Founding Families of Monee: Jacob (1834-1908) and Mary Ann (Mammoser) Vatter (1838-1928)

Jacob Vatter cir. 1907

Jacob Vatter cir. 1907

Jacob Vatter was born on November 5, 1834 in Geiselberg, Germany as the first child of Adam Vatter and Eva Roschy. He had five siblings: Eva, Frank, Magdalena “Lena”, Katharina W., and Adam Jr.  Jacob was 20 when he arrived in New York aboard the ship “Robert L. Lane” on November 16, 1855 with his mother and younger siblings Frank and Adam. It is believed that father Adam and his sisters immigrated to the U.S. prior to 1855, but no confirmation has been found.Ship - Robert L. Lane

When he was 21, Jacob married Maria Anna Mammoser, daughter of Christian Mammoser and Maria Anna Weisshaar, on March 24, 1856. Maria was born in Strassbourg, Alsace-Lorraine, near the France-Germany border. She immigrated to the United States with her parents in about 1851.

Mary Ann Mammoser cir. 1907

Mary Ann Mammoser cir. 1907

Jacob Vatter was a carpenter and built his home in Monee at 10 Locust Place. The house was sold at administrator’s sale at the Joliet courthouse on Aug 31, 1945 to Emmert Mueller.

In addition to being a carpenter, Jacob also was a salesman, dealing in hay. An 1872 city directory stated:

“There is also one large hay press in the village, owned and run by the enterprising firm of Westermann & Vatter, who press over three thousand tons of hay annually.”

Jacob was also employed as a Justice of the Peace in Monee between 1894–1908.

Jacob Vatter and Maria Anna Mammoser had ten children, and the following seven survived infancy:

  1. Mary A. Vatter was born in Nov 1857 in Illinois, USA. She died on March 13, 1927 in Joliet, Will County, Illinois, USA. She married Henry F. Luehrs on July 21 1883 in Cook County, Illinois. Henry was the son of Theile and Christine (Lange) Luehrs. The Luehrs had the following children:
    Mamie, married Abraham S. Nahin
    Henry
    Arthur
    Walter, married Josephine Bissel. Children: Ruth, Walter, Frederick, Margaret
    Emma, married Alexander R. Keir Jr.
    Elmer
  2. Caroline Vatter was born in 1859 in Monee. She died on October 17, 1901. She married Albert R. Lehmann on December 27, 1877 in Will County, Illinois. Albert was the son of Henry and Sophia (Pragst) Lehmann. They had the following children:
    1. Albertina, married Thomas Frazier, had Albert and Bruce. Later married Peter Rahn
    2. Alexander
    3. Elmer
  3. Bertha Vatter was born on July 28, 1861 in Monee. She died on July 9, 1950 in Steger, Cook County, Illinois. She married Wilhelm F. Bohlander on September 7, 1882 in Will County. William was the son of Peter and Henrietta (Schroeder) Bohlander. The had the following children:
    – Lydia (1883-1976), married Herman Zirzow, had Dorothy, Wilma (m. Elmer Stolzenbach), Lorraine and Evelyn (m. John Gilkison)
    – Bertha (1886-1973), married Henry Rosenbrock.
    – Laura (1887-1889)
    – Esther (1898-1989), married Henry Wolf, had Jerome (m. Anges Clausing), Virgil (m. Belle Joyce Wasson), Wandalee (m. Marvin Haseman) and Lorabelle (m. Thomas Morgan).

4. Pauline Vatter was born on May 30, 1866 in Monee. She died on December 25, 1948 in Garrett, De Kalb County, Indiana. She married Frank Heinlen October 30, 1887. They had five children; Frances, Jerome, Richard, Margaret, Leo

5. Ernst Vatter was born about 1871 in Illinois, USA. He died on July 20, 1921 in Illinois.
6. August Vatter was born about 1873 in Illinois.
7. Rosa Vatter was born on January 19, 1879 in Monee. She died on April 10, 1944 in Chicago at the Hays Hotel.

Jacob Vatter died September 3, 1908 in Monee. His wife Mary Ann lived with her daughter Rosa for fourteen years following his death, and spent the remaining 6 years at the St. Anne’s Home for the aged in Northfield, Illinois. At the time of her death, four of her children were still living, in addition to eighteen grandchildren, twenty-nine great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

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