In the 19th century four young
men of the family went to North America. Their reasons for this burdensome trip
were not the same. Three of them looked to change their luck in the new world,
and the fourth wanted to make a study trip. When we look at the sailing ship
“ODER”, we can imagine the difficulties of the trip. Karl Ernst Alberti went
by this ship to America. This ship of the shipping company Hapag was only 44.80m
long and 8.60m wide. It offered room for 289 passengers, 249 passengers found
room in the steerage that partially was only 1.80 m high. The steerage probably
was the new "home" for the emigrants on their trip for approximately
40 days. In the old News of the Family Alberti (NFA) there is little found,
because contact with them broke off in the 1930’s.
Hermann Alberti was born on September 28, 1821 in Hohenleuben. He was the second
son of the pastor in Hohenleuben, Christian Gottlieb Alberti and his wife
Eleonore Friederike Hauschildt. He studied agronomy in Zwätzen near Jena. In
August 1853, he began a study trip to North America; on this trip he met his
relatives. In the news of the family Alberti, number 4 (NFA 4, page 110) it
unfortunately is not written which relatives he met. About this time, Hermann
and Karl Ernst lived in Morgan County, Illinois. It is mentioned in the NFA 4
that he wanted to travel on a Mississippi steamer to New Orleans. This steamer
is supposed to have sunk in a storm with Hermann on board. He has been regarded
as missing since then.
Bernhard Alberti was born on October 27, 1856 in Lobenstein. He was the second
son of Konstantin Alberti and his wife Bertha Alberti. Konstantin was a
councilor in the district court of the district Schleiz. Bernhard devoted
himself to agriculture and was an economics administrator in Lichstedt near
Rudolstadt in 1877. In the NFA 6, page 158 it is written that he went to Virgil
city to visit his uncle Ernst Alberti and that he died without children in
Fresno (California) in 1920. The year of his travel is not known yet. However,
Bernhard stayed with his uncle Karl Ernst on his farm in Cedar County, Missouri.
After his departure to California, he still remained in contact with his uncle's
family. The confirmation has been made, that he died unmarried and without
children in Sagar, Fresno County, California on September 30, 1919.
Hermann Alberti was born on October 8, 1820 in Thoßfell. He was the second son
of Ernst Gottlob Christian Alberti and his wife Christiane Charlotte Eichhorn.
Ernst was a civil servant in Oppurg. Hermann became a merchant and went to North
America before 1852. He has been regarded as missing since the civil war, NFA 8,
page 207. His mother wrote in a letter to his youngest brother Karl Ernst in
1872 that she doesn't know where he is. Hermann settled in Morgan County,
Illinois and bought a farm. There he also picked up his brother Karl Ernst, when
he arrived in North America in November 1852.
Karl Ernst was born on November 11, 1832 in Oppurg. He was the youngest son of
Ernst Gottlob Christian Alberti and his wife Christiane Charlotte Eichhorn. In
NFA 8, pages 212/213, you can read the information about him and his family that
the family in German had in May 1931. The connection to his children was
interrupted for 66 years. This is the time between the letter that Ernst Alberti
wrote to cousins on March 14, 1936 and the first e-mail that Billie Alberti
wrote on November 8, 2002. We owe the following information to his
great-grandchildren: Billie Alberti Denny, Donald Monroe Alberti and Kenneth
Fortney. Karl Ernst left Oppurg when he was 19 and went by the three mast
sailing ship "Oder" from Hamburg to New York, where he arrived on
November 12, 1852. First he went to his brother Hermann, who lived in Morgan
County, Illinois. He married, as an American citizen, Katharina Mayer in
Jacksonville, Illinois on September 27, 1861. She was born on September 27, 1844
in Schutterwal
d. The whole family of her grandfather Anton Mayer left their homeland Baden in
1853. Karl Ernst left his farm in Morgan County with his wife and the children
Hermann, Ernst and Edmund and went to Cedar County, Missouri. His other six
children J. Theodor, Ferdinand, Charlotte (Lottie), Ida Mary, Louise (Lulu) and
Annette (Nettie) were born on the new farm. The farmland is now situated south
of Highway 32, near Pacetown. Karl Ernst died on September 15, 1912 and was
buried in Wright cemetery in Cedar County. His wife survived him and was a good
mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She died on January 13, 1935 in El
Dorado Springs and was buried in Wright cemetery in Cedar County. Karl Ernst saw
his 9 children, 16 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. And here they are:
1. Hermann Alberti, born in Beardstown, Cass County, Illinois on October
31,1863, merchant in Kansas City, died in Filley, Cedar Co., MO on September 23,
1944, married, (1) Mary L. Reitz on June 07, 1891 (born on May 16, 1872 in PA
and died on September 25, 1897), (2) Nettie Moyer on April 26, 1903 in Schell
City, MO (born on September 28, 1872 and died on July 23, 1943 in Kansas City,
Kansas).
