ANDREAS MOLLER BIOGRAPHY by Dolores Kallsen Modro
compiled from family records of Irma Kallsen Niebes
"America, the land of opportunity"! That was the slogan ANDREAS MOLLER heard repeatedly as a youth. Wars, overcrowded living conditions, scarcity of land, no prospects for jobs, and a depressed economy in his little village of Ramstedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia (now Germany) led Andreas to leave his homeland and sail for America in 1864.
On October 7, 1831, ANDREAS MOLLER was born to Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller and Johann Hinrich Moller who were living in Ramstedt, Prussia. Three other sons were born during the next ten years (Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas). The boys were close in age and close friends.
After Andreas' mother ( Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller) died in 1841, his father married his third wife, Margretha Weihs, who mothered his four young sons and gave birth to two girls--Mathilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina. Many years later, Andreas' step-mother, Margaretha, and his two half-sisters emigrated to the U.S.A. and settled in the German Lutheran community of Keystone, IA.
Little is known about Andreas' childhood. The trauma of his mother's death and the adjustment to his new step-mother undoubtedly affected him. Due to his father's status as a craftsmen, he probably enjoyed a comfortable home and social esteem.
Tragedy hit the Moller family, for the second time, when Andreas' father, Johann Hinrich Moller died in 1852. He left his third wife, Margaretha Magdalena Weihs, two very young daughters, Matilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina; and his four sons from his second marriage, Andreas, Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas. Perhaps Andreas, (21 yr.), assumed the responsibility of his father's family and delayed his own plans for marrying and establishing a home and family.
In 1858, two of Andreas' brothers, Hinrich (23 yrs.), emigrated to America "to seek a better life". They temporarily settled in a German community in Davenport, IA. Three years later, Nicolas died from a sunstroke in the harvest fields nearby. Hinrich became known as "Heinrich or Henry Miller" in the U.S.A. He enlisted in the Union Army after President Lincoln's first call for troops and served for three years. After the war, he settled in Benton County, IA and became a leading citizen for the next 60 years. Peter probably remained in Prussia or Germany (Prussia unified with other provinces and became a nation, Germany, in 1870). On his father's death record in 1852, Peter was listed as "living". No other mention is made of him on family records but no extensive search ha been made in German records.
Andreas came to America in 1864 during the final year of the Civil War. He became known as "Andrew Miller" while living briefly in the German community at Davenport, IA. He finally settled in the vicinity of Keystone, IA and remained there the rest of his life.
Within two years of his arrival in the U.S.A., Andrew (a 35 year old bachelor) found his true love, Maria Jochimes, who was also a recent German immigrant. After a brief courtship, they were married on February 8, 1866.
Andrew and Maria bought 40 acres of fertile farmland (for $3 an acre) located southwest of Keystone, IA. Their grandchild (Irma Kallsen Niebes) described the location as '1/2 mile south of the Forty" meaning Peter Kallsen and Mathilde Miller Kallsen's home and 40 acres.
Settling in a log cabin already built on their small farm, Andrew and Maria began their family of 9 children; Mathilde, baby Johann who died at six months, Hermann, Emilia, Heinrich, Anna, Edward, Johann, and Maria.
Andrew strived to improve his famly's living conditions (in 1871) by purchasing an additional 80 acres next to his farm. It had a frame house already built on it. About 1885, a new house was built on the farm as their oldest children were maturing. Work on the new house brought together Hans Peter Kallsen, a skilled mason and plasterer, and Mathilde who was the oddest daughter of Andrew and Maria. Soon they were married and settled on "The Forty" which was 1/2 mile north of the Miller farm.
In 1900, after 34 years of living on their farm, Andrew and Maria retired to a newly built house in Keystone, IA. They took their favorite horse, "Treeno", to town to pull their buggy. Irma Kallsen Niebes, their grand-daughter, remembers them driving Treeno and the buggy to visit their daughter, Mathilde and Peter's Kallsen's family.
Andrew had fulfilled his dreams of finding a wife, having a big family, OWNING LAND, and then retiring to a newly built home in town!
Irma Kallsen Niebes writes, "I do not remember much about Grandpa Andrew Miller. Although his German baptismal name was Andreas Moller, I never heard anyone call him anything but Andrew. He was short, slight, old man with a snow white hair and chin whiskers. I was told that in his younger days, he would do a lot of reading and often read late at night I can still see him sitting in his rocker behind the coal heater. Grandma (Maria Jochims Miller) would wait on him "hand and foot". At that time, he was getting senile. His legs were giving him trouble and walking was not so good"
compiled from family records of Irma Kallsen Niebes
"America, the land of opportunity"! That was the slogan ANDREAS MOLLER heard repeatedly as a youth. Wars, overcrowded living conditions, scarcity of land, no prospects for jobs, and a depressed economy in his little village of Ramstedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia (now Germany) led Andreas to leave his homeland and sail for America in 1864.
