As I said elsewhere, contrary to popular thought, all Germans did not settle in "Over-the-Rhine" Cincinnati. By far the vast majority of Förtmeiers settled into the lower west side of Cincinnati and northward to Cumminsville:

The earliest Förtmeier residences, I could find, were from the 1850-1860s. Most of the addresses were marked as "boarding at". Later they seemed to have actual residences, for instance the family is listed as living at 157 Smith Street, and then in 1880 they are listed nearby at 166 Smith Street.  These two addresses were somewhere in the vacinity just northwest of Paycor Stadium, around 5th Street.

In the 1890s the several Förtmeier families are listed as living on Barr Street, Carlisle Street, Hopkins, and other streets in the "West End" of Cincinnati. The yellow dot on the map below, according to the Hamilton County Auditor's maps, is where 620 Mound was located, the home of Clara O. Foertmeyer.

From 1890 to 1895 the family address, including Charles George Foertmeyer MD, is listed as 519 Chase. It is listed that way for each of those years, so I assume it is accurate, but in 1896 their address changes to 1555 Chase Avenue. Since Chase Avenue ends at Spring Grove Cemetery in the number 1210, and Spring Grove Cemetery was there in 1896, and I can find no other Chase Avenue, past or present, I may conclude that for some reason there was a street number change in 1896. This remains open for further study.

Further study on the matter of the change from 519 Chase Avenue to 1555 Chase Avenue has provided an answer. From the 1896 William"s Directory:

519 or 1555 Chase Avenue

1555 Chase Avenue Today

1555 Chase seems to have remained the family home until at least 1914, when Louis Charles Förtmeier passed away. We know his wife Marie went to live with Charles George Foertmeyer MD"s family at 3562 Shaw Avenue until her death in 1925.

Charles George Foertmeyer MD bought 3562 Shaw Avenue in 1907. I had always thought of this as the childhood home of my father"s older siblings, as well as his own, but not so.

Charles George Foertmeyer MD

3562 Shaw Avenue                                                                                                                         Charles George Foertmeyer MD

So, where had he and his family lived prior to 1907? After all, by 1907 he had a son Louis, a daughter Alma, and Marie on the way to being born in 1908. To be sure, in 1903 he was living at 902 Suire Avenue in Price Hill.

902 Suire Avenue - Charles George Foertmeyer - Louis and Alma Foertmeyer - 1905

After raising his family at 3562 Shaw Avenue from 1907 until 1936, Charles George Foertmeyer MD moved from Hyde Park to 6095 Belleair Place in North College Hill. There he stayed until his passing in 1947, his wife Blanche Cole Foertmeyer staying in the Belleair home until 1952 when she and her oldest son Louis moved into 6427 Cary Avenue, just a few blocks away.

6095 Belleair Place

6427 Cary Avenue

Go Up for More on Immigration In the Beginning There is a farm near Stemmer, Germany called the Förthof. According to my friend Manfred Raker, who now lives there, the name Förthof derives from the ford of the stream Rhien (Fört)and hof, a place or courtyard. the name Förtmeier comes from this farm. In a history written in 1948 by Dr. Karl Gromann he writes, "The name reflects the description of the geografic situation. There was a ford over a small creek, nowadays called "Rhien". The Förthof was the crossingpoint at this ford for an old street between the villages "Friedewalde" and "Stemmer". The ford and the farm belonged to the area of Friedewalde,so the ford on the way to Stemmer is called "Stemmerfort" or "Stemmerfurt". The farm near this "Stemmerfort" is also called Stemmerfort or StemmerFörde. Another name is "Vortmeyer" or "Förtmeyer". A "Meyer"(Farm) is a bigger farm which was at the mercy of an edelman, in this case the bishop of minden, on his residence "Petershagen". Förtmeyer is the bigger farmer near the ford. It starts after the 30-years-war in 1648. The name "Stemmerfort" changes to "Förtmeyer". He describes a person called "Engelke Förtmeyer", owner of the Förthof as a son of Cord Stemmerfort. The wife of Engelke, called "Dortia Riebrock" was buried at 24.03.1667 with 104 years." Dr. Grossmann talks about another Fortmeier-Farm in "Messlingen" 5 km from the "Förthof", close to Stemmer. There is a "Reinecke Vortmeier" from the Farm No.15. His descendants are Hinrich, Johann und Johann Cordt. The former one is mentioned as the last "Fortmeyer" on this farm at about 1753. Note that in old Germany names can be tricky; Foertmeyer, Förtmeyer, Förtmeier, Vörtmeier, etc. can all be the same family when referenced by different people. Manfred writes, "I am not really sure if the family-name "Vortmeyer" or "Förtmeier" has its origin in "our" Förthof. But it seems likely because it was not common to locate a second bigger farm next to the same ford. I looked it up at a special german website called www.verwandt.de. At this webside the used data refers to the registered telephone-connection. You can see the distribution of family names in Germany. The name "Vortmeyer" is most present in the minden area. Another clue"" Today is March 11, 2019 and Manfred writes that: " I have found the last inhabitant of the Förthof with the name Förtmeier. It is a woman called Dortia Förtmeier, nee Riebrock. The death entry from the church book reads there with date of 24.03.1667: 'Died Engelken Fortmeyer wife Dortia Riebrok, 104 years old.' The woman became 104 years old and was born in 1553 or 1554. That is quite old for this time (with the 30-year war in the middle of life). The husband was called Engelke Fortmeier. Before the death of the old lady, the farm had already passed to the Tüting family, who lived on our farm for over 400 years. Below are photos of the Förthof..."
The following information was received in an AI search The word "förtmeyer" in German likely refers to a surname, "Foertmeyer" or "Förtmeyer". It is not a common German word with a direct translation of a specific object or action. Possible Origin and Meaning: It is likely derived from a place name or an occupation related to a place name, possibly a farm or location called "Förthof" in Germany, near Loccum and Meßlingen. Surname origins often relate to a family's place of origin, occupation, or physical characteristics. While "Förtmeyer" itself doesn't have a simple English equivalent, surnames can also be variations of existing words or phrases in the original language. In Conclusion: "Förtmeyer" is a German surname. Its origin may be linked to a specific location in Germany, such as a farm called "Förthof," and it's not a general term for a concept or thing in German.

