TheThe SteubenSteuben NewsNews A Newspaper by German-Americans for All Americans VOL. 89 NO.3 DUTY • JUSTICE • CHARITY • TOLERANCE MAY/JUNE 2016 The Coral House in Baldwin, NY is the site of this yearʼs 97th Anniversary Gala Celebration National Council 97th Anniversary German Genealogists visit New Ulm MN. L - R: George Glotzbach, Gala Luncheon Robert Beussman, Dirk Weissleder, Pat Eckstein, Kent Cutkomp, Pat Kretsch, Wade Olson, Harvey Stadick, Denis Warta at Turner Hall Join us as we celebrate our 97th year of existence. With a Rathskeller, New Ulm, MN. Photo by Wade Olson. break of tradition, instead of the Founders Day Banquet, we will gather on May 22, 2015 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the Coral House, 70 Germanic Genealogists Visit New Ulm, MN Milburn Avenue in Baldwin, NY, for a festive luncheon enhanced Two Germanic genealogists visited Brown County, MN in by the musical entertainment of John Weber. We will honor our January. Their purpose was twofold: to seek cooperation with the Founders and our Patron. This year's food is as follows: German-Bohemian Heritage Society (GBHS), a worldwide cultural The cocktail hour includes butler-passed top shelf hors d’ou- organization headquartered in New Ulm, MN, and to investigate the fam- vres. The four course dinner includes pasta, caesar salad and for the ily files at the Brown County Historical Society (BCHS). Visiting from Laatzen, Germany was Dirk Weissleder, Chairman of the National main course a choice of Loin of Pork, Salmon or Skirt Steak. German Umbrella Organization of Genealogical Societies (NGUOGS), Occasional cake and coffee will be served for dessert. Soda is and from St. Paul, MN, was Kent Cutkomp, Program Chairman of the included. There will be a cash bar. 97th Anniversary Gala tickets are Germanic Genealogy Society of Minnesota (GGS). $70 per person and children under 12 are $35 per child. Please make Together with other American genealogical organizations, the check payable to Steuben Society of America and mail to Elyse NGUOGS and GGS are planning a national genealogical conference to be Land, P.O. Box 777, Levittown, NY, 11756. held in Minnesota in 2017, with expected attendance of 500 delegates. We need your support for this important event. Please invite New Ulm and Brown County are being considered as an optional field trip your friends and family! DEADLINE is May 12, 2016! for delegates. Weissleder and Cutkomp were entertained in the Rathskeller of PLEASE SUPPORT THE CENTENNIAL CLUB Turner Hall by Mayor Robert Beussman who presented the two visitors with gifts representing New Ulm. In attendance were Director of the In anticipation of our Centennial Anniversary Celebration, we have BCHS Robert Burgess, and representing established the Centennial Club inviting donations of $100. the GBHS were Pat Kretsch, Denis Warta, Donors will be acknowledged in Steuben News. Wade Olson, Harvey Stadick, Pat Eckstein, Please make check payable to Steuben Society of America and George Glotzbach. The visitors were PERMIT #12 PAID US POSTAGE BULK RATE (Note: “Centennial Club”) and mail to: Steuben Society of America, excited to see the nine murals painted in THIRD CLASS One South Ocean Ave. Suite 217, Patchogue, NY 11772 1873 representing areas of Germany, 11790 BROOK, NY STONY Switzerland, and Italy. Your Name:___________________________________ Address:______________________________________ Contʼd Next page Village:___________________State_____Zip:__________ The Steuben Society of America is N All donations are tax deductible IO dedicated to unite men and women T Visit Steuben Societyʼs New YouTube Channel and watch the of Germanic origin who share a September 2015 Erick Kurz Memorial Lecture common interest in the positive and CORREC by Robert Selig entitled, “Georrg Daniel Flohr and continued growth of our nation as ED SS well as the preservation of our rich ST his Travels in America (1780-1781)” heritage. For more info: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTMiaKc-ICw www.steubensociety.org Steuben Society of America Suite 217 One South Ocean Ave. NY 11772 Patchogue, ADDRE REQUE MAY/JUNE 2016 THE STEUBEN NEWS Page 2 New Ulm Genealologists The Interesting Life of Herman killed his entire family, depriving Contd from front cover Lehmann: A German-American Boy’s Life Among the Apaches and him of any incen- tive to attempt They were pleased to see the large wood Commanches escape. The carving of a chimneysweep (a symbol of Herman Lehmann (June 5, 1859 - Apaches took good luck in Germany) with the inscription February 2, 1932) was captured as a child by Herman Lehmann translated ..."Chimneysweep's Greetings Native Americans. He lived first among the to their village in from Berlin to Minnesota, Christmas Apache and then the Comanche but eventually eastern New 1948"...commemorating aid from a U.S. returned to his family