Johann "Michael" Heisman and Sarah Lehr Heisman, both German immigrants to America not long before Heisman's birth. Johann "Michael" Heisman was actually the son of the Baron von Bogart, German nobility, who lost his inheritance and his family when he decided to marry for love instead of title.
Heisman's mother's grandfather, the Mater of Knauge, had been an aide to Napoleon, but was not titled. The two young lovers married and took the bride's maiden name of Heisman. By the age of seven, Heisman moved with his family to Titusville, Pennsylvania, at the center of oil country, where his father would practice his trade as a cooper, or barrel maker. The business supplied barrels to such notables as John D.
Rockefeller for his Standard Oil company and prospered quickly to approximately 35 employees. In 1890, the senior Heisman sold out his business and returned to Cleveland. Heisman grew up in a comfortable home, beginning his own love affair with the game of football as a player for Titusville High School.
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Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy/Written by: Journalist Mark Schlabach and John M. Heisman, great nephew of John W. Heisman. John M. Heisman is founder of Heisman Group, Ltd., a family-owned business established to preserve the legacy and memory of John W. Heisman.
The story of Heisman’s German nobility was actually nothing more than a tall tale, one that Michael Heisman might have told others as he began to strike it rich in his new country. German birth records reveal that Michael Heisman was actually born Johann Michael Heissmann around midday on January 1, 1835, in Vorra, Germany, about forty-two kilometers east of Nuremberg, in the German state of Bavaria. According to Protestant parish records there, Heissmann’s mother was Anna Heissmann, the eldest daughter of the farmer Johann Michael Heissmann and his wife, Magdalena Steif. The elder Johann Heissmann is identified as his grandson’s godfather, but a biological father’s name is not included in the records. The younger Johann Michael Heissmann was baptized in a Protestant church the day after he was born. Anna Heissmann, who was twenty-three when her only son was born, died of dysentery—inflammation of the intestines, which was often fatal when untreated—on September 2, 1836. The young Johann Michael Heissmann, who wasn’t yet two years old at the time of his mother’s death, was raised by his grandparents on their farm in Vorra, which his grandmother’s family had cropped since 1618.
When the young Johann Michael Heissmann was twenty-three, he boarded the steamship Borussia to seek a new life in America. Heissmann was listed as passenger No. 222 on the ship manifest sworn to and signed by Captain N. Troutman and which was given to customs officials when the Borussia arrived in New York on July 1, 1858. Johann Michael Heissmann changed his name to John Michael Heisman shortly after arriving in America.
Eight years after arriving in America, Heisman married Sarah Lehr, a twenty-two-year-old daughter of German immigrants, on July 21, 1866. Like Heisman’s grandfather, Sarah’s father, Michael Lehr, was a farmer from the Bavaria region of Germany. He and his wife, Catherine, had eleven children. Sarah Ann Lehr, their second-oldest daughter, was born in Trenton, Ohio, on February 9, 1844.
Contributor: Shawn Carroll (50334499)
Heisman's mother's grandfather, the Mater of Knauge, had been an aide to Napoleon, but was not titled. The two young lovers married and took the bride's maiden name of Heisman. By the age of seven, Heisman moved with his family to Titusville, Pennsylvania, at the center of oil country, where his father would practice his trade as a cooper, or barrel maker. The business supplied barrels to such notables as John D.
Rockefeller for his Standard Oil company and prospered quickly to approximately 35 employees. In 1890, the senior Heisman sold out his business and returned to Cleveland. Heisman grew up in a comfortable home, beginning his own love affair with the game of football as a player for Titusville High School.
~ ~
Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy/Written by: Journalist Mark Schlabach and John M. Heisman, great nephew of John W. Heisman. John M. Heisman is founder of Heisman Group, Ltd., a family-owned business established to preserve the legacy and memory of John W. Heisman.
The story of Heisman’s German nobility was actually nothing more than a tall tale, one that Michael Heisman might have told others as he began to strike it rich in his new country. German birth records reveal that Michael Heisman was actually born Johann Michael Heissmann around midday on January 1, 1835, in Vorra, Germany, about forty-two kilometers east of Nuremberg, in the German state of Bavaria. According to Protestant parish records there, Heissmann’s mother was Anna Heissmann, the eldest daughter of the farmer Johann Michael Heissmann and his wife, Magdalena Steif. The elder Johann Heissmann is identified as his grandson’s godfather, but a biological father’s name is not included in the records. The younger Johann Michael Heissmann was baptized in a Protestant church the day after he was born. Anna Heissmann, who was twenty-three when her only son was born, died of dysentery—inflammation of the intestines, which was often fatal when untreated—on September 2, 1836. The young Johann Michael Heissmann, who wasn’t yet two years old at the time of his mother’s death, was raised by his grandparents on their farm in Vorra, which his grandmother’s family had cropped since 1618.
When the young Johann Michael Heissmann was twenty-three, he boarded the steamship Borussia to seek a new life in America. Heissmann was listed as passenger No. 222 on the ship manifest sworn to and signed by Captain N. Troutman and which was given to customs officials when the Borussia arrived in New York on July 1, 1858. Johann Michael Heissmann changed his name to John Michael Heisman shortly after arriving in America.
Eight years after arriving in America, Heisman married Sarah Lehr, a twenty-two-year-old daughter of German immigrants, on July 21, 1866. Like Heisman’s grandfather, Sarah’s father, Michael Lehr, was a farmer from the Bavaria region of Germany. He and his wife, Catherine, had eleven children. Sarah Ann Lehr, their second-oldest daughter, was born in Trenton, Ohio, on February 9, 1844.
