Manuscript Group 1109, Fromholtz Family Papers, 1865 – 1949
Archives Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs
Manuscript Group 1109
Fromholtz
Family Papers
Papers,
1865-1949
2
archival boxes
Scope and Content Notes:
The Fromholtz Family papers and Photographs
span the years 1865-1949 and is a collection of photographs and
manuscripts that illustrate the life of German-born Heinrich
Daniel Fromholtz (1844-1902) and his family. Fromholtz began his
career as a clerk, later served as an apprentice in a foundry,
performed military duties in the Prussian army, travelled to
Egypt and Russia and eventually immigrated to the United States
in 1882. He settled with his wife Wilhemine and their three
children in Hoboken, N.J., in 1884. The oldest papers in
the collection document Heinrich Daniel Fromholtz’s military
service, 1866-1878; other items, such as photographic cards of
Egypt in the 1870s and passports, commemorate Fromholtz’s travel.
The collection also contains Fromholtz family church records,
1894-1907, papers pertaining to Maria Wagner and Karl Lippert,
1877-1914, and genealogical material relative to the Siever,
Wagner, and Fromholtz families. Photographs in the
collection pertain mainly to the Fromholtz family, though a few
depict Hoboken. Of interest is a photo (ca. 1900) of
the Washington St. Fire Company. Also of interest is a scrapbook,
1905-1908, that consists of newspaper clippings concerning
Hoboken school sports kept by Walter C.H. Fromholtz (1891-1969),
a basketball team captain, and an oversize photograph of the
1908-1909 Hoboken, N.J. Marathon Basketball Team.
The earliest records concern Heinrich Daniel
Fromholtz who was born in 1844 in Thorn, Prussia. As a
young man Heinrich worked as a clerk, an apprentice in a foundry,
and finally wound up in the Prussian army. After service he
traveled to Egypt (1869-1870), where he worked for a time as a
machinist. He then traveled to Jerusalem where he
established the first steam grist mill in the Holy City. His
travels later took him to Russia and then back to Germany where
he held the position of locomotive engineer on the Kaisers
private train.
In 1882 Heinrich Daniel migrated to the
United States and lived in Brooklyn until 1884 when he moved to
Hoboken. Heinrich later brought his wife Wilhelmine and
three children to America. Of the three children, one was
Paul Hugo Heinrich Fromholtz (1879-1971), who later married
Heneritta Lippert (born 1880). Paul and Henrietta were the
parents of the donors of this collection, Paul and Henrietta.
Heinrich Daniel Fromholtx died in 1902, and his son Paul lived in
Hoboken as a plumber until 1959.
The collection contains references to Maria
Wagner and Karl Lippert, Henrietta Lippert Fromholtzs
parents. Walter Charles is also mentioned, he is a cousin
of Paul and Henrietta the donors.
The manuscript material is almost
exclusively written in German, and many of the photos are family
portraits. Some of the photos depict Hoboken in the late
19th and early 20th centuries. Various non-manuscript
materials have been transferred to the museum. Xerox copies
of this material is in a file folder in box one.
Provenance:
In early 1980
Archives
Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs put on a major exhibition entitled The Germans of
New Jersey. Held in the museum of the Societys
building at 230 Broadway, Newark, displayed manuscripts,
photographs, and artifacts pertinent to the German experience in
New Jersey since the seventeenth century. Preparation for
the exhibit included a major effort at locating records pertinent
to this theme that were in private hands. Accordingly,
Norman Wittwer, a member of the Societys Board of Trustees,
solicited and secured the papers and photographs of the Fromholtz
family of Hoboken. Henrietta Fromholtz Siadlowski of
Oldwick, New Jersey and her brother Paul H.H. Fromholtz of
Prescott Arizona, donated their ancestral family records to the
New Jersey Historical Society.
Manuscript
Group # 1109
Fromholtz
Family Papers
Papers, 1865-1949
Series Description
1109.1
Heinrich Daniel Fromholtz Military Service Records (3
items) 1866-1878
Includes discharge paper.
1109.2
Heinrich Daniel Fromholtz Travel Documents
1869-1881
Contains documents pertinent to Fromholtz trip to the
Middle East and
Russia; passports, certificate of pilgrimage and the like.
1109.3
Photo Cards: Fromholtz Trip to Middle East (50 items)
1870
Photographic cards secured by Heinrich Daniel Fromholtz during
his trip to
the Middle East. The photo cards portray ordinary Egyptian
street scenes
and the like.
1109.4
Postcards and Memorabilia: Fromholtz Trip to Middle East (29
items) 1870
Ordinary postcards as well as enveloped floral cards and
miscellany from
trip to Middle East
1109.5
Henidrich Daniel Fromholtz Locomotive papers
1873-1878
This series is contained in a bound folder and consists of
documents
pertaining to Fromholtz career as an engineer aboard
railroad locomotives
in Germany.
1109.6
Fromholtz Family Church Records
1894-1907
Confirmation and other records of religious and sacramental
significance to
the Fromholtz family
1109.7
Photographic Genealogical Album
Contains pictures of Fromholtz family hometown of Thorn in East
Prussia.
Identifications are in German and English.
1109.8
Walter C. H. Fromholtz Scrapbook
1905-1908
Consists of newspaper clippings concerning Hoboken School sports
in
which the Fromholtz family was deeply and actively interested.
1109.9
Wagner-Lippert Papers
1877-1914
Documents pertaining to Maria Wagner and Karl Lippert, both of
whom
became related to the Fromholtz family through the fact that
their daughter
married Paul Hugo Fromholtz.
1109.10
Siever Family Genealogy (1 item)
1849-1949
Traces the Siever family connection with the Wagners of
Solothurn,
Switzerland.
1109.11
Fromholtz Family Photos (approx. 20 items)
ca. 1900
Various members of the Fromholtz family. Some photos depict
Hoboken.
Of interest is one photo of the Washington Street Fire Company.
1109.12
Items from the Fromholtz Donation transferred to Museum. Xerox
copies.
1109.13
Miscellaneous Papers
1881-1934
New York Trade School exams, undertakers bills, and other
items retained
by the Fromholtz family.
1109.14
Photo
Heinrich Daniel and Wilhelmina Fromholtz
1109.15
Photo
1873, recopied
1930
Heinrich Daniel and Wilhelmina Fromholtz
1109.16
Photo
Karl and Henrietta Lippert (label inside folder contains brief
genealogical
information)
1109.17
Photo: Unidentified House
1109.18
H. Fromholtz Journal
ROLLED
ITEMS:
Henrietta
Lippert baptismal certificate, 1881
Fromholtz
family tree
Paul
Fromholtz and Henrietta Lippert, Marriage Certificate, 1914
Johann
Fromholtz and Elizabeth Janke, Birth Certificates, 1800, 1806
OVERSIZE
PHOTO:
Marathon
Basketball team, Hoboken, 1908-1909
Originally
processed by _.A.L.
March
27, 1980
Updated
online by S. Sullivan
March
2000
Submit a request to copy part of this collection
