Uli, My family has a connection to Philip Hammes of Anaheim, CA. through his daughter Olga Hammes who married Edwards Wenzel in San Francisco. My grandmother (of S.F.) talked of the family in Anaheim, but other than that I only know the history through record search, and oral history.
Visit my family tree and see what you can make out of it re. John Frohling. He was married Amelie Hammes, but it looks like she was widowed, then remarried Carl Charles Eymann. Then it looks like she divorced C. Eymann and went back to her Frohling name. I hope this helps.
Moe
Bowman-Leask Family Tree