Most Holy Trinity Church Tour (MHT)

Most Holy Trinity 

138 Montrose Ave

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY

Several of the Fosters Meadow families had early affiliations

 with this church, which started out with a German immigrant population.

 It was founded by Rev. Johann Stephan Raffeiner  in 1841.

 He was also responsible for founding

 St. Nicholas Church a Roman Catholic German Church in lower Manhattan, NY.

As of date, we have found that the following Fosters Meadow families:

  Felten, Hoeffner, Hoffman, Kreischer, März (March), Reisert, and Sappelt 

who belonged to the congregation of this church when they arrived in America.

On Saturday, November 17, 2012,  Fr. Timothy Dore, OFM. Conf.

shared it's rich history from it's early days to today,

 always reaching out to an immigrant population.

We thank Fr. Timothy Dore of MHT for giving us such an informative tour of this church, 

designed in Gothic style

to the descendants of Fosters Meadow.

Below are some photographs of the church, to enlarge the photos click the image.

For a complete history of the church please visit their website:

http://www.mhtbrooklyn.org

Most Holy Trinity Church (MHT)

MHT Father Timothy sharing early history of the church

MHT View from the triforium

MHT deposit on church floor for old religious articles

MHT Cindy and Father Timothy sharing the church's history

MHT Baptisimal font where several FM people were baptized

MHT Confessionals

MHT Altar chairs

MHT

MHT towards the rear of the church

MHT

MHT

MHT

MHT View from the triforium

MHT View from the triforium

MHT Church organ

MHT Back of church

MHT Front door

Tour of the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters

On Saturday, October 27, 2012 we visited the 

Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters in Amityville, NY.

Around 40 descendants and friends of Fosters Meadow

attended the tour.

We would like to thank sincerely, Sisters Erica and Barbara 

for their

hospitality and informative tour.

Painting of Sister Bonifacia in Rosary Hall

Painting of Sister Bonifacia Herman in Rosary Hall

Painting of Sister Bonifacia Herman in the Heritage Center

Painting of Sister Bonifacia Herman in the Heritage Center

St. Dominic Chapel on the hill

Interior of St.Dominic Chapel on the hill

Entrance to Rosary Hall

History of the Rosary Hall explained.

Interior of Rosary Hall

Interior of Rosary Hall

Entrance of Rosary Hall looking above

Fosters Meadow descendants in the Queen of the Holy Rosary Hall with several Dominican Sisters

View from the Dominican cloister garden

View from the Dominican cloister garden

View from the Dominican cloister garden

View from the Dominican cloister garden

View from the Dominican cloister garden

Dominican Sisters Heritage Center

Dominican Sisters Heritage Center

Dominican Sisters - Descendants of Fosters Meadow

Mary Stattel - Sister Mary Raymunda Stattel  O.P. (1872-1896)

Katherine Herman - Sister Mary Bonificia Herman O.P. (1870 1912)

  Isabelle Marie Krug  - Sister Rose Immaculata Krug O.P. (1915-2010)

 Regina Stella Wesnofske - Sister Regina Bernadette Wesnofske  O.P. (1918-2012)

Fosters Meadow Heritage Center participated in the 55th Steuben Parade (German-American Parade) on 5th Avenue, Manhattan, NY - Sept 15, 2012

Fosters Meadow Heritage Center

Fosters Meadow Heritage Center

Fosters Meadow Heritage Center - Steuben Parade, Sept. 15 2012

Images of Franklin Square - Arcadia Series

Following the urbanization of Fosters Meadow, it gave way to numerous present day towns.

One town in particular, Franklin Square held on strong to their history and created the

Franklin Square Historical Society. For years they have been collecting and preserving 

their photographs. Recently the Franklin Square Historical Society, Dr. Paul van Wie and 

two Girl Scouts of Nassau County, Kiera Grassi and Hannah Muttum have spent countless 

hours scanning and organizing a collection of historical photographs.

 This collection has been organized and published  in the Arcadia Series.

“Images of America - Franklin Square”

Price:     $ 21.99       Shipping  2.50


Total: $ 24.49

Please send check to Franklin Square Historical Society

                                    PO Box 45

                                      Franklin Square, New York 11010

Allow one week for delivery.

Images of Franklin Square

Sisters of the Order of St. Dominic

You are invited

In 1853, the first Dominican Sisters arrived in America from Regensburg, Germany, they quickly assumed responsibility for the parish school at Most Holy Trinity in Williamsburg, NY. In the early years of the community's presence in Brooklyn, the sisters educated the children of German immigrants. Eventually they went to nearby parishes in Brooklyn, and as far as St. Boniface in Elmont and other parishes, where they educated the children of German immigrants.

Their Motherhouse Complex is located in Amityville, NY. It sits on an approximately 50 acre site that includes the original Motherhouse, Rosary Hall built in 1876-1878, the potato house, the boiler house, the grotto, St. Dominic Chapel and the Sisters cemetery grounds. There is also a farm called Homecoming,  recalling the original purpose of the grounds as a farm for the Schleigel family and then for the Sisters.

Our present research shows at least two of our Fosters Meadow descendants entered the Dominican order.

