Hello List,
Over the past 20 months, I think I have determined the German birth village of my 3rd great grandfather, Heinrich "Henry" Bruer. However, a second cousin of mine and I are having a slight disagreement on this, as he believes Henry's middle initial is "H" as shown on a State of Missouri death certificate for one of his sons (George Bruer) who died in 1912 about 8 years after Henry died (1904). The informant on the death certificate was George's wife. I am hoping someone would care to offer an opinion and advise me if the following documentation I describe below would be adequate to determine Henry's German village of origin.
I have a copy of a December 1902 St. Louis, Missouri, USA newspaper article with photographs of my 3rd great grandparents, Henry and Sophia Bruer, on the celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary. The article indicates that Henry Bruer arrived in America in 1849, married Sophia Harnold two years later, and lived in St. Louis, Missouri for all 50 years of their marriage. I have a copy of the page from St. Louis City Register of Deaths for 1904 for Henry's death that indicates Henry's birth date was November 22, 1822, born in Germany (no village given). I have copies of US Census records for 1870, 1880, and 1900 that all indicate Henry's home address was 1314 Benton Street, St. Louis, Missouri. That's a summary of the most pertitent documentation I have for Henry Bruer.
I have a copy of the page from a book titled "Auswandererlisten des ehemaligen Herzugtums Braunschweig 1846-1871" that has an entry for an Andreas Bruer as a Brinksitzer from Baddeckenstedt, Germany who is the son of Andreas Bruer and Dorothee Dowe, also a Brinksitzer from Baddeckenstedt. The entry indicates that the son Andreas Bruer married Sophia Wittkop from Oelber, Germany, in 1851. Andreas Bruer the son and his wife and children emigrated to America in 1867 and settled in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. I have a copy of a page from the St. Louis City, Missouri Directory for 1870 that lists Andrew Bruer's residence at 1311 Benton Street and Henry Bruer's residence at 1314 Benton Street. My assumption here is that Henry (my 3rd great grandfather) and Andreas "Andrew" Bruer are brothers, but not yet confirmed, and live across the street from one another in St. Louis.
I have a copy of a page from the St. Louis City, Missouri Report of Interments During February 1868 that indicates the death of an Andreas Bruer, age 72, born in Germany, died at the address 1314 Benton Street, the home of Henry Bruer. My assumption here is that this Andreas Bruer is Henry's father, and also Andreas "Andrew" Bruer's father. No direct evidence at this point though.
I looked at a map of Germany and found that the towns of Baddeckenstedt, Oelber, Gross Elbe, and Klein Elbe are all relatively close to each other. So, on a hunch, I contacted the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gross Elbe, Germany to inquire if they had any records for a Henry Bruer born November 22, 1822. I received a reply letter from the Ev. Lutheran Church which stated they did have a birth entry for a Heinrich Edmund Jacob Bruer born November 22, 1822 in Klein Elbe, Germany. His parents were listed as Andreas Bruer and Dorothee Duwe; the same parents as the Andreas Bruer whom earlier I suspected was Henry's older brother.
Given the information summarized above, would someone care to offer an opinion that the Heinrich Edmund Jacob Bruer born November 22, 1822 to Andreas Bruer and Dorothee Duwe is my 3rd great grandfather?
Thank you,
Steve Bruer
Overland Park, KS