My grandfather Charles Ullrich was born 16 July 1891 . His parents, Wilhelm Ullrich and Minnie Platzer, both died by the time he was 3 years old, and so he was raised by his maternal grandparents, Joseph and Johanna Platzer. He did not know much information about his father’s family and apparently was never in contact with his uncle, Charles Ullrich. Other than their names, occupation and a few photos that my grandfather had what information I have about his father Wilhelm and his grandfather Frederick Ullrich was obtained from other US
Portraits of Frederick and Anna (nee Burger) Ullrich
Photo taken after 1887 by Wm Spiess who is listed in New York City Directory
as Wm Spiess Photographs 13 Ave A, NY, NY.
The first information that I found regarding where my Ullrich ancestors came from was from 1880 US Census [i] (New York City, New York) where my great great grandfather (gggf), Frederick H. Ullrich (born c.1816), lists that he is from Saxony and my great great grandmother (gggm), Anna Maria (born ~1820), records that she is from "Frieburg". At first assumed that since their son, Charles (born 07 Feb 1848 ) was listed as being born in Saxony in 1848, that it was the city "Freiberg Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg. However, in the 1870 New York Federal Census Anna states that she is from Baden which would imply that she is from Freiburg , in Baden-Württemberg[ii]. In 1870, Frederick and Charles are listed as being from Prussia[ii]. As for how Anna and Frederick met, I do not known as they apparently came from two different regions of Germany Saxony or another city and met Frederick Saxony . Another possibility is that she was a second wife of Frederick married after both emigrated to New York and she is not the biological mother of Charles. Charles’ death certificate filled out by his daughter states that his mother’s name was Anna M. Ullrich which is consistent with her being his mother but can’t rule out this is an error of his daughter.
Searching the immigration records for Frederick Ullrich reveals there is only one tailor named Frederick Ulrich from Prussia Hamburg Berlin Prussia Hamburg New York August 1854 . According to the corresponding New York
Entry (Line 158 ) on New York 15 Aug 1854 from Hamburg
Searching Berlin city directories in the years prior to 1853 does not reveal an F. Ulrich occupation tailor from 1849-1853 [iii]. There is only an F. Ulbrich with occupation Schneider (tailor) in the Berlin United States
Both father and sons, Charles and Wilhelm, were tailors by profession and in 1878 they all lived together on the lower East side of Manhattan at 267 E. 10th St. There is a naturalization petition (for citizenship) for a Frederick Ullrich in October 1860 for a tailor living at 245 Ave A, Manhattan, New York City; it lists that his former allegiance was to Duke of Saxon-Coburg which is a region distinct from Sachsen but perhaps was part of the Kingdom of Sachsen at the time he lived in Germany ( see below). As no date or age is listed on the petition I cannot be absolutely certain this is the same person as my gggf. But in searching for Frederick Ullrich (occupation tailor) in every NYC Directory for ~30 years from 1853 (until they moved to
Indexed 1861 Naturalization Petition of Frederick Ullrich tailor (left, front of card; right back of card). Indicates former allegiance was to the Duke of Saxony-Coburg (probably Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha
The naturalization petition for Frederick's oldest son, Charles Ullrich is shown below and is most likely witnessed by his father Frederick Ullrich a tailor as he is living at the same address as Charles.
Indexed 1872 Naturalization Petition of Charles Frederick Ullrich tailor.
Back of card had no information.
Frederick and Anna had 2 more sons, Louis and Wilhelm (also known as William), born in
Based on the entries for Frederick and his sons in various New York and Brooklyn City Directories, they lived at various addresses in the lower east side of Manhattan from 1853 till around 1885 when they moved to 87 Bartlett St., Brooklyn, NY along his wife[iv]. This was the Bushwick area of Brooklyn not too far from the Cemetery of the Evergreens and an area known as a German enclave with many German breweries. In 1885 the first elevated railway in Brooklyn opened, known as the Lexington Avenue Elevated, and it terminated at Gates Ave Brooklyn . I have no information about Louis the middle son of Frederick and Anna other than that found on the 1870 census.
Later around 1888 Frederick Ullrich lived at 297 Floyd Ave, Brooklyn and in 1894 his address was listed as 257 Hamburg St, Brooklyn all still within the Bushwick section of Brooklyn[v]. As for Frederick Frederick
[ii] 1870 US
[iv] Lains 1885 Brooklyn Directory Frederick and Chas. Ullrich entry p. 1330; Willian Ullrich's entry p. 1331.
[v] Lains Brooklyn Directory Frederick Ullrich's (tailor) entries for 1888 and 1894.
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[vi] Marriage Certificate of Charles Ullrich and Anna Dietz. Certiifcate No. 4347 1888; NYC Municipal Archives
Copyright © 2010 by Stephen J.Ullrich
