Johann (John) Kiefer was born on January 9, 1862 in Marienborn, Rheinhessen, Hessen-Darmstadt, which corresponds with modern-day Marienborn, Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He was the son of Christoph Kiefer and Margaretha Sickinger, both of whom had lived and died in Marienborn. His father had originally married Katharina Kapp, she died in 1857. Through his father's first marriage, he had 6 siblings: Anna Maria, Christoph (Christopher), Katharina, Heinrich (Henry), Fides, and Barbara. An additional 4 siblings were born after Johann Kiefer’s father, Christoph, married a second time to Margaretha Sickinger. Including Johann and in chronological order, Christoph and Margaretha had: Klara, Johann (John), Peter, Elisabetha, and Anna. John Kiefer left Germany at the age of 19, departing on the “Schiedam” from Rotterdam, Netherlands and arriving at the port of New York on June 23, 1881. 

Interesting to note, two of Johann Kiefer’s siblings immigrated to the United States of America, Christopher and Henry Kiefer, both of whom were half-siblings to John. Christopher Kiefer (1844-1905) immigrated to the United States of America in 1866, according to the Emigration Register, 1856-1877 for Mainz, Germany. Furthermore, manifest records indicate that Christopher Kiefer left Germany at the age of 22, departing on the “Bremen” from Bremen, Germany and arriving at the port of New York on January 16, 1867. He married Catherine Danenhauer (1848-1900) in 1869, a year after she had immigrated to the United States of America. The location of the marriage is unknown. They had 16 children: Philippine (1870-1871), Caroline (1871-1875), Anna Katherine (1873-1879), Henry Christopher (1874-1909), Elizabeth (1876-1951), an unknown child (1877), William (1878-1916), Josephine (1879-1879), Johann (1880-1881), Katharina Johanna (1882), Christoph Herrmann (1884), Charles Zimmerman (1884-1884), Frederick William (1885-1941), Charles (1886-1950), Christoph Peter (1889-1948), and Joseph (1891-1969). All of the children were baptized at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Fosters Meadow, which now corresponds to present day Elmont. Following the death of Christoph Kiefer’s first wife, he remarried on December 12, 1900 to Mary Frerk (1857-1935) at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Fosters Meadow. They had no children. Christopher Kiefer was in the hotel business and well-known in the area. His Kiefer branch married into other prominent families of the area such as: Kalb and Mott. Christopher Kiefer and Catherine Danenhauer are interred at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Elmont. Henry Kiefer (1850-1906), immigrated to the United States of America in 1873, according to the 1900 United States Federal Census. He married Josephine Altheimer (1857-1879) on December 27, 1876 at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Elmont. They had 1 child together: Henry Kiefer Jr. (1877-1939). He married a second time to Margaret Eschenbacher (1857-1944) on May 16, 1880. They had 6 children together: John Conrad (1881-1954), Charles Frederick (1883-1940), Josephine Eleanor (1885-1975), Louis Walter (1886-1964), Clarence Johannes (1888-1954), and Adele Marie (1894-1985). Henry Kiefer is interred at Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale, alongside both of his wives. 

John Kiefer married Anna Reuter (1864-1899), on April 21, 1885. Records indicate that he was present in the area from at least 1892 and on. The Kiefer farm was located on the northside of Hempstead Turnpike on the border of Franklin Square and Elmont. Franklin Square hosted a number of flower farms as it was a big industry in the community, the Kiefer farm was a notable flower farm in the area. His first wife had lived on the family farm up until her death on May 25, 1899. John Kiefer then married Elizabeth Becker (1874-1948) on August 15, 1899 at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont. John Kiefer passed away on May 14, 1927 and is interred at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York.

John Kiefer and Anna Reuter had 5 children: 

1. Nicholas John Kiefer (1887-1981) married Mary C. Hummel (1889-1965) on January 25, 1912. She was the daughter of farmer John Hummel (1863-1916) and Caroline Batt (1869-1942). They had 3 children: Nicholas John (1913-1981), Alfred George (1915-1992), and Eleanor (1920-2013). Nicholas Kiefer worked as a farmer until around 1925. According to the 1930 and 1940 United States Federal Census records, he had owned his own trucking business. He was an active member of the Franklin Square community, a member of both the Holy Name Society of St. Catherine of Sienna RC Church and the Franklin Square Post and Auxiliary. He was a committee member in the Holy Name Society and helped orchestrate many functions such as the first fall dance at the parish hall, summer festivals, communion breakfasts, barn dances and even hosted members of the Sewing Circle of St. Catherine’s of Sienna RC Church in his home. Nicholas John Kiefer passed away on March 11, 1981. He is interred at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York.

2. John Andrew Kiefer (1889-1982) married Philomena A. Stezelberger  (1892-1983) on June 29, 1915. They had 4 children: Grace Joan (1916-1992), Marie (1917-2005), Howard (1922-1944), and Patricia (1925-2013). He had worked as a farmer up until 1925 along with his oldest brother. By 1930, he worked as a chauffeur for his brother’s trucking business. By 1940, he was a foreman of the yard. No further information has been obtained. John Andrew Kiefer passed away on September 22, 1982. He is interred at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York.

3. Anna Mary Kiefer (1892-1972) married Christian F. Adams (1890-1985) on August 15, 1914. They had 2 children: Christian J. (1917-2005) and Kenneth N. (1925-1952). Christian F. Adams served as a committee member for the Holy Name Society of St. Catherine of Sienna RC Church. No further information has been obtained.

4. George Kiefer (1895-1972) married Helen J. Betsch (1900-1992). They had 2 children: George John (1922-1994) and Roger Nicholas (1926-2005). George Kiefer served in the U.S. Army during WWI. Upon his return from service, he worked for the Town of Hempstead as the chief clerk of the Board of Assessors. He was also an active member of the Franklin Square community. In 1914, he served as the secretary for the Holy Name Society of St. Catherine of Sienna RC Church. Records indicate that he was a committee member for the Board of Education of Union Free School District No. 16, Town of Hempstead in 1924. On November 18, 1932, he became county chairman of the Nassau County American Legion auxiliary and served in the Franklin Square post. He was also a member of the Franklin Square Republic Club. His wife, Helen J. Betsch was also an active member of the community holding the position of chairman of the Franklin Square American Legion Junior auxiliary and a member of the Women’s Republic club of Franklin Square. George Kiefer and Helen J. Betsch are both interred at the Long Island National Cemetery in East Farmingdale. 

5. Josephine Marion Kiefer (1899-1922) married Edwin Raymond Wicks (1902-1980) on March 30, 1921. Josephine Marion Kiefer passed away on August 14, 1922. She is interred at St. Boniface RC Church in Elmont, New York.

Submitted by: Jeffrey Jones

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                        February 2021