Children:
1. (1) Mabel Louise Alberti, born in El Dorado Springs on March 21, 1893, died
in Wichita, KS on August 19, 1968.
2. (1) Homer Ernest Alberti, born in ElDorado Springs on May 12, 1895, died in
CO on July 30, 1960, married Sara Hamilton on February 23, 1945 (born on
September 25, 1907 in Pecan, Mississippi)
Children:
1. Sara Ann Alberti, born in Winchester, VA on July 17, 1947, married ? Chapman.
2. Homer Ellis Alberti, born in Winchester, VA on July 17, 1947, married Beckie
?.
3. (2) Kenneth Owen Alberti, born in Kansas City, Kansas on July 1, 1905, died
in Excello, Macon Co., MO on May 23, 1955, married (1) Jennie Margaret Hudson on
December 24, 1930 in Kansas City, Kansas (born on April 2, 1905 in Kansas City,
Kansas and died on November 2, 1945 in Kansas City, Kansas), (2) Margaret Hall
Grant on June 19, 1948 in Portsmouth, VA (born on November 14, 1907 in
Portsmouth, VA).
Children:
1. Donald Monroe Alberti, born in Moberly, MO on November 18, 1935, married
Margaret Sue Headrick on June 15, 1958 in Moberly, MO (born on March 7, 1937 in
Fortescue, Holt Co., MO).
2. Karen Alberti, born in Moberly, MO on May 24, 1940.
2. Ernst Alberti, born in Jacksonville, IL on July 18, 1865, farmer, died at his
home in Cedar Co., MO on September 8, 1920, married Margaret Amanda Stockstill
on March 18, 1888 near Pacetown, MO, (born on July 12, 1866 in Cedar Co., MO and
died on August 12, 1939 in Cedar Co., MO).
Children:
1. Anna Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on December 15, 1889, died in ElDorado
Springs, MO on February 24, 1964, married (1) Charles LaDuke, (2) Stanley Farris
on September 25, 1907 (died on November 18, 1920), (3) Ollie Pack in 1928, (born
on August 31, 1887 and died on December 16, 1964).
Children:
1. (2) Fermin Elmer Farris, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on July 1, 1909, died
in Tucson, Pima Co., AZ on September 26, 1981.
2. (2) Beulah Farris, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on March 15, 1913, died in
Fayetteville, AR on March 18, 1982.
2. Ella Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on December 6, 1891, died in El Dorado
Springs, MO on November 29, 1973, married (1) Walter Snell, (2) Paul Hutchinson
Breeding on August 17, 1910 in Nevada, Vernon Co., MO, (born on April 12, 1884
in Paris, Edgar Co., IL and died in 1946 in El Dorado Springs, MO).
Children:
1. (2) Hersell W. Breeding, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on June 15, 1911, died
in Tuscon, Pima Co., AZ on August 27, 1970.
2. (2) Elsie Margaret Breeding, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on February 18,
1914.
3. (2) Hazel Breeding, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on September 30, 1917.
4. (2) Louise Faye Breeding, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on January 22, 1921,
died in Nevada, Vernon Co., MO on August 28, 1990.
5. (2) Carl Irvin Breeding, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on April 20, 1925,
died in El Dorado Springs, Cedar Co., MO on October 15, 2005.
3. Nora May Alberti, born on May 25, 1894, married Clyde Begley.
4. Jacobs E. Alberti, born on October 28, 1902, died in Nevada, Vernon Co., MO
on July 9, 1969.
3. Edmund Alberti, born in Jacksonville, IL on January 2, 1867, farmer, died on
October 21, 1952 in Filley, Cedar Co., MO, married Nellie Agnes Hartley on June
11, 1903 at Squire Sallee's, in Cedar Co., MO (born on March 23, 1874) and died
on November 17, 1963 in Stockton, Cedar Co., MO, daughter of Henry Nathaniel
Hartley and Rebecca Minerva Edge.)
Children:
1. Ruth Eileen Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on October 1, 1905, married Vernus
Nobel Pyle on August 1, 1931 (born on April 15, 1902 and died on March 2, 1988
in Belleville, IL).
Child:
1. Marilyn Ruth Pyle, born on January 15, 1936.
2. Paul Nathan Alberti, born in El Dorado Springs, MO on July 22, 1908, died in
Springfield, MO on April 27, 1984, married Mabel Ball on January 2, 1929 in
Bolivar, Polk Co., MO, (born on September 30, 1905 in Cedar Co., MO and died on
April 15, 1997 in Wichita, KS).
Children:
1. Billie Jean Alberti, born in Stockton, Cedar Co., MO on October 23, 1929,
married Duane Eugene Denny on November 4, 1952 in Columbia, MO (born on
September 25, 1925 in DeKalb Co., MO).
