Name: Mihaly (Michael) WAMSER

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Birth: 6 Jan 1891 Anina, Caras-Severin, Romania

Death: 11 Dec 1968 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Father: Mihaly WAMSER (9 Jun 1866 - 9 May 1905)

Mother: Margaretha LIESZENFELD (6 Nov 1869 - )

Misc. Notes

Note - Naturalization papers show name spelled as "Wamzer".

MICHAEL & LENA WAMSER, WITH CHILDREN CARRIE, ESTER AND EDWARD, ABOUT 1930

ROMANIA, VITAL RECORDS FROM SELECTED REGIONS, 1607-1914:

This was a bonanza of information about Mihály Wamser and his family, and is available on ancestry.com. It is a collection of civil and church records from Transylvania, focusing on German populations. It contains extensive family history information from areas in Romania that formerly belonged to the historic Hungarian Habsburg Monarchy.

It shows he was born 6 Jan 1891, and baptized as a Roman Catholic on 8 Jan 1891. His parents were Mihály Wamser and Margit Wamser. He was born in Anina, Caras-Severin, Romania. His godparent appears to be Barbala Wamser.

Following is the overall family information I extracted from this source. I note that the entire family was Roman Catholic. Also I see that Mihály (Michael) was the only one born in Anina. All the rest of the family were born and lived in Tirol, which is about a 75-km/2-hour drive to the northwest (see Google Maps):

(1) Mihaly WAMSER

          &Barbara FRANTZ

    (2) Rosalia WAMSER (19 Apr 1853 - 27 Jul 1854)

    (2) Petrus WAMSER (30 Aug 1856 - )

              &Anna MIHALYI (abt 1859 - )

        (3) Clementina WAMSER (27 Feb 1879 - )

        (3) Mathias WAMSER (22 Feb 1881 - )

        (3) Theresia WAMSER (14 Jun 1883 - ) (I'm guessing this Theresa died young?)

        (3) Anna WAMSER (5 Jul 1886 - 28 Jul 1886)

        (3) Theresia WAMSER (18 Feb 1888 - 28 Dec 1890) (Replacement child? Also died young!)

        (3) Elisabetha WAMSER (26 Jun 1890 - )

    (2) Maria WAMSER* (15 Apr 1859 - )

              &(Unknown)

        (3) Joannes (illegitimate) WAMSER (24 Dec 1876 - 2 Jan 1877)

    (2) Maria WAMSER* (15 Apr 1859 - )

              &Joannes ZECHMEISZTER (abt 1853 - )

    (2) Gertrud WAMSER (18 Nov 1861 - 23 Nov 1861)

    (2) Catharina WAMSER (18 Nov 1861 - )

    (2) Gertrudis WAMSER/WAMZA (24 Dec 1862 - ) Replacement for twin (?) “Gertrud” who lived 5 days?

    (2) Philippus WAMSER (abt 1863 - )

              &Maria RIBA (17 Feb 1867 - )

        (3) Maria WAMSER (26 Dec 1890 - 23 Aug 1891)

    (2) Mihaly WAMSER (9 Jun 1866 - 9 May 1905)

              &Margaretha LIESZENFELD (6 Nov 1869 - )

        (3) Mihaly (Michael) WAMSER (6 Jan 1891 - 11 Dec 1968)

    (2) Barbara WAMSER (28 Oct 1868 - )

              &Martinus JANCSURA (abt 1863 - )

ELLIS ISLAND IMMIGRATION RECORDS – MICHAEL WAMSER:

Searching for Michael Wamser was a challenge. I tried 25 different spellings of "Wamser", with no luck. The closest I came was a Mihaly Wamser who was a barber. Then an internet search showed that "Mihaly" was Hungarian for "Michael". And then I called his daughter, Esther, who explained; "Yes, he was a barber but changed when he came to America. And I had an aunt that still called him Mihaly". Bingo!

