Niederprim

William Niederprim and Magdalena Niederprim
St. George Cemetery, Kenosha, Wisconsin
(Source:  Photo Courtesy of Kim Heinen Bitto)

1887 Partial Map of Somers  Township
W. Neiderprim parcel, Section 19

William Niederprim Obituary
(Source:  Kenosha Evening News, March 30, 1903)

Magdalena Neiderprim Obituary
(Source:  Chicago Daily Tribune, July 25, 1880)

Niederprim
Wilhelm Niederprim (sometimes spelled Neiderprim or Niederprum) was born in Germany on April 18, 1818. Magdalena Theisen (or Thiesen) was born in Germany on September 8, 1816. Wilhelm and Magdalena were married in Germany and had the following children:

· Johannes Bruno – christened December 6, 1850 in Fliessem, Rheinland, Germany; died in Germany
· Catharina – christened July 14, 1852 in Fleissem, Rheinland, Germany
· Petrus – christened October 5, 1853 in Fliessem, Rheinland, Germany

Wilhelm’s brother Michael Niederprim and his family came to America in 1856 and settled first in Chemung County, New York, then in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Wilhelm Niederprim family followed and came to America on the British Bark Alberti, landing in New York on June 3, 1857, from Antwerp, Belgium. Their son Petrus died on the ship on the way to America. Their daughter Catharina died shortly after their arrival.

The Niederprim family traveled on the same ship as the Mandernach and Thom families, who also settled in Somers Township. It is uncertain whether the Mandernach’s and the Niederprim’s knew each other prior to boarding the ship. Many years later, in 1908, Mathias Mandernach’s son Peter would marry Wilhelm Niederprim’s granddaughter Lena.

The Wilhelm and Magdalena Niederprim family settled on the north side of Kenosha in Section 19 of Somers Township. Wilhelm farmed and became one of the pioneer settlers of the area. The family belonged to St. George’s Catholic Church. Wilhelm and Magdalena had two children born in Wisconsin:

· Mary – born June 21, 1858 in Kenosha; married Valentine Weyres on September 8, 1879 in Waukegan, Illinois; died December 31, 1911 in Kenosha County.
· Michael – born August 11, 1861 in Kenosha; married Anna Julia Leik on October 21, 1884 in Kenosha, Wisconsin; died February 18, 1919 in Kenosha

Magdalena Niederprim died July 24, 1880, in Kensoha County, having been assaulted and murdered by a tramp. Wilhelm Niederprim died March 29, 1903 in Kenosha County. Both are buried in St. George’s Cemetery, Kenosha, Wisconsin.
(Source of this Niederprim story:  Kim Heinen Bitto, January 2012)

Additional information about Niederprim
Wilhelm (William) Niederprim was buried April 1, 1903 in St. George Cemetery in Kenosha.
Mary Niederprim is buried in St. George Cemetery in Kenosha.