Oscar Arthur Moritz Lindauer (1815-1866)

Oscar Arthur Moritz Lindauer (1815-1866) Emigrated from Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1834. He along with his children operated a series of liquor and cigar stores in Manhattan, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey. Their cigar business was Lindauer and Company Tobacconists which manufactured and sold cigars throughout Manhattan and Hudson County, New Jersey. They were also involved in an illegal lottery in Manhattan, called the "numbers game" or "policy dealing". (b. 1815, Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine, Bas Rhin, France - d. September 05, 1866, 42 Grand Street, Manhattan, New York County, New York City, New York, USA)

Potential siblings
He may have had the following siblings who show up in marriage indexes of Strasbourg:
 * Charles Lindauer (c1810-?) who married Elisabeth Amelie Bolster on October 20, 1838 in Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France
 * Sophie Jeanne Lindauer (c1810-?) who married Felix Carles Maximillian Reuss on May 18, 1839 in Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, France.

Birth
Oscar was born in 1815 in Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine where his parents owned a department store. Oscar's father's name was probably Jean Jacques, as all of the known Lindauers born around Oscar's birth year in Strasbourg list their father, if at all, as Jean Jacques. Oscar also had a son named John Jacob, which supports this theory. The mother of Oscar may have been Sophie Chretienne Bauer, as she appears to have been bearing children to Jean Jacques shortly before the birth of Oscar. However, there were other children born to a Jean Jacques by a different mother (Marie Madeleine Gunther) in earlier years. This means that there could have two men named Jean Jacques, or that Jean married twice. Researcher Kevin Borland has ordered a copy of the 1836 census of Strasbourg, which is expected to resolve any uncertainty regarding Oscar's birth. The data is being mailed to Virginia from France, and is expected to arrive by mid-January. The store confirmed that there were 9 Lindauers listed in the census in Strasbourg.

Emigration and marriage
In 1834 he married Sophia Weber (1815-1891) and on their honeymoon they emigrated to Philadelphia in the United States.

Children
They had three children in Philadelphia and the last in New York City:
 * Charles Frederick Lindauer I (1835-1921) who married Anna Augusta Kershaw (1841-1931)
 * John Jacob Lindauer (1841-1888) who married Nellie X (1853-1899) and worked as the cigar maker
 * Louis Julius Lindauer (1842-1915) who married Mary Sheehan (1842-1888)
 * Eloise Lindauer I (1852-1944) who was born in Manhattan, and married William Arthur Ensko II (1850-1889)

1836 Alsace Census
His parents and siblings should appear in the census.

1840 US Census
Oscar probably resided in Lehigh, Northampton County, Pennsylvania in the 1840 census. Lehigh is near the Pennsylvania/New Jersey border, north of Philadelphia. An Aug Lindauer is listed as head of household, born between 1810 and 1820. He is married to a woman born between 1810 and 1820 (presumably Sophia), and they have one son born between 1835 and 1840 (presumably Charles). Oscar may have went by the nickname Aug, as in the 1860 census, he appears to be listed as Aug Lindork in New York as well.

Philadelphia to Manhattan
Oscar and Sophia moved from Philadelphia to New York around 1850 and their daughter, Eloise Lindauer I (1852-1944) was born there. Oscar and Sophia lived on Houston Street in Greenwich Village in New York City and Oscar and his children operated a liquor vending business or an "exchange". Other entries in the City Directory list the children as "brokers". In 1866 he was living at 81 Grand Street in Manhattan and his occupation was listed as "exchange".

Memories of Oscar Arthur Moritz Lindauer
Memoirs of Eloise Ensko (1925-1993) from July 03, 1965: My great-grandmother Sophia married an Oscar Lindauer. They came from Alsace-Lorraine on their honeymoon, by boat. Alsace-Lorraine was then owned by the French. Great-grandmother brought a lovely picture of Napoleon over from the other side - none of which I have ever seen duplicated. It is still in the family and in excellent condition. The Lindauer family owned a huge department store over there. When the newlyweds came to this country about the early 1800's they settled in Philadelphia. The living room furniture is still in the family. I have in my possession one of the sitting chairs. It is a very pretty, light wood in color, Victorian style. It is now of heavy material and cover. Sophia and Oscar had three boys and later on one girl. The boys were Charles, Louis and John and the girl, Eloise, was named by her brother, Charles. He found it by reading a book (Heloise & Abelard). The boys were much older than Eloise.

Death
Oscar died in 1866 and his funeral notice appeared in the New York Herald on September 7, 1866: On Wednesday morning, September 5, Oscar A.M. Lindauer, aged 51 years and 2 months. The relatives and friends of his sons, Charles, Louis, and John Lindauer, also the members of Eastern Star Lodge, No. 227, F. and A.M., are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from 42 Grand Street, this (Friday) afternoon, at two o'clock. The remains to be interred in Cypress Hill Cemetery.

Burial
He was buried in Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn with:
 * Louise Lindauer (1858-1859)
 * Rebecca Lindauer (1863-1864)
 * Max S. Freudenberg II (1881) child of Max Freudenberg and Eloise Lindauer
 * Gusia Lindauer (1884-1885)
 * Nellie X (1853-1887) wife of John Jacob Lindauer
 * John Jacob Lindauer (1841-1888) son of Oscar Lindauer and Sophia Weber
 * Mary Sheehan (1842-1888) wife of Louis Julius Lindauer
 * Jenny Gertrude Freudenberg (1888) child of Max Freudenberg and Eloise Lindauer
 * William Arthur Ensko II (1850-1889) child of Eloise Lindauer and William Ensko
 * Sophia Weber (1815-1891) wife of Oscar Arthur Moritz Lindauer
 * Lottie Lindauer (1869-1894) aka Lottie Landus, daughter of Caroline Ritter and "Charles Lindauer"
 * Stanley Malton Massey (1895-1902) son of Grace Lindauer and Max Massey
 * Louis Julius Lindauer (1842-1915) son of Oscar Lindauer and Sophia Weber

Timeline

 * 1815 Birth in Alsace
 * 1834 Marriage to Sophia Weber
 * 1834 Emigration to Philadelphia
 * 1835 Birth of Charles Frederick Lindauer I
 * 1841 Birth of John Jacob Lindauer
 * 1842 Birth of Louis Julius Lindauer
 * 1850 (circa) Move from Philadelphia to Manhattan
 * 1852 Birth of Eloise Lindauer I
 * 1866 Living at 81 Grand Street in Manhattan
 * 1866 Death in Manhattan on September 7th

General

 * New York Herald, September 7, 1866, Funeral Notice, Oscar Lindauer
 * Brooklyn Eagle, June 2, 1889, Lindauer and Company, Tobacco

External link

 * Findagrave: Oscar A.M. Lindauer