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Pauline Hess was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, the daughter of Levi Hess and Theresa Sanger Hess, on 25 October, 1844. She was one of 8 children, two of whom died young.
Her parents were slaveholders for at least 10 years in Louisiana.
The family left Louisiana in 1851 and moved first to New York City and then to San Francisco. Her mother Theresa Sanger Hess, died, right after arriving in NYC, in June of 1851. In 1855 she and some of her siblings were attending and boarding at the Palache School.
Levi remarried in San Francisco to Ricke Wertheimer. The couple had 4 children, Pauline’s half siblings. In 1857, Pauline attended boarding school at the Moravian Seminary for Young Ladies (also known as the Bethlehem Female Seminary) in Pennsylvania.
I was told that she was very short and that her hair was longer than she was.
She married Lazarus Dinkelspiel in 1860, in San Francisco and had 10 children. Their eldest son, Emile L. Dinkelspiel, died of typhus fever, at the age of 2 years, 6 months and 15 days. One daughter, born in 1868, did not survive. In 1902, at the age of 58, after the death of her husband, she applied for a passport and traveled to Europe on her own. She died in 1907 in San Francisco, at the age of 63 (although her obit says she was 76).
The above document shows {if you click on the image you can enlarge it} Pauline Hess (line 12 on the right hand page) age 12, a border, born in Louisiana, Henry Hess age 9, and Melani Hess age 8. They were boarders at the Palache school, run by the sisters Rachael, Judith and Esther Palache in New York City. At this time their father Levi Hess was in San Francisco and their mother Theresa Sanger Hess had died, 4 years before, in NYC in 1851.
State of California
County of San Francisco
I, Pauline Dinkelspiel, a Naturalized and Loyal Citizen of the United States, hereby apply to the Department of State, at Washington, fora passport for myself. {she was born in US, why naturalized?}
I solemnly swear that I was born at Donaldsonville, Louisiana, on or about the 25 day of October, 1844, that my husband emigrated to the United States, in the year 1840 as near as I can recall? {he came in 1842}, that he resided 50 yearss, interuptedly, in the United States , from 1840 to 1899, the time of his death at San Francisco; that he was a naturalized , a citizen of the United Staets before …..Court of ….at ….on the ….day of …., as shown by the accompanying Passport; that I am the widow of the person described in said passport; that I have resided in the United States uninterruptedly for 58 years, from 1844 to 1902, that I am domiciled in the US, my permanent residence being at San Francisco, in the State of CA, where I follow the occupation of housekeeper; that I am about to go abroad temporarily; and that I intend to return to the US within 2 years with the purpose of residing and performing the duties of citizenship herein. {the L.M. initials to the left are her lawyer L. Meininger, see next photo}.
Further , I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the US against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion: So Help Me God.
{signed} Mrs. Pauline Dinkelspiel
Sworn to before me this 26th day of March 1902 {signed} L. Meininger, Notary Public
Description of Applicant
Age: 57 years
Stature: 4 feet 2 inches, Eng.
Forehead: high
Eyes: brown
Nose: regular
Mouth: small
Chin: round
Hair: brown
Complexion: fair
Face: full
Identification
I herby certify that I know the above named Pauline Dinkelspiel personally, and know her to be the widow of the person referred to in the within-described Passport and that the facts stated in her affidavit are true tot he best of my knowledge and belief.
{signed} L. Meininger 411 Montgomery St. S.F.
Applicant desires passport sent to following address:
Pauline Dinkelspiel c/o L. Meininger 411 Montgomery St. San Francisco, CA
{diagonal writing across page : Lazarus Dinkelspiel 1606 ? 1892, ? Germany}
L. Meininger
Notary Public
411 Montgomery Street
San Francisco
{stamp says Passport Div. Dept of State}
San Francisco March 26 1902
Department of State Washington
In the matter of the application for a passport of Pauline Dinkelspiel widow of Lazarus Dinkelspiel deceased, mailed to your office forgot to inclose the fees of One dollar which I hereby inclose.
In this case I will state, that the Party could not possibly find the certificate of Naturalization requested of her but had a passport which was issued to him, and I expect the matter will now go through.
I have known the widow of L. Dinkelspiel for 30 years myself, and also the deceased.
The application which I mailed to day the words “Passport Division” was omitted on the address but I hope the letter will reach you.
Mrs. Dinkelspiel wasn’t able to state on the application the exact date or year when her husband came to America. Very Respectfully, L. {signed} L. Meininger
