Notes:
Data compiled by Udo Momma. (deceased)
Data source is Doug Mumma.
Taufzeuge (Baptismal Sponsors]
Jacobus Engels and Agnes Tillmanns
Heirat wurde procl. 25.6.1837
While exploring the Wickrathberg records, Udo discovered a "death notice" written by a German lawyer in Washington D.C. to the mayor of
Wickrathberg. This death notice was to inform him that a Johann Bernhard Momma had joined the U.S. Army in Pittsburgh, PA in July of 1847 and that he died in Vera Cruz, Mexico, in November of 1847 while serving in the Mexican-American War. It also indicated that there was a 160 acre land warrant.
This Bernhard is also identified in the database and he was a brother of Wilhelm Momma who migrated to America in 1854. We have no evidence that his wife or children ever migrated to America. Needless to say, the 160 acre land warrant is very interesting. I have applied to the National Archives to obtain his military records which might reveal more details about his service and the land warrant. I am still awaiting the arrival of the records.
I tried to obtain his 'service' record from the National Archives, without success. I tried again, this time requesting his 'pension' and 'land grant' records. This time I was successful and obtained a rather thick file. A summary of the informations shows that:
1) His wife and children remained in Germany.
2) His wife was two months pregnant when he left for America and she give birth to a daughter only two months before he died.
3) He died of disease in Mexico. The war was essentially over when he died and this again demonstrates that many, many soldiers die of diseases and infections, not bullets.
4) His wife applied for pension and a land grant, several years after he died. She was probably not aware of her rights to his pension immediately after he died.
5) Before she received any money, she died and then new papers are filed for the one child who is under age and entitled to the father's pension. This was the child he never saw.