Hi Bonnie Hartmann (a very common German name),
that is really a story for Hollywood! The base for a movie of the poor
German girl that was disowned by their parents and forced to move to a
completely strange country with no chance to return. And the reason was the
friendship or even love to a man, that was not accepted by the parents.
The story sounds good, but I cannot believe it. This would be almost a
criminal act of the parents and, not to forget, she was 27 years old and not
a young teenie that had to do what the parents commanded. No, I don't think
so. Additionally, just during the travel on the ship she met another man,
formerly absolutely unknown, and they married when they reached the states.
I think, all that was planned, the travel, the man, the marriage. And not on
the ship! It was planned in Germany from both partners, which married in the
states later on. Both were well known to each other. He told her, that there
was no future for him in Germany or, very likely, he had to enter the
military army and to stay there for at least three years. No chance to marry
in this perod of time! Then, both decided, to emigrate.
This story seems to be more likely!
Best regards
Bernd
Hi Bonnie:
Some thoughts, not related to each other:
First, if she was alone with a trunk of valuables, I would think that she
might "jump ship" somewhere unless her family saw > her off and made shure
the ship was on its way and she was beyond the "point of no return".
Second, it appears that she soon forgot about her former romantic
involvement.
Third, have you ever checked out the other female passenger to see where
she came from?
Fourth, if she was sent with a trunk of goodies, I would believe that
further provisions had been made.
Gale
Hi all,
Might anyone have any idea if it was common for young women to travel
alone, without ANY relatives,
to the US in the mid-1800s? My great-great-grandmother, Dorothea
Christiane Hoffmann b.Aug. 1821 in Norden,
immigrated in 1848 and is listed by herself with no known relatives.
There is another young single woman on the passenger list next to her,
but unknown if they were traveling together.
As an aside, she met my gr-gr-grandfather, Christoph Hartmann b.1820 in
Veckenstedt bei Wernigerode, Sachsen-Anhalt,
who was traveling with his two brothers and their families, and they
married shortly after landing.
The family story is that she was from a well-to-do family in Norden, and
her family was displeased with her romantic
involvement with someone they considered unworthy, and so sent her to the
US. If so, wouldn't they have sent her with
someone, or TO someone? Supposedly they also sent her with a trunkful of
silver and beautiful linens....