The Anreppen birth register, page 114,  of St. Landelinus Church, Boke, records that Herman Wilhelm Rempe was born in the morning,  on the 18th day of April 1825. He was baptized by Rev. Joseph  Kunders, April 19, 1825, with godparents Joanne Wilhelm Bunte, Colon at Bentfeld, and Herman Henke, mindling. His father's name was Joannes Bernardus (John Bernard) Rempe, (natus [born] Sygen.), 54 yr. old carpenter, his mother was 43 yr. old Anna Maria Hüster. Herman Rempe was the father of Joseph Ernest Rempe who migrated to Rooks County Kansas from Nuckolls County Nebraska in 1909-1910.

Herman's father, Joanne Bernardus Rempe, natus Sÿgemeÿer,  died, December 25, 1841, when Herman was about 16 years old.

Herman married, September 21, 1852, (Anna Maria) Elisabeth Niggemeier, also born in Anreppen. The priest was Fr. Hillebrand, and witnesses were Bernard Wibeler and Martin Horster.   These two young men who witnessed the wedding were also married on the same day, Martin Horster married Angela Maria Kronig (whose mother was a Niggemeier), and Bernard Wibeler married Anna Maria Niggemeier, (not a sister of Great Grandmother Elisabeth).   Herman was a witness to the Wibeler- Niggemeier wedding.

Traditionally, the earlier Westfalen weddings were arranged by the father of the bride, who may have been approached by a suitor, or he may have picked one out for a daughter.  If the suitor and his prospects were agreeable to the father or the young man agreed, the father gave his consent.Then he advised  his daughter about the consent, and a notarized contract was entered into which stated items for the "Bride Wagon", not an actual wagon but items ( her  dowry) needed to set up housekeeping, along with,  in some cases, money,  a cow, sheep, etc, probably depending  upon the fortunes of the family.  From Robert Lowies book TOWARD UNDERSTANDING GERMANY, Forsythe Library, Fort Hays University)  page 154,  he states "...in about 1800 Westphalians canceled weddings because the bride's parents refused to give up a copper kettle or a spinning wheel that had been stipulated in the bond".

Oral traditions¹ state Herman worked as a distiller during the summertime, and as a cobbler (shoemaker) in the winter months.  One record, his nephew  Joseph Herman's baptism,  does verify Hermann's occupation as: 'schumacher, of Anreppen' when he is recorded as the child's godparent, and witness to the baptism.
 ¹LAWRENCE CENTENNIAL, Ostdiek Publishers, Inc.  Lawrence

Soon after they were married, Hermann and Elisabeth emigrated to the USA, and traveled more than 11 weeks on board ship, disembarked at New Orleans, and then settled at Fort Madison, Iowa.   Herman Rempe and his wife may have emigrated "without permission".  After writing to several German archives, and contacts where his name should be listed on the published  "permission to emigrate" lists, his name is not found. He could well be the  Herman listed in the book "Auf nach Amerika! Auf Amerikaauswanderung aus dem Paderborner Land." Bd.2 page 335: 1852 Rempe, Hermann; geb. 1827(1825 is the correct year) Paderborn, Schumacher. Ziel: USA; Quellen: Schreiben von Pat Maring, N Linwood Davenport, the USA in August 1994 an  Ortsheimatpfleger Johannes Buschmeier, Hövelhof, dem Verf 1994 mtgtl...Der Rempe war Verheiratet mit der Niggemeier, Elisabeth; ihre Kinder waren: Bernard, Joseph, Catharina, Mary, Henry, and Frank". This information from Manfred Koellner of Delbrück, NRW, Germany. However, the source of this information about Herman first came from an American researcher in Iowa, Pat Maring,  who furnished the information to Herr Buschmeier. She is a Merschman descendant, and Herman's oldest son married a Merschman.
Ship passenger lists for 1852 were searched at the National Archives, unfortunately, the December 1852 and January 1853 ship lists arriving at New Orleans are missing.  Two searches by Archives personnel have not found the Rempe record of arrival at St. Louis.
Oral traditions also state Herman and Elisabeth lost the first child after they came to the United States. (This may be confirmed by the 1900 census where the number of children born to Elizabeth is given as 7, with 6 children living.)

