When I did a search for a Margaretha Hollmann arriving in America before her marriage to Carsten Petersen on 23 Nov 1873, I found the following information for the S.S. Baltimore arriving from Bremen in the Port of Baltimore on 23 Oct 1871.

Information Source

Ancestry.com. Baltimore, Passenger Lists, 1820-1964 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Manifest of Passengers

A portion of the SS Baltimore Passenger Manifest arriving in the Port of Baltimore on 23 October 1871 is shown below:

Transcription

The transcription for passenger Marg. Hollmann is

Information Source

Ancestry.com. Baltimore, Passenger Lists, 1820-1964 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Discussion

The date of arrival is consistent with Margarete Hollmann’s marriage to Carsten Petersen, 23 Nov 1873, which would have been two years after her arrival in the USA. According to Margarete’s gravestone, she was born 03 Feb 1852 so she would have been 19 years old when she arrived on 23 Oct 1871 which matches the ship roster.

This could be our Margarete Hollmann immigrating to Nebraska, USA along with possibly a brother, Diedrich Hollmann, and a sister, Anna Catharine Hollmann.  The next section explores these possibilities.

Apparently 19 year old Margarete Hollmann and 17 year old Anna Chris. Hollmann traveled with a group of people whose common destination is Nebraska.  Possibly they are relatives and/or neighbors.

Is This Our Margarete Hollmann?

To verify that these immigration records were for our Margarete Hollmann,  it was necessary to establish who she was.

Preface

I had hit a proverbial stonewall in trying to find genealogy information about Margarete (Hollmann) Petersen.  Her first name, Margaretha, is inscribed on her gravestone – so I had assumed that this was correct. But, I was not sure as to the spelling of her maiden name – Hollmann, Hollman, or Holman. The secondary references that I first found used the second and third variations for her maiden name. Recently found leads suggest her first name was spelled Margarete and Hollmann is the correct spelling of her maiden name. And, the little information that I had as to the names of Margarete’s parents was suspect. This section presents what was previously known about Margarete Hollmann and a internet database that provides a whole lot more about the Hollmann family.

Biographical Information

Gravestone

The inscription on Margaretha Petersen’s gravestone located in the Greenwood Cemetery, near Platte Center, Nebraska includes herself (Margaretha, Born Feb 3, 1852 – Died Apr 24, 1886) as well as two of her children, a daughter (Selia S., Born July 19, 1880 – Died Aug. 31, 1881) and a son (Johon H. Born Apr. 15, 1886 – Died May 21, 1886). Margaretha died nine days after giving birth to her son Johon.  Johon died a month later.

The gravestone provides no information as to Margaretha’s maiden name, nor does it give a clue as to the names of her parents.

Genealogical Records

A primary source of my information about the Margaretha (Hollmann) and Carsten Petersen family has been from the “Petersen Family Tree” by Maxine Grotelueschen printed 1979.  However, Maxine provided no information about Margaretha other than “Margarete Hollman” was born 3 Feb 1852 and died 24 Apr 1886.

I have in my files another history of the Margaretha (Hollmann) and Carsten Petersen family by an unknown author.  It has Margaretha and Carsten being married 23 Nov 1873.  “Margarette Hollman” is listed as being born 3 Feb 1852 in Oldenburg, Germany, died 24 Apr 1886 and was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery, Platte Center, Nebraska. Her parents names are given as being “John D. and Christina Grashorn Hollman”..

A short biography of Carsten Petersen in the book “Past and Present of Platte County”, 1915 edited by G. W. Phillips, states: “Mr. Petersen has been married twice.  In the fall of 1874 he wedded Margaret Holman, a daughter of Diedrick Holman, but she passed in April of 1886, leaving five children”.  This Diedrich Holman does not match the John D. Hollman except if possibly the D. initial of the middle name stands for Diedrich.

The marriage record for Margarete Hollmann and Carsten Petersen has her first name as Margrede and her maiden name as Holman.

Internet Searches

There are a number of Hollman families in Nebraska and a search for possible Hollman relatives of Margaretha provided no solid connections.  One of the more interesting finds was a newspaper clipping:

Mrs. Bohman has received the sad news of the death of her father, Mr. John Hollman, who died at Oldenburg, Germany, April 28, aged 72 years. He has another daughter in this county, Mrs. Louis Michelson, and a son, John Hollman, of North Platte, who owns the Hollman block in this city.
SOURCE: The_Columbus_Journal. May 20, 1891.

