Arrival

Germany to New York City

Between 1880 and 1920 close to 1.5 million immigrants entered and settled in New York City. The first Dorrie of my family to arrive was Charles Louis Dorrie, also known as Carl Ludwig Dorrie.

Charles was the son of Frederic Dorrie and Caroline Colle and was born in Hannover, Germany, on the 12th of April in 1862.

Hannover is situated in the northwest region of Germany and has an interesting history as it was once the family seat of the kings of Great Britain. Moreover, the region was well-known for its gardens. In later years, Charles indicated on census records that he was a garderner. It's very much possible that he learned some of his skills as a young man in Hannover.

In 1866, Hannover was annexed by Prussia and it soon followed that the area moved into the industrial era. Perhaps this shift in economies played a role in helping Carl decide to try his luck in America. Regardless of his motive, he boarded a ship at 22 and made the move.

He arrived to New York too late to appear on the 1880 census. His first record in his new country is his marriage to Elizabeth Kasper in Manhattan, New York City, on 31 December 1889. Elizabeth was a young widow, also from Germany. Back in Germany, she had been married to a Mr. Lorenz Kauth. Elizabeth and Lorenz had 5 children in Hochspeyer, Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany. By March of 1887, all her children and her husband had died. She came to New York about 1889 and was naturalized the same year.

Life Before New York

Charles, or rather Carl, as he was known in Germany, was the son of Johann Friedrich Heinrich Dorrie and Christine Sophie Caroline Colle. They had the following children:

1. Johanne Caroline Louise Doerrie, b. 1849
2. Carl August Doerrie, b. 1850, d. 1851
3. Marie Sophie Luise Dorrie, b. 1853, d. 1854
4. Dorothee Friederike Dorrie, b. 1855
5. Marie Conradine Luise Elisabeth Dorrie, b. 1857, d. 1860
6. August Wilhelm Dorrie, b. 1860, d. 1862
7. Carl Ludwig Dorrie, b. 1862, d. 1935
8. Heinrich Friedrich Dorrie, b. 1863, d. 1874

I've found place names in a few of the records indicating Johann Friedrich Heinrich Dorrie was born in Esbeck. A few miles east of Esbeck is a place called Banteln, which is where Caroline probably was born. Both are very near to Hannover. Charles is the only child I know to have come to the US. I'm not sure if Johanne or Dorothee lived to adulthood.

New York City

Once in the US, though, Charles met and married Elizabeth.

Marriage Certificate for Charles and Elizabeth, 1889.

They had the following children:

1. Charles Frederick Dorrie, b. 1891
2. Frederick Louis Dorrie, b. 1897
3. Louis August Dorrie, b. 1898

All three children, Elizabeth, Charles and Elizabeth's mother, Dorothy Casper, are in the same household in Yonkers, Westchester County, New York for the 1900 US Federal Census. By 1905, they are in Manhattan again, though Dorothy is no longer listed. Charles is listed as working as a gardener on this New York State Census. In 1910, they are still in Manhattan and the senior Charles is still working as a gardener. The younger Charles is working as a chauffeur. By 1920, Frederick and Louis remain with their parents, but Charles Frederick has moved out and is living elsewhere with his wife.

Charles Frederick Dorrie married Agnes Kisten (Christina) Anderson in 1913 in Manhattan. Charles Frederick and Agnes had the following children:

1. Martha Elizabeth Dorrie
2. Elsie Grace Dorrie
3. Antoinette Theodora Dorrie
4. Elizabeth Dorothy Dorrie
5. Marie Agnes Dorrie
6. Charles Theodore Dorrie

Updated October 2016

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Dorrie Family

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