Peter Possin ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

  General Notes:

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s
Name: Peter Possin
Year of Emigration: 1844
Age: 27
Place: America
Family Members: Wife Maria Elisabeth Glauke 25
Source Publication Code: 3474
Primary Immigrant: Possin, Peter
Annotation: Emigration of "Old Lutherans" around the middle of the nineteenth century. Covers the years 1835-1854. About 5,000 were from the provinces of Pomerania, Lower Silesia, Brandenburg, Saxony, and a few from the city-state of Hamburg; these were bound for North America. More than 2,000 from the same provinces and from that of Poznan (Posen) set out for Australia. Old Lutherans in the United States and Canada formed the Buffalo Synod (see further comments in annotation of no. 8655). Names individual emigrants, heads of emigrant groups, and some accompanying family members. Includes maiden names of some of the wives aboard, some ages and intended destinations. This work forms the basis for no. 8655, Smith, Nineteenth Century Emigration of "Old Lutherans"... The names are listed on pages 241-304 in volume 2 of the Iwan title above.

Source Bibliography: IWAN, WILHELM. Die altlutherische Auswanderung um die Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts. Ludwigsburg [Germany]: Eichhorn Verlag Lothar Kallenburg, for the Johann Hess Institute, Breslau, 1943. 2 vols.
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(Castle Garden web site):
Peter Posin
Occupation Shoemaker
Age 27
Sex M
Literacy U
Arrived 27 Sep 1844
Origin Prussia
Port Hamburg
Last Residence U
Destination USA
Plan Unknown
Ship Eliza Thornton
Passage Unknown
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Page: 276
Name: Peter Possin
Year: 1844
Age: 27
Place: America
Source Publication Code: 8655
Primary Immigrant: Possin, Peter

Source Bibliography: SMITH, CLIFFORD NEAL. Nineteenth-Century Emigration of "Old Lutherans" from Eastern Germany (Mainly Pomerania and Lower Silesia) to Australia, Canada, and the United States. (German-American Genealogical Research Monograph, 7.) McNeal, Ariz.: Westland Publications, 1980. 93p.
Page: 33
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  Noted events in his life were:

• He has alternate birth date of 1816 and a birth location of Prussia.

¹

• He appeared on the 1850 US Census in Theresa, WI on 25 July 1850. ²

1850 US Census
Page 226A, Roll 996, Dwelling 100, Family 104
Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Peter Posen..33..Prussia..Farmer
(Living with wife and 2 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1855 Wisconsin State Census in Theresa, WI on June 1855. ³

1855 Wisconsin State Census
Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Peter Possin
Males = 2 (Peter and son, Carl)
Females = 3 (wife Marie, and 2 daughters, Sophie and Mary)
(Living with wife and 3 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in Theresa, WI on 18 June 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 47, Roll 1406, Dwelling 312, Family 332
Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Peter Bosin..43..Prussia..Farmer
(Living with wife and 4 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, MN on 7 July 1870. ⁵

1870 US Census
Page 1, Dwelling 3, Family 4
Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Peter Possin..53..PRUSSIA..Farmer
(Living with wife and 2 children.)
.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, MN on 15 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 12D, Roll 0615, District 009, Dwelling 100, Family 106
Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Peter Possin..Head..64..PRUSSIA..Farmer
(Living with wife.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 5 Apr 1817, then his age should have been 63 instead of 64.
.

• He was buried after 18 March 1883 in the Saint John Lutheran Cemetery in Good Thunder, MN.

Find A Grave Memorial #13140354
. ⁶

Peter married Marie Elizabeth Glauke, daughter of Gottfried Glauke and Anna Sophia Hanisch, about 1845 in Germany.¹ (Marie Elizabeth Glauke was born on 21 March 1819 in Brandenburg Province, PRUSSIA,^{2 5 7 8} died on 23 July 1903 in Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, MN ⁸ and was buried after 23 July 1903 in Good Thunder, MN ⁸.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1850 US Census in Theresa, WI on 25 July 1850. ²

1850 US Census
Page 226A, Roll 996, Dwelling 100, Family 104
Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Peter Posen..33..Prussia..Farmer
Mary Posen..31..Prussia
Sophia S. Posen..4..WI
Augustus Posen..1..WI
.

• They appeared on the 1855 Wisconsin State Census in Theresa, WI on June 1855. ³

1855 Wisconsin State Census
Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Peter Possin
Males = 2 (Peter and son, Carl)
Females = 3 (wife Marie, and 2 daughters, Sophie and Mary)
.

