Genealogy

Did Alma have a secret marriage?

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / Leave a comment
Albert Grunst and Family

Alma Grunst

My pet peeve is finding my ancestors attached to wrong online family trees.  I found this several times over the past few months.  I contacted one that had my grandfather connected to her family tree, and I asked her to remove it because it looked like my grandfather was a bigamist.  To her credit she took him off and put the right one on her family tree.  So far the others I have contacted still have the wrong ancestor on their family tree.  Some people may  think who cares or does it really matter.  Someday when we are all gone and those family trees are still online who is going to be around to correct the error without in-depth research.  It took a whole evening to sort out the one below.  For awhile I thought my husband’s aunt had a secret marriage, however as it turns out there are two people with the name Alma Grunst.  If this person had done her research this mistake would not have happened.  I laid it all out for her and still she leaves my husband’s Aunt attached to her family tree.    In addition to the documentation, my husband remembers his Aunt and cousins.   

Below I laid out a timeline for each Alma.  My husband’s Aunt Alma belongs to Albert Grunst and Anna Schmerling.  The Other Alma belongs to Fred and Pauline Grunst.

Parents Albert and Anna Grunst

Time Line for their daughter Alma Grunst

1888 — Alma Grunst born to Albert and Anna Schmerling. [1]

1900 – Census Alma is living in Chicago, Illinois with her parents  Albert and Anna Grunst plus her siblings Albert Jr., Walter, Lillian.[2] 

1910 – Cenus Alma is living in Cicero, Illinois with her parents Albert and Anna Grunst plus her siblings Albert Jr., Walter, Lillian, and Elmer.[3]

1914 – Alma marries Max Weihs[4]

1920 – Alma Grunst Weihs is living in Cicero, Illinois with her husband Max and two children Dorothy and Elmer.[5]

1959 Alma Weihs died.[6]

Parents Fred and Pauline Grunst

Time Line for daughter Alma Grunst

1889 – Alma Grunst born to Fred and Pauline Grunst. [7]

1900 – Census Alma is living in Chicago with her parents Fred and Lina Grunst plus siblings Martha, Anna, Lena, and Clara[8]

1908 – Alma marries Henry Mergan.[9]

1910 – Census Alma Mergan is living in Chicago, Illinois with her husband Henry, and her son Frederick.[10]

1915 – Henry Mergan died.[11]

1920 Alma Mergan is living in Chicago, Illinois with her mother Pauline Grunst, Sister Martha, and son Frederick.[12]

1971 Alma Mergan died.[13]

This is why you evaluate the evidence in each document and cite your sources.  Genealogy 101 — Cite your sources, cite your sources, cite your sources.

Copyright © 2018 Gail Grunst

[1] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data: “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.”Illinois. Cook County Birth Registers, 1871–1915.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah. Illinois. Cook County Birth Registers, 1871–1915. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[2] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[3]Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 20A; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.  Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[4] Source Information Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871–1920.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health records. “Marriage Records, 1871–present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.

[5] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 54.  Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).

[6] Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.Original data: Find A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi.

[7] Source Information:  Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.  Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.

[8] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 9, Cook, Illinois; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0226.  Source Information:

Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[9] Ancestry.com. Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.  Original data: Indiana, Marriages, 1810-2001. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

[10]Source Citation:  Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 11, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_252; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0551; FHL microfilm: 1374265

Source Information:Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.  Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[11] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index, 1878-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  Illinois, Cook County Deaths 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health. “Birth and Death Records, 1916–present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.

[12] Year: 1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 34, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_354; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 2148

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).

[13] Source Information:  Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2011.  Original data: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration.

 

Love from France

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / 1 Comment

This weeks 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks topic is Valentines.  

Below is a card sent to my Grandmother, Helen Desens, by my Grandfather, George Manfroid, from France during WWI.  He went there in 1918 and came home in January 1919 so I assume the card was sent sometime in 1918.  I don’t think it was sent for Valentines Day.  They got married shortly after he came home in 1919.  I love this card.  It is so pretty and delicate.

Valentine one

This is the front and the flap opens and there is a clover inside and a small card.  I don’t know if the clover was originally a four-leaf clover because it is crumbling.  

Valentine two

Here it is with the flap open and you can see the clover and the small card.

Valentine three

This is the small card.

Valentine four

As you can see the card is a post card.  He must have mailed it in an envelope because there is no writing on the card.  It seems too delicate to send as post card.

He also sent another one that says “Souvenir de France”.

Souvenir de France

The flap opens on this one too and there is a small card inside.

Souvenir de France two

The small card.

Souvenir de France (2)

The back of the Souvenir de France card.

And finally here are Grandpa and Grandma

Grandpa Manfroid      img005 (2)

Copyright ©  2017 Gail Grunst

Augusta is Majestic and Grand

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / 1 Comment
Augusta Desens and Family

Emma, Hank, Augusta, Helen and Ann

 

This week the topic for 52 ancestors in 52 weeks is favorite name.

