Peter Pickering & Emilie Steffens

Peter Pickering and Emilie Steffens

Peters journal

Click here to read an incredible handwritten history of our family by Peter Pickering. The original journal is owned by the descendants of Alfhard Kowallek (deceased), who was a descendant of Peter Pickering and Emilie (Steffens) Pickering. In 1997 Alfhard emailed one page every day of this amazing memoir to his 5th cousin, Connie Pickering Stover and she transcribed every page, which can be found by clicking here.

Peter and Emilie Pickering
Peter and Emilie Pickering

Pickering coat of arms

Pickering coat of arms handed down through Peter Pickering's descendants. These photos are taken of the mold used to create engravings to be used in rings.

Peter Pickering coat of arms



















b: 27 Jul 1785, Aston Sutton
m. 28 Apr 1818 (age 33) Danzig
d: 12 Jun 1865 (age 80) Wonneberg, Danzig, Germany
o: Merchant, Inventor
m: Emilie Henriette Wilhelmine Steffens
b: 13 Feb 1794, Danzig
d: 3 Oct 1877 Danzig (age 83)

» Click here for DESCENDANTS of Peter Pickering and Emilie Steffens


Map of Muggau
» Click to enlarge map. Muggau, near Danzig, seat of Peter Pickering and Emilie Steffens.

Muggau
» Click here to view lovely watercolor paintings of life at Muggau painted by three daughters of Peter. These paintings are shown on a website created by Andreas Schulz, a descendant of Peter.


The Estate at Muggau

Peter Pickering and Emily Steffens bought the estate at Migowie (Muggau) on 1 November 1822 from her grandfather, Paul David Weichbrodt [1740-1808], the father of her mother, Carolina Weichbrodt [1768-1829]. Weichbrodt had owned the land since 1773.

Three daughters of Peter and Emilia had considerable artistic talent and created some lovely watercolor images of life at Muggau, so we can see how the area must have looked in the early nineteenth century.

Muggau documents date back to 1379, when the village was called Emgowo. It was a largely rural area with arable acres of gardens, meadows, pasture and wasteland. In 1868 the village had nine houses, 156 inhabitants, including 120 Catholics and 36 Protestants. On 16 June 1454, King Casimir IV provide the village for the city of Gdansk after the war, the village belonged to the Catholic parish of St. Adalbert.

Throughout its history this area had several names: Müggau (1874), Michau (1807); Mickau (1780); Mugkow (1437); Emngow (1379).



Peter's Memoirs

Read entire journal by clicking here.
He begins: “At the time that I was born the 23rd of August 1785, my Parents John and Mary Pickering, lived at Bridge Hous one mile from Frodsham in Cheshire but, as I was the youngest child of my parents viz, seven sons and four daughters, and my oldest Brother Thomas, having been born the 23rd August 1765. he was exactly twenty years older than I was, and old enough to establish himself; My Father resolved to Rent a Manufactory; the largest of its kind in Great Britian; which was then being in the Process of being built; but the Dwelling Hous of said Manufactory, not yet habitable; my Parents were obliged to live in the Ware House of said Manufactory until such time, as the Dwelling house became habitable; and, consequently I was born in said Warehouse; and as my Father was the first and original Renter of said Manufactory; so; it remains Rented in my Parents Family up to the present period from the time it was built. …”




1829, 28 April – Peter & William’s Engine Invention


The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, and Newton’s London Journal of Arts and Sciences

"To Peter Pickering, a native of Frodsham, county of Cheshire, and now domiciliatcd in Danzig, Prussia, and William Pickering, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchants, for their having invented an engine or machinery, to be worked by means of fluids, gases or air, on shore or on sea, and which they intend to denominate ' Pickering's Engine.' "

Unfortunately, this patent can now be found under the title of "Patents for Unworkable Devices" website. The description there reads: "1858 [No. 2142] Peter Pickering of Danzig, Prussia, Landed Proprietor. "An atmospheric engine." Cylinders 18 feet long and 3 feet diameter driving a common shaft. Had to be primed by forcing the air in chambers to compress".

Peter Pickeirng Handwritten Note

"There has been, undoubetdly some apprehension that Mr. (Prime Minister) Gladstone was mediating a financial exploit which should throw into the shade every thing that his predicessor, every thing that he himself had achieved. . . . Times Paper of 14 February, relation . . Private Bank, and the above quote."

1864 - Peter Pickering Handwritten Note about Coat of Arms

“The enclosed Photograph was forwarded to me from England; as formerly being the Seat of our Family’s Ancestors, conferred upon them, by William the Conquerer about eight hundred and fifty years ago [about 1014] as also the annexed Court of Arms with the motto “Virtue is the safest Shield; extracted out of the Book of Heraldry by myself; and which I am sanguine to believe, my Family will in a few years profess." Muggau 23 August 1864