Regina

 the nation of Germany, that we know today, did not exist. It was a collection of states, some independent and some under the control of other empires. 

Part 1 - Aloysius Walter; Chapter 3 - Arrival in America

Arrival in America

On September 17, 1838, our ancestor Alois' Walter arrived in New York harbor aboard the ship 'Charles Carroll' from the port of Le Havre, France. Alois is the first in our Walter line to make the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a better life.

It is uncertain whether Alois was planning to stay in New York or head somewhere else upon his arrival in 1838. The first record in the U.S. that was found of his existence was in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. It is for the baptism of his first born son Bernard on July 18, 1840 at St. Louis Catholic Church. Future Canadian records (census and death) verify that Bernard was born in Buffalo on that date.

Other Ancestry.com family trees indicate that Alois and Regina (Meyer) were married in Buffalo, Erie County, New York on January 26, 1840. I have been unable to substantiate the validity of this event. A search of the microfilmed records from the Latter Day Saints for St. Louis Catholic Church does not contain a record of their marriage on this date, or any other time in 1839 or 1840. 

Since Alois appears to have traveled alone to the United States, it is likely that he and Regina met in Buffalo, married and began a family. 

Often times, people sailing from Europe already had extended family members in the United States. It is uncertain as to whether this was the case for Alois. He arrived prior to 1850, which is the first U.S. Census in which they would list the names of every person living in a household. There are other Walter families living in Buffalo, so he might very well have been living with one of them from 1838 - 1840, but the census does not provide this information. I was not able to find him listed as the 'head of household' in the 1840 U.S. Census - and, unfortunately, only the names of the 'head of household' is listed.

A possible reason why Alois headed to Buffalo upon his arrival most likely is due to the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825. "The Erie Canal made it easy for new immigrants, arriving in New York harbor, to reach newly available and inexpensive farmland in Western New York and other regions further west. The Erie Canal brought a great influx of German-speaking families into Erie County." 6

Source: Times Union Newspaper

Click here to read Chapter 3

6 http://www.smithancestry.com/surnames/immfams.htm

Part 1 - Aloysius Walter; Chapter 2 - Emigration from Alsace, France

Emigration from Alsace

Sometime in the early 1800's, people began to leave their homes in Alsace and sail to the United States in search of a better life. Historians generally agree that the common reasons for leaving Alsace in the 19th century were poverty, limited opportunities, a high cost of living, lack of employment opportunities and the wish to avoid military service. 5

In 1817, the largest numbers of emigrants were from the Haut-Rhin area of Alsace. It was most certainly due to food shortages. The French government put a halt to it. Once again in 1826, people began to leave and the number of emigrants grew enormously in the next 10 years. This time from the Bas-Rhin area. More than 11,000 emigrants had left from the Haut-Rhin, and 10,000 from the Bas-Rhin. 6

Anyone wanting to sail to the United States, first had to obtain a passport for the cost of 10 francs. At the time, the average wage earned was around 1 to 2 francs per day. In addition, they needed a "certificate of morality and good behavior" from the mayor of their village. It was not easy to obtain a passport with all of the red tape and paperwork. In order to Local officials would demoralize a family when they asked for a certificate of good morality. Because of this many Alsatians left without a passport. 5

"At this time, the Germans and Swiss along the Rhine River were leaving via the port in Le Havre, France. As they passed through Alsace, the Alsatians had a good opportunity to join these emigrants who shared the same language with them. As they were far fewer in number than the Germans, they tended to disappear on arrival in the United States inside the "German stock" of the American population. Like the Germans they adapted quickly to their new country and very rapidly became true citizens." 6

The closest port of departure from Alsace was 300 miles away in Le Havre, France. That was quite a distance for Alois to travel to reach the port. He must have been quite determined to undertake the journey to America.  Upon arriving in Le Havre he, along with all the others,  may have had to wait as long as several weeks for passage on a ship, due to weather, ocean currents and availability. 5

The exact cost of a passenger ticket to the United States, at that time, is unknown. Historians estimate it to be around 150 francs for an adult. Passengers were expected to bring along their own food, bedding and cooking utensils. In addition, when they arrived in the U.S., they would need travel money to reach their final destination. 5

The Port of Le Havre, France

Joseph Morlent, Album du voyage au Havre et aux environs (1841)

In 1838, at the age of 23, Alois sailed from Le Havre, France to New York harbor on the Ship 'Charles Carroll.' The original passenger ship record shown below indicates that he sailed without any other family members. However, it's possible that he may have traveled with a friend(s) or cousin(s) with a different surname, but to this date that has not been substantiated. 

Below is the transcribed version of the original passenger list shown above

In those days, the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean took around 7 to 8 weeks. The brave sojourners faced the danger of bad weather, disease and possible death on their journey.  Fortunately, Alois arrived safely in New York City on September 17, 1838. 

