Cole County MO

Emslanders in Cole County, Missouri
in the 1830s

The first Emslanders arrived in central Missouri in the mid-1830s. One group came from Lohne, in Schepsdorf parish, and joined a larger group of emigrants from Westfalen who settled in Osage County, MO. About the same time early emigrants from the parishes of Meppen and Twist started arriving in central Missouri but most of them settled in Cole County, across the Osage River from Osage County. There were also at that time a few emigrants from Aschendorf and Heede who settled on both sides of the Osage River.

Father Helias, who founded Catholic parishes in the late 1830s and the 1840s in several small central Missouri farming communities, took a census of all his (mostly German) parishioners in 1838-39 which was entitled Liber Status Animarum. From that census and from early parish baptism and marriage records we can identify some of the earliest Emslands who settled in Cole County, MO. One group lived in or near Jefferson City and another group settled a little further to the east in Liberty Township where the small town of Taos was located, then known as Haarville. It is not clear (to me) where exactly the boundary was located at that time which would have separated the parishioners of St. Peter Parish in Jefferson City from those in St. Francis Xavier Parish in Taos.

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A list of the earlist Emslanders to settle in Cole County, MO, in the area which was included in St. Francis Xavier parish (Taos), during the 1830s (mostly after 1836)

Several of the emigrants named below still need to have their birth information verified in Emsland parish records, leaving thier identification as Emslanders still uncertain although very probable.

Bernard Joseph/Heinrich KOESTER, born 1808 in Schepsdorf parish, was listed on the census with his wife Margaretha Adelheid, born ca 1802, and his brother Johan Herman. Bernard may have arrived in 1834 on the ship Burgermeister Schmidt or else in 1836 on the ship Ulysses.

Johan Herman KOESTER, born 1794 in Schepsdorf, was not married on the census but was listed with his brother Bernard Joseph. He may have arrived in 1838 on the ship Cumberland.

Herman Heinrich KOETTING (KORTING), born 1812 in Twist, was still single on the census and listed with the HOCKER family from Klein Ringe, Bentheim. He had arrived in 1838 on the ship Gustav.

Herman Heinrich NIETERS, born ca 1776, probably in Meppen, was listed with his wife Wilhelmina THIEN, born ca 1788, probably in Meppen, and 5 of their children - Joseph born 1814, Franz born 1817, Elisabeth born 1822, Catharine born 1824 and Francesca born 1829. Herman Heinrich emigrated in 1836 with his son Franz on the ship Ulysses and his wife Wilhelmina followed the next year with the other children on the ship Frederica.

Agnes NIETERS, born in 1819 in Meppen, was listed on the census with her parents and siblings and her husband Bernard SCHULTEN, whom she married in March 1839, was listed just after the family. Agnes arrived with her mother and siblings in 1837 on the ship Frederica.

Helena NIETERS, born in 1808 in Meppen, was listed on the census with her husband Bernard REPHLO who was not an Emslander. Helena arrived with her mother and siblings on the ship Frederica in 1837.

Herman WAHDEN, born 1811 or 1813 in Meppen, was listed on the census with his wife Wilhelmina NIETERS, born 1811 in Meppen. The WAHDEN couple and their infant son, Carl Joseph Herman born 1836 in Meppen, made the emigration voyage in 1837 with Wilhelmina's mother and siblings on the ship Frederica.

John Bernard WOLKEN, born 1793 in Hesepertwist, was listed on the census with his wife Johanna KERPERIN, born ca 1788, probably also in Hesepertwist, and their 7 children - Johan Heinrich Franz born in 1815, Johan Herman born in 1817, Anna Maria born in 1817, Johan Bernard born in 1820, Franz Leopold born in 1822 and twins Euphemia Gesina Adelheid and Anna Maria Helena born in 1825. The births of all the children have been verified in Twist parish records. The WOLKEN family arrived in 1837 on the ship Gustav.

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A list of possible Emslanders who settled in Cole County, MO,
in the area included in St. Peter parish (Jefferson City), during the years 1836 to 1839

Many of the emigrants named below still need to have their birth information verified in the parish records of Emsland leaving thier identification as Emslanders uncertain until that is done.

Susanna Adelheid KOESTER was born ca 1810, probably in Lohne, Schepsdorf, and was listed on the census with her husband Anton BAUERDICK who was not an Emslander. Susanna Adelheid arrived in 1838 on the ship Cumberland.

Gerhard Anton KRAMER, born ca 1805, possibly in Aschendorf, was listed on the census with his wife Tecla SCHMITZ, born ca 1803, probably in Aschendorf, and their two children Anna born ca 1831 and Catharine born ca 1834. They arrived in 1838 on the ship Charlotte and Louisa.

Anton RICHTER was born ca 1809, possibly in Aschendorf. He was listed on the census without a wife but did have a one-year-old daughter, Mathilda. Anton has not yet been found on any passenger or emigration list.

Anton TELLMAN, born ca 1811, possibly in Aschendorf, was single on the census and listed with the family of Johan Herman TELLMAN. He has not yet been found on a passenger list or emigration list.

Herman TELLMAN, born in 1813 in Aschendorf, was single on the census and listed with the family of Johan Herman TELLMAN. He was the brother of Johan Herman's wife Susanna TELLMAN. He has not yet been found on any passenger or emigration list.

Johan Herman TELLMAN born in 1792 in Aschendorf, was listed with his wife Susanne TELLMAN (also her maiden name) born in 1801 in Aschendorf, and their 5 children born in Aschendorf - Anna in 1824, Maria in 1826, Joannes Everhard in 1828, Elisabeth in 1830, Hermannus in 1833 - and their son Anton born in 1837 in Missouri. Baptismal records for Herman, Susanna and all the children were found in Aschendorf parish. In their household in Jefferson City were also listed 2 TELLMAN brothers - Anton born ca 1811 and Herman born ca 1813. Herman was Susanna's brother but it is unclear who Anton was. The TELLMAN family emigrated in 1837 according to the Osnabrueck emigration index but they have not been found yet on any passenger list.