Life in New Orleans

The Geeck family chose to find a home for themselves among the German Catholics of "uptown" New Orleans. From the few available records, it would appear that the Geecks settled in the city's Fourth District, which only a few years earlier (prior to 1852) had been the City of Lafayette (not to be confused with the present-day city of Lafayette in south-central Louisiana).


Sadly, the Geeck family had been in New Orleans only five months, when tragedy struck. The father, Johann Adam Geeck, died on 29 May 1855. A civil death record has not been found, but the compiled records of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 indicate that "John Adam Geeck" died on 29 May 1855 at the age of 50 years. The specific place of his interment in the cemetery has not been identified.
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, Washington Avenue Gate
Photo by Fred Hatfield
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, Washington Avenue Gate.


Just over five months later, the mother, Catharina Agatha Geeck, died in her home of a stroke on 16 November 1855 at the age of 45. The family was living at the time on Pleasant Street (now Toledano), between Apollo (now Carondelet) and Bachus (now Baronne) Streets.




Death notice from New Orleans Bee.
A news item in the New Orleans Bee of  17 November 1855 (page 1, column 3) said:
     DEATH FROM APOPLEXY.—An inquest was yester-
       day held on the body of a German woman named
       Catharine Geeck, aged 45 years, who died suddenly
       at her house in Pleasant street, near Apollo. Upon
       investigation, it was discovered that she died of
       apoplexy, and a verdict in accordance with that fact
       was rendered.


On 18 November 1855, a death notice appeared in the Tägliche Deutsche Zeitung (the major New Orleans German-language newspaper) that said the following, as translated into English: "Inquest. -- Last Friday the Coronor held an inquest on the body of Catherine Geck, a German by birth, who was found dead in her house on Pleasant Street, between Apollo and Bachus Streets. Verdict: death by apoplexy. (Apoplexy was a term then used for a stroke.) The deceased woman, a widow, leaves behind six minor children."


The compiled records of St. Joseph Cemetery No. 1 indicate that "Catherine Geeck" died on 16 November 1855 at the age of 45 years. The record indicates that she was interred in the "St. Joseph Cemetery Plot." This plot has not been located. Presumably numerous people were buried in such a plot. This cemetery was also known as St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum Cemetery, indicating that the orphaned children may have been immediately taken care of by the St. Joseph Orphanage.


St. Joesph Cemetery No. 1
Photo from nolacemeteries.com
 St. Joesph Cemetery No. 1.


The death of Philipp Geeck's parents left him and his five younger siblings on their own. At the time of the mother's death, the children and their ages were: Philipp, 19; Peter, 18; Helena, nearly 16; Stephan and Elisabetha (twins), 12; and, Eva, nearly 7.


Detail from 1883 Robinson Map, Plate 10.
 It may be that the older children lived on their own, while the younger children were placed in the St. Joseph German Orphan Asylum. This Catholic institution was for girls and boys and was located on Laurel Street between Josephine and St. Andrew Streets.
Detail from 1883 Robinson Map, Plate 10


St. Joseph German Orphan Asylum, ca 1856.
 The St. Joseph German Orphan Asylum was associated with the German Catholic congregation in that area, St. Mary's Assumption Church. As early as 1856, the orphanage and the associated school were administered by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.






St. Joseph German Orphan Asylum, ca 1856
Courtesy of the School Sisters of Notre Dame


On Sunday 19 June 1859, Stephan Geeck was confirmed at St. Mary's Assumption Church. He was nearly 16 years old and was confirmed by Archbishop Antoine Blanc, the first Archbishop of New Orleans (1850-1860). (Stephan Geeck died on 2 October 1867 at the age of 24, apparently unmarried.) Stephan's twin sister, Elisabetha, was not found in the confirmation records.


