This branch of the family reportedly emigrated 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.
They were Catholic.
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.
- 1846 – June 28: The sailing ship Chesapeake departed Le Havre with 255 passengers on board. One passenger died on the day of departure, and another died on July 31, 1846.
- 1846 – August 13: The ship arrived in New York.
The New York Herald, August 13, 1846, Page 4
- 1846 – August 15: The family passed through the Castle Garden emigrant reception center.
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 – July 8: Simon Schulz is born, presumably in Alexander, Genesee, New York
- 1850 – August 28: 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.
It appears that Simon (my great grandfather) was the first of my ancestors to be born (8 July 1850) 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 census indicates that Johan and his son Frank worked as laborers… there is no record of the family having purchases land in Alexander.
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.
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 (About): The Schulz family left New York and settled in present day Lyons, Walworth, Wisconsin.
- 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 – 1 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
- 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
Note that Eveline has married Jacob Tyler and had their first child (Catherine): Both were enumerated with the Schultz family.
It is not known when the family moved from New York to Wisconsin.
- 1863 – June 30: 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.
Andrew Kull acquired the SouthWest Quarter of Section 4, in Township 1 South, of Range 18 East, in the District of lands subject to sale at Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, containing 160 acres on 25 March, 1841. Presumably the mortgage was for the purchase of some of this land.
- 1883 – November 20: Anna M Schults 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”
- 1885 – May 28: Resa & Agnes Resa sold the SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 26 in Lyons (40 acres) to Simon Schultz for $1,600
- 1889 – 26 July: The mortgage with Andrew Kull is satisfied.
Simon Schultz Property
- E 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 27, Township 2 North in Range 18 East (80 acres) – Acquired in 1883 and owned at the time of his death in 1927. Since Simon acquired this property from his mother (after the death of his father in 1882) it is very likely that this property was purchased when the family arrived from New York around 1854. This is based on information from Simon’s 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.“
According to Bureau of Land Management records, this property was acquired by Nathan Lane in 1844.
- SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 26 in Lyons (40 acres) – Acquired in 1885 and owned at the time of his death in 1927.
According to Bureau of Land Management records, this property was acquired by Stephen Galvin in 1848.
- NE 1/4 of Section 28 in Lyons (160 acres) – He paid taxes on this property for one year (the 1912 tax year).
Information and receipts for most of the tax years between 1900 and 1927 are available below.
In his will, Simon left his farm to his son Andrew Schulz. Simon died on 14 Dec 1927: His wife died on 05 Mar 1930.
“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.“
Margaret Schulz, widow of Simon Schulz, apparently felt differently. On 12 December, 1928 Mary Schulz and Katherine Schulz became part owners of the property with 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.”
Katherine Schultz married Andrew Joseph Meyerhofer on 17 November 1931.
On 22 May 1933 Mary Schulz and Katherine Schulz obtained Andrew Schulz’s share (allegedly for $2400). Katherine, Andrew 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 in around 1966.
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.