George A Hummel was the first of our Hummel branch to emigrate to America. He was born on December 25, 1825 in Freistett, Baden, Germany. His wife Franziska (Speigel or Spiegelhalter) was born on September 23, 1825 in Hochdorf, Freiburg, also in Baden, Germany.
According to a Biographical sketch published in 1896, when he was a young man, George left the land of his birth and came to America to seek his fortune. He was first engaged as a farm hand at Newtown, and after about seven years there he went to Valley Stream, where he began farming for himself. This he carried on with fair success until the time of his death in September, 1885.
George and Franziska had seven children: Mary, Katherine, Phillipine, Charles, George, Philip, and John.
The first daughter, Mary, was born about 1851 in New York and was listed as single and living at home in both the 1870 and 1880 US Censuses. In her sister’s obituary in 1906, she was listed as Mrs. Mary Miller residing in Brooklyn, NY.
The second daughter, Katherine, was born in 1852. She married Henry Heinrich Felten, son of John Jacob Felten and Maria Anna F. Treubig, on April 23, 1872 at St. Boniface RC Church in Fosters Meadow, New York. Katherine and Henry had four children: Jacob, Henry Michael, George and Marie Katherine. Katherine died in 1932 and is buried in St. Boniface RC Cemetery in Fosters Meadow, New York.
The third child, Phillipine (also known as Fanny), was born on July 27, 1854. She married Alois Finn, son of William Finn and Augusta Mosebach, on June 5, 1883 at St. Boniface RC Church in Fosters Meadow, New York. Alois was the widower of Franziska Maerz (March) whom he had married at St Boniface on September 3, 1872. Upon her marriage to Alois, Phillipine became stepmother to five stepsons: Louis, Michael, William, Joseph and John Finn. Phillipine died of heart failure on December 27, 1906 and is buried in St. Boniface RC Cemetery in Elmont, New York.
The fourth child, Charles, was born on 21 April 1857 in Valley Stream, New York. On the 25th of January, 1881, he was married to Mary Froehlich, daughter of Franz Froehlich and Magdalena Breiner. After this union Mr. Hummel and wife removed to the John Williamson farm, near the village of Jamaica, and for five years tilled the soil there as a renter. He then purchased a farm of forty-five acres on Springfield Road. No children were born of their marriage.
The fifth child, George, was born on April 17, 1858. He married Mathilda "Tillie" Hoffman, daughter of Joseph Hoffman and Caroline Geiger, on April 22, 1890 in St Boniface RC Church. They had three children: John, Wilhemina and Louise. George died on December 10, 1908.
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The sixth child, Philip, was born on 29 May 1861. He married Caroline Felten in 1884. They had seven children and lived in Brooklyn, NY. Philip died on March 3, 1936 and is buried in St John’s Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, NY.
The seventh and last child, John, was born on 30 Aug 1863. On February 7, 1888 he married Caroline Batt, daughter of Andreas Batt and Dorothy Dummer. John and Caroline had six children: Mary, George, Francis Philip, Alois John, Mathilda, and John. John died January 2, 1916 and is buried in St Boniface Cemetery in Elmont.
Submitted by Peggy Hummel Brochu
Email: ptbroc@aol.com