John may have settled briefly in Chicago Illinois, where he may have had brother and a sister. Eventually (1880) he was living in Western Iowa working as a farm hand. It may have been here where he met his wife to be Anna Pehrsmann.
By 1884 John and Anna were living in Grand Island Nebraska as they married on Sep 16, 1884. John worked as a bartender in a few establishments in Grand Island - most notably the Koehler Hotel. John was a member of a few fraternal organizations - The Sons of Herman, The Liederkranz and the Fraternal Order of the Eagles.
In 1905 John applied for US Citizenship but we do not know the exact date of his acquiring citizenship.
John and Anna 5 children - Lillian, William, Tony, Ernest and Harry. John died on Nov 5, 1909 and is buried in the Grand Island Cemetery.
Anna Margaretha Pehrsmann is as much of enigma as her husband as we are unable to find solid verifiable proof her past. Family history indicates that she came to the United States after her parents died during her youth - we however have an indication that her father was Jacob and that he lived until 1891 in Davenport Iowa.
The Family bible indicates that she was born in Itzehoe, Schlesweig-Holstein, Germany on Dec 22, 1860 and immigrated to the USA, also aboard the SS Westphalia leaving Hamburg on Aug 30, 1882.
For most of Anna's life in Grand Island she lived at 910 W 3rd Street - shortly before her death she moved to Omaha to be closer to her son Ernest.
Anna died on Jan 6, 1934 in Omaha Nebraska and is buried next to her husband John in the Grand Island Cemetery.
