Maria Christine Köppen ^{1 2 3}

   Another name for Maria was Christina Köppen.^{4 5 6 7}

  General Notes:

The following is a discharge certificate from the Prussian Government, relinquishing citizenship in that country. In 1855 the government was Prussian, not German.

The undersigned Royal Government hereby certifies that Christian Frederick Kramer from Claushagen, born 20 May 1799, at his request and his intention to emigrate to America with his wife, Maria Christine Koeppen, born 30 June 1800, and the following children, under parental supervision Christian Frederick, born 9 Sep 1828 George Frederick Wilhelm, born 23 Aug 1844 has been granted discharge from the Prussian citizenship. This discharge document is valid only for the persons named above and is effective at the time of issue.

Issued in Potsdam (capital of Prussia)
Discharge Certificate #2214 in Aug 1855
(It is thought that these certificates were numbered beginning at the first of each month, indicating that this certificate Number 2,214 was issued at the peak of the immigration wave.)
1/2 Thaler paid (Thaler was a form of currency)
Two other Kramer brothers also emigrated and came to settle with the family, apparently at a later date.

(Source: Cindy Klemm)
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  Noted events in her life were:

• 1845 Germany Census: 1845, in Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY. ¹ 1845 Germany Census
Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Wichmannsdorf Notizbuch Datenbank Nr. 893 Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Marie Christine Kramer..Wife.30 Jun 1800
(Living with husband and children.)
.

• She immigrated on board the ship Iffland on 25 August 1856.
¹ C. Koeppen
Occupation Unknown
Age 55
Sex F
Literacy U
Arrived 25 Aug 1856
Origin Germany
Port Bremen
Last Residence U
Destination Wisconsin
Plan Unknown
Ship Ippland
Passage Unknown
.

• She appeared on the 1860 US Census in Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, MN on 14 July 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 84, Roll 576, Dwelling 710, Family 683
Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, Minnesota
Christena Cramer..60..PRUSSIA
(Living with husband and 3 sons.)
.

• She appeared on the 1865 Minnesota State Census in Utica, MN on 1 June 1865.

1865 Minnesota State Census
Volume 11, Family 122
Utica, Winona County, Minnesota
Christena Kramer..F
(Living with husband.)
. ⁷

• She appeared on the 1875 Minnesota State Census in Utica, MN on May 1875.

1875 Minnesota State Census
page 694, family 26, line 24
Utica, Winona County, Minnesota
Christina Kramer..74..PRUSSIA
(Widowed and living at the home of her married son, George Friedrich Wilhelm, and his family.)

. ⁵

• She appeared on the 1880 US Census in Caledonia, WI on 8 June 1880. ⁶

1880 US Census
Page 9A, Roll 1448, District 69, Dwelling 80
Caledonia, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Cristena Kramer..Moth..80..GERMANY..Widowed
(Widowed and living with married son, Christian Friedrich Kramer, and his family.)
.

• She was buried on 20 December 1882 in the Silo Immanuel Cemetery in Lewiston, MN.

Find A Grave Memorial #122425324
. ³

Maria married Christian Friedrich Kramer II, son of Christian Friedrich Kramer and Christine Köppen, on 17 November 1824 in Klaushagen, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY.¹ (Christian Friedrich Kramer II was born on 30 May 1799 in Klaushagen, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY ^{1 2 4 8}, baptized on 9 June 1799 in Klaushagen, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY, died on 26 December 1867 in Silo, MN ^{1 2 8} and was buried on 29 December 1867 in Lewiston, MN ^{1 8}.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• 1845 Germany Census: 1845, in Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, GERMANY. ¹ 1845 Germany Census
Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Wichmannsdorf Notizbuch Datenbank Nr. 893 Wichmannsdorf, Uckermark, Brandenburg, Germany
Christian Friedrich Kramer..Head..1799
**Christian Friedrich Kramer..Father..1768 - 17 Dec 1844
**Christine Kramer..Mother..3 Jun 1773 - 05 Mar 1828..Wichmannsdorf
Marie Christine Kramer..Wife.30 Jun 1800
Georg Friedrich Kramer..Son..26 Sep 1826 - 1837
Christian Friedrich Kramer..Son..9 Sep 1828
Carl Friedrich Kramer..Son..5 Sep 1830
Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer..Son..13 Sep 1832
Joachim Friedrich Kramer..Son..13 Sep 1832
George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer..Son..23 Aug 1834 - 1837
Ferdinand Kramer..Son..17 Apr 1835 - 22 Mar 1839
George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer..Son..23 Aug 1844

NOTE: German census listed deceased paternal parents to establish lineage of farms. Though the Kramer farm was geographically located in Klaushagen, the incorporated village of Wichmannsdorf is listed as the place of residence.
.

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, MN on 14 July 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 84, Roll 576, Dwelling 710, Family 683
Township 110W Range 9, Winona County, Minnesota
Christian Cramer..61..PRUSSIA..Farmer
Christena Cramer..60..PRUSSIA
Christian Cramer..31..PRUSSIA..Farm Hand
William Cramer..27..PRUSSIA..Farm Hand
Frederick Cramer..15..PRUSSIA..Farm Hand
.

• They appeared on the 1865 Minnesota State Census in Utica, MN on 1 June 1865.

