• Johann Berend Petermann and his wife, Sophie Petermann, and their family lived in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Their son Christian August Petermann was born at 189 Conover Street in April 1883. They had moved to Hoboken, New Jersey by the birth of their son, Wilhelm in 1884. See Johann Berend Petermann now or at the bottom of the page.

• Fritz Kettlers and his wife, Johanna Peters, and their family lived in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Their daughter, Marie, was born in February 1886 at 206 Richard Street and their daughter, Gertrude, was born at 87 "Ferry" Street [most likely "Ferris" Street] in April 1889. They had moved to Hoboken, New Jersey by the birth of their son, Frederic in 1891. See Fritz Kettler now or at the bottom of the page.

• Johanna Peters was Norwegian and I believe that she must have had family in the US most likely in Brooklyn. There was a big Norwegian community in Red Hook. See Hanna Peters now or at the bottom of the page.

Today Red Hook is a section of Brooklyn that lies inland from the New York Harbor just south of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Before the Gowanus Expressway was build in the 1950s Red Hook also included the neighborhood now known as Carroll Gardens.

For more information on Red Hook go to Water Front Museum and Showboat Barge

"The Atlantic Docks had recently been built and the Hamilton Ferry established. The streets had many of them been graded, but there were few houses. A large hill extended from Forth Place to Degraw Street, and from Columbia street nearly to Gowanas canal, which was some forty to fifty feet in height,was being removed.

History of the City of Brooklyn Henry R Stiles, 1870

Maria Kettler, the daughter of Fritz Kettler and Hannah Peters was born at this address in 1886

Christian Petermann, the son of Johann Petermann and Sophia Steuer, was born at this address in 1883

74-82 Sullivan Street, north side, between Richards and Van Brunt, June 25, 1931.

The Atlantic Basin more or less retains its shape to this day. It is now the home of the Brooklyn Curise Terminal.

In the 1893 and 1898 directories for Brooklyn there were three listings for Norwegian churches in Red Hook.

• The Norwegian church at Van Brunt and William Street, Jacob Bo, pastor.

  This church building still exists and is being used as a residence at 111 Pioneer Street (formerly Williams Street)

  This was the Norwegian Seamen's church. The Norwegian Seaman's Church mainly catered to seamen but also ministered to the immigrant community. The church moved to 33 First Place (Corner of Clinton and Henry) in 1928. It is currently a condo.

  See images of both of these buildings below.

• The Norwegian Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Henry Street near 4th Place. A public school is now on this site.

  New York Times 1920:

  THE REV. CHARLES SEVERIN EVERSON

  The Rev. Charles Severin Everson, pastor Emeritus of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, 632 Henry Street, Brooklyn, of which he had been pastor from 1878 to 1818 and known as the oldest pastor in service of the Norwegian churches in the East, died on Tuesday at his residence adjoining the church. He was 73 years old. Mr Everson was born in Norway and came to this county in 1849, settling in the West. He attended Luther College in Iowa, and the Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., and his first call as pastor was to the Danish-Norwegian Lutheran Congregation of Our Saviour in Perth Amboy, N. J."

  1881 Directory: LUTHERAN CHURCHES IN BROOKLYN IN 1881: Norwegian, 56 Monroe; Charles S Everson, Minister, 56 Monroe

• St. Paul's Lutheran Church, on Henry near 3rd Place, John Huppenbauer, pastor. This is also listed as a German congregation. It is now a Hispanic Social Center. See image below.

The Norwegian Seamen's Mission in New York dates to 1864. In 1878 The Seamen's Mission in Bergen Norway send Ole Bugge Asperheim to establish a Seamen's church in New York. The first church was at 111 Pioneer Street in Red Hook Brooklyn. It was the home of the Seamen's church for 50 years.

In July 2009 Lars Nilsen informed me of the location of this church. It is currently used as a residence.

