GROSSMANN

BIOGRAPHIE: Passenger List:GROSSMANN, Jos 48, Barbara, 38, Elizabeth 15, Franziska 16, Anton 4,Mag. 2, Baby 7/12, BREMEN 25 May 1868Joseph Grossmann (Josef Großmann)andKatharina Zischka and Barbara Stadelbeck

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Joseph Grossmann was born on 16 December 1819 at House #6 inMuttersdorf, a market village in the foothills of the beautiful"Böhmerwald" the Bohemian Forest. Bohemia was then a Crown Provinceof the Austrian Empire. The Bohemian Forest is a band of beautifullywooded low mountains on the western border of the present day CzechRepublic. Joseph was the son of George Grossmann of Muttersdorf andGertrude Löberl of Metzling. Joseph came from a long line of wealthymillers from Muttersdorf. His family had operated the Lord's Mill(Herrenmühle) for many generations dating back to Mathias Grossmann in1644. The family had originated in the neighboring milling village ofScwanenbrückl. In 1831 George Grossmann divided the double farmstead#6 Spörlhof into two farmsteads. The eastern half of 18 joch he sold toson Josepf Grossmann for 1000 gulden. The other half was sold todaughter Franziska and her husband Mathias Sellner who built house#144 Tischlermühle on the property. This double farmstead was thelargest in Muttersdorf.On 23 April 1839 Joseph Grossmann married Katharina Zischka ofHouse #52 in Muttersdorf. They were married in the Church of St.Bartholomew the Apostle in Muttersdorf. Katharina was the daughter ofJohan Zischka and Elizabeth Sellner Spörl. Three children were born ofthis union, George born 6 Dec. 1840, Franziska born 18 Jan. 1852 andElizabeth born in 1853.On the fifth of September 1859 Joseph's wife Katharina died. He thenmarried Barbara Stadelbeck who was born in Muttersdorf on 16 Aug.1831. From this union a son Anton was born on 6 Aug. 1864 andMargareta was born 31 Mar. 1866.In 1866 George, then 20 years old, left for America. George being theeldest son, was sent ahead to find a suitable home for the family .Hefirst spent a few months in Milwaukee, a city with a large Germanpopulation, and then traveled on to Mankato, Minnesota by rail andriverboat up the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. From Mankato hewalked the remaining twenty-six miles to New Ulm. There were alreadyliving in the New Ulm area, numerous families that had emigrated fromthe Muttersdorf area as early as 1856. By 1862 the flow of immigrantsto this area had been halted by the Civil War and the Sioux IndianUprising, but by 1866 the War had ended and the flow of immigrantsbegan anew to the Minnesota frontier.In the Spring of 1868 the remainder of the family also left Muttersdorfand arrived in the port of New York on May twentyfiftof that year.Joseph's brother Edward located in Chicago and started a clothing storeat 178 State St. "Exclusive Clothier and Fur House". Joseph was 48 yearsold, his wife Barbara 35, and their four children Franziska age 16,Elizabeth 15, Anton 5 and Margareta 3 years old and a seven month oldbaby. This young child must have died shortly after arrival because nofuther records can be found. The family first found a farm in LindenTownship, Brown County, Minnesota just south of Searles.In 1869 Franz was born and in 1870 Wilhelm was born. In reality,Joseph Grossmann fathered two very different families. George,Franziska, and Elizabeth were raised in a very cultured environment ofwealthy landed gentry. They developed very expensive tastes in food andclothing. Their mother Katharina Zischka died shortly after Elizabethwas born and the children were raised by Joseph's parents who were ofsome means. Anton, Margareta, Franz and Wilhelm were the children ofJoseph's second wife Barbara Stadelbeck. They did not develop therefined tastes of their half-brothers and sisters. In fact they were knowto live a rather "Bohemian " existence probably influenced by theirmother's peasant background.On 13 June 1868, George married Maria Hogen of New Ulm who was alsoa native of Muttersdorf born on 13 June 1844. They also farmed inLinden Township until 1892 when they moved to New Ulm. The issue ofthis marriage was three children who died in infancy. They later adopteda son also named George. Maria died in 1912, George Sr. in 1905.On 3 Feb. 1872 Franziska then 20 years old married George Rewitzer anative of Neubäu, Bohemia, a very small village in the hills not far fromMuttersdorf. They established a farm in Sigel Township and had eightchildren. In later life they retired to Sleepy where Franziska died on 6March 1925. George died in the home of his daughter in New Ulm on 6August 1932.Elizabeth married Johan Rewitzer, no know relation of GeorgeRewitzer, on 5 March 1893 and moved to New Ulm. They had fourchildren. Elizabeth died 19 Feb. 1910 and Johann in 1944.According to the 1880 Agricultural Census, Joseph had 29 acres undercultivation and 51 acres of pasture land. he had 5 acres of corn, 4 acresof oats, 20 acres of wheat and a 1/4 acre potato garden.. He had 3horses, 5 milk cows, 5 beef cattle, 2 pigs, and 40 chickens. He produced100 lbs. of butter. His property was valued at $700, his, farmimplements at $300, and his live stock at $150. His total farmproduction for the year was valued at $200.Joseph Grossmann remained on the farm in section 24, CottonwoodTownship with his wife Barbara, and their four children, Anton,Margareta, Franz and Wilhelm until sometime before 1900 when hemoved in with the George Rewitzer family in Sigel. He died there on 19December 1903 at the age of 84 and is buried on the Rewitzer lot in St.Mary's cemetery in Sleepy Eye.Margareta lived in New York for a number of years but returned to thehomestead in 1916 when her mother Barbara died. Barbara is buried inthe buried Catholic cemetery near Searles. Anton, Margareta, Franz andWilhelm never married and continued to live a rather "Bohemian"existence on the farm until they died, Wilhelm in 1921, Margareta andFranz in 1936, and Anton in 1937

