"ALOHA" from Hawaii,
I am searching for a Marriage Record or Marriage Certificate of my paternal GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM's marriage to my paternal GGF Bernat, Bernard, or Bernhard JOACHIM.
LOCATION: New York City, NY
DATE ESTIMATE: 1865 - 1875
The marriage between Annie (RUSKAMP) & Bernat (probably a nickname for Bernard or Bernhard) JOACHIM resulted in the birth of my paternal GM Louise (JOACHIM) KNUTSON (b. 25 June 1877 - d. 19 February 1951) & her two older brothers...George & Charles JOACHIM (birthdates/deathdates unknown).
From what I understand thus far...my GGF Bernat, Bernard, or Bernhard JOACHIM was born in Germany (birthdate unknown). He immigrated to NYC, NY from Germany (immigration date unknown).
My GGF Bernat JOACHIM (deathdate unknown) died sometime after the birth of my GM Louise JOACHIM in 1877. He left my GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM a widow, & my paternal GM Louise and her two older brothers...George & Charles...without a father.
My GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM was born in 1851/52 in NYC, probably in the area of southern Manhatten. My GGM Annie's mother's name was Mary E. (MARS) RUSKAMP, and her father's name was Francis RUSKAMP. (Marriage Certificate: John WILSON & Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM/WILSON, 16 July 1897).
My GGM Annie & her parents probably lived in the Greenwich Street area of NYC, NY. I found an interesting New York City Directory (1869) entry which supports this supposition:
Ancestry.com DATABASE: New York City Directory, 1869
RUSKAMP Mary, wid. Francis, midwife, h 94 G’wich.
I have not been able to find a birth record or birth certificate for my GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM, however, I am able to calculate an approximate birth year for her, based upon her burial record which indicates the date GGM Annie was buried & the length of her life in years, months, & days.
My GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM/WILSON was buried in St. Michael's Cemetery, Astoria, Long Island, NY on 10 December 1916. The St. Michael's Cemetery record of burial indicates that she lived 64 years, 6 months, 27 days.
I do not have exact date of death since I have not been able to find Birth or Death Certificates for my GGM Annie (Ruskamp) JOACHIM, or for her first husband...Bernat, Bernard, Bernhard JOACHIM.
GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM & her children remained in the southern vacinity of NYC, NY...at least until 16 July 1897...when GGM Annie married her second husband, John WILSON. At the time of her second marriage, GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM/WILSON lived at 120 Cedar Street, NYC, NY. She was fourty-six years old at the time of her second marriage (Marriage Certificate: John WILSON & Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM/WILSON, 16 July 1897)
My paternal family’s Birth, Death, or Marriage records might be located in the lower Manhatten/Greenwich area Catholic or Lutheran Churches. I do know that my GM Louise (JOACHIM) KNUTSON married my paternal GF Henry KNUTSON in the Trinity Church at 61 Church Street (Marriage Certificate: Henry KNUTSON & Louise (JOACHIM) KNUTSON, 30 January 1895).
Here's another interesting bit of information concerning my paternal GGGM, GGM, & GM. I understand through verbal historical pass-down, that my GGGM Mary (MARS) RUSKAMP, my GGM Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM, & my GM Louise (JOACHIM) KNUTSON worked as Midwives. The 1869 NYC Directory supports this verbal pass-down with the listing of one Mary RUSKAMP, widow of Francis, as a midwife. Perhaps this is why it has been so difficult to find birth records for my father's side of the family. Perhaps babies were delivered within the family by family female members without proper records or documentation.
I apologize for the length of this post, however, I wanted to provide as much information as I could to anyone on this Bulletin Board who might have the time to help me in putting together the pieces of my historical past. :-)
Believe me when I say that I have hit a BIG BRICK WALL in the case of finding any official documentation with respect to my paternal GM Louise (JOACHIM) KNUTSON, her elder brothers...George & Charles JOACHIM...& her parents Bernat & Annie (RUSKAMP) JOACHIM. I have come up with ZIP...ZERO, even though I have requested numerous NY Archive searches for birth records, death records, & marriage certificates. All searches have come back with negative results.
I'll thank you in advance for any look-up assistance you can give me. I'll also be happy to pay for reasonable copy & postal expenses with respect to official documents that pertain to my paternal lineage.
Most sincerely, Patricia Hogge