Theodore Joseph Mattmann

Theodore Joseph Mattmann was a man of many names and few helpful records. This is due to several different factors. Firstly, Theodore was an immigrant from Switzerland. This meant a constant barrage of name variations and changes. This was a common occurrence for all immigrants in the United States. Secondly, Theodore immigrated from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the United States on September 12th, 1877 and died a mere thirteen years later in North Bergen, Hudson, New Jersey on January 9th, 1890. This left a very short period of time in which to create an extensive paper trail that would give researchers the help they needed when it came to pinpointing his home-town and parents. Finally, it sometimes seems (to myself anyway) as if Theodore himself was reluctant to offer any clarifying label that would assist his descendants in their hunt for him and his predecessors. Happily, after extensive research and collaboration from different branches of the family tree, the majority of the questions surrounding Theodore's life have been answered. In order to bring organization to a muddled life, I mean to put forth the known events of Theodore's story chronologically.

Theodore Joseph Mattmann was born to Candid Mattmann and Salomea Ineichen on May 3rd 1844 in Hochdorf, Luzern, Switzerland. Theodore was obviously a name he took upon himself later on in life because he was christened Joseph Mattmann on May 5th 1844. Hochdorf is a small town located in the Canton (or county) of Luzern, Switzerland. The family had moved to Hochdorf from the neighboring town of Inwil just a few years before and both Theodore and his older brother were born in the family's new home-town. Other children had been born prior to the family's move. Both Candid and Salomea had they themselves been born in Inwil and it was somewhat uncommon for two individuals born in the same town to suddenly move to a new, unfamiliar city. It is still a mystery as to what circumstances caused them to make this change in their family's life. We do know however, that Theodore was born in Hochdorf and probably spent his childhood there.