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Gerritzens on Ship's List

Provided by Phyllis (thank you!)

This is a portion of the list of passengers who arrived in New York City on the ship Damascus July 29, 1845. Our Theodore Gerritzen, the one who eventually married Bertha Brockmeier and moved to Kansas, is the 8-year-old boy at the bottom. His parents are Theodor and [Johanna] Agnes Gerritzen, both age 40.

It seems very likely that the Gerritzens at the top are their family--Joh. Heinrich and Helena are the right ages to be Theodor's parents, and Bernard, Chesina, Henrina, and Heinrich are probably Theodor's brothers and sisters. However, we have not been able to find definite proof of the connection yet.

There is a grave for a "J. Gerritzen" who died in 1845 in Missouri, and we have been in touch with a descendant of Henrina.

All were listed as "farmers" from "Prussia."

Johanna Agnes (Gerritzen) Friedel, Theodore Gerritzen, Bertha Elizabeth (Brockmeier) Gerritzen, and Mary Elizabeth (Gerritzen) Busch

Children identified (by two of Mary Elizabeth's daughters) as Mary and Catherine Friedel, Fredrick Carl Busch, and (the baby) Esther Bridget Busch

Picture would have been taken about 1920

• Who are Frank Busch's parents' ancestors? Did his parents come to the US? Where in Austria did they live?
• What happened to Bertha Brockmeier Gerritzen's father (Johann Heinrich/Henry Brockmeier)? Where did her father's father and step-mother live when they came to the USA, and where are they buried?
• Is the Johann Heinrich Gerritzen on the 1845 ship's list near both Theodor Gerritzens their father and grandfather? If so, is he the "J. Gerritzen" buried in the St. Martin's cemetery in Starkenberg, Missouri, and what happened to his wife Helena?
• Are the Arnold and Anna Kusman who are buried in the St. Vincent de Paul cemetery in Dutzow, Missouri, the parents of Anna Maria Agnes Cosman Gerritzen?
• What happened to Frank G. Busch, son of Frank Busch and his first wife, Josephine Friedel?

Most of the Gerritzen information on this site  has been collected by Phyllis, an amazing and generous cousin who is a granddaughter of Henry and Louise (Kessler) Gerritzen.  Unfortunately, in spite of all the information, documents, and photographs she has found (and shared), she does not have a wedding photograph of Louise and Henry Gerritzen. If you have one, she would love to have a copy of it. I will be more than happy to put you in touch with her if you contact me.

Our Brockmeyer family in Germany
This distant relative's site includes all the information I never dreamed I'd be lucky enough to see. (It takes the name back to the 1300s.) It includes a page showing Johann Heinrich Brockmeyer/Brockmeier, his siblings, and his ancestors back a few generations and another with a comprehensive outline including the oldest known ancestors and thousands of descendants (including Johann Heinrich and his siblings). The site is in German, but the names and dates are the same in any language.

History of St. Charles County, Missouri (1765-1885)
Bertha (Brockmeier) Gerritzen was born in St. Charles Co., Missouri, and she and Theodore were there in the 1870 census.
History of St. Charles County, Missouri (1765-1885) is a book that was published in 1885 and republished in 1997. You can learn more about it (including a list of the surnames mentioned) and order it at this site. The Brockmeyer in the index is Henry C. Brockmeyer, lieutenant governer of Missouri from 1876 to 1880 (not a relative that I'm aware of).

• 1977: Sisters Caroline, Justina, and Edith Busch—Information on Frank and Mary Elizabeth Gerritzen Busch, their parents, and their children.
• Steve and Janet, my husband's cousin and his wife: A copy of the photo of Frank and Mary Elizabeth Busch.
• 1997 to present: Phyllis, a cousin who is a granddaughter of Mary Elizabeth (Gerritzen) Busch's brother Henry—Much more information on Theodore and Bertha Gerritzen, their ancestors, and their descendants; copies of all the Gerritzen photos on this site; photos of the church and graveyard where Anna Maria Agness Cosman Brockmeier is buried; copies of family documents from public records in Kansas and Missouri; and much, much more.
• 2000: A cousin who is a descendant of Bertha Brockmeier Gerritzen's brother Frank  (actually, the cousin's partner Yvonne!)—Information on Frank Everett Gerritzen and his descendants.
• 2001 to present: Cousins Kelli and Stacey, descendants of Anton Friedel and Johanna Gerritzen–For information on their branch, including Frank Busch's first wife Josephine, for old photos and modern photos of Gerritzen-related churches in Germany, and for ongoing information sharing.
• 2006: Dirk, a distant cousin in Germany—Data on his Web site on  the Brockmeier branch going back to the 1300s.

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