My Genealogy Hound

Andrew Bergmann was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 20, 1832, and is the son of John and Anna (Bergmann) Bergmann, both natives of Bavaria, where they passed their lives. The mother died at the age of fifty-two, but the father still lives and is eighty-five years old. His occupation has been that of a farmer. Of their family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, Andrew is the third child and the only one who immigrated to America. He landed at Baltimore, Md., in 1853, and, after working for nearly a year in a glass factory and rolling mill, he turned his attention to the river, and for about nine years ran as deck-hand, fireman, watchman and second mate. He then engaged as porter and later as salesman in a large wholesale and retail establishment in St. Louis, where he remained four years. Having been offered better wages at New Orleans, he left for that place but the war broke out and he, fearing lest he should be forced into the Confederate service, went to New York and volunteered in Battery I, First New York Light Artillery. After driving cannon for about two years, he was promoted to horse farrier, which position he held until the close of the war. When the Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps were consolidated into the Twentieth, he was transferred to Sherman’s command at Chattanooga, and continued with him until cessation of hostilities. At the battle of Gettysburg, a shell took off the top of his cap and cut the hair from the top of his head. In 1865 he was mustered out at Buffalo and returned to St. Louis, where he followed teaming. In 1868 he married Miss Katie Toennies, a native of Oldenburg, Germany, born in 1838. She came with her parents to this country in 1865. One year after marriage Mr. Bergmann and wife moved to Franklin County, Mo., and settled on his present farm, which consists of 187 acres. Their married life was blessed by the birth of one child, a daughter, named Anna M. The family are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Bergmann was a Democrat until about two years after the war, since which time he has been an ardent Republican. He is a member of the G. A. R. Francis Wilhelm Post, No. 344. For nineteen years he has been a resident of this county, and is accounted a successful farmer.