The Dohmann Emigrants

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The German version of this website is presently off-line while we rebuild the site.

The first emigrant listed is my Great-great-grandfather, Johann Gottfried Dohmann, who was known as Gottfried. He is one of the earliest known Dohmann emigrants and he is in my direct line of descent so he is listed first and all other emigrants are identified and discussed based on their relationship to Gottfried as a means of tying all this together.

If anyone has questions about any of this information or if you can provide any corrections or additional information, please contact me at edgar@dohmann.com

I have skeletal (figuratively, not literally) information on a number of other Dohmann emigrants, but not enough detail to include them in this list at this time. I will add to the list when, and if, additional data becomes available.

Our surname is spelled in a variety of ways, most commonly Doman, Domann, Dohman, or Dohmann with Dohmann being the commonly used variant in Germany today, so that is the way I have spelled the name on this page - also because the name was usually spelled that way in the German records prior to emigration, even if the name was changed after arrival in the USA.

• Gottfried Dohmann (1815-1906). Born in Borgholz, married Maria Anna Francisca Reiffert (later known as Jenny) in Driburg in 1839. Had 7 children, the first 3 were born in Germany. Settled in Frelsburg, TX (Colorado County), moved to New Ulm, TX (Austin County) in 1867, moved to Ander, TX (Goliad County) in 1873. Also switched from Roman Catholic to Lutheran about the time of the move from Frelsburg to New Ulm even though it was only a distance of 4 miles from the Catholic Church they had been attending.

  According to information on Gottfried's 1869 voter registration, as well as other documents, it is evident that he arrived in Texas before the end of 1845 while Texas was still a Republic. I have been unable to determine his actual date of arrival in Texas; however, tax records and church records confirm that he was definitely in Texas by 1848. Gottfried worked as a fabric dyer for several years before emigrating, but he was a farmer at heart - his trade for the rest of his life after arriving in Texas. Two of his sons, August & Werner, served as Artillerymen for the South during the Civil War.

• Francis Dohmann (1818-1897). Born in Borgholz, brother of Gottfried. Family lore indicates that he and Gottfried came to the US together with Francis remaining in New York and Gottfried continuing on to Texas. I have found Francis on the passenger list of the Brig Tricolon which arrived in New York on 5 Sep 1845 from Bremen. The passenger list indicates that he was travelling with Anton Rinteln, also from Borgholz, but Gottfried is not included on the passenger list. I have confirmed that Anton Rinteln was still in Germany at that time and did not arrive in the USA until approximately 1850, so it is my speculation that the passenger listed as Anton Rinteln was actually Gottfried Dohmann. I have been unable to confirm this with certainty or discover any specific reason for this mystery.

  Francis was a baker and he married Bernardine Ackermann about 1847. They had 7 children and continued to live in New York City for the rest of his life.

• Gottfried Wilhelm Dohmann (1827-1893). Born in Borgholz, 1st Cousin Gottfried. Came to Louisiana around 1855, settling in the Arnaudville area. He first married Aimee Taylor in 1858. She died in 1866 and Gottfried remarried to Elizabeth Marie Hebert in 1867. They had 3 children. Family lore suggests that Gottfried may have been a stowaway when he emigrated to the USA, but this has not been confirmed. Gottfried was a blacksmith and a farmer.

• Heinrich Dohmann (1831-1891/92). Born in Borgentreich, 1st Cousin of Gottfried. Came to California about 1850 and settled in San Francisco. Married a girl named Mary Elizabeth (last name unknown) from Ireland about 1876 and had 4 children. He had a variety of occupations including cook, saloon operator, hotel operator, junk dealer, and canvassing agent.

• Clemens August Dohmann (1825-1869). Born in Borgholz, 1st Cousin of Gottfried. Came to Connecticut about 1850. Married Maria Theresia Nostitz, also from Borgholz, in Connecticut in 1852. They had 7 children. Maria and children moved to Illinois after Clemens August died. She married Nicholas Lorig in Illinois in 1871 and had 3 more children with him, the last at the age of 44. He was a farmer.

