Jake (Johann Jakob) Hintermeister 1820 - 1915

HINTERMEISTER

Posted By: Ed Hintermeister (email)
Date: 11/14/2008 at 12:35:47

Jake (Johann Jakob) Hintermeister
20 November 1820- 24 February 1915

Jake Hintermeister was born in the small town of Tuttlingen, Germany on 20 November 1820. Tuttlingen is located in southwest Germany in the state of Wuerttemberg along the banks of the Danube River.

Atop a high hill in the middle of Tuttlingen are the ruins of the fortress Honberg, which in earlier times helped to protect the town. It is assumed that when Jake was a child he would have played in these ruins, just as children do today.

Jake came from a large family of nine children, however, only five survived to adulthood. Jake and his siblings are listed in order of birth as follows:

***Maria Elizabeth*****( 9 July 1814-February 1895)
***Johann Georg*******(26 May 1816-Unknown)
***Christiana***********( 9 September 1817-27 October 1886)
***Johann Jakob (Jake)**(20 November 1820-24 February 1915)
***Maria Barbara*******(31 October 1823-2 November 1827)
***Anna Maria**********(13 December 1824-1 December 1827)
***Johannes (John)*****(18 June 1827-2 December 1919)
***Anna Maria**********(20 July 1831-7 May 1832)
***Boy (Stillborn)*******(20 July 1831-20 July 1831)

Jake's father, Johann Jacob (26 June 1790 – 26 June 1856), was a day laborer and later a farmer. His grandfather, Johann Jakob (13 December 1766 – 23 February 1824) was a knitter by trade.

At the age of 14 Jake was confirmed in the Lutheran Church. While he was growing up he probably worked on his father's farm. At the age of 21 Jake enlisted in the Army of Wuerttemberg and served five years between 1841 and 1846.

In 1848 there was a large migration of Germans to America and Jake was among this group. During this period of German history there were a number of reasons, which caused people to leave Germany. There were economic hardships, including unemployment and crop failures. Many Germans also left to avoid wars and military service. In some cases, government entities encouraged citizens to emigrate. There was also much political unrest in Germany as the numerous Germanic states were trying to combine into a United Germany. Small revolutions were also appearing throughout the country in an effort to gain more personal freedom. The stories of success in the new land were also well known in Germany.

Prior to leaving Germany for the last time, it is likely that Jake visited his older brother, Johann Georg. Johann Georg had moved to Oldenberg City (27 miles west of Bremen) in 1845. His home would have been a convenient stopping place while waiting for the next ship to leave from Bremen for America.

Jake must have been a bit of an adventurer to leave his family and homeland and immigrate to America, however in 1848, Jake was part of a group of 13 people from Tuttlingen who traveled to America. The ship “Columbia” departed Bremen on 20 March 1848 and arrived 59 days later at New Orleans on 18 May 1848. There were originally 181 passengers on board, but there was one death, a one year old infant, during the voyage. The stated final destination for the entire Tuttlingen group is St. Louis. Below is a transcription of the Tuttlingen section of the ship manifest.

***Name***************Age**Relationship**Profession**Origin****Destination
1**Michael Dollt*********52****Father******Shoe maker**Toutlingen**St. Louis
2**Christina Dollt********66****Mother*********************Toutlingen**St. Louis
3**Jacob Dollt***********22****Son*************************Toutlingen**St. Louis
4**Gesina Dollt**********26****Daughter*******************Toutlingen**St. Louis
5**Barbara Dollt*********25****Daughter*******************Toutlingen**St. Louis
6**Ludwig Loup**********8****Son*************************Toutlingen**St. Louis
7**Catrina Rees**********17***Single**********************Toutlingen**St. Louis
8**Jacob Hindermeist*****27**Young man***Smith******Toutlingen**St. Louis
9**Wilhelmine Libermann**28**Single********************Toutlingen**St. Louis
10**Johann Stumpf********3****Boy***********************Toutlingen**St. Louis
11**August Deufel********17***Young man**Butcher*****Toutlingen**St. Louis
12**Casper Wetzel********24***Young man**Peasant****Toutlingen**St. Louis
13**Anton Fritz***********23****Young man**Mason******Toutlingen**St. Louis
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The ship manifest confirms that Jake Hintermeister traveled to America with the Dold family, and his future wife, Rosina Dold (spelled Gesina in the manifest). It is likely that Jake knew Rosina in Tuttlingen before the ship voyage, and if they were already good friends in Tuttlingen, then this would have been a good reason for Jake to travel to America with the Dold family. If they met on the ship, the close quarters of the ship Steerage compartment may have sparked a lifetime relationship.