On October 7, 1831, ANDREAS MOLLER was born to Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller and Johann Hinrich Moller who were living in Ramstedt, Prussia. Three other sons were born during the next ten years (Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas). The boys were close in age and close friends.
After Andreas' mother ( Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller) died in 1841, his father married his third wife, Margretha Weihs, who mothered his four young sons and gave birth to two girls--Mathilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina. Many years later, Andreas' step-mother, Margaretha, and his two half-sisters emigrated to the U.S.A. and settled in the German Lutheran community of Keystone, IA.
Little is known about Andreas' childhood. The trauma of his mother's death and the adjustment to his new step-mother undoubtedly affected him. Due to his father's status as a craftsmen, he probably enjoyed a comfortable home and social esteem.
Tragedy hit the Moller family, for the second time, when Andreas' father, Johann Hinrich Moller died in 1852. He left his third wife, Margaretha Magdalena Weihs, two very young daughters, Matilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina; and his four sons from his second marriage, Andreas, Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas. Perhaps Andreas, (21 yr.), assumed the responsibility of his father's family and delayed his own plans for marrying and establishing a home and family.
In 1858, two of Andreas' brothers, Hinrich (23 yrs.), emigrated to America "to seek a better life". They temporarily settled in a German community in Davenport, IA. Three years later, Nicolas died from a sunstroke in the harvest fields nearby. Hinrich became known as "Heinrich or Henry Miller" in the U.S.A. He enlisted in the Union Army after President Lincoln's first call for troops and served for three years. After the war, he settled in Benton County, IA and became a leading citizen for the next 60 years. Peter probably remained in Prussia or Germany (Prussia unified with other provinces and became a nation, Germany, in 1870). On his father's death record in 1852, Peter was listed as "living". No other mention is made of him on family records but no extensive search ha been made in German records.
Andreas came to America in 1864 during the final year of the Civil War. He became known as "Andrew Miller" while living briefly in the German community at Davenport, IA. He finally settled in the vicinity of Keystone, IA and remained there the rest of his life.
Within two years of his arrival in the U.S.A., Andrew (a 35 year old bachelor) found his true love, Maria Jochimes, who was also a recent German immigrant. After a brief courtship, they were married on February 8, 1866.
Andrew and Maria bought 40 acres of fertile farmland (for $3 an acre) located southwest of Keystone, IA. Their grandchild (Irma Kallsen Niebes) described the location as '1/2 mile south of the Forty" meaning Peter Kallsen and Mathilde Miller Kallsen's home and 40 acres.
Settling in a log cabin already built on their small farm, Andrew and Maria began their family of 9 children; Mathilde, baby Johann who died at six months, Hermann, Emilia, Heinrich, Anna, Edward, Johann, and Maria.
Andrew strived to improve his famly's living conditions (in 1871) by purchasing an additional 80 acres next to his farm. It had a frame house already built on it. About 1885, a new house was built on the farm as their oldest children were maturing. Work on the new house brought together Hans Peter Kallsen, a skilled mason and plasterer, and Mathilde who was the oddest daughter of Andrew and Maria. Soon they were married and settled on "The Forty" which was 1/2 mile north of the Miller farm.
In 1900, after 34 years of living on their farm, Andrew and Maria retired to a newly built house in Keystone, IA. They took their favorite horse, "Treeno", to town to pull their buggy. Irma Kallsen Niebes, their grand-daughter, remembers them driving Treeno and the buggy to visit their daughter, Mathilde and Peter's Kallsen's family.
Andrew had fulfilled his dreams of finding a wife, having a big family, OWNING LAND, and then retiring to a newly built home in town!
Irma Kallsen Niebes writes, "I do not remember much about Grandpa Andrew Miller. Although his German baptismal name was Andreas Moller, I never heard anyone call him anything but Andrew. He was short, slight, old man with a snow white hair and chin whiskers. I was told that in his younger days, he would do a lot of reading and often read late at night I can still see him sitting in his rocker behind the coal heater. Grandma (Maria Jochims Miller) would wait on him "hand and foot". At that time, he was getting senile. His legs were giving him trouble and walking was not so good"
ANDREAS MOLLER BIOGRAPHY by Dolores Kallsen Modro
compiled from family records of Irma Kallsen Niebes
"America, the land of opportunity"! That was the slogan ANDREAS MOLLER heard repeatedly as a youth. Wars, overcrowded living conditions, scarcity of land, no prospects for jobs, and a depressed economy in his little village of Ramstedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia (now Germany) led Andreas to leave his homeland and sail for America in 1864.