• William Bode (1848-1929). Born in Erkeln, Nephew of Gottfried (his mother was Gottfried's sister). Although he doesn't carry the Dohmann surnmae, his case is interesting because he came to Illinois about 1875 and married Caroline Josephine Dohmann from Connecticut (his 2nd cousin and a daughter of Clemens August). They were married in Illinois where they had 8 children and lived for the rest of their lives.

• August Herbert Dohmann (1825-1914). Born in Siddessen, 2nd Cousin of Gottfried. Came to Illinois in 1859, settling in the Washburn area of Marshall County. Married Sarah Ellen Kincaid from Illinois in 1862. They had 9 children.

• Herman Heinrich Dohmann (1855-1934). Born in Borgentreich, 1st Cousin, once removed of Gottfried. Came to Iowa in 1880 and later settled in North Dakota. Married Anna Maria Justina Conze, also from Borgentreich, in Iowa in 1882. They had 11 children.

• Hubert Johann Dohmann (1857-1932). Born in Siddessen, 2nd Cousin, once removed of Gottfried. Emigrated to USA about 1876 and settled in Iowa. Married Anna Angela Schroeder in 1882 and had 7 children.

• Ferdinandina Dohmann (1843-???). Born in Siddessen, 2nd Cousin, once removed of Gottfried and sister of Hubert Johann. Emigrated to Iowa and married Henry Joseph Peters. They had 4 children.

• Josephina Dohmann (1843-1922). Born in Siddessen, 2nd Cousin, once removed of Gottfried and twin sister of Ferdinandina. Emigrated to Nebraska and married Ignatz Beller. They had 11 children.

• Franz Wilhelm Dohmann (William Domann) (1843-1932). Born in Ottbergen, Half 2nd Cousin, of Gottfried. Came to America in 1862 and settled in Kansas. Married Scholasta Leoba (Charlotte) Noll in 1867. They had 12 children. He was a farmer and eventually accumulated 2,000 acres of land. He was a freighter for the Union during the Civil War, driving ambulance and military ordinance wagons.

• Hermann August Dohmann (1882-1916). Born in Bühne, 1st Cousin, twice removed of Gottfried. Came to New York in early 1900's. Married Auguste Engemann, also from Bühne, in New York and had 3 children. Died at an early age from an epidemic that swept New York.

• Maria Justina Dohmann (1880-1964). Born in Bühne, 1st Cousin, twice removed of Gottfried and also sister of Hermann August Dohmann. She and her brother probably came to New York together but I haven't documented this yet. Married Carl Engemann (brother of Auguste Engemann), also from Bühne, in New York in 1906 and had 9 children (including stillborn triplets in 1906).

• Konrad Albert Dohmann (1905-1995). Born in Borgentreich, 1st Cousin, twice removed of Gottfried. Emigrated to USA in 1928. Married Rachel Katherina Bucke in 1932. Lived in Whitestone, NY until 1965, then moved to Abingdon, VA. They had 2 children. Rachel died in 1971 and Konrad remarried to Helena Huesch (who was previously married to Josef Engemann, son of Maria Justina Dohmann, a half-1st cousin of Konrad Albert).

• Erich Werner Dohmann (1921-1985). Born in Borgentreich, 1st Cousin, twice removed of Gottfried. Emigrated to Paraguay in 1950's. Married Ursula Brigitte Bräuning from Peuplitz in Colonia Otanio, Paraguay and later moved to Argentina. They had 10 children.

• Gertrud Josephine Dohmann (1923-). Born in Borgentreich, 1st Cousin, twice removed of Gottfried and sister of Erich Werner Dohmann. Emigrated to USA in 1954. Last known to be living in Detroit, MI - no further information available at this time.

• Franz Herman Dohmann (1888-1956). Born in Godelheim & emigrated to the USA through Ellis Island in 1910. Travelling on the same ship was his future wife, Anna Drenkelfuss (1890-1956) from Ovenhausen, and Anna's sister Theresa Drenkelfuss. Franz (Frank) settled in the Livingston Co, IL area where he was a farmer. Frank and Anna had 9 children. Frank was a 3rd Cousin, 3 times removed of Gottfried Dohmann through a common Kornhoff ancestral link. Their common ancestors were Diedrich Kornhoff (~1667-1743) and Elizabeth Schaller (~1669-1739). Frank Dohmann's earliest known Dohmann ancestor was Johannes Dohmann (~1664-1740) who lived in Amelunxen. He was probably a 1st or 2nd cousin of Gottfried's GGG-Grandfather, Jobst Dohmann (~1657-1727) who also lived in Amelunxen and moved to Ottbergen in 1692, but the exact links have not yet been established between all the Dohmann families in Amelunxen at that time.

