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Coming to America, 1903 to 1911

Nicholas Reitter was born in Hungary on 5 March 1881. He was probably the Miklos Reiter (Miklos is the Hungarian form of Nicholas), a laborer of 22 from Nagyszentpéter, who sailed from Hamburg for New York on the Graf Waldersee on 13 March 1903. The manifest describes him as able to read and write, a Hungarian subject of the German people, bound for Philadelphia with $16. On the line above him was Franz Schütz, 19, of the same village, going to an acquaintance in Philadelphia. The name, age, village and destination all fit Nicholas, and two of his censuses give 1903 as his year of arrival, but nothing more in the entry ties it to him.

Elizabeth Krauser followed that autumn. She was born in Hungary on 19 September 1883 or 1884. On 5 November 1903 the Cassel landed her at Baltimore: Elisabeth Krauser, 19, single, a servant who could read and write, German by people and Hungarian by nationality, from Sarafalva, never before in the United States. Her mother had paid her passage, and she was going to her brother, Miklos Krauser, at 1219 Larrance(?) Street, Philadelphia.

Her brother had arrived only that August. Nicholaus Krauser, born on 12 February 1882, landed at New York from Bremen on the Kaiser Wilhelm II on 18 August 1903, going to his uncle, Johann Bortscher, in Philadelphia. He was a carpenter. On 27 July 1908 he declared his intention to become a citizen, and by his petition of 14 February 1911 he lived at 5905 N. 11th Street with his wife, Katie, who was born at Lovrin, and their daughters Anna and Katie. In 1930 he headed a Philadelphia household with Katie and their daughters Anna, Cathrine and Elizabeth, and he and Katie were still together in 1950.

Nicholas’s younger brother Michael followed in 1906. Michael was born at St. Peter, Torontál, on 20 November 1889. He sailed from Hamburg on the Pennsylvania on 16 February 1906 and reached New York on 2 March: Michael Reiter, 16, single, a locksmith, a Hungarian subject of the German people, from Szt. Péter. He was going to his “brother Nikolaus Reiter” in Philadelphia, at no. 2928 on a street that reads “Otten(?)”. That Nikolaus was probably Nicholas Sr.: the surname and village match, and the memoir that Nick Reitter, Jr.’s four children later wrote calls the two men brothers. By December 1908 Michael was living at 1522 Cadwallader Street.

Michael married Katharina Jakobi in Manhattan on 25 January 1913. She was the sister of Nicholas’s future second wife, and the index names her parents as Philip Jakobi and Katie Schannan. Katharina, born on 20 June 1894 according to the Perjamosch family book, had sailed from Hamburg on the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria on 2 March 1911, a maid of 17 from Perjamos whose father, Filip Jakobi, was still at home. When Michael petitioned for citizenship in 1914 (petition no. 44739) he was a machinist at 333 East 95th Street, and their son George had been born in New York on 24 July 1913. In 1940 Michael, 50, and Katherine, 45, lived in the Bronx with their daughter Helen, 24, and a son George, indexed as born about 1926. Helen was probably the “Hellen Reitter Miller” whom the family memoir names as Nicholas’s niece. Michael died in September 1971. His last home was Hellertown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, and he is buried there.

Their brother Anton came in 1908. The Caledonia sailed from Glasgow on 28 November 1908 with Anton Reiter, 24, single, a farm laborer, Hungarian by nationality and German by people, from Szerbszentpéter. He paid his own passage, carried $15, and was going to his “Brother Michael Reiter, Cadwallader St. 1522, Phila. Pa.” On the line above him, Johann Heber, 33, of the same village, was going to his brother-in-law John Hartmann at 5852 Mervine Street, the street where Nicholas and Elizabeth were living by 1910.

Anton probably settled in Bucks County, not far from Nicholas. An Anton Reitter, born in Hungary, who came to America in 1908, was living on Staten Island in 1915 with his wife, Teresa, their children Elizabeth and Anton, Jr., and Katherin Jost, born about 1865, who was probably Teresa’s mother. By January 1920 the family was in Tinicum Township, Bucks County, with Elizabeth, 8, Anton, Jr., 5, and Marian, 2. They lived in Springfield Township in 1930 and 1940. In 1942 Anton lived at Stony Point, Kintnersville R.D. 1, worked as a road laborer for the state, and gave his birth as 24 May 1885 in Austria-Hungary. He died in 1952 and is buried at Quakertown with Theresa (Yost) Reitter. His name, an age within a year of the 1908 immigrant’s, the 1908 arrival in two censuses, and a home in the same corner of Bucks County as Nicholas make him probably the brother. The Bucks County marriage index also lists a Marian Reitter, who married Nicholas Onkow in 1938, and a Theresa Reitter, who married Ernest Svites in 1940. Whether they were Anton’s daughters is not shown.

