Charles Augustus Volquardsen. (1834– 1891)
Charles Augustus Volquardsen was born in 1834, in Meldorf , Schleswig-Holstein, Dithmarschen, which used to part of Denmark. His parents were Jacob Volquardsen and Katalina Niensteen.
On October 15, 1864, the 30-year-old merchant and his young wife, Mathilde Schmidt, left the port of Hamburg, Germany aboard the German steamship ‘Germania’, destination Mazatlán, Mexico. The captain of the ship was Heinrich Ehlers. The couple travelled first class, they had no children and stated that their residence was Mazatlán, Mexico. Mathilde Schmidt, born in 1842 in Beldorf, Germany, was 22 years old. We don’t have a marriage date for the couple, but due to Mathilde’s age I believe that the couple married just before setting out on their journey to Mexico, more so because their first child was born 9 months after leaving Germany. This wasn´t Volquardsen´s first trip to Mazatlán. He had left Germany about 1857 as a young merchant to work for the German Trading House, Heymann & Succ., in Mazatlán founded by Teodoro Heymann and César Bertheau in 1848. As the company’s Export Manager, and later partner, he travelled frequently and from April 1857 to 1868 he resided between San Francisco, New York and Mazatlán, Mexico. These trips he took alone, leaving his wife Mathilde and his children in Mazatlán. On October 4, 1868 he applied for citizenship of the United States, which was granted to him on October 4, 1872. From the birth registers of their children we know that the family lived on the premises of Heymann Succ., on the corner of the streets Principal and Ceres. |
Charles Augustus and Mathilde had 8 children:
- Catalina Dorothea Virginia Volquardsen: 1865–1950
- Carlos Louis Volquardsen: 1867–
- Mariana Volquardsen: 1868-
- Hugo Teodoro Volquardsen: 1869
- Mathilde Alejandra Volquardsen: 1870–
- Adolfo Enrique Volquardsen: 1871–
- Eva Volquardsen: 1875–
- Frida Louise Volquardsen: 1878
Charles Augustus Volquardsen died due to fever on April 29, 1891. He died in the premises of Heymann Succ., and the informant of his death was his partner, and his son´s father in law William Henry Sowerbutts. A few years after his death, his widow Mathilde returned to Bremen, Germany.
Catalina Dorothea Virginia Volquardsen Schmidt was the eldest child of Charles A.Volquardsen & Mathilde Schmidt and was born on July 25, 1865 in Mazatlán. About 1884 she married: Anton Friedrich Carl Melchers 1854–1925. Catalina died on July 24, 1950 at Krankenanstalt, Bremen, Germany.
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Carlos Luis Volquardsen, the second child of C.A. Volquardsen and Mathilde Schmidt, was born on January 30, 1867 in Mazatlán, Mexico. The witnesses on his birth register are Don Jorge Enrique Hecht and Don Francisco R. Medrano. On the death of his father in 1891, Carlos Luis Volquardsen took over his father's shares in the company Heymann Succ., (1892- $25,000), and in 1897, his mother, Matilde and their in laws, the brothers Alexander, and Carl Melchers, were incorporated into the business; ‘La Mercería Alemana’,-Heymann Succ.
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As importers, exporters, agents and commission agents the 'Mercería Alemana' of Heymann Succ., sold a variety of products; hardware, haberdashery, base metals, stationery, furniture, fancy goods, pianos and musical instruments, mining and agricultural implements and inputs, bicycles and articles for photography since they were the sole distributors for the Eastman Kodak Co. They were also agents for the famous Pope chainless bicycles of Hartford, Connecticut, Zwitzerland Marine Insurance Co., and for Orenstein & Koppel (a major German engineering company specializing in railway vehicles, escalators, and heavy equipment). They also represented the important insurance companies; 'Sun Fire' and 'Translantic Fire Insurance' and the Löwenbräu Brewery of Munich, Germany.
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On June 8, 1898, San Francisco, Carlos Luis married Flora Sophia Sowerbutts the eldest daughter of William Henry Sowerbutts 1845-1912 and Kate Jansen. The couple lived, as had Carlos’s parents, in the upper floors of La Mercería Alemana. Here, on September 14, 1899, the couple´s only daughter, Emilia Mathilde Volquardsen Sowerbutts, was born. The witnesses at her birth register were Johann Claussen & Emili Philippe. At this time Flora's parents William and Kate Sowerbutts were living in Hamburg, and Carl Luis's mother, Mathilde Schmidt de Volquardsen was a widow living in Bremen.
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The relationship with Fritz and María Unger was very close, Carlos Luis was witness at the register of Fritz's first two children, Federico Vicente in 1902 in Mazatlán and Ricardo Unger Ferreira in 1903, in La Paz.
