Looking for Castle Garden area Marriage record for Maria Barbara Portmann and Johan Oechslin
Hello all!
I have ancestors who came from Switzerland-Maria Barbara Portmann and Johann Oechslin. They came up to Antwerp Belgium then sailed on the ship Zeeland and ported in New York April 1904. The records indicate that they were single upon arriving. However Maria (or Mary) was 7-8 months pregnant. Their child was born the next month in Wisconsin May 1904 and the record indicates they were married. I have searched the Wisconsin marriage indexes and there is no marriage record. So I assume they were married in New York as soon as they got of the boat. New York records are daunting. I've searched some of the basics but haven't found anything. Where would I look for immigrant marriage records in 1904? They were probably Catholic.
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Castle Garden was the New York immigrant arrivals center before 1892. Ellis Island opened in 1892, but it was rare for a marriage to take place at the arrivals center, unless one of the parties had been detained.
FindMyPast has the Archdiocese of New York registers https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/new-york-roman-catholic-parish-marriages and the New York City Municipal marriage records are on the NYC site https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov/search
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They actually were detained. Does that mean they may have been married at the arrival center? If so, are there records specific to that area?
I included the records. They are line 60. Johann went by Hans and John throughout his travel. His intended wife is Mary Portmann.
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Ellis Island marriage records would be found in the NYC Municipal marriage record database - link in my previous comment - but I do not see a record there for their marriage. The search by certificate number is better than the search by name option, and I checked on another index site with certificate numbers without finding them there, either.
It does not appear that they were detained for long since there are no meal charges in the far right columns.
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Thanks for doing those searches for me. I appreciate you'd take the time to do that.
That's what it's been at every turn for this couple. I can't seem to find that marriage record anywhere. Somewhere from the time they landed in New York April 1904 and got to Wisconsin May 1904 and had a baby they seem to have gotten married. I can't find anything either location, but am not entirely confident in navigating the New York records.
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Well, I am comfortable and confident in the NYC records, and I know that not every vital event left a record for us to find.
Have you found a baptism for the child in Wisconsin? The Roman Catholic records for WI are pretty good, available on FamilySearch, but not often indexed to be searchable by name. Sometimes a priest made a notation, in the baptism record, concerning the marriage status of the parents.
I wish you luck with your searching.
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I'm feeling a little silly. I can't seem to find the Roman Catholic records for WI you referenced. I'm familiar with how the Family search Catalogs works, but don't see anything in them for Catholics.
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Thank you!
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It turns out that family search doesn't have access to the Catholic records where they're child was born, but I was able to get in contact with the Catholic Church and they searched. They couldn't find any baptism records about the two children born there, but found the marriage record for the second child. Still no indication of where or when the couple was married. I appreciate the tips and guidance. This does seem to be a truly mysterious couple.
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As I said before
I know that not every vital event left a record for us to find.
Good luck with the search.
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