Peter Josef Schultheiss, son of Pauli Schulteis and Remundae Gansen, was * born on Sunday, 19-Mar-1724 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.^1,2 Say 1754, Peter Josef oo married Maria Juliane Gierlich at St. Nickolaus Catholic Church, Rheinbach. Peter + died, at the age of 78 years, on Wednesday, 2-Jun-1802 in Rheinbach.

     Peter Josef Schulteis, son of Peter Josef Schultheiss and Maria Juliane Gierlich, was ~ baptized on Sunday, 1-Oct-1758 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.^1,2

     Peter Josef Schulteis, son of Paul Josef Schultes and Maria Josefa Müller, was * born on Wednesday, 21-Feb-1787 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.¹ [also identified as 20 February 1787] He was ~ baptized on Thursday, 22-Feb-1787 in Rheinbach.^1,2,3 On Wednesday, 19-May-1813, Peter Josef, age 26, oo married Anna Maria Wichterich, age 21, at St. Margaretha Catholic Church, Rheinbach.^4,2,3 Peter + died, at the age of 39 years, on Saturday, 10-Jun-1826 in Rheinbach.² [Professor Schulteis identified death on 09 June 1826]

     Peter Josef Schultes, son of Peter Joseph Schultes and Maria Elisabeth Finck, was ~ baptized on Monday, 1-Apr-1771 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.^2,1 Peter + died on Monday, 1-Apr-1771.²

     Peter Joseph Schulteis, son of Peter Josef Schulteis and Anna Maria Wichterich, was * born on Wednesday, 6-Jun-1821 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia.^1,2 He was ~ baptized on Thursday, 7-Jun-1821 in Rheinbach.^1,3 On Tuesday, 5-Aug-1845, Peter Joseph, age 24, oo married Anna Maria Elisabeth Merkel, age 25, at St. Peter German Catholic Congregation Church, later known as the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory.^4,5 Peter + died, at the age of 60 years, on Friday, 4-Nov-1881 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.⁶ He was buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Richfield. The burial location is Area South, Row 2, Grave 21 next to his wife Anna Maria.
     Peter emigrated at age 22 from Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia, departing on Wednesday, 13-Sep-1843. The National Archive Trust Fund records in Washington D.C. show that Peter Joseph Schulteis left Rheinbach, Rheinland, Prussia for Antwerp, Belgium in 1843.

Overland travel in the German rugged landscape, mud, and unpredictable weather made it difficult traveling in the 1800's. It was very hard to assure arrival to get to the port on time for passage aboard a vessel. Many families found it faster and more comfortable taking one of the hundreds of the Rhine river boats to near the mouth of the Rhine and then a short trip to Antwerp. A Rhine river boat was usually meant for transportation of commercial materials but for a small fee would accommodate private passengers. Antwerp was also a much less "formal" port than the German ones and it was easier to book passage and leave.

In July/August Peter boarded the Emma, of the boat class "bark" or "Barque" and generally referred to as the "Bark Emma". It was a 342 ton Belgian boat under the command of Captain Charles Sheridan. This wind powered three masts vessel had the front two masts (fore and main) square rigged and the back mast (mizzenmist) rigged fore-and-aft. The vessel arrived 30-40 days later at New York Harbor. There were 131 passengers on board and Peter Joseph was listed as the 28th person on the ship's record. It further showed that Peter was 22 years of age and that his occupation was that of a smit.

At this time in history, immigrants to Wisconsin generally took a boat from New York City up the Hudson River to Albany. There they boarded a train to Buffalo and sailed on a Great Lakes steam boat to Milwaukee. In Milwaukee there was no wharf so passengers unload their baggage into small boats which took them to shore. The last 20 or so miles of the journey was spent walking from Milwaukee through the forested land to their final destination. In Peter Joseph's case, his final destination was Richfield.

Family hearsay has a third brother, although not identified, also coming to the United States and residing out west, possibly in Nebraska. There is no documentation confirming this speculation.

The following memoir was originally published by the Concordia Historical Society and republished in 1985 by the Fayette County, Illinois Genealogical Society. It may provide some insight into what Peter Joseph might have encountered in his journey to Wisconsin.