My grandmother’s middle name, Augusta, has always been a favorite of mine.  It also happens to be the name of my great-grandmother, Augusta Desens. “The name Augusta is a Latin baby name. In Latin the meaning of the name Augusta is: Majestic, grand. The feminine form of Augustus; meaning majestic dignity or venerable, originally given to female relatives of Roman emperors. Famous bearer: British King George III’s mother was named Augusta.”[1] It is interesting that Augusta means majestic, grand because that is how I picture my great-grandmother.  If I had girls, I was planning on naming one Augusta.  My boys tell me they are glad they weren’t girls, although one has the middle name August.  I thought it would go well with our last name Grunst.  Augusta Desens is another ancestor that very little was handed down in the way of stories.  She died when my dad was young, so he didn’t remember her very well.  My grandmother, Helen Augusta, died before I was born so she could not tell me stories of her mother or her childhood.  All I have are the vital statistics and the little I can piece together through records.

Augusta Gabbi was born 28 January 1859 in Berlin Germany.[2]  She married Carl Desens in Germany date unknown.[3]  I estimate that they were married around 1883.[4]  This estimate is from the 1910 census which states they were married 27 years at that time.[5] So far I have been unable to find a record of their marriage. Augusta and Carl came from Bremen, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland, USA on April 22, 1888 aboard the ship Main.[6]  Augusta and Carl settled in Forest Park, Illinois.[7]  They attended St. Paul Lutheran Church[8] and St. John Lutheran Church in Forest Park, Illinois.[9]  At that time the sermons were conducted in German.  Carl and Augusta had eight children, Emma, Bertha, Mina, Louise, William, Henry, Ann, and Helen.[10] [11] Emma and Bertha were born in Germany, the rest were born in Illinois.[12] [13] The children grew up in Forest Park and attended St. John Lutheran School.[14]  Carl worked as a stationary fireman for the Public Service Company.[15] Augusta kept house and raised the children.[16] On the 1900 census there is Dorothea Zoschke listed as Carl’s mother-in-law living with them.[17]  This would be Augusta’s mother, but her name is not Gabbi (Gabbie, Gabbei).  It lists Dorothea as a widow, her birth year as 1828, her age as 72, and year of immigration as 1890.[18]  I found a Dorothea Gabbei coming to the US on 27 May 1890 from Bremen and Southhampton to New York aboard the ship Elbe.[19]  She is 64 years old and her occupation is a Gentleman’s Servant.[20]  There is a two year age difference between the documents, but the year of immigration is the same.  She must have married here in the US, but I have been unable to find a record of it. Dorothea died in 1901 and is buried in Concordia Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.[21] Carl died on 12 January 1921.[22]  Augusta died 7 July 1925 in West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois of chronic interstitial nephritis and hypertension at 66 years, 5months, and 9 days.[23]  Both Carl and Augusta are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.[24]  I wish I had some stories of Augusta, but at least I have some old faded, and spotted pictures of her.  It’s an old fashioned name and maybe it will become popular again.   Maybe someday a descendant will name one of their children Augusta.

Copyright © 2017 Gail Grunst

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] From website http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/augusta

[2] State of Illinois, county of Cook, city of Oak Park, Standard Certificate of Death, Registration Dist. no. 4318, Registration no. 305.  Death record for Augusta Desens.

[3] Ibid

[4] Year: 1910; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_240; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0088; FHL microfilm: 1374253.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[5] Ibid.

[6] The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Records of the US Customs Service, RG36; NAI Number: 2655153; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. Baltimore, Passenger Lists, 1820-1964 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.  Original data: Selected Passenger and Crew Lists and Manifests. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[7] Illinois, Cook, Forest Park, Forest Park Review, July 18, 1925, Pg. 1. (front Page).  Obituary for Augusta Desens

[8] Ibid.

[9] Illinois, Cook, Forest Park, St. John Lutheran Church, St John Congregational books 1887 0 1905, Pg. 70 #1711 22, Pg. 85 #1888 28, Pg. 100 #2/278 51.

[10] Year: 1900; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 294; Page: 53; Enumeration District: 1182; FHL microfilm: 1240294.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[11] Year: 1910; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_240; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0088; FHL microfilm: 1374253.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[12] Year: 1900; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 294; Page: 53; Enumeration District: 1182; FHL microfilm: 1240294.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[13] Year: 1910; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_240; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0088; FHL microfilm: 1374253.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[14] Told to Author by George Manfroid and Louis Schultz, grandsons of Augusta Desens.

[15] State of Illinois, County of Cook, City of Chicago, Standard Certificate of Death, Registration Dist. No. 3104, Registration no. 1050.  Death record of Carl Desens.

[16] Year: 1910; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_240; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 0088; FHL microfilm: 1374253.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[17] Year: 1900; Census Place: Proviso, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 294; Page: 53; Enumeration District: 1182; FHL microfilm: 1240294.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.  Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Year: 1890; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Microfilm Roll: Roll 549; Line: 12; List Number: 732.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.  Original data:  Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

[22] State of Illinois, County of Cook, City of Chicago, Standard Certificate of Death, Registration Dist. No. 3104, Registration no. 1050.  Death record of Carl Desens.

[23] State of Illinois, county of Cook, city of Oak Park, Standard Certificate of Death, Registration Dist. no. 4318, Registration no. 305.  Death record for Augusta Desens.

[24] Cemertery Records, Woodlawn Cemetery, 7600 West Cermak Road, Forest Park, Illinois, Woodland Section, Part 4, Lot 711, graves 4 & 5.