References

  • World War I draft registration card, Nikolas Reitter, Bucksville, Bucks County, Local Board Division No. 3, serial 464, order 996, 12 September 1918. “United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” FamilySearch, 1:1:WMKW-2CW2; image 3:1:33SQ-G1JQ-93LM. Transcript: Read the record
  • World War II draft registration card (fourth registration), Nickolas Reitter, Durham Rd., Nockamixon Township, serial U-361, 1942. “United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,” FamilySearch, 1:1:VQNW-4XG; image 3:1:S3HT-63BW-4WH (NARA M1951). The reverse printed on this image belongs to another registrant; Reitter’s own reverse is on the next image [27]. Transcript: Read the record
  • “United States, Social Security Death Index,” FamilySearch, 1:1:VS2L-MMP, Nicholas Reitter, born 5 March 1881, died June 1969, last residence Revere, Bucks County. Index only.
  • Passenger manifest, S.S. Graf Waldersee, Hamburg to New York, sailed 13 March 1903, line 12, Miklos Reiter. “New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924,” FamilySearch, 1:1:JFPT-5ZW (arrival indexed 29 March 1903); image 3:1:33S7-8165-89P. Transcript: Read the record
  • 1910 U.S. census, Philadelphia Ward 42, ED 1067, sheet 6A, lines 36-39, Mervine Street, enumerated 19 April 1910, Nicholas Reitter household. “United States, Census, 1910,” FamilySearch, 1:1:MGHW-41H; image 3:1:33S7-9RN1-PKD (NARA T624). Transcript: Read the record
  • 1930 U.S. census, Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, ED 9-48, dwellings 44-45 (Hupfl, Reiter), enumerated April 1930. “United States, Census, 1930,” FamilySearch, 1:1:XH8Z-6G6 and 1:1:XH8Z-6G8; image 3:1:33SQ-GRZC-49J. Transcript: Read the record
  • Marriage license affidavit, Nicolaus Reitter and Elisabeth Krauser, Philadelphia County, sworn 29 October 1904, license no. 179520. “Pennsylvania, Civil Marriages, 1677-1950,” FamilySearch, familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJ4-8D61; image 3:1:S3HY-6QS7-TV (Marriage licenses, no. 179400-179899, 1904, image 403 of 1,706). Yielded birth dates and places of both, residence 1408 Cadwallader St., groom’s occupation, marital status. Transcript: Read the record
  • Baltimore arrival card, Elisabeth Krauser, S.S. Cassel, 5 November 1903, list 18, book 180. “Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists Index, 1897-1952,” FamilySearch, 1:1:4YZ7-9W6Z; image 3:1:3Q9M-C9BY-BPBK. Transcript: Read the record
  • Passenger manifest, S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm II, Bremen to New York, arrived 18 August 1903, line 18, Miklos Krauser, joining his uncle Johann Bortscher, Philadelphia. Same collection, 1:1:JFT8-3MS; image 3:1:33SQ-G16R-39B. Transcript: Read the record
  • Declaration of intention no. 4420, Nicholaus Krauser, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 27 July 1908. “Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Records, 1795-1952,” FamilySearch, 1:1:X9FG-4LRM; image 3:1:3Q9M-CS9Z-Y363-H. Related index entries 1:1:Q2BT-9KB8 and 1:1:Q2BT-9K1W. Transcript: Read the record
  • Petition for naturalization no. 3808, Nicholas Krauser, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 14 February 1911, with declaration no. 4420 of 27 July 1908. “Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Records, 1795-1952,” FamilySearch, 1:1:X9FG-4LRM and 1:1:Q2BT-9K1W; image 3:1:33SQ-GPTZ-QZSW (image 734).
  • 1930 U.S. census, Philadelphia, Nickolaus Krauser household (Katie, Anna, Cathrine, Elizabeth). “United States, Census, 1930,” FamilySearch, 1:1:XH44-F93. Index only; image 3:1:33S7-9RZX-FPT not read. Also 1950 census index, Nicolas and Katie Krauser, 1:1:6XBV-T5Y2.
