Story of Anna Ilsabein Westerhaus and William Ferdinand Huscher

 Anna Ilsabein is Peter Westerhaus younger sister that immigrated with him in 1847. 

Anna was born on her parents’ farm, located at #14, Lenzinghausen, Herford, Westphalia, Prussia.  She was christened 21 March 1830 at St. Martin Lutheran Church in Spenge, Herford, Westphalia, Prussia. Church record left page show she was the 52nd birth registered, and time of birth was 5 pm. The right page describes residence farm #14, the farm the family moved to in 1829. Under remarks the father's name: gewenwärtiger Besitzer des Westerhausschen Colonats indicates actual owner of Westerhaus #14 farm.

Anna Ilsabein Korfhage birth record - St Martin Lutheran Church - left page

Anna Ilsabein Korfhage birth record - St Martin Lutheran Church - right page

Anna went by the name Anna Maria, not to be confused by her with her older sister, Anna Catharina Ilsabein. Soon Anna Maria went by Maria and her older sister, Anna Catharina Ilsabein went by the name Catharina. Maria's father, Johann Heinrich Korfhage, died 23 Sept 1835, on the Westerhaus farm #14, when she was five years old. 

Maria immigrated to America with her mother, Anna Maria Brandt Korfhage, two sisters Catharina Ilsabein and Anna Ilsabein, brother Peter Heinrich during 1847.  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 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 traveled over land, 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, they 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.  

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 is 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, and no records have been found.  

Once in St. Louis, the family stayed through the winter before taking a Missouri River barge west to Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri.  Brother, Peter, stayed in Lexington, while everyone else joined brother, Caspar Westerhaus, in Freedom, a German community 25 miles southeast of Lexington.

Soon after Maria Westerhaus arrived in Freedom, she Americanized her name to Mary Westerhouse. She met and married Lawrence Grubart 18 Apr 1852 in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri, according to the marriage record found at the Lafayette County Courthouse.

Marriage Record of Mary Westerhouse and Lawrence Grubart

The marriage did not last long, and she married William Huscher 15 May 1853 in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri, according to the marriage record found at the Lafayette County Courthouse.

Marriage Record of Mary Westerhouse and William Huscher

Mary and William Huscher settled on a farm in Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri, near Mary's siblings, Henry Westerhaus and Catherina Westerhaus Uphaus. The farm was located at section 13, township 49, range 24. 

Mary Huscher mother, Mary Westerhaus, lived with the Huscher family until the end of her life, when she lived with her oldest daughter, Catherina Westerhaus Uphaus.  This has been verified by the 1860 Federal Census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri, and the 1870 Federal Census for Davis, Lafayette, Missouri.  

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

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

1877 Lafayette County Missouri Plat Description (Township 49, Range 24)

1880 federal census for Davis, Lafayette, Missouri (William Huscher household)

William Huscher obituary - Higginsville Advance - 12 Sep 1895

Mary Huscher obituary - Higginsville Advance - 25 Nov 1904

William and Mary Huscher shared gravestone at Salem Cemetery (Higginsville, Missouri)

William gravestone at Salem Cemetery (Higginsville, Missouri)

Mary Huscher gravestone at Salem Cemetery (Higginsville, Missouri)

Story of Caspar Heinrich Westerhaus and Anna Elizabeth Uphaus

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.

Herford District Departure Record of Caspar Heinrich Korfhage

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.

Port of New Orleans passenger list for the Henry Uphaus household – 11 Dec 1847

Soon after the Uphaus family was reunited with the Westerhaus family in Freedom, two marriages occurred. Caspar Westerhaus married Anna Uphaus and Peter Uphaus married Catherina Westerhaus. Henry and Anna married on 22 Sep 1848, in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri, according to the marriage record found at the Lafayette County Courthouse.

Marriage Record of Henry Westerhaus and Anna Elizabeth Uphaus

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.

1850 federal census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri (Henry Westerhouse household)

1877 Lafayette County Missouri Plat Description for Township 48, Range 24

Henry was naturalized as a United States Citizen 29 May 1855 in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri, based upon a Lafayette County Courthouse Naturalization Document.

Naturalization Index of Henry Westerhouse

Naturalization Document of Henry Westerhouse

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.   

Muster Roll of Henry Westerhouse

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.

Concordia Massacre Site – 5 Oct 1862

Southeast 6th Street and South Main Street, Concordia, Missouri

Civil War draft registration for Sixth Congressional District of Missouri - Sep 1863

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.

federal census for Freedom, Lafayette, Missouri (Henry Westerhaus household)

Casper Henry Westerhaus obituary (Weekly Intelligencer) - 12 Sep 1896

Casper Henry Westerhaus gravestone

at Original Concordia Baptist Cemetery (Concordia - Freedom, Missouri)

 

Anna Elizabeth Westerhaus gravestone

at Original Concordia Baptist Cemetery (Concordia - Freedom, Missouri)