Sunday, September 18, 2011

Generations Projects: The Marx's

Philip Marx
Johannes Philip Marx (Sr.) was born 1 March 1834 in Asbach, Hesse, Germany to Johann Georg Marx (1799-1846) and Maria Barbara  (1799-1843). He had  learned to be a shoemaker by trade. At the time, the Hessian army was rented out for mercenary purposes by the prince (remember your American History, Hessian soldiers were hired by the British during the American Revolution?). Pay was low; some soldiers received nothing but their daily food, as the revenues paid for these men's service went back to the German royalty. Nevertheless, some Hessian units were respected for their discipline and excellent military skills. Johannes and his brothers Johann Georg Marx, Jr. (1826-1903),  Georg Philipp Marx (1824-1899)who didn't much like the idea of fighting for other people's causes for low pay, decided they'd evade the draft by leaving for the United States. In 1852 the three brothers accompained by their sister, Maria Barbara Marx (1822) came to the United States where he worked at his trade until 1855, when he enlisted in the United States Army, in the US Seventh Cavalry (immortalized in later years by being led to slaughter by George Custer). They were sent to Texas (another ancestor who lived in Texas!) until 1858, then they marched to the Mississippi River, thence by boat to St. Louis. They soon started for Utah and marched all the way to Cedar Valley. The U.S. government had become deeply suspicious of the LDS saints in Salt Lake City, UT. From 1857 to 1858, then US President James Buchanan sought to quell the supposed "rebellion" in Utah Territory by Mormon settlers. He sent US forces there in 1857, in what was known as the "Utah War". In due course, the Seventh Cavalry formed the core of
A younger Philip Marx
the force sent under the leadership of Col. (brevet brig. gen.) Albert Sidney Johnston (would be a monumental Civil War general) by President Buchanan to put down the nonexistent "Mormon rebellion" in Utah. On April 12, 1858 the U.S. Army under Johnston arrived at Salt Lake and Brigham Young stepped down as governor of the Territory of Utah (or "State of Deseret"). No hostilities ensued and the troops were billeted 40 miles southwest of Salt Lake City in a camp they had constructed. 
Later on, the brothers' enlistments expired. George went to Wisconsin and Johann went to New York where their sister Barbara was living. All three brothers were very good and kind men but also very strict. When they said anything they meant it. This is said to be because their parents were very strict with them. Philip was honorably discharged 23 April, 1860. He was in bad health and received a pension of $6 a month from the government. His brother returned to New York; Johannes remained because a local girl had caught his eye, a Danish immigrant, Karen Marie Jacobsen (Larsen)(1840-1924). They were married the same day he was released from the military, 23rd of  April ,1860 in Salt Lake City. In May 1860 he relocated to Moroni , UT and worked as a shoemaker for fifteen years. Johannes converted converted from Lutheranism, to Mormonism, by entering the waters of baptism the 8 June 1862. They had three children, Philip, Josephine, and Jacob. Phillip was divorced from Karen Marie in 1866 and married Marie Nielsen in December 1866. Apparently, Karen remarried an Ole Christian Petersen (1840- 1917) on 2 March 1873 in Manti, UT. 
Phillip Marx Sr and 2nd wife Marie Nielson with two daughters, probably Marie Magdalena (maybe 13 years) and Matilda (maybe about 7 years)
He took his 2nd wife, another Danish girl, Marie Magdalena Andersdatter Neilsen (1843-1892). The two were married, in 1866, in Moroni, UT. They had six children, Andrew, George, Tilda, John, Joseph (married to Louisa Myrtle Kump), and Alvin. According to LDS records,  Philip was sealed to her posthumously  in 1911, in the Manti, UT temple at which time he was also endowed, one year before his death. 
Phillip Marx, Josephine Maria Marx, and Jacob Marx back row, children of first wife, Karen Marie Jacobsen. Possibly Marie Magdelina, Andrew and George front row, children of second wife, Marie Nielsen
In 1873 he took up 160 acres of land, two miles south of Moroni, and built a nice farm of ninety-seven acres.
His military experience would serve the LDS saints yet; he also took part in the Blackhawk War, a series of conflicts and skirmishes between pioneer immigrants and the Native Americans in Utah from April 1865 until 1867, as a captain. He drilled the local company, taking an active part throughout the war.


His third wife was Nelsine Rasmussen (born 1831), again a Dane (he must have had a thing for Danish women) who he married in 2 January 1895 in Moroni, UT. Philip died  the 6th of September 1912 in Moroni, Utah. He was 78 years old.


Death Certificate- cause of death Chronic Parenchymatous Nephritis- a renal disease
 

Johannes Phillip Marx headstone

posted by Austin @ 6:01 PM

1 Comments:

At September 22, 2011 at 8:14 PM , Blogger Melissa said...

Very interesting...I'm sure Claire will enjoy reading all about her ancestors once she gets bigger. :) Isn't it nice that she will have grown up in the state where so many of her ancestors lived? She's got Texan in the blood! :)

 

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