John⁴ Diederich (Johann Nicolaus³, Paul², Johann Nicholas¹) was born 4 May 1812 at Lierstall, Province of the Rhineland, West Germany, the son of Johann Nicolaus and Anna Maria Catharina (Esper) Diederich. His birth is recorded in the civil birth register of Virneburg, Province of the Rhineland, and his birth and baptism are recorded in the baptismal register of St. Remigius Roman Catholic Church at Retterath, Province of the Rhineland.

He died 18 August 1874, age 62 years, three months, and 14 days, probably at his farm at Town of Lawrence, Brown County, Wisconsin. The funeral was probably held at St. Mary's Catholic Church at DePere, Brown County, and he is buried in Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery at DePere. His death is recorded in the death register of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Also see Brown County death certificates, v. 3, p. 124, no. 370.

He married Anna Clasen 21 November 1837 in a civil ceremony at Virneburg, and on 30 November 1837 in a religious ceremony at St. Remigius Catholic Church at Retterath. Witnesses were Bartholomew Klapperich and John Schneider. The marriage is recorded in the Virneburg civil marriage register and in the marriage register of the church.

Anna Clasen was born 22 June 1814 at Arbach, Province of the Rhineland, the daughter of Peter and Margaretha (Einig) Clasen. Her birth is recorded in the civil birth register of Virneburg, and her birth and baptism are recorded in the baptismal register of St. Remigius Catholic Church at Retterath. She died in June 1879, age 65, probably in the family farmhouse at Town of Lawrence. The funeral was probably held at St. Mary's Catholic Church at DePere, and she is buried beside her husband in Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery there.

John Diederich's birth is recorded in the civil birth register of Virneburg under the name of "Jean Dederich". The civil birth register of Virneburg dates from 1798, when it was set up by the French after France annexed the territory west of the Rhine. Entry No. 209 for 1812, translated from the French original, reads:

In the year one thousand eight hundred twelve, on the fourth of May, at nine o'clock in the morning, appeared before us, burgomaster of Virneburg, Officer of the Civil Register of the Community of Lierstall, district and municipality of Virneburg, Department of Rhine and Moselle, Nicolas Diederichs, twenty-eight years old, residing at Lierstall, farmer, who exhibited to us a child of male sex, born today, at two o'clock in the morning, to the declarant by his lawful wife, Marie Espers, to whom he stated to give the given name of "Jean". The aforementioned declaration and exhibition took place in the presence of Mathieu Schmitt, forty-six years old, farmer, residing at Mannebach, and of Jean Houff, sixty-two years old, farmer, residing at Bereborn, and the father with the witnesses undersigned together with us, after it had been read out to them.

One can only imagine the inconvenience, to say nothing of the risks, of carrying a newborn infant son 11 kilometers (about seven miles) across the hills in order to comply with the French bureaucratic requirements.

John Diederich's baptism is recorded in the register of St. Remigius Catholic Church at Retterath, a small community about a mile and a half north of Lierstall. Entry No. 20 for 1812 reads:

4th May, born and baptized, Joannes Diederich of Lierstall, of Nicolaus Diederich and Maria Esper, by Joannes Schuller and Catharina Schaeffer, both of them married.

See Kirchenbuch Retterath, Abt. 72/685, no. 1, p. 89, now preserved in the Bistumsarchiv (diocesan archives) at Trier. Retterath is in the Archdiocese of Trier.

The baptismal register of the Catholic Church at Retterath contains this entry for the year 1814 on page 113:

22nd of June, at Arbach was born and baptized Anna Klasen, the legitimate daughter of Petrus Klasen and Margaretha Einig, married couple. Lifted from the holy baptismal font by Anna Diederich and Petrus Klasen, both of them single, of Arbach.

See Kirchenbuch Retterath, Abt. 72/685, no. 1, p. 113.

