Xaver and wife Theresia (Jörger/Joerger) Merkel immigrated to Iowa in 1854, (Theresia was born Dec 27, 1810). They came aboard the ship Heidelberg with 6 children; Catherine (Nov 29, 1835 - Apr 19, 1909), Adeline (Dec 19, 1837 - Mar 30, 1905), Hugo (Apr 1, 1842 - Dec 16, 1854), Barnhardt (Jun 27, 1845 -?), Mary Louise (Dec 11, 1849 - Dec 11, 1854) and Joseph (Jan 29, 1851 - Oct 1854). The ship departed Havre, France on October 20th. Three days after departure the youngest, Joseph, died on board and was buried at sea. (One child died in Germany - Joseph, March 19, 1839, aged one day old).
The family had departed from Großweier, Baden, Germany on October 11, 1854 with the final destination of northeast Iowa where they planned to join Theresia's three brothers in the Dubuque area. After landing in New Orleans on Dec 4, they traveled up the Missisippi by steamer to St. Louis. The boat was infected with cholera. Mary Louise died on December 11 and Hugo died a few days later. They were buried on islands in the river when the boat docked at night.
Once in St. Louis they took the train to Galena, Ill., arriving in Galena on Christmas Day. They crossed the frozen Mississippi and met Theresia's brothers in Iowa (perhaps near Bellevue) for a reunion. Theresia became ill with yellow fever the next day and passed away on December 27. She was taken by horse and wagon to Tete des Morts, Jackson Co., Iowa (probably the St. Donatus church cemetery).
On her deathbed, Theresia divided the children between her brothers and their wives; Barnhardt/Bernard went to live with Theresia's youngest brother, Xaver and Aberhard Jerger, eventually settling in Sauk City, Wis. Catherine lived with Frederick and Christine Jerger and took employment in Galena, Ill. before her marriage to John Casper Miller in 1856. Adeline lived with John and Adelheid Jerger and later married David Easler.
It is said Theresia's brothers loaned the money for the family's passage to the U.S., which Xaver worked off and repaid. Xaver eventually settled in Winneshiek Co., Iowa and is listed in the 1880 census for Fremont Township, Winneshiek Co. with wife Hannah age 49 and daughter Malinda age 14. Also listed are granddaughters Malinda Wilson age 3 and Ada Wilson age 1, possibly the children of step-daughter(?) Mary Wilson age 22 who died between the date the census began and concluded.
The family had departed from Großweier, Baden, Germany on October 11, 1854 with the final destination of northeast Iowa where they planned to join Theresia's three brothers in the Dubuque area. After landing in New Orleans on Dec 4, they traveled up the Missisippi by steamer to St. Louis. The boat was infected with cholera. Mary Louise died on December 11 and Hugo died a few days later. They were buried on islands in the river when the boat docked at night.
Once in St. Louis they took the train to Galena, Ill., arriving in Galena on Christmas Day. They crossed the frozen Mississippi and met Theresia's brothers in Iowa (perhaps near Bellevue) for a reunion. Theresia became ill with yellow fever the next day and passed away on December 27. She was taken by horse and wagon to Tete des Morts, Jackson Co., Iowa (probably the St. Donatus church cemetery).
On her deathbed, Theresia divided the children between her brothers and their wives; Barnhardt/Bernard went to live with Theresia's youngest brother, Xaver and Aberhard Jerger, eventually settling in Sauk City, Wis. Catherine lived with Frederick and Christine Jerger and took employment in Galena, Ill. before her marriage to John Casper Miller in 1856. Adeline lived with John and Adelheid Jerger and later married David Easler.
It is said Theresia's brothers loaned the money for the family's passage to the U.S., which Xaver worked off and repaid. Xaver eventually settled in Winneshiek Co., Iowa and is listed in the 1880 census for Fremont Township, Winneshiek Co. with wife Hannah age 49 and daughter Malinda age 14. Also listed are granddaughters Malinda Wilson age 3 and Ada Wilson age 1, possibly the children of step-daughter(?) Mary Wilson age 22 who died between the date the census began and concluded.
