A steady tide of German immigrants started arriving in New York City in the 1840s. Peak years of immigration were between 1850 and 1892. So many German immigrants settled in an area of the lower east side of Manhattan that it became known as Kleindeutschland (Little Germany).

See Germans in New York City now or at the bottom of the page.

My ancestors, Catherine Furst and her brother Ludwig, her second husband, Julius Lindemann, and her son-in-law, Peter Goehle, typified the German emigrants of the time.

Julius Lindimann lived on the corner of Second and 10th Streets between 1855 and 1858. Julius immigrated in 1847.

"Avenue A north from East 8th Street. At the right is Tompkins Square. This extends to 10th Street. May 17, 1937, works Progress Administration Five borough Project"

Julius had been listed at this address from 1861 to 1863.

In January 1865 the family was at 216 2nd Avenue at the death of one year old Elizabeth. They were still there in 1866 for the birth of Sophia. 216 was near the corner of 2nd Avenue and 13th Street. I have not found any old images of that intersection and the area is totally new today.

The home of Julius and Catherine Lindemann at the time of Julius's death in 1867

533 is the building with the glass blocks on the ground floor.

NYC directory: 1869-1870, Catherine Lindemann 535 Sixth Street widow of Julius

NYC directory: 1870-1871, Catherine Lindemann 412 Sixth Street widow of Julius
NYC directory: 1873, Catherine Lindemann 412 Sixth Street widow of Julius

This building is no longer standing.

NYC Directory: 1874, Catherine Lindemann, dress maker, 531 Fifth Street

NYC Directory: 1878-1879, Catherine Lindemann 504 Sixth Street widow Julius

1875-77, Catherine Lindeman, wid. Julius, 514 Fifth Street
1879-1880, Catherine Lindemann 152 East 4th Street widow Julius — Gone

1880-1881, Catherine Lindemann 518 Sixth Street widow Julius

1881-1882, Catherine Lindemann was listed at 518 Sixth Street as the widow of Julius

Catherine Furst Lindemann and her daughters, Wilhelmine and Sophia, lived at this address from 1880 until at least 1882.

In the 1880 census there were 17 families living in this five story building. It is probably typical of the tenements of the time which averaged four families per floor.

Several other buildings in the surrounding blocks had these same small windows in the middle of each floor.

Peter Goehle lived at 139 Pitt Street from his marriage to Catherine Christ in 1875 until at least the birth of his daughter Elizabeth in 1876. This image is of the Hamilton Fish Park Pool and gymnasium which backs up to the 100 block of Pitt Street (between Stanton St. and Houston St.). The buildings to the right in back of the gymnasium is the approximate location of 139 Pitt Street. The park was completed in 1904 as part of a slum clearance project.

Note: While the New York City Public Library grants permission to web sites like mine to use the images in their digital gallery for free, they charge $50 to get an image of better quality. Because that price would make the whole thing a little too expensive I have had to settle for images that are not as sharp and detailed as I would like.

The Goehle family subsequently moved one block down to 80 Pitt Street (between Stanton and Rivington Streets). They were at 80 Pitt Street for the birth of Frank in November 1878 and at his death in September 1880. A daughter, Louise, was born at that address in June 1880.

To see more imgages of the area around Hamilton Fish Park go to Lower East Side now or at the bottom of the page.

The next move was to 73 Broome Street which is located between Lewis Street and Cannon Street south of the Williamsburg Bridge near . Cannon Street once ran for several blocks between Columbia and Lewis Streets but most of it has been lost to the high rise apartment complexes that are now in the area. A small section still exists south of the Williamsburg Bridge. Construction on the Bridge started in 1896 well after the Katherine was born here in August 1881. The family had moved on by 1883.

Note: The New York Public Library Digital Gallery does have some other images of Broome Street near Columbia, but the images are so small and the quality so poor that they unfortunately do not give much more than an impression of the area.

