Johan Jeorg and Katherina Heim Jakob Family Story
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| John Jacob's and Catherina Heim's first home at Walker's Mill, before they bought their farm in Collier Township, Allegheny County, PA. Collection of Charlotte Dudt, PA. Click on the photo to see a larger version. |
From Wuertemberg, Germany to Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Johan Sjorg Jakob was born June 24, 1823 in Walddorf, Schwarzwaldkreis, Wuerttemberg, Germany to Hans Jakob and Rosina Barbara Mueller, daughter of Wendel and Euphrosina Brinzinger Mueller.
Johan's father, Hans, was born December 28, 1790 in Walddorf. He was the son of Johann Friedrich Jakob (son of Johannes and Margareta Ott Jakob), and Anna Maria Luickh.
Johan was a young man of 25 when the German Revolution of 1848 arose. He was a soldier, along with his cousin, Michael Gaiser.
It is not clear whether Johan and Michael were part of the revolutionary forces, or whether they were conscripted by the government to put down the revolution.
It was the custom at that time for soldiers to stay in the homes of private citizens. Johan stayed with a family in Calw, Germany, which is slightly northwest of Walddorf. This family gave him a New Testament inscribed, probably when he left their home.
The revolution was put down and many young men left Germany at that time. Some because they were part of the revolution and it was no longer a safe place for them to live. Some left because they were tired of being conscripted by the government every time some new member of royalty came into power. See The 1848ers and The German 1848 Revolution: A German Perspective.
Johan and his cousin, Michael Gaiser, emigrated to America in about 1850. They arrived in the Port of Philadelphia and walked across the mountains to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They both settled in Collier Township, Allegheny County. Michael (now Michael Geyser) married a woman named Catherina (possibly Mathias.) Johan (now John George Jacob) married Catherina Heim, and lived in Walker's Mill before buying their farm in Collier Township.
It is possible that Catherina Heim came over at the same time as Johan and Michael. There was a lot of intermarriage among the Heim's, Jakob's, and Gaiser's in Walddorf. We know that Catherina also came from Walddorf because of the inscription in her New Testament.
John and Catherina had five children:
- George born 1854, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; died 30Sep1920, Collier Township, Pennsylvania
- Katherine, born 28 Feb 1856, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; died 12 Aug 1936, Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- Caroline [Carrie or Cal], born 26 Jun 1862; Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; died 20 Apr 1924, Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- Margaret, born 13 Aug 1865, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; died 4 Oct 1947, Collier Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Maggie had a heart attack while gathering eggs in the chicken house. She was found a couple of days later by her nephew, Howard Abbott.
- Elizabeth, born 4Oct1857, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; died 23 Oct 1934, Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Elizabeth, married Edward Abbott, about 1881, of Scott Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. See the Edward Abbott Family Story.