Family Records of Johann Jurgens
Johann Jurgens had a messy family life, which meant that something as simple as tracking down birth records for his children became a great mystery. I persevered and learned how many ways there are to problem-solve.
Family Records for First Marriage
Johann Jurgens married his first wife on March 16, 1886, in Meiningen, Sachsen-Meiningen, Germany. Her name was Margaretha Diehlmann. She was 26 years old at the time of the marriage and Johann was 29. She was born on June 2, 1859, in Weisenau, Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, which was between Meiningen and Frankfurt. Her parents were Wilhelm Diehlmann and Elisabetha Guenther. The document indicates Margaretha's last residence was Altona. Margaretha was a midwife.
Marriage of Johann and Margaretha in 1886.
A son was born to Johann and Margaretha after eight years of marriage. Ernst Hans Jurgens was born on April 14, 1894, in Altona, Hamburg, Germany.
Birth record of Ernst Jurgens in 1894.
Johann emigrated with Margaretha and Ernst, leaving Hamburg on December 3, 1899. This date is important.
Family Records for Second Marriage
Johann Jurgens's second wife was Emma Louise Elli "Elly" Jurgens, my great-grandmother. Elly was born on February 27, 1879, in Lueneburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. More on Elly and her family in a later blog.
Johann and Elly met in Altona, Hamburg, Germany, and Elly immigrated to the U.S. in 1899. The passenger ship record could not be confirmed.
For the longest time I couldn't find any records for Elly or her two children born in the U.S. until the 1910 U.S. census. It was a mystery why I couldn't find a birth record for my grandfather, Hans Jurgens. I knew his exact birthdate from later records, which was July 20, 1900. I searched through New York records unsuccessfully. I then contacted a cousin who was the son of Viola Jurgens, Elly and Johann's second child. My cousin was also unable to locate his mother's birth record, which he believed to be in New York. My cousin then suggested I try looking in Hoboken, New Jersey, for Hans's birth record.
Sadly, Hans's name and birthdate didn't match anything in New Jersey. Then I searched for all births on July 20, 1900. Here is what I found.
birth index for Hans Jurgens
birth index for Viola Jurgens
What really confirmed I had the correct records was finding the Luthjens family in the 1905 New York census records and seeing the right occupation.
1905 New York Census
319 Stanhope Street, Brooklyn
Johann Luthjens, age 35, born Germany, years in U.S. 3, occupation lithographer
Ellie Luthjens, age 26, born Germany, years in U.S. 3, occupation homemaker
Hans Luthjens, age 4, born U.S.
Viola Luthjens, age 3, born U.S.
The address where Elly lived. It looks rebuilt.
Okay, Johann was lying about his age. A gene in the Jurgens family kept everyone looking younger than they were. Even my grandfather lied about his age, saying he was twenty years younger than he was. Johann was actually age 48 in when the census was taken on June 1, 1905.
How observant are you? Did you catch the significance of the date of birth of Hans? He was conceived before Johann left Germany with his first wife and child.
Looking for more records of the Luthjens family, I found the following marriage record.
Marriage record in 1899 for Johann and Elly
What can I say? I believe we have bigamy here. I may never have fully believed this record was correct if I hadn't heard from my cousin that Johann "borrowed" a last name.
One more piece of information is the 1900 census.
1900 U.S. Census
June 4, 1900
Hoboken, Hudson, New Jersey
Third Street
John Miller, born Feb 1872, age 28, married 3 years, born Germany, lithographer
Ella Miller, born Feb 1879, age 21, married 3 years, born Germany, immigration year 1899, years in the U.S. 8/12
If on June 4, 1900, Elly had been in the U.S. for 8/12 of a year, that would put her immigration at October, 1899. I think there might be a lie here because of the probable conception in later October. It's possible, though. Too bad I couldn't find her on a passenger list. I even searched the passsenger list for the same ship Johann and his first wife and child sailed on with no luck. I looked in first and second class. Elly's family was wealthy, so she probably sailed first class unless she was fleeing her family and wanted to save money. She was only 20 years old at the time.
1905 New York Census
208 St. Nicholas Ave, Brooklyn
John Jurgens, age 49, born Germany, 17 years in U.S., occupation designer lith.
M. Jurgens, age 46, born Germany, 17 years in U.S., housework
E. Jurgens, age 11, born Germany, 17 years in U.S., at school (17 is not a typo)
208 St. Nicholas Ave. where Margaretha lived.
If you look at the two addresses for Johann in the 1905 census in Brooklyn, New York, here is how close they were to each other:
Two addresses where Johann lived in 1905 Brooklyn
Johann's first family and second family lived only three blocks from each other in 1905 in Brooklyn. Of course, Johann's first wife may have listed Johann as living there even though they were separated. But if they were separated, why did he still use the fictitious name?
