Wolterman Genealogy - Week 9

Bernhard Clemens Determan, my husband’s 2nd great-grandfather, was born 17 May 1815 in Hestrup, a parish in Lengerich which is a municipality in the Emsland district of Lower Saxony, Germany. His parents were Johann Wilhelm and Anna Maria (Koelker) Determan. He was their 5th in a line of 10 children.

Lower Saxony region, with Lengerich indicated
by the red star

Clemens, as he was commonly known, married Maria Anna Sander in Lengerich on 3 February 1841. They came to America aboard the ship Leontine in 1845, departing from Bremen and arriving in New Orleans on 7 January 1845. The Leontine was a three-masted ship of 758 tons built at Vagesak for D.H. Watjen & Co. She was first launched on 19 April 1844. The ship master was Wilhelm Johann Ariaans. Traveling with them were their children: Johan Bernard Joseph born 9 August 1841 in Lengerich; and Johan Clemens born 29 August 1843 in Lengerich. There were other Determan relatives onboard the ship as well, and a 19-year-old man named William Wolterman. I’m not sure if he fits anywhere in the Wolterman tree or not.

The family first settled in Galena, Illinois. The family grew by two more children in Galena: Mary Caroline born 13 April 1846; and Friedrick Wilhelm born 5 November 1847. By 1849 the family had relocated to Hampshire Township in Clinton County, Iowa, where Clemens established a farm. The following children were born here: Rosanna born 28 May 1849; Benedict born 18 October 1850; Mary born 1 February 1853; Heinrich born 10 June 1854; Herman born 9 Jan 1856; and Steven Bernhard born 14 December 1859.

Hampshire Township 1865

Determan land 1865

The Clemens Determan farm is noted above by the red star. It was northwest of the original settlement of Lyons. Lyons was established by Elijah Buell, who arrived in the area on 25 July 1835. It was then platted as a village in 1837, a few years before Clinton County was officially created. It grew into a city, and in 1894 was included in the northern portion of the city of Clinton. The 1860 census for Clinton County was 18,938.

Determan home and barn

Clemens donated some of his farmland for St. Boniface Church to build a Catholic school in order to ensure that German would be taught. Later a dance hall, a saloon, and a shed for the horses were constructed as well. At one time 30 children attended the school, most whom were Determans or relatives of them.

Maria died 1 January 1860 at the age of 43 in Lyons, Clinton County, Iowa, just a few weeks after giving birth to Stephen. Her death certificate indicates Dropsy as her cause of death.

A few short months later on 29 April 1860 Clemens married Maria’s niece, who had the same name - Maria Anna Sander. Talk about confusing! Reportedly, Maria #1’s brother Johann Heinrich Sander, his wife Maria Anna (Vanderhar) and their daughter Maria #2 had been working on the Determan property at the time. Maria #2 was 22 and Clemens was 45 when they married. Clemens fathered 10 more children with his second wife. They were listed in the previous blog post, which can be found here.

Clemens and Maria #2 Determan's children

Clemens died at the age of 66 on 23 May 1881 in Clinton County, Iowa. He is buried in St. Boniface Cemetery in Lyons, Iowa. Maria #2 died 8 July 1884 when she was just 47 years old. Her youngest child was only 5 at the time. In the 1885 Iowa census Louie, Anthony, John, Maria Catherina, and Leo were all living with their older half-siblings, with Rosanna being listed as the head of household. She was 36 and had never married, but indeed became a mother nonetheless with the passing of her step-mother.