Caspar Westerhaus is Peter Westerhaus older brother that immigrated to America first in 1844. He married Anna Uphaus in 1847 when she immigrated with her family to America. The Uphaus and Westerhaus family were both from the small community of Lenzinghausen, Spenge, Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (Historical: Lenzinghausen, Herford, Westphalia, Prussia)
As a child, Caspar moved with his family to the Westerhaus farm #14, located across from the Korfhage farm #18, in Lenzinghausen, Herford, Westphalia, Prussia during 1829. When Caspar's family moved to the Westerhaus farm #14, the family gradually changed their last name from Korfhage to Westerhaus, in keeping with the name of the farm they had purchased. Caspar's father, Johann Heinrich Korfhage, died 23 Sept 1835, on the Westerhaus farm #14, which he had purchased five years earlier when Caspar was ten years old.
Caspar Heinrich left Prussia for America during 1844, without the approval of the Prussian government. This was documented in the Herford District Departure Records. Caspar would have been of draft age and was leaving to escape serving in the Prussian army. This was a very common problem for the Prussian government and, if caught, Caspar's family could have been fined. It is not known, however, if he was caught and a fine was levied or collected.
Caspar most likely traveled from the Spenge area to Herford, 10 miles east of Lenzinghausen. In Herford, boarded a small barge, and traveled 15 miles up the Werre River to Bad Oeynhausen. In Bad Oeynhausen, Caspar boarded a barge of the same size or larger on the larger Weser River and traveled north for 155 miles, arriving in Bremerhaven. Along the way, he worked for a few days or weeks to help pay for the expense of the barge trip to Bremerhaven. Caspar boarded a sail ship in Bremerhaven for America, arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana or Galveston, Texas after sailing for 6 weeks. No passenger list has been found to document this theory.
Once he arrived in America, He stayed a short time at the port before boarding a Mississippi River barge and traveling north to St. Louis, Missouri. Boat records were not required at this time in America and no records have been found.
Once in St. Louis, Caspar stayed a short time before taking a Missouri River barge west to Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri. He traveled by land to Freedom, a German community 25 miles southeast of Lexington. During 1844 or 1845 Caspar started to get established in Freedom and communicated back to his family in Prussia a safe path to follow.
Caspar Heinrich (Korfhage) Westerhaus, gradually transitioned into the name Henry Westerhaus or Casper Henry Westerhaus. Sometimes using the surname Westerhouse instead of Westerhaus to Americanize the name.
Anna Elizabeth Uphaus left with her family for America During 1847, following the same path Caspar took, arriving in port of New Orleans 11 Dec 1847. County Histories describe that the trip took two and one-half months and the family endured many hardships along the way.
Henry and Anna Westerhaus settled on a farm in Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri. The farm was located at section 8, township 48, range 24. The 1850 census show them living with Ann’s parents, Henry and Mary Uphaus, along with her older brother Henry.
Henry was naturalized as a United States Citizen 29 May 1855 in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri, based upon a Lafayette County Courthouse Naturalization Document.
Henry registered with the Union Army 9 Aug 1862. He became a member of Regiment 71, Company C as a Private. His unit was made up of Enrolled Missouri Militia (EMM) Volunteers. Regiment 71 was established to protect Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri, while other Union Army units were at battles away from the Freedom area. He served from 9 Aug 1862 until 4 Oct 1862 and was honorably discharged 12 Dec 1862 in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri due to disabilities.
Henry’s pension request #1019515 dated 9 Apr 1891 indicated he had been disabled by gunshot wounds in the left arm and left side. Henry's pension request was rejected because his injuries had not occurred during a Civil War battle.
These injuries may have occurred at the Concordia Massacre 5 Oct 1862, where sixty Bushwhackers attacked a German community. Henry was described in this attack as being taken prisoner with eleven others. They took the prisoners out of town by horseback, three of whom were killed, four of whom were shot but lived and four were released. Henry was one of the four who had been shot but survived. This information was found in the book, Independent Immigrants, A Settlement of Hanoverian Germans in Western Missouri by Robert W. Frizzell.
During 1868, Henry was one of six investors to survey and lay out the town of Concordia, Lafayette, Missouri. In addition to farming, he was an investor in a creamery business and a canning business in Concordia.
Henry and Anna raised nine children, Henry John (1849), John (1851), Benjamin (1854), Mary (1857), Catherine (1860), Anna (1862), Daniel (1865), Matilda (1868), Ida (1872). All children are listed in the 1870 census, except Ida, who was born in 1872.
No comments:
Post a Comment