Schwitzgebel Genealogy

Leo Bernard Mayer

Update: Thanks to a combination of information from FamilySearch, the Landesarchiv Baden-Würrtemberg, and a sizable push in the right direction from Bernhard Allgeier, I now have a few additional generations' worth of information about Leo and his family. Updated information is highlighted below.

Leo Bernard Mayer
Leo Bernard Mayer

Leo Bernard Mayer was born 29 June 1840, in Achern, Baden, Baden, and came to the United States in 1865. He died on 8 November 1926, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was buried 11 November 1926 in Ft. Thomas, Campbell, Kentucky, USA.

According to his obituary, Leo "came to Cincinnati during the Civil War...lived for a long time in Dayton, [Campbell,] Kentucky, then at Ft. Thomas, [Campbell Co.,] Kentucky, and again at Cincinnati." The obituary also indicates that "for more than half a century he followed the trade of merchant tailor." His death certificate names Francis MAYER as his father.


Leo's baptismal record lists Fr. Xaver Mayer and Brigitta Frühe as his parents. A further search uncovered their marriage record, which states that Xaver Mayer married Brigitta Frühe on 16 Jun 1830 in Achern. The groom's parents are Johann Georg Mayer and Maria Anna Buch; the bride's parents are Xaver Früh and Magdalena Schmideberger.

With this knowledge, I was able to find several of Leo's siblings: two sisters, Cresenz (b. 4 Feb 1831) and Ernestina (b. 13 Mar 1835), and brothers Ignatz (b. 29 Oct 1832), Franz Ludwig (b. 24 Aug 1836), and Emil (b. 11 Oct 1841).

Of these newly-discovered siblings, I have proof of nothing except that they lived. However, over the years I've spend searching for signs of Mayers and Wiemers, I became peripherally aware of an Ignatz Mayer who lived in Cincinnati, Ohio.1

As well, I've found an immigration record for an Ignaz Mayer who was about the same age as Leo's brother and who entered the port of New York aboard the Frumbull on 16 Feb 1854.2

Did Leo Mayer's brother, Ignatz, also immigrate to America and settle in Cincinnati? It's a theory supported by only name, similar birth year, and location, but it's an intriguing possibility.

In the interest of completeness, I'll mention that I found marriage records naming additional ancestors. Georg Mayer and Maria Anna Buch were married 12 Jan 1795 in Buhl, Baden, Baden. Georg's parents were Mathiae Mayer and Mariae Joseph Gottlob, and Maria Anna's were Friederich Buch and Barbara Graf.


Leo's first wife was Elisabeth Wiemer, who was born 29 November 1841, in Gamshurst, Baden, and died on 24 October 1878, in Ft. Thomas, Campbell, Kentucky, during childbirth.

Elisabeth Wiemer
Elisabeth Wiemer

They had the following children:

  • Frances
    • Born about 1868 in Ohio
  • Charles
    • Born about 1869 in Ohio
  • William
    • Born 31 May 1871 in Dayton, Campbell Co., Kentucky
    • Died 20 Jan 1913 in Dayton, Campbell Co., Kentucky
  • Joseph L.
    • Born 18 Nov 1872 in Dayton, Campbell Co., Kentucky
    • Died 27 Nov 1934 in Dayton, Campbell Co., Kentucky
  • John N.
    • Born Mar 1876 in Kentucky
    • Died 6 May 1948 in Campbell Co., Kentucky
  • Frank Leo
    • Born 13 Aug 1877, in Dayton, Campbell, Kentucky
    • Died 15 Jan 1963, in Dayton, Campbell, Kentucky
  • Elizabeth Josephine
    • Born 24 OCT 1878, in Ft. Thomas, Campbell, Kentucky.
    • Died 14 Jul 1951, in Canton, Stark, Ohio

    Elizabeth Josephine was born prematurely and kept in a shoebox in the oven which served as her incubator. She was raised by her mother's sister, Monica "Mary" WIEMER, and husband, Frank STEINBACH, in Morges, Carroll, Ohio.


Rosina Kueven Mayer with son Louis
Rosina Kueven Mayer and son Louis
(photo courtesy of April Collins)
After Elisabeth's death, Leo married Rosina Kueven, who had kept house for the family before Elisabeth's death. Rosina was born July 1847, in Kentucky.

Rosina and Leo had the following children:

Leo Mayer and Rosina Kueven Mayer
Leo Mayer and Rosina Kueven Mayer

Sources

  1. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1860; Census Place: Cincinnati Ward 12, Hamilton, Ohio; Roll: M653_975; Page: 112; Image: 227; Family History Library Film: 803975.
  2. Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Year: 1854; Arrival: New York, United States; Microfilm Serial: M237; Microfilm Roll: 136; Line: 42; List Number: 135.

If you have information about Leo MAYER, Elisabeth WIEMER, or Rosina KUEVEN, please and tell me about it. For more MAYERs, check out my online database.
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