Philipp, the oldest child in the Geeck family, was later to move downtown, but in 1860, when he was 24, he may still have been living in the uptown part of New Orleans. (He has not been found in the 1860 census.) Living in Jefferson City (then a separate municipality in Jefferson Parish that was later incorporated into New Orleans) was a 30-year-old widow, Sophie Lange Betzler, and her two young daughters: Sophie, 5, and Julianna, 2. The relationship between Philipp Geeck and Sophie most likely developed because of where they lived and not through a church, since Philipp was Catholic and Sophie was Lutheran. (The story of Sophie Lange's first marriage to Franz Betzler can be found in Sophie Lange's "Life in New Orleans.")


Philipp Geeck and Sophie Lange Betzler were married at the First German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of New Orleans (today's St. Paul Lutheran Church) on Monday, 25 March 1861. The church is at the corner of Port and Burgundy Streets.

An image of the marriage record can be seen here.
St. Paul Lutheran Church as it appeared from 1860 to 1889
St. Paul Lutheran Church as it appeared from 1860 to 1889.


About one year later, Philipp and Sophie Geeck had their first child, Peter, born on 16 March 1862. He was baptized on Sunday, 13 April 1862 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The sponsors were Philipp's siblings, Peter Geeck and Helena Geeck.
Signature of Philipp Jakob Geeck.
Philipp Geeck signed the civil birth record of all three of his children. This signature was from the third.


The early married life of Philipp Geeck and Sophie Lange was closely linked to the history of the Civil War. They were married only a month before the outbreak of the war, and their first child, Peter, was born one month before Union forces threatened New Orleans. In a vain attempt to protect the city, the local citizens were organized into militias.


Philipp Geeck was in one such unit. His name is found at number 21 in an undated muster roll of Company B of the 4th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Louisiana Militia. His name was written as "Philip Geecks." An image of the complete muster roll can be found here.

On the same list, number 16, John Sherman, and number 18, William Sherman, were likely brothers-in-law of Sophie: Johann "John" Scheuermann and Wilhelm "William" Scheuermann.

In April of 1862, New Orleans surrendered to the Union Navy and the militia units were disbanded.		 Detail from Civil War muster roll.


Detail from 1883 Robinson Map, Plate 18.
 At the time of the birth of their first child, Philipp and Sophie Geeck were living on Prosper Street, between Bagatelle and Union Streets. Today, this address would be on N. Derbigny Street, between Pauger and Touro Streets. This block was in an addition to the city known as the New Faubourg Marigny.

In 1865, their second child, Eva, was also born there and city directories indicate they lived there until about 1867-1868, when they moved about a block away to Solidelle [Derbigny] Street between Union [Touro] and Frenchmen Streets. It appears that they lived there until sometime in 1870.
Detail from 1883 Robinson Map, Plate 18


By the time the second Geeck child was born, the Civil War had ended. Their daughter, Eva Marie Geeck, was born on 8 November 1865, and was baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Sunday, 31 December 1865. Her sponsor was her aunt, Eva Geeck, then 20 years old.


On 15 May 1866, Philipp's sister Helena married Zacharie Trondle, who came to New Orleans in about 1858. They operated an antique store and cabinet shop at No. 327 Chartres Street, and lived on the 2nd floor for over 20 years. The Trondles eventually had five children, three of whom survived.


1868 naturalization record of Philipp Geeck.
 By 29 September 1868, Philipp Geeck had completed the steps to become a naturalized citizen. He had been a resident for at least five years and had indicated his intention three years earlier to become a citizen. The witnesses were N. Weber and R. E. Kurfest [Rudolph Kurfurst], a cigar and tobacco merchant.

The full record can be found here.


Philipp Geeck's youngest sibling, Eva, was confirmed at St. Mary's Assumption Church on Trinity Sunday, 22 May 1864. She was nearly 15½ years old. She was confirmed by Archbishop John M. Odin, the second Archbishop of New Orleans. On 1 May 1869, at the age of 20, Eva entered the Catholic religious order of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The story of her life is told here.


The 1870 census was taken starting in June of 1870. At that time, Philipp and his family were probably living at 749 Burgundy Street. Listed with Philipp were his wife Sophie, their son Peter (age 8), their daughter Eva (age 4, incorrectly given as 18), and Sophie's daughter from her previous marriage, Julia (age 11, incorrectly given as 15). Philipp's occupation was given as shoemaker.
 Detail from 1870 census.


