Heinrich Zimmer was born May 9 1838 probably in Schmittshausen in the Pfalz region of the Kingdom of Bavaria. On December 28 1853 the following notice was published: “Heinrich Zimmer, unmarried, under-age, a farmer, son of Heinrich Zimmer and Elisabetha nee Buchheit, a married farm couple residing in Schmittshausen, intends to emigrate to North America. Any claims against him are to be filed at court, and any charges to be pressed within four weeks.” Apparently there were none since Heinrich stated his immigration year as circa 1855.

Henry was working in the Town of Newtown in Queens County as a gardener and farm worker when he married Anna Maria Hartmann (born March 10, 1841 in Borgentreich, Westphalia) of the Hartmann/Haverkamp branch circa 1862. They had three children before moving to Fosters Meadow in 1873 where Henry continued farming and they had six more children baptized at St Boniface.

Maria died in 1905 and Henry in 1916 and they are buried at St Boniface. Five of their children married and all to German families of the area as follows.

Catherine married Martin Kiesel in 1884 and they farmed in the area until Martin’s death in 1926. Two of their children married Froehlichs, one a Finn and one a Rottkamp. Catherine was buried at St Boniface in 1937 with Martin.

Mary married Henry Joseph Kollmer in 1888 and they farmed in the area before moving to East Meadow. Two of their children married Hoeffners.

Anna Maria married Franz Wulforst in 1897. They farmed in the area before moving to the Herricks area.

Henry married Katherine Hartmann of the Hartmann/Hillebrand branch in 1898. Six of their children married, all to other Elmont families: two Froehlichs, a Herman, a Christman, a Hoeffner and a Hoffman. After Henry died in 1921, Katherine continued to run the farm behind St Boniface with her sons until it was developed in the late 1940s. Henry and Katherine are buried at St Boniface.

Frank married Louise Goeller in 1907. They farmed in Elmont through the 1920s. They are both buried at St Boniface.

Children that did not marry were Theresa Christina, Marie Elizabeth, Caroline Margaret and Joseph Franz.

Submitted by Paul Hoffman (email: pwh115@optonline.net)  (pending corrections and additions from the Zimmer family.)