Written by J. Fred Fellwock, b 1831, Nahausen, Brandenburg, d 1919, Evansville, Indiana.

LEAVING THE HOMELAND

On June 11, 1846, we bade our old and remaining friends farewell, my father, mother, my five sisters, and myself. There were nearly a score of families, including our own, all from our neighborhood of Dorf Nahausen. They hired an Oder River boat, which took us to Hamburg. The railroad from Berlin to Hamburg was then under construction. Only a half mile from Nahausen was an arm of the Oder River, and here our hired boat was anchored, awaiting us.

All baggage and belongings that were to go with us had previously been put aboard the craft. About 12 o'clock noon the craft pulled out, the passengers and cargo bound to an unknown world. As anchor and ropes were drawn in, we sang several verses of spiritual songs. We kept this up for some time; also waving of hands and handkerchiefs from land and boat kept up until we, forever passed on and out of sight. Where there was joy from one end of the boat to the other, yet there rolled many a tear over the cheeks of every passenger, especially mothers and the mature. In a few hours we arrived at the junction of the main Oder River. This we followed to the Finn Canal, through the canal into the Hazel River, and finally in to the Elbe River. After three weeks we arrived in Hamburg.

Perhaps the captain was responsible for our slow headway; he was a slow individual. And in Hamburg there were more passengers than the ships could carry. Owing to this shortage in ships, the better, abler, and more well-to-do were required to accept a delay of three weeks. This included our company, all of whom were anxious to get to America.

At last we bade farewell to the Fatherland. Our voyage consumed fifty-five days, until we arrived in New York on September 19, 1846. Think of it, eight weeks, a little short of two months from Hamburg to New York. Compare this with modern traveling of our day as well as with the improvements in every other line of endeavor.

Such a long voyage on a sailship is, indeed, replete with hardships. This was our experience, and while our ship was not so crowded as some others, it was nevertheless an ordeal. The food was such as would nauseate us. Luckily my parents had taken along a goodly supply of toasted bread, bacon, ham, and other victuals, which we now for some time were enjoying as "delicatessen" as compared with the ship's fare. In the meantime leaving our ship's portions to others.

My mother and my oldest sister, Wilhelmina, never did see the ocean. From the very start both got seasick and remained so to the last day. I had a touch of it, but quickly overcame it, and thereafter felt entirely well on the remainder of the trip.

WISCONSIN BOUND

As you know, we were Wisconsin-bound. After one day's stay in New York--then already a big city--we, very slowly, by steamer, went up the Hudson River to Albany, New York and from there by railroad to Buffalo. On this trip we were several times in danger of being cremated alive. The coach -- a miserable affair--had no seats. It was a sort of "box-stall"--if you know what I mean--probably a cattle or freight car. Four families (twenty-nine persons) with all their baggage and belongings were crowded into this car. Where one stood, there he would squat; there he would remain. No elbow room, no chance for exercise. Neither was this all our plight. As stated before, we were faced with the predicament of being destroyed body and baggage, from fiery cinders of the locomotive ahead of our car. There was no glass in the door of our car; it was broken as nearly as I remember; smoke would pour in at times to suffocation; sparks at other times would make their appearance in such profusion that ignition of our belongings, such as wrapped bed clothes and other wrapped valuables, including the entire cargo, was practically unavoidable. No conductor showed up; we were isolated in Uncle Sam's great domain, wiping cinders out of our swollen and reddened eyes, while the smaller children pitifully kept up the orgy of crying.

But we soon found a weapon that would guard against these cinders; a wet cloth was hung across this door opening. But, oh! such a job! While it seemed comparatively easy to stand there doing nothing but keeping the cloth moist, my turn of sixty-minute shifts was as painful to me as was the incident of yesteryear, when I was compelled to stand up driving, taking dinner to the workmen in the hayfield. [He is referring to a spanking that he had received as a younger child.] Never in my life did I find the time to pass so slowly, doing nothing most of the time. Nevertheless it required two of us boys to guard the situation when the winds blew against us. One to hold the cloth in place while the other kept up moistening the cloth, or extinguishing the fire whenever the cloth caught fire. The job was a grimy one to us boys as well as it was funny; we were glad when it ended with our arrival in Buffalo.

