DROST INTRODUCTION

Drost – a rare surname in the United States.  Most Drosts correctly claim the German regions of Europe as their place of origin.  Though the surname is uncommon, it is not so unique as to link all Drosts to one or two immigrants.  In fact, many Drosts came to the United States during the nineteenth century, mainly from Holland and Germany (1850 census reports eight Drost/Droste individuals who served as head of household).  Of those immigrants, only one managed to find his way to the southwest Louisiana coast – John Drost.  And therefore, Drosts who are tied to that region can almost certainly herald John Drost as the progenitor of their family.  Who was John Drost?  Why did he come to America? And then to Louisiana?  How did he get there?  These questions consumed me for years.  I yearned to know more as the family retained very little from his past – either forgotten or maybe, John Drost had just kept it to himself.  Up until February 2012, here is what we knew of him prior to his arrival in Louisiana, or what we thought we knew:

·         Born 28 December 1848 (grave marker)

·         Came from Bremerhaven, Hamburg, or the German low country near Holland (family legend)

·         The original spelling of Drost was a little different (family legend)

·         Was the youngest child and had 12 or 13 older sisters (family legend)

·         Mother was named Elsa (family legend)

·         Left home at 13 or 14 on a “tall” ship as a cabin boy (family legend)

·         Sailed all over the world (family legend)

·         Mother made him leave Germany for America (family legend)

·         Arrived in America in 1869 (census)

·         Living in New York in 1870 (census)

·         In southwest Louisiana by 1872 (land records)

Our knowledge of John Drost grew exponentially in 2012.  While driving back from a short vacation, I received a call on my cell phone from cousin Jerald Drost (1929-2016) who lived in Miami.  He reported that the John Drost mystery had been solved.  It still ranks as one of the best phone calls I ever received!  Over the next year, we were able to further decode John Drost as a team with a few other Drost researchers – answering many, if not most, of the questions that had distressed me personally for decades.  The story below is a merger of the old information (some right and some wrong) with the new findings.  There are still holes and I feel certain that there is much more to be found.  However, I anticipate that many records that hold this information are likely in Germany, written in German language, and hidden in German regional record depositories which will be difficult to access.  Cousin Jerald Drost told me once in 2014 that he was now satisfied, we knew where John Drost came from.  I won’t go that far but, I will certainly say that I feel pretty darn good about what we now know.

The historical biography below tracks John Drost from his birth in Prussia (now Germany) to his death in Louisiana.  Following the John Drost biography, the origin of the John Drost surname will be presented.  As origin implies, the first Drost will be identified and then the subsequent Drost line that led to John Drost will be followed.  

JOHANN JACOBS DROST (DROST GENERATION 5)

Johann Jacobs Dröst was born on 28 December 1848 in Westerdeich (Nesse birth record).  This small village was close to the larger town of Nessmersiel, a substantial port linking the East Frisian German state to the North Sea and beyond.  At the time, East Frisia was considered a German state and a part of the Kingdom of Hanover.  Johann was the second child, and eldest son, of Jan Jacobs Dröst and Elsebee Peters Wunder who were married in Nessmersiel in 1846 (tradition states he was the only son, perhaps the youngest child, and had many older sisters – tradition found to be inaccurate).  Johann Jacobs Dröst’s middle name was different than his siblings, which was likely due to the death of his grandfather Jacob Dröst just 18 days before his birth.

The birth record of Johann Jacobs Dröst, indicating his full name, date of birth, place of birth, and father’s name and profession.

Parents Jan and Else Dröst had Johann Jacobs Dröst baptized on 4 January 1849, just one week after his birth.  The family was either Catholic or Protestant by faith.  Both the Catholic and Protestant religions enjoyed similar popularity in East Frisia and therefore the Dröst religious denomination is unknown (as an adult, Johann Jacobs Dröst chose a Methodist faith as opposed to Catholic, though possibly by convenience).