The Tuttlingen Family Register states that the Michael Dold family (Rosina's and Elizabeth Barbara’s father) went to America in 1848. The translated passage reads as follows: "With wife and two daughters went to America in 1848." There is no mention of a son. Jacob Dold, listed as a son in the manifest, is actually a distant relative of this Dold family.

The Wuerttemberg emigration records are a unique collection of papers and documents on applicants who filed for permission to emigrate from Wuerttemberg during the nineteenth century. Emigrants leaving without permission are, of course, not listed at the time of emigration. A significant percentage of all German emigrants to North America came from Wuerttemberg.

The Wuerttemberg Emigration Index shows that the entire Dold family requested permission to emigrate from Wuerttemberg in February 1848. This was the earliest recorded request for a Dold family to emigrate to America. The document also requests permission for eight year old Johann Ludwig Lupp (also written as Luzz) to emigrate to America. He is listed as one of the passengers in the Columbia ship manifest. According to the records, Johann Michael Dold is his step father and Johann Michael Riess is his foster parent. The records also indicate that the natural mother, Christiana Lupp (daughter of Christiana Dold prior to marriage to Johann Michael Dold) plans to emigrate at a later time. However, Christiana apparently never went to America, as the Tuttlingen Church records shows that she died in Basellandschaft, Germany, on 10 December 1871. There is no record showing that Jake Hintermeister requested permission to emigrate, so he presumably left Wuerttemberg without permission.

It appears that some of the Tuttlingen passengers were some how acquainted prior to leaving Tuttlingen. Jake’s sister, Christiana, married Johannes Teufel on 11 October 1842. The passenger, August Deufel (also Teufel), may be related to Christiana by marriage, and a friend of Jake Hintermeister. However, this relationship could not be confirmed. Also, Columbia passenger, Antoni Fritz, moved to Muscatine, where he lived until his death on 24 December 1886. Anton married Laura Berry in Muscatine on 16 August 1860.

While in St. Louis, the Dolds and Jake Hintermeister attended the German Evangelical Congregation Church of North St. Louis/ St. Peters Evangelical Church (now St. Peters United Church of Christ). In 1848 the church was a frame building located at the intersection of 15th Street and Carr, but a new brick church was built at 14th Street and Carr in 1850. It is probable that Jake and the Dolds were living in the vicinity of the church while living in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Church records show that Johann Jacob Dold married Elizabeth Barbara Dold on 3 December 1848. The records also show that Jacob Hintermeister married Rosina Magdalena Dold on 31 December 1848. The minister for both marriages is listed as J.J. Riess. A translation of the church records is as follows:

*** Dec 1848. (P.128)
***Herr Johann Jacob Dold, born 16 November 1826.
***Frl Elizabeth Barbara Dold, born 3 November 1822.
******Xxxxx Tuttlingen, Wuertemburg
***Witnesses:******J. Jacob Hintermeister
*****************Johannes Stengele
*****************Pastor J.J. Riess

***31 Dec 1848. (P. 133)
***Herr Johann Jacob Hintermeister, born 20 November A.D. 1820.
***Frl Rosina Magdalena Dold, born July A.D. 1821. Tuttlingen, Wuertemburg
***Witnesses:****Johann Michael Dold
***************Johannes Stengelin
*******************Pastor J.J. Riess

A record of the marriage of Jake and Rosina is also recorded in the Marriage Record Book (No. 4, page 215) located in the Recorder of Deeds Office, Room 216, City Hall, St. Louis, Missouri. See transcription below.

***State of Missouri
***County of St. Louis. I certify that I have this day joined in the bonds of matrimony
***Mr. John Jacob Hintermeister
***Miss Rosina Magdalena Dold*****of Tuttlingen – Wuertemberg – Certified by
***me this thirty first day of December A.D. 1848. J.J. Riess, Minister of the
***Gospel. *************************Filed January 15th 1849

The St. Louis Church records also show that Rosina’s mother, Christiana Dold, only lived seven (7) months in the new land. She died in St. Louis on 7 December 1848 at the age of 67. See transcription below.

***#44 Ludwig Lumpe, born 27 May 1841, died 4 Dec 1848 (If this is Ludwig Lupp,
***he has the wrong birth date)

*** #45 Frau Christiana Dold, born Lupp, born 9 Jul 1781, in Tuttlingen xxxxx
***Wuerttemburg. Daughter of xx Johannes L. Lupp and his wife Elisabeth Regina
***born Schlotter, und wife of Johann Michael Dold. Death 7 Dec 1848 and burial
***was the following day. J.J. Riess.

