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GrossFortmann Reverend Franz Joseph [ Heinrich ? ]
1792 - Unknown

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• Title	Reverend
  Birth	27 Dec 1792	Sudlohne, Vecta District, Oldenburg Duchy, Germany
  Christened	29 Dec 1792	St Gertrud Catholic Church, Lohne
  Gender	Male
  Early Schooling	Sep 1799	Sudlohne's 1-room School House
  	Franz Joseph, age 7, joines his father, Lehrer of the Sudlohne 1-room School House. Franz's father has been Lehrer for the past 8 years.
  Classmates of KleineFortmann Children	Sep 1799	SudLohne's 1-room School House
  	Franz Joseph, a 1st grader, knows his 12 year old [5th grade] Cousin Classmate, Catherina Maria KleineFortmann. They have played on the farms for years. Catherina Maria, 13 years later, as the wife of Franz Landwehr shall bear Anna Maria, Heinrich, and Clemens KleineFortmann, the immigrants to Grosse Pointe, IL [now Wilmette].
  Kings, Bishops, and Princes	1800	Bishopric of Hannover
  	While the ancient Catholic Cathederal of Munster is closer to Lohne, Lohne is not within its jurisdiction. Nor, is it within the jurisdiction of the also ancient Cathederal in Osnabruck, which in 1555, at the start of the Luthern Reformation, became Protestant. Lohne is Catholic and under the orders of the Catholic Bishop of Hannover. This Bishop is a Cleric under the Catholic Archbishop of Prussia.
  Kings, Bishops, and Princes	1807	Westhpalia, Germany
  	Napolion Bonapart and his Court capture and rule this area of Germany as "King of Westphalia" (1807-1813). The last Bishop of Munster was Anton Viktor von Osterreich (appointed by Cologne for the period 1801-1803), d. 1835. The French thus controlled the Catholic Church from 1807 to 1814. Ordinations during this period would have been under French Bishops. From 1814 to 1866 Ordination and Church Administration was under the direction of the Bishopric of Hannover. The Ruler of Oldenburg during Franz Joseph's Seminary years was Peter Frederick Wilhelm, 1813 to 1823, who was Luthern. His successor was Peter Frederick Ludwig, 1823 to 1829, followed by Peter Frederick August (Grand Duke), 1829 to 1853. These were the Nobility the GrossFortmann, KleineFortmann and Polkings would have known as their superiors.
  Ordination to the Katholich Priesthood	Abt 1808	Hannover, Germany, the Bishopric Cathederal
  	It was the custom of the time for the 2nd Son of a German family of reasonable means to be groomed for the Priesthood. He would enter the Seminary about age 15 and study under the Seminary Priests as a Gymnazium (high-school) student for about 4 years. He would then become a Seminarian and study for priesthood for an additional 4 to 6 years prior to Ordination. The Seminary would have been in close proximity to the Hannover Cathederal of the Bishop. It is thus probable that Franz was ordained in 1817, 1818, or 1819.
  Ordination to the Katholich Priesthood	1818	Cathederal of the Bishop of Hannover
  	Upon completing 4 to 6 years of Catholic Priestly studies under the Hannover Bishop's Priests Franz's Ordination Day would have been a grandly anticipated day for the GrossFortmann Family of Sudlohne. His Father, Lehrer Heinrich Anton would have provided the Bishop with a substantial "gift" at his Son's acceptance into the Seminary and now with Ordination approaching the Bishop could anticipate an even larger "gift". That, plus Franz's Father Anton's gift to his Son, probably a silver or gold Mass chalice to hold the Blood of Christ, would have preceeded the actual Ordination. Franz's Mother, Anna Magdalena Polking GrossFortmann, would have provided, if not sewn, some of her son's Priestly garments. This Day of great glory in the family of a Catholic German family gives the family much greater social standing in the community. Everyone would have watched Franz prostrate himself, with his fellow seminarions, on the steps of the Altar to receive the Bishops Blessing and Ordination Orders. In a Mother's eye's she had done her sacred duty by raising a son who has become a Priest. The Lehrer of Sudlohne and his wife, Anna Magdalena, a Polking from the Lohne Family Estate and the Sudlohne 82 acre Farm Estate has added to their stature.
  Officiating Katholic Priest	1835	Lohne Germany - a Priest of the Bishop of Hannover
  	From 1818 to perhaps 1835 Rev. Franz Joseph [Heinrich?] GrossFortmann is an ordained Cathoic Priest under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Hannover. As a young Priest, of age 27, his duties for these next 17 years are probably under the tuterage of perhaps 4 local Pastor's. And then it comes. A letter from the Bishop suggesting Franz become a Missionary Priest in the Illinois Territory of the United States. The Bishop's letter, as 43 year old Franz learns, has come because German Catholics of Gross Pointe, Illinois need a Priest. Rev. Franz GrossFortmann shall begin his voyage from the Great Port of Bremmen within months.
  Founding Date	1835	Grosse Point, IL, now Wilmette, IL
  	The Catholic German Community some 12 miles north of Chicago and within a mile of Lake Michigan build and form one of the earliest Catholic Churches in the Chicago area. Founders would include men like John Lauermann owner of the Tavern and Dry Good Store within a short walking distance of the Church on the dusty trail of Ridge Road.
  Kings, Bishops, and Princes	1846	St Joseph's Catholic Church, New Trier [Wilmette] IL
  	Rev. Franz Joseph GrossFortmann is appointed by the Bishop to be St Joe's 2nd Pastor. He replaces Rev. Koop, the founding Pastor. Rev. Franz Joseph shall serve at St Joeseph's for 6 years until 1852. During this time he shall marry, Baptise and bury his KleineFortmann Cousin's and their children.
  Officiating Katholic Priest	29 Jan 1846	St Joesph's Catholic Church, New Trier [Wilmette] IL
  	Johannes Heinrich KleineFortmann aka Henry I, age 30, marries Katherine Lauermann, age 19.
  Officiating Katholic Priest	1 Sep 1846	St Joesph's Catholic Cemetary, New Trier [Wilmette] IL
  	Anna Maria KleineFortmann, 33 years old and in America 6 years, dies unexpectedly and is buried in the newly built graveyard of St. Joesph's. Her 54 year old Cousin Rev. Franz Joseph GrossFortman is the Priest providing her final Requeium Mass and interment services. While the burial service is recorded in the Church records, her grave site is unknown but is most probably on the Lauermann Family Plot.
  Officiating Katholic Priest	20 Oct 1848	St Joseph's Catholic Church, New Trier [Wilmette] IL
  	Anton Haskamp marries Maria Lauermann. Rev. Franz Joseph GrossFortmann officiates. Anton Haskamp's brother in Germany has married Gertrude KleineFortman. Gertrude is the sister of deceased Anna Maria and Heinrich and Clemens are her brothers. The Haskamp Farm in Germany is a few miles south of the Fortmann Farms in Germany and on the road that passes each. The PolkingFarm is on the East side of the Road with the Fortmann's on the West side.
  Officiating Katholic Priest	20 Nov 1848	St Joseph's Catholic Church, New Trier [Wilmette] IL
  	Clemens August Ludwig KleineFortmann marries Maria Katherina Lauermann. Rev. Franz Joseph Gross Fortmann officiates.
  Officiating Katholic Priest	1853	St Joseph's Catholic Church, New Trier [Wilmette] IL
  	Rev Lawrence Kupfer succeeds Rev Franz Joseph GrossFortmann as Pastor of St Joseph's. Heinrich KleineFortmann has bought land in Rogers Park in 1849 from Brother-in-Law John Wagner, married to Barbara Lauermann, and he and his brother Clemens have moved about 4 miles south to the new land. Their ties to St. Joseph remain however as there is no other Church around.
  Kings, Bishops, and Princes	1853	St Mary's Church, Buffalo Grove, IL
  	Rev Franz Joseph GrossFortman is appointed by his Bishop to be the 1st Pastor of this newly formed German Parish. He is greatly missed at St Joe's.
  Died	Unknown	Unknown
  Buried	Unkown	Unknown
  Person ID	I67	Fortmann, ......(Vorde1510.......Vortmann).........Fortman
  Last Modified	7 Mar 2011

