The Immigration And Marriage of Phillip And Mary

Mary Came to Illinois to Join Phillip

Did they know each other in Germany and she came to join him?

Initially, when I saw a record that stated he immigrated in 1857, I thought it was possible that they had known each other and he had earned money for her passage.  With that immigration date, Mary would have been 18 and Phillip would have been 33 when he left.  It is a big age difference, but not out of the realm of possibility.  However, when I found additional records that showed that he likely came to America in 1854, it made me question this possibility a bit more as he would have been 30 and she would have been 15.  Still possible, but a bit less likely.  Also, it seems unlikely that Phillip would have waited seven years before sending for Mary.

Was it an arranged marriage? 

Arranged marriages did occur in Germany.  However, Germany appears to have been known over the years more for rules, limitations, and approvals required for marriage.  In this case, it would have been “arranged” in Germany, but performed in the United States.  This option doesn’t seem as likely as some other scenarios given that Phillip was 37 and Mary was 22 when they married.  I am guessing an arranged marriage would have come into play at an earlier age.

Was Mary some sort of mail-order bride? 

Prior to 1900, these types of relationships were often called “correspondence courtships.”  Personal ads, mutual acquaintances, or matrimonial periodicals were the conduit for the two people living some distance apart to be introduced to each other.  Sometimes they wrote back and forth for some period of time.  Other times, they simply decided to marry without much knowledge of each other.

Usually, the woman would travel to where the man lived.  And, many times, the man provided funds for the travel, especially if international travel was involved.  Given that a shortage of women existed in many frontier areas, it is very possible that Phillip sought a bride using this process.  And, the fact that they were both German would simply mean that he sought a woman who shared his culture, which was common in correspondence courtships.

Phillip very well may have had difficulty finding a wife as men generally outnumbered women on the frontier.  The only reason to question this possibility is that in 1860 he was working as farm labor, which implies that he likely would have had very few funds to put toward Mary’s passage.  Additionally, her immigration record states that she was a servant.  But who did she serve?  Was she a servant before she traveled to gain funds for the trip?  Was she a servant to someone on the ship?  Or, was she to become a servant upon arrival?

Mary & Phillip Met in Illinois

Did they just meet and fall in love?

I suppose Mary and Phillip could have simply met, fell in love, and married.  The time frame is very short, but Phillip was 37 and he probably wanted to have a wife and put down roots.  At 22 and new to the area, Mary may have looked like a breath of fresh air. 

In this case, the question that comes to mind is, “Why did Mary go to Illinois?”  Something had to have brought her to a small rural community.  Germans lived in the area, but something had to have motivated her to go so far across the county so soon after her arrival.  I have considered that perhaps she was a servant for someone who moved to the area, but I have not yet identified any other people on the ship that moved to the area.  Note:  Many of the names are very difficult to read.  Thus, making it challenging to go through the entire ship’s manifest.

Did they just meet and each needed a spouse?

This scenario is similar to the previous one.  However, it is more believable that they just wanted/needed a spouse and decided to marry than that they actually fell in love at first sight.  Phillip was likely looking for a wife and as a single woman in a foreign land, Mary likely would have wanted to have someone to support her.  Still, the question of what drew Mary to the Hollowayville area remains.

The Albright/Albrecht Family

In 1860, Phillip was living with Peter and Catherine Albright, Albrecht in some records.  I have considered that they could have arranged for Mary to come to Illinois to marry Phillip (i.e. an arranged marriage).  Another consideration is that they knew her family and she immigrated and planned to stay with them initially (i.e. fell in love or needed a spouse).  Mary could have also traveled there with someone who knew the family.  Any of these scenarios are possible.  I have not, however, found a connection between the Albright family and the Herzberger family.  That does not mean that one does not exist. 

I have also considered that Herzberger might not be Mary’s maiden name.  Instead, at 22, Mary could have been married and widowed or divorced.   In that case, the family might have known her by her married name and never have known her maiden name.

My Theory

I found no conclusive answers.  At this point, I believe it is most likely that they met in America and that the Hollowayville area was Mary’s original destination.  I lean toward her either coming there to marry Phillip or to stay with someone in the area.  What do you think?  Other theories?