It is evident that the various census reports contain a lot of errors.
Divorce Information Related to First Wife
Johann Jurgens was served a notice of divorce by newspaper. On April 17, 1909, Margaretha Jurgens published the summons in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper. She filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of the State of New York on March 12, 1909, seeking a dissolution of her marriage.
New Marriage with Second Wife
After Johann's divorce with his first wife was finalized, he married his second wife again (as their first marriage under a fictitious name was illegal).
On March 19, 1910, Johann Jurgens, age 53, and Elly Muller, age were married in Chicago, Illinois. Johann had moved to Chicago for work. Johann's age is now closer to the truth.
Marriage of Johann Jurgens and Elly Muller in 1910.
Subsequent Census Reports and City Directories
1910 Census
April 26, 1910
324 Sigel St., Chicago, IL
Now 324 West Evergreen Ave. (changed in 1936).
John Jurgens, 53, married 10 years, born Germany, immig. 1887, occupation designer
Ella Jurgens, 31, married 10 years, born Germany, immigr. 1899, occupation none
Hans Jurgens, 9, born New Jersey
Viola Jurgens, 7, born New York
324 W. Evergreen Ave., Chicago
1912 City Directory
John Jurgens, artist, 366 E 32d, Brooklyn, NY
1913 City Directory
John Jurgens, artist, 366 E 32d, Brooklyn, NY
1915 State Census
June 1, 1915
2520 Madison Street, Maspeth, Queens, New York
John C. Jurgens, head, 57, born Germany, number of years in US 15, occupation designer
Elly E. Jurgens, wife, 36, born Germany, number of years in US 15, housework
Hans H. Jurgens, son, 15, born US, school
Violet E. Jurgens, daughter, 12, born US, school
1917 City Directory
Jno C. Jurgens (Am Roto-Photo Art Co.), h 2520 Madison Bkn
1918 City Directory
Jno C. Jurgens (Am Roto-Photo Art Co.), h 2520 Madison Bkn
1920 Census
January 13, 1920
2520 Madison St., Ridgewood, Queens, New York
John Jurgens, 63, born Germany, immig. 1900, occup. designer in picture industry
Elly Jurgens, 40, born Germany, immig. 1900, occup. none
Hans Jurgens, 19, born New York, occup. driver, express co. industry
Violet Jurgens, 17, New York, occup. saleslady, department store
The 1920 census is the last time Johann and Elly were shown as living together. Even though I knew they separated at some point, I believe it was earlier than 1920 before Johann and Hans lived in Havana, Cuba, though they could have reconciled briefly after Cuba. Johann also lived for a short time in Clinton, South Carolina around 1920 as shown in the immigration records.
1925 Census
June 1, 1925
2047 Linden St., Ridgewood, Queens, New York
Ella Jurgens, head, age 46, born Germany, number of years in US 25, citizen but unknown filing, housework
Violet E. Brennan, daughter, 22, born US, housework
Thomas Brennan, grandson, age 2, born US
1925 State Census
June 1, 1925
74 Wilson Ave, Brooklyn, Kings, New York
Margareth Jurgens, 69, born Germany, number of years in US 40, citizen thru marriage, housework
Ernest H. Jurgens, 32, born Germany, number of years in US 29, citizen 1920, bookkeeper
1930 Census
April 28, 1930
1709 N. Wells St., Chicago, Cook, Illinois
John Jurgens, 73, lodger, married 30 years, born Germany
Year of immigration 1887, occupation sketch artist, industry lithograph
1930 Census
April 11, 1930
1 Haven Ave., Valley Stream, Nassau, New York
Ernest Jurgens, Head, renting home for $40.50, age 35, age at 1st marriage 31, born Germany, speaks German at home, can speak English, immigration year 1899, occupation bookkeeper at gloves co.
Mathilda Jurgens, wife, age 26, age at 1st marriage 21, born Germany, father b. Ger, mother b. NY
Margaret Jurgens, mother, age 70, divorced, born Germany, immigration year 1899
1940 Census
April 16, 1940
2 Nicholas Ave., East Rockaway, Hempstead, Nassau, New York
Ernst Jurgens, head, 46, married, born Germany, finished 4 years of college, bookkeeper, W.P.A.
Matilda Jurgens, wife, 36, married, born NY, finished 4 years of high school
Robert Jurgens, son, age 3, single, born NY
1950 Census
April 6, 1950
64 West Blvd, Hempstead, Nassau, New York
Anna M. Hartjen, head, age 70, widowed, born NY
Charles Hartjen, son, age 41, never married, born NY, school custodian, public school
Ernest H. Jurgens, son-in-law, age 55, married, born Germany, school custodian, public school
Matilda Jurgens, daughter, age 46, married, born NY
Robert E. Jurgens, grandson, age 13, never married, born NY
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