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Frederick Kettler (c. 1862-1896), A Brief Biographical Sketch Frederick (Fritz) Kettler was born in Friesland circa 1862: perhaps the son of Christian Kettler and Gertrude. He immigrated to the United States, date unknown, where he married Johanna (Hanna) Petersen (Peter/Peters). They had four children born in Brooklyn, New York and Hoboken, New Jersey. Frederick Kettler died in Hoboken in 1896. LDS indexes indicate that the name was spelt KETELAAR in Friesland. The spelling KETELAAR was not used in the NYC/Hoboken records until the 1930s.
Birth of Frederick Kettler c 1863 Friesland Frederick, AKA Fritz or Fred, Kettler was born in Friesland circa 1862 to Christian and Gertrude Kettler. Notes on the place of birth:
Note on the parent's names:
Friesland Friesland, an historical region, bordering the North Sea, was settled by the Frisians in prehistoric times. Most of the land was low lying and exposed to the incursions of the sea. The inhabitants lived on man-made mounds called terps. In 1815 Friesland was divided into a province in the Netherlands and the Ostfiesland and Nordfriesland regions of northwestern Germany. A predominantly Protestant area, it has maintained it own language (closely related to English) to a large degree.
Immigration of Frederick Kettler c. 1883 Based on information on his death certificate, Frederick Kettler immigrated to the United States in 1883.
Marriage of Frederick Kettler and Johanna Peters Unknown. Date: After 1883 (Fritz's immigration) and before 1886 (The birth of their first known child, Maria Sophia)
Place: Since she was Norwegian, and more frequently marriages take place at the home church of the bride, it seems the most likely possibilities would be Norwegian Churches. In the 1898 directory for Brooklyn there were three listings for Norwegian churches in Red Hook, the neighborhood where the first two children of Fritz and Hanna are known to have been born:
Hanna appears from the birth certificates of their daughter's, Marie and Gertrude to be two years older than Fritz. For more information on Hannah Peter/Petersen Kettler see Hanna Peters/Petersen Kettler Jensen No Kettler Ketelaar marriages listed in New Jersey between 1879 and 1900.
Children of Frederick and Johanna Frederick and Johanna had at least the following children:
1930 Census: Locksmith in Hoboken with wife Minnie and daughter Mary age 2 years a 11 months. See below. WWII Draft: Fred C Kettler, 1102 Washington St., Hoboken, age 50, born Hoboken, November 28, 1891, wife Minnie Kettler, employer, Hoboken Land and Imp Co. Hoboken. Death of Frederic Kettler: Unknown. After 1942. Not listed SSDI. Death of Minnie ________ Kettler: Unknown. After 1942. Not listed SSDI.
1920 Census: Did not find them. 1930 Census: Jersey City, with wife Elizabeth and children Henrietta and Robert. See below. 1912 Enlistment Record: Kettler, Henry, April 15, 1912, born Hoboken, New Jersey, age 21, and ? laborer, eyes blue, hair, dark, complexion, med. height 6 foot, regiment 18 Inf H, honorable discharge April 15, 1915. Note: Henry was only 18. In fact, his brother, Fredrick, was 21 in 1912. WWII Draft Registration: Henry Kettler, 1308 Wash Street,Hudosn Co. New Jersey, no telephone, age 47, born Hoboken, date of birth Nov. 21, 1894, Elizabeth Kettler 1308 Wash. Street. Employee, President Lines Inc. Pier 9, Jersey City. Death of Henry Kettler: December 16, 1957, buried Hoboken Cemetery, New Jersey. Death date from tombstone. Marker reads:
HENRY KETTLER Note: The 41 Infantry was a Notional Guard Unit at the time of World War I Death of Elizabeth Kettler: Elizabeth Kettler born October 15, 1897, died August 1972, Hoboken, New Jersey (SSDI, SS#154-32-5905)
Longshoreman Freidrich Sr. worked as a longshoreman. When they lived in Brooklyn he most likely worked at the Atlantic Docks in Red Hook. The Atlantic Docks were Brooklyn's biggest 19th century commercial development and comprised over forty acres of protected basin. There were huge grain elevators and warehouses. Access for goods and people from the end of Hamilton Ave to lower Manhattan on the New Ferry was a 12 to 15 minutes trip. The area was active from the mid-1800 until well after the "turn of the century". See Brooklyn now or at the bottom of the page.