  • Michael Reitter: World War I draft registration index, New York City, born 20 November 1889 at St Peter, Torontal, Hungary, 1:1:WX13-GCN2; Social Security Death Index, born 20 November 1889, died September 1971, Hellertown, 1:1:JTYR-FZJ; Find a Grave index, burial Hellertown, 1:1:QVGG-18VL. Index only.
  • Petition for naturalization no. 44739 and declaration of intention, Michael Reitter, Supreme Court of New York, New York County, 1914. “New York, Naturalization Records,” FamilySearch, 1:1:QP8H-YF47; image 3:1:3QS7-89M8-VLJX. Transcript: Read the record
  • Passenger manifest, S.S. Pennsylvania, Hamburg to New York, sailed 16 February 1906, arrived 2 March 1906, line 23, Michael Reiter. Same collection, 1:1:JFF4-RP5; image 3:1:3Q9M-C9PY-D3CY. Transcript: Read the record
  • Nick Reitter, Jr. and Ruth Wesemann Reitter, a family memoir written by their four children (Ruth, Gladys, Doris, and Nickie), 2018–2019, transcribed 8 August 2026; family archive transcript dated 2019.
  • Passenger manifest, S.S. Caledonia, Glasgow to New York, sailed 28 November 1908, line 27, Anton Reiter; lines 26–27 on both sheets. “New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1925,” FamilySearch, 1:1:JXR9-KZV (arrival indexed 8 December 1908); images 3:1:3Q9M-C95R-JS5T-P and 3:1:3Q9M-C95R-JSR7-S (roll 1175, vols. 2582–2584, labeled 5 December 1908). Transcripts: Read the record Read the record
  • New York City marriage index, Michael Reitter and Katie Jakobi, 25 January 1913, Manhattan; parents George Reitter and Katharine Baum; Philip Jakobi and Katie Schannan. FamilySearch, 1:1:243P-2F5. Index only.
  • Passenger manifest, S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria, Hamburg to New York, sailed 2 March 1911, line 27, Katharina Jakobi, 17, of Perjamos; father Filip Jakobi. “New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island),” FamilySearch, 1:1:JJKQ-72Z; image 3:1:3Q9M-C9TQ-NS5W-3. Transcript: Read the record
  • Krämer, Anton. Familienbuch der katholischen Pfarrgemeinden Perjamosch und Perjamosch-Haulik im Banat und ihrer Filialen Großdorf (Nagyfalu, Satu Mare) und Neu- und Groß-St. Peter (Rácz-Sz. Péter), (1724)/1755–1991. 2 vols. [Sindelfingen]: Arbeitskreis donauschwäbischer Familienforscher, 2000. Schriftenreihe zur donauschwäbischen Herkunftsforschung 83–84; Deutsche Ortssippenbücher, Reihe B, 189. FamilySearch Library 943 B4do ser. B v. 189 (catalog koha:984724; not online). Read in the archived online edition formerly at banaterheide.de: web.archive.org, pages Fb-J1 (families J4, J6, J11), Fb-SCH1 and Fb-SCH2 (S396), and Fb-R5 (Perjamosch Reiter families). Accessed 30 September 2026. Compiled from the parish registers, cited in braces by volume and page. Transcripts:
  • 1940 U.S. census, The Bronx, Michael Reitter household (Katherine, Helen, George). “United States, Census, 1940,” FamilySearch, 1:1:KQ5N-8R1. Index only; image 3:1:3QS7-89MY-6QKF not read.
  • 1915 New York State census, Staten Island, Anton Reitter household (Teresa, Elizabeth, Anton, Jr., Katherin Jost). “New York, State Census, 1915,” FamilySearch, 1:1:K9P9-ZG9. Index only.
  • Anton Reitter: World War II draft card, Stony Point, serial U-1386, 1942; 1920 census Tinicum Twp. (1:1:MFR6-NQF); 1930 census Springfield Twp. (1:1:XH88-DX2); 1940 census Springfield Twp. (1:1:KQQV-LLK); Find a Grave index, Anton Reitter (1885-1952) and Theresa Yost Reitter, Quakertown (1:1:QPRZ-86Q3, 1:1:QPRZ-HSKR). FamilySearch. Read the record
  • Bucks County Index to Marriage License Applications: Vincent McCarty and Catherine Reitter, 8 June 1939, book 152, page 112; Elizabeth Reitter and James Lee Pearman, Jr., 31 March 1936, book 130; index entries for Marian Reitter and Nicholas Onkow, 16 December 1938 (1:1:Q28B-57N4) and Theresa Reitter and Ernest Svites, 14 October 1940 (1:1:Q28B-5VZ3). “Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1775-1991,” FamilySearch. Read the record Read the record