later on in his life. The Mexico. He was Army Air Corps squadron from Minnesota phenomenon of a "white boy" raised by adopted by a man during the Russian blockade of land access "Indians" made him a notable figure in the named Carnoviste to Berlin during the Cold War. United States. He published his autobiography, and his wife, An afternoon tour of New Ulm's Nine Years Among the Indians in 1927. Laughing Eyes. A German cultural sites followed including Herman Lehmann was born near year after his cap- Hermann Monument, Martin Luther Mason, Texas, on June 5, 1859, to German ture, General College, Fr. Alexander Berghold immigrants Ernst Moritz Lehmann and his wife William T. Monument and Way of the Cross, 1860's Augusta Johanna Adams Lehmann. He was a Sherman passed log cabin, Cathedral, Glockenspiel, and third child, following a brother Gustave Adolph through Loyal German-Bohemian Monument. born in 1855, and a sister Wilhelmina who was Valley on an The two genealogists were particu- born in 1857. Following the birth of Herman, the inspection tour. larly anxious to inspect the 6,000 family Lehmans had another son William F. born in Augusta Lehmann files held at the BCHS, as presented by 1861. Augusta had three more daughters, Buchmeier was Herman Lehmann circa early 1920ʼs Research Librarian Darla Gebhard. They Emeliyn, Caroline Wilhelmina and Mathilde, but granted a private audience with Sherman to plead for his assistance were most impressed by the breadth and their birth order is unclear, as it is unclear in finding her son. depth of the records, and the German cul- whether these were children of Lehmann or her The Apaches called Lehmann "En Da" (White Boy). He ture and history of Brown County which second husband Buchmeier. Moritz Lehmann spent about six years with them and became assimilated into their they represented. died in 1862, and Augusta married local stone- culture, rising to the position of lesser chief. As a young warrior, one Next, the working group spent an mason Philip Buchmeier in 1863. of his most memorable battles was a running fight with the Texas hour at the GBHS Library inspecting its Rangers on August 24, 1875, which took place near Fort Concho, genealogical holdings, and pondering ways Herman’s Capture about 65 miles west of the site of San Angelo, Texas. Ranger James in which they could be exchanged by On May 16, 1870, a raiding party of Gillett nearly shot Lehmann before he realized he was a white "cap- researchers working in Germany and eight to ten Apaches, probably Lipans, captured tive". When the Rangers tried to find Lehmann later, he escaped by America. Again, Weissleder and Cutkomp Herman Lehmann, who was almost eleven, and crawling through the grass. were pleased to see the volume and content his eight-year-old brother, Willie, while they of the Society's holdings. were in the fields at their mother's request to Asylum with the Comanches To cap the day, the whole group scare the birds from the wheat. Their two sisters Around the spring of 1876, Herman Lehmann killed an adjourned to the B & L Bar to become per- escaped without injury. Four days later, the Apache medicine man avenging his killing of Carnoviste, his chief sonally acquainted, while enjoying prod- Apache raiding party encountered a patrol of ten and adoptive father. Fearing revenge, he fled from the Apaches and ucts of New Ulm's Schell Brewery. African-American cavalrymen led by Sgt. spent a year alone in hiding. He became lonely and decided to A bridge of understanding has been Emanuel Stance, who had been sent from Fort search for a Comanche tribe that he might join. He observed a tribe built among these various genealogical McKavett to recover the two Lehmann boys. In all day long then entered the camp just after dark. At first, they were organizations in Germany and America. the short battle that followed, Willie Lehmann going to kill him, however, a young warrior approached him that Now these experts must begin to make was able to escape, but the Apaches fled with spoke the Apache tongue. Lehmann then explained his situation, arrangements for the sharing of their col- young Herman. Sergeant Stance became the first that he was born white adopted by the Indians and that he left the lective ancestral past, with today's present black regular to receive a Medal of Honor for his Apaches after killing the medicine man. Another brave came for- researchers, for the benefit of future gener- bravery on this mission. The kidnapping site was ward verifying his story and he was welcomed to stay. He joined the ations. designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Comanches who gave him a new name, Montechema (meaning in 1991, Marker number 11283. unknown). Life with the Apaches In the spring of 1877, Lehmann and the Comanches A few months after Lehman's capture, attacked buffalo hunters on the high plains of Texas.