Hoboken was another major shipping center in the New York area. See Hoboken now or at the bottom of the page.
Fritz Kettler in the Directories One way to track people over time is through the city directories, sort of a phone book before phones. Frederick Kettler was not listed in the Brooklyn directory in 1884-86 and 1886-1888. Fredk Kettler, 111 Willow Avenue, H, laborer, 1891-93, Hoboken, Jersey City/Hoboken Directory. Note: There were four listings for Kettler in Hoboken in the 1891-93 Directory: Fredk, Henry, Adelheid and Leopold, see below. The Move to New Jersey Fritz and Hanna moved to Hoboken, NJ sometime after the birth of Gertrude in April, 1889 and before the birth of Frederick, Junior in November, 1891. It would seem likely that they moved to Hoboken by at least 1890, since Frederick Kettler was listed in the 1891 Jersey City/Hoboken directory in 1891. The Hoboken docks were the New York Harbor home of two German and one Scandinavian Steamship line. Hoboken was almost completely dominated by German ethnic influences from the 1840's to the start of World War I. (WWI started in Europe in 1914. The US entered the war on April 6, 1917.) Hoboken was known for it's river walks, German parks and German beer gardens. Thousands of people came over by ferry from Manhattan each weekend to enjoy the recreational pleasures of Hoboken. There was a Norwegian community in Hoboken and there was a Norwegian church there. I do not know why they made the move. Were their problems on the docks in Brooklyn? Did either Fritz or Johanna have family in Hoboken? Were the opportunities or the pay better in Hoboken?
1892 Kings County Census There were no Kettlers listed in the 1892 Kings County Census, Ward 12, Red Hook, Brooklyn. While there were Peters and Petersens listed from Norway, but there is nothing to connect them to Hanna Peters/Petersen.
1895 Census in New Jersey The 1895 New Jersey State Census was taken for statistical purposes and does not include much genealogically helpful material. However, it does establish that the Kettler family was living in Hoboken in 1895 and included Fritz, Hanna, Marie, Gertrude, Fred and Henry. This census is available at the New York Public Library call # ZI-528 reel 24, Ward 3 page 573, very poor quality.
Death of Frederick Fred T. Kettler, age 33, longshoreman, born in Germany, father, Christian, mother, Gertrude, both born in Germany, in the USA for 13 years, last residence, 228 Washington Street, Hoboken, died on February 16, 1896 in St. Mary's Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey of Bright's disease. He was buried in Hoboken Cemetery. Information from the death certificate of Fred Kettler. Note: Bright's disease was any severe disease of the Kidneys, after Richard Bright (1789-1868) English Doctor. No will listed in the New Jersey State Archives for any Kettlers in Hoboken, August 2008 Second Marriage of Johanna Peter/Peterson Hanna Petersen married Johannus Jensen in Hoboken in 1898. For more information on this marriage and Hanna Petersen in general, go to Hanna Petersen, now or at the end of the page.
Kettlers in the 1900 Federal Census The 1900 US census lists as pupils in the "Orphan Asylum Society of the City of Brooklyn" at 1423-1435 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.:
Note: According to the 1898 Brooklyn Directory, the Orphan's Asylum was a Protestant institution located near Kingston on Atlantic. This was in what is now the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. Mrs. Geo H. Nichols was the President.
The asylum took orphans and half orphans. The original building on Cumberland near Myrtle was erected circa 1850 to accommodate 100 children. A new building was under construction in 1880 on Atlantic Street near Herkimer street and Kingston Ave. intending to house 300 inmates. In May 1901 there were 309 children in the Asylums building on Atlantic Avenue - , 117 were admitted during the year and 104 were discharged for having reached the age limit. The older girls in the asylum apparently were industrious and worked at darning socks, hemming napkins and towels, making pillow cases, aprons and doll's clothes as well as a few pieces of fancy needlework. An Annual fair was held and the Academy of Music to raise money for the asylum The rest of the family in the 1900 census:
Question Why were Gertrude and Frederick in an orphanage in Brooklyn when their mother was living in Hoboken and their last known residence was New Jersey?
The 1910 census in New Jersey The 1910 US census in Hoboken, New Jersey lists:
Note: Relationship is to head of household, in this case Louis Blanck. Herman Jensen was Louie's "step" brother-in law. Why were Fred Kettler, Henry Kettler and Herman Jensen living with Louie and Gertrude instead of Johannus Jensen and Hanna Peter/Petersen Kettler Jensen?
