For this post, I decided to write about my great-grandparents who immigrated to the United States from the small island of Amrum, Germany. I know a little bit about their lives, but not as much as I would like.

My great-grandfather, Johann Christian Jacobsen, was born on July 8, 1901 in Sueddorf, Amrum, Germany. My great-grandmother Frieda Cäcilie "Lily" Sönksen was born April 5, 1903 in Amrum, Germany. Johann and his wife Lilly were married in Germany on June 7, 1925. Their first son, my great-uncle Al, was born in Germany on Aug 5, 1926.

Just shy of two years later, on May 18, 1928, Johann immigrated from Germany to New York. He was on the ship ten days, leaving behind his wife and twenty-one month old son Al (they would join him in New York a year later). According to the ship manifest, Johann sailed on the ship called the "New York" and it was listed that he was going to live with his cousin in Brooklyn. His occupation was listed as "joiner". (It was not uncommon for the husband to leave behind the wife and child to find work in the United States.)

A year later, Lily and her two and a half year old son Al joined Johann in New York. Something that has always fascinated me is that Lily traveled by herself with her young son to a new country, leaving her family and friends in Germany behind. An interesting fact is that Lily and Al immigrated on the same ship, the "New York" that Johann did a year earlier and were also on the ship for ten days.

Once Lily and Al joined Johann in New York, the family resided in Brooklyn. On December 12, 1929, my grandfather Rudolf was born. Unfortunately, not much is known about my great-grandparents lives in Brooklyn other than they owned a deli on 1388 Bushwick Ave.

Eleven years after immigrating to the United States, Lily Jacobsen passed away. She was only 36 and had cancer. She left behind her husband and two young sons. After Lilys death, Johann no longer ran the deli and became a cabinet maker.

Sometime later, in the 1950s, Johann and his two sons Al and Rudolf moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. I remember Johann (vaguely), he died in 1996 when he was 95 years old. I have very fond memories of his two sons, my grandfather and great-uncle Al.

1928 - Immigrants coming to the United States

(Johann is on the top right)

Johann and Lily in front of their Deli in Brooklyn

Johann and Lily in Germany

Lily with sons Al and Rudolf in New York