Lena Straub of Großheubach

"Immigrants: we get the job done" -- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Großheubach (Big Heubach) is a small town in the Miltenberg district in Lower Franconia in Bavaria. It sits on the right (east) bank of the river Main. Kleinheubach (Little Heubach) sits on the left bank. The two towns are connected by a bridge.

Magdalena ("Lena") Straub was born in Großheubach 16 May 1876 (per the US Social Security Death Index). Her father's name was Mathias Straub. She had at least three sisters plus either a brother or a male cousin:

Magdalena also had an older sister, cousin or aunt named Mathilda. In fact, the first record I have for Magdalena is her arrival in NYC on 23 Oct 1894 aboard the SS Westernland out of Antwerp. She was travelling with Mathilda Straub, born in August 1870. The place of birth of both women is listed only as Germany. Both women are listed as having the occupation "cook maid."

What's particularly interesting is that Mathilda is described as being a US citizen. I haven't been able to find a naturalization record for her. She may or may not be the Mathilde Straub who first arrived in NYC on 01 Jun 1888 aboard the SS Amalfi out of Hamburg. The 1888 passenger record lists her as being born in 1868 and last residing in Kleinheubach. She was travelling in company with Magdalena Ebbert, born in 1869 and also last residing in Kleinheubach.

I don't have any further information on Mathilda Straub after 1894. One possibility is that she returned to Germany.

Magdalena supposedly returned to Germany at some point and then arrived back in the States in 1901. I haven't been able to find a record of this trip.

The next record I have for Magdalena - or Lena, as she's now called in all records going forward - is for her arrival in NYC 11 Feb 1908 aboard the the SS Vaderland out of Antwerp. Lena is listed as a non-immigrant alien who had been in the States previously 1901-1907. She was accompanying her niece Klara, the daughter of Aegidius Straub and Maria Zimmerman born 19 Apr 1891. Klara was said to be intending to join her uncle, "P Steier" at 131 East 60th Street.

(The uncle referred to may be Pius Steuer, born in Grossheubach in or about 1870, the son of Oswald Steuer and Aloysia Lutz. He immigrated to the States in 1887 and in 1895, married Juliana Seus, born in Grossheubach in about 1871, the daughter of Charles Seus and Mary Anne Spielman. Note that the names are from the marriage record, so the forms are anglicized. Pius, Juliana and their daughters lived at various addresses in Manhattan before moving to the Bronx sometime between 1905 and 1910. It's not at all clear how the Straubs were related to the Steuer, Lutz, Seus or Spielman families. Pius may have been Klara's older cousin rather than strictly speaking her uncle.)

The 1910 US Census found Clara Straub working as a servant for Louis Levi and his family at 18 West 88th Street. Also working there as a servant was a woman whose name is given as Lena "Strout" who was born in or about 1879 and who immigrated to the States in 1896. I believe this to be Lena Straub, for reasons I'll state below.

In 1911 or 1912 Clara returned to Großheubach. She arrived back in the States on 30 May 1912 aboard the SS President Lincoln out of Cuxhaven. The passenger manifests describes Clara as a non-immigrant alien who had been in the States from 1908 to either 1911 or 1912. (The figure is unclear). With her were her sister Matilda born in or about 1895 and her aunt Anastasia. The two younger women were described as servants and Anastasia, as a sempstress. Clara and Matilda had left behind their father Egid, Anastasia her sister Theresia. All three were going to join Clara and Matilda's aunt and Anastasia's sister, "Lina" Straub at 18 West 88th Street, i.e., Louis Levi's address.

Lena herself returned to Großheubach in 1914. She arrived back in the States 31 Oct 1914 aboard the SS Nieuw Amsterdam out of Rotterdam. Lena was listed as a non-immigrant alien who'd been in the States 1907-1914. She left behind her "bril" - the letters are not very clear - M Straub in Großheubach. (If the notation actually does read bril and stands for brother-in-law, it's not clear whom is meant. Lena remained single throughout her life. The only way she would have a brother-in-law with the last name Straub would be if one of her sisters had married a man who was also named Straub.) Lena was going to join her "friend" L Levy at "10 W 00 St" in NYC. In other words, Louis Levi at 18 West 88th Street.

As of 1915, "Matilda Strob" born 1895 and "Anna Starb" born 1879 were working as servants in Manhattan at two different houses. Both had immigrated to the States in 1912, so I suspect they're "our" Mathilda and Anna. I was unable to find Lena.