Xaver and wife Theresia (Jörger/Joerger) Merkel immigrated to Iowa in 1854, (Theresia was born Dec 27, 1810). They came aboard the ship Heidelberg with 6 children; Catherine (Nov 29, 1835 - Apr 19, 1909), Adeline (Dec 19, 1837 - Mar 30, 1905), Hugo (Apr 1, 1842 - Dec 16, 1854), Barnhardt (Jun 27, 1845 -?), Mary Louise (Dec 11, 1849 - Dec 11, 1854) and Joseph (Jan 29, 1851 - Oct 1854). The ship departed Havre, France on October 20th. Three days after departure the youngest, Joseph, died on board and was buried at sea. (One child died in Germany - Joseph, March 19, 1839, aged one day old).
The family had departed from Großweier, Baden, Germany on October 11, 1854 with the final destination of northeast Iowa where they planned to join Theresia's three brothers in the Dubuque area. After landing in New Orleans on Dec 4, they traveled up the Missisippi by steamer to St. Louis. The boat was infected with cholera. Mary Louise died on December 11 and Hugo died a few days later. They were buried on islands in the river when the boat docked at night.
Once in St. Louis they took the train to Galena, Ill., arriving in Galena on Christmas Day. They crossed the frozen Mississippi and met Theresia's brothers in Iowa (perhaps near Bellevue) for a reunion. Theresia became ill with yellow fever the next day and passed away on December 27. She was taken by horse and wagon to Tete des Morts, Jackson Co., Iowa (probably the St. Donatus church cemetery).
On her deathbed, Theresia divided the children between her brothers and their wives; Barnhardt/Bernard went to live with Theresia's youngest brother, Xaver and Aberhard Jerger, eventually settling in Sauk City, Wis. Catherine lived with Frederick and Christine Jerger and took employment in Galena, Ill. before her marriage to John Casper Miller in 1856. Adeline lived with John and Adelheid Jerger and later married David Easler.
It is said Theresia's brothers loaned the money for the family's passage to the U.S., which Xaver worked off and repaid. Xaver eventually settled in Winneshiek Co., Iowa and is listed in the 1880 census for Fremont Township, Winneshiek Co. with wife Hannah age 49 and daughter Malinda age 14. Also listed are granddaughters Malinda Wilson age 3 and Ada Wilson age 1, possibly the children of step-daughter(?) Mary Wilson age 22 who died between the date the census began and concluded.
The family had departed from Großweier, Baden, Germany on October 11, 1854 with the final destination of northeast Iowa where they planned to join Theresia's three brothers in the Dubuque area. After landing in New Orleans on Dec 4, they traveled up the Missisippi by steamer to St. Louis. The boat was infected with cholera. Mary Louise died on December 11 and Hugo died a few days later. They were buried on islands in the river when the boat docked at night.
Once in St. Louis they took the train to Galena, Ill., arriving in Galena on Christmas Day. They crossed the frozen Mississippi and met Theresia's brothers in Iowa (perhaps near Bellevue) for a reunion. Theresia became ill with yellow fever the next day and passed away on December 27. She was taken by horse and wagon to Tete des Morts, Jackson Co., Iowa (probably the St. Donatus church cemetery).
On her deathbed, Theresia divided the children between her brothers and their wives; Barnhardt/Bernard went to live with Theresia's youngest brother, Xaver and Aberhard Jerger, eventually settling in Sauk City, Wis. Catherine lived with Frederick and Christine Jerger and took employment in Galena, Ill. before her marriage to John Casper Miller in 1856. Adeline lived with John and Adelheid Jerger and later married David Easler.
It is said Theresia's brothers loaned the money for the family's passage to the U.S., which Xaver worked off and repaid. Xaver eventually settled in Winneshiek Co., Iowa and is listed in the 1880 census for Fremont Township, Winneshiek Co. with wife Hannah age 49 and daughter Malinda age 14. Also listed are granddaughters Malinda Wilson age 3 and Ada Wilson age 1, possibly the children of step-daughter(?) Mary Wilson age 22 who died between the date the census began and concluded.
Family Members
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