On March 4, 1907 Carlos Luis Volquardsen was named vice consul of Norway in the states of Sinaloa and Sonora and in the territories of Tepic and Lower California.
In the summer of 1909, whilst Maria de Unger was in San Francisco, Don Federico writes her a letter where he mentions the Volquardsens: On Sunday last we went for a drive around the docks in car, accompanied by the Volquardsens and afterwards we all went for dinner at ‘Los Portales’. Sometime after this, due to the unrest and loss of some of their properties during the Mexican Revolution the Volquardsen's emigrated to the U.S.A in 1910, along with their daughter Emilia Mathilde. In 1920 they are living in Manhattan, New York. Carlos Luis is a merchant and travels frequently.
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On May 3, 1926 Carlos Luis's daughter, Emilia Mathilde, married Friedrich Auguste Thulesius (1897–1961). Friedrich was born in Bremen, son of Heinrich Thulesius and Henrietta Lurman. He had been living in Mazatlán for over a year, working at the Pacifico Brewery owned by the Melchers brothers.
The wedding took place on the upper floors of ‘La Casa Melchers’, where Thulesius had been living. Emilia and her mother, Mathilde came from New York and stayed at the ‘Hotel Central’ in Mazatlán. Her father did not arrive for the wedding and stayed in New York. The witnesses at the marriage were Don Federico Unger, Walter Melchers, and Gustavo B. Burmeister.
The wedding took place on the upper floors of ‘La Casa Melchers’, where Thulesius had been living. Emilia and her mother, Mathilde came from New York and stayed at the ‘Hotel Central’ in Mazatlán. Her father did not arrive for the wedding and stayed in New York. The witnesses at the marriage were Don Federico Unger, Walter Melchers, and Gustavo B. Burmeister.
![Picture](/uploads/6/5/2/1/6521662/editor/unger-fritz.jpg?1594945001)
Wedding of Emilita Volquardsen Sowerbutts & Friedrich AugusteThulesius (1897–1961). Left to right standing: Walter Melchers, Don Federico Unger, Doña Catalina de Melchers, Doña Flora de Volquardsen, Gustavo B. Burmeister, Doña María Ferreira de Unger. Flower girls Ana Luisa & Carlota Unger Ferreira.
In September of 1929 Thulesius was offered a job at the Cerveceria Columbia, a beer brewery in Calí, Columbia. Don Federico Unger, in a letter to his wife Maria Ferreira, relates the news.
15th September 1929,
The Thulesius are going to South America where he has been offered the post of Director of a brewery, with double the salary which he receives here. I believe they are leaving in December or January, Haus will probably replace him here at the brewery.
Emilita came to dinner with us last week, she is on her own because Thulesius has gone to Lower California on business.
Thulesius worked several years at the brewery in Calí but when the war broke out, he was forced out of his post. However, he and Emilita continued to live in Calí and established a chocolate factory there. Over the years the chocolates, ‘Emilia’ became famous.
Marianna was the third child of Charles A.Volquardsen & Mathilde Schmidt and was born on August 28, 1868 in Mazatlán. The witnesses at her birth register are Teofilo U. Uzarraga and Don Alejandro Heymann. In 1891 she married Heinrich Alexander Melchers 1860–1934, brother of Anton Friedrich Carl Melchers 1854–1925, who was married to her elder sister Catalina. Mariana died on October 28, 1949 and is buried along with her husband and children in Friedhof Riensberg, Bremen.
Mathilde Alejandra was the fifth child of Charles A.Volquardsen & Mathilde Schmidt and was born on May 25, 1875, Mazatlán, Sinaloa. On June 8, 1895 in San Francisco, she married Pablo Bergner of Mexico City. The couple lived in Mexico City and had three children that we know of, all born in San Ángel, México City: María Matilde Bergner Volquardsen: 1897–, Federico Alfredo Gustavo Bergner Volquardsen: 1898–, & Elisabeth Thusnela Bergner Volquardsen: 1903–
Adolfo Enrique Volquardsen, known as 'Henry', was the sixth child of Charles A.Volquardsen & Mathilde Schmidt and was born on June 5, 1871 in Mazatlán. The witnesses were Enrique Hecht & Don Juan Jewels, In 1917 he is living with his widowed mother Mathilde in Bremen.
Frida Louise was the youngest child of Charles August Volquardsen and Mathilde Schmidt. She was born on October 27, 1878 in Mazatlán. Witnesses were German Fellinger & Don Juan Jewels
- 1920 United States Federal Census
- Bremen, Germany, Military Lists, 1712-1914
- California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957
- California Passenger and Crew Lists, 1893-1957
- Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934
- Mexico, Select Church Records, 1537-1966
- New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
- New York, New York, Voter List, 1924
- New York, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794-1943
- New York, State Census, 1915
- Sinaloa, Mexico, Catholic Church Records, 1671-1968
- U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project)