As is the case in many European countries today, a German couple was then required to contract a civil marriage, which could be followed by a church marriage ceremony if they wished. Entry No. 26 of the Virneburg civil marriage register for 1837 reads:

In the year one thousand eight hundred thirty seven on the 21st twenty first of the month of November at three o'clock in the afternoon, appeared before me Carl Friedrich Hermes, burgomaster at Virneburg, Officer of the Civil Register, the bachelor Johann Diederich, twenty four years old, born at Lierstall, Governmental District Coblenz, a farmer by profession, residing at Lierstall, Governmental District Coblenz, of age, son of the here present and consenting Johann Nicolas Diederich, a farmer by Profession, residing at Lierstall in the Governmental District Coblenz and of the here present and consenting Maria Espers, farmer's wife by profession, residing at Lierstall in the Governmental District Coblenz and the virgin, Anna Clasen, twenty two years old, born at Arbach, Governmental District Coblenz, and of the here present and consenting Margaretha Einig, farmer's wife by profession, residing at Arbach, Governmental District Coblenz. The same ones have asked me to contract legally the marriage agreed upon between them.

Since the stipulated publishing of banns of this marriage had really taken place at the main door of the town hall at Virneburg, namely for the first time on the twelfth, and the second time on the nineteenth of this present month of November, according to the publication register at this place, and since the documents concerning this publication had been publicly posted up, and since there was no opposition against this marriage, to comply with the said request, I read out the following documents: namely

1. the birth certificate of Johann Diederich, according to which the same one was born at Lierstall on the fourth of May, eighteen hundred twelve.

2. the birth certificate of Anna Classen, according to which the same one was born at Arbach, on the twenty second of June, eighteen hundred fourteen.

All this according to Civil Register kept at this burgomaster's office.

And the sixth chapter of the Civil Law dealing with matrimony was read out to them, whereupon I asked the aforementioned groom, and the aforementioned bride: if they want to be united in matrimony?

Since each of them separately answered this question affirmatively, I declared in the name of the law that Johann Diederich and Anna Classen, are legally united in matrimony.

After that, I made this present document in the presence of Johan Schlaesser, thirty seven years old a farmer by profession, residing at Lierstall, who is an acquaintance of the new married couple, of Johann Muller, thirty five years old, a farmer by profession, residing at Virneburg, who is an acquaintance of the new married couple, of Peter Schaefer, fifty eight years old, a farmer by profession residing at Virneburg, who is an acquaintance of the new married couple, and of Peter Nett, twenty nine years old, a farmer by profession, residing at Virneburg, who stated to be an acquaintance of the new married couple; and these persons present undersigned this document together with myself, after it had been read out to them, with the exception of the bride, of the groom's mother, of the bride's parents, and of the witness Peter Schaefer, who are illiterate.

The marriage register of the Catholic Church at Retterath contains this entry for 30 November 1837 on page 17:

The honorable adolescent, Joannes Diederich, the legitimate son of Joannes Nicolaus Diederich and Maria Esper, married couple of Liersthal, and the chaste virgin, Anna Classen, the legitimate daughter of Petrus Classen and Margareth Einig, married couple of Arbach, after no impediment was detected, were united in matrimony, in accordance with the regulation of the Council of Trent, in the parish church of St. Remigius. Witnesses were: Bartholomaeus Klapperich at Retterath and Joannes Schneider at Liersthal.

See Kirchenbuch Retterath Abt. 72/685, no. 3, p. 17.

The death register of St. Mary's Catholic Church, DePere, contains this entry in Latin for the year 1874 on page 30: "Obiit Aug. 18va Joannis Diderich filius Joanie Nicolai et Annae conj. natus AD 1812." It is signed, W. A. Verboort, pastor. Translated, it means "Died August 18th, John Diderich, son of John Nicholas and Anna, married. Born AD 1812." The Reverend W. A. Verboort filed a death certificate at Brown County Courthouse on 10 September 1875 but the transcription (Brown County Deaths, v. 3, p. 124, no. 370) contains a number of errors. It reports that John Dideich, farmer, was born 1802 in Germany, died August 18, 1874, age 72 years, at Lawrence, Brown County and is buried in DePere. His parent's names are given as "John Nic Diderich" and "Anna". His wife's name is given as "Anna". The inscription on his gravestone reads, "John Diederich/ Died/ Aug. 18, 1874/ Aged 62 yrs 8 ms/ & 6 d's." Whoever calculated his age at death made an error of almost five months.