  
  

  Father	Fortmann [Gross] Heinrich Anton, father of Rev Franz Joseph ,   b. 1757, Sud Lohne, Vecta (District) , Oldenburg Duchy, Germany ,   d. 1816, Sudlohne, Vecta (District), Oldenburg Duchy, Germany
  Relationship	birth
  Mother	Polking Anna Magdalena,   b. 1761, Sudlohne, Vecta (District), Oldenburg Duchy, Germany ,   d. 13 Feb 1833, Sudlohne, Vecta (District) Parish, Oldenburg Duchy, Germany
  Relationship	birth
  Married	02 Jul 1782	St Gertrud Catholic Church, Lohne, Oldenburg Duchy, Germany
  Family ID	F38	Group Sheet

  
  

• Photos

  1840's German Log Cabin Johann Peter Schmitt, aka Schmidt aka Smith, Johann Zender, Rev. Henry Fortmann, and Peter Schmitt of Winnetkka (this is his house) built these log cabins along "the Ridge" and north for their families between 1835 and 1845. …

  
  

  Histories		1852 Henry Fortman, b. 1802, Germany...farmer (1850 Census, New Trier)....Rev?....Pastor of St. Joseph's Catholic Church 1847 - 1852, said Mass in the Schmidt House on "the Ridge" …
  		1833-60 the Roman Catholic Church in Northeastern, Illinois, 1833-60, her Priests and their Baptisms, Marriages, and Funerals. …

