The Tolstedt/Tolstead Family in the United States

The progenitors of the Tolstedt clan in the United States were Ulrich B. Tolstedt and Eliza Martin. Ulrich Bernhard Tölstede was born on July 17, 1828 in Tettens Parish, Duchy of Oldenburg, Germany. He emigrated to the United States in 1855, leaving Bremer Haven, Germany in February of that year on the ship Philadelphia. Prior to coming to the United States, Ulrich worked as a blacksmith. Family lore suggests that he worked as an iron worker in the shipping and canal industry in Oldenburg in northwest Germany, near the border with Denmark. He was a small man by modern standards, about 5'9", with light skin, and light hair. The name "Tolstedt" underwent a number of different variations in spelling. By the turn of the century, Ulrich was using "Tolstedt" consistently. His sons were divided on the spelling, some of them choosing the "Tolstead" spelling.

Eliza Martin was born April 1, 1839 in Augusta, Grenville, Ontario, Canada. We believe she was the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Belinda Woodcock and Richard Martin. The Martin family immigrated from Canada to Illinois in June of 1839.

Ulrich and Eliza married on October 24, 1858 in Franklin Grove, Illinois. They had one son, Edward, prior to the Civil War. Ulrich enlisted in the 75th Illinois Volunteers, Grand Army of the Republic in August of 1862. The 75th Illinois Volunteers went on to fight in the great Civil War battles in Kentucky and Tennessee. In December of 1862, at the battle of Stone River, Murfreesboro, Tennessee he was captured. He was confined at Richmond, Virginia on January 16, 1863. Ulrich was repatriated about a year later. In August of 1863 he was transferred to the "Invalid Corps" and was discharged in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 5th, 1865. Ulrich and Eliza had three sons while they lived in Illinois: Edward, William, and Franklin. In 1868, shortly after the birth of their son Franklin Benjamin, Ulrich purchased eighty acres of land one mile east of Laurel, Iowa. While in Iowa they added two sons, Joseph and Lewis, and 2 daughters, Bertha and Mary Antoinette, to their family. Eliza died March 22, 1893. In March of 1897, Ulrich married Miss Miriam (Mira) West in Kearney, Nebraska. Mira was 30 years old at the time. Ulrich was 65 years of age (although his age on the certificate is listed as 60). On May 17, 1913, at the age of 85 years, Ulrich died in Des Moines.