1- Mary Stattel - Sister Mary Raymund Stattel  O.P. (1872-1896)

2- Katherine Herman - Sister Mary Bonifica Herman O.P. (1870 1912)

We have been invited for a private tour of the facility on  October 27, 2012. We expect to see the Chapel and the cloister garden, {which are closed to the public} as well as the cemetery grounds.

If interested, please send us an email, it need not be a definite response. 


However, we would appreciate if you could just let us know of a possible interest.     (FostersMeadow.FSHS@gmail.com)

Date: October 27, 2012

Steuben Parade ~ September 15, 2012

Recently Kristen Mueller from Dix Hills was crowned 
Miss German-America, 
along with her Court they will be marching in the 
55th Steuben Parade this September 15, 2012,
 down Fifth Ave in Manhattan. Although Kristen is not a descendant of Fosters Meadow, she will be representing her

Palatinate and Bavarian backgrounds.

The Fosters Meadow Heritage Center has been invited to participate, if enough of us would be interested, we could march down Fifth Avenue representing 

Fosters Meadow.

For more info on the parade please visit the website:

http://www.germanparadenyc.org/news.html

Please let us know if you have interest in participating,
 send us an email.

Miss German-America 2012

Ancestors Remembered ~ June 2, 2012

The German Settlements of Nineteenth Century Long Island

The German Settlements 

of 

Nineteenth Century

Long Island

by

Paul D. van Wie

Chapters include

Fosters Meadow

Franklin Square

New Hyde Park

Hicksville

Jerusalem

Stadt Breslau

Stadt Wurttemburg

Language and Culture

106 pages

The book is available for purchase from the Franklin Square Historical Society.

Price : The book $15.00

           Shipping  $   2.50

           Total        $ 17.50

Make check payable to Franklin Square Historical Society

                                      PO Box 45

                                      Franklin Square, New York  11010

                                      (Allow 1 week for delivery)

Below is a photo of the front cover, note the back ground of the front cover is 

St. Boniface Church, circa 1935

Front cover - The German Settlements of Nineteenth Century Long Island

PRESENT DAY DESCENDANTS OF FOSTERS MEADOW STILL INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURE

Robert Andrews Jr. - Calverton, Suffolk County, NY

Eugene Froehlich - Montgomery, Orange County, NY

Joseph Froehlich - Crescent City, Putman County, FL

Frank Hoeffner - Montgomery, Orange County, NY

Jack Hoeffner - Montgomery, Orange Country, NY

Philip Hoeffner - Montgomery, Orange County, NY

Thomas Hoeffner - Hornell, Steuben County, NY

John Joseph - Vineland, Cumberland County, NJ

Richard Kaufold - Ridge, Suffolk County, NY

Kenneth Kaufold - Calverton, Suffolk County, NY

John Kennedy - Manorville, Suffolk County, NY

Bernard May - Wading River, Suffolk County,

George Muller Jr. - Melville, Suffolk County, NY

Kenneth Reimels, Wayland, Steuben County, NY

Edward Rottkamp - Dix Hills, Suffolk County, NY

Gerard Rottkamp - Shiloh, Cumberland, NJ

Jeff Rottkamp - Calverton, Suffolk County, NY

John Rottkamp - Vineland, Cumberland County, NJ

Raymond Rottkamp - Glen Head, Nassau County, NY

Richard Rottkamp - Glen Head, Nassau County, NY

Albert Schmitt III - Laurel, Suffolk County, NY

Debbie Schmitt, - Riverhead, NY

Ferdinand Schmitt - Melville, Suffolk, County, NY

William Schmitt - Melville, Suffolk County,

Philip Schmitt - Riverhead, Suffolk County , NY

Kenneth Stattel, Marlboro, NJ

Clyde Wesnofske - Bridgehampton, Suffolk County, NY

David Wulforst - Riverhead, Suffolk County, NY

 

Peter Wulforst - Riverhead, Suffolk County, NY

George Wulforst - Calverton, Suffolk County, NY

This is a list of of the owners of farms - many of them also have

children who are involved in agriculture.

However, we limited the list to the head of the family involved

 in the agricultural activity.

Please let us know if you have any corrections.

Present Day Descendants - have already started

YOUNG FARMERS' LIGHT GUARD

In 1869, the Young Farmers' Light Guard was organized in Fosters Meadow. They met on a regular basis at the Herman hotel and other neighboring hotels to drill and practice target shooting. Fortunately, beer was always available for purchase at their headquarters. They would make an appearance as a unit at weddings and funerals and they sponsored two major events during the year. Each winter, which could be long and quiet in a rural farm community, they sponsored a masquerade ball open to the public at their headquarters. It was in October, at the height of harvest, that the Young Farmers' Light Guard had its annual Turnout. The farmer’s Turnout was the way the farmers displayed their harvest. Fruits and vegetables were neatly loaded and paraded through the village. The parade would start at Herman’s Hotel on Elmont Road, circled through the village and ended at the same place. The Turnout ended a with a Turkey shoot and prizes were awarded for  the best decorated float.

Excerpts taken from the Long Island Forum, Fall 2003, written by Paul Hoffman

Young Farmers' Light Guard - Memorabilia Donation Spring 2012

Susan Coppola recently donated to the Fosters Meadow Heritage Center

 several awards that her grandfather, 

Henry Joseph Rottkamp (1883-1961) 

received as a member of the YFLG.

Below are some photographs of these awards. 

Photographs of the YFLG awards.