It is believed that Jake Hintermeister, Rosina, Rosina's father, and Rosina's sister and brother-in-law moved from St. Louis to Muscatine together in 1849. Both Jake's obituary and Elizabeth Barbara Dold's obituary (Rosina's sister) state that they came to Muscatine in 1849. However, the 1875 Andreas’ Atlas lists Jacob Dold as the owner of City Brewery, and also shows that he moved to Iowa in 1848. Since Jacob Dold was still in St. Louis in December 1848, it is likely that the 1848 date in the atlas is actually referring to the year of arrival in America, and the move to Muscatine was 1849.

The 1850 Census shows that Michael Dold, has apparently remarried to Maria, age 45. Cathrine Dold (age 15) is also living in the household, but she is probably Maria’s daughter. The marriage records for Muscatine County shows that John Michael Dodd married Mary Schorch on 22 August 1850. Dodd is probably a misspelling of Dold, and the entry should be Michael Dold. Michael Dold lived a few years longer, and died 8 August 1853 at the age of 56.

The marriage announcement of Jake Hintermeister's daughter, Mary, to George Stuhler, Jr. states that Jake and the Stuhler family were old and warm friends in the Fatherland, and that it is believed that the parents came to America on the same ship. The Columbia manifest shows, however, that Jake did not travel with the Stuhler family. The Stuhlers did not arrive in America until 1849, and since the Stuhler family was not from Tuttlingen, it is likely that the families met in Muscatine.

George Stuhler Sr. married Catharine Riess in Muscatine on 2 March 1852. George Stuhler Sr. is Mary Hintermeister’s father-in-law. Although Riess is a relatively common name, the Catharine Riess (Catrina Rees) shown as a passenger in the Columbia ship manifest, may be the same person who married George Stuhler Sr.

In the mid 1800’s, the Dold and Hintermeister families were very closely linked, so this biography contains significant information about the Dold families to show these links. Jacob and Elizabeth Dold had four children. Unfortunately, their first two children died in infancy. The children are listed as follows:

***Jacob Dold (died in infancy of spasms on 4 April 1850)
***Jacob Dold (died in infancy of diarrhea on 5 September 1852)
***Charles John Dold (born 1854)
***Frederica Elizabeth Dold (born 1856)

In 1849, a cholera epidemic in St. Louis claimed 4500 lives out of a population of 63,000, and this epidemic may have been a determining factor for the family move from St. Louis to Muscatine. The 1850 Census shows that Jake and Rosina were definitely living in Muscatine on 17 September 1850, the date of the Census . Jake's occupation was listed as farmer in the 1850 Census. There were also two Dold households listed in the 1850 Muscatine Census, the Michael Dold household and the Jacob Dold household. A transcription of the entries in the 1850 Muscatine Census is shown below. The census provides good genealogical data, but spellings are some times in error.
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1850 Muscatine, Iowa Census Transcription
Name**************Age**Sex**Color**Occupation***Real Value***Birth place
Jacob Hendermiter*****30***M***W*****Farmer**********************Germany
Rosanna Hendermiter**29***F****W***********************************Germany

Name**************Age**Sex**Color**Occupation***Real Value***Birth place
Michael Dold*********55***M***W*****Shoemaker********************Germany
Maria Dold***********45***F****W**************************************Germany
Catherine Dold******15****F****W**************************************Ohio

Name**************Age**Sex**Color**Occupation***Real Value***Birth place
Jack Dold************26***M***W*******Brewer************************Germany
Barbara Dold********28***F****W***************************************Germany
August Dold*********15***M***W****************************************Germany
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In 1850, Jack and Barbara Dold are living in the same household as John and Mary Stengele. John Stengele was a witness for the marriages of both Jacob and Barbara Dold and Jacob and Rosina Hintermeister in St. Louis. John Stengele is listed as a butcher from Germany.

Since the young boy, Ludwig Lupp, is not listed with any of the households, he may have been a victim of the St. Louis cholera epidemic, but this could not be confirmed. Formal death records in St. Louis were not started until 1850, so it may not be possible to confirm Ludwig’s death, but this is a probable explanation why he is not listed in the 1850 census. Death records in Muscatine do not list Ludwig, so it is probable that he died prior to arriving in Muscatine. The death of Ludwig Lumpe is recorded next to Christiana Dold, and this may in fact be Ludwig Lupp. Also, August Dold, who is listed in the 1850 Census, is listed as August Hoffman in the 1860 Census.

In 1854, Jake's younger brother, Johannes (John) immigrated to America, and moved directly to Muscatine. A year later in August 1855, John's wife also immigrated to Muscatine. It is believed that John came first in order to find work and establish a home.