  
  

• Notes

  A Henry Fortmann appears in the 22 Aug 1850 US Census as a farmer in New Trier, Illinois. He is not a known family member. The $150 value of his farm suggests his farm is about 60 acres. There is no indication of a Wife or children with him. He may be the Reverend Henry Fortmann mentioned in "The Life and Writings of the Right Reverend John McMullen, D.D., First Bishop of Davenport, Iowa (1851)since it was not uncommon for a Priest to have to provide for himself. Priests of this era spent days on horseback visiting their parishners. If he is, he would also be the Pastor of St. Joseph's Catholic Church from 1847 to 1852. This priest is the priest who said Mass at the wooden frame house of Peter Schmitt "on the Ridge" in the 1845-1852 period. This priest is a "Gross" Fortmann 1st cousin to Heinrich, Clemens and Anna Maria. This Priest and Henry, Clemens and Anna Marie Fortmann all live in New Trier at this time. In Germany there are only 4 farms owned by Fortmanns and this suggests Heinrich was born on the GrossFortmann Farm. We know 2 of the 4 farms as the GrosFortmann farm and the KleineFortman Farm on which Heinrich, Clemens and Anna Maria were born. He was Pastor of St Joseph's Catholic Church in New Trier (Wilmette) from 1847-1852. Ten miles west of New Trier another German Community in Buffalo Grove is building St. Mary's Church and that Church's records show that in 1853 Rev. Henry Fortmann became their Pastor. 1830's German Catholic History along the Green Bay Trail in Grosse Pointe, IL. 15 February, 1852, the German Catholics of Buffal Grove, 10 miles west of St Joseph's, decided to build a Catholic Church. The Church will be built on the borderline of Cook and Lake Counties in what is today's Buffallo Grove. Seven acres of land were acquired. Two from John S. Hennemann who also sold two more. Two from Pankratz Weidner and one from John Weidner. Until this time the circuit-riding missionary priests of St Mary's Church (Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana) said Mass in the log cabins of local German families. Prior to this, from 1673 to 1820 French Missionaries of Quebec, Canada provided Catholic Services in the area. Rev. Father Joseph H. Fortmann (aka John N Fortmann in some records) arrives from Gross Point. The St Mary's Church is a mission of St Henry's Catholic Church in Ridgeville some 6 miles south on "the Ridge". Rev. Fortmann has been the 2nd Pastor of St Joseph's after Rev Koop and prior to his transfer to St Mary's. Rev Fortmann was probably ordained about 1818 by the Catholic Bishop residing in Hannover, Germany's Cathederal. He was educated in the 1-room school house of Sudlohne by his father, the teacher. His Church was St Gertrud's of Lohne just north of Sudlohne. The Protestant Bishop's Cathederal was in Osnabruck some 20 miles WSW of Sudlohne. The Catholic Bishop in Munster was not the ruling Eclesiastic over Lohne; that was the Bishoprick of Hannover. Thus Rev Fortmann's ordination record is probably in the Catholic Cathederal of Hannover. Rev Fortmann probably sailed to the US in the late 1830's or early 1840's as a result of the German community in Gross Pointe writing to their previous Bishop in Hannover for a priest. The Fortmann name in the 1830's is concentrated in the Lohne, Sudlohne, Munster - Osnabruck area of Germany and most probably Rev Fortmann's birth record exists in St Gertrud's Baptism Archival records dating back to 1683. By 1846 three Fortmann Cousins's, Clemens August Ludwig, Heinrich, and Anna Maria lived in today's Wilmette as parishones of St Joseph's. Undoubtedly these Fortmann's all knew each other. Rev Franz Joseph Fortmann, Son of Heinrich Anton [Gross]Fortmann and Anna Magdalena Polking was 2nd Pastor of St Joesph's Catholic Church from 1846 to 1852 and was then appointed 1st Pastor of St Mary's, Buffallo Grove in 1853. Two Bishopric's dominated the Lohne area from ancient times, Munster and Osnabruck. Munster, established in 791, included a large territory south of Frisia, west of Brunswick and east of the Netherlands. Sporadically united with Cologne from the 16th Century, permanently from 1723. Osnabruck, is a city in northwestern Germany and the seat of a Bishop from 783. In 1517 Martin Luther's nailing of his treatises on the Cathederal Door of Worms began the Protestant Reformation, This Bishopric and surrounding territory convert to Protestantism, in which it remained until being recaptured by Catholic forces, then retaken by the Protestants during the 30 Years War of 1608 - 1638. The Treaty of Westphalia ending that conflict contained the unusual provision that Catholic and Protestant Bishops should alternate thereafter. Another note of interest concerns the last Bishop. When the Bishopric was mediatized in 1802, its princely status was retained as an appendage of Hannover. The Elector (and later King) at the time was the last Bishop's Father, thus providing the only example of a father succeeding his son.