100 Years Ago Today, with only $5.50 in his pocket, Peter Limmer Sr. and his family arrived in America! After being on the boat for 9 days, Peter Sr., Marie, Peter Jr., and Franz-Xaver (Francis) arrived on April 17, 1926.
A few years ago, Aarron, a longtime Limmer customer who volunteers at Ellis Island helped us locate the Limmer’s immigration paperwork from that day.
A few words from our friend Aaron. “I’ve attached three files related to the Limmer family: the ship’s manifest listing the Limmer family on lines 10-13, dated April 8, 1926 sailing from Bremen; a photo of the Columbus; and a small history of the ship itself. If you examine the manifest, the husband was always listed first, his wife second, and then children in age order. His occupation is listed as “Shoemaker,” and Marie as “Wife,” followed by “Child” and “DO,” basically ditto. In the ship’s history, it gives you the date the keel was laid (1914), and its original name, “Hindenburg.” In looking at many of the other ships, some were used as troop ships carrying British and American soldiers between England and France, others from the US to England, and this one, Columbus, is the first I’ve seen where it remained in the service of Germany through the first year of declared war. I hope that this information helps, and feel free to contact me for any additional help.”
We find all this fascinating, even the details of their birth, height, eyes, and that they applied for their immigration paperwork in Munich on December 23, 1925.
We were also able to find the affidavit of the S.S. Columbus Commanding Officer upon arrival on April 17, 1926, that all was in order and that everyone was accounted for properly.
The Limmer family's next stop would be as indicated on shipping manifests to be Jamaica Plain, where Peter Limmer would begin his shoemaking and bootmaking business in America, 7 years after incorporating in Vachendorf Bavaria.
It's Incredible to think about what the Limmer family would go on to create and steward over the next 100 years. On behalf of Peter Sr., Marie, Peter Jr., Francis, Karl, and Peter Limmer, we would like to thank the entire Limmer community for your support over the years, here’s to the next 100!
