Dug around the story of bartender and cocktail book author Hugo R. Ensslin, particularly his final years in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and found perhaps a few new morsels of information, including his gravesite, which I hope to visit soon.
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Hi,
I would like to share with you a discovery I made about Hugo Richard Ensslin.
Senta Ensslin, 21 years old, originally from Stuttgart, Germany, travelled to New York City aboard the Queen Louise in 1906 to visit her brother Hugo Ensslin, who lived at 249 123rd Street. [1] She was therefore born around 1885.
Hugo Richard Ensslin’s marriage certificate dated 2 July 1907 provides us with this address and also the names of his parents: Gotthilf (Ensslin) and Alice Laux. He was 28 years old at the time, so he was born around 1879. [2]
On Familysearch, I found an entry documenting Senta’s birth:
A Senta Sophie Berta Josephine Ensslin was baptised as the daughter of Gottilf Ernst Ensslin and Elise Laux on 29 June 1884 in Stuttgart. [3] Unfortunately, it does not say in which church.
At the time of Senta’s baptism, Hugo was about 5 years old and therefore also lived in Stuttgart. There is therefore much to suggest that he was also born there.
The following information has not been verified by me and should therefore be treated with caution: There is an indication that Hugo was born on 7 August 1880 in Reutlingen. However, this does not match his age on the marriage certificate. His father, Gotthilf Ernst, was also born in Reutlingen on 7 August 1859. Hugo had a brother: Edwin was born on 19 July 1881 in Stuttgart and died there on 30 July 1881. Hugo’s mother, Julie Elise Laux, was also born in Reutlingen, on 25 May 1859, and she also died there on 11 April 1909. His father, Gotthilf Ernst, also died in Reutlingen on 4 June 1902. [4] I cannot say whether all of this information is correct, as I have not checked the original sources.
However, this is not particularly important. The only important thing now is to find and read the original sources. In the past, I have always found that this is absolutely necessary, as not all the data and attributions found in published family trees are reliable. At least we now know where to look.
Cheerio, Armin
Sources:
[1] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PR-RR1F?view=index&personArk=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AJFXR-253&action=view “New York City, New York, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PR-RR1F?view=explore : Aug 25, 2025), image 384 of 717; United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Image Group Number: 007648717
[2] https://a860-historicalvitalrecords.nyc.gov/view/8246154
[3] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NZBX-GHW?lang=de “Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898”, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NZBX-GHW : 26 October 2021), Senta Sophie Bertha Josephine Ensslin, 1884.
[4] https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/9H7H-CW7
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