from oepfingen to america:  The Emigration of the BRaunger siblings

During the decade of the 1880s, four siblings from the village of Oepfingen in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg emigrated from Germany to the United States.  Their names were John, Sylvester, Ursula and Anton Braunger.  At the time of their emigration, the Kingdom of Wurttemberg was a state within King William (Wilhelm) I's German Confederation.   Also at this time, there was a strong desire by many in Europe, including those in the German Confederation, to emigrate to the United States.  The start of what is known as the "Great Wave" of immigration began a few years prior to the departure of the first Braunger sibling.  Between the period of 1883 and 1886, the four Braunger siblings traveled from Europe to the Port of New York aboard three separate ships.  At the time of their arrival, the United States consisted of 38 states and had a population of 50 million.

Arrival at Castle garden

Castle Garden, located at the southern tip of Manhattan, was an immigrant processing center when the Braunger siblings arrived at the Port of New York in the 1880s.  According to the National Park Service website, Castle Garden was originally named the Southwest Battery following its construction during the years 1808-1811.  It was used as a fortification and renamed Castle Clinton in 1817.  In 1823, it was renamed Caste Garden.  Castle Garden became an immigrant landing depot in 1855.