Henry Schmalgemeier and his daughter arrived in New York City Feb. 27, 1901, on the ship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. I do not know why she was listed as Fredrika rather than Marie, but the age is right. It's also interesting that Henry's granddaughter said his wife's/Marie's mother's name was Freda Rike (Freda Rike . . . Fredrika--or was it Freda Reich?). It's a piece that will fall into place eventually.

They traveled here with Henry's sister, Dorothea Schmalgemeier Eikmeier, and her husband, Wilhelm Eikmeier. Notice their nationality is given as "USA" and their residence as "Great Bend, Kansas"; the 1920 census says they originally came to the US in 1882.

The family story is that Henry was crippled and couldn't come into the US directly; supposedly he had to go to Canada first and then go to Great Bend. I don't know whether that is true or not. There is a note to the left of his name that says "Hold." I can't read what it says under the "Deformed or Crippled" column on the far right. I do know that people who appeared unhealthy were detained at Ellis Island and eventually allowed to enter the country or sent back to Europe. It seems unlikely that happened to Henry, because when he applied for citizenship he listed his arrival on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse (although he gave the year as 1900).

Tribute to Rose Helms Busch (1919–2003)

Burdett High School Class of 1937
Portraits, motto, etc.

Burdett, Kansas, Lookups
Marie (Schmalgemeier) and Henry Helms settled in Burdett, Kansas. Their daughter (my mother-in-law)  gave me her copy of History of Browns Grove and Burdett Kansas, 1876–1976 (by Arlene Notestine Todd and Jean Bindley Thompson). Visit this site to see the index I made of all the names in the book. If you find a relative's name there, contact me at the address below and I'll tell you what  the book says about him or her.

Also, if you're researching someone who was at Burdett High School in 1936 or 1937, he or she might have written something in my mother-in-law's autograph book or graduation memories book. Let me know, and I'll check for you.

To go to the main Amazon site or to see information about your privacy when ordering through my store:

• 1977: My husband's parents, aunts and uncles—Basic information on their parents, grandparents, and siblings.

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Updated 10/29/09