Adolph Niemann

I mentioned in an earlier post that newspapers can fill in a lot of information but that much of what we find is sad. Sad hardly describes the life of John’s great-uncle.

Adolph C. Niemann was born in Germany about 1883 and immigrated to the US between 1900 and 1902. By 1908 he had married Sadie Raash and their son Adolph H. was born. I have found the family on the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census records. By 1930 Adolph owned his own home. Prior to finding the family in the newspaper it seemed the Adolph was living the American dream.

On Christmas Eve 1929 Adolph H. Niemann died at the age of 21. The paper does not record the cause, I found nothing about an accident, just a brief funeral notice.

The death notice for his mother, Mary A. Niemann, is found Jan. 27, 1931.

On June 3, 1931 I found another brief funeral notice, this time for his wife Sadie, at only 41 years of age.

Sometime between his wife’s death and 1934 his daughter Eleonor married James Devine……………and his daughter Anna died. As yet I have not found the newspaper record of either of these events. So how do I know about his daughters?

By 1934, Adolph was living with his sister and brother-in-law, Adam & Jennie Weis. His death made the paper in a big way. He was said to be despondent over his arrest after an automobile accident. I think he just had had enough of life.

The Syracuse Herald, July 23, 1934, pg 4

Hit – and – Run Driver Hangs Self at Camp

Adolph Nieman Found a Suicide: Despondency Blamed

Believed to have been despondent following his arrest on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident, Aldoph Nieman, 51, of 216 Grumbach Avenue, ended his life yesterday by hanging at his camp on Chittenango Creek.

Nieman was arrested early Saturday morning after the automobile he was driving collided with a car operated by Louis Barricci of 305 John street, at Butternet and Lodi Street. He was arrested after a chase.

Yesterday, he had invited ushers of Holy Trinity Church to spend the day with him at his camp, situated across the creek from the nearest road. He had indormed his guests to toot horns of their automobiles when they arrived and that he would row a boat across to meet them.

They arrived about 10:30 A.M., carried out instructions, but received no response. Following a trail through the woods in a roundabout way, the guests reached the camp and found Nieman hanging from a beam.

Sergt. Earl E Stickles and Sergt. Elmer C LaPoint of Oneida Barracks and Dr Nelson O Brooks, coroner of Madison County, were summonded. They cut Nieman down and Coroner Brooks issued a verdict of suicide.

Nieman, who was a machinist employed at the Pierce, Butler and Pierce Company, had pleaded not guilty when arraigned in Police Court Saturday morning. He was released on a bond of $1,000 for his appearance in police court today.

He is survived by one daughter, Mrs James Devine, and three sisters, Mrs Adams Weis, Mrs August Korthas, and Mrs Frank Grawboski.

The body was taken by Carl J Ballweg, funeral director, to the home of Nieman’s sister, Mrs Weis, 216 Grumbach Avenue, where funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 o’clock. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery..

This originally appeared at The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree on 8 January 2006. Here are some of the newspaper articles about the family.

Syracuse Herald, Thursday, December 26, 1929, pg 24

Adolph H Niemann, 21, son of Mr and Mrs Adolph C Niemann, who died Tuesday, will be buried Friday. The funeral will be conducted at 2 o'clock from the family home, 404 Carbon Street and a half hour later from Friedens Evengelical Church by the Rev. William S Bauer. He was a life resident of Syracuse and was employed at the Onondaga Pottery Company five years. Surviving relatives include, besides his parents, two sisters, the misses Anna and Eleonor Niemann.


The Syracuse Herald, Jan 27, 1931, pg 22

NIEMANN - On the 26th, inst., MARY A NIEMANN. Survived by one son, three
daughters, a sister, and two brothers. Funeral from the home of her daughter, Mrs August Korthas, 113 Heir Avenue, Wednesday at 9 o'clock and Holy Trinity Church at 9:30. Internment Assumption Cemetery. Friends invited.


The Syracuse Herald, June 3, 1931, pg 24

NIEMANN - In this city, June 3, SADIE J, wife of Adolph C Niemann, aged 41 years. Besides her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Anna F and Eleonor S Niemann; two sisters, Mrs Harvey O Hirsch and Miss Lillian Rausch. Funeral from the family home, 404 Carbon Street, Saturday at 2 P.M. and at Frieden's Evangelical Church at 2:30 P.M. Friends invited. Interment in Woodlawn Cemetery.