Finding Albert Grunst in the Census Records

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / 2 Comments

Albert Grunst and FamilyAlbert Grunst was born in Jugelow, Pommern, Germany (now Poland) on 5 June 1853[1] to Henrich Grunst and Wilhelmina Greinke.[2]  He came to the United States around 1881[3]or 1882[4] and married Anna Schmerling on 2 October 1886 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.[5]  Albert became a Citizen of the United States in 1890.[6] Albert and Anna had seven children, Albert Jr.,[7] [8] Emma,[9] Theodore,[10] Walter,[11] [12] Lillian,[13] [14] Alma[15] [16] and Elmer[17] all born in Illinois.[18] [19]Albert and Anna resided in Chicago[20] and sometime between 1902[21] and 1910 moved to Cicero, Illinois.[22]  Albert worked as laborer for a lumber company,[23]  and Anna kept house and raised the children. Only five of the seven children grew to adulthood.[24] [25]  Emma and Theodore died young.[26] Alma was a sealer in a coffee house,[27] Albert Jr. worked as a house painter, Lillian worked a comptometer at Western Electric Company, Walter was a Laborer in a Piano Factory, and Elmer was a Draftsman at Western Electric Company.[28]  Anna died 22 April 1926 at age 61 years, 3 months and 24 days in St. Mary’s Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.[29]  By 1930 Albert was living at the Altenheim Old People’s Home[30] in Arlington Heights, Illinois.[31] My husband has some vague memories of visiting his grandfather in the old people’s home.  He had to be six or under when he visited, and all he remembers is a big grandfather clock ticking.  He doesn’t remember his grandfather.  Albert lived at Altenheim until his death 8 February 1947at age 93 years, 8 months, 3 days.[32] [33]  Anna and Albert are buried next to each other in Bethania Cemetery in Justice, Illinois.[34]

Above is a short biography of Albert Grunst.  As with any non-fiction writing, the sources are cited at the end.  There were many sources used, however the census records were used the most to put together this snapshot of Albert’s life.  Unfortunately, there are no family stories of Albert or his wife Anna.  Census records were used to find the following information:

  • Year of immigration
  • Place of birth
  • Names of Children
  • Place of birth of Children
  • Approximate birth Years
  • Approximate date of marriage
  • Approximate age at marriage
  • Approximate date of naturalization.
  • Occupations
  • Places of work
  • Addresses
  • Approximate dates of address changes
  • Approximate death date
  • Name changes of institutions.

By getting some approximate dates from census records 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940, this helped me to find other records with more exact information.  In some cases, I just had to be satisfied with the census records. If interested, see the full citations below.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Copyright © 2018 Gail Grunst

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data:  “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1947.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original records.

[2] Neu Jugelow, Kreis Stolp, Pommern, Germany, Birth and baptismal records from the Evangelical church parish of Lupow, Kreis Stolp, Germany for 1846. (Now Lupava, Poland) From the Polish State Archives in Koszalin

[3] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[4] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[5] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871–1920.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Illinois Department of Public Health records. “Marriage Records, 1871–present.” Division of Vital Records, Springfield, Illinois.

[6] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[7] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[8] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[9] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[10] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[11] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[12] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[13] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.  Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[14] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[15] Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois, Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data:  “Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009. Illinois. Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922. Illinois Department of Public Health. Division of Vital Records, Springfield.

[16] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[17] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[18] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[19] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[20]Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256. Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[21] Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[22] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.

[25] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[26] Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 10, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 256; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 0288; FHL microfilm: 1240256

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

[27] Year: 1910; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_238; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 1539; FHL microfilm: 1374251

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the

[28] Year: 1920; Census Place: Cicero, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625_359; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 54.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[29] State of Illinois, County of Cook, City of Chicago, Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Statistics, Standard Certificate of Death, Registration Dist. No. 3104, Registered No. 13052.

[30] It appears that “Altenheim Old People’s Home” name was changed to “Evangelical Lutheran Old Peoples Home” (See 1940 Federal Census) and by 1978 it was the “Lutheran Home and Service for the Aged” according to a letter written to Mrs George Schwarz, a relative also researching Albert, dated March 9, 1978 and shared with Gail Grunst.

[31] Year: 1930; Census Place: Wheeling, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 499; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 2105; FHL microfilm: 2340234

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.

[32] Year: 1940; Census Place: Wheeling, Cook, Illinois; Roll: m-t0627-00777; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 16-162.  Source Information: 

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

[33] Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data:”Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916–1947.” Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original records.

[34] Cemetery records of Bethania Cemetery, 7701 S. Archer Road, Justice, Illinois, 60478, Burial record of Anna and Albert Grunst Lot 9 Sec 2 Division 3. 

Invitation to Dinner

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Elmer Grunst 1901 – 1965

If I could invite any ancestor to dinner it would not be one of mine, but one of my husbands.  I would invite his father.  The reason is that I never met him.  I knew the rest of the family, but he passed away before I met my husband.  My husband’s family consisted of four boys and one girl.  The children were spread over 20 years, my husband being the youngest.

I would set the table with my best china and silverware and make his favorite dish, if I knew what it was.  I only know what I have heard from my husband and other relatives. Sometimes the stories I have heard contradict themselves.  During dinner, I would ask a couple of questions about his life, and hope that by asking a couple of questions the conversation would evolve and he would just voluntarily offer information.  I would not want it to seem like an interrogation.  I would want to enjoy his company, and I would tell him about our life and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  I would tell him that he should be proud that he raised a good daughter and sons, especially my husband.  He would probably know how the older ones turned out, and he might have a good idea how my husband turned out too.  But I would tell him anyway.  I would like to observe my husband and his father together, and hear them reminisce.  Below is a list of questions I would like to ask him.  I have asked my husband some of these questions, but he doesn’t know or has forgotten.