Mathilda married Ernest Tietz in Manhattan on 02 Oct 1919. Ernest was born in Germany in or about 1889, the son of Karl Tietz and Minnie (probably Wilhelmina) Wolga.

The 1920 US Census found Mathilda and Ernest "Tatz" living at 209 East 80th Street in Manhattan. Mathilda was said to have immigrated in 1913 rather than 1912, which gives some idea of the "slop" in immigration years. Ernest was working as a chauffeur and was said to have immigrated in 1914. This suggests that he may have been the Ernst Tietz who arrived in NYC 29 Jul 1914 aboard the SS Barbarossa out of Bremen. This Ernst Tietz was a member of the crew who proposed to leave the ship and look for work in New Jersey or New York. Although his last residence was Bremerhaven, he had been born in Liebstadt. He had a brother who lived in the Pankow neighbourhood of Berlin, which suggests that the Liebstadt in question might have been the one 23 km southeast of Dresden. (It's now on the border with the Czech Republic.) The former sailor is described as being 6'1", with a fair complexion, brown hair and "gr" (grey? green?) eyes.

As it happens, there was another Ernst Tietz who registered for the WWI draft in Manhattan on 05 Jun 1917. He was single, an unemployed rivetter and had served in the German Navy for three years. (I can't make out the rank - looks like "Freiman.") This man was born 29 Jun 1889. However, he was born in Dortmund, Westphalia. He was of medium height and build, with light brown hair and grey eyes. His WWII draft registration from New Jersey in 1942 says he was born in "Harwick" (possibly Herdecke, a town bordering the city of Dortmund?) and that he was 5'8", 218 lbs with a ruddy complexion, brown hair and blue eyes. As of 1940, he was not yet a citizen.

The discrepancies in height and place of birth suggest to me that the two Ernests were not the same man. However, I haven't been able to find a separate immigration record for the Ernest Tietz born 29 Jun 1889 in Dortmund.

Meanwhile Lena had been enumerated in the 1920 census as living and working (as a maid) at the Lenox Hill Hospital, formerly the German Hospital. She was said to have been born in 1877 and to have immigrated in 1894. On 04 Jun 1920 she filed a Declaration of Intention, giving her address as 112 East 77th Street. This would be appropriate for the Lenox Hill Hospital.

By 1921 Mathilda and Ernest had moved up to the Bronx. Mathilda left the States 21 May 1921 to visit her father Egid in Großheubach. She returned 04 Nov 1921 aboard the SS Rotterdam out of Rotterdam. Her passenger manifest says she's joining her husband Ernst Tietz at 384 East 158th Street, NYC. This address would be in the Bronx.

Mathilda's visit seems to have motivated her brother (one of her brothers?) to immigrate as well. Josef Alois Straub born 15 May 1896 arrived in NYC 03 Dec 1921 aboard the SS George Washington out of Bremen. He was a butcher who left behind his wife Theresia at Marktplatz, Miltenberg, and was going to join his sister "Mrs Philipp Barth" at 366 East 158th Street, NYC. (Note the proximity to Mathilda and Ernest's address.)

On 12 Oct 1922 Anastasia "Anna" Straub arrived back in NYC aboard the SS Resolute out of Hamburg. The passenger manifest does not mention anyone whom she left behind in Europe. However it states that she was born in Großheubach, was working as a governess and was living at 168 Beechmont Drive, New Rochelle, NY.

A month later, on 16 Nov 1922, Theresia "Resi" Straub and her infant daughter Ellen arrived in NYC aboard the ss President Arthur out of Bremen. Theresia had been born in Isenburg or about 1899, while Ellen was born in Großheubach. Unfortunately, in the microfilm copy that I was looking at, the second page of the manifest got filmed twice and the first page not at all. This means that I can't check to see if Ellen's age is specified in months rather than just "one year." I also can't see whom Resi and Ellen left behind, although I know they were living in Miltenberg at the time they immigrated. They were joining Josef Straub at 366 East 158th Street, NYC, i.e. Clara and Philip Barth's address in the Bronx.

On 27 Mar 1923 Lena filed her Petition for Naturalization. By then she was living at 78 Lincoln "Street" (Avenue), New Rochelle, i.e. about 2 km away from Anna's address in 1922. Lena was working as a nurse, which in this context means someone who provides personal care but not necessarily a licensed or registered nurse. What's interesting about Lena's petition is that she said she'd arrived in the States on 31 Oct 1914 aboard the SS Nieuw Amsterdam out of Rotterdam. In other words, she used her most recent arrival record, not her first arrival record. Her two witnesses were apparently friends rather than family members: Lena Kroesen, housewife, of 2155 Washington Ave, NYC, and Katie Durany, laundress, Portchester. The petition was granted 02 Jul 1923.