2. Thomas Edwin Alberti, born in Stockton, Cedar Co., MO on January 11, 1931,
died in Stockton, Cedar Co., MO on June 20, 1992.
3. One son, born in Cedar Co., MO on January 31, 1911, died in Cedar Co., MO in
February 6, 1911.
4. J. Theodor Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on June 8, 1869, farmer, died on
June 11, 1908 in Cedar Co., MO, married Elizabeth J. Tucker on September 27,
1891.
Child:
1. Carl Ormal Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on July 27, 1896, died in Cedar
Co., MO on March 13, 1965, married Eula Ida Moore on November 17, 1933 in
Stockton, Cedar Co., MO (born on January 29, 1912 in St. Clair Co., MO and died
on January 12, 1987 in Cedar Co., MO). The marriage was childless.
5. Ferdinand Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on April 6, 1872, died in Cedar Co.,
MO on December 21, 1895. He was unmarried.
6. Charlotte Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on January 12, 1875, died in Cedar
Co., MO on July 11, 1957, married James Francis McKeown on September 28, 1893 in
Cedar Co., MO (born on August 31, 1867 in Eagle, Waukesha Co., WI and died on
March 17, 1945 in Cedar Co., MO). The marriage was childless.
7. Ida Mary Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on October 22, 1877, died on
September 7, 1898, married Eugene Orr on September 21, 1896 in Cedar County, MO
(born on November 23, 1873, in Neosho Co., KS and died on November 4, 1951 in
Parsons, Labette Co., KS). The marriage was childless.
8. Louise Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on September 10, 1880, died in
Fullerton, Orange Co., CA on October 14, 1972, married (1) Russel Buck Marr on
September 14, 1896 in Stockton, Cedar Co., MO, born on April 2, 1848 in Hickman,
Fulton Co., KY and died on September 3, 1922 in Nevada, Vernon Co., MO (son of
Peter Nicholas Marr and Elizabeth Margaret Buck), (2) W. Clyde McPeak in the
year 1922.
Child:
1. (1) Vera Marr, born in Filley, Cedar Co., MO on May 23, 1898, married (1)
Harry Bunnell, (2) W. G. Pence, (3) Charles Mentzer (died in 1975), (4) Harry
Farell (died in 1984).
Child:
1. (1) Paul Bunnell, born in Filley, Cedar Co., MO on January 24, 1919, died in
Nimes, France in 1944.
9. Annette (Nettie) Alberti, born in Cedar Co., MO on January 29, 1884, died in
El Dorado Springs, MO on March 01, 1968, married Fred Ari Benskin on February
21, 1905, born on December 03, 1880 in Cedar Co., MO and died on July 10, 1957
in Cedar Co., MO.
Children:
1. Reba Alberta Benskin, born in Cedar Co., MO on January 10, 1907, died in
ElDorado Springs, MO on October 21, 1964, married Raymond Scott Fortney on
December 04, 1937 in Harrison, Boone Co., AR (born on June 16, 1910 near Filley,
Cedar Co., MO and died on October 21, 1999 in El Dorado Springs, MO).
Child:
1. Kenneth Ray Fortney, born in Cedar Co., MO on September 19, 1942, married
Barbara Ann Eslinger on June 15, 1969 in El Dorado Springs, MO (born on November
27, 1948 in Nevada, Vernon Co., MO).
2. Homer Wilfrid Benskin, born in Cedar Co., MO on April 01, 1909, died in Cedar
Co., MO on January 21, 1938. He was unmarried.
3. Floyd Wesley Benskin, born in El Dorado Springs, Cedar Co., MO on December
07, 1911, died in El Dorado Springs, MO on June 14, 1951, married Lilian Ruby
Weseen in Nevada, Vernon Co., MO on December 24, 1933 in Stanton, IA (born on
January 29, 1911 in Stanton, IA and died on April 25, 1990 in Stanton, IA).
Children:
1. Donald Gene Benskin, born in Red Oak, Montgomery Co., IA on August 12, 1936.
2. Dennis Benskin, born in Cedar Co., MO} on October 22, 1940.
3. Sharon Sue Benskin, born in Cedar Co., MO on May 11, 1946.
4. Edith Nadine Benskin, born in Cedar Co., MO on May 3, 1915 and died on March
20, 1991 in Pittsburg, Crawford Co., KS, married, (1) Joe Bishop in 1935, (born
on August 31, 1910, died on September 29, 1942), (2) Bert Olthoff on May 18,
1946, (born on July 20, 1909 in Oaks, Dickey Co, ND, died on March 2, 1992 in
Pittsburg, Crawford Co., KS).
In the next family notebook, further details follow over Karl Ernst Alberti and
his descendants. The search of the other three emigrants continues.
I would be grateful for any information about them.
Here my addresses: Olaf Walther, Hofmühlstr. 19, D-83043 Bad Aibling; Olaf.Walther@gmx.net.