George Kappelmeier was born in 1828 in Herrnsdorf, Bamberg, Kingdom of Bavaria, located approximately 145 miles northwest of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Today, it corresponds to the region of Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany. George’s mother was Maria Margaretta Kappelmeier. He had a sister: Maria Margaretha (1825-1902). At the age of 23 in 1851 he sailed out of Le Havre, France on a ship named the George Hurlbut, with an Anna Kappelmeier who was 19 at the time and most likely his younger sister. He arrived in New York on March 27, 1851. His mother died in their hometown of Herrnsdorf in the late 1840s and records indicated that his father never ventured to the United States. George originally settled in Brooklyn, known at the time for its high concentration of Germans. 

George Kappelmeier married Magdalena Reichert (Jun 12, 1830 - Dec 15, 1907) the daughter of Michael and Magdalena Reichert, at Most Holy Trinity RC Church located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York on May 8, 1853. George Kappelmeier left Brooklyn and purchased farmland in Rosedale, Queens County, New York, known at the time as Fosters Meadow, according to the 1880 Federal Census. He passed away on July 25, 1895 in Rosedale, Queens County, New York.

His sister, Maria Margaretha Kappelmeier (Jun 11, 1825 - Mar 26, 1902) was the first of the Kappelmeier children to arrive in  the United States. She sailed out of Bremen on a ship named the Johann Frederick on May 1, 1847, she was 22. She married Philipp Barb (Sep 9, 1819 - Jun 19, 1872), another farmer in the Fosters Meadow area. To see more on the Barb-Kappelmeier connection, please visit the Barb Family History, found under the “History” tab on the home page. Anna Kappelmeier (1832) settled in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. No further information has been obtained on her.

George and Magdalena had 8 children:

1: George Kappelmeier (Jul 28, 1855 - Sep 25, 1855) was born in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. No further information has been obtained. 

2: Philip Kappelmeier (Mar 1, 1857 - May 14, 1858) was born in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. No further information has been obtained.

3: Magdalena Kappelmeier (Apr 27, 1860 - Mar 19, 1955) was born in  Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. She married Christopher Grimm (Nov 1856- Mar 8, 1918) on the 9th of November in 1880 at St. Benedict RC Church in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. They had 4 children: Frederick Adam (1881-1968), John (1883-1961), Margaretha (1886) and Alfred (1891). Christopher and Magdalena are buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.

4: Anton Kappelmeier (Mar 5, 1863 - Dec 2, 1908) was born in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. He had a farm located on Ocean Avenue in Rosedale, approximately a quarter mile north of Roeckel’s store in Fosters Meadow. He married Margaretha Lang on Feb 11, 1890 at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York. They had 2 children: Magdalena and (1891-1916) and Franz (1893-1894). Following the death of Magdalena, he later married, Katherine Graf (1862 - Oct 31, 1941) on Sep 10, 1894 at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York. In 1898, he leased the Graf farm owned by Mrs. Andrew Graf. It was located in Elmont, New York. Anton and Katherine had 7 children: Albert (1895-1984), Rose (1896-1985), Margaretha (1897-1963), Michael (1898), Joseph (1899-1982), Katherine (1900-1985) and Anthony (1903-1909).

5: Maria Margaretha Kappelmeier (Dec 24, 1864 - Feb 18, 1928) was born in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. She was baptized on Jan 22, 1865 at St. Benedict RC Church in Brooklyn, Kings County. She married Albert Schmitt (Apr 6, 1863 - May 8, 1941) on Feb 12, 1889 at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York. Albert Schmitt worked on the farm of Heinrich Schmitt, his father. It was located at 234-25 Merrick Blvd. in Rosedale, New York. For over the next 50 years until his passing he worked on the family farm that was passed down.  They had 9 children: Magdalena (1891-1935), George (1892-1971), Ferdinand (1893-1957), Clara (1895-1977), Albert H. (1896-1898), Philip (1898-1993), Anthony (1902-1983), Margaret (1904-1998) and Albert J. (1906-1962). Both Albert and Maria Schmitt are buried at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York. The Fosters Meadow Heritage Center has in it’s collection their original cemetery family plot gate.

6: Christopher Kappelmeier (Apr 7, 1867 - Mar 22, 1918) was born in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. According to the 1900 federal census, Christopher helped tend to the farm of Albert Schmitt, his brother-in-law. The Schmitt farm was located on Merrick Road in Rosedale. He married Eva Graf. They had 2 children: Helen (1907-1941) and Christopher (1914-1961).

7: George Kappelmeier (Aug 29, 1870 - Apr 9, 1910) was born in  Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. He earned a living as a hotel keeper. The location of the hotel is unknown. He married Louisa Gerlach (Mar 24, 1868 - Apr 2, 1902) in 1894. They had 5 children: George (1895-1948), John (1898-1962), Louise (1899-1968), Magdalena (1901) and Christopher (1902-1955). George and Louisa are buried at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York.

8: Michael Kappelmeier (Jul 9, 1876 - Dec 28, 1960) was born in Fosters Meadow, Queens County, New York. According to the 1900 Federal Census, he worked on the farm of his brother, Anton. Years later he started his own family gardening business. He married Anna Hoffmeier (Oct 26, 1886 - Apr 19, 1976) on Dec 9, 1902 at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York. They had 4 children: Anna (1903-1983), Henry (1905-1993), Frederick (1908-1973) and Michael (1916-1989). Both Michael and Anna are buried St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York.

Submitted by: Jeffrey Jones Jr.

Email: HistoricalArchive@outlook.com

Date: October 2017