Contributor: Shawn Carroll (50334499)
Johann "Michael" Heisman and Sarah Lehr Heisman, both German immigrants to America not long before Heisman's birth. Johann "Michael" Heisman was actually the son of the Baron von Bogart, German nobility, who lost his inheritance and his family when he decided to marry for love instead of title.
Heisman's mother's grandfather, the Mater of Knauge, had been an aide to Napoleon, but was not titled. The two young lovers married and took the bride's maiden name of Heisman. By the age of seven, Heisman moved with his family to Titusville, Pennsylvania, at the center of oil country, where his father would practice his trade as a cooper, or barrel maker. The business supplied barrels to such notables as John D.
Rockefeller for his Standard Oil company and prospered quickly to approximately 35 employees. In 1890, the senior Heisman sold out his business and returned to Cleveland. Heisman grew up in a comfortable home, beginning his own love affair with the game of football as a player for Titusville High School.
~ ~
Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy/Written by: Journalist Mark Schlabach and John M. Heisman, great nephew of John W. Heisman. John M. Heisman is founder of Heisman Group, Ltd., a family-owned business established to preserve the legacy and memory of John W. Heisman.
The story of Heisman’s German nobility was actually nothing more than a tall tale, one that Michael Heisman might have told others as he began to strike it rich in his new country. German birth records reveal that Michael Heisman was actually born Johann Michael Heissmann around midday on January 1, 1835, in Vorra, Germany, about forty-two kilometers east of Nuremberg, in the German state of Bavaria. According to Protestant parish records there, Heissmann’s mother was Anna Heissmann, the eldest daughter of the farmer Johann Michael Heissmann and his wife, Magdalena Steif. The elder Johann Heissmann is identified as his grandson’s godfather, but a biological father’s name is not included in the records. The younger Johann Michael Heissmann was baptized in a Protestant church the day after he was born. Anna Heissmann, who was twenty-three when her only son was born, died of dysentery—inflammation of the intestines, which was often fatal when untreated—on September 2, 1836. The young Johann Michael Heissmann, who wasn’t yet two years old at the time of his mother’s death, was raised by his grandparents on their farm in Vorra, which his grandmother’s family had cropped since 1618.
When the young Johann Michael Heissmann was twenty-three, he boarded the steamship Borussia to seek a new life in America. Heissmann was listed as passenger No. 222 on the ship manifest sworn to and signed by Captain N. Troutman and which was given to customs officials when the Borussia arrived in New York on July 1, 1858. Johann Michael Heissmann changed his name to John Michael Heisman shortly after arriving in America.
Eight years after arriving in America, Heisman married Sarah Lehr, a twenty-two-year-old daughter of German immigrants, on July 21, 1866. Like Heisman’s grandfather, Sarah’s father, Michael Lehr, was a farmer from the Bavaria region of Germany. He and his wife, Catherine, had eleven children. Sarah Ann Lehr, their second-oldest daughter, was born in Trenton, Ohio, on February 9, 1844.
Contributor: Shawn Carroll (50334499)
Heisman's mother's grandfather, the Mater of Knauge, had been an aide to Napoleon, but was not titled. The two young lovers married and took the bride's maiden name of Heisman. By the age of seven, Heisman moved with his family to Titusville, Pennsylvania, at the center of oil country, where his father would practice his trade as a cooper, or barrel maker. The business supplied barrels to such notables as John D.
Rockefeller for his Standard Oil company and prospered quickly to approximately 35 employees. In 1890, the senior Heisman sold out his business and returned to Cleveland. Heisman grew up in a comfortable home, beginning his own love affair with the game of football as a player for Titusville High School.
~ ~
Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy/Written by: Journalist Mark Schlabach and John M. Heisman, great nephew of John W. Heisman. John M. Heisman is founder of Heisman Group, Ltd., a family-owned business established to preserve the legacy and memory of John W. Heisman.
The story of Heisman’s German nobility was actually nothing more than a tall tale, one that Michael Heisman might have told others as he began to strike it rich in his new country. German birth records reveal that Michael Heisman was actually born Johann Michael Heissmann around midday on January 1, 1835, in Vorra, Germany, about forty-two kilometers east of Nuremberg, in the German state of Bavaria. According to Protestant parish records there, Heissmann’s mother was Anna Heissmann, the eldest daughter of the farmer Johann Michael Heissmann and his wife, Magdalena Steif. The elder Johann Heissmann is identified as his grandson’s godfather, but a biological father’s name is not included in the records. The younger Johann Michael Heissmann was baptized in a Protestant church the day after he was born. Anna Heissmann, who was twenty-three when her only son was born, died of dysentery—inflammation of the intestines, which was often fatal when untreated—on September 2, 1836. The young Johann Michael Heissmann, who wasn’t yet two years old at the time of his mother’s death, was raised by his grandparents on their farm in Vorra, which his grandmother’s family had cropped since 1618.
When the young Johann Michael Heissmann was twenty-three, he boarded the steamship Borussia to seek a new life in America. Heissmann was listed as passenger No. 222 on the ship manifest sworn to and signed by Captain N. Troutman and which was given to customs officials when the Borussia arrived in New York on July 1, 1858. Johann Michael Heissmann changed his name to John Michael Heisman shortly after arriving in America.
Eight years after arriving in America, Heisman married Sarah Lehr, a twenty-two-year-old daughter of German immigrants, on July 21, 1866. Like Heisman’s grandfather, Sarah’s father, Michael Lehr, was a farmer from the Bavaria region of Germany. He and his wife, Catherine, had eleven children. Sarah Ann Lehr, their second-oldest daughter, was born in Trenton, Ohio, on February 9, 1844.
Contributor: Shawn Carroll (50334499)
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