Kettlers in the 1909/10 and 1910/11 Directories Hoboken There were no listings for Kettler in the 1909/10 and 1910/11 Hoboken Directories.
The 1930 Federal Census Henry Kettler Henry Kettler and his family were listed in the 1930 US Census in New Jersey at 243 New York Avenue in Jersey City as follows:
Frederick Kettler Frederick Kettler and his family were listed in the 1930 US Census in New Jersey at 1102 Washington Street, Hoboken listed as follows:
Gertrude Kettler and Louis Blanck I did not find Gertrude Kettler and Louis Blanck in the 1930 census.
Questions What happened to Maria Sophia? She is not with Gertrude and Fredrich in the orphanage in 1900. I can't find her death recorded in either New Jersey or New York from 1895-1900. Maybe she too old to be in an orphanage.
Kettlers in the Records in Brooklyn and Hoboken Most people immigrated to an area where there were already family, friends or neighbors from the old country. With this in mind I have looked at the other Kettlers in both Hoboken and Brooklyn. Brooklyn
The Kettle records in Hoboken are equally scant:
Kettlers in the Hoboken Cemetery in North Bergen Hoboken Cemetery in North Bergen has fallen on hard times and has been in receivership for several years. They do not take any requests for burial information. Most times the cemetery is closed. Tom and I visited it with a group from the Hoboken Museum. Most of the cemetery is totally over grown. We did not find grave markers for:
We did, however, find four Kettler graves. They are all in the same general area although not right next to one another. I checked the records for the three deaths that are available through the New Jersey State Archives. I also checked the birth record of Robert Kettler born in 1921.
Children: Death: Died April 15, 1903. According to the death record, Rudolph Kettler, age 37, labourer, born in the USA, how long in the state of New Jersey, life, father, Henry, born in Germany, mother, "Adeline", born in Germany, died on April 15, 1903, cause of death, nephritis. Buried in Flower Hill Cemetery. Cert. # 7591. Note: "Alena" Kettler was the mother of four children according to the 1910 census.
1891-1893 Directory, Jersey City/Hoboken:
Henry Kettler in the 1900 Census in Hoboken: Henry Kettler was listed at 80 Adams Street as follows: Death of Henry Kettler: Henry B Kettler, age 74 years, 5 months, occupation, grocer, born in Germany, lived in Hoboken for 40 years, address, 229 Monroe Street, Hoboken, father, Bernard, born in Germany, mother, Elizabeth, born in Germany, date of death, August 9, 1904, cause of death, vavular disease of the heart. Buried Flower Hill Cemetery. Cert # none Adelaid Kettler in 1905 New Jersey State Census: Adelaide Kettler was listed at 227 Monroe Street, Ward 4, ED 18, born December 1844, in US 42 years, born in Germany, grocer. Note: This indicates an immigration date of circa 1863. Death of Adelaid Kettler: Adelaid Kettler, age 64, housewife, born in Germany, address, Union Hill, Union, died at Christ Church Hospital, Jersey City, father, Rudolf Knollenberg, born in Germany, mother, Margaret (no maiden name), date of death, February 24, 1909, cause of death, Myocarditis, duration 5 months. Buried Flower Hill Cemetery. Cert # 12020
I visited again in August 2006. Things are in slightly better shape with more of the area mowed. There are a lot of tumbled tombstones and quite a bit of trash (bottles, cans etc.) I still did not find the graves for Fritz Kettler, and the Louie and Gertrude Blanck.
Other Kettlers Here and There There were some Kettlers in southern New Jersey in the records in the mid 1800s. No Kettlers listed in New Jersey in the 1870 or 1880 censuses. There were a few Kettlers in the New York City records:
Exit Permits From Ostfriesland LDS microfilm #1257603 contains exit permits from Ostfriesland Germany from 1881 to 1912. Fritz Kettler says he immigrated in 1883. He was not listed on LDS film 1257603.
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| For more information on Hanna Petersen, see Hanna Petersen |
| For more information on Gertrude Kettler Blanck, see Gertrude Kettler Blanck |
| For more information on Louie Blanck, see Louie Blanck |
| For more information on Hoboken, see Hoboken |
| For more information on Brooklyn, see Brooklyn |
| If you have any suggestions, corrections, information, copies of documents, or photos that you would like to share with this page, please contact me at maggie@maggieblanck.com |
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