John E. Reuter and Pauline Pirotte are my maternal great-grandparents. They emigrated from Europe to Montreal, Canada between 1853 and 1859. They immigrated to the United States of America around 1880. This is an overview of their movements.
Their Lives in Europe
I found the earliest records for my maternal great-grandparents, John Reuter (Eberhard Johann Hubert Reuter) and Pauline Pirotte (Pauline Marie Gaspard Pirotte), at the FelixArchief in Antwerp, Belgium.
– John E. Reuter arrived in Belgium on the 4th of April 1850 and lived in Liége (Walloon: Lidje; Dutch: Luik; German: Lüttich). I don’t know if Pauline Pirotte was already living there. I estimate they were married around 1850 but I do not know the location. Their daughter, Stephanie was born on the 3rd of February 1851 in Liége.
– In February of 1851 John Reuter came to Antwerp, Belgium from Liége. (It is not clear to me if his wife and daughter came at the same time.)
– On 17 April 1852 the family of three officially changed their residence from Liége to Antwerp and John registered as a foreigner residing in Antwerp. Their second child, Armand (Armandus Joannes Hubertus Reuter), was born the 29th of May 1852 in Antwerp.
– The birth registration for Armand lists their residence as Section 1, Number 248, which I was informed is Krabbenstraat (Crab Street) in the old part of Antwerp near the harbor and the Hotel de Ville (City Hall). (Marked in yellow on the map.)
– On the 11th of September 1853 (not certain of month) John, Pauline, and Stephanie are listed in the population register of Antwerp in Ward 1, No 1115/17, but no address is listed for them. It appears the family may have left Antwerp on that date.
– On July 5, 1857 their third child, Edmond (Eberhard Gottfried Hubert Joseph Reuter), was born in Karlsruhe, Baden. His baptismal record indicates that his father resided in Montreal, Canada.
– At some point between 1853 and 1857 John Reuter immigrated to Montreal, Canada. I do not know the exact dates when any of the five family members left Europe and arrived in Montreal. They are all listed in Montreal on the 1861 Census of Canada.
Their Lives in canada
– 1857-1860 Montreal city directories: Edward Reuter of Reuter Brothers & Company: Commission merchants, importers of French calf skins, and agent for the Monteal zinc-paint works; 267 St. Paul; 158 St. Paul; 25 Lemoine; Cadieux, Cote à Baron (house)
– 1861 Canadian Census: Everhard Reuter, merchant, 38, born in Cologne; Pauline Pirotte, spouse, 35, born in Liége; Fanny Reuter, daughter, 10, born in Liége; Armand Reuter, son, 8, born in Anvers (Antwerp); Everhard Reuter, son, 4, born in Carlsruhe. Religion for all: C. R. (Roman Catholic)
– 1861-1862 Montreal city directories: Edward Reuter of Pirotte Brothers: Importers of French calf skins, Wine & spirit merchants; 15 Hospital; Cadieux, Cote à Baron (house)
– 1862 Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records: Private lease contract between Jules Pirotte and Everhard Reuter
– 1871 Canadian Census: Edmond Reuter, merchant, 48, born in Germany; Pauline Reuter, 42, born in Belgium; Fanny Reuter, daughter, 19, born in Belgium; Armand Reuter, son, 18, born in Belgium; Edmond Reuter, son, 12, born in Germany. Religion for all: R Catholic
Their Lives in the USA
– 1880 Federal Census: Edward Reuter, 57, born in Cologne, mother & father born in Cologne; Pauline Reuter, 54, born in Belgium, mother & father born in Belgium
– 1893 Ogdensburg Advance The Vital Statistics: Pauline Reuter, 69, died in November, 1893
– 1900 Federal Census: John E. Reuter, widower, 77, born November 1822 in Germany, mother & father born in Germany; arrived USA in 1880, naturalized
– 1909 Death Certificate, Commonwealth of Massachusetts: John E. Reuter, widowed, a merchant, 88, born Germany, mother & father born in Germany
– 1920 Federal Census: Armand Reuter, merchant, 67, immigrated in 1859, naturalized in 1875; Edward Reuter, cutter, 62, immigrated in 1859, naturalized in 1888
– 1930 Federal Census: Fannie Reuter, 78, immigrated in 1857, alien