Johann Heinrich Clemens Brumleve

Obituary: Teutopolis Press - March 15, 1900

Clemens Brumleve

One of Teutopolis' oldest citizens passed away Thursday and is Buried on Saturday

Though not unexpected, the announcement of the death last Thursday of Clemens Brumleve, came to his many friends with much regret. He had a large circle of friends who had learned to respect him. The loss is greatly felt by his many friends. Clemens Brumleve was born in Langerich, Hannover, on may 31, 1817, and came to this country when quite young, going to Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, USA In Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, USA he was married to Francisco Grove, shortly after which they came west with a colony of immigrants settling in what is now Teutopolis. To this union was born eight children, seven of whom are still living, namely: August, John C, Joe A, Alexander, Henry, rank and Philomena. Of these, the Rev August Brumleve, Frank and Philomena reside in Red Bud, while all the rest reside here. Since the death of his wife in 1892, he has made his home with his soon Henry. During life he was engaged in the furniture business.

The funeral ceremonies took place at the Catholic Church last Saturday morning, the mass being read by his son the Rev August The internment took place in the Catholic Cemetery. The funeral was attended by a large crowd of sorrowing friends

Clem and Maria Franziska had eight children

In the fall of 1845, a carpenter by the name of Johann Heinrich Clemens Brumleve of Lengerich Emsland Germany (then in the Kingdom of Hannover) applied for a passport with the intention of emigrating to the United States with his fiance, Maria Franziska Grove, also of Lengerich. They were married following their immigration in Cincinnati Ohio on Februrary 15th, 1846. A group of immigrants in Cincinnati at that time were planning to found a German Catholic community at the site of Teutopolis, and Clemens and his wife joined these settlers. Their first son, Ernst August, was born in Teutopolis on the 26th of March, 1848. A total of eight children were born to them here. One died in childhood. The eldest son became a priest and was assigned to St. John's at Red Bud Illinois. The other five sons and one daughter married and raised their children in Teutopolis and in Red Bud.

Clemens Brumleve became an American citizen. He served several stints on the village board of Teutopolis in various positions. He is believed to have applied his carpentry skills to the erection of both St. Francis Church and the associated Franciscan Monastery, both built by townspeople in the 1850s and 1860s. It is assumed that he built the house in which he lived as well; certainly, there were few others there to help him with that work when he arrived in Teutopolis.

When Clemens Brumleve died in 1900, his son Henry Hartias Brumleve inherited the lot on which the house was situtated; other children inherited other nearby lots which Clemens had owned. Henry Brumleve and his wife Maria Niemeyer had seven children while living in the house. None ever married, and they stayed on in the house together after the death of their father in 1940. The last surviving sibling, Sylvester Brumleve, died in 1977. Thus, for approximately 130 years, the home stayed in the hands of members of a single family, from grandfather to grandchildren.

A sale was held in the 1970s, and the family's personal possessions were auctioned off. The lot and its buildings were purchased by the current owner's father, a descendant of Maria Niemeyer's brother. The lot, which at that time extended through the block from Walnut Street on the south to Water Street on the north, was later subdivided. The current owners of the northern and southern halves of the lot are siblings. The house is located on the southern half. The current owner lived in the house for a number of years, but later moved a larger, ca. 1900 house to the southernmost section of the lot. From the street, this newer house now substantially blocks the view of the older remaining structures. The older home has become a rental property and was occupied as recently as June 2001.

CLEMENS BRUMLEVE

Clemens Brumleve, who died at Teutopolis last week, and a short notice of which appeared in the Democrat, was born on May 31, 1817, in Langerich, Hanover, Germany. He was one of the first of German settlers at Teutopolis, and came there with and started the original colony. He was married in 1845 at Cincinnati, Ohio to Francis Grove, who died at Teutopolis, Jan. 18, 1892. Of this union eight children were born, one of whom died in infancy, and those surviving their father are as follows: Father August Brumleve, Frank Brumleve and Philomena Rau, of Red Bud, IL.; John C., Joseph A., Alexander and Henry of Teutopolis. Three brothers are also living: Leo and Bernard of Louisville, KY., and Phillip, who lives in Germany. Mr. Brumleve belonged to that class of industrial German citizens who go far to do what is right, and never intentionally do any one a wrong. He was one of the few surviving members of the original colony of Germans who migrated to this country years ago, and was widely known in the county. [Effingham IL. Democrat: March 16, 1900 ]