Various incidents retarded our journey going west. Frequently we were side-tracked for hours and hours. At one time we broke down in a cornfield, where we were delayed for over twenty-four hours before all was well and ready to continue. Finally Buffalo was reached, and the railroad between Buffalo and Chicago not having been completed, we had to make, again, a voyage on the Lakes, directly to Milwaukee.

The trip over the Lakes was stormy, with no pleasure in it, but we finally arrived at Milwaukee in fairly good spirits, as nearly as I can remember. Now another fifty or sixty miles, and we would be at our journey's end.

End of the traveling saga, back to Peter Joseph.

Peter Joseph applied for citizenship on 18 October 1843. This was the same year the Catholic Diocese of Milwaukee was established on paper. On Wednesday, 1-Mar-1848 Peter Joseph and Anna Maria purchased 177 Acres of timberland for $221.95 from the Milwaukee Land Office of the United States Government ($1.25 per acre) in Township 9N, Range 19E, Section 3. At that time the land was considered part of the Wisconsin Territory. James K. Polk was president. Sixty one days later, Wisconsin became the 30th state. The land patent is filed with the Bureau Of Land Management, Eastern Region, volume WI282, page 478, certificate number 18,074.

The book Richfield Remembers The Past identified Peter purchased 160 acres on 28 July 1845 identified as NW 1/4 of Section 3.

On 1 August 1849, Peter's brother Herman Joseph purchased 40 acres of land (9N,19E,3) which Peter cosigned. On 1 January 1850 Peter purchased an additional 80 acres (9N,19E,7). On 2 August 1852, Peter Joseph purchased 40 acres (9N,19E,3) which was the same land as purchased by Herman Joseph in 1849. It would seem that Herman Joseph had second thoughts about living in Richfield and decided to settle in Port Washington where the 1860 census has him living.

It is said that Indians camped by the spring at the center of the property and also in the northwest portion of the property where St. Mary's Church is located. In total Peter Joseph purchased 297 acres of land. The plot map in 1873 show a house and barn to be located about center with the barn positioned to the north and west of the house. The 1892 plot map has the entrance to the property on the north from what is now called Pioneer Road.

As other settlers moved into the area and decided where they wanted to settle, they would give Peter the money and he would go to Milwaukee to buy the land for them, because he was familiar as to where to go and how to do it.⁷

On 2 June 1852 Peter and Anna and his brother Herman and Margaretha donated three acres of Peter Joseph's land to Bishop John Henni of the Milwaukee Catholic Diocese on which the Church of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary chapel was constructed and opened in 1854. The price paid for the property by the diocese was one dollar of "good and lawful money of the United States of America". Father I. Nicholas Pfeiffer operating from St. Boniface in Goldenthal was its first pastor. The chapel was located two miles west of the village of Richfield and four miles north of the hamlet of Hubertus. In the early years, the chapel was also referred to in some records as the "Schultheis Kirche." In 1894, what is now known as St. Mary Church was built at a cost of $2,500 and replaced the chapel.

     Peter Joseph Schulteis, son of Herman Joseph Schulteis and Gertrude Margaret Doll, was * born on Wednesday, 18-Dec-1872 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3,4 On Tuesday, 21-Jun-1898, Peter Joseph, age 25, oo married Elizabeth Gertrude Koenings, age 25, at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Church, Barton.⁵ Peter + died, at the age of 60 years, on Thursday, 9-Nov-1933 in the evening at his home in Milwaukee.^3,4,2 He is ± buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Richfield.^4,3 Services were conducted at St. Leo Catholic Church in Milwaukee. The burial location is Area South, Row 3, Grave 32.
     In the early 1900s, Peter owned the Schulteis Hotel, Barton.