The death register of St. Mary Catholic Church contains this entry in Latin for the year 1879 on page 41: "Gertrudis Diederiks (date unreadable) Junii 1879 Sepultis est conjun Joannis Diedericks aet 64." It is signed by A. Van Grotel, pastor at that time. Translated, this means, "Gertude Diederiks, wife of John Diedericks, was taken away (date unreadable) June 1879, age 64." Why the register gives her name as "Gertrude" is unknown. Since there was no other widow or wife of a John Diederich living in Brown County in 1879, it is evident that this entry records Anna Diederich's death. Unfortunately, her death is not registered in Brown County death records. That portion of her gravestone which tells the date of her birth and death has been broken off, and the remaining inscription reads simply, "Anna Diederich/ Wife of/ John Diederich." There was no obituary. The Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison has an excellent collection of Brown county newspapers published during this period, and these have been searched to no avail. It simply was not customary for those local newspapers to publish death notices except of very important or wealthy people, until a few years later.

John Diederich, his wife, Anna, and three children, Gertrude, Peter, and Michael, emigrated to the United States sometime between 1843 (when Michael was born) and 1847 when they settled in the Town of Lawrence, Brown County, Wisconsin.

The region from which they came is only 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of the Rhine River city of Koblenz, but even today it is relatively isolated and sparsely populated because of the poor road network. According to the census of 1883, Lierstall was then a village of only 212 inhabitants. Other nearby communities include Arbach (149 inhabitants), Bereborn (115 inhabitants), Calenborn (227 inhabitants), Mannebach (231 inhabitants, Oberelz (175 inhabitants), and Retterath (266 inhabitants).

These villages are in the Eifel Mountains, a region bounded on the north, east, and south by the world-famous rivers and vineyards of the Ahr, Rhine, and Moselle. To the west, the district passes into the forest of the Ardennes of Belgium and Luxembourg. The savage beauty of the Eifel is universally renowned as the peculiar mark of its landscape, whether ablaze with golden blossoming broom in the early spring or when the green foliage of the woods is reflected in the dark waters of the numerous ancient "maare" or volcanic lakes.

John Diederich may have left his native home because of the difficulty of earning a living as a farmer in that forested and hilly land, but family tradition is that he came to America to escape the draft. The war readiness of the German armies was maintained through universal military service in which every able-bodied man was required to serve his time.

When and where the family landed in the United States is not known, but on 9 February 1847, John Deitrick (sic) purchased, for $50, two tracts of land in the Town of Lawrence from Philip Molitor and his wife, Anna. The tracts are 20-acre rectangles, measuring 40 by 80 rods, and the northeast corner of one adjoins the southwest corner of the other. In Brown County deeds, Books ___, p. 204, the property is described as the North ½ of the Southeast ¼ and the South ½ of the Southwest ¼ of the Southwest ¼ of Section 20, Town 23, Range 20.

John Diederich built his home on the South ½ of the Southwest ¼, about a mile west of West DePere. It is close by the road now designated County Trunk EE. The two 20-acre tracts and buildings were owned by Nell Bolda in 1968 when I visited the farm.

In the censuses of 1850, 1860, and 1870, John Diederich reported his occupation as farmer. He apparently was successful.

In 1850, he told the census taker that his real property was worth $300. The family was enumerated as follows:

John Deadarick 37 M Farmer
Anna " 35 F
Gertrude " 12 F
Peter " 10 M
Michael " 7 M
John " 3 M
Joseph " 7/12 M

In 1860, he reported his real property was worth $400, and his personal property was worth $200.

By 1870, according to the census, his real property was worth $4,000, and his personal property was worth $900.

In addition to the original 40-acre homestead, John Diederich ultimately acquired two other tracts. On 6 February 1856, he paid Joseph and Adeline Myers $250 for 51 acres of land, described in Brown County deeds, Book X, p. 83, as the East Part of the East ½ of the Southwest ¼ of Section 19, Town 23, Range 20, consisting of a parcel 51 rods wide by 160 rods long running northwesterly. This tract is also in the Town of Lawrence, about a half-mile west of the first tract, on County Trunk EE. In 1968, it was part of a 104-acre tract owned by Eugene and Mary Manders.

On 27 April 1869, John added 74¾ acres to his holdings, bringing the total to l65.75 acres. According to Brown County deeds, Book 18, p. 536, Louis Scheuring and his wife, Mathilda, conveyed to John Diederich for $410 Lots 2 and 3 of Section 36, Town 23, Range 19, containing 74¾ acres more or less. These lots are on the opposite side of DePere and front on County Trunk GV, a mile and a half east of that city. In 1968, they were owned by Roger Denis, et al.

