Auntie Jen's Family Trees: Week 1: Foundations

Week 1: Foundations
The theme for January and for Week 1 is "Foundations." Some ways you might interpret this include focusing on the person who sparked your interest in family history, a builder in your family tree, or the person who is the bedrock of your family.

After much consideration, I decided to write about my immigrant ancestors, Frederick, Johann Michael, and Andreas Fuchs. Johann Michael is my 3rd Great-Grandfather. Frederick is his brother and Andreas is his nephew. They came to St. Louis in 1832. But the reason I chose them is not what you may think. While it makes sense since they were the foundation of my Fuchs family in America, there is another reason I thought of them. It was the REASON they came to America.
According to a history book of Jefferson County, Missouri, the Fuchs family was contracted in Europe by the Catholic Church authorities to come to St. Louis to help construct the St. Louis Cathedral also known as the Old Cathedral. You see, they were stonemasons. So they would have helped with the "Foundation" of the church. Didn't see that one coming, did you?

History of Jefferson County
St. Louis County Library

The history of the Old Cathedral is as follows:

"Founding fathers Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau deed a tract of land to the people of St. Louis where a one-room log structure is erected as the first Catholic Church in the newly founded city. Known originally as Laclede’s Village, it is later named St. Louis by Laclede to honor King Louis IX of France.

"A second, larger log church is built in place of the first church… a new church more in keeping with the growing importance and dignity of the young city that was becoming a town of marked beauty, size and prominence.

By 1831, the 55-year-old log church is deteriorating and can no longer accommodate the growing parish. Rather than enlarge it, Bishop Rosati decides to replace it all together. The cornerstone of the new church is laid in August of 1831, and the sum of $63,360.85 is raised to build the new church. It was designed by Morton and Laveill and completed in 1834." History of the Basillica of St. Louis

Old St. Louis Cathedral
Lithograph by J.C. Wild
1841
Source: NextStl.com

According to a ship manifest, "Mr. Fox and Family" arrived in New Orleans in May of 1832. "Fox" is the way Fuchs would have been pronounced. (Although at some point the pronunciation changed for my specific line at some point; it now sounds more like the Fuschia plant). There have been other sources that spelled the surname this way. From New Orleans, the family would have traveled to St. Louis up the Mississippi River. This timeline fits with the history of when the new stone church would have been built and the completion year coincides with when Johann Michael bought property in Jefferson County.

So not only is my Fuchs family the foundation of start in America, they helped build the foundation of a very important church which became the foundation of the Catholic church in St. Louis. Based on the year they immigrated, the Fuchs family also qualifies to be listed as one of the "First Families of St. Louis". I found this out in 2019 when I attended the St. Louis History Fair.

I'd say you can't get any more foundational than this. I still have quite a bit of research to do on the origins of my Fuchs Family in St. Louis. Still need to track down more sources so I can get the family listed on that register. My family was here from the beginning and I'm proud to be a part of that history.

Come back next week for the new 52 Ancestors Prompt. If you wish to join in, click here: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.