This John Hollman who died at Oldenburg, Germany, April 26, 1891 aged 72 years could be the father of our Margaretha.  He was born about 1820 and would have been about 32 years old when Margaretha was born. The first name, John, is the same as given in the family history from an unknown source.   However, no connection between Margaretha and the children of John Hollman mentioned in the article could be found.

Genealogy Search

A search of genealogical records in Ancestry.com for a  “John D. and Christina Grashorn Hollman” was made and several possibilities were found. One likely candidate was in the FORD/DRUBE Family Tree including a

Diederick Hollmann
BIRTH 5 APRIL 1834 • Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Germany
DEATH 23 MAY 1904 • Sherman twp, Platte, Nebraska
whose parents are given as: “John D Hollmann” and “Christina Grashorn”

Diedrick was the only child listed for “John D Hollmann” and “Christina Grashorn”.  I contacted Loretta Lasiter-Hespe who maintains the FORD/DRUBE Family Tree.  Loretta responded that she would be glad to help. She offered to share civil records as well as church records for the churches our ancestors attended in Grossenkneten and surrounding areas of Oldenburg and directed me to a very interesting online database.

Emigrants from the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg

The database “Oldenburgische Gesellschaft fur Familienkunde e.V. Auswanderer aus dem Grossherzogtum Oldenburg” (Oldenburg Society for Families e.V. Emigrants from the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg) at http://www.auswanderer-oldenburg.de/index.php is a goldmine of genealogy information about our Hollmann relatives. Based on church and civil records, emigration documents and family registers, it includes names and genealogical data of emigrants out of the former Grand Duchy of Oldenburg as well as some of their relatives who did not emigrate – like the parents, brothers and sisters. (Note: To display an English version, select the USA flag icon at the top of the page)

Margaretha Hollmann

I searched the database for our great-grandmother,

Margaretha Hollmann
BIRTH 03 FEB 1852 • Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Germany
DEATH 24 APR 1886 • Platte Center, Platte, Nebraska, USA
and found Margaretha at http://www.auswanderer-oldenburg.de/getperson.php?personID=I3479&tree=Auswanderer as:

Name	Hollmann, Margarete
Born	23 Feb 1852	Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D
Christened	29 Feb 1852	Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D   [1]
Gender	Female
Reference	Grk.1852/011
Religion	LU
Emigration	4 Oct 1871	Bremen, HB, D   [2]
Immigration	23 Oct 1871	Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA   [3]
	Schiff “Baltimore”
Residence	Aft 23.10.1871	NE, USA
	als Ziel
Died	NE, USA
Person ID	I3479	OGF Auswanderer
Last Modified	18 May 2013

Father	Hollmann, Johann Hinrich,   b. 2 Jan 1817, Ostrittrum / Döt., Dötlingen, OL., NI, D ,   d. 25 Apr 1891, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 74 years)
Mother	Kempermann, Maria,   b. 23 Aug 1813, Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 2 May 1870, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 56 years)
Married	29 Nov 1839	Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D   [4]
Family ID	F1783	Group Sheet

According to this information for Margarete Hollmann:

1. She was born 23 Feb 1852 in Haast, Großenkneten, Oldenburg, Niedersachsen, Germany. – Margaretha’s gravestone gives her birth date as 3 Feb 1852.
2. She was christened on 29 Feb 1852.
3. She emigrated from Bremen on 4 Oct 1871 and arrived in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA  on 23 Oct 1871 aboard the ship named “Baltimore” – This agrees with what was found for Margaretha’s transatlantic travel to America as was identified in the above SS Baltimore Passenger Manifest.
4. Her father was Johann Hinrich Hollmann – which compares somewhat to “John D. Hollman”
5. Her mother was Maria Kempermann – This is an entirely different person from what I had previously found.
6. She lived and died in Nebraska, USA.

My conclusion is that although there are differences in genealogical data, this Margarete Hollmann is the same person as our Margarete Hollmann.