"Emigration from Alsace, which was at times comparable in size to Scottish emigration, was far more discreet. The Alsatians were easily assimilated and mixed without prejudice with other settlers. Above all they wanted land so many of them became farmers." 6

Click here to read Chapter 3

5  Marianne Doyle of Beavercreek, Ohio. Her bimonthly newsletter French Ancestors. 

6 Alsation Emigration to the United States 1815-1870 

Additional reading: 19th Century Immigration to America

Part 1 - Aloysius Walter; Chapter 1 - Alsace, France

 Alsace, France

Source: Britannica.com

Our common ancestor Aloysius Walter  (better known to his family and friends as Alois) was born on September 30, 1811 in Alsace, France.  The city that he was born in or lived in prior to immigrating to the United States is unknown at this writing. 

Based on census and death certificate information, Alois is of German descent living in the northeastern region of France.  Alsace is located in the upper northeastern region of France which borders the Rhine River and Germany.

The history of this region dates back 600,000 years ago to the Paleolithic period also known as the Stone Age and the Ice Age. The oldest tools ever found in France have been discovered near the city of Strasbourg in Alsace.

In the last two centuries, Alsace has passed from Germany to France and back again until finally becoming a part of modern-day France. It's heritage and culture more closely resembles that of Germany with its steep-roofed, half-timbered houses with colorful paint, as depicted in this photo.

Source: www.Tourisme en Alsace.com

Alsace stands apart from other regions of France. It is situated on the Rhine River valley which was one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages.

Alsace is made up of two regions: the Lower Rhine or Bas Rhin and the Upper Rhine or Haut Rhin.

They are famous for their wines, and vineyards cover the eastern slopes at the foot of the Vosges Mountains. Most of the wines they produce in their fertile soil is white: Sylvaners, Rieslings and Gewurtzraminers. These deliciously sweet wines are not produced anywhere else in France. Other regional specialties are sauerkraut and Alsation gingerbread.1

Source: www.alsace-wine-route.com

A Brief Timeline of Alsation History 2, 3,4:

B.C.
570,000  - Hunter Gatherer's lived during the Paleolithic Period

 10, 200  - Neolithic Period: People began to settle and learned to farm

7th Century  - Bronze Age: The Celts appeared and began to organize into larger groups. They built houses with walls and roofs of thatch where groups of people lived. Jewelry, tools and weapons made by the Celts have been discovered in Alsace.

58  - The Romans arrived and established the culture of growing grape vines in the fertile soil. They began to build fortifications to protect their interests.

A.D.
213  - Alsace became the territory of the Germanic Alemanni Tribe. The Alemanni were agriculture people. Their Germanic language formed the basis of the dialects spoken today along the Upper Rhine River (Alsatian, Alemannian, Swabian and Swiss).

5th Century  - Clovis and the Franks defeat the Alemanni and Alsace becomes a part of the Kingdom of Austrasia.

12th and 13th Centuries - Alsace experienced great prosperity under the Hohenstaufen emperors.

14th Century - The era of prosperity ended with a series of harsh winters, bad harvests and the Black Death.

1639  - By this time most of Alsace became under the control of France. Their local customs and rights were, for the most part, preserved at this time. They also had a climate of religious tolerance.

1789  - The French Revolution was under way and Alsace was split into two regions: the departements of Haut - and Bas-Rhin. During this time period the Alsatians joined in the French Revolution and forced an end to the feudal system.

Early 1800's - Prussia and Austria occupied the area of Alsace suppressing their trade and the economy which led to hunger, housing shortages and lack of work for young people.

1820 to 1850 - Many Alsatians immigrated to the United States. Our ancestor Alois Walter was among them in 1838.

1871 - France ceded Alsace back to Germany after the Franco-German War.

1919 - Alsace was retroceded back to France after World War 1.

1940 - Germany regained control over it in World War II

1945 - Alsace was returned to France following World War II

Click here to read Chapter 2

Sources:
1. About France, www.about-france.com/regions/alsace.htm
2. Prehistoric Alsace, www.getalsaced.com/prehistoric-alsace.html
3. Wikipedia (Alsace), www.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace
4. Britannica Encyclopedia, www.britannica.com/place/Alsace-Lorraine

Introduction

The Walter/Meyer Family History

Introduction

As I write the story of our Walter/Meyer line, in 2018, it has been 180 years since our ancestor Aloysius Walter set foot in New York city as a new immigrant. Since people from Europe and other parts of the world have been arriving in the New World for 350 plus years, it becomes apparent that our Walter/Meyer line has been in this country only a brief period of time when measured by those standards. For this reason, it makes it a bit easier to include as many of our Walter/Meyer ancestors in this blog which will be set up in book format.