This baptism record indicates the child’s name (to the right in a separate column), the child’s birth (line 1), the father’s name (line 2), mother’s name (line 2) and baptism date (line 3).  The record is in German so a full translation is not available.

Judging from his siblings' birth records, Johann Jacobs Dröst spent his early childhood in Westerdeich.  The Dröst home was surely one of many traditional red tiled roof homes that were, and still are, popular along the German coastal region.  For as far as could be seen to the east and west of Westerdeich, flat salt meadows allowed little wild growth beyond reeds and grass because the tides were a continual source of salt water.  Meadows to the south, away from the coast, consisted of flat silt deposits where farming was popular.  To the north was the Wadden Sea, a part of the North Sea rich in silt and predominantly shallow where large Wadden Sea archipelago islands could be seen at about three miles distance.  Specifically, the islands of Norderney and Baltrum were easily visible and were sparsely inhabited.  

East Frisia was a part of the Kingdom of Hanover between 1815 and 1866.

Though he and his siblings grew up in a small village, the Dröst children were taught to read and write (Johann could read and write according to census records and he later received letters from his siblings).  At some time between 1859 and 1863, his family appeared to make a move to Nessmersiel (sibling’s birth records).  The move could have been attributed to a) father Jan’s occupation as a sailor, b) his maternal grandparent’s home in Nessmersiel, c) and/or paternal grandmother Greetje Dröst’s death at Nessmersiel in 1862.  Coinciding with this move, Johann Jacobs Dröst made an early decision to follow his father to the sea.  At the age of 13 or 14, which was in about 1862, Johann joined the sailor ranks as a cabin boy on a tall ship – probably a square rig, clipper, or other sailing vessel (family tradition states "tall ship" and also age/occupation).  Tradition reports he was based out of Bremen or Bremerhaven (the Bremen port), which were both in close proximity to Nessmersiel.  But, since his name does not appear on Bremen ship crew lists prior to 1870 (which exist and are thorough), he must have enlisted during his youth at Nessmersiel.

Nessmersiel on a contemporary map

And so during his adolescent years, Johan Jacobs Dröst spent a majority of his time at sea.  His cabin boy beginnings soon ended, leading him to jobs requiring more strength.  Though only developing into a meager 5 foot 6 inch stature (family tradition), he could easily handle the rigor of the sailor’s life.  His travels took him all over the world, which included journeys to places such as the Mediterranean Sea and the holy land (family tradition).  His voyages, no matter how long, would always bring him home to his mother Else who adored her oldest son (family tradition, though tradition implied he was the baby of the family).  He was also able to visit with his siblings, which by 1869 included five sisters (four younger) and three younger brothers (at least one of whom grew to adulthood, the fate of the others is unknown).  Note: Another tradition, now believed to be inaccurate, was told that he left home at an early age and never returned.

By 1870, East Frisians were feeling pressure in their new role as citizens of the Prussian Empire.  Though the Austro-Prussian war had ended in 1866, which placed East Frisia under Prussian rule, more trouble was brewing.  France, under Napoleon III, argued that the Austro-Prussian War left Prussia as the dominate force in Europe.  This potential dominance was in direct opposition to the Congress of Vienna in 1815 which ensured European peace and power equality after the Napoleonic Wars.  During 1870, France demanded rule over Belgium, which in their opinion would balance power.  Word spread in the North German states that war was imminent.  War meant that Prussia would require all men of military age within nations under their control (including East Frisia) to report for duty.  The Prussian Army, under Otto von Bismarck, planned to field in excess of one million soldiers at wartime thanks to conscriptions.  