  • What was it like growing up during the early 1900’s?
  • I know your parent’s lived in Chicago and moved to Cicero. Do you know what year they moved to Cicero?
  • Did they own their own house or rent?
  • What was the house like?
  • Did you go to school in Cicero?
  • Which school did you go to?
  • How far did you go in school?
  • What were your favorite subjects?
  • What games did you play as a kid?
  • Did you have a best friend? What was his name?
  • How close were you with your brothers and sisters?
  • Did you go to Church?
  • What was your religion growing up?
  • Did you change religions when you got married?
  • Did you make your older children go to church?
  • If so, what church did they attend?
  • Did your parents talk about coming to America?
  • If so, what was their experience and why did they leave the country of their origin?
  • What country, province, and town did they come from?
  • Do you know how your parents met?
  • Did you have Aunts and Uncles and what were their names?
  • Did you have cousins and did you associate with them?
  • Tell me about your parents.
  • When did you learn to drive?
  • What was your first car?
  • How did you meet Alice?
  • How did it feel to get married at 19 years old?
  • How did it feel to be a father at 20?
  • What kind of job did you have at that time?
  • Where did you live?
  • When did you move to Berwyn?
  • What were your favorite pastimes/hobbies?
  • Did you like sports?
  • What were your favorite foods and drink?
  • Did you like your job at Western Electric?
  • Did the Depression affect you at all?
  • What was it like to have two sons in World War II?
  • Are you conservative or liberal?
  • Who did you vote for over the years?
  • What did you think when you learned you were going to be a father again at 40?
  • Do you have any regrets about your life?
  • Would you have done anything differently, if you could do it again?

That seems like a lot of questions, and I probably wouldn’t have to ask them all.  Like I said, I would hope by asking about one or two it would lead the conversation around to some of the questions being answered naturally in the course of the conversation.  Our evening would end with hug and a promise to do this again.  Over time and several dinners we would get to know one another and feel comfortable with each other.  He would tell more stories and more of my questions would be answered.

This is a typical genealogical interview leaving out questions about vital statistics because I already have that information.  I have found that I get much more information out of people if I ask a couple of questions and let them talk.

This is a lesson for all of us to ask our older family member these questions or ones like them before it’s too late.  Also, it might be a good idea to record your own answers to questions like the ones above for your children and their children.  A good book to get you started is To Our Children’s Children by Bob Greene.  He has a lot of questions in his book to get you thinking. Many times we are so busy digging into our ancestors lives, we don’t write down our own stories.  This is a reminder to me too, to get busy on mine. Happy writing!

*Week four challenge Dinner Invite  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Copyright © 2018 Gail Grunst

John Conrad Reinhardt

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / 1 Comment

John C. Reinhardt

In December 1879 four month old John Conrad Reinhardt landed in New York from Germany aboard the ship Bergenland  with his parents and older sister Eva.[1]  From New York John and family traveled to Amana, Iowa, and settled in South Amana.[2]  John was born in Baden, Germany on 10 August 1879[3] to Conrad John Reinhardt and Anna Marie Schwebler.[4]  They lived in South Amana from December 1879 to April 1883.[5]  At this time it is unknown where the family lived between 1883 and 1885 when they settled in Ottawa, Illinois.   John grew up in Ottawa, Illinois, the son of a shoemaker,[6]  where he was confirmed and became a member of the German Church of Illinois now the United Church of Christ.[7]  I don’t know when he left Ottawa to strike out on his own, however in 1910, John lived alone on a farm in Salamanca, Cherokee, Kansas.[8]  According to his marriage license in 1912 he lived Columbus, Cherokee, Kansas[9] which is the nearest city to Salamanca Township, and only about 30 miles from Carthage, Missouri[10] where he married Nina Lynn of Sarcoxie, Jasper, Missouri on 10 July 1912.[11]  Nina was 16 years his junior.[12]  After they were married they lived in Canada for a year and then settled in Sabetha, Nehama, Kansas.[13]  When John first came to Sabetha he was employed by Ernest Meeh, who owned a meat market.[14] After the World War I, Mr. Meeh returned to New York, and John bought the meat market from him.[15]  John and Nina had five children, Eugene born in 1913,[16] followed by Alice in 1915,[17] John Julius in 1917,[18] Ada in 1919[19] and Mark in 1921.[20] In February 1942 John became seriously ill and spent a week in a coma before passing away on the 24th.[21]  For three years prior to his death, he suffered from two strokes and was in poor health.[22]  Nina lived for 48 years after John’s death.[23]  Nina passed away on 24 May 1990 and is buried in the Sabetha Cemetery[24] along with her husband John.[25] 

In case the note above is not readable, there is a transcription below.

 reinhardt Meat Market

August 15, 1930

Dear Sister Liz and Tim,

Your birthday greeting received.  Maybe but only maybe I might drive up there for a day or 2.

John

Had some rains here corn looking fairly good.

Liz was John sister Elizabeth Reinhardt Farrell and Tim was her husband.