1865 Minnesota State Census
Volume 11, Family 122
Utica, Winona County, Minnesota
Christian Kramer..M
Christena Kramer..F

Lived next to his son, Christian Jr.
. ⁷

  Marriage Notes:

The following is a discharge certificate from the Prussian Government, relinquishing citizenship in that country. In 1855 the government was Prussian, not German.

The undersigned Royal Government hereby certifies that Christian Frederick Kramer from Claushagen, born May 20, 1799, at his request and his intention to emigrate to America with his wife, Maria Christine Koeppen, born June 30, 1800, and the following children, under parental supervision Christian Frederick, born 09 September 1828 George Frederick Wilhelm, born 23 August 1844 has been granted discharge from the Prussian citizenship. This discharge document is valid only for the persons named above and is effective at the time of issue.

Issued in Potsdam (capital of Prussia)
Discharge Certificate #2214 in August, 1855
(It is thought that these certificates were numbered beginning at the first of each month, indicating that this certificate Number 2,214 was issued at the peak of the immigration wave.)
1/2 Thaler paid (Thaler was a form of currency)
Two other Kramer brothers also emigrated and came to settle with the family, apparently at a later date.
(Source: Cindy Klemm)
----------------------------------------

The Kramer family left Germany on 24 Jul 1856 and arrived in New York on 24 August 1856. Immigration record of Christian Friedrich Kramer II and his wife Maria Christine (Köppen) Kramer indicate that the Kramer family emigrated to America, filing papers with Prussian government 30 August 1855. Two of the five children, Christian Friedrich Kramer III, and his brother, George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer, came to America with their parents, while three brothers remained behind (with relatives). The three brothers, Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer and Joachim Kramer (twins), along with their older brother, Carl Kramer, arrived in the USA several years later.

Name......... Occupation...... Age...Arrival......... Origin...... Ship
Chr. Kramer....Farmer.........56...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippla
F. W. Kramer...Farmer.........23...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippland
G. F. Kramer....Farmer.........11...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippla
J. F. Kramer...Farmer.........23...M....25 Aug 1856...Germany...Ippland
Wife of Christian Kramer II (listed as maiden name on ship's manifest)
----------------------------------------

Following the death of Christian Friedrich Kramer II in 1867, there apparently were two mortgages issued by the father to each of two sons, William and Frederick. These mortgages were recorded only 8 months before his death and upon his death the family probably wiped the debt clean as part of the estate settlement.

Christina Kramer (Maria Christine Köppen - Mother)
Christian Kramer (Christian Friedrich Kramer III - Son)
Charles Kramer...(Carl Friedrich Kramer - Son)
William Kramer... (Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)
Joachim Kramer...(Joachim Friedrich Kramer - Son)
Frederick Kramer (George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)
To
William Kramer...(Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)
Frederick Kramer (George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer - Son)

We, Christina Kramer, Christian Kramer, Charly Kramer, William Kramer, Joachim Kramer, and Frederick Kramer the heirs and assigns of Christian Kramer deceased from the town of Utica in the County of Winona in the State of Minnesota do hereby certify that a certain Mortgage bearing date the 18th day of April 1867 made and executed by William Kramer and Elizabeth his wife of the first pact to him the said Christian Kramer deceased of the second pact and Recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of the Count of Winona in book "M" of Mortgages on page 617 on the 31st day of May 1867 is fully paid satisfied and discharged.

And one certain Mortgage bearing date the 18th day of April 1867 made and executed by Frederick Kramer of the first part to him the said Christian Kramer deceased of the second part and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds of the County of Winona in book "M" of Mortgages on page 617 on the 31st day of May 1867 is fully paid satisfied and discharged.

Dated this 28th day of January 1869

William Kramer (SEAL)
Joachim Kramer (SEAL)
Frederick Kramer (SEAL)
Christina ("X") Kramer (SEAL)
Christian Kramer (SEAL)
Charles Kramer (SEAL)

Signed in the presence of
Peter Peters, William Schartan

On this 28th day of January 1869 before me came Christina Kramer, Christian Kramer, Charly Kramer, William Kramer, Joachim Kramer, and Frederick Kramer known to me to be same individuals described in and who executed the above certified and acknowledged that they executed the same.
Peter Peters, Justice of the Peace
Filed 9 Feb 1869 at 11:06 o'clock a.m.

NOTE: Transcription of copy (above) of original land record / payment in full of mortgage on Kramer farm in Utica Township, Winona County, Minnesota, dated 28 Jan 1869, and filed 9 Feb 1869 in Winona, Minnesota. Copy in the possession of Robert Westphal, Jr.
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The given names of the children born to Christian Kramer and Maria Christine Koppen deserve special attention. Their first son, Georg Friedrich Kramer, was born in 1826 but apparently died in 1837. Their seventh and last born son was named George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer but generally used the name of Fred or Fredrick through his adult life. He can easily be confused with their 4th born son named Friedrick Wilhelm Kramer but that son generally went by the name of William.

So therefore "William Kramer" was actually "Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer" and "Fred or Fredick Kramer" was actually "George Friedrich Wilhelm Kramer". Got it?

It gets worse. There were three other sons all with the middle name of Friedrich but fortunately they all went by their first name which was unique. These three included Christian Friedrich Kramer, Carl Friedrich Kramer, and Joachim Friedrich Kramer.

There was one more son name Ferdinand but his middle name is not known. If the parents were 100% consistent, then it probably also was Friedrich.
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