Mathilda and Ernest had a daughter named Mathilda born 02 Jan 1924 in New York, NY.

Everyone went to ground for the 1925 New York State Census and 1930 US Census! I couldn't find records for Lena or Anna Straub; Mathilda, Ernest or the younger Mathilda Tietz; or for Theresia, Josef or Ellen Straub.

However on 12 May 1930 Lena and Anastasia "Anna" Straub left their home at 414 East 155th Street in the Bronx to visit their sister Aloisia in Großheubach. Lena was a citizen, while Anastasia was a "returning resident alien" who'd been in the States 1912-1930. Because of Anastasia's non-resident status, she has an occupation listed: nurse. The sisters sailed from Hamburg on 03 Apr 1931 aboard the SS Albert Ballin and arrived in NYC 11 Apr 1931, almost a year after they'd left.

On 15 Aug 1932 Clara Straub Barth sailed from Bremen aboard the SS Europa, arriving back in NYC 21 Aug 1932. She was a US citizen by virtue of marriage, so the passenger manifest didn't include any further information beyond her current address.

Nine months later, on 21 May 1933, Mathilda Straub Tietz and her daughter Mathilda also sailed out of New York Harbour, heading for Europe to visit their father and grandfather Egid Straub in Großheubach. They left Bremen 18 Sep 1933 aboard the SS Europa and arrived in NYC 24 Sep 1933. Their home address was 145 West Kingsbridge Road in the Bronx. Ernest Tietz is not mentioned on the passenger manifest. Mother and daughter are listed as returning to their "own home."

This is the last piece of information I have on Mathilda Straub Tietz and her daughter, Mathilda Tietz.

In the 1940 US Census there's man named Ernest Tietz born in or about 1890 in Germany enumerated as a lodger at 2240 Third Avenue, Manhattan. His marital status was originally given as M for married, but someone's drawn a line through the M and written a question mark after it. He's an alien. He was living in NYC in 1935 but not at the same address. He's employed as a washer at a wine factory. It's not possible to say with certainty if this is Mathilda's husband or not.

Lena and Anna, on the other hand, are easy to find. Some creative soul has listed them as spouses - very progressive for 1940! They're living at 336 East 155th Street in the Bronx, only two blocks away from their 1930 address, across Courtland and Melrose. Anna is an alien, Lena is naturalized. They were both living in the Bronx in 1935 but not at the same address. Lena's no longer working, but Anna works as an infant nurse for a private family.

Apparently they moved again within the next two years, back east across Courtland and Melrose and then seven blocks north. When Joseph Alois Straub registered for the WWII draft in 1942, he gave his address as 425 East 162nd Street, Bronx. His contact person was "Lina" Straub at the same address. This doesn't necessarily mean that anything had happened to Joseph's wife Theresia. I've seen other married men list contact people other than their wives. As of the time of registration, Joseph was unemployed.

In fact when Joseph flew back to NYC from Amsterdam aboard KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines on 17 Sep 1951, he gave his marital status as married rather than widowed. His occupation was butcher (as it had been when he immigrated in 1921) and he'd become a US citizen. I can't find a citizenship petition, but there's a Joseph Alois Straub who filed in a Declaration of Intention in the Bronx County Court 26 Feb 1947. Joseph gave his address as 334 East 151st Street, south and west of the 1942 address but still in the same neighbourhood.

Joseph and his family may have been living with Lena and Anastasia because when they took a trip in 1954, they gave the same address. The Straubs would have lived in the building that still stands at this address, as it was built in 1926. No newfangled airplanes for Lena and Anna! On 22 May 1945 the two sisters, now 78 and 75, sailed out of Bremerhaven aboard the SS Olympia, arriving in NYC 31 May 1954.

According to the United States Social Security Death Index, Lena Straub died in New York (no further specification) in July 1963. Anna Straub died in the Bronx in November 1967. Specifically, at the time of her death she was living in the 10451 zip code area, the Melrose neighbourhood of the Bronx where she'd been living since 1930.

Joseph died in June 1975 in the Bronx. He was also living in the 10451 zip code area. I don't know what happened to Theresia or to Joseph and Theresia's daughter Ellen.

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In memory of Janet A Werner, 1931-2015