Copyright© 2017 Gail Grunst

______________________________________________________________ 

[1] Germans to America(Vol. 34). (1993). Wilmington, DE, DE: Scholarly Resources.

[2] Amana Church Membership Records, in archive collection of the Amana Heritage Museum, Amana, Iowa

[3] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday February 25, 1942.  John Reinhardt Obituary.

[4] Year: 1880; Census Place: Amana, Iowa, Iowa; Roll: 345; Family History Film: 1254345; Page: 146D; Enumeration District: 201

[5] August Koch manuscript, Archives Collection, Amana Heritage Museum, Amana, Iowa.

[6] Year: 1880; Census Place: Amana, Iowa, Iowa; Roll: 345; Family History Film: 1254345; Page: 146D; Enumeration District: 201

[7] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday February 25, 1942.  John Conrad Reinhardt Obituary.

[8] Year: 1910; Census Place: Salamanca, Cherokee, Kansas; Roll T624 434; page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0039 FHL microfilm:  1374447.   Ancestry.Com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line].  Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006.

[9] Ancestry.com. Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2007.  Original data:  Missouri Marriage Records, Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives.

[10] Mapquest.com https://www.mapquest.com/directions/list/1/us/ks/columbus-282022909/to/us/mo/sarcoxie

[11] Ancestry.com. Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2007.  Original data:  Missouri Marriage Records, Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives.

[12] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday, May 30 1990, page 7.  Nina Reinhardt Obituary.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday February 25, 1942.  John Reinhardt Obituary

[15] Ibid.

[16] Year: 1920; Census Place: Sabetha, Nemaha, Kansas; Roll: T625_540; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 134.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

[17] Ibid.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Year: 1930; Census Place: Sabetha, Nemaha, Kansas; Roll: 713; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 0023; FHL microfilm: 2340448

Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.

[21] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday February 25, 1942.  John Reinhardt Obituary

[22] Ibid.

[23] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday, May 30 1990, page 7.  Nina Reinhardt Obituary.

[24] Ibid

[25] Kansas, Sabetha, Sabetha Herald, Wednesday February 25, 1942.  John Reinhardt Obituary

 

Conrad Reinhardt

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Conrad J. Reinhardt

Conrad Reinhardt 

Konrad Johann Reinhardt was born on 18 February, 1852 in Nusselock, Heidelberg, Baden, Germany to Johann Friedrich Reinhardt and Philippina Schuh.[1]  He married Anna Marie Schwebler on 26 April, 1877 in Evangelisch, Baiertal, Heidelberg, Baden[2].

On 14 February, 1878 they had their first child Eva Born in Germany.[3]  Their son Johann Konrad was born next in August of 1879 in Germany.[4]  Later in 1879 Konrad, Anna, and the children left their home in Germany for the United States.  My grandmother always said that Konrad left Germany because he deserted the German Army.  I have been unable to verify that story.  They boarded the ship Bergenland at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium and arrived in New York on 5 December 1879.[5]  .  From New York they traveled to Amana, Iowa arriving on 22 December 1879.[6] They settled in the South Amana village.[7]  In 1880, they had another daughter, Elizabeth, born in South Amana.[8]

In 1714 in Southwestern Germany two men started a religious movement which later became known as the Community of True Inspiration.  A group of people from this movement came to the United States in 1842 settling in the vicinity of Buffalo, New York.  They built four villages known as Middle Ebenezer, Upper Ebenezer, Lower Ebenezer, and New Ebenezer in New York State.  They also built two villages in Canada.  The Buffalo area was becoming quickly urbanized so the group sought land to west, and in 1854 purchased the sight of the present day Amana Colonies in Iowa.[9]

“After arrival in this county, the group adopted a religious-communal way of life, with all property held in common and with all church and secular decisions being made by the same leadership.”  The communal way of life lasted nearly a century until the people voted separation of church and state in 1932 adopting the free enterprise way of life that surrounded them.”[10]

There are six villages that make up the Amana Colonies –Amana, West Amana, South  Amana, High Amana, East Amana, Homestead,  Middle Amana.[11]

“Churches were unpretentious and were indistinguishable in appearance from homes and other buildings..  Inside they were white-washed walls, bare floors, and unpainted benches.   Regular church services were held 11 times each week – morning services Wednesday,  Saturdays and Sundays; afternoon services on  Sundays, and evening prayer meetings each day.  There were special services during Holy Week, and other special services for Ascension Day, Pentecost and the day after Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter. Women wearing black shawls and bonnets sat on one side of the church, men on the other. There were no musical instruments.  Hymns were sung and messages of the elders were from the Bible and from the testimonies of the founders and leaders of the church.  They urged peaceful, brotherly way of living in simple dignity and humility, faith in Christ, and belief in the word of God.”[12]

“Mother and baby stayed home until the child was two and went to Kinderschule.  The child would be in school from 8AM to 11AM and then would be home for lunch with the mother, not the communal kitchen. After lunch Children went back to Kinderschule. The Children went to Kinderschule until age seven.”[13]

“Children went to school from 7 to 14 or 15.  School was held 5½ days a week the year round.  There were breaks for weeding in the garden and harvesting, apples, potatoes, onions, etc.    School opened with prayer and Bible reading.  The three R’s were taught, reading, writing and arithmetic.  Instruction was in German except that geography was in English because all the names on the maps were in English.”[14]