The 1854 Iowa State Census confirms Herman was in Iowa in July 1854, 22 months after his marriage in Anreppen, Westfalen. His household was counted in Madison Township, Lee County. He was listed as the head of the household.  Two males and one female, with no voter, and no one in militia columns indicated. Since his oldest surviving child, Bernard is recorded as being born in October 1855, this census indicates they may have had a son born before 1854. This must have been the child whom oral history states died as an infant.

The total population of Lee County Iowa, according to the 1854 census was 22,600 persons. Of these there were - males: 11, 500, females: 10,963, colored males 34,  colored females 32,  281 persons able to vote, 3660 militia,  and 1239 aliens.

Herman's children, Bernard, Joseph, Kathryn, Anna Maria,  Henry, and Frank were all born in, Fort Madison, Iowa.   In March of 1857, about 18 months after their son Bernard was born, a band of Sioux Indians, led by Inkpaduta,  massacred 40 white people who lived in northwest Iowa near Okoboji and Spirit Lake, close to the Minnesota border.   These settlers lived in five log cabins they had built the year before in an isolated area. This incident was in the opposite corner of the state from where the Rempe families had settled, however, it serves to remind us of the somewhat perilous times the settlers lived in if they ventured beyond the settled community.  In a few years  Northern Civil War soldiers would assemble, and camp in a field across the street from William Rempe's home.

No one knows the exact reasons our ancestors left their home and country, perhaps parting forever from the family and friends they were leaving behind.  Our emigrant's ancestors were likely seeking a way to provide a better living for their family.  " In northern Germany, economic conditions became very bad. Hand workers income fell when they could not compete with machines that replaced some of the workers.  The potato blight destroyed this staple of the farm families diet in 1846 & 1847. Malnutrition induced illness and many deaths occurred in this area a short time before Hermann's wedding.
The head of the family could go south and work in the Coal mines in the area of  Siegen, to improve family fortunes or emigrate. " ( KAMPHOEPHER "The Westphalians: From Germany to Missouri", Princeton University Press, 1987 ).   In many cases others they knew, had come before them, Sometimes family members emigrated together.  They were no doubt attracted by news and promises of many opportunities, plenty of work,  food and freedom along with an absence of compulsory military service. They left a homeland, that had suffered several years of crop failure, and had put down civilian uprisings, riots and unrest in the capital city of every German state as citizens tried unsuccessfully to gain some measure of individual rights.  The states we now know as Germany each, vied for their own interests, even after they were joined in a loose federation in the latter part of the nineteenth century, under the Kaiser and Otto von Bismark.
Our Rempe ancestors were Westphalians, who were governed by Prussia.  A three-tiered electoral law passed in 1850, protected the interests of the monarchy, the aristocracy, and the military by preserving the political power of the wealthiest section of the electorate and excluding up to 90 percent of the others. Taxes were heavy, and there was not much chance for the ancestors to improve their own or their children's lives, under those conditions,  Owning their own land and improving their family fortunes was likely our immigrant ancestor's hope, at least for Hermann and his family, who became farmers.  He and his brother  Wilhelm first found employment in Fort Madison, and his sisters' husbands were occupied in business as a tailor and as a cooper.

German immigrants had something in their favor, They had acquired skills in a trade or craft as many had found it necessary to supplement their earnings from the land with cottage type industries, weaving, carpentry, blacksmith, tailor, shoemaker, cooper, etc.

According to a Lee County Gazetteer, Herman, who resided at Front and Plum street, was employed by S. and J.C. Atlee, who had a steam-powered sawmill. History records the mill burned at one time, was destroyed by a tornado another time, and on one occasion a boiler exploded and killed four men. The mill employed 300 hands and was one of the largest in the county, operating also a planing mill and manufacturing sash, doors, blinds, boxes, lath, and all kinds of carpenter work.

