Brian Erland says: "Frederick Lehmann was a painter and in 1890, painted a picture of Fisher's Mill, built in 1853 on Buffalo Creek, Anamosa, IA. We believe he studied at the School of Arts & Painting, in Berlin, Germany, as he also has a painting of this building. He was blind in one eye, but the paintings are wonderful. We have managed to collect 31 of them to date, however, his daughter, Martha (Mattie) (Lehmann) Harvey, who lived in Monticello, had many more in her garage, under her porch, and hanging in her house. We'd appreciate information on additional paintings."

A newspaper article about the Lehmann family from the Journal-Eureka, March 14, 2013.

Gary Lehman has supplied scans of the 1900 "Cooling Off in the Wapsipinicon River," the 1909 "Sunday Stroll," and the self-portrait. The bridge in the background in "Sunday Stroll" is still there in Anamosa.

Cooling Off

Sunday Stroll

F. G. Lehmann

Frederich G Lehmann's family came from Dresden, Germany, where they were gardners to the royal family. Frederich received an education at the castle where he lived as a child. He had lost his sight in one eye, but was a trained artist and painted many family portraits. He came to the US to avoid serving in the German army.

Immigration: 22 Dec 1856, from Hamburg, Germany to New York on the ship, Borussia

At home in Anamosa, he painted murals on the walls of his house, however, after he lost his house to a fire, he vowed only to paint on canvas so his paintings might be quickly gathered in case of another fire. He was married to Mary (last name unknown) in the 1870 census, and after Mary died, married Elizabeth Anna Nichols (Reitz). Fredrick died in 1917.

Anna Elizabeth Reitz was born in Koblentz, Prussia, Apr 1840 to Johann and Margarethe Reitz. They arrived from Bremen, Germany to NY on 1 Jul 1857 on the ship, Young Sam. The Young Sam was a 1012 ton ship, rigged vessel, that was built in 1855. She was made of oak with copper and iron fasteners. Her dimensions were 172 ft long x 35 ft beam and had a draught of 23 ft. She was filled with merchandise and 348 passengers.

The Reitz family settled in Anamosa and on 1 Sep 1861, Elizabeth married Fred W. Nichols. They had four children; Maria, Amelia, Mary and Henry. Fred died sometime around 1871. Elizabeth married George Lehmann, 26 Aug 1872. Three of the children from Elizabeth's first marriage all died within a 3 month period in 1874 of diphtheria; Amelia, Mary and Henry. Two of George's children from the previous marriage were put up for adoption as small boys, Harold and Charles. Between the 1880 and 1890 census shows the following children: Mary, Bertha, Alma, Martha, Augustus, Frederick and Gustaf. Elizabeth died on 12 Aug 1909 .

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Last updated on Friday, 16-Apr-2021 16:54:31 MST