Johann Hinrich Hollmann and Family

In the database for Margarete’s father, Johann Hinrich Hollmann, and family was:

Name	Hollmann, Johann Hinrich
Born	2 Jan 1817	Ostrittrum / Döt., Dötlingen, OL., NI, D
Christened	12 Jan 1817	Dötlingen / Döt., Dötlingen, OL., NI, D   [1]
Gender	Male
Occupation	Vollmeier
Reference	Döt.1817/002
Religion	LU
Confirmation	6 Apr 1831	Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D   [2]
Died	25 Apr 1891	Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D
Buried	29 Apr 1891	Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D   [3]
Person ID	I10463	OGF Auswanderer
Last Modified	25 Apr 2009

Family	Kempermann, Maria,   b. 23 Aug 1813, Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 2 May 1870, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 56 years)
Married	29 Nov 1839	Großenkneten / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D   [4]
Children	1. Hollmann, Anna,   b. 20 Jan 1840, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 19 Aug 1897, Halenhorst / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 57 years) 2. Hollmann, Johann Heinrich,   b. 20 Oct 1841, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 23 Dec 1843, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 2 years) 3. Hollmann, Johann David,   b. 3 Oct 1844, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 12 May 1847, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 2 years) + 4. Hollmann, Katharina Maria,   b. 10 Nov 1846, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 22 Oct 1911, Schuyler, Colfax, NE, USA  (Age 64 years) + 5. Hollmann, Johann Diedrich,   b. 11 Jan 1849, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. Jul 1895, North Platte, Lincoln, NE, USA  (Age 46 years) 6. Hollmann, Margarete,   b. 23 Feb 1852, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. NE, USA + 7. Hollmann, Gesine,   b. 23 Feb 1852, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 2 May 1896, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D  (Age 44 years) 8. Hollmann, Anna Catharine,   b. 11 Sep 1854, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. 07 Oct 1909, Schuyler, Colfax, NE, USA  (Age 55 years) 9. Hollmann, Johann Heinrich,   b. 26 Mar 1858, Haast / Grk., Großenkneten, OL., NI, D ,   d. USA
Family ID	F1783	Group Sheet

Discussion

Several observations can be made:

1. Resolved the first name of our great-grandmother – it is “Margarete” even though her gravestone is inscribed as “Margaretha”.
2. Margarete’s mother died 16 months before Margarete immigrated to Nebraska, USA.
3. Margarete had eight brothers and sisters – two brothers died as infants.
4. Four of Margaretha’s siblings also immigrated to Nebraska, USA. They appear to match the children identified in the above newspaper article announcing the death John Hollmann.
5. Margarete had a twin sister named Gesine.  When my twin daughters were born, my Grandmother Clara Mary (Petersen) Brunken made the claim that the twins came through her.  Grandmother Brunken’s sister had twins and there were other multiple births in the family tree.  Grandmother Brunken’s mother being a twin gives further credence to Grandmother Brunken’s claim.
6. Anna Catharine Hollmann is listed as a two years younger sister of Margarete. So the Anna Catharine Hollmann who traveled with Margarete on the S.S. Baltimore from Bremen to Baltimore, Maryland, USA was a sister as was speculated.
7. Diedrich Hollmann on the passenger manifest  was born about 1835. Margarete’s parents were married 29 Nov 1839, four years after Diedrich was born. And the Johann Diedrich Hollmann listed above as a brother of Margarete was born 11 Jan 1849 which is about 14 years after the Diedrich listed on the passenger manifest. So, the Diedrich Hollmann who traveled with Margarete on the S.S. Baltimore from Bremen to Baltimore, Maryland, USA was not a brother of Margarete.  But, he could be a relative.

Future Research

1. Utilize the church and tax records available from Loretta Lasiter-Hespe to extend and document the Hollmann branches of our family tree.
2. Identify relevant data gathered on Hollmann families while previously searching for Margarete’s relatives.
3. Resolve the difference in birth dates of Margarete.
4. Resolve the difference in names for Margarete’s mother.  Since her mother died 21 years before her father died, could it be that her father remarried?

SS Baltimore

The SS Baltimore was the vessel on which Margarete Hollmann, made the crossing of the Atlantic from Bremen to the Port of Baltimore, Maryland on her way to Nebraska. The following is a brief description of the ship and its history.