No. 749 Burgundy Street was in the Third District of New Orleans. A later Sanborn map (see detail to right) indicated that the house was two stories, with a balcony on the street side and a porch to the rear. Also on the property were several outbuildings, including one identified as a "Shed."

Philipp may have owned this property, as the 1870 census indicated that he owned real estate valued at $650.


Detail, 1893 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, sheet 144
Detail, 1893 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, sheet 144.


The Geecks had a third child, Johann Stephan, born on 29 January 1871 at No. 749 Burgundy Street. He was baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Monday, 6 February 1871. His sponsor was Sophie's older daughter from her first marriage, Sophie Betzler, who at the time was 15 years old.

The three Geeck children were baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, but records of St. Paul Lutheran School show that they attended school there. Their mother, Sophie, was Lutheran, and was associated with St. Paul Lutheran Church.

Some time later in 1871, Philipp Geeck moved his family to No. 113 Louisa Street. (Today this house would have been in the 1000 block of Louisa Street, near St. Claude Avenue, but the house no longer exists.)

Within a couple of years, the family moved again, this time to No. 64 Piety Street. (Today this house would have been in the 700 block of Piety Street, between Dauphine and Royal Streets, but it too no longer exists.)

Through the 1870s, Philipp Geeck continued to work as a shoemaker. Whether his work took place at his residence or at a different location is not known. Philipp's oldest son Peter was apparently working with his father through these years, as he became a shoemaker also.

During this time, Sophie's two daughters from her first marriage to Franz Xaver Betzler were married:
      About 1876, Sophie Dorothea Betzler married Carl "Charles" Vandenbrook (Vandenbroucke)
          They had one daughter, Julia. After Charles's death, Sophie married Richard Griffith.
     On 10 March 1877, Julianna Betzler married Johannes "John" Scheuermann.
          Sadly, she died a little more than a month later, on 23 April 1877, of malignant smallpox.


3038-3040 Royal Street.
 In 1879, the family moved again, this time to No. 634 Royal Street. (Today this house is 3038-3040 Royal Street, between Clouet and Montegut Streets.) The city directory of 1880 indicated that Philipp Geeck lived there in 1880, but he and his family have not been found in the 1880 census.

Philipp Geeck may have died in this house. His death date is unknown.
Image from Google Maps street view, 2009


The 1880 city directory is the last in which Philipp Geeck's name appeared. His widow Sophie was listed in the 1886 directory, living with her son Peter at the rear of 795 N. Rampart Street. Widows were often listed in the year following the death of their husbands. Thus it is possible that Philipp died in 1885, but no record has been found. The full page of the city directory is here.
 Detail from 1886 city directory.


In the 1887 city directory, Sophie and her son Peter were listed at 113 Louisa Street, a house in which they had lived in the 1870s. In August of 1887, Sophie died there. The cause of her death was consumption [tuberculosis]. She was 57. She was interred in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, but the exact location is unknown.

Philip Geeck and Sophie Lange Geeck had similar lives in their youth. They both grew up in small farming communities in what is today Germany and came with their families to New Orleans in the mid-1850s. Both suffered tragedies in their early years in the city: Philip losing both of his parents and Sophie losing her first husband. They had a married life together of only about 25 years, but they had three children together and raised Sophie's two daughters from her first marriage to Franz Xaver Betzler.

After the death of Sophie, the Geeck children apparently continued to live together. In the 1889 city directory, Peter and his brother John were both listed at the same 113 Louisa Street. Peter (then 27 years old) was still listed as a shoemaker, and John (then 18) was listed as a cooper. Perhaps Eva (then 24) lived there as well.

Peter Geeck remained unmarried. On 4 May 1892, Eva Geeck married John F. Hellmers. They had four children, three of whom survived into adulthood. On 11 September 1894, John Geeck married Marie Louise Victorine Picard. They had six children, all of whom married and had children. Anyone in the New Orleans area with the name Geeck is almost certainly descended from John and Marie Geeck.


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