He was born on the Offermann family farm in Gladbeck, Westfalia, near Essen. The farm was confiscated by Bismarck in 1881 during the Prussian conquest of Rheinland & Westfalia, which involved a Kulturkampf (culture war) against Catholics. A soldier was shot by a farmhand in a government raid on a secret Mass in the barn of the farm. Theodor & Anna then sold her gasthaus on the Rhine in Alten Essen that she had inherited from her family, and emigrated with their two sons, Charles and Friedrich.
1881 Arrival in New York
1881 Arrival in Ossian, Winneshiek, Iowa
They arrived by boat on Lake Michigan via inland waterways. They bought a beautiful, productive farm in Iowa with gold that pregnant Anna had sewn into her clothes. They had lived there for several years when Theodor decided to homestead in South Dakota. Charles Bernard the oldest son said they never should have left Iowa.
1888 Alpena, Jerauld, South Dakota
They bought a homestead near Woonsocket for 4 gold dollars. The summer weather was so hot that Theodor suffered a sunstroke which caused disabling brain damage. Anna moved the family to Omaha.
1900 South Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska
Anna bought a hotel near the railroad station in Omaha. The whole family worked there until the boys grew up and started a plumbing business. Omaha was putting in the first sewers and they got in on the ground floor, building sewers and indoor plumbing.
Aunt Bernita said Theodor was very religious and went to Mass every morning. She also said the family originally came from Norway or Sweden about 800 years before Theodor's time. They lived in northern Germany until about 200 years before his time, when they moved down the Rhine to the Essen area.
My dad told me that his father CB didn't remember but a few words of German because when they immigrated his parents told him, we are Americans now and we will only speak English.
-------------------------
From his burial card:
John Offerman, 2313 K street, born Germany, died in Omaha of pneumonia on March 13, 1933, age 78 years. Buried March 15 following services at St. Agnes church.
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Ancestry link: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/43464726/person/12710506821
1881 Arrival in New York
1881 Arrival in Ossian, Winneshiek, Iowa
They arrived by boat on Lake Michigan via inland waterways. They bought a beautiful, productive farm in Iowa with gold that pregnant Anna had sewn into her clothes. They had lived there for several years when Theodor decided to homestead in South Dakota. Charles Bernard the oldest son said they never should have left Iowa.
1888 Alpena, Jerauld, South Dakota
They bought a homestead near Woonsocket for 4 gold dollars. The summer weather was so hot that Theodor suffered a sunstroke which caused disabling brain damage. Anna moved the family to Omaha.
1900 South Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska
Anna bought a hotel near the railroad station in Omaha. The whole family worked there until the boys grew up and started a plumbing business. Omaha was putting in the first sewers and they got in on the ground floor, building sewers and indoor plumbing.
Aunt Bernita said Theodor was very religious and went to Mass every morning. She also said the family originally came from Norway or Sweden about 800 years before Theodor's time. They lived in northern Germany until about 200 years before his time, when they moved down the Rhine to the Essen area.
My dad told me that his father CB didn't remember but a few words of German because when they immigrated his parents told him, we are Americans now and we will only speak English.
-------------------------
From his burial card:
John Offerman, 2313 K street, born Germany, died in Omaha of pneumonia on March 13, 1933, age 78 years. Buried March 15 following services at St. Agnes church.
-------------------------
Ancestry link: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/43464726/person/12710506821
He was born on the Offermann family farm in Gladbeck, Westfalia, near Essen. The farm was confiscated by Bismarck in 1881 during the Prussian conquest of Rheinland & Westfalia, which involved a Kulturkampf (culture war) against Catholics. A soldier was shot by a farmhand in a government raid on a secret Mass in the barn of the farm. Theodor & Anna then sold her gasthaus on the Rhine in Alten Essen that she had inherited from her family, and emigrated with their two sons, Charles and Friedrich.
1881 Arrival in New York
1881 Arrival in Ossian, Winneshiek, Iowa
They arrived by boat on Lake Michigan via inland waterways. They bought a beautiful, productive farm in Iowa with gold that pregnant Anna had sewn into her clothes. They had lived there for several years when Theodor decided to homestead in South Dakota. Charles Bernard the oldest son said they never should have left Iowa.
1888 Alpena, Jerauld, South Dakota
They bought a homestead near Woonsocket for 4 gold dollars. The summer weather was so hot that Theodor suffered a sunstroke which caused disabling brain damage. Anna moved the family to Omaha.
1900 South Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska
Anna bought a hotel near the railroad station in Omaha. The whole family worked there until the boys grew up and started a plumbing business. Omaha was putting in the first sewers and they got in on the ground floor, building sewers and indoor plumbing.
Aunt Bernita said Theodor was very religious and went to Mass every morning. She also said the family originally came from Norway or Sweden about 800 years before Theodor's time. They lived in northern Germany until about 200 years before his time, when they moved down the Rhine to the Essen area.
My dad told me that his father CB didn't remember but a few words of German because when they immigrated his parents told him, we are Americans now and we will only speak English.
-------------------------
From his burial card:
John Offerman, 2313 K street, born Germany, died in Omaha of pneumonia on March 13, 1933, age 78 years. Buried March 15 following services at St. Agnes church.
-------------------------
Ancestry link: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/43464726/person/12710506821
1881 Arrival in New York
1881 Arrival in Ossian, Winneshiek, Iowa
They arrived by boat on Lake Michigan via inland waterways. They bought a beautiful, productive farm in Iowa with gold that pregnant Anna had sewn into her clothes. They had lived there for several years when Theodor decided to homestead in South Dakota. Charles Bernard the oldest son said they never should have left Iowa.
1888 Alpena, Jerauld, South Dakota
They bought a homestead near Woonsocket for 4 gold dollars. The summer weather was so hot that Theodor suffered a sunstroke which caused disabling brain damage. Anna moved the family to Omaha.
1900 South Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska
Anna bought a hotel near the railroad station in Omaha. The whole family worked there until the boys grew up and started a plumbing business. Omaha was putting in the first sewers and they got in on the ground floor, building sewers and indoor plumbing.
Aunt Bernita said Theodor was very religious and went to Mass every morning. She also said the family originally came from Norway or Sweden about 800 years before Theodor's time. They lived in northern Germany until about 200 years before his time, when they moved down the Rhine to the Essen area.
My dad told me that his father CB didn't remember but a few words of German because when they immigrated his parents told him, we are Americans now and we will only speak English.
-------------------------
From his burial card:
John Offerman, 2313 K street, born Germany, died in Omaha of pneumonia on March 13, 1933, age 78 years. Buried March 15 following services at St. Agnes church.
-------------------------
Ancestry link: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/43464726/person/12710506821
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