Person:Carolina Wehage (1)

Birth

Per Voortman's transcriptions¹⁰ of parish records, Carolina was born on 15 Feb 1828 in Schwege (in Oldenburg, Germany) to Hermann Henrich Wehage and Anna Maria Calvelage. This birthdate is slightly different from the 16 Feb 1828 date given later on her death certificate⁵.

The Heuerleute

Carolina's parents, and from all indications, all of her ancestors back to at least the late 1600s, were "Heuerleute." The literal meaning is "hired people" but the closest English equivalent would be a "tenant farmer."

Genealogist Dr. Volker Jarren says that "in larger parts of northwest Germany, the Heuerleute were a large group of persons, belonging to the Lower Class of the rural society. The social status of an individual Heuerling was low: Heuerling children had no chance to marry the children of a farmer. Heuerleute lived in rented houses, which belonged to full-size farmers. There they worked as farm workers - sometimes for only one season or one year but sometimes also several years. Because of their extremely low income, Heuerleute did weaving and spinning during the winter time to make money. Heuerleute often began as children of farmers who had no chance to inherit the farm of the parents (the oldest son usually inherited it all). So they either left the farm and worked as farm workers somewhere or they stayed at the parents' farm and worked there as servant for the older brother who took over the farm of the parents."

Records show that Carolina's father was born in Schwege and his parents were living on a farm owned by the Nietfeld family. Her mother's family lived in the village of Bunne on the farm of the Herms Westendorf family. They obviously moved around, because in 1828, when Carolina was born, they were living as Heuerleute on the Többe Schwegmann farm in Schwege.

Childhood

On 16 July 1828, five months after Carolina was born, her father died of tuberculosis at the age of 42.¹⁰ Carolina was the only child from this marriage. Nearly three years later, her mother Anna married again to Johann Henrich Kröger on 24 April 1831 in Dinklage, Oldenburg, Germany. The couple tried to have children of their own in 1832 and 1835, but the infants, both males, were stillborn. Records show that Anna and Johan had remained on the Többe Schwegmann farm in Schwege.

In May 1837, the priest at St. Catharina's Church in Dinklage reported that the three of them had left the parish to emigrate to America. Dr. Volker Jarren says that the government instructed the churches to make notes when parish members emigrated, and some priests were better at record-keeping than others.

Quarterly passenger arrival records for Baltimore show that they arrived sometime between July 1 and September 30. The exact date of arrival and the name of the ship were not recorded. Carolina was listed as 9 years old when she arrived; her mother was 34 and her stepfather was 30. According to their birthdates, Carolina's age was correct and her father would've actually been 31, however there is an important clue with her mother's age. Anna would've been 35 on 13 August 1837, meaning it's likely they arrived between July 1 and August 12.

Married Life

On 30 Jul 1849, Carolina married Reinhard Joseph Ayd at St. James Parish in Baltimore, Maryland. Joseph was also from Germany and worked in Baltimore as a carpenter. He was 20 years older than Carolina, was widowed, and had 3 young daughters. Over the next sixteen years, Joseph and Carolina had 7 children: Joseph Henry (b. 1850) ; Heinrich Augustin (b. 1851) ; John (b. 1853) ; Anna Maria (b. 1856) ; Joseph Michael (b. 1859) ; Philomena Josephine (b. 1852) ; and Maria Louisa (b. 1865).

In 1870, five years after the birth of their seventh child, Joseph Ayd died. Carolina was 42 years old. She worked as a seamstress for the next 30 years to support herself and her children.

Death and Burial

Carolina Elizabeth (Wehage) Ayd died 17 Aug 1916 while visiting her daughter Philomena in Delaware. Her death notice ¹ appeared in the Maryland Sun as follows:

DIED. AYD - On August 17, 1916, at Wilmington, Del., CAROLINE E., aged 88 years and 6 months, beloved wife of the late Joseph R. Ayd. Funeral from the residence of her son, Joseph Ayd, No. 2787 West North avenue, on Monday morning, at 8 o'clock, thence to St. James' Catholic Church, where a Requiem High Mass will be said at 9 o'clock for the repose of her soul.

Carolina was laid to rest with her husband Joseph R. Ayd, her mother Anna M. Kroeger, her stepfather John H. Kroeger, and her granddaughter Carrie E. Ayd in Section D of Most Holy Redeemer cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.⁶

Research Notes

• There is a Jun 1834 arrival record in Baltimore for Johann A. Kroger and family, as well as 3 Calvelage males (brothers of Anna Maria, perhaps?) - all from Dinklage - but, stepdaughter Carolina is not listed with them. It is possible that the 1834 date is in error, as it looks like the record was photocopied on top of another record. Needs follow-up.

• There is a considerable gap in Baltimore passenger lists from around 24 June until 27 July. Newspaper research of ship arrivals shows that the typical voyage from Germany to Baltimore lasted between 50-70 days, depending on the type of ship and the number of ports along the way. I've identified 4 ships that arrived in this gap that apparently have no surviving passenger lists.
  • The German brig "Neptune" arrived on 7 July after 49 days (~20 May); 144 passengers.
  • The German ship "Alexander" arrived on 24 July after 60 days (~25 May); 160 passengers.
  • Two Russian ships "Favorite" and "William Brandt" arrived on 12 July after 58 days (~13 May); 355 & 385 passengers. (A report from New York warned Baltimore that these two ships were carrying 800 German convicts disguised as farmers, mechanics and laborers).

• Two other ships arriving during that period, the "Molly" out of Hamburg and the "Eendragt" out of Hanover, have lists on file that do not show the Kroegers on board. Based on how early the Kroegers appear on the quarterly list for July-September, I would put the "Neptune" at the top of the list of likely candidates.

