Story of Anna Maria Westerhaus Departing for America with Children

Anna Maria’s oldest son, Caspar Heinrich departed for America in 1844. After safe arrival to Missouri, he most likely communicated with family, the route he traveled and any other helpful information. During 1847 Anna Maria and children, left for America.  This was documented in the Herford District Departure Records.  Both the names, Westerhaus and Korfhage, were referenced in these records.

Herford District Departure Record of Anna Maria Korfhage and Children

They most likely would have traveled with a group of families from the Spenge area.  They were part of a mass migration from Prussia to America, as noted in the Departure Records. 

The family may have traveled over land, to Herford, 10 miles east of Lenzinghausen.  In Herford, would have boarded a small barge, and traveled 15 miles up the Werre River to Bad Oeynhausen.  In Bad Oeynhausen, they would have boarded a barge of the same size on the larger Weser River and traveled north for 155 miles, arriving in Bremerhaven.  Along the way, they worked for a few days or weeks to help pay for the expense of the barge trip to Bremerhaven.  

Weser River in central Prussia - 2014

The family boarded a sail ship for America, following the path of the Johann Heinrich Uphaus family, very close friends from Lenzinghausen. No passenger list has been found, but it has been assumed from Westerhouse family stories passed down from generation to generation, that they followed the Uphaus family.   Documentation has been found indicating the Uphaus family arrived in New Orleans during December of 1847 after sailing for 6 weeks.  

Once arrived in New Orleans, they stayed only a short time before boarding a Mississippi River barge and traveling north to St. Louis, Missouri.  Boat records were not required at this time in America, no records have been found.  While in St. Louis, the family stayed through the winter before taking a Missouri River barge west to Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri during Apr 1848.  Peter Westerhaus stayed in Lexington, while his mother and her daughters joined his brother, Caspar Westerhaus, in Freedom, a German community 25 miles southeast of Lexington.

Missouri River at Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri - 1869

Mary Westerhouse lived with her youngest daughter, Mary Westerhaus Huscher until her last years.  This has been verified by the 1860 Federal Census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri, and the 1870 Federal Census for Davis, Lafayette, Missouri.  The last record ever found about her was the 1880 Federal Census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri on 12 June 1880.  The census shows Mary living with her oldest daughter, Catherina Westerhaus Uphaus. 

1860 federal census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri (William Huscher household)

1870 federal census for Davis, Lafayette, Missouri (William Huscher household)

1880 federal census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri (Peter Uphaus household)

Mary Westerhouse died in 1880, based on her headstone death year.  She is buried in the Methodist section of the Evangelical Cemetery in Concordia, Lafayette, Missouri.  Currently, in 2017, the cemetery is named Bethel United Church of Christ Cemetery and is located at 4572 Saint Louis Street, Concordia, Lafayette, Missouri.  The Methodist portion occupied the northern third, and the Bethel United Church of Christ portion occupied the center third, and the Baptist portion occupied the southern third.  Later, Catherina Westerhaus Uphaus, her daughter, shared the same lot and headstone with Mary.

Anna Maria Westerhaus gravestone at 

Bethel United Church of Christ Cemetery (Concordia, Missouri)