Mihaly (Michael) Wamser sailed on the S.S. Rotterdam from the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on May 6, 1911, in steerage class, and arrived in New York on May 15, 1911. He gave his age as 26*, and he listed his occupation as barber. His country of origin was Hungary, but his ethnic origin was German. His hometown was Kiralysegga, Hungary, and he was bound for Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He had $9 in his possession. He was 5'5" tall, dark complexion, brown hair, brown eyes. He was born in Aninan, Hungary (church records and today's maps show Anina, Romania).

*(Birth records and census information both indicate his real age was 20.)

S.S. ROTTERDAM -- THE SHIP:

Built by Harlan & Wolff Limited, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1908. 24,149 gross tons; 667 feet long; 77 feet wide. Steam quadruple expansion engines, twin screw. Service speed 17 knots. 3,575 passengers (520 first class, 555 second class, 2,500 third class). Built for Holland - America Line, Dutch flag, in 1908 and named Rotterdam. Rotterdam-New York service. Laid up for most of World War I. Broken up in Holland in 1940.

1920 CENSUS INFORMATION, PENNSYLVANIA, NORTHAMPTON CO:

Mike (age 29) and Lena (age 26) own their home and have a mortgage. Mike indicated he came to the US in 1911 and Lena in 1912 -- unclear whether they have been naturalized yet. They are both able to read and write. Living at home are Helen (age 5), Alfred (age 2), and Carrie (age 1) Mike and Lena, and their parents, were all born in Hungary and all speak German. And they can speak English. Mike works for wages as a tool grinder in a steel mill. (Note: Much of what was "Hungary" when they were born later became part of modern Austria and Romania.)

1930 CENSUS, NORTHAMPTON, PA:

Entire family listed, location Lower Saucon, Northampton, Pennsylvania.

The transcript of the census indicates Michael’s birthplace as “Russia”. However I looked at the actual census image, and it seems to me to clearly say “Rumania”. It also shows Michael’s father and mother as both being “Rumania”. His wife, Lena, is listed as “Austrian”, with “Austrian” parents. Michael came to the US in 1910, Lena in 1911. His occupation is listed as “Laborer -- Steel Mill”. Both indicated their original language was German. The own their home, listed value $4000, and they have a Radio. Their oldest daughter, Helen, age 16, is listed as employed as “Servant, private family”.

1940 CENSUS, NORTHAMPTON, PA:

He is a machine hand in steel mill, age 49, born Hungary. Both are naturalized. Own their home, worth $3500. At home are Caroline, Esther, Edward.

1942 WWII DRAFT REGISTRATION:

Mike Wamser registered for the Draft in 1942 (in group for men born between 1877 and 1897). He lived at 1414 Madison Ave. in Bethlehem in Northampton Co. PA, and worked for Bethlehem Steel. He was born in Hungary on Jan. 6, 1891.

SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX:

His SS # was 171-09-5086, he was born 6 Jan 1891, died Dec. 1968. His last address was Bethlehem, Northampton Co., PA 18015.
Spouse: Magdalena (Lena) LANDL

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Birth: 10 Apr 1894 Rohrbach, Hungary (now Austria)

Death: 21 Feb 1967 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Father: Johan LANDL

Misc. Notes

ELLIS ISLAND IMMIGRATION RECORDS FOR LENA LANDL:

My earliest searches of Ellis Island online records yielded no such person as Lena Landl. However after a few months I came back, having learned from the census that she came to America in 1910 or 1911. With new information and a broader search, I found a perfect match on last name, age, date of entry, destination, etc., but that person's name was "Magdalena", not "Lena" – but presumably they were the same. I called Lena's daughter Carrie, who remembered no name other than "Lena". Then I tried daughter Esther who said "Yes, her name was Magdalena, and she shortened it when she came here." Bingo!