Otto Von Bismarck in the 1860s

Mother Else Dröst was distraught with thoughts that her oldest son Johan Jacobs Dröst would be conscripted into von Bismarck’s Prussian army.  When Johan was home between jobs on sailing ships, Else, who had just given birth to a son (her last child – 4 January 1870), urged him to enlist on a ship bound for America during his next job - and not return home.  Fleeing from an army conscription was illegal and therefore, she urged Johann to remain in America and not return for fear he would be incarcerated…or worse (family tradition).  Another tradition states that two of Johann’s sisters placed him on a boat to avoid conscription at age 17.  Johann was 17 in 1866 at the time of the Austro-Prussian war and one can only surmise that Johann may have avoided war service twice (stories of Germans deserting in America in 1866, returning to Germany after the war, and then deserting once again in 1870 America are common).

Johan Jacobs Dröst traveled to Bremen and enlisted as a crewman with a large shipping company (he had never enlisted in a tour of duty on a ship from Bremen before this time, according to the Bremen Staatsarchiv Crew Lists).  He agreed to work among the deck personnel as a sailor on the steamship New York and its Master, Wilhelm Nordenholt. Work as a sailor was evidence he had vast experience working on ships (less experienced men would work in different jobs, such as in the kitchen or shoveling coal).  He signed on as Johann Behrends Dröst, presumably to avoid a connection to his family in Nessmersiel where he would be expected to join von Bismarck’s army.  Having been a sailor for many years and because of his proximity to the Bremerhaven port, one would think that Johann would not have been able to use a fake name.  Therefore, we can surmise that he either had experienced little face time in Bremerhaven or someone there allowed him to submit an alias.  Regarding this alias, Johann Behrends or Jan Behrends, was the name of his maternal grandfather – Jan Behrends Wunder – who was a sailor in his own right.  He may have taken this name in honor of his grandfather.  The 320 foot by 39 foot steamship New York was owned and operated by the Norddeutscher (North German) Lloyd Steamship Company, the leading shipping company in Europe.  On 16 June 1870, the SS New York set sail from Bremenhaven with a crew of 26 (that number is verified and there was probably more), passengers numbering 425, mail, money, and cargo.  The ultimate destination was New York via a single stop scheduled at Havre, France.

Concourse of the North German (Norddeutchen) Lloyd at Bremerhaven in 1870.  Cargo and passengers were loaded at this location.

The SS New York

MonatMonth	Datum Date		Name	Geburtsort Birthplace	Wohnort Place of residence	Geburt jahr Birth year	Stellung position	Regierung Government	Gage Salary
June	16	3391	Wilh. Hackman	Gr. Lessen	Grohn	1842	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3392	Heinrich Dodt	Lohnhorst	Lohnhorst	1842	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3393	Carl Hagermann	Bremen	Bremen	1842	Matrose	Bremen	J 15
		3394	Niels Peter Lunden	Hernvsand	Hernvsand	1847	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3395	August Wedel	Blexen	Blexen	1850	Leichtmatrose	Holland	J 13
		3396	DiedeMangels	St. Magnus	St. Magnus	1854	Leichtmatrose	Prussia	J 8
		3396	Herm Vennekohl	St. Magnus	St. Magnus	1852	Leichtmatrose	Prussia	J 12
		3397	Casar von Aller	Altona	Hannover	1851	Leichtmatrose	Prussia	J 12
		3398	Joh Ber Dröst	Nessmersiel	Nessmersiel	1849	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3399	Friedr. Menkens	Hingsterhobal	Hingsterhobal	1841	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3400	Joh Georg Klockgether	Oldenburg	Oldenburg	1849	Matrose	Oldenburg	J 15
		3401	MoretzKreise	Leeda	Grabe	1845	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3402	WilhBrokhagen	Rehme	Rehme	1849	Matrose	Prussia	J 15
		3403	Heinr. Beckedorf	Bremen	Vegesack	1855	Junge	Bremen	J 5
		3404	Heinr. Göcke	Sehlde	Geestendorf	1856	Junge	Prussia	J 5
		3405	FriedrRöhlfs	Blumenthal	Blumenthal	1852	Junge	Prussia	J 5
		3406	Wilhelm Keihne	Lehe	Lehe	1856	Steward	Prussia	J 6
		3407	August Klein	Wadden	Wadden	1843	Pantryman	Oldenburg	J 16
		3408	JohDannhauser	Varel	Varel	1846	Sculleryman	Oldenburg	J 10
		3409	WilhKabelich	Ladeburg	Genthin	1840	Heizer	Prussia	J 17
		3410	Christ. Vespermann	Lerve	Geestendorf	1833	Kohlenzieber	Prussia	J 12
		3411	Conrad Beser	Durngen	Weilsbuttel	1847	Kohlenzieber	Prussia	J 12
		3412	Herm. Huntermann	Kirchbremmen	Geestendorf	1822	Kohlenzieber	Oldenburg	J 12
		3413	Herm. Eichholz	Penningbuttel	Geestendorf	1841	Kohlenzieber	Prussia	J 12
		3414	Friedr Fischer	Gneven	Gneven	1834	Kohlenzieber	Mehlent	J 12
		3415	H.W. F.  Ahrends	Dessau	Dessau	1844	Arzt	Sachen	J 30
Schiffs (ship)                                                                                        New York Capitains Name   (Captain)                                                               Capt W. Nordenholt Bauart und Grosse der Schiffs (Design and size of ship)             Schrdschiff (Steamship) 1792 (passengers?) Last (load) Wohinbestimmt   (where determined)                                             New York From the “Verzeichniss der Seeleute welche im Jahre 1870 gemustert haben” or loosely translated as the “Directory the Sailors which in the Years 1870 patterned have”

