Holsen Cemetery

On July 10, 1849, seven families left Germany and crossed the Atlantic and arrived in New Orleans. The families were Holtze, Brausa, Boden, Barnkamp, Geisler, Storkman, and Guynot.  The original name of Holtze was changed to Holze upon arrival in New Orleans and shortly after, Americanized to Holsen.

They traveled up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Evansville, Indiana then traveled on to Lawrence County, Illinois. This seemed to be their “Promised Land.” They settled preserving their cultural traits, language, and Lutheran religion. They set about making their dreams come true.

Unfortunately, in 1852, the great cholera epidemic came. In the week of June 29, 1852, the Holsen father and seven of his children, ranging in age of six months to 22 years of age, died. They were buried immediately on the farm of Henry Boden, brother of the wife and mother. The house and contents were burned. During this time, the four other children were isolated in a granary to escape the deadly epidemic.

The loss was especially devastating because so many family members died within days of one another, shortly after arriving in the land where they had hoped to build a new life.

Paul Holsen, a grandson, erected a large marble monument in memory of those that died. The monument is near the site of the home they shared. This is the Holsen cemetery south of Sumner, Illinois.

Taken from the Memoirs of Marion Wright.

Additional notes: The families left from Hanover Germany on the vessel “Kepler” and after a voyage of two months less ten days landed in New Orleans.  They had come to avoid their sons being conscripted to serve in the war raging in Germany at that time. Their names were found on the Passenger lists located at the National Archives in Washington D.C.