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Theresa, WI on 18 June 1860. ⁴

1860 US Census
Page 47, Roll 1406, Dwelling 312, Family 332
Theresa, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Peter Bosin..43..Prussia..Farmer
Elisabeth Bosin..42..Prussia
Sophia L. Bosin..14..WI
Carl A. Bosin..11..WI
Mary M. Bosin..9..WI
Emilie Bosin..2..WI
.

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, MN on 7 July 1870. ⁵

1870 US Census
Page 1, Dwelling 3, Family 4
Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Peter Possin..53..PRUS..Farmer
Mary Possin..51..PRUS..Keeping House
August Possin..21..WI..At home
Amelia Possin..11..WI..At home
.

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, MN on 15 June 1880. ¹

1880 US Census
Page 12D, Roll 0615, District 009, Dwelling 100, Family 106
Rapidan Township, Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Peter Possin..Head..64..PRUS..Farmer
Mary L. Possin..Wife..62..PRUS..Keeping House
.

  Marriage Notes:

The book, The Heritage of Blue Earth County, Minnesota
F525 Possin, August and Sophia (Schwan)
F526 Possin, Peter and Maria (Glaucke)

This is an undated article written by David Karstedt for the Heritage of Blue Earth, Minnesota
From: Julie Schrader, 205 Ledlie Lane, Mankato, MN 56001
Transcribed by: Georgia Clark (Michigan) georgia@corpsie.com; sent to Robert Westphal, Jr. in personal correspondence

"Possin, Peter and Maria (Glaucke) F526
Peter Possin was born 6 Apr 1817 near the town of New Langaw in New Mark Provence of Prussia. His father was Gottfried Possin. Peter married Maria Glaucke, daughter of Gottfried Glaucke. There is no record of whether they were married in Prussia or Wisconsin. According to a U.S. Census, Maria came to America in 1845. In 1847 Peter filed a declaration for citizenship in Dodge County, Wisconsin. The 1850 Census has them living next to a Martin Possin who must be Peter's brother. All of their four children: Louisa, Carl August, Marie, and Amelia were born on their farm in Theresa Township, Dodge,, Wisconsin. On 2 Nov 1864 Peter bought land in Rapidan Township (of Blue Earth County, Minnesota) from William and Jane Stevens for $1200. The land description was the southeast quarter of section 34 of township 107 in Blue Earth County. The 1870 census shows he had 60 acres improved, 80 in woods, and 20 not improved. The farm value was $3200, implements $305. He had 7 horses, 4 milk cows and 6 pigs with a value of $650. On 10 Jun 1878 Peter and Maria sold their farm to their son, August, for $2000, except for a two acre square that the house stood on. They retained use of the house and barn for as long as they lived. Peter died of Deriety (sic) on 18 Mar 1883 and Maria died of old age on 23 Jul (1903). They are both buried in the Lyra Cemetery, Good Thunder. Louisa, their oldest daughter, married Fred Bleedorn. They had eight children; Albert, Hulda, Eduart, Clara, Otto, Frank, Gilbert, and Louisa. They farmed near Amboy and Waterville. Carl August married Sophia Schwan. Their story is given separately. Marie, the second daughter, married Fred Dehn. They had seven children; Arthur, Emma, Martha, John, Seilla, Oscar and Esther. Amelia, the youngest, married Carl Graff. They had four children; Livia, Carl, Arnold, and Amanda."
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RAPIDAN TOWNSHIP
Rapidan Township is situated in the north central part of the county and is traversed by the Maple and LeSueur rivers in the east and the Blue Earth and Watonwan rivers in the west. These rivers are bordered with timber, back from which stretch fertile prairie land.

In 1854, Basil Moreland, G. W. Cummings, William Washburn, and Williston Greenwood arrived and staked claims in Rapidan Township. They were forced to leave their claims the following year because the entire township was included in the Winnebago Reservation. White settlers were barred from the area until the removal of the Indians in 1863. Late in 1863 and in 1864 settlers began to arrive again. Among them were: J. D. Hooser, Henry Eberhart, Gottfried and Jacob Sanger, James Stratton, Riley, Martin and Alfred Stratton, Carl and William Just, G. Schwan, M. Bozin, William Stevens, C. P. Cook, Charles Miescke, Theodore Buckholtz, Silas Kenworthy, M. A. Reeder, E. M. Reynolds, Ethemer Town, Peter Paff, James White, Fernando Blodhorn, E. C. Payne, Martin Wotter, John and Joseph Jones, Frederick Dittman, Charles Blume, Andrew Yaeger, William Jones, Lucius Dyer, C. G. Chamberlin, Allen Thompson, Charles Palmer, William and August Blume and E. B. Parker.