On October 7, 1831, ANDREAS MOLLER was born to Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller and Johann Hinrich Moller who were living in Ramstedt, Prussia. Three other sons were born during the next ten years (Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas). The boys were close in age and close friends.
After Andreas' mother ( Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller) died in 1841, his father married his third wife, Margretha Weihs, who mothered his four young sons and gave birth to two girls--Mathilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina. Many years later, Andreas' step-mother, Margaretha, and his two half-sisters emigrated to the U.S.A. and settled in the German Lutheran community of Keystone, IA.
Little is known about Andreas' childhood. The trauma of his mother's death and the adjustment to his new step-mother undoubtedly affected him. Due to his father's status as a craftsmen, he probably enjoyed a comfortable home and social esteem.
Tragedy hit the Moller family, for the second time, when Andreas' father, Johann Hinrich Moller died in 1852. He left his third wife, Margaretha Magdalena Weihs, two very young daughters, Matilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina; and his four sons from his second marriage, Andreas, Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas. Perhaps Andreas, (21 yr.), assumed the responsibility of his father's family and delayed his own plans for marrying and establishing a home and family.
In 1858, two of Andreas' brothers, Hinrich (23 yrs.), emigrated to America "to seek a better life". They temporarily settled in a German community in Davenport, IA. Three years later, Nicolas died from a sunstroke in the harvest fields nearby. Hinrich became known as "Heinrich or Henry Miller" in the U.S.A. He enlisted in the Union Army after President Lincoln's first call for troops and served for three years. After the war, he settled in Benton County, IA and became a leading citizen for the next 60 years. Peter probably remained in Prussia or Germany (Prussia unified with other provinces and became a nation, Germany, in 1870). On his father's death record in 1852, Peter was listed as "living". No other mention is made of him on family records but no extensive search ha been made in German records.
Andreas came to America in 1864 during the final year of the Civil War. He became known as "Andrew Miller" while living briefly in the German community at Davenport, IA. He finally settled in the vicinity of Keystone, IA and remained there the rest of his life.
Within two years of his arrival in the U.S.A., Andrew (a 35 year old bachelor) found his true love, Maria Jochimes, who was also a recent German immigrant. After a brief courtship, they were married on February 8, 1866.
Andrew and Maria bought 40 acres of fertile farmland (for $3 an acre) located southwest of Keystone, IA. Their grandchild (Irma Kallsen Niebes) described the location as '1/2 mile south of the Forty" meaning Peter Kallsen and Mathilde Miller Kallsen's home and 40 acres.
Settling in a log cabin already built on their small farm, Andrew and Maria began their family of 9 children; Mathilde, baby Johann who died at six months, Hermann, Emilia, Heinrich, Anna, Edward, Johann, and Maria.
Andrew strived to improve his famly's living conditions (in 1871) by purchasing an additional 80 acres next to his farm. It had a frame house already built on it. About 1885, a new house was built on the farm as their oldest children were maturing. Work on the new house brought together Hans Peter Kallsen, a skilled mason and plasterer, and Mathilde who was the oddest daughter of Andrew and Maria. Soon they were married and settled on "The Forty" which was 1/2 mile north of the Miller farm.
In 1900, after 34 years of living on their farm, Andrew and Maria retired to a newly built house in Keystone, IA. They took their favorite horse, "Treeno", to town to pull their buggy. Irma Kallsen Niebes, their grand-daughter, remembers them driving Treeno and the buggy to visit their daughter, Mathilde and Peter's Kallsen's family.
Andrew had fulfilled his dreams of finding a wife, having a big family, OWNING LAND, and then retiring to a newly built home in town!
Irma Kallsen Niebes writes, "I do not remember much about Grandpa Andrew Miller. Although his German baptismal name was Andreas Moller, I never heard anyone call him anything but Andrew. He was short, slight, old man with a snow white hair and chin whiskers. I was told that in his younger days, he would do a lot of reading and often read late at night I can still see him sitting in his rocker behind the coal heater. Grandma (Maria Jochims Miller) would wait on him "hand and foot". At that time, he was getting senile. His legs were giving him trouble and walking was not so good"
compiled from family records of Irma Kallsen Niebes
"America, the land of opportunity"! That was the slogan ANDREAS MOLLER heard repeatedly as a youth. Wars, overcrowded living conditions, scarcity of land, no prospects for jobs, and a depressed economy in his little village of Ramstedt, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia (now Germany) led Andreas to leave his homeland and sail for America in 1864.