In July 1855, Jake purchased a small plot of farmland in Section 18 of Township 76. The following year in 1856, Jake Hintermeister and Jacob Dold (Jacob's brother-in-law) jointly purchased a plot of farmland in Section 18 near Jacob's first farm purchase. Over the next few years Jake continued to expand his farm until he had a sizeable farm.

It appears that Jake ran a saloon business for a short time in 1854. According to the court records , Jake appeared before the Justice of the Peace on 15 May 1854 for selling three shots of intoxicating whiskey, which was of the prohibited kind. Uriah M. Holmes stated that the whiskey was sold to him on 12 March 1854 by Jake Hintermeister on a property occupied by Jake Hintermeister. This property was located on Chestnut Street near the corner of West Second and Chestnut Streets .

In the court's decision, Jake's property was judged to be a nuisance, and Jake was found guilty of selling the whiskey. The property was ordered sold to pay the $50 fine. On appeal to the District Court, the judgement against the property was reversed, but Jake's conviction was upheld. Jake then appealed his case to the State Supreme Court, where the District Court decision was again upheld. One can only speculate that Jake must have strongly felt that he was in the right to appeal this case to the State Supreme Court.

On 3 August 1858, Jacob Hintermeister and Jacob Dold went into business partnership and purchased a property, which was located west of Elm Street on Hershey Avenue. The following year on 12 March 1859, they purchased another property on the north side of Mississippi Drive between Iowa Avenue and Chestnut Street. The 1859-1860 Muscatine City Directory shows that the Hershey Avenue property became the "Dold and Hintermeister Brewery," and the Mississippi Drive location became the "Great Western Saloon." Apparently Jake decided to pursue the saloon business a second time.

The actual site of the brewery was 1037 Hershey Avenue, which is now located in the left parking lot of the current Maid-Rite Restaurant. The ice house for the brewery was located in the basement of a large brick house located at 311 Green Street. The entrance to this ice house is about 100 feet up an incline from the rear of the Maid-Rite parking lot. The 1856 city directory lists Jake's residence as the north side of Water (now Hershey Avenue) and Green Streets. Therefore, Jake was living at this location prior to starting the brewery.

The 1860 U.S. Census indicates that Jake's total real estate holdings were valued at $4,000, and the value of his personal estate was $100. The 1870 census includes an entry for Lizzie Hintermeister. Lizzie is the daughter of Jake’s brother, Johann Georg, who moved to Oldenburg, Germany in 1845.

The Hintermeister and Dold partnership was not long lasting. On 23 June 1859 Jacob Hintermeister sold his interest in the brewery to Jacob Dold. Jacob Dold in turn sold his interest in the Great Western Saloon to Jacob Hintermeister. The 1860 U.S. Census confirms Jake's ownership of the saloon as it lists Jake's occupation as saloon keeper. It is probably reasonable to assume that Jake sold beer produced at Jacob Dold's brewery. The 1866 issue of the city directory shows that the brewery had been renamed "City Brewery," and that Jacob Dold was the sole owner. On 20 January 1876 Jacob Dold died leaving the operation of the brewery to his son Charles Dold. Charles ran the brewery until 1885.

It is assumed that after nine years of running the saloon, Jake decided to work his farm, as he sold the saloon on 27 June 1868. Both the 1870 and the 1880 census lists Jake's occupation as farmer. The 1870 census also lists the value of Jake's real estate at $4,000, and the value of his personal estate at $1,500 . Jake's homestead farm was about 20 acres, and was located four miles west of Muscatine on Burlington Road near Funk's Hill . The house was originally located on the bluff side of the road but was moved to the opposite side of the road around 1899-1900 to make way for railroad tracks, which were to be laid. The house was a two-story structure, but was later cut down to a single story house.

1860 Muscatine, Iowa Census Transcription
Name*************Age*Sex*Color*Occupation****Real**Personal**Birth Place
*********************************************************Value*Value
Jacob Hindermaster***39**M**W****Saloon Keeper**$4000**$100****Witemburg
Rosanna Hindermaster *7**F***W*****************************************Witemburg
Jacob Hindermaster***10**M**W******************************************Iowa
Rosa Hindermaster****6***F**W*******************************************Iowa
Mary Hindermaster****3**F***W*******************************************Iowa

Name*************Age*Sex*Color*Occupation****Real**Personal**Birth Place
*********************************************************Value*Value
John Hindermeister***33**M***W****Teamster*************$300*******Witemburg
Elizabeth Hindermeister*28*F**W****************************************Witemburg
John Hindermeister****4**M***W*****************************************Iowa
Jacob Hindermeister***2**M***W*****************************************Iowa