The town was first named "DeSoto" by the county board in Apr 1858. In Jul 1864, C. P. Cook started a town site in Section 6 which he called Rapidan, after a river by that name where he had lived in Pennsylvania. On 2 Mar 1865, a bill was passed by the State Legislature changing the name of the township from DeSoto to Rapidan at the suggestion of C. P. Cook.

The township was organized Apr 1865 and the first town meeting was held in 15 Apr 1865 at the home of E. C. Payne in Section 21. The following officers were elected: Supervisors, E. C. Payne (chairman), W. L. Stevens and Jacob Sanger; Clerk, M. A. Reeder; Assessor, J. D. Hooser; Treasurer, G. Schwan; Justices, C. P. Cook and A. J. Jewett; Constables, P. Paff and Henry Eberhart.

John Morrow purchased 120 acres of land near the mouth of the Maple River in the summer of 1865, where he erected kilns and manufactured lime for two or three years. He also opened stone quarries on the same land.

In the winter of 1866-1867, George Heaton and Richard Rew built a saw mill on the Blue Earth River in Section 31. They later added a flour mill and named it the "Union Mill." The same winter Lucius Dyer put up a saw mill on the Maple River in Section 35, to which he later added a grist mill. The mill later passed into the hands of George Gerlich, and then to Jesse Mericle. In 1884, Henry Dyer built a new mill on the Maple River. Flour was ground by water power obtained from a dam a short distance up stream. This mill was later operated by Frank Hawes.

In 1867, Silas Kenworthy, H. W. Mendenhall, James Swan and James Wiswell laid out a town called "Rapids," on land adjoining their mill. In December 1865, Paff and Reynolds had opened a store here. There was also a blacksmith shop and a cooper shop. Nothing further became of the town site.

A post office was established in Section 35 in 1867 and was named "Maple River." The first postmaster was Lucius Dyer.

In October 1869, the "Castle Garden" post office in Rapidan Township was created in charge of Dr. N. Bixby, who lived in Section 15. As there was no mail route, Dr. Bixby had to carry the mail from Mankato for the office. J. W. Derby succeeded Dr. Bixby as postmaster. The office was discontinued in Mar 1875.

A new post office was established in Jan 1876 at the home of Olaf Olson called "Rapidan," on the Chicago Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railway. Olaf Olson opened a store at Rapidan, which he operated until Aug 1887.

The first religious services were held in 1864 by Rev. Steinner of Alma City, a United Brethren minister, at the home of J. D. Hooser in Section 21, then called Castle Garden. Services were later held in a log school house which had been built on the Stratton claim (District No. 79).

Lutheran services were started in 1874 by Rev. Barge and a church was organized. In 1885 a church building (Calvary Lutheran Church) was erected in Section 8. This small frame structure was replaced by a larger building in 1893. Saint John's Lutheran Church was built in Rapidan in 1897.

In Jan 1899, a Sunday School was organized in the Yaeger school house in Section 11, with Mrs. George Harris as superintendent. The school was called Mt. Hope Sunday School. The Presbyterians held services in connection with the school for some time.

The Congregationalists maintained a Sunday School and services at the Woodman's Hall in Rapidan in 1905-1906 with Rev. J. A. Clark.

The County Poor Farm is located in Section 1. A large brick house and a farm of 160 acres was provided by the county for the poor and less fortunate. A log house was succeeded by the brick house in approximately 1881 and was capable of holding twenty four people. In Dec 1888, the overseer was Mr. And Mrs. Marston, who kept the building and the surroundings in order and cared for the residents. A portion of the farm was under cultivation and livestock, such as cattle, pigs, horses and chickens are raised. William F. Lewis was administrator from 1889-1895.

The first school was taught in the summer of 1866 in a log school house in Section 27 (District 79), by Miss Emma Smith of Garden City. Seven School Districts were located in Rapidan Township, District No. 66, No. 79, No. 90, No. 91, No. 92, No. 109, and No. 143.

In Feb 1891, a post office was established at Rapidan Mills, with W. D. Hall Jr. as postmaster. In 1892, P. E. Nelson became postmaster. In the fall of 1900 the Free Delivery system was started in the town.

The Maple River Telephone Company was organized in Aug 1903 with Aleck Anderson as president. The Farmer's Center Telephone Company was organized in Aug 1904 with Chas. Sperlich as president.
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