“There was no cooking in the homes.  Families ate in groups of 30 to 60 at the communal kitchens.  There were a number of these in each village, and each kitchen had its own large garden.  The day began at 4:30AM when the hearth was lit with one match.  Water was heated for coffee, potatoes were fried, bread was slice, and butter and milk prepared for serving.  In the dining room the tables had been set the night before.  The bell rang for breakfast at 6AM.  The mid-day meal was at 11:30 and the evening meal at 6:30PM.  There were coffee breaks at 9AM and 3PM.  There were separate tables for men and women. Grace was said before and after meals and there was no talking during the meals.  Families with small children, the ill, or elderly carried food home in hinged or willow baskets.  The long tables were filled with food.  Meals included soup, meats, potatoes, and other vegetables, salads, sauerkraut and bread.  When men came from the factories for coffee break there was bread and cheese, and often radishes with the coffee.  The day ended with the girls and women doing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen and setting the table for the days breakfast, all tasks being completed efficiently so as not to be late for evening prayer meeting.”[15]

The Amana colonies appeared to be very self-sufficient.  They made or grew everything they needed.    “Some of the occupations for men were:  Barber, basket-making, beekeeper, blacksmith, brewery, broom-maker, butcher, cabinet-maker, carpenter, cooper (maker of barrels), calico factory, flour mills, harness maker,  lumber yard, lampshade maker,  locksmith, mason, stone/brick layer, whitewash man, machine shop, mail service (inter-village), molasses-sorghum mill, shoemaker,  saw mill, soap factory, store keeper (general stores), main and local office staffs, tailor shops, tanneries, umbrella repair, wagon-maker, watch-maker,  medical doctor, dentist, pharmacist, teacher, postmaster, railroad depot agent, farming.   For women:  Kitchens, communal gardens, kindergarten, (day care centers), after school supervisor, knitting, laundry, seamstress, woolen mills.  For boys:  Harvest apples, picking cherries, helping with harvest, etc.  For girls: Help in the communal kitchen such as shelling peas, pitting cherries, coring apples, etc.”[16]

“For individuals there was no cash income.  The Amana society gave you a house to live in, plus certain necessary items of furniture.  There were shops for every necessity of life, and there was a drawing account or allowance, not in cash but in credit established for you at these shops and general stores.”[17]

This will give you some idea what Konrad and Anna Marie’s life was like while they lived in Amana.  They left Amana in April of 1883 because they found no basis in the community.[18]

My grandmother said that her grandfather’s sister started the Amana Colonies.  We have visited Amana and went to the museum there.  Amana Colonies in Iowa were settled in 1854 just two a year after Conrad was born.  If his sister had anything to do with the settling of Amana, she would be way older than Conrad.  I do not think this story is true.  However, it is likely that they knew someone there, perhaps a relative.   I enjoyed seeing items in the museum that were similar to things my grandmother had in her home.  We had quilts my great-grandmother made with the same pattern as the quilts on display in the museum.  We ate at a German restaurant and it was just like eating my Grandmother’s cooking.  Grandma probably learned it from her mother (Eva) who learned it from her mother (Anna Marie).  The art of German cooking was lost on my mother and me.

In 1910 when Anna Marie passed away her obituary stated that she was a resident of Ottawa, Illinois for the past 25 years.[19]  This would mean that they came to Ottawa in 1885.  I do not know where they lived between 1883 and 1885.   In 1886 they have a daughter, Emma, born in Ottawa Illinois.[20] Next, Frederick, a son, is born in 1887 in Ottawa[21], followed by Anna born in 1889 in Ottawa,[22] and Agnes in 1891 in Ottawa.  In 1888 they start to appear in the Ottawa, Illinois City Directories.[23] Conrad was a shoemaker and had his own shop in Ottawa, Illinois.[24]

There are not many family stories about Conrad and Anna.  My grandmother visited and stayed with them sometimes when she was child.  She talked about them with love.  My cousin, Pat, told me that Anna had a nervous breakdown at one time.  Their daughter, Annie, was mentally challenged and died at the young age of 30 from Chronic Gastroenteritis.[25]

During their life in Ottawa, Illinois, they lived at 311 W. Main Street, 1251 Phelps, 1415 Kansas, 802 Lafayette, and 1011 Pine Street[26]

Anna Marie passed away on 11 June 1910.[27]  She was a member of the Zion Evangelical Church.[28]  Anna is buried in the Ottawa Avenue Cemetery, Ottawa, Illinois.[29]

Conrad died in Chicago at his daughter, Elizabeth’s apartment[30] on 6 July 1922 of Myocarditis and Chronic Intestinal Nephritis.[31]  His body was shipped from Chicago to Ottawa by train for the funeral at the Gladfelter Undertaker establishment.[32]  Conrad is buried at the Ottawa Avenue Cemetery, Ottawa, Illinois alongside his wife Anna.[33]

*Note:  Conrad Americanized his name from Konrad to Conrad.

Copyright © 2017 Gail Grunst

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Germany Birth and Baptisms, 1558 – 1898,  LDS Library, Salt Lake City, Utah,  microfilm # 1183248 Page 377 #2.

[2] Germany Marriages, 1558 – 1929,  LDS Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, microfilm # 1272787.

[3] Ancestry.com.  Baden Germany Lutheran Baptism, 1502 – 1985[database on-line]. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.  Original data:  Mikrofilm Sammlung. Familysearch.org.

