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 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.
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.
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.
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.
William Huscher obituary - Higginsville Advance - 12 Sep 1895
