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The History of the Germans
in Buffalo and Erie County
Heinrich Baethig
Mr. Heinrich Baethig was a thoroughly capable person with a multifaceted kind of genius. He was an old German pioneer in the truest
sense of the word, not just a new settler in this city, this state or this
land, but a pioneer when it came to life and its application. Born on
November 22, 1809 in Halbau, Silesia, he attended the local school and
then travelled to Breslau to attend the secondary school and pass the
college admissions exams. Later he went the the university and
matriculated into the Theology Department. His rich spirituality made his
studies easy and he would have secured for himself a fine career were it
not for his misgivings about the old fatherland. He came to the Promised
Land, America.
In October of 1850 he made the decision to emigrate. After a rather long
voyage via sailing ship he arrived on the yearned-for shores in December.
After seeing New York he figured the interior held more opportunity so he
decided to come to Buffalo. His common sense told him that he wouldn't be
able to make a living in his field, so he went into photography. It wasn't
a solid profession but he was able to make a relatively good living. He
wasn't completely satified with this undertaking so he decided to study
pharmacy and medicine. In both fields he had success, especially as a
physician. It gave him the opportunity to renew his good heartedness, his
noble sensibility, and his love of humanity. Despite his busy practice,
Mr. Baethig regularly took part in political events, though he did not
actively seek or hold political office. He put all his energy and effort
into generating fine and honorable principles in order to support and
raise the interests of his fellow human beings.
In 1847 he married Miss Adelaide Ziekursch, who gave him a son, now a
practicing physican known as Dr. H. Bäthig, and a daughter, Louise, who is
deceased. Mr. Heinrich Bäthig died on December 5, 1870. He was mourned by
his family and friends and by the countless individuals whom he had
assisted during the course of his blessed life.
Gustav E. Fuhrmann,
who was born in Görlitz, Silesia, attended the elementary and high
schools of his fatherland and after passing the college entrance exams
matriculated at the Royal Trade Academy of Berlin. He came to America in
1875 and studied at the Central High School in Buffalo. For a time he was
a teacher at a large plantation in Louisiana. He returned to Germany in
1862 and was employed in a position of trust at the world famous factory
of Cornelius Heyt. He returned to Buffalo in 1882 and became teacher and
organist at the St. Mark's Evanglical parish. He has been a member of the
faculty of Masten Park High School since its opening. He's a professor of
German Language and Literature.
Georg Vom Berge
Few men have earned the lasting esteem of their city and their circle
of acquaintences the way Mr. Benjamin Gottwald Vom Berge has. Mr. Vom
Berge was born on February 27, 1831 in Ottendorf, Silesia. He came from
the old, noble families of the Prussian Provinces. After attending the
High School in Görlitz and later acquiring the technical knowledge of
surveying, he went to the Royal Architectural Academy in Berlin, where he
completed his studies in railroad construction. On November of 1853 he
emigrated to America and settled in Buffalo. The then-booming city
provided ample opportunity for employment of his skills and he acquired a
fine reputation. With only a 2 year interruption he was involved in the
implementation of the first phase of city planning. Considering the
expanse of the city, this was not an easy assignment. When the job was
completed he became a construction engineer for the building of the Erie
Railroad, an assignment which lasted 6 years. In 1862 he was appointed
Consulting Engineer to the city and in 1867 was nominated by the
Democratic Party to run for the office of Chief Engineer. He was elected
by the citizens of the city. In 1873 he was again a consulting engineer to
the city and about 4 years after that he received the nomination of the
Worker's Party for Chief Engineer.
The Democratic Party endorsed the nomination and he was elected a
second time. From 1881 to 1884 he was employed as the railroad technical
specialist for the Lackawanna Railroad,and was then appointed consulting
engineer by the city. He died on September 4, 1886 while at this post. His
passing was mourned by all. Not only had the city lost it's most diligent,
capable, and esteemed citizen but his fellow citizens, especially the
Germans, had lost a loving and supportive member.
Mr. Vom Berge married Miss Marie de Rutte in 1872. They had a son,
Henry Vom Berge. In his earlier years Mr. Vom Berge regularly took part in
association activities. His social talents made him a treasured and
esteemed participant. He was President of the Liedertafel (Glee Club) and
the German Young Men's Association. In other clubs he was a highly
respected member.
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