Today, I’d like you to meet a 2nd Great GrandUncle of mine… John Diedrich Doscher. He’s the oldest brother of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Maria Sophia Doscher-Offerman. Or rather, as I literally just figured out today, he was a half-brother of hers (the only child born from their mother’s first marriage).
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| John Diedrich Doscher (born 1847), photo taken 1899 |
J.D. was born on November 23, 1847, in Charleston SC. He was the only child of John Diedrich Doscher and Metta Anna Maria Ohlandt. His father died of an accidental gun shot wound, one month before he was born. In 1849, Luer Doscher (a younger brother of the John Deidrich that died in 1847) arrived in Charleston, and married Metta. My 2nd Great Grandmother was the first of 6 known children of this marriage.
J.D. went to Germany with his family when he was a child. It’s unclear when he returned to America, but in the 1870 census, he was living in Wilmington NC. He was a retail grocer, and had a $500 value of his personal estate. In 1872, I found the first of many mentions in the Wilmington newspapers, for him being granted a license to sell “spiritous liquors” in the city.
On November 10, 1874, he married Miss Beta Schulken. They had 3 known children, but only one survived to full adulthood. Annie lived to be 19… her obituary refers to her as “one of Wilmington’s most beloved young ladies”. August William lived 2 years, and John Diedrich Jr. lived to be 78.
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| Marriage license, 1874 |
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| Son August Doscher, 1881 |
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| Daughter Annie, 1895 |
Thanks to the magic of newspapers, we know that J.D. gave $100 to the Yellow Fever Relief Fund in 1876. And in 1878, he was witness to a kidnapping, while he stood in his stop door.
J.D. and Beta’s home was at the corner of 3rd and Harnett Streets in Wilmington. Today there’s a newer building at that location, so we don’t know what their home may have looked like. Running a grocery store, the family could have lived above the business… or the store could have been located elsewhere in the city.
In 1888, J.D.’s brother Eide Wilhelm died from consumption at the age of 34. He was also a grocer (I’m assuming the brothers ran the store together, rather than having two separate businesses). E.W. had a few other titles to his name… he was a member of the Produce Exchange, the Knights of Pythias, and a Charter member of the Germania Cornet Band. The two brothers were also volunteer firemen for the Howard Relief Fire Engine Company.
In 1893, his mother passed away in Wilmington. After her estate was finally settled, in October 1899, my 2nd Great Grandmother received $31.42. She was living in Chebanse IL at that time.
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| 25th wedding Anniversary, 1899 |
In 1905, his wife passed away. She had been in Baltimore, receiving medical treatment, and died from a post-operative embolism. One of her sisters accompanied her body back to Wilmington for burial.
In June of 1913, J.D. applied for a passport, and returned to Germany for a visit. His description on the application is as follows… He was 5 foot 8 ½ inches tall, blue eyes, light brown hair, high forehead, straight nose, medium mouth, straight chin, light complexion and a long face. In August of that same year, there was a mention in the newspaper of receiving a postcard from Bremen, Germany… it “brings kindest regards and best wishes to the friends of Mr. John D. Doscher, who is spending some time in the Fatherland. He writes that he is well and enjoying his tour greatly.”
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| passport application, 1913 |
He and his son lived together up until the day he died. J.D. passed away on October 2, 1925, in Wilmington. His cause of death was a chronic kidney disease. He is buried with all of his family in Oakdale Cemetery, in Wilmington.
Something to note here…J.D., a couple of his brothers AND his father were all in the grocery business. And they were also all volunteer firemen. I thought that was interesting. Also, since discovering he had a different father, this John Diedrich is actually the Junior, and his son would be the Third!
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| Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington NC |
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