My mother believed that this branch of the familiy came from Arnstien, Bavaria, Germany.
- “Arnstein is a town in the Main-Spessart district in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia (Unterfranken) in Bavaria, Germany.” (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnstein)
- View the Meyers Gazetter Entry for Arnstein.
View genealogical information about Johan Schulz on the FamilySearch Family Tree.
Johan Joseph Schultz and his wife Anna Mary Metzger
This is the timeline of known events of their migration from Germany:
1846
Johan Schulz (34), wife Ann (35), daughter Catherine (13), sons Franz (10) and Carl (4), and daughters Eva (4) and Barbara (4 months old) left Germany and traveled to Le Havre, France. Emigrants entering France at this time had to show a valid ticket for passage at the French border (a policy implemented in 1837), so the trip was arranged in advance. See ‘A Look at Le Havre, a Less-Known Port for German Emigrants‘ for information about the city and what it was like to pass through there as an emigrant during this time period.
28 June
The family departed Le Havre France on the sailing ship Chesapeake with a total of 255 passengers on board. According to the manifest, they were all farmers from Germany traveling to Ohio in the United States. I have transcribed the passenger list: View the PDF
One passenger died on the day of departure, and another died on July 31, 1846.
13 August
The ship arrived in New York after being at sea for 46 days.
The New York Herald, August 13, 1846, Page 4
15 August
The family passed through the Castle Garden emigrant reception center. (View Johann’s information on Ancestry.com)
Year: 1846; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 063; Line: 23; List Number: 746
The table below lists the information about the family on the www.castlegarden.org website… the links (in the Last Name column) are active and will take you to the record for each member of the family.
| LAST NAME | FIRST NAME | AGE | SEX | ARRIVAL DATE | PLACE OF LAST RESIDENCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCHULZ | ANNE | 35 | F | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
| SCHULZ | BARBARA | 6 m | F | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
| SCHULZ | CARL | 9 | M | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
| SCHULZ | CATHARIN | 13 | F | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
| SCHULZ | EVA | 4 | F | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
| SCHULZ | FRANZ | 10 | M | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
| SCHULZ | JOHANN | 34 | M | 15 Aug 1846 | U |
1850
08 July
Simon Schulz (my great grandfather) was the first of my ancestors to be born in the United States, and the first American citizen (by right of birth). Although he was born prior to the enumeration of the census (August 28), he was born after the the official enumeration day of 1 June 1850, so he is not listed with the rest of the family.
The Schultz family was Catholic. There was no organized catholic church in this area of New York during this period of time. Religious needs were met by priests who visited the area to perform required services. No record of such services for the Schultz family (specifically, records of Simon’s birth or baptism) have been located.
28 August
The Schulz family in enumerated in the 1850 United States Census, living in Alexander, Genesee county, New York:
Year: 1850; Census Place: Alexander, Genesee, New York; Roll: M432_507; Page: 155; Image: 306.
Barbara, who was 6 months old when the family arrived in New York, is not listed and presumably died by this point in time. No record of her death or burial has been discovered.
The census indicates that Johan and his son Frank worked as laborers… there is no record of the family having purchased land in Alexander.
Why Alexander, New York?
It was common for German emigrants to settle near friends and family members who had already emigrated to the United States. The 1850 United Census enumerated 135 people with some variation of the Schulz surname in Genesee and the surrounding counties. It is likely that some of them were relatives of Johan Schulz.
This table shows the number of people in each county who had some variation of the Shultz surname.
| County | Count | Percent |
| Erie | 79 | 51% |
| Niagra | 23 | 15% |
| Livingston | 11 | 7% |
| Monroe | 11 | 7% |
| Genesee | 6 | 3% |
| Wyoming | 5 | 3% |
In the same census year (1850) about 25 people with some variation of the Shultz name were living in and near Walworth County in Wisconsin.
There were also six people enumerated in Erie county, New York with the last name of “Metzger” who were born in Germany (none were found around Walworth County, Wisconsin), so it is possible that there were family connections with Johann wife, Anna Mitzger.