The officers and crew on a Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship in 1865.

The transatlantic voyage, if consistent with previous voyages, was about three weeks in duration and about 3,590 miles in distance.  With a stop in Havre, France, tensions would have been high among crew and passengers on the ship.  French military vessels had begun acts of hostility against Prussian vessels in European waters.  Normally, the SS New York ran their Bremen to New York route once every two months.  This June trip to New York would be the last, according to records, for the next five months in an attempt to avoid French naval aggression.  It would appear that Johann Jacobs Dröst had barely made it out of Prussia.

Johann Jacobs Dröst arrived in America on or about 2 July 1870.  The destination port for Norddeutscher Lloyd ships was called New York City but in actuality, ships docked at the piers in Hoboken, New Jersey.  An appearance of a Lloyd steamship would prompt a report in the New York Daily Tribune.  An advertisement posted in the New York Herald on 6 July 1870 for passage back to Europe read:

The SS New York was scheduled to embark on their return trip shortly after arrival in New York (on 7 July, note that 4 July was the date recorded for Johann Jacobs/Berends Dröst’s desertion).  When the ship left port, Johann Jacobs Dröst was not aboard. Instead, he merely did not report back when the sailors were due and the ship steamed east without him.  Johann had purposefully deserted his tour of duty.  Desertion was not out of the ordinary for Prussians and Germans.  Though common and usually involving low danger, political tensions in Prussia meant that desertion was vastly more treasonous than normal.  With a looming war, Prussian military leaders would not be lenient and would consider desertion worthy of punishment.  Prussian consuls were known to have arrested deserters and could confiscate their family’s property if found.

As noted before, the German steamers would not connect to the US for many months.  

This report was found in the Tennessean out of Nashville, TN on 23 July 1870

DRÖST AND THE SS DORETTE

A passage from an email I received in February 2012:

“This year I read about a Prussian sailor named Johann Berhend Drost who is listed as a deserter from the bark Dorette in 1869.  The article listed his date of birth as 28 Dec 1848 and said he was from Westerdeich, Nesse, Prussia.  …checked church records and found a Johann Jacobs Drost with same birthday and born in the same town.”

I, personally, have not seen this document or article and the information I have seen contradicts this find and reports the exact same man Johann Behrends Drost arrived on the ship NEW YORK.  In another email:

“As far as the desertion records of 1870, you will see that I wrote to our friend Dick Geiger and he translated the German record to show that John Drost was aboard the SS Dorette when he came to New York.  I don't know if this is a mistake on Dick's part, but will look into it further when time permits.”