The Farm's Layout

Although none of these inhabitants of the Förthof are actually named Förtmeier, or any variation of the name, they are still Förtmeiers because they live on the Förthof. Two hundred or more years ago when in this part of Germany you didn't have your own "last name", your name often derived from your geographic location; hence Förtmeiers, those living on the big farm by the ford of the Rhien Creek. That then was who you became in name to distinguish you from other Heinriches in the area. e.g. Heinrich Förtmeier. The New Förtmeiers Christmas Supper at the Förthof with the "New Förtmeiers The 2018 Tannenbaum at the Förthof Ladies of the Förthof making Christmas of an apple tree Latest Photos of the "New" Foertmeyers Manfred in June of 2022 Felling old poplar trees at the Förthof. These trees were in danger of falling on the road in a storm. Fence building at the Förthof The view of the fence work from inside the garden The fence completed by the folks at the Förthof Next Project: A half-timbered greenhouse built from oak timbers, some of which came from a 1798 structure Here is the building before it was dismantled and transferred to the Förthof An example of the original oak timbers, which had to be stripped of paint. The unusable timbers were replicated to replace the rotted originals. The greenhouse rises, approximately 20 feet by 10 feet. Another angle This is a close-up of the incredibly cool pegwork. The Greenhouse Progresses And now come the roof tiles More Progress on the Greenhouse Continued Progress on the Greenhouse Now, switching gears a bit, the photo below shows a tall smokestack at the back of the Förthof property. Here then is the story behind it, as told to me by Manfred Raker: "The high chimney near the Förthof belongs to a former distillery. This was built by an economically very active owner of the Förthof (Heinrich Christian Tüting) at the beginning of the 20th century with some co-partners. The company was dissolved in 1935 and continued under other owners. In the meantime there is no alcohol production anymore and only the buildings are still standing there, including the approx. 30 m high chimney. By the way, a rye schnapps was distilled which was named "Förth"fer". A good business for the farmers, because they got good money for their rye and the brewing residue, the so-called stillage, was fed to the cows. So unfortunately the thing is no longer part of the farm today and the interior decoration was sold to Leningrad, where it is now probably produced Russian Wotka." And here is a poster I found advertising this schnapps: The archway above the 1845 "Barn", now converted to living quarters. Our archway has the following inscription: To this place God has brought me - by his great kindness - to this place he has guided me day and night - to keep heart and mind - to here he has guided me - to here he has pleased me - to here he has helped me : 378 Orra Etla Borra. Friederrich Wilhelm Tüting and Soffie Dorthe Louise Fredekings had this house built by the master Cord H. Cruse. No. 44 - the 17 June Anno 1845 The first sentence comes from a Protestant hymnbook. The author is "milie Juliane Gr"fin von Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (1637-1706). The text appears in various hymnbooks of the 19th and 20th century. On the right side: They wanted to write : ora et labora. Latin: pray and work. The knowledge of Latin was obviously not quite sufficient. The inscription above the entrance indicates the builders and the master builder. No. 44 is the house number of the farm in Stemmer. PS - The arch above the door in the above photo is from 1845, the year the farmhouse was built. Inscription above door to the left side Inscription above door to the right side Entry from the church book of Hartum from the year 1830, which documents the name Förtmeier with the farm, the Förthof. Friedrich Wilhelm Tüting, sole legitimate son of the deceased Colon (farmer) Heinrich Tüting or V"rtmeier in Stemmer in the parish Friedewalde with Sophie Dorothea Fredekings of the youngest daughter of the deceased Colon Andreas Fredeking No. 2 in Hartum proclaimed on 26 September to 3 October 1830. The wedding ceremony took place in Friedewalde. These are the later builders of the current farmhouse. In the entry it becomes clear that the farm name, although the owner family had carried the name Tüting for over 200 years, is still V"rtmeier or Förtmeier, the traditional name of the farm-owners. This is Germany and inside the red box is the area we came from. Click on this map to enlarge. The town names from whence our ancestors came, as well as the Förthof, are shown there. Bohnhorst: Where the Förtmeiers emigrated from to the USA and where seven of the Förtmeier children were born Lavelsloh: Their parish church was here Essern: The first four Förtmeier children born here Hanover: Fifth child, Carl Wilhelm born here Loccum: Birthplace of our thrice great grandfather, husband of Doris Georges, Dietrich Friedrich Wilhem Foertmeyer Negenborn: Birthplace of Wilhelm Heinrich Mente, our twice great grandfather, husband of Wilhelmena Fricke, and father of Marie Mente who married Louis Charles Foertmeyer, our great grandparents Schnega: Where Heinrich Mente moved and became a school teacher and from where his children left for America Neckargem"nd: (first map) Home of our Schwartz ancestors