Herman Rempe kept a small journal in which he noted, April 1857, "ich bin Teresia schuldig [debtor?responsible for?) ..."  "Wilhelm is to come on the 4 July", also "I have with Wilhelm arbeited (worked) on Teresia's house 6 days." written in August of 1857. One  Henrig Wibeler, possibly the husband of his sister Catherine Rempe, is also mentioned in his notes and "Stephen" who could well be his sister Teresa's husband.  It's possible these notations record the activities, and monies owed and paid out, etc.,  between Herman, his brother William, and sister Teresia and sister Catherine's husbands, as well as the accounts he kept between himself and other neighbors in the community. He sold agricultural products and produce, and may have used his shoemaking craft. It is also notable that Peter Rempe,   (q.v.), Herman's nephew and godson, ( who came to live with Herman when he was about 2 and one-half years old, upon the death of his mother),  is mentioned many times in this journal, even after they moved to Nebraska.  Oral history from Fr. Gilbert Ostdiek and his sister Anita Conway, handed down from their mother tell us Peter went to live with Herman and Elisabeth, and the 1880  Iowa census confirms the story. We are indebted to Fr. Gilbert Ostdiek for transcribing the notebook of Herman Rempe from the German handwritten script to our current cursive style of handwriting, as well as the other Rempe family historians who provided their invaluable family data to the Nuckolls County Centennial Book, published by Ostdiek Publishers. in Lawrence NE.

On January 8, 1858, Hermann became a naturalized citizen of the United States, at the Lee County District Court in Fort Madison, Iowa. The document required him to renounce the Emperor of Prussia.

January 2, 1859, Herman was a baptismal sponsor for Hermanus Nigemeyer son of Bernard Nigemeyer and Anna Catherina Brockhagen, who was baptized by Rev A. Hattenberger at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Fort Madison, Iowa.

The family is enumerated on the 1860 Federal Census, for Lee County Iowa, page 547 number 110, Herman age 33, Elisabeth 30, Barney 4, and JOSEPH age 1.

Herman was a baptismal sponsor for Catharine Rempe, 29 March 1861, daughter of William Rempe and Elisabeth Nigemeyer. Frederich Willhelm also married an Elisabeth Nigemeier for his second wife!.)  Rev A. Hattenberger officiated at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Fort Madison, Iowa.  He was also a baptismal sponsor for Catharina Sandford 23 April 1865 at St. Joseph Catholic Church,  Anna Maria Wiebeler, 25 August 1865, daughter of Bernhard Wiebeler and Louisa Grothaus, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.   He was a sponsor when Herman Kottenstette, a twin son, of Ernst and Teresa Kottenstette,   was baptized 25 October 1868. There is a family connection between the Kottenstette and Rempe family. Herman's sister's  (Theresa Rempe) son, Frank Hermes, married  Elisabeth Kottenstette.

From the Federal Agricultural census page 1, schedule 3-Productions of Agriculture in the 4th ward, Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa, June 1870, we find Herman Rempe: had 4 acres of improved land. Cash value of his farm: $140; the total amount of annual wages paid $25, 40 bushels Indian corn, 70 bushels of potatoes,  1 ton of hay produced. The total value of produce: $53. (courtesy of Robert Gregory, grandson of Margaret Rempe Gregory).

The 1870 Federal Lee County Census, lists the family, with Herman working at the sawmill, and Bernard, the oldest son, also employed at the mill, Joseph, Catherine, Anna M., Henry, and Frank were at home,Elisabeth  is listed as keeping house,  the three oldest children had attended school in the past year. the value of Herman's real estate was $1000,  with personal property valued at $100.

From the  Federal Agricultural Census "Schedule 2_Productions of Agriculture in West Point Township in the county of Lee, State of Iowa (10 June 1880)"
Herman Rempe owned 100 acres for crops, 40 acres of pasture, 40 acres woodland.  Land, fences, buildings worth $3000, implements and machinery $100, livestock $540, value of all farm produce sold on hand or consumed in 1879: $550,  in  hay: 10 acres;  horses; 6;  milk cows: 4; other cattle: 11, calves: 4; butter made in 1879:  500 lbs; swine: 16; sheep: 5; lambs: 2; fleece: 60 lbs.; poultry: 85; eggs: 500.  (Courtesy of Robert Gregory) To own a farm this size was a great achievement compared to the various classes of Westfalen Meyer farms that were considered large, but small compared to the farms in the United States. Even though the larger farms and common grazing grounds and meadows were divided about the middle of the 19th century, population increases, taxes were high, and further divisions caused many farms to be too small to provide a living for the families. The Rempe, Siggemeier, and Adammer farmers were Viertelmeyer(1/4 Meyer) in the Anreppen bauerschaft.  The records indicate they were dairy farmers.