• John George Dohmann (1885-???). Born in Godelheim & emigrated to the USA in 1914 with his wife, Louise Hahn and daughter, Helen. He was a brother of Franz Herman Dohmann (1888-1956) and settled in Chicago, IL where he worked for the Cook County Sheriff Department.

• John Joseph Dohmann (1861-1914). Born in Wehrden & emigrated to the USA in 1892 and settled in Wilkes-Barre, PA. He married Francisca Teresa Weskam and had 6 children. His linkage to the main Dohmann line is unknown at this time, but Wehrden is very close to Godelheim and Amelunxen, so it is likely that he is from one of the Amelunxen branches of the family..

• Joseph G. Dohmann (c1815-1892). Hometown and linkage to the main database has not been determined at this time. Emigrated to the USA in the mid-late 1840's, first settling in Missouri, then relocating to Amador County, CA by 1858. Married a girl named Mary (last name unknown) from County Waterford, Ireland and had 4 children. Had a 320-acre farm in Amador County upon which a rich quartz vein was discovered.

• Frank (Francis or Franz) Dohmann (c1835-c1910). Hometown and linkage to the main database has not been determined at this time. Emigrated to the USA in the mid-late 1860's, settling in Nebraska. Married Sophia Wenneman in 1869 and had 4 children.

• Arnold Hubert Dohmann (1815-1855). Born in Guttecoven and died in Eininghausen, both in Limburg, Netherlands. He was married to Maria Agatha Coumans (1812-1883) who emigrated to the USA after Arnold's death, along with their 8 children. They settled in the Carver County area of Minnesota. Unliked to the main database at this time.

• Franz Dohmann (c1855-???). Shows up in the 1880 census for Colorado County, TX with a wife, Maria age 24 born in Texas, and a child, also named Maria age 1 born in Texas. Apparently arrived in Texas prior to 1878 but no other information is known at this time. Does not show up in any later Texas census extracts. Unlinked to the main database at this time.

• Christian Friedrich Dohmann (Domann) (1823-1907). Born in Isinger, Pommern, Prussia (today this area is western Poland). Emigrated to the USA in 1886 and settled in DeWitt County, Texas. He was married twice and had a total of 5 children from his two marriages. Unlinked to the main database at this time, but several of his descendants have married descendants of Gottfried Dohmann.

• Vollrad Dohmann (1847-1930). Born in Pommern, Prussia (today this area is western Poland). Emigrated to the USA in 1873 along with his wife, Wilhelmina, and his sister, Hulda Dohmann. Settled in Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin. He was a blacksmith and a farmer. Had 17 children, 7 of whom died very young. Hulda married Wilhelm Schacht and lived in West Bend, Washington County, Wisconsin and had 3 children.

  In 1879, Vollrad's widowed mother emigrated to the USA along with Vollrad's brother, Helmuth (1856-1932), and two sisters, Auguste & Bertha. Helmuth married Mary Hiller and lived in Scott, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin and had 6 children.

  Other evidence suggests that Vollrad & Helmuth's father was named Gottlieb Dohmann and that they may have lived in Ehringen which is about 15 miles south of Borgholz rather than Pommern. Vollrad's mother had 7 living children in 1910 and 1920 - 5 of them are accounted for in the emigrations of 1873 and 1879. This family is unlinked to the main database at this time.

• Johann Dohmann (1827-abt 1902). Born in Stettin, Pommern, Prussia (today this area is western Poland). Emigrated to the USA in 1870 along with his wife, Albertina, and their daughter, Bertha Dohmann. Settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was a day laborer. Had 6 children, 2 of whom died very young. Unlinked to the main database at this time.