[4] Year: 1880; Census Place: Amana, Iowa, Iowa; Roll: 345; Family History Film: 1254345; Page: 146D; Enumeration District: 201

[5] Germans to America(Vol. 34). (1993). Wilmington, DE, DE: Scholarly Resources.

[6] Amana Church Membership Records, in archive collection of the Amana Heritage Museum, Amana, Iowa.

[7] Year: 1880; Census Place: Amana, Iowa, Iowa; Roll: 345; Family History Film: 1254345; Page: 146D; Enumeration District: 201

[8] Birth record for Elizabeth Reinhardt, Iowa County Births 1880 – 1835Index (https://Familysearch.org).

[9] Bourret, Joan Liffring-Zub and John Zug, Amanas yesterday: a religious communal society: a story of seven villages in Iowa: historic photographs 1900 – 1932. IA City, IA: Penfield Press, 2003

[10]Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Ibid.

[18] August Koch manuscript, Archives Collection, Amana Heritage Museum, Amana, Iowa.

[19] Daily Republican Times, Ottawa, Illinois, 13 June 1910, Vol XXXII no. 291. Pg 4.

[20] “Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994,” database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVRN-D8VZ : 17 May 2016), Emma L Mataway, 18 Aug 1956; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference , record number , Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm .

[21] “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6DL-3XZ : 12 December 2014), Fred Reinhardt, 1917-1918; citing La Salle County no 1, Illinois, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,614,034.

[22] Illinois Births and Christenings, 1824-1940,” database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2LZ-4LN : 12 December 2014), Anna Reinhardt, 28 Apr 1889; Birth, citing Ottawa, La Salle, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,710,998.

[23] Ottawa Illinois City Directories, Ottawa, Illinois 1888, 1891, 1894,1895,1898, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1906,1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, at LaSalle County Genealogy Guild, 115 W. Glover Street, Ottawa, Illinois 61350

[24] Year: 1920; Census Place: Ottawa Ward 5, La Salle, Illinois; Roll: T625_379; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 141.  Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).

[25] Certificate of Death, State of Illinois, LaSalle County,  Ottawa City, Registration District 513, Primary Dist No,. 3361, Registration No 44, LaSalle County Clerk, LaSalle County Courthouse, Ottawa, Illinois.

[26] Ottawa Illinois City Directories, Ottawa, Illinois 1888, 1891, 1894,1895,1898, 1901, 1902, 1904, 1905, 1906,1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, at LaSalle County Genealogy Guild, 115 W. Glover Street, Ottawa, Illinois 61350.

[27] Ottawa Avenue Cemetery, Ottawa, LaSallle, Illinois cemetery records, Cemetery card CCY-TS, Burial Location BU, 47C (N ½) Record # 5856.

[28] Daily Republican Times, Ottawa, Illinois,Vol XXXII no. 291, 13 June 1910, Pg 4.

[29] Ottawa Avenue Cemetery, Ottawa, LaSallle, Illinois cemetery records, Cemetery card CCY-TS, Burial Location BU, 47C (N ½) Record # 5856.

[30] Daily Republican Times, Ottawa, IL, Vol XLVI, no 5, Friday Evening 7 July 1922 (front page).

[31] Certificate of Death, State of Illinois,Cook County, City of Chicago, Registration # 17200.  Illinois State Archive, Springfield, Illinois.

[32] Daily Republican Times, Ottawa, IL, Vol XLVI, no 5, Friday Evening 7 July 1922 (front page).

[33] Ottawa Avenue Cemetery, Ottawa, LaSallle, Illinois cemetery records, Cemetery card CCY-TS, Burial Location BU, 47C (N ½) Record # 5855.

Is there a Doctor in the Family?

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / 5 Comments

ytomgxzjcA while back, I wrote about my Great-Great Aunt Emma Reinhardt.  When doing research on her, I decided to search for her first husband.  There was so much information on him that I decided to write a separate post about him.  If you like you can go back and read my previous post about Aunt Emma’s two lives.  She married Dr. Frederick L. Orsinger on 2 September 1910.[1]  He was 33 years older than Emma.[2]  He had five children with his first wife, Lena, some older than Emma.[3]  His first wife Lena died in 1903.[4]  I can remember my grandmother would say with disgust in her voice, “Aunt Emma married that old Doc Orsinger.”  As a child I never questioned it.  I knew by my grandmother’s tone of voice she did not like him, but never asked any questions.  It really didn’t matter because this was long before I was born.  The Aunt Emma I knew was a kindly old woman who was now married to a very nice man.  When I went to enter her information into my family tree software, I wanted to be as accurate as possible, so I started looking for “Old Doc Orsinger”.  Well, between Ancestry.com and Google, I came up with a lot of information.  Of course, I always would like more.  “Old Doc Orsinger” seems to be a colorful character to say the least.

