baune's wife, Marie Elenore Meisemeyer, and lived nearby. Marie Elenore's sister, Anna Maria Elizabeth Meisemeyer who was married to Fred, was originally married to Charles Meyer. When Charles drowned in the Blue River, Anna Maria Elizabeth Meisemeyer had sufficient funds to begin sending for other family members in Prussia, which included the Baune's and their daughter, who was to be wed to Clamor Adolph Johannsmeyer.
In 1879, the family built an eight-room frame house. Her son, Carl Frederick and Carl's son, Harry Elmer, were born in this house. The Swede Creek Church they attended was six miles away over rough ravine roads. They used a lumber wagon for transportation. Later a spring wagon was used, and still later a carriage with top for curtains to help weather the cold north wind. When weather would not permit the family to attend church, Clamor Adolph would gather up the family in the large dining room and read from a large book of sermons he had brought with him from Prussia.
In 1895, they purchased the Parallel store. The next year a cylclone hit it and did a lot of damage. The purchase was said to be unfortunate by the family due to so many moves, the destructive cyclone, search for grandmother (see below), Aunt Emma (Meisemeyer) Johnsmeyer's premature death, Amanda given so much responsibility at 17, and John being stuck there from 1895-1902. Clamor and Anna moved back to the homeplace in 1896 with John running the Parallel store.
Emma (Toburen) Johnsmeyer's story about Anna as told by Erna Bisig, "She was unhappy about having to be at the Parallel store, walked out, and disappeared. Grandpa sent Uncle John to get my Dad and Uncle Henry and they searched and searched for her. Mother had Aunt Nellie who was crying so hard. They even dragged the pond and finally gave up for a while to rest. When Grandpa got home early in the AM, she was home asleep in bed, said she had been there all night. I don't think she ever told any of them where she had hidden. It was a really dirty trick, all felt especially sorry for little Nellie."
The family knew many hardships - Indian perils, drouth, and scarcity of food. Anna often recalled the grasshopper invasion of 1874. According to Erna Bisig, "Grandma said she was left alone so much, had to trade with the Indians, feed the trampsk besides cook, bake, spin, and sew for her many children, and she wasn't too well. She loved her children, but I think she felt inferior to her huband. She was happy to have her folks to help her." She would tell German ghost stories to Erna.
Anna Marie sold the farm (called the "home place" and probably about 400 acres) ) in 1929 to Mr. and Mrs. August Richter (Nellie Johnsmeyer), Anna Marie's daughter. Anna Marie continued to live on the farm until she passed away at age 92.
93. Heinrich Wilhelm (William) Johannsmeyer
Immigrated to the United States a few years after his brother Clamor Adolph Johannsmeyer. Arrived in New York on 2 April 1870 on board the Donau from Bremen as chronicled in "Germans to America." Was 17 years of age and occupation was listed as "Farmer." Changed name to Johnsmeyer like his brother. Homesteaded somewhat near his brothers - 1/2 mile west of Grandview Cemetery (near Grandview, Kansas) and 1 1/2 miles east of Riley/Leonardville Unified School.
William married in the United States. The parents of his wife are buried in the Swede Creek Cemetary.
Sophia's mother was a Toburen who immigrated to the US with her husband, joining brothers, sister, parents, and a cousin.William became a citizen of the United States on 24 May 1878 and was naturalized as William.
Sophia Christina Wilhelmina Sondker
Sophia had brothers in the Topeka, Kansas area.
Died in infancy.
164. Florence Johnsmeyer
Never married. She was a secretary for Karlan's Furniture store. She lived in Monrovia, California.
165. Laura Johnsmeyer
Never had children.