1854
The Schulz family left New York and settled in present day Lyons, Walworth, Wisconsin. The exact date of the move is not known:
- The obituary of Frank A Schulz published in the Burlington Wisconsin Standard Democrat, Burlington WI, Friday December 31, 1915: “Frank A. Schulz was born in Germany in 1834. He came to this country with his parents at the age of ten years. They settled in New York for about two years, then came to the town of Lyons, on the farm now owned by Simon Schulz, his brother.” – The family emigrated in 1846, when Frank was 10 years old. However, Simon Schulz was reportedly born in Alexander, Genesee, New York in 1850 which appears to contradict the information in Frank’s obituary.
- Simon’s obituary (published in the Burlington Free Press, Burlington WI, December 22, 1927) says “Mr. Schulz was born in Alexandria, N.Y. on July 8, 1850, and came to Wisconsin with his parents when four years of age. They settled on the homestead in the town of Lyons, where the deceased spent nearly all of his life.“.
1855
01 June
The family was enumerated (4 white males, 3 white females) in the 1855 Wisconsin State Census living in Hudson (now Lyons), St. Croix (now Walworth), Wisconsin, United States. The males would have been Johan and his sons Frank, Charles and Simon. The females would have been his wife Anna and daughters Katherine and Eveline.
It is likely that they were living on 80 acres described as E 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 27, Township 2 North in Range 18 East
02 June
Johann filed his Naturalization Intent Statement in Walworth, Wisconsin (View the document on FamilySearch.org):
“Wisconsin, County Naturalization Records, 1807-1992,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893Z-6HP6?cc=2046887&wc=M56S-BZ8%3A350669401%2C350876701 : 9 March 2023), Walworth > Declarations of intention, petitions for naturalization 1840-1906 S > image 449 of 543; State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison.
1860
15 June
The Schulz family in enumerated in the 1860 United States Census, living in Hudson (now Lyons), Walworth county, Wisconsin.
Hudson Township, Walworth County, Wisconsin. Post Office: Geneva, Page 33, Dwelling 246, Family 231, Lines 17 – 21, 15 June 1860 (Roll: M653_1434 , Page: 319
Daughter Eveline apparently married Jacob Tyler around 1851 and gave birth to their first child (Catherine) in 1859. Eveline and Catherine were both enumerated with the Schultz family in 1860. Jacob’s residence at this time is unknown.
1863
30 June
Charles Schultz (b. ~1836 in Germany) was registered in the Civil War Draft in Bloomfield, Walworth, Wisconsin:
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General’s Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General’s Bureau (Civil War); Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 2 of 4
1868
31 March
Johan J Shultz took out a mortgage from Andrew Kull for the purchase of property. Recorded with the office of Register of Deeds at Elkorn, Wisconsin in Volume 32 of Mortgages, page 422.
1870
22 July
Johan, his wife Mary and son Simon enumerated in the 1870 US Census living in Hudson (Lyons), Walworth, Wisconsin
1880
04-05 June
Johan, his wife Mary and son Simon enumerated in the 1880 US Census living in Lyons, Walworth, Wisconsin, USA
1882
03 October
Johan J Schultz died due to complications caused by pneumonia and is buried in the Saint Killians Cemetery, Lyons, Walworth, Wisconsin.
1883
20 November
Anna M Schuls sells the E 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 27, Township 2 North in Range 18 East (80 acres) to Simon Schultz (her son) for “love and affection and also in further consideration of One Thousand Dollars”
According to Bureau of Land Management records, this property was acquired by Nathan Lane in 1844.
1885
28 May
Resa & Agnes Resa sold the SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 26 in Lyons (40 acres) to Simon Schulz for $1,600
1889
26 July
Apparently John Joseph Shults purchased property from Andrew Kull: The mortgage for that property was satisfied in 1889, after his death and that Simon Schulz was the owner.
1927
14 December
Simon Schultz died. According to his obituary (Burlington Free Press, Burlington WI, December 22, 1927):
“Mr. Schulz was born in Alexandria, N.Y. on July 8, 1850, and came to Wisconsin with his parents when four years of age. They settled on the homestead in the town of Lyons, where the deceased spent nearly all of his life.“
In his will, Simon left his farm to wife: on her death, it was to pass on to his son Andrew Schulz.