Magdalena (Lena) Landl sailed on the S. S. La Savoie from Le Havre, France, on September 2, 1911, in steerage class. She arrived in New York on September 9, 1911. She was age 17, and single. Her country of origin was Hungary, but her ethnic origin was German. Her home had been in Rohrbach, Hungary (now Rohrbach, Austria) where she had lived with her father Johan Landl. Her destination was Bethlehem, PA, where she was to find her uncle Josef Brindinger at #543 Walnut Street. She had $30. She was in good health, 5'7" tall, with ordinary complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. She had been born in Rohrbach.

This whole page of the manifest was filled with young, single, females – probably because of how the ship's accommodations were arranged. All of these women were from Hungary, but most were of Slovenian or Kroatian origins. There were very few Germans. One of the German women, however, was possibly Lena's traveling companion. Aloina Grogler, age 16, from the same region, was listed on the preceding line and was bound for an address on the same street in Bethlehem.

S. S. LA SAVOIE -- THE SHIP:

Built by Chantiers de Penhoet, St. Nazaire, France, 1901. 11,168 gross tons; 580 (bp) feet long; 60 feet wide. Steam triple expansion engines, twin screw. 1,055 passengers (437 first class, 118 second class, 500 third class). Built for French Line, French flag, in 1901 and named La Savoie. Le Havre-New York service. Refitted as a French Navy auxiliary cruiser in 1914. Resumed Le Harve-New York service 1919-27. Scrapped at Dunkirk in 1927.

Family notes from Esther (Wamser) Stangl -

Lena's sister's name was Maria Frimmel. I think Maria's daughter is the one we sometimes write to. (This is the place Carol (Lehman) Coffey visited after college.)

Maria Gerdenitsch

F 222 Rohrbach

Juipersbacker str. 2,

Burgenland, Austria

Lena's brother is as follows (Manfred's father) -

Josef Landl

1190 Wien

Nottebohn str 5

Austria

Descendents:

Michael WAMSER (6 Jan 1890 - 11 Dec 1968) & Lena LANDL (10 Apr 1894 - 21 Feb 1967)

Helen WAMSER (29 Nov 1914 - ) & Robert BARTHOLEMEW

Barbara BARTHOLEMEW

Alfred Michael WAMSER (9 Jan 1917 - ) & Elsa Martha BERNSTEIN (10 Oct 1919 - )

James Donald WAMSER (19 Jan 1939 - ) & Marsha MILLIGAN (4 Aug 1937 - )

Renee Ann WAMSER (1 Aug 1966 - )

Bette Jeanne WAMSER (14 Nov 1943 - ) & Nicholas VATRAL (1 Oct 1943 - )

Michael William WAMSER (20 Sep 1952 - ) & Beverly TRUJILLO (17 Jun 1955 - )

Carolyn Josephine WAMSER (10 Oct 1918 - ) & Albert Llewellyn LEHMAN (30 Nov 1918 - 14 Jan 1995)

(see separate report)

Esther Margaret WAMSER (16 Feb 1920 - ) & David Frank STANGL (6 Dec 1918 - )

Walter David STANGL (9 Apr 1949 - ) & Ann MIDDLEBROOK (12 Nov 1948 - )

Deborah Ann STANGL (5 Jul 1974 - )

Rebecca Lynn STANGL (16 Feb 1976 - )

Edward John WAMSER (10 Nov 1921 - ) & Ruth Elizabeth PRENDINGER (11 Dec 1925 - )

Garry Edward WAMSER (24 Oct 1948 - ) & Cheryl SMITH (11 Mar 1950 - )

Shannon Michael WAMSER (28 May 1976 - )

Katherine Jordan WAMSER (28 Sep 1978 - )

Jane Elizabeth WAMSER (14 Jun 1950 - ) & Jeffrey STEPHEN (30 Mar 1947 - )

Kristin STEPHEN (1983 - )

Adam STEPHEN (1987 - )

Thomas John WAMSER (20 Jan 1958 - ) & (Met 16 Dec 1995, did not get name)

Austin WAMSER (1993 - )

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Please report corrections or additions to...

Fred Coffey, FredCoffey@AOL.COM