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The Spoerlhoef in Muttersdorf in the lights of Land Registers between1808 to 1860s.The Grossmanns were rather rich and belonged to the esteemed people inMuttersdorf. Franz Grossmann was Georgs Grossmann father. Georg hadone sister, Maximilliana, who seems to have remained single until herdeath.

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The farmstead belonged to the biggest in Muttersdorf. Alltogether 37Jochs and 317 sq. Klafters (fathom, 1600 sq.Klafter = 1 Joch) (i.e. about53,5 acres) of fields (28 948/1600 Jochs) and meadows (8 969/1600Jochs) belonged to the "Spoerlhof". In 1808 the "Hof", called also"Doppelhof "- double farmstead, was evaluated at 2500 guldens in silvercurrency (so called Conventional currency, Conventions=Munze, orWaehrung, abbrev. CM or CW).

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The most farmers in a Bohemian village were so called "Halbhufers", i.e.half-farmers with a medium area of their fields up to 15 Jochs. Largerfarmers were "Fullhufners", whole-farmers with about 25 - 30 Jochs ofland. If the Grossmanns owned about 37 Jochs of lands, it means, thatthey had 4 times more possession than their neighbors. And we do notspeak about a village poor or craftsmen. A half farm (and bigger) was theonly that could have secured the sustenance for the farmers family,could have met their needs by the total agricultural output. Only thesefarm units can be considered as economically sufficient. To compare theSpoerlhofs price of 2500 guldens with other full- and half-farms, thisprice was three or four times higher. Fullfarms were between 600 - 900guldens, half-farms about 400 - 500 guldens. Even more, theNatschatins house No. 13 of Anton Helget was worth 200 guldens only in1810 and Trohatins farm of Josef Georg Kiefner (No. 30) in 1818 was320 guldens CM and both belonged among poor people.The purchasing contract between the father Franz Grossmann and his sonGeorg Grossmann was dated July 17, 1808. The price was, as wementioned already, 2500 guldens, of which 2000 guldens were paid incash, and 500 guldens remained to be paid at fathers request later,which included the inheritance part of the sellers daughter Maxmilliana.It seems, at the time of transfer, there were no debts and liabilitiesconnected with the house. The father reserved for himself 1/3 of thecrop production of that year, as well has 1/3 of fodder, the dwelling forhimself in the upper part of the house and place in cellar, stable, andbarn. Then he requested each year four strichs (1 strich = 93,5 litres)wheat, 5 strichs rye, 3 strichs barley, one "Viertl" (= 1 quarter of strich)oats, 3 strichs potatoes, 2 kraut-beds in the "langen Feld", 2 Viertels offlax-yarn, 10 sack of hay and second-hay (aftergrass), some bunchesstraw and fodder straw etc etc.