On October 7, 1831, ANDREAS MOLLER was born to Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller and Johann Hinrich Moller who were living in Ramstedt, Prussia. Three other sons were born during the next ten years (Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas). The boys were close in age and close friends.
After Andreas' mother ( Anna Catharina Schmidt Moller) died in 1841, his father married his third wife, Margretha Weihs, who mothered his four young sons and gave birth to two girls--Mathilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina. Many years later, Andreas' step-mother, Margaretha, and his two half-sisters emigrated to the U.S.A. and settled in the German Lutheran community of Keystone, IA.
Little is known about Andreas' childhood. The trauma of his mother's death and the adjustment to his new step-mother undoubtedly affected him. Due to his father's status as a craftsmen, he probably enjoyed a comfortable home and social esteem.
Tragedy hit the Moller family, for the second time, when Andreas' father, Johann Hinrich Moller died in 1852. He left his third wife, Margaretha Magdalena Weihs, two very young daughters, Matilde Magdalena and Anna Catharina; and his four sons from his second marriage, Andreas, Peter, Hinrich, and Nicholas. Perhaps Andreas, (21 yr.), assumed the responsibility of his father's family and delayed his own plans for marrying and establishing a home and family.
In 1858, two of Andreas' brothers, Hinrich (23 yrs.), emigrated to America "to seek a better life". They temporarily settled in a German community in Davenport, IA. Three years later, Nicolas died from a sunstroke in the harvest fields nearby. Hinrich became known as "Heinrich or Henry Miller" in the U.S.A. He enlisted in the Union Army after President Lincoln's first call for troops and served for three years. After the war, he settled in Benton County, IA and became a leading citizen for the next 60 years. Peter probably remained in Prussia or Germany (Prussia unified with other provinces and became a nation, Germany, in 1870). On his father's death record in 1852, Peter was listed as "living". No other mention is made of him on family records but no extensive search ha been made in German records.
Andreas came to America in 1864 during the final year of the Civil War. He became known as "Andrew Miller" while living briefly in the German community at Davenport, IA. He finally settled in the vicinity of Keystone, IA and remained there the rest of his life.
Within two years of his arrival in the U.S.A., Andrew (a 35 year old bachelor) found his true love, Maria Jochimes, who was also a recent German immigrant. After a brief courtship, they were married on February 8, 1866.
Andrew and Maria bought 40 acres of fertile farmland (for $3 an acre) located southwest of Keystone, IA. Their grandchild (Irma Kallsen Niebes) described the location as '1/2 mile south of the Forty" meaning Peter Kallsen and Mathilde Miller Kallsen's home and 40 acres.
Settling in a log cabin already built on their small farm, Andrew and Maria began their family of 9 children; Mathilde, baby Johann who died at six months, Hermann, Emilia, Heinrich, Anna, Edward, Johann, and Maria.
Andrew strived to improve his famly's living conditions (in 1871) by purchasing an additional 80 acres next to his farm. It had a frame house already built on it. About 1885, a new house was built on the farm as their oldest children were maturing. Work on the new house brought together Hans Peter Kallsen, a skilled mason and plasterer, and Mathilde who was the oddest daughter of Andrew and Maria. Soon they were married and settled on "The Forty" which was 1/2 mile north of the Miller farm.
In 1900, after 34 years of living on their farm, Andrew and Maria retired to a newly built house in Keystone, IA. They took their favorite horse, "Treeno", to town to pull their buggy. Irma Kallsen Niebes, their grand-daughter, remembers them driving Treeno and the buggy to visit their daughter, Mathilde and Peter's Kallsen's family.
Andrew had fulfilled his dreams of finding a wife, having a big family, OWNING LAND, and then retiring to a newly built home in town!
Irma Kallsen Niebes writes, "I do not remember much about Grandpa Andrew Miller. Although his German baptismal name was Andreas Moller, I never heard anyone call him anything but Andrew. He was short, slight, old man with a snow white hair and chin whiskers. I was told that in his younger days, he would do a lot of reading and often read late at night I can still see him sitting in his rocker behind the coal heater. Grandma (Maria Jochims Miller) would wait on him "hand and foot". At that time, he was getting senile. His legs were giving him trouble and walking was not so good"
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