Hi,

I am seeking information on John Gottlieb Lessing. German spelling of the name is believed to be Johann Gottlieb Laessig (the "a" and umlaut--two dots over it). John emigrated to the US before 1855. He was followed by his family who are known to have emigrated in 1855. His wife's name is Ernestine (or Ernstine) Wilhelmine Laessing (maiden name Hartel or Hertel--a probably an umlaut a also). John was born in Crimmitschau, Saxony in 1821. His wife Ernestine emigrate with at least (and possibly more) children, whose names were Mary, Hermann, Anna, and Hugo. Three more children were known to have been born in the US after they emigrated, and their names were Bertha, Henry (Heinrich), and Charles (Karl). John's occupation in Saxony was a wooldyer. His father's name is supposed to have been Hugo J. Lessing, but I have no confirmation of this other than family lore of unknown reliability. I am seeking information as to John's parents, Hugo, and his mother's name which is unknown, and possibly the name of the church where he was born or baptized for further research. John and his family lived in Red Bud, IL until John's death in a wagon accident in 1862. I have no information records on his death or where buried. I have done extensive research on John's children through census, death and marriage records and have a fairly accurate tree spanning about 4 generations of John's descendents.

Family lore has it that John's wife sailed to the US on a sailboat by way of New Orleans with ten children, and he had a total of 12 children however census and other records from 1860 show only four children mentioned above and Bertha who had just been born when this census was taken plus the two sons born in the US mentioned above, so I do not thing the 10 children number is correct. I have been unable to account for any of the missing children so any information as to their existence would be appreciated also.