Background

On the termination of the American Civil War in 1865, there followed a large increase in the trade with the United States. The Port of Baltimore became one of the major immigration ports.  The North German Lloyd Company had built and named a major steamer the “SS Baltimore” to serve the Bremen to Baltimore route. The Bremen to Baltimore route linked to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Large numbers of Europeans came to the United States through Baltimore. Very favorable working arrangements between the Lloyd and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company facilitated matters. The Franco-Prussian war caused a temporary check in the Company’s development. But as early as the autumn of 1870 the traffic was resumed in its full extent.

Information Source

Transforming America: Perspectives on U.S. Immigration [3 volumes .edited by Michael C. LeMay] https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0313396442

Ship Description

The BALTIMORE was built in 1868 by Caird & Co, Greenock for North German Lloyd of Bremen. She was a 2,321 gross ton ship, length 285ft x beam 39ft, clipper stem, one funnel, two masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 84-1st and 600-3rd class. Launched on 3/8/1867, she left Bremen on her maiden voyage to Southampton and Baltimore on 1/3/1868.  [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.545-6]

Information Source

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsB.shtml

Bremerhaven Emigration Passages

DIE MAUS – A Project with the Bremen Chamber of Commerce and the Bremen Staatsarchiv (State Archive) maintains historical archives of documentation and databases of vessels in the Port of Bremerhaven.

Departures by Ship Named “Baltimore” Through 1871

From this, the SS Baltimore on which Margaretha Hollmann arrived in the Baltimore Port on 23 October 1871 left Bremerhaven on 4 October 1871.  The Captain/Master was Fischer, delivering 605 passengers from the Port of Bremen for Baltimore, Maryland

Information Source

DIE MAUS Departures of emigration passages Downloaded 20 November 2016 from http://212.227.236.244/auswanderung/abfahrtsdaten/passagen.php?s=s&v=Baltimore&lang=en

Wreck of the BALTIMORE 1872

THE NORTH GERMAN LLOYD’S STEAM-SHIP BALTIMORE AGROUND AT HASTINGS

The steam-ship Baltimore trading between Bremen and Baltimore was hit by the Spanish steamer Lorenzo Semprun in the Channel near Hastings about midnight May 22, 1872. She had departed Baltimore on May 9th. Captain Deetjan of the Baltimore, having determined that there was a large hole in the starboard bow, turned her towards shore “guided by the lamplights on the Marine Parade at Hastings”. Rockets were fired which were seen by the coastguard who immediately came to the rescue. Taking on water quickly she ran aground about a third mile from the Marine Parade, her head having gradually sank. There were 130 passengers and 80 seamen on board. All were safely brought to shore. All of the luggage was salvaged. The forward compartment was filled with water. The ship lay in about 8 feet of water at low tide and many people went out to the Government House coastguard station to take a look. The Baltimore was towed to Southampton for repairs. She had been on her way from America to Bremen “Laden with tobacco, molasses and lard”. On setting sail from Baltimore her captain was named Fisher. It appears he died at sea.

The Illustrated London News, Saturday June 1, 1872, Collection Maggie Land Blanck, 2012

“Captain Fisher had died on the voyage, and Mr. Deetjan was in command. She had put in at Southampton and landed her English passengers, on the Wednesday, leaving Southampton at four o’clock that afternoon. The Spanish steamer, on her way from Aalsund to Santander with a cargo of fish, received great damage from the collision, but was enabled to reach Southampton on the the Thursday afternoon.”

Information Source

http://www.maggieblanck.com/Blanck/BremenSailors.html

Final History

In 1881, the SS Baltimore engines were compounded by AG Weser, Bremen, and on 10/10/1883 she commenced her last Bremen – Baltimore crossing. She was subsequently used for the Bremen – S.America service. Her final voyage started on 30/12/1893 and the following year she was scrapped. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.545-6]

Information Source

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsB.shtml

Transatlantic Crossing Time

Departure date of Margarete Hollmann from Bremen: 4 October 1871 (See Departures of the Vessels from Bremerhaven above)

Arrival date at the Port of Baltimore: 23 October 1871

Time to cross: (23-4) = 19 days