William Ruemke Sr.?--Not!

by Julie Lynne Humes

William Ruemke Sr.? Not. It's Really Hermann Heinrich Wilhelm Rümke

[Photo Right: aka "William Ruemke, Sr." jfg pic][ Below: William Ruemke (nee Hermann Heinrich Wilhelm Rümke) with son Christ, ca. 1880, Courtesy Julie Humes]

In all the documentation I have seen about the Ruemke patriarch, William Ruemke, he has always been referred to as William Sr. Or maybe, better yet, his son, William Frederick Ruemke (my great-grandfather), was referred to as William Jr. Finding documentation with the help of my cousin Chris Rümke in Amsterdam has brought new meaning to "you can run but you cannot hide." Well, almost. I have found William to be elusive up until he arrived in New Ulm. He was an illegal emigrant who probably stowed away to get to America. Family lore has it that he was one of three brothers who decided to make their way into the New World.

Back in the 1850's, as industrialization made its way across Europe, many farmers left Germany in search of a better life for their families. Typically the oldest son was sent as a scout to America to find work and establish a place to bring the rest of the family. We don't know if William actually accomplished this, but we do know that his brother, Christian Friederich Rümke, b. 1843, did end up in New Ulm as well. There are actually two New Ulm Ruemke lines from these brothers. The family story is that William stiffed his brothers and never sent the money home. We don't know the truth, but I'd like to think he didn't do something like that. If he did, why would Christ (his brother) end up in New Ulm with him?

What I have learned its this. While turning over the rocks of family history is an exciting endeavor, sometimes we don't like what we find. It is not proven, but most likely probable, that the Ruemke line of William and his brother are not even Ruemkes by blood. In Prussian towns and villages, the family names often stayed with the farms and villages they established. William's grandmother, Marie Dorothee Redeker (1774-1847) married into the Rümke family and lived on the Rümke farm. Her husband died early on and she married Gerd Heinrich Vahrenkamp. Gerd took the name Rümke as he made residence on the farm. Since DNA testing is no longer an option -- the line has disappeared -- we think we'll just go on being Ruemkes. Here's the William Ruemke "Sr." story.
Julie Humes


[Photo: William Ruemke (1838-1908) & first wife Fredericka Schröer (1836-1876), Courtesy of Julie Humes] [Photo Below: Johana Margarethe Maria Schapekahm (Maria), jfg pic]

William Ruemke was born Hermann Heinrich Wilhelm Rümke at Oppenwehe 28, Wehdem, Westfalen, Germany. His death notice and marriage certificates only give the name Wilhelm; however, a documented entry was found for him in the German book Beiträge zur Westfälischen Familienforschung, with his full name and parents defined:

Hermann Heinrich Wilhelm Rümke aus Oppenwehe Kirchspiel Wehdem, Ackersmann, b. 22 December 1838 (this birth information is in error), parents: Johann Heinrich Rümke and Caroline Henriette Spreen, year of emigration: 1859, to Amerika.

William emigrated from Germany in 1859 without permission, perhaps a stowaway. He was first found in the U.S. in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, but could not be found on the 1860 census there. According to his obituary, he was married in 1862 in Cincinnati. His wife, Fredericka Charlotte Schröer, born abt. 1836, was the daughter of Johann Heinrich & Wilhelmine Catharine Büsemeier Schröer of Ledde, Westfalen, Germany.

In 1864, William & family moved to New Ulm. He was a member of the Turner Colonization Society, and made the journey from Ohio to Minnesota. He did travel with the original Turners, and escaped the ravages of the Sioux uprising that occurred two years prior.

William was a carpenter and contractor by trade. Once in New Ulm, he formed a partnership with Louis Buenger building houses. The business was dissolved in 1875 and William again formed another trade partnership, this time with Herman Schapekahm. Along the same lines, William and Herman constructed residential dwellings in a successful venture for about 20 years. William built a reputation of being one of the best-known contractors and builders in the Brown County area.

William purchased 80 acres of Sioux Indian Trust Land in New Ulm on 10 Jul 1868, and another 80 adjacent acres on 1 Apr 1872.

Four children were born to William & Fredericka, two of which died in infancy. Christian F. was born 15 Jun 1863 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH, and William Frederick, Jr. was born in New Ulm on 27 Aug 1866. Both sons established themselves as solid citizens of New Ulm and raised their families there.

Fredericka died on 14 Feb 1876, leaving William to raise their two sons, then 13 and 10 years old. However, William quickly remarried the sister of his partner, Herman. Johanna Margarethe Maria Schapekahm (Maria) became his bride on 4 Jul 1876 in New Ulm. Maria was born 13 Jun 1852 in Ruesfort near Gehrde, Westfalen, Prussia to John Gerhard and Maria Adelheit Kaiser Schapekahm. Maria came to the U.S. in about 1871 with her father and five siblings, 8 years after the death of her mother.

[Photo Above: William and Mary Schapekahm Ruemke Family: Caroline "Lena" Ruemke (Gustav) Hillemann; Mary Schapekahm Ruemke; Emma E. Ruemke (Albert Peter) Boock; Mrs. Christian Ruemke; and Bertha Ruemke. jfg pic]

To this union three daughters were born in New Ulm: Carolina "Lena" Mary (married Gustav Hillemann); Emma E. married Albert Peter Boock; and, Bertha, b. 6 Jan 1887, d. 23 Aug 1972, New Ulm, Brown, MN (never married).