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The price included two pairs of oxen, one cow, one swine, 6 pcs. sheep,further two wagons or carts, 3 ploughs, and other house and farmequipment.

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In 1831 the farmstead was divided into two parts. The contract wasconcluded on the 8th May, 1831 between Georg Grossmann, his wifeGertrude on the one side and Mathias Sellner and his future brideFranziska Grossmann on the other side. Mathias was son of MartinSellner of Haselberg (now Liskovec) on the estate Grafenried, It seemsthat the house, the farm and individual plots were divided only ideally,and not physically.

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The total amount of the sold area was 13 Jochs 474 sq.-Klafters offields and 4 Jochs 480 sq.-Klafters of meadows. The price of one half ofthe divided estate was 800 guldens, of which sum the buyers had to pay360 guldens immediately after the wedding and 240 guldens within ayear. Georg Grossmann still owed to pay 200 guldens to his sisterMaxmilliana and this obligation was now on Mathias Sellner and hisyoung bride. The buyers were to provide dwelling for sellers oldparents Franz and Catharina Grossmann, who were still alive. The sellerreserved for himself annually a part of the crop as follows: 1 strichwheat, 2 strichs rye, 1 strich barley, 1 quarter oats, further kraut-beds,flax-yarn a part of fruit harvest, as well as hay and after grass, andstraw for similar conditions and quantities as he himself had providedto his father 23 years ago. The Sellners becam owner of two tow-oxen,two tree-year-old oxen, one cow, one calf, one sow, two pcs. sheep, onewagon and a plough. Since the house was shared by both parties, theseller and the buyer confirmed, they would allow a free access to thehouse for the other party. In case of extinction of either family, theremaining party would have the right of succession on the other half ofthe divided farm having paid only 150 guldens.

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In 1839 (4.April) father George assigned the farmstead to his son JosefGrossmann and his bride Katharina Zischka, but "... jedoch nur die Halfteaus der Ansache, weil selben die andere halfte der Mathias und FranziskaSellner gemass Kontrakt vom 8. Marz 1831 ubergeben hat..." (but only thehalf of the farmstead, because the same sold the other half to Mathiasand Franziska Sellner as per contract of March 8, 1831) for 1000 guldensC.W. with the landlots in total area of 13 Jochs 474 sq.Klf. fields and 4Jochs 480 1/2 sq. Klf. meadows. The area was the same as that sold tothe Sellners, even the plot numbers (Parzellen Nummer) correspond toeach other. It is the proof, that the farm was divided only ideally andboth families shared the farm together.

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It looks like there were problems with the regional office in Klatovy.They did not want to allow the splitting of the original farm. In fact,until 1869 the division of agrarian farms among more heirs was notallowed in general according to the Law. The Sellners bought 1/2 of theoriginal holding in 1831. The young Grossmanns did the same in 1839.But only as soon as in 1845 the Sellners asked to incorporate theirpurchase and to settle the whole matter in order. The record says: " unssodann wieder rueckstellen lassen" - ... and let us to be appointed again.But this record is incorporated on pages in the Land register, where theother half of the farm (i.e. the one, sold in 1839) is referred to. As ifthey received the part, having been sold to Josef Grossmann in 1839. And- Josef Grossmann and his wife are disappearing from the records until1867 (1862) completely, when Josef Grossmann (!? - not Sellner as youassumed) had a new house No. 144 built. And to this house he boughtsome plots, originally belonging to his own part of the farm. The otherpart of the estate (original Sellners part) was in 1840 heavily in debts,was even mortgaged. In 1850 this part was sold to Georg Sellner(probably Mathiass brother). According to this, in 1850 the Grossmannspart was owned by Mathias Sellner and his wife, the originalSellnerspart was in hands of Georg Selnner. And it looks like the JosefsGrossmann family were without any property that time. Josef - asmentioned already, is building a new house only ten years later. And in1867 he sells everything. I tried to put all the records into thefollowing table. I would be glad if you make your own standpoint, whathas happened in Spoerlhof. It corresponds with your information,regarding the nature of Katerinas Zischka children, against the nature ofthe remaining children from the second marriage. But, to tell the truth, Ihave never found any sign, that Josef Grossmann was a debtor. Only theSellners.

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**The records in land register confirm, that serious economic problemsoccurred in 1860s in Grossmanns and Sellners families, which later ledto the emigration. In parentheses there are references to various books(Oligation Book, Book of Recipts, Source Book).

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