1. ↑ AYD, CAROLINE E., in Maryland Sun Newspaper
   p 6, 19 Aug 1916.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Caroline Ayd, in Baltimore (independent city), Maryland, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1880; Census Place: Baltimore, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: 499; Family History Film: 1254499; Page: 462C; Enumeration District: 069; Image: 0685.
   -----
   Name: Caroline Ayd Age: 52 Birth Year: abt 1828 Birthplace: Oldenburg Home in 1880: Baltimore, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) Marital Status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: Olden Mother's Birthplace: Olden

3. ↑ Carol Ayd, in Baltimore (independent city), Maryland, United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1900; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 10, Baltimore City (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: 612; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 134; FHL microfilm: 1240612.
   -----
   Name: Carol Ayd : 72 Birth Date: Feb 1828 Birthplace: Germany Home in 1900: Baltimore Ward 10, Baltimore City (Independent City), Maryland
   [Baltimore] Race: White Gender: Female Immigration Year: 1838
   [1888] Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: Germany Mother's Birthplace: Germany Mother: number of living children: 4 Mother: How many children: 7
   -----
   Household Members: Name Age
   Carol Ayd 72
   Mary T Lozitz 41 --- [is this Maria Louisa Ayd???]
   Catherine Lozitz 11
   Conrad Heinlein 64

4. ↑ Caroline L Ayd, in Baltimore (independent city), Maryland, United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1910; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 7, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: T624_554; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 0078; Image: 1124; FHL Number: 1374567.
   -----
   Name: Caroline L Ayd [Caroline F Ayd] Age in 1910: 82 Birth Year: 1828 Birthplace: Germany Home in 1910: Baltimore Ward 7, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland Race: White Gender: Female Immigration Year: 1837 Relation to Head of House: Mother Marital Status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: Germany Mother's Birthplace: Germany

   
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Caroline E Ayd. , in Delaware, United States. Delaware Death Records, 1811-1933.

   Name: Caroline E Ayd Gender: Female Birth Date: 16 Feb 1828 Death Date: 17 Aug 1916 Age at Death: 21 Place of Death: Wilmington Residence: New Castle, Delaware Collection and Roll: Death Certificates - 9
   Name of Father: Wehage; Birthplace of Father: Germany; Name of Mother: Kalverlage; Birthplace of Mother: Germany
   -----

   
6. ↑ Carolina Elizabeth Wehage Ayd, in Find A Grave.

   [Includes headstone photo. Inscription: Carolina E. Ayd, 1828 - 1916. Others on stone: husband Joseph Ayd, mother Anna M. Kroeger, stepfather John H. Kroeger, granddaughter Carrie Ayd.]

7. ↑ Caroline Ite, in Baltimore (independent city), Maryland, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1850; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 8, Baltimore, Maryland; Roll: M432_284; Page: 436A; Image: 168.
   -----
   Name: Caroline Ite Age: 23 Birth Year: abt 1827 Birthplace: Germany Home in 1850: Baltimore Ward 8, Baltimore, Maryland Gender: Female Family Number: 1313

   
8. ↑ ^8.0 8.1 Caroline Ayde, in Baltimore (independent city), Maryland, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1860; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 8, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: M653_462; Page: 479; Image: 219; Family History Library Film: 803462.
   -----
   Name: Caroline Ayde Age in 1860: 32 Birth Year: abt 1828 Birthplace: Oldenburg Home in 1860: Baltimore Ward 8, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland Gender: Female Post Office: Baltimore

   
9. ↑ ^9.0 9.1 Caroline Ayd, in Baltimore (independent city), Maryland, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Year: 1870; Census Place: Baltimore Ward 7, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland; Roll: M593_574; Page: 106A; Image: 601; Family History Library Film: 552073.
   -----
   Name: Caroline Ayd Age in 1870: 42 Birth Year: abt 1828 Birthplace: Oldenburg Home in 1870: Baltimore Ward 7, Baltimore (Independent City), Maryland Race: White Gender: Female Post Office: Baltimore

10. ↑ ^10.0 10.1 Wehage, in Voortman, Jan Gerrit. Collectie Pohlsander. (Netherlands: ARCH - Artland Resource Collection for History, 2011)
    028:47.

    ... Hermann Henrich Wehage, * 25.10.1785 Schwege, ┼ 16.7.1828 Schwege, Ehemann, zn.v.
    Johann Henrich Wehage en Anna Margaretha Ruholl, 6.5.1827 Dinklage, Anna Maria
    Calvelage, (2) 24.4.1831 Johann Henrich Kröger, mit 2. Ehemann und Tochter in Mai 1837
    nach U.S.A. ausgewandert, Kind.;/ Carolina Elisabeth, * 15.2.1828 Schwege, im Mai 1837 mit
    Mutter und Stiefvater nach U.S.A. ausgewandert. ...

11. ↑ ^11.0 11.1 St. Catharina Church Birth Records (1811-1831), Dinklage Parish, Oldenburg at the German State Archives in Vechta, Germany
    p. 303, No. 26.

    "At 3 a.m. on February 15, 1828 was born in Dinklage and baptized there on February 16, 1828 Carolina Elisabeth Wehage, first child of Herm Hinrich Wehage and Anna Maria Calvelage, at this moment Heuerleute at Többe Schwegmann in Schwege. Godparents: Anna Elisabeth Frilling, gt. Schwegmann, Zellerin and Johan Hinrich Wehage, brother of the father. [By later hand was added: [Caroline] ...emigrated in May 1837 together with her mother and her stepfather to North America."