The 1870 SS New York crew list and Bremen desertion record plainly states that Johann Behrends Drost arrived on the SS NEW YORK.  This is most certainly the same man and so we can only surmise that either a) there was a confusion with the record transcription or b) John Drost originally came to America in 1869 but returned in 1870.  Important to remember – John Drost, in the 1900 and 1910 US census – states he came to America in 1869 (maybe that was the date of his first appearance). 

The bark Dorette left Bremerhaven 3 October 1869 under the direction of Captain Luder Schulken for the North German Lloyd Steamship Company.  New York City was the ship’s destination, transporting freight and passengers for the Bremen firm Carl Pokrantz and Company.  The bark Dorette, a full-rigged three-masted iron ship was built in 1855 and was 133 feet in length and 30 feet from beam to beam.  However, the Bremen ship lists do not report that a Johan Dröst enlisted on any ship’s crew (was the Dorette crew list in that database?)

A Dorette sailor kept a journal in 1868 and on a voyage from Bremerhaven to New York with about 300 passengers, wrote “…the primitive conditions for the passengers present! No windows, no ventilation! When, in bad weather, the hatches had to be closed, the atmosphere below was terrible.... There was no doctor on board. Water for all these people was in barrels. Everyone had a small ration of drinking water, most keenly measured. At night a rigourous (sic) guard was kept that no provisions could be stolen. During this trip there were 8 births and 1 death.”  On the next trip in June 1868, he reported, “Once again going with nearly 300 passengers to New York. On March 8 we sailed down to the lighthouse, and here again had to anchor and endure a heavy Nor'easter. We positioned before it with two anchors with 9 fathom chains. The following days we sailed where the southwest wind was, again north around England. During this trip numerous storms and wretched weather. The poor passengers were often kept in, not allowed to come on deck for days because the hatch had to remain closed. On this trip also our colleague Christopher Seebeck from Ronnebeck fell overboard. Amid stormy weather and high seas he plunged from the top to the sea. Under mortal danger a boat was put out, but after searching in vain again came back. With much toil and by the skin of our teeth the boat was received on board. Shortly after the boat with its crew was safely on board, a heavy storm set in. Our poor friend was not seen again. A very tough and arduous trip ended on May 15, we came into New York. Outside of our comrade Seebeck we also had a number of passengers, mostly children, that had to be laid in the sea. On the return trip, the Dorette brought a load of petroleum to Bremerhaven.”

In August 1870, the month after his desertion, news crossed the Atlantic of Prussia’s refusal to cede Belgium to the French, resulting in a French declaration of war against Prussia – Johann’s family was living in an active war zone.  Also in August, Johann Jacobs Dröst had become (or soon after) John Jacob Drost, or simply John Drost.   By 23 August 1870, he was living at a “Seaman’s Boarding House” over which Hanover native John H. Schutte and wife Margarete were proprietors (1870 New York State Census, Schutte held a license to operate a 7th class hotel).  The house was in New York City’s 3rd ward at 161 (or 103) Washington Street between Liberty and Courtland Streets.  The location featured a bar (and they held a liquor license) run by bartender Gerardus Klopp of Holland, and was home to more than 40 seamen in 1870 between the ages of 19 and 35.  These boarders called countries such as Prussia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, England, Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, and Chile their place of origin.  Schutte’s (who died in 1897 at NYC) boarding house had been operational for at least 10 years (1860 census).  In 1860, it was much smaller, though it featured a bar then as well.  Schutte also appears to have owned or run another hotel and bar on 133 Liberty Street just a few blocks away.

Washington Street ran parallel to the piers on the lower east side of Manhattan, as shown in an 1870 New York City map.  The red circle is 161 Washington Street and the exact location of World Trade Center 2 that was destroyed 11 September 2001.

New York City in 1870. Two steamships in the foreground, similar to the SS New York.