John George Carl Puffpaff was born on the 25th of November in 1825 in Dargun, Mecklenburg , Germany . He died on the 27th of September 1891 in LaPorte County , Indiana . His wife, Dorothea Martinsen was born 29 March 1825 in Mecklenburg and died in LaPorte County 29 October 1907. John George was the son of John Puffpaff and Christine Elizabeth Kreuger. No brothers and sisters are known but it is likely there were some. The family consisting of John and Dorothea and daughter Dorothea sailed on the Sir Robert Peel from Hamburger arriving July 4, 1854. On the ship manifestation it stated the family were destined for Indiana . In the 1860 census in LaPorte County , the family added a son Charles but it is believed he died as a young child. Albert, Theodore, Amelia and Anna were added by the 1870 census. This was the extent of the Puffpaff family although it is believed that at least two other children died in infancy.
In October of 1856, John Puffpaff presented himself at the LaPorte County Court house in the clerk’s office for the first papers of intent to be naturalized. This confirms all the above information that he was from Mecklenburg and arrived here on our independence day, in 1854. John did not take his final oath of allegiance for many years later in Febraury of 1881. Only a small obituary was found in the LaPorte Argus stating that he had been an invalid for a long time and died “Sunday afternoon.” He and his wife are buried at the Lutheran Cemetery . John was a common laborer and she, as most in the day, was a homemaker.
Daughter Dorothea Puffpaff was married in LaPorte County 12 April 1870
to Edward Deusing – they had three children, Annie, Tina and Ed Jr.
Son Albert Christian Puffpaff was born 8 May 1861 in LaPorte
County and died of typhoid fever 25 Oct 1907. His wife was Cornelia Iffland
(married in LaPorte County 7 June 18840 and they were the parents of Luella,
Edna, Cornelia and Louise.
It is believed that son Theodore
Puffpaff never married – he was born in 1864 and died 13 October 1912,
both in LaPorte.
Daughter, Amelia Louise Puffpaff was born in
LaPorte County 25 June 1867 and died 9 Jan 1950 also in LaPorte. She married
William Zach (St. John’s Church, 31 May 1888) and they were the parents of
Daisy and Herb.
Their last child, Annie Puffpaff was born in
January 1869 and we’ve not found her death to date. Her husband was Fred
C. Dahne (married in LaPorte 9 Jan 1890). As far as is known, the only child
was Mable Dahne.
Dorothea Martinsen Puffpaff faired a bit
better with this obituary:
Michigan City Dispatch 10-31-1907 p 1 c 2-- Mrs. Dorothy Puffpaff, mother of the late Albert C. Puffpaff of this city, whose funeral was held Monday, died this morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Zach in LaPorte. Mrs. Puffpaff has been an invalid two years and when informed of the death of her son she expressed the wish that she might soon follow him to the grave. Her wish was granted within 3 days. Death was due to paralysis. Deceased was 83 years old and was well-known in Michigan City .
And this one found in a scrapbook of the Zach family:
Mrs. Dorothea Puffpaff died at 9 o'clock this morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Zach, 1318 Second Street . When she was informed Suday of the death of her son, Albert, which occurred in Michigan City last week she expressed the desire that she might soon follow him. She had been an invalid for two years, suffering from paralysis. Last night she had another stroke, the end coming today. She was 83 years old and is survived by one son, Theodore Puffpaff and two daughters, Mrs. Zach of this city and Mrs. Fred Dahne of Cleveland. The funeral announcement will be made tomorrow. Welch & Stevert are in charge.
Nothing is known of this lady’s parentage – see Death record below
Death Record In St Bd of Health LaPorte Co, Center Twp, 3-29-1825 82 year 7 months -- 1318 2nd St, 2nd ward Doretha Pufpaff -- born Germany father Martins b. Germany ; mother not filled in b. Germany; Occupation: Housewife. Wm. Zach informant lives at LaPorte -- died in LaPorte Oct 29, 1907 -- heart disease HJ Thompson -- bur Lutheran Cemetery . Burial October 31, 1907 LaPorte Undertaker W. Sievert. It is believed that she had an older brother, Chris Martinsen as he lived very close to Dorothea and John.
Hopefully, someone somewhere will have some answers on this family. -
Contributed by: Karen Zach --
karen.zach@sbcglobal.net.
Feb
2009