“Fifth: After the death of my wife, I will, devise and bequeath unto my son Andrew Schulz my farm of one hundred twenty acres in the town of Lyons, also the farming machinery thereon and one third of the live stock.“
1928
12 December
Margaret Schulz, widow of Simon, transferred ownership of the farm to daughters Mary Schulz and Katherine Schulz, and son Andrew Schulz, with each owning a third.
“An undivided two thirds (2/3) interest in the following described real estate:
The south west quarter (S.W. 1/4) of the south west quarter (S.W. 1/4) of section twenty six (26), township two (2) north, range eighteen (18) east, in the town of Lyons, Walworth county, Wisconsin.
Also the east half (E. 1/2) of the south east quarter (S.E. 1/4) of section twenty seven(27), township two (2) north, range eighteen (18) east, in said town of Lyons, Walworth county, Wisconsin.
It is the intention of this conveyance that the said Mary Schulz shall take a one third interest in said premises: that the said Katherine Schulz shall take a one third interest in said premises: and that the said Andrew Schulz shall retain a one third interest in said premises, and that from the date of this conveyance each of said parties shall be the owner of a one third interest in said premises.
This conveyance is subject to the life estate of Margaret Schulz, widow of Simon Schulz, deceased, which interest said Margaret Schulz obtained by and pursuit to the terms and provisions of the will of said Simon Schulz, deceased.”
1930
05 March
Death of Margaret Schultz, widow of Simon.
1933
May
Mary Schulz and Katherine Schulz obtained Andrew Schulz’s share (allegedly for $2400). Katherine, her husband Andrew Meyerhoffer and Mary lived on the property. They were joined by Anna Lorraine Amborn (Katherine and Mary’s niece) after the death of her mother. Mary never married, and Katherine and Andrew never had any children, They sold the farm and moved into a house in Lake Geneva (811 Center Street) in 1966.
Simon Schultz Property
Information and receipts for most of the tax years between 1900 and 1927 are available below.
Katherine Schultz married Andrew Joseph Meyerhofer on 17 November 1931.
What Was His Name?
- 1846 – Ships Register: Johan Schulz
- 1850 – US Census: John J Schuls
- 1860 – US Census: John J Schulz
- 1889 – Mortgage: John Jos Shults
Putting these together (and giving the most weight to the mortgage document for the accepted spelling of his last name), it appears that he was baptized Johan Joseph Shulz but was known as John Joseph Shults once he emigrated to the United States.
Church Records
Catholic church records were not being recorded in nearby churches at the time the family settled in Lyons. As a result, records are not available for several key events.
Research Questions
- Locate the birth record for Johann Joseph Schulz.
- He was reportedly born in Arnstein, Bavaria, Germany about September 1809 to Johann Friedrich Schulz and Christina Elizabeth Kruger
- Identify his parents.
- Locate the birth record for Anna Mary Metzger.
- She reportedly was born in Arnstein, Bavaria, Germany on 5 October 1809 to Anton Metzger and ????
- Identify her parents.
- Locate the marriage record for Johann Joseph Schulz and Anna Mary Metzger and ????
- The birth of their first known child is believed to have occurred in 1833.
- Locate the birth record of Katherine Schulz, the first daughter of Johann Joseph Schulz and Anna Mary Metzger, reportedly born in Germany about 1833.
- Locate the birth record of Frank A Schulz, the first son of Johann Joseph Schulz and Anna Mary Metzger, reportedly born in Germany on 29 August 1835.
- Locate the birth record of Charles Carl Schulz, the second son of Johann Joseph Schulz and Anna Mary Metzger, reportedly born in Germany on 13 December 1838.
- Locate the birth record of Eveline Schulz, the second daughter of Johann Joseph Schulz and Anna Mary Metzger, reportedly born in Germany about 1842.
- Locate the birth record of Barbara Schulz, the third daughter of Johann Joseph Schulz and Anna Mary Metzger, reportedly born in Germany about February 1846.
References
- Schulz family – Descendants of John J. Schulz: a collection of genealogy material assembled by Glenn and Gloria Schulz. Printed 08 July 2005.