In 1928 the Norwegian Seamen's Church moved to the corner of Clinton Street and First Place in Brooklyn. this was the former home of the Westminster Presbyterian Church built in 1856. In 1983 the church moved to Manhattan. The building on the corner of Clinton and First place is currently an apartment building. An 1886 map of the area show a Presbyterian Church at this address.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

New York Times, March 11, 1922

" THE REV JOHN HUPPENBAUER

The Rev. John Huppenbauer, for the last forty four years pastor of St. Paul's German Lutheran Church in Brooklyn died on Thursday at his residence, 11 Third Place Brooklyn, in his 70th year. Mr Huppenbauer was born in Germany and was educated in Switzerland. Soon after his arrival in this country he was ordained in the Zion Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. He married in St. Paul's Church forty year ago to Caroline Hammel, who survives him, with four sons and a daughter."

The church was built in 1854 on lots "on Herny Street, corner of Summit, being seventy-four feet deep" with a parsonage "on the rear of the lots facing Summit". The church was of brick with brown stone trim. There was a Sunday school in the basement. Since the lots faced First Place the church was named the "First Place M. E. Church".

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

619 Henry Street, east side, between 2nd and 3rd Place, as seen from Rapelye Street, showing St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church erected in 1876. February 21, 1930 P.L. Sperr

Corner of 3rd Place and Clinton Street. Identified in 1886 map as a Baptist Church.

Tabernacle Baptist Church, Hicks, corner of Rapelyea street, originated with a few members of the Strong Place Baptist Church, who, on February 8th, 1852, formed a mission Sunday school, in a small hall (afterwards called Mission Hall), over a stable in Hamilton avenue, midway between Union and President streets. There were present, at the first meeting, one female and three male teachers, with one female and ten male scholars; and, at the second session, four male and two female teachers, with twenty male and five female scholars. These early teachers were J. V. Harriott, Dwight Spencer and Dr. A. C. Burke; and (ladies) E. Burke and E. Rosling. The school rapidly increased, and in the winter of 1854-5, the labors of William James, a student of the ministry, were secured, and his labors as a colporteur missionary, were greatly blessed and followed by a revival among the scholars, their parents and their friends. In the fall of 1855, at the request of the teachers, a missionary, the Rev. Henry Brownley, was appointed by the church, to labor continually in this field, which was extended so as to include Gowanus, at which a minion school was also established, from which, in 1858, the Greenwood Baptist Church was formed. The first mission school also enjoyed another revival, and being increased to two hundred and fifty scholars, removed, in May, 1857, to a hall on Columbia street, near Summit, where in two years, its numbers were doubled, and a new necessity arose for larger accommodations. Lots were purchased on the corner of Hicks and Rapelyea streets, on which a building (fifty by one hundred, with suitable infant, library and conference rooms), was erected, capable of holding one thousand children. It was first occupied on the sabbath school anniversary, May, 1860, and dedicated on June 10th of the same year. In the winter of 1860-61, a sabbath evening preaching service was held; the Rev. Ira D. Clark selected as the school missionary; and a revival followed in which over forty souls were converted to God. In March, 1861, Mr. Clark left the school, and the propriety of a distinct church organization was discussed, which was finally secured, in the 26th of June, 1862, when the Strong Place Baptist Church granted letters of dismissal to fifty-five brethren and sisters, members of their body who were organized into a separate church under the name of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, Brooklyn. And on the 10th of July following, Messrs. Dwight Spencer, A. C. Burke and John F. Davis were chosen deacons, and in March, 1863, Theodore Shotwell was also made a deacon. Shortly after the formation of the church, the Rev. T. Edwin Brown, a graduate of Washington College, D. C., and a licentiate from the First Baptist church of Washington city, was called to the pastorate; and, on the 13th of November, 1862, was publicly ordained, at which time, also, the church was formally recognized by its sister churches. During his ministry the congregation was largely increased, especially during the first eighteen months of his labors; in the spring of 1866 (in connection with the mission work of Rev. A. B. Earle); and again in connection with the week of prayer in 1868. Mr. Brown resigned the pastorate in 1869, and was succeeded by Rev. A. C. Osborn, D.D.

