Great Great Grandfather of Joan (Wilsterman) Hall

Carl Wilstermann, the patriarch of the Wilstermann family was born in Wilster, Schleswig Holstein, Germany. Carl’s father was apparently a widower in 1873 and planned to marry, His bride to be did not want children around and so Carl left home in 1873 for the United States. On board ship were some German people who were headed to Stark county, Ohio and perhaps that is what he decided to do. Not having any money for transportation he walked from New York to Ohio. There were many German speaking people along the way so he stopped at farmhouses exchanging labor for food and perhaps a little money. Eventually he reached Ohio. He worked for a farmer there and in1879 he became a citizen of the United States. After he became a citizen he went by the name of Charles Wilsterman.

In 1881, Charles Wilsterman married Mary Schaufter. Mary was born in Mt. Eaton, Ohio in 1862. Charles and Mary were the parents of five children. They were Albert, Myrtle, Willist (changed legally to William) Harris, and Herbert. The family moved to Barberton, Ohio where Charles worked at the Columbia Chemical Co. as a stationary engineer. Mary Wilsterman died of cancer in 1914.

Charles Wilsterman, in his later years, lived with his son William’s family. Almost every day he went fishing as that was his favorite thing to do. William’s boys loved to tease their grandfather. Their favorite trick was to tip over his rocking chair as he napped. They thought that was really funny until grandpa chased and caught them. Then it wasn’t so funny!! Charles died in March of 1939. He and his wife Mary are buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Akron, Ohio

We have not been successful in discovering Carl Wilstermann’s parent’s names. We have heard that Carl had a brother who was in the Army but we do not know his name either. Apparently Carl’s mother had passed away and his father was planning to get married around 1873. That is when 15 year old Carl left home for the United States.

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