The 1880 Federal Census for Lee County Iowa lists Herman 55, head of household, occupation: farmer, Elizabeth 52, keeps house, son Joseph, 21, who works on the farm, daughter, Mary 16, at home, son Henry 13, works on the farm, son Frank, 11, works on farm, and nephew Peter, 10 who attended school. Son Bernard 24, a farmer,  and his wife Kate (Merschmen) 21 lived in their own home, near to Herman and Elisabeth. Daughter Kathryn also was married and had moved to Nuckolls County Nebraska with her husband Herman Schroer.  Herman Rempe signed his permission on the marriage license application for Kathryn to marry Herman because she was only 17.

Son Joseph was single when he purchased his land in Nebraska.  Henry also came to Nebraska in the early 1880's and married in 1895. Hermann, Elisabeth, Frank, and Mary, (and possibly nephew Peter) followed to the same community about  1882  where Hermann also purchased land. The remaining children were married in Nuckolls County  Nebraska.

An 1890 Nebraska State Gazetteer published by J. M. Wolfe & Co, lists Herman Rempe, as well as Barney, Joseph, Peter and William Rempe as farmers in the Lawrence community. Barney and Joseph were probably Herman's sons, Peter was likely the youngest son of Frederich Wilhelm, and William could have been Peter's brother Willliam Aloysius. This son was enumerated in Lee County. IA on the 1900 Federal Census with a wife and family, and was a farmer.  Or he could have been Joseph Herman Rempe's eldest son William F. Rempe, this William F. Rempe is listed as a blacksmith, which was his father's occupation, however, this would not have precluded him from trying his hand at farming.  Although it seems likely this William is a member of the family, no one can be sure. Herman also had a grandson named William, however, he was a small child at this time, too young to be a farmer.


The 1900 Federal Census of Nuckolls County lists Herman, father, 75, whose occupation was listed as "helping around the house" and Elisabeth, mother,  72,  living with their  son Henry, 33 and his wife Mary 24, along with their young children Lena, 2 and Alexander several months old (who died later that year).

Hoping to find the year of Herman's emigration was one reason for reading this census.  However. their emigration date was marked unknown, and since that was unknown, Herman was marked as an alien, which was not correct.  He became a naturalized citizen in Lee County Court, in Fort Madison, Iowa in 1858. The number of children borne to Elisabeth was seven with six surviving. Herman and Elizabeth had been married 48 years.

Herman Rempe died July 31, 1909. From the August 6, 1909, issue of the Lawrence Locomotive newspaper; "Again it becomes our duty to chronicle the death of another highly respected and esteemed citizen, one well known in the corner of Nuckolls County having resided in the St. Steven's precinct for the last 26 years.  Saturday evening the word was phoned among the neighbors that Harmon Rempe had died, no particular reason was given, simply having lived for 84 years and passed away from wear of the vicissitudes and labors of this life.  Mr. Rempe had always been a hard working man and possessed wonderful strength and vitality being of the hardy old German stock that is used to knocks and endurance which developed in him a man of exceptional physical power.  In his early life he had learned the shoemaking trade, but later became a setter at a sawmill at Fr. Madison, Iowa which work he followed for 18 years, when he located on a farm near West Point, Iowa in 1879, and moving to his home here in 1883.  Deceased had made his home with his daughter Mrs. Schroer since the death of his wife. (Elisabeth died in October 1901)  His farm of 160 acres has been controlled by his son Henry since the old gentleman gave up active work and retired for a rest in his advanced years.  The funeral services were conducted at St. Stevens  Church, Monday morning, by the Rev. Father Hahn, after which the remains were interred in the lot by the grave of the wife and mother.  A large concourse of old neighbors and friends were present  at the services." This obituary was also published in The  Evening Democrat, a newspaper in Fort Madison, Iowa.

The State of Nebraska, Death Certificate Reg. # 91 State 6023, states Herman "Harman" Rempe was a widower, 84 years old, his mother's name was "Anya" and his fathers was "Barney".   Dr. Dierkes was the physician who signed the death certificate. From Ruby Rempe