A lot of research has entailed in order to provide as much detail of our ancestors' lives, as possible. The Walter/Meyer family was not a pioneer family when they settled in Ontario, Canada so it was difficult to find historical stories or information about them. Instead, they appear to have been quiet, hard-working people of German descent that went about their daily lives of farming and raising their families.

If you find that your ancestor is not listed here or their information is incorrect, please contact me. The same goes if you have additional information or photos you would like included on your ancestors' pages. Together, we can write the story of our Walter/Meyer ancestors for future generations.

My hope is that you will enjoy reading what is known about them and, in turn, learn more about their lives and their migratory path in Canada and the United States.



Susan Silkworth Myers
Click here to send me an email



Published in 2018
All information is copyrighted

If you would like to "borrow" any information from this website to use somewhere else, please provide acknowledgment and a link to this website as follows:
"The Walter/Meyer Family History - https://walter-meyerfamily.blogspot.com/"

Click to read Chapter 1

Walter/Meyer Family Line

1 ALOYSIUS ‘Alois’ WALTER was born SEP 30, 1811 in Alsace, France and died Sep 28, 1886 in Bruce, Ontario, Canada. He married REGINA MEYER, unknown date and place. She was born May 1816 in Hessen Germany, and died Aug 4, 1873 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Children of ALOYSIUS ‘Alois’ WALTER and REGINA MEYER are:

2                    i.       BERNARD ‘Barney’ WALTER, b. July 18, 1840, Buffalo, New York; d. Dec 27,                  1896, Bruce, Ontario, Canada; m. THERESIA KIRSCHSTEIN (Kirstine) Jan 31,  

                              1865 in Ontario, Canada; m. CATHERINE NIESON, Bef. 1865 in Ontario, 

                              Canada.

3                  ii.        JOHN A. WALTER, b. Jan 21, 1842, Ontario, Canada; d. Date Unk; Ontario, 

                               Canada; m. CATHARINA SCHWINDT, Bef. 1863 in Ontario, Canada.

4                iii.         CATHERINA WALTER, b. Oct 1, 1843, Ontario, Canada; d. Jul 30, 1934, 

                               Carlsruhe, Ontario, Canada; m. ALBERT GOETZ, Oct 4, 1862 in Waterloo 

                               County, Ontario, Canada.

5                iv.         ANNA WALTER, b Oct 2, 1846, Wilmot, Ontario, Canada; d. Feb 21, 1933, 

                              Carrick, Bruce, Ontario, Canada; m. LEVY JOSEPH KROPP, May 21, 1867 in 

                              Wilmot, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

6                 v.         JOSEPH WALTER, b. Aug 26, 1847, Wilmot, Ontario, Canada; d. Aug 20, 1911, 

                               West

                                Branch, Michigan; m. CATHERINE NIESON, Dec 26, 1901 in West Branch, Michigan;

m. THERESA SCHAMLTZ, Bef. 1874, West Branch, Michigan.

7                vi.         MARIANNA ‘Mary’ WALTER, b. Jun 10, 1850, Wilmot, Ontario, Canada; d. May 1, 1889,

                                Scribner, Dodge, Nebraska; m. HENRY BAECHLER, Bef. 1869, Ontario, Canada.

8              vii.         REGINA RACHAEL WALTER, b. Apr 9, 1852, Wilmot, Ontario, Canada; d. Oct 13, 1923,

                                Mildmay, Ontario, Canada; m. JOSEPH BUCKEL, Bef. 1885, Ontario, Canada.

9              viii.         ELIZABETH WALTER, b. Apr 5, 1854, Wilmot, Ontario, Canada; d. Feb 8, 1924, Scribner,

                                Dodge, Nebraska; m. FRANCES FREDERICK KIRSCHSTEIN (Kirstine), Feb 3, 1880, Bruce

                                Cty., Ontario, Canada; m. HENRY BAECHLER, Oct 22, 1889.

10                ix.       MATHIAS ‘Matthew’ A. WALTER, b. Apr 18, 1856, Ontario, Canada; d. Apr 12, 1927,

                                Fremont, Nebraska; m. MARY ANN BAYER, Bef. 1895, Alien, Nebraska.

11              x.         ALOYSIUS ‘Alois’ WALTER, b. Aug 6, 1857, Waterloo Cty., Ontario, Canada; d. Aug 4,

                                1919, Washtenaw Cty., Michigan; m. RACHAEL REGINA VIRGINIA PHILLIPS, May 23,

                                1882, Waterloo Cty., Ontario, Canada.

12            xi.         THERESA WALTER, b. 1859, Waterloo Cty., Ontario, Canada; d. Unknown; m. JOHN

KUNTZ, Oct 10, 1882, West Bay City, Michigan

13             xii.        CAROLINA WALTER, b. May 6, 1862, Wilmot, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; d. Oct 25, 1905

                                Bruce Cty., Ontario, Canada.