Nathan Zimmermann

Born 28 July 1877 in Ober-Seemen, Gedern, Wetteraukreis, Hesse, Germany to Koppel Zimmermann.

Emigrated to the United States, sailing on the ship “Suevia” (steerage class) with a long list of other Zimmermanns from Hamburg on 25 March 1893 (age 15) and came to New York City on 1 May 1893.

Married Jennie Zimmermann on 8 December 1901 in Manhattan. They were first cousins.

Naturalized 6 April 1904 (age 26) and was living at 615 6th Street, Manhattan.

In 1905, the couple was living in Manhattan according to the New York State Census. His job is listed as a provisioner; future listings are more specific and tell us he was a butcher.

Children:

• Milton (1903)
• Marion (1905)

In 1910 (according to the U.S. Federal Census), the family was living with Levy, Jennie’s father, by then a widower, in the Bronx, with Jennie’s (probable) brother and sister, Kaufman (age 29) and Hannah (age 21). The household also had a live-in servant, Minnie Rosenbach (age 19), listed in the census as born in “Hungary Slovak”.

A WWI draft card in 1918 (age 41) listed Nathan’s address as 505 E 140th Street in the Bronx, and owning a butcher shop at 407 E 15th Street in the “City” (meaning Manhattan). He never served in WWI.

Throughout the 1920s, the couple continued living in the Bronx while the children each got married, and Nathan still owned his own wholesale butcher shop.

On 24 February 1922, a U.S. passport was issued for Nathan Zimmerman. The address listed is the same he occupied in 1918. He stated he had lived continuously in New York City since arriving, and that he was returning to visit his parents in Germany, via France and Switzerland. He hadn’t seen his parents since he was 15 years old. He set sail on the Paris on 22 April 1922 (age 44). As his father, Koppel, died less than 5 years later, I assume this was his final farewell.

In 1930 (according to the U.S. Federal Census), Nathan and Jennie suddenly appear living in New Haven, CT, with their daughter Marion and her husband Samuel Batter. Nathan is still listed as a self-employed butcher; however it is clear that he no longer has a butcher shop on the lower east side of Manhattan. I assume that he lost the shop as a result of fallout from the Stock Market Crash of 1929. By 1935, the New York State Census shows both Nathan and Jennie living in the Bronx again, though Nathan is listed as retired (age 58).

The latest reference found thus far for either Nathan or Jennie is the 1940 U.S. Census, and they are still living in New York City.

I have no death information for Nathan Zimmermann.