The United States was not the only country that promised greener pastures to immigrants willing to risk the turbulent waters of the Atlantic to escape the turmoil of 19th century Germany. While my Duesenberg ancestor, Henry Simon Ludwig, headed west and eventually found his new home in Missouri, it appears another branch of the Duesenberg family tree headed south. Way south.

I’ve come across the name “Otto Albert Duesenberg” in a few records from Australia. He apparently set up shop there in the late 1800s.

So far, I’ve not been able to connect the dots between Otto and Henry. It’s a work in progress. Birth and baptismal records from Germany that are available online are by no means complete. And while Duesenberg is not a common surname, there were quite of few of them living in Germany (obviously) between 1650 and 1850. I have my work cut out for me.

Incidentally, in a forum posting on Ancestry.com, I learned from the wife of one of Otto’s descendants that somewhere along the way the family had their last name changed legally. Although I don’t know with certainty why they took this step, it didn’t come as a surprise. My ancestor Henry Simon Ludwig faced discrimination during World War I because of his blatantly obvious German last name. Despite his having been an upstanding citizen of the United States for fifty years, he was forced to register as an “alien enemy” in 1918. His registration mug shot and fingerprint serve as an awful reminder of the humiliation he and thousands of others must have endured.

Kenfolk: Tranthams
Relation: Most likely
Common ancestors: The Duesenbergs of Germany