Name*************Age*Sex*Color*Occupation****Real**Personal**Birth Place
*********************************************************Value*Value
Jacob Dold*********33**M***W***Brewer********$7,000**$1,000*******Wirtemburg
Barbara Dold********37**F***W*******************************************Wirtemburg
John Dold***********6***M**W*********************************************Iowa
Fredrica Dold********4***F***W********************************************Iowa
Charles Dold********20**M***W***Brewer********************************Wirtemburg
August Hoffman******28**M**W***Brewer********************************Unknown
Leona Gable*********16**F***W***Servant*******************************Germany
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Jake was very active in the Muscatine real estate mortgage market. Jake has numerous real estate transactions recorded in the "Muscatine General Index to Town Lots" and the "Muscatine Index of Lands" starting on 16 April 1851. According to the records, Jake provided real estate mortgages in Muscatine and Muscatine County until shortly before his death in 1915.

Jake and Rosina had three children. They are listed in order of birth as follows:

***Jacob John*******(3 March 1851- 27 October 1929)
***Rosina************(8 April 1854- 11 July 1930)
***Mary Catharine***(8 August 1856- 9 May 1907)

The family became members of the German Evangelical Church (now combined with the United Church of Christ). The old church was located on Sycamore between Third and Fourth Streets.

It is unfortunate that a good description of Jake could not be found. From photographs we do know that he wore a beard throughout most of his adult life. It is estimated that he was between five feet 10 inches and six feet tall, and probably weighed about 175 pounds. He was an adventurer and had an entrepreneur spirit. Judging from his one time profession as a saloon keeper, he was probably outgoing and a people-oriented person. He strived for and obtained success in the new land.

Although Jake lived the majority of his long life in America, no record could be found that he ever applied for United States citizenship. It should be noted that Jake's brother, John, received his United States citizenship in 1865.

On 26 March 1873 Jake's wife, Rosina, passed away at a relatively young age of 51. The cause of the death was listed as Erysipelas in the face. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Muscatine.

In April 1883 Jacob sold his farm properties to his two children John Jacob and Rosina Barbara (Smalley). Since Jacob was 63 years old, he may have decided that farm life was becoming too difficult, and his children could make good use of the land.

After Jake retired he lived with his daughter, Mary. The 1900 Census shows that Jake was living with Mary and his son-in-law, George Stuhler, Jr. in Monticello, Iowa. Jake must have had a good rapport with his son-in-law because the 1910 Census shows that Jake was still living in the Stuhler home even though Mary had died some three years earlier in 1907. While living in Monticello, the Census records show that Jake was unemployed and was living on his own income.

However, sometime prior to his death, Jake returned to Muscatine and lived with his son, Jacob John. On 24 February 1915 Jake died at his son's home located at what is now 216 West Fifth Street. He had lived to the very old age of 94 years. The cause of death was attributed to ills attendant upon old age, and was not unexpected. Jake is buried next to his wife in Greenwood Cemetery.

In his will (dated 26 February 1909), Jake left his farm located in Fruitland Township and $3,000 to his daughter, Rosina. To his son, Jacob John, he left his former homestead in Fruitland Township and $600 . The will further states that he deeded real estate located in Kansas City, Missouri, to his daughter, Mary, prior to her death . The origin of this Kansas City property is somewhat of a mystery, since Jake had made Muscatine, Iowa, his home since 1849. Unfortunately, the original transfer of the property to Jake, predated the records held at the Kansas City Recorder's Office. The only logical explanation as to the origin of this property was as an inheritance. There were Dolds living in Kansas City, and in fact, it is recorded that Charles Dold, a brewer from Kansas City, married Rose Funck of Muscatine . They probably met while he was visiting Muscatine. It is assumed, therefore, that the Dolds in Kansas City were related to Rosina Dold, Jake's wife. Thus, the evidence supports the inheritance theory.

Jake was a true pioneer, and a respected member of the community. His decision to immigrate to America proved to be a wise decision. He prospered in the new land, probably far beyond the wealth he could have achieved in Germany. He was the first Hintermeister in Iowa, and may well be the very first Hintermeister in America. To date, no record of an earlier Hintermeister in America could be found. Although Jake’s direct family line has not resulted in a large pyramid of Hintermeister descendants, he did influence his brother, John, to immigrate to America, and John's family line has produced numerous Hintermeister descendants. It is to Jake, therefore, that all Iowa Hintermeisters should pay thanks for their birthplace.