     Peter Joseph Schultes, son of Everhard Schulteis and Christina Hausmann, was ~ baptized on Thursday, 21-Mar-1743 in Rheinbach, Rheinland, Germanic Lands.^1,2 On Friday, 6-Dec-1765, Peter Joseph, age 22, oo married Maria Elisabeth Finck, age 19, in St. Martin Catholic Church, Rheinbach, Rhienland, Germanic Lands.^3,4,2 Peter + died, at the age of 44 years, on Thursday, 19-Jul-1787.²

     Peter Mathew Schulteis, son of Albert William Schulteis and Clara Cecelia Hennes, was born on Friday, 24-Feb-1922 in the Town of Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.¹ Peter + died on Saturday, 13-Jan-1923 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.¹ He is ± buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Richfield.¹ The burial location is Area South, Row 2, Grave 29.

     Peter Wilhelm Schulteis, son of Joannes Jakob Schulthes and Maria Elisabetha Puetz, was ~ baptized on Monday, 26-Dec-1768 at St. Martin Catholic Church, Bilk, Rhineland, Germanic Lands.¹

     Ralph Frank Schulteis, son of Albert William Schulteis and Clara Cecelia Hennes, was born on Monday, 30-Sep-1935 at home in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3 Ralph + died, at the age of 73 years, on Tuesday, 11-Aug-2009 at home on the Schulteis homestead at 2290 Hillside Road, Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^4,3,2 He is ± buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Richfield. The burial location is Area South, Row 12, Grave 37.

     Robert Herman Schulteis, son of Frank Joseph Schulteis and Elizabeth Dorothy Gass, was * born on Sunday, 3-Aug-1924 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2 On Saturday, 17-Nov-1945, Robert Herman, age 21, oo married Beatrice Katherine Mergener, age 20, at St. Mathias Catholic Church, Nabob.³ Robert + died, at the age of 66 years, on Monday, 20-May-1991 at Community Memorial Hospital, Menomonee Falls.^4,2 He is ± buried in St. Peter Catholic Cemetery, Slinger.^5,4 Mass of Christian Burial was conducted by Father Robert Bales Wednesday evening at 8:00.

     Roman Martin Schulteis, son of Herman Joseph Schulteis and Mary Dolores Schmidt, was * born on Sunday, 12-Dec-1915 in Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2 On Saturday, 25-Sep-1937, Roman Martin, age 21, oo married Matilda (nmn) Habenicht, age 18, at St. Michael Catholic Church, Milwaukee.^3,1 Roman + died, at the age of 79 years, on Monday, 13-Mar-1995 at Community Memorial Hospital, Menomonee Falls.^4,2 He is ± buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Menomonee Falls.⁴

     Rosa Margaretha Schulteis, daughter of Albert J. Schulteis and Anne Isabelle Oyster, was * born on Saturday, 21-Jun-1890.^1,2

     Ruth Scholtes, daughter of Peter Scholtes and Anna (maiden name unknown), was * born on Tuesday, 28-Mar-1617 in Nieukerk, Rhineland, Germanic Lands.¹

     Sylvester Ferdinand Schulteis, son of Peter Joseph Schulteis and Elizabeth Gertrude Koenings, was * born on Wednesday, 29-Mar-1911 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3,4 On Saturday, 2-May-1936, Sylvester Ferdinand, age 25, oo married Isabelle Margaret Wolf, age 23, at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Goldendale.^5,6 Sylvester + died, at the age of 52 years, on Monday, 16-Mar-1964 in Richfield, Wisconsin.^7,2,3,4 He is ± buried in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery, Goldendale.^7,3 The burial location is Area 3, Row 7, Plot 38-A1.

     Sylvia Mary Schulteis, daughter of Herman Joseph Schulteis and Mary Dolores Schmidt, was * born on Thursday, 22-Jan-1914 in Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3 On Saturday, 1-Jun-1935, Sylvia Mary, age 21, oo married Joseph Fred Brahm, age 24, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Menomonee Falls.¹ Sylvia + died, at the age of 76 years, on Saturday, 22-Sep-1990 at Community Memorial Hospital, Menomonee Falls.^2,3,4 She is ± buried in St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery, Fussville, Waukesha County.⁴

     Theodor Schulteis, son of Tyl Schultheiss and Catharn Barth, was * born say 1663 in Germanic Lands. Theodor oo married Katharina Kryfelt. Theodor + died on Monday, 1-Jan-1759.¹

