This family has been a challenge to research as the family name which became commonly spelled at MEYER was originally spelled Maier (immigration) Meier (marriage) Mair (death). You can also include: Meyers, Myer, Mayer from other sources.

 

Martins Meier was born in Liebenau, Austria in July 1822.   His parents were Andreae Meier and Anna Maria Dürbecer from Liebenau, Austria.He emigrated to New York in the early 1850’s.  One record suggests he emigrated with a younger brother Franz Maier.  Family story says that Martin initially worked for a prominent New York person driving carts and handling animals.

 

Rosene Höyler born 31 Jan 1830 was 24 years when she emigrated to New York.  She was the oldest child and 1st daughter of Johann Andreas Höyler and Christiana Regina Kielneker from Owen, Württemberg.   She was raised in the Evangelische Church in Owen.  Thinking to improve her prospects, Rosene emigrated alone to New York from LeHavre, France aboard the “Samuel M. Fox”, arriving in New York harbor on the 17 Aug 1854.  She became employed by a prominent New York family as a governess to their small children.  It was at the same residence that employed Martins Meier.  Of note, Rosene’s sister Christina Dorothea Höyler emigrated to Philadelphia and her brother Christoph Adam Höyler also emigrated to Long Island at later dates.  Christoph died in June 1872 in Franklin Square, NY.

 

Rosene Höyler and Martins Meier were married at St. Francis in the Fields Catholic Church, Brooklyn, NY on 15 Feb 1857 by Fr. Bonaventure Keller who also served as visiting missionary priest at St. Boniface in Fosters Meadow around the same time.  Their witnesses were Joseph Elsbek and Niclaus Schwenker.  They moved to Middle Village to live.  The Meyers first child, Magdalena, was born 19 May 1857 and baptized at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church on 07 Jun 1857.  We believe that Martin “Mayer “was naturalized as a US citizen in the Superior Court, New York County on 12 Oct 1857.  His witness was Jacob Elsback from Williamsburgh, NY.

 

Martin Meyer leased farmland for 5 years in 1861 in Middle Village near St. Margaret’s Catholic Church.   In July 1869 he purchased farmland property located in Westbury, Town of Hempstead, Queens County which is the corner of Jericho Turnpike and Nassau Blvd.  Today this is known as Garden City Park.

 

Martins and Rosene had eight children:

 

Magdalena b. 1857; Julianna b. 1860; Nicolaus b. 1861; Rosana  b. 1865; Joseph b. 1866;  Stephen b.1868  and Frank Joseph b. 1871.  There was an eighth Meyer child but not recorded, perhaps between Nicolaus and Joseph’s births about 1862.

 

In the 1870 NY Agricultural Survey and Census, the Meyer farm had livestock valued at $800 produced wheat, rye, corn and total value of $1900.  In the June 1880 Agriculture census, the Meyer farm covered 82 acres and was valued $8800.

 

Martin Meyer died 9 Dec 1884, at age 62 years, 5 months, after months of illness termed “remittent fever”.   The farm responsibilities were shouldered by wife Rosene (Rosa) and her children … Magdalena age 27; Nicolaus age 23; Rosana age 19; Joseph age 18; and Stephen age 14. 

 

Julianna Meier (Older daughter) had married Philipp Krug in 1882 and had one child Philip Nicolaus Krug in 1883.  

 

Frank Joseph had died sometime before the 1880 census, about 8 years old.

 

The next Meyer children to marry in chronological order were:

 

Nicolaus Meyer married Anna Margaretha Kreischer on 01 Feb 1887, and 12 children;

 

Magdalena Meyer married widow, Frederick Vogt on 26 April 1887, and 2 children and 3 stepchildren;

 

Joseph Meyer married Mary Smith from Ireland about 1890, and 5 children;

 

Rosana Meyer married Robert J. Dyckman about 1896, and 2 children;

 

Stephen Meyer married Anna M. Brown from Ireland, 30 Jan 1896, and 7 children;

 

Most marriages were at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Elmont where many of the children were baptized and parents buried.  More recent burials were at Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury, NY.

 

Rosena Höyler Meyer died on 24 Jan 1910 and is buried with her husband Martin, and daughter Magdalena Meyer and Frederick Vogt at St. Boniface Cemetery.  The original Meyer farm was continued by daughter Rose Meyer and husband Robert Dyckman , mostly as a dairy farm.  One part is still referred to as the “Cow Pasture” by students at  the new Mineola High School on County Courthouse Road intersecting with Dyckman Avenue (near Jericho Turnpike)  in Garden City Park, NY.  Dyckman Avenue is named for daughter Rosana Meier Dyckman and her farming family.

 

This Meyer (Meier) family has had a huge impact on agriculture in the Elmont-Hicksville parts of Long Island from the 1860’s up to and including World War II by Meyer descendants.  The children’s marriages made bonds between many of the early German farmers from Fosters Meadows.

 

In 1944 Nicholas Meyer descendants sold their farmland to William Levitt which became Levittown, an affordable new housing for returning war veterans.  That line of the family continues potato farming to this day in the Cohocton-Wayland area of upstate NY.  There are still Meyer farms on Long Island, in Woodbury and Calverton.  So the farming tradition carries on.

 

I wish to acknowledge the research help of Karen Meyer Yasinoski and Paul Hoffman whose support would not have made this article happen.

 

Respectfully submitted by Geraldine Mary Achtem  

(g-g-granddaughter of Martins Meier and Rosene Höyler Meier)

                                                    

Date;:  11 June  2017

 

For contact with the author, please use:  gmachtem@yahoo.ca

 

Sources:

 

-US Census  1870, 1880, 1900 and New York Agricultural surveys of 1870 and 1880.

-Baptismal Records, St. Boniface Church, Elmont, NY.

-Baptismal Records, Most Holy Trinity Church, Williamsburg, NY.

-Cemetery Records of St. Boniface Cemetery, Elmont, NY.

-Cemetery of the Holy Rood, Westbury, NY.

-Death Records, Town of North Hempstead, NY.

-Evangelical Lutheran Church Books, Owen Registry, Württemberg.

-Familien Register, Owen, Wurttemberg.

-“Germans to America” by Filby and Glazier.

-Land leases, Queens County Clerk, NY.

-Marriage Records, St. Boniface Church, Elmont, NY.

-Marriage Register St. Francis in the Fields, Brooklyn Diocesan Office, New York.

-New York Marriage Registers.

-New York Passenger Lists 1820-1957.

-New York Petitions for Naturalization.

-Passport for Travel, Kingdom of Württemberg, Donan, Kirchiem.