Emmerich Josef REISS

   Another name for Emmerich was E. Joseph REISS.

  General Notes:

On November 3, 2003, based on a tip found on the NYC-Roots maillist, I searched city directories for Brooklyn and Manhattan online at Ancestry.com. I found an 1890-91 Lain's Brooklyn Directory listing for a Francis Reiss and a Francis J. Reiss at 166 Hope Street, Brooklyn. The 1881 Lain's Brooklyn Directory lists a Francis Reiss, jeweler, at that address. The Wilson's Business Directory of New York City, 1859 and 1860 list a Francis Reiss at 36 Third Av. The 1861-1866 Trow's Manhattan Directories have listings for a Francis Reiss, jeweler, living at 36 Third Av. This is the same address given for the birthplace of a Frank Reiss, son of Emerich and Elizabeth Reiss on January 31, 1866. This and further research indicates that this is the Reiss family that we have been searching for.

Emmerich was found three times in census records and once in a birth record. He is "Emery" in the 1860 census, Joseph Rice in the 1870 census, and E. Joseph Raiss in the 1880 census. In a New York City birth record, he is listed as the father of a Frank Reiss born January 31, 1866. In 1860 and 1870 he is listed as a jeweler and in 1880 as a bartender. In 1880, Mary E. (Emmerich's wife) is "Keeping House" for Francis and Emmerich and Francis J.

In the 1865 Manhattan City Directory, he is listed as Emerick J. Reiss, jeweler, 36 Third Ave, residing at 232 East 11th St. In Trow's City Directory for 1865, there is a John C. Rausch listed at the same address as Emmerich. It is believed that this might be Mary Elisabeth's brother or father. In 1872, "Emerick" and his father are listed at 156 Hope St., Brooklyn. In the 1880-1881 Brooklyn City Directory, Emmerich J. is listed as Emerick "Rice" at 166 Hope St.

Search of the IGI on November 3, 2003 on FamilySearch.org showed a christening for an Emmerich Joseph Reiss, son of Franz Reiss and Elisebeth Duchro (Ducro) on 31 July 1841 in Olpe Stadt, Westfalen, Preussen. This baptism took place in St. Martin's Roman Catholic Church.

Interment records from Calvary Cemetery indicate that Francis Reiss, Elisabeth Reiss, Emil J Reiss, Mary E. Reiss and an infant named Eliza Reiss (believed to be the daughter of Emmerich and Mary E.) are buried in Section 1 West, Range Ave. P, Plot 9, Grave 5 at Calvary Cemetery. The baby died in 1865, Elisabeth died in June 1867, Francis X. died in March 1894 and Mary E. in 1898. The Emil buried in the plot died in December 1913. His death certificate indicates that he was living at 237 West 18th Street, Manhattan at that time, was born in New York, and that he was a cashier. The death certificate gives the wrong parents and an incorrect birthdate of August 29, 1843. He died of carcinoma of the stomach and liver. He had been ill for 2 years. He was buried on January 3, 1914. Although much of this data does not line up with what we know about Emmerich, it is doubtful that someone outside the immediate family would have been buried in that plot.

No Emmerich Reiss was found in the 1900 or 1910 census records. However, there was an Emil J. in each of those census. In 1900 there was an Emil J. Reiss, born August 1844, living at 328 W. 16th Street, Manhattan with a wife (Ida) of 14 years. He indicated he was born in New York with parents born in Germany. He was working as a cashier in a restaurant. If this is the same Emil as the one buried in the family plot at Calvary Cemetery, it appears that Emil was at least separated from his wife, possibly divorced and remarried, by 1886.

The Emil found in the 1910 census was about the right age, 68, but living in Brooklyn and married for 37 years (1873). He was in the building trades. So this must be a different individual. Further searching of the 1910 census did not turn up a likely match.

Emmerich married Mary Elizabeth RAUCH about 1863 in New York, USA. (Mary Elizabeth RAUCH was born on 16 Nov 1839 in Bavaria, Germany, died on 9 Jan 1898 in Brooklyn, Kings, NY, USA and was buried on 12 Jan 1898 in Queens, Queens, NY, USA.)