Johann Jurgens's Death

 This will be sad to read, and it is hard for me to write. Yet it is part of our family history and might turn out to be helpful information.

We all want to be proud of our ancestors, and certainly Johann Jurgens did many things for which we can feel proud. He was a gifted artist and a talented gymnast. He had the vision of bringing El Dorado Carousel to Coney Island even though circumstances ruined his chance to profit from it. I think, however, he never found a lasting peace of mind. Actually, very few do.

Even in his business, Johann moved to a new place every few years, always looking for better opportunities. If we track his location by the time we know he was definitely there, here's what it looks like.

Altona, Germany, 1856 birth; August 1881 German citizenship certificate

Germany, 1887-1880 military service

Meiningen, Germany, March 1886 first marriage

New York, August 1887 immigration

Buffalo, NY, March 1891 photo

Hamburg, Germany, April 1894 birth of son Ernst; August 1894 photo; February 1896 photo

Hoboken, New Jersey, June 1899* second marriage; December 1899 return to the U.S.; June 1900 census; July 1900 birth of son Hans

Brooklyn, NY, August 1902 birth of daughter Viola; June 1905 census; November 1905 patent application; 1906 citizenship; March 1910 passport application

Chicago, Illinois, March 1910 legal second marriage; April 1910 census

Brooklyn, NY, 1912 city directory; 1913 city directory

Queens, NY, June 1915 census

Brooklyn, NY, 1917 city directory; 1918 city directory

Havana

Queens, NY, October 1919 return from Cuba; January 1920 census

Clinton, South Carolina, April 1920 passport extension request

Havana

Queens, NY, June 1925 census

Chicago, IL, April 1930 census

Flushing, NY, January 1935 death

*This marriage date is before Johann's immigration date of December 1899. I don't think Johann and Elly were in the U.S. in June 1899. Could they have registered a marriage later with a much-earlier date? See the blog "Family Records of Johann Jurgens" for more information on this marriage.

Note: Even though Johann appears in a census, there is no certainty that he lived there at the time. His wife may simply have listed him as a family member.

Johann was never totally successful in his private life. He was divorced from his first wife and separated from his second wife. The time of the separation I'm guessing to be before he went to Cuba, though they may have reconciled briefly afterwards. Johann was also estranged from his son, Hans, sometime after Cuba.

The Great Depression affected Johann's business, which was tied to advertising. This hit him hard financially. His first wife died in October 1930 as a pedestrian in a hit-and-run. His second wife died in April 1932 from heart failure. Johann then lost a close friend and business partner, John Ippers. I don't know if John died or the two were estranged. John Ippers was a lithographer who was born in Germany. He held international patents in 1905 and 1906 for a lithographic etching process and in 1907 for a photo-mechanical printing process. 

On January 8, 1935, Johann, who was feeling he had nothing to live for, jumped from the top of a New York City building, landing on a fire exit one story below. He suffered severe injuries.

Before Johann died he was visited in the hospital by his son, Hans, who was notified as next of kin. Hopefully, the reunion was heartfelt and gave Johann some peace of mind before he died two weeks later on January 22, 1935.

This story is especially sad to me because my brother also committed suicide. My brother was a successful engineer who managed the building of multi-level parking lots. He loved playing baseball as a teen. Later, he played the guitar and enjoyed golfing. But there were circumstances in his life that led to his final decision. He left no offspring, even though he always wanted to be a father. He was, however, a dearly loved brother to his four sisters and son to his mother. His father had already passed away. He suffered from depression and, sadly, refused to seek professional help.

About Depression

Depression is considered to be partly genetic. The genetic component is estimated to be between 30-40% though it could be higher in some cases. There is no single gene for depression. Variations in many different genes contribute to the overall risk of depression. Having a first-degree relative (like a parent or sibling) with depression typically doubles or triples a person's risk compared to the general population. 

Depression is a complex condition that also involves an interaction of many factors. Environmental and psychological factors contribute to the issue. These can include trauma, major life changes, and chronic stress. Genes may influence neurotransmitters (like serotonin and dopamine) that regulate moods. Your genes can also influence how you react to stressful life events or even make you more likely to seek out environments that increase your stress. 

The most important information about depression is that it is a highly treatable condition. If you or someone you know is in immediate crisis or having suicidal thoughts, please seek help right away. Call or text a crisis hotline or emergency services in your area. Mental health issues should be considered the same as physical ailments in that treatment is necessary. Don't sweep mental illness under the carpet. We need to protect our family members. Learning about depression that has occurred in the family is the first step. And you've done that.

References:

ChatGPT, Depression, 1 December 2025. 

Daily News, 8 January 1935, New York, NY, p. 23.

New York Times, 8 January 1935, New York, NY, ProQuest, Historical Newspapers The New York Times, p. 26.