     Theodore Schulteis, son of Constantin Adam Hubert Schulteis and Amalie Platz, was * born in 1864.¹ Say 1891, Theodore oo married Maria Berneisen.¹

     Theodore Schulteis, son of Theodore Schulteis and Maria Berneisen, was * born say 1899 in Mühlheim, Neidersachsen, Germany.¹ Theodore + died in Mühlheim/Ruhr, Neidersachsen, Germany, from an accident.¹

     Theodore Joseph Schulteis, son of Albert William Schulteis and Clara Cecelia Hennes, was born on Wednesday, 26-Feb-1919 at home in the Town of Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3 On Saturday, 26-May-1945, Theodore Joseph, age 26, oo married Adela Margaret Konrath, age 28, at St. Peter Catholic Church, Slinger.^4,2 Theodore + died, at the age of 44 years, on Wednesday, 12-Feb-1964 at St. Joseph Hospital, Hartford, Wisconsin.^5,3 He is ± buried in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery, Goldendale.^5,3 The burial location is in Area 4, Row 6.

     Theresa Schulteis, daughter of Peter Joseph Schulteis and Anna Maria Elisabeth Merkel, was * born on Friday, 22-May-1857 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA. On Tuesday, 17-Sep-1878, Theresa, age 21, oo married Wilhelm Kassel, age 26, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Richfield.^1,2,3 Theresa + died, at the age of 62 years, on Monday, 15-Dec-1919 at 813 Holton Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.⁴ She is ± buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Milwaukee.^4,5 The burial location is in Block 12, Row 34s. Services were held at St. Francis Catholic Church.

     Thys Scholtes, son of Peter Scholtes and Anna (maiden name unknown), was * born on Sunday, 18-Aug-1624 in Nierkerk, Rhineland, Germanic Lands.¹

     Tyl Schultheiss, son of Peter Scholtes, was * born on Sunday, 3-May-1626 in Nierkerk, Rhineland, Germanic Lands.¹ Say 1650, Tyl oo married Catharn Barth.² [the connection to this generation has not been confirmed]

     Waltraud + died in 1902.¹ She, daughter of Dr. Hermann Josef Franz Schulteis M.D. and Ana Katharina Gotthard, was * born in 1902.¹

     Wilhelm Schulteis, son of Constantin Adam Hubert Schulteis and Amalie Platz, was * born say 1873.

     Wilhelm Schultheis, son of Hermann Josef Schultheis and Anna Maria Custor, was * born on Sunday, 14-Nov-1869.¹

     Wilhelm Eberhard Schultheis, son of Hermann Josef E. Schultheis and Charlotte Wilhelmina Hugo, was * born on Tuesday, 14-Jul-1908.¹

     Wilhelm Josef Schultes, son of Peter Joseph Schultes and Maria Elisabeth Finck, was * born on Saturday, 28-Mar-1772.^2,1 Wilhelm + died, at the age of 10 years, on Sunday, 9-Feb-1783.²

     Wilhelmina Mary Schulteis, daughter of Herman Joseph Schulteis and Gertrude Margaret Doll, was * born on Wednesday, 22-Feb-1882 in Richfield, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA.^1,2,3,4 On Tuesday, 12-Jan-1904, Wilhelmina Mary, age 21, oo married Herman Joseph Wolf, age 20, at St. Boniface Catholic Church.^5,6 On Wednesday, 22-Feb-1911, Wilhelmina Mary, age 29, oo married John Anton Kaehny, age 34, at St. Mary Catholic Church, Richfield.^6,7 Wilhelmina + died, at the age of 101 years, on Sunday, 20-Nov-1983 at Marion Catholic Home, Milwaukee.^4,1,3 She was buried in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, Richfield.⁴ The burial location is Area South, Row 3, Grave 33.

     Wilhelmus Henricus Schulteis, son of Joannes Jakob Schulthes and Maria Elisabetha Puetz, was ~ baptized on Thursday, 11-Sep-1766 at St. Martin Catholic Church, Bilk, Rhineland, Germanic Lands.¹