Hein/Memmel Family

[John F. Hein]

I have a few questions I hope are not to difficult to answer.  Although I have been tracing my family for decades, I still feel I am a novice at research.

I have traced the Hein family history from 1669 in Germany to present day.  (A distant cousin did all the work in Germany after I asked him.  How lucky could I be?) I am interested in discovering information on a great aunt who arrived in the United States with her parents, my great grandparents.  I have not been able to find a record of the great aunt since she arrived in New York.  I suspect she died somewhere between New York and Chicago, the city in which the family settled.  I am asking for any glues or advice to continue my search.

Leo Hein and his wife, Elisabeth Memmel, arrived in New York from Nudlingen, Germany, on March 23, 1881.  They traveled from LaHavre, France, on the vessel Lessing.  Leo and Elisabeth traveled with their 10 month old daughter, Bernadine Hein.  Various immigration records indicate Bernadine is either male or female, but I confirmed with a relative in Germany that Bernadine, female, was born in Nudlingen, Germany, on May 9, 1880.

Since she is listed on immigration records I am assuming she did not die on board the ship.  I have failed to find any records for the ship Lessing.  I am also assuming she either died after arriving in New York or between New York and Chicago on a train.

I researched all records available on this website and have checked records in Chicago and held by the State of Illinois.  I have also checked records from St. Augustine Catholic Church in Chicago.  I also spoke to the archdiocese records center in Chicago with negative results.

Are there any other New York city, county(borough), state records or federal records I should check?
In 1881, what railroad(s) might the family have taken between New York and Chicago?
Who might hold the histories of the railroads that might have a record of deaths on trains?

I may be asking the impossible and for records that do not exist, but as you all know, try I must.

Thanks in advance for help offered.

Regards,

John F. Hein
#4099

[Deborah Luttenberger]

Have you found any obituaries for her parents or siblings?  They may or may not mention her.  Just a thought.

[Deborah Luttenberger]

Looks like this is Joseph L. Hein's obituary from 1964.  It mentions that his father is Joseph L. Hein but the siblings all match up.  I wonder if a death record for Bernadine may have her father listed as Joseph vs. Leo.  Just a thought.  Here's a link to the obituary that I found.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33996739/joseph_l_hein_obituary_chicago/

[John F. Hein]

Deborah,

I cannot thank you enough for responding.  You have given me some encouragement I needed.  

Joseph L. Hein, Sr. , C.P.D. (Chicago Police Department) is the grandson of Leo and Elisabeth.  There are a number of police officers in the family.

I have never found any obits for Leo or Elizabeth, but you have given me the inspiration to try again.  I have never determined Leo's middle name, even from the information I received from Germany.  Joseph L. Sr's father was Jacob Joseph Hein (baptismal name) and later changed to Joseph John Hein.  I have no information that Leo was ever called Joseph.

I have spent hours looking through microfiche but I will try again.  There must be an obit somewhere.  I have never searched German language papers and that might be where I find the obit.

Thanks again for the help.  An obit of either Leo or Elisabeth should at least have her name and hopefully when and where she died.

Regards,

John Hein  

[John F. Hein]

Deb,

Joe L was born in 1909 and was the son of Jacob Joseph.  Leo is the grandfather of Joe L.

John