Eberhard Heimann, 1799–c. 1858

My second great-grandfather, Eberhard Heimann, was born in 1799 in Neustädtlein, Kulmbach, Oberfranken, Bayern (Bavaria) and died before 1860 in St. Louis, Missouri. Eberhard was married to Catherine Schmidt, who was born in 1800 in Gollenbach, Bayreuth, Oberfranken, Bayern (Bavaria) and died in 1870 in St. Louis.

As customary for those emigrating from Bavaria to another country, a legal notice was posted in the Bayreuth Newspaper and Intelligence Sheet for Upper Franconia newspaper at the end of January 1852 stating:

“The day laborer Eberhardt Heumann [sic] from Neustädtlein wants to move to North America with his wife Catherine, née Schmidt from Gollenbach, his four children: Anna Margaretha, Elisabetha, Johan, and Conrad, and his nephew Eberhardt Heumann. Anyone who has claims on the aforementioned persons must register these claims within fourteen days.” The notice was signed by District Judge, Royal Bayern District Court.

Eberhard Heimann came from the small village of Neustädtlein about five miles west/northwest of Bayreuth, and his wife Catherine Schmidt Heimann was from Gollenbach, about eight miles southeast of Bayreuth. They departed Bremen with their family arriving 4 June 1852 at the Port of New Orleans. Along with Eberhard Heimann’s family on the ship Johann Schmidt, there were several other families from Neustädtlein that were destined for St. Louis. There is no indication whether these other families were relatives or friends, but all the families settled in the Central Business District and Old North St. Louis near each other.

It appears that Eberhard Heimann died between 1855 and 1860 in St. Louis as his wife Catherine was living with their youngest son Conrad in 1860. There is one record of Eberhard Heimann in the city directory that showed him as a laborer in 1855; then in the 1860s, there are several references in directories for Catherine Heimann, widow of Eberhard.

Eberhard and Catherine Heimann’s daughter Elisabetha married John Eberhard Harter (three children) and then George Strobel (four children). Their son John Heimann married Anna Bauer (eight children) and Conrad Heimann married Anna’s sister Margaretha Bauer (six children). The children all lived in the same building, next door, or within a block of each other over the years. They were quite close, and they were also close with their brother-in-law, John Bauer, who lived next door or in the same building.

A tragedy fell upon the family on 18 March 1880 when their son Conrad Heimann was drinking, and he stabbed to death his wife Margaretha, who was holding their baby daughter Maggie. Margaretha died immediately and Maggie died a month later. The coroner’s inquest revealed by testimony from his sister Elisabeth Strobel that Conrad had suffered from hallucinations since childhood, and they were made worse by drinking. Conrad was convicted of second-degree murder at a trial in October 1880, but in February 1881, a judge dismissed all charges because it was determined Conrad was insane at the time.

Written by Scot Heimann
January 2021

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