RE: GEORGE and ELIZABETH PULLMAN

PULLMAN AND HETTINGER FAMILIES

Posted By: Lisa McCombe (email)
Date: 12/30/2005 at 23:14:20

George Pullman was born in the province of Darmstadt, Germany, November 24, 1834. He died September 6, 1898. He was educated in his native city and at the age of 18 came to America and joined his three sisters who had previously located in Philadelphia, PA. The sisters were Sophia (Foster), Gertrude (Graph or Mrs. Fred Graph), and Mrs. Mark's. The Foster's owned an operated a pork-packing plant. The Graphs were liquor dealers and later became extensive real estate dealers. Mrs. Mark's husband was a barber. The mother and two sisters remained in Germany.

The three sisters in Philadelphia took special interest in George, since he was the only brother and youngest of the family. He learned wagon and carriage making in Philadelphia. He went from Philadelphia to Chicago where he worked in the Pullman Wagon and Carriage Factory. Here he met the Hettinger family. George Hettinger, the eldest son of the Hettinger family, worked in the factory with George Pullman. George Pullman became very efficient. He did the fancy painting on wagons and buggies. He worked at this trade until 1856. The factory began manufacturing Pullman sleeping cars soon after he left the company. He met and married Elizabeth Hettinger, January 4, 1856, who was also a native of Darmstadt, Germany. Elizabeth was born October 2, 1838, the daughter of George and Margaret (Bock) Hettinger. They lived in the neighborhood of Frank Hettinger who was editor of a German newspaper published in Chicago. Elizabeth who made the voyage from Germany to the United States came in a sailing vessel in the year 1848. The passage consumed 36 days. Elizabeth's mother passed away in Chicago (with cholers)leaving Elizabeth to mother her youngest brothers. Soon after marriage they moved to Muscatine, IA where they were farmers and then 14 years later again moved to Mills County, IA.

Elizabeth was one of a family of ten children of whom seven grew to manhood and womanhood. Novella Hettinger Bester visited with relatives in Germany and was able to obtain the following information on Elizabeth's family:

Jacob Bock married Jacobi.Their known children were: George Bock (had son Adam)

Margaretha Bock born Sept. 23,1812

Elizabeth Bock