When John Diederich died 18 August 1874, he apparently did not leave a will. At least none is recorded. Thus the property passed into the hands of his widow and children, and they apparently held it jointly until 1 October 1878, when his widow, Anna Diederich, sold her dower rights to Anton Deidrich (sic), her son, and Peter Karst for $1,333.34. In addition to the description of all the various tracts of land, the deed reads, "The interest intended to be conveyed hereby is my dower rights as the widow of John Deidrich and also my right as such widow to hold, use, and occupy the homestead as such widow under the laws of Wisconsin reserving and excepting from such conveyance the sole use and right of possession and occupation by myself during life of the front room and bedroom off therefrom in the house now occupied by me and being on the said homestead situate on the S.W. 20 acres of Section 20 as above conveyed." She signed with her mark. See Brown County deeds, Book 31, p. 609.

That same day, her daughter "Gertrude Gates and Philip Gates, her husband" sold their one-eighth share in the estate to Anton Diederich and Peter Karst for $63.26. See Brown County deeds, Book 31, p. 608.

On 5 March 1879, "Joseph Diedrich and Cecilia Deidrich, his wife" sold their share to Anton Diedrich and Peter Karst for $150. See Brown County deeds, Book 39, p. 95.

The reason for the substantial difference in the amount of money each received is unknown. Perhaps there was some other consideration involved which is not mentioned in the deeds.

On 10 March 1880, "Peter Karst and Katherine Karst, his wife, of the Town of Lawrence" conveyed the interest previously conveyed by Anna Diederich to Anton Diedrich for $125. By then, Anna Diederich was dead. See Brown County deeds, Book 39, p. 208.

Then on 1 April 1880, "Antoon Diederich and Mary Diederich, his wife, Mathias Diederich (unmarried), Theresia Pennings (nee Diederich), and John Pennings, her husband," sold an undivided six-eighths interest in the two 20-acre tracts and the 74¾-acre lots east of DePere to Peter, John and Antoon Keyzers for $900. See Brown County deeds, Book 42, p. 294. "Mary Diederich of Fillmore County, Nebraska" sold her one-eighth interest in these properties to the Keyzers on 12 April 1880 for $150. See Brown County deeds, Book 42, p. 311. Peter Didrich of Miles City, Custer County, Montana, Territory sold his one-eighth interest to the Keyzers on 19 June 1881 for $464.89. See Brown County deeds, Book 42, p. 459. Did Peter get more because he held out?

Also on 1 April 1880, "Antoon Diederich & Mary Diederich, his wife, Theresia Pennings (Nee Diederich), John Pennings, her husband, and Mary Diederich, unmarried," sold their six-eighths interest in the 51-acre tract to their brother, Mathias Diederich of DePere, for $800. See Brown County deeds, Book 42, p. 318. On 9 July 1881, "Mathias Diedrich of Brown County, Wisconsin" resold the six-eighths interest in the 51-acre tract back to his brother, "Antoon Deidrich of the same county" for $800. See Brown County deeds, Book 43, p. 556.

On 26 August 1882, "Antoon Deidrich and Mary Deidrich, his wife, of Brown County, Wisconsin" conveyed the 51-acre tract to William Michaelis of the same county for $1,100. See Brown County deeds, Book 47, p. 239. On 21 May 1883, "Peter Diederich of Fort Benton, Choto County, Montana" sold his one-eighth interest in the 51-acre tract to "William Michaelis of Town Lawrence" for $100. See Brown County deeds, Book 47, p. 419. Thus, the last of the property acquired by John Diederich passed from the hands of his heirs.

Census and other records indicate John and Anna Diederich had at least nine children. Three were born before the family emigrated to the United States, and the other six were born in Brown County, Wisconsin. They were:

Gertrude Diederich = Philip Goetz
Peter Diederich
Michael Diederich
John William Diederich = 1) Cecilia Van der Heyden
= 2) Wilhelmina Van der Heyden
Joseph Diederich = Anna Catherine Ostermann
Mary Ann Diederich = Leroy Oscar Kerns
Antone Diederich = Mary Klipstein
Mathias Diederich
Theresia Diederich = John Pennings