On November 10, 1867, several teachers of the sabbath school, with the cooperation of the church, established a mission Sunday school, in a store hired for the purpose, near the junction of Hamilton avenue and Court street; eighty-three scholars were gathered in on that day, their number gradually increased, and it is now a useful and successful institution.

The home sabbath school continues (1869) prosperous, having over one thousand one hundred on its rolls, with an average attendance of from five hundred to six hundred and fifty, and a library of two thousand volumes. Since the formation of the church in 1862, with fifty-five members, it has had a total membership of four hundred and sixty-one, of which three hundred and ninety-six remain at present. The contributions of the church for the past six years, for its own needs, benevolent and sabbath school purposes, has averaged $6,500 per annum. Lots have been purchased on the southwest corner of Second place and Clinton street (extending through to Third Place), on which it is proposed to erect a new house of worship.

Michael D. Cassidy Brooklyn, Churches

236 President Street - Hans S Christian Memorial Kindergarden

"built in memory of Hans Christian - a successful man who owned a Building Supply company on the Gowanus Canal and second street. He died in 1896"

Lars Nilsen

Hans Christian (c 1825-) and Elmira ______

Birth Circa 1825 Norway

Marriage: Elmira ______ , New York

Immigration:

Occupation: Carman 1850 & 1860, lime and brike dealer, 1870, building materials 1880

Children:

1. Henry circa 1849

   More: Listed in 1850 NOT listed 1860

2. Harry L 1856

3. Ada B. circa 1858

   More: Listed in 1856 NOT listed 1870

4. Washington I, circa 1860

   More: Listed in 1856 NOT listed 1870

1860 Census: 148 _ 6th Ward, Brooklyn, Christian Hans "S", age 35, carman, $2,800, $150, born Norway, Almira E age 27, Henry _ age 4, Ada B age 2, Washington I, 5 months, Julia Rogers servant

1870 Census: 356 ____ Brooklyn 6th Ward, Christian, Hans D, age 45, lime and brick dealer, born Norway, Elmira E age 36, keeping house, $10,000, $5,000, born New York, Harry L 14 attending school, Stuart, Agnes age 26

1880 Census: 251 President Street, Christian, Hans, age 55, building materials, Elmira wife, age 47, Harry age 24, mining broker, ____ Ama servant, age 31

Death of Hans Christian:

"Suddenly, December 26, 1894, age 70 years

Relatives, friends, members of Nassau Lodger, No. 536, F and A. M. Clinton Commandery and Building Material Exchange are invited to attend the funeral services at his late residence, 251 President st evening at 8 o'clock

Brooklyn Eagle December 28, 1894 "Hans S Christian was a well known man in Methodist circles, and his death, which occurred December 26, 1894, was a sad loss to the community. He was for many years president of the board of trustees of the First Place M. E. Church......

Mr. Christian was an intelligent man and gave liberally to all philanthropic work. He was a well known builder and dealer in builders' materials, and left a large property, all to his widow, who is a very careful manager. Mr Christian was for nearly twenty years or more the superintendent of the First place M. E. Sunday School and was connected with the management of the Sunday School union. His death was sudden. He had been at Wednesday evening prayer meeting, and on his way home dropped dead."

Brooklyn Eagle, June 26, 1896

Death of Elmira Christian: age 67, Mar 28, 1899 #5295, Kings

"Christian, - Mrs. Elmira E Christian, widow of Hans S. Christian, on Tuesday morning, 28th inst. 251 President Street, Brooklyn (New York Times)

The Erie Basin is on the south side of Red Hook

Red Hook

Postmarked 1910

Postmarked 1909

Postmarked 1906

No postmark

No date

"Lutheran Emigrants' House Association (incorp. 1871) 26 State St. Maintains the EMIGRANT House, in which emigrants of any nationality, who will comply with the rules of the House, are boarded and lodged at nominal prices for those able to pay; others are cared for free until employment is found."

The New York Charities Directory by Charity Organization Society of the City of New York 1895

No date

Clinton Street runs between Brooklyn Heights and Red Hook

The Wallabout Market was near the Brooklyn Navy Yards