At the death of Frances age 2 months, in May 1883 the Goehles were at 63 Columbia Street just north of Delancey. Peter used this address when he was naturalized in October 1883. And the twins, Marie and Peter, were born here in June 1885. The family was still at 63 Columbia at the birth of Clara in 1887. Peter's wife, Catherine, died here of acute post partum hemorrhage in October 1888. A little over three months later in January 1889 when Peter married Wilhelmina Lindemann this was the address listed.

The stay at 63 Columbia Street is a mini versions of the trials, travails and joys of immigrant life in the Lower East Side. Infant mortality was high as was death related to childbirth. Families were large in these days before birth control and when a young mother died it was practical to remarry as soon as possible so the remaining children would have proper childcare.

The family had been moving on an average every two years before the move to 63 Columbia. Frequent moves were common occurrences in immigrant families. The stay of six years at 63 Columbia may indicate some stability in the family's finances.

Comments with this image:

"Rivington Street, north side, at Columbia Street. The view shows the DeWitt Memorial Church at No 280 Rivington Street, between Columbia and Cannon Streets. These buildings are reported to be over congested; 1 building having 96 people in 62 rooms."

Wilhelmine (Winifred) Goehle was born in December 1889 at 145 Norfolk Street. A current Google map shows that mid block between Stanton and Rivington Streets.

The stay at this address was relatively short. In the 1890 New York City Police Census the Goehle family was listed at 88 Sheriff Street.

While a current Google map shows 88 Sheriff between Houston and Stanton, an 1899 map from the New Metropolis shows 100 Sheriff at the corner of Sheriff and Stanton, which would put 88 Sheriff in the middle of the block between Rivington and Stanton on the West side — approximately across the street from the above image.

I found it quite exciting that one of the clearest and largest images in the New York Library Digital Gallery was actually of the back of at least a part of 88 Sheriff Street.

Notice the outdoor latrines.

The family was at this address in the fall of 1890. A federal census was taken in 1890 but New York City officials decided that that census did not reflect a true accounting of the citizens of the city so the New York City policemen did another census between September 19 and October 14, 1890. The count was 13% higher than the federal census. The really fortuitous part of the Police Census is that when the federal census burned before it could be microfilmed the Police Census remains for historians and genealogists to work with.

Frances Goehle was born at 88 Sheriff in May 1891. Frank Goehle was born here in March 1894.

This image is labeled "No 86 Sheriff" Street but I am not sure if 86 Sheriff Street is the building to the right, the empty lot or the building in the background. In any event it gives a feel for the neighborhood.

Margaret Goehle was born at 374 E 4th Street in April 1897. I do not know when the family left 88 Sheriff Street and moved to 4th Street nor when they moved on again to 709 East 12th Street.

Lena Goehle, the last child of Peter and Wilhelmine was born at the Lying In Hospital. The family address was 709 E 12th Street. A modern Google map shows this between Avenues C and D.

"John Pierpont Morgan, an affluent patient of Dr. Markoe, was responsible for the next important advance, the purchase in 1894 of the Hamilton Fish Mansion on Second Avenue and 17th Street to be used as the Lying-In Hospital. This was later expanded toward 18th Street. In 1899, the facilities were overtaxed and the need for a larger hospital was evident. The generosity of Morgan made possible the demolition of the mansion and the construction of a modern, eight-storied hospital that opened in 1902."

Lying-In Hospital of the City of New York

At this period of time most babies were born at home. The fact that Lena was born in a hospital could indicate that there was some issue with Wilhelmine's pregnancy.

The general impression of the tenements is one of poverty, dirt, cramped courters, cold water flats, and other discomforts. In fact tenement immigrates were often clean, hard working and industrious. People made do with what they had and most stove for a better life. See Tenement Life now or at the bottom of the page.

This image shows the feather beds and pillows out to air.

No's 639 to 647 East 12th Street, north side, west of Avenue C."

This was the home of Peter Goehle, his wife, Minnie, and his children, Peter, Mary, Clara, Minnie, Frances, Frank, Margaret and Rosa, as listed in the 1900 Federal Census.

The Goehle's lived here just before Agnes married Bud in 1941