“Frederick L. Orsinger was born in Baden, Germany on 8 March 1852.  At four years old he started attending school in his native town until age 14 under the priests of the parochial school.  At age 15 he went to Austria where he studied for a year.  He later spent a year and half in school in Switzerland studying medicine in Zurich.  In 1870 he completed a course in medicine and surgery in Zurich, Switzerland, and from there went to Paris, where he studied for six months. In 1871 he came to the United States and landed in Chicago on 9 October 1871 the same day as the Chicago Fire.  He decided not to stay in Chicago because of the destruction caused by the fire.   He headed for LaSalle, Illinois where he worked in his Uncle’s bakery.  While in LaSalle he purchased a drug store and engaged in the practice of medicine.  He realized that college training in America would prove valuable to him, and studied five years at the college of physicians and surgeons in Chicago, from which he graduated.  He gained experience during a year at Cook County Hospital”.[5]  Sounds like quite a resume doesn’t it?  But then I started to find articles in periodicals about Dr. Orsinger starting about 1903.

Here are some of the articles I found:

  • The Medical News: A Weekly Journal of Medical Science Vol 83, No 1, (New York) Saturday, July 4. 1903, Pg. 274. “Injunction secured by Dr. Orsinger – Dr. Fredrick L. Orsinger has secured an injunction restraining the State Board of Health, Justice Chott and his constable from causing imprisonment or enforcing judgement of $100 and costs secured against him for violation of medical Laws.”[6]
  • Journal of the American Medical Association – Medical News Vol 44, April 1, 1905. Pg. 104 “Fined for Illegal practice – Dr. Fredrick L. Orsinger on March 24 was fined $200 for practicing without a license. The prosecution was undertaken by Chicago Board of Health.”[7]
  • The Journal of the American Medical Association Vol 44 Jan – June 1905 Pg. 1124 (Chicago: American Medical Association Press, 1905) “Sues state board – Dr. Frederick L. Orsinger, formerly of LaSalle, who claims to be a graduate of Zurich, Switzerland, 1870 and has a diploma from the eclectic institution of April 1904, has asked the state board of Health be compelled by writ of mandamus to issue him a certificate to practice medicine in the state. On March 24 the appellant was fined $200 for violation of the medical practice act.”[8]
  • Bulletin Vol 6 Numbers 1-5 January-May 1910. Dr. F. L. Orsinger Makes New Move in Fight for License. Physician Refused Permit to Practice after Failing in Examinations. Dr. Frederick Leo Orsinger’s long continued fight to be permitted to continue the practice of medicine in Illinois without a state license took a new turn yesterday, when he obtained from Judge Walker in the circuit court a temporary order prohibiting the State Board of Health from prosecuting him.  The question of dissolving the order or making it permanent will be argued today. The Order was issued upon the recommendation of Master in Chancer, Albert W. Brickwood, who according to Attorney Charles G. Hoffman, representing the State Board of Health is the attorney of record for the plaintiff in two actions recently instituted by the National Medical University against the Board.  Sues to Compel Recognition. One of these is a suit for $500,000 damages because of the Board’s refusal to recognize the University.  The other is for a writ of mandamus to compel such recognition.  According to Dr. Orsinger’s bill of complaint, he has been practicing medicine in Illinois since 1872 and is a graduate of the medical schools of Zurich, Switzerland, and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago.  In July 1908 he secured a writ of mandamus directing the State Board to issue him a certificate entitling him to practice.  Board refuses to obey. The board refused to obey the writ, and during last February the mandamus order was vacated and the court held against Dr. Orsinger.  His appeal now is before the Appellate court. “Dr. Orsinger has twice taken the state examination,” said attorney Hoffman, “and has twice failed (Chicago Tribune April 17).  Dissolves Restraining Order.  Court Ends Temporary Injunction Granted Dr. F. L. Orsinger against State Health Board. In the circuit court yesterday Judge Walker dissolved the temporary restraining order which he issued last Friday against the State Board of Health upon the petition of Dr. Frederick Leo Orsinger.  It was held by the court that Dr. Orsinger’s fear of being prosecuted by the Board for practicing medicine without a license was not sufficient reason for issuing an injunction.  Dr. Orsinger was allowed five days in which to amend his petition (Chicago Tribune April 18).[9]
  • Illinois Medical Journal: the official organ of the Illinois State Medical Society Vol 18, July to Dec 1910. Pg. 262, George N. Krieder, M.D., editor “Dr. Fred L. Orsinger, 750 W. Congress, who is said to have fought the State Board of Health for thirty two years against taking out a license to practice medicine, was indicted by the June grand jury of Cook County on the charge of having performed an operation on Pauline Sproc, which resulted in her death.”[10]
  • June 16, 1910, Mrs. Paulina Sproc, a 35-year-old immigrant from Bohemia, died in a Chicago home from an abortion that had been performed on June 5. W.L. Orainger (F. L. Orsinger) was held by the coroner’s jury. The source document doesn’t indicate that the case ever went to trial.  George N. Krieder, M.D., editor [11]
  • March 13, 1917 – From the Chicago Police Department Homicide Records 1870 – 1930. Schofield, Mannie L. Age 33 – died from an abortion at 325 Robey St., operation performed by Fred L. Orsinger, who with F. Schofield (her husband) were held by the coroner 3/15/17.  5/8/20 Orsinger acquitted.[12]
  • X-BUTCHER, NOW DOCTOR, IS HELD FOR WOMANS DEATH. Dr. Fred L. Orsinger, who the Chicago police say, is a former butcher and an ex-convict, was held last night after the death of Mrs. Minnie L. Schofield, 325 South Robey Street Physicians at the county hospital say she died from a criminal operation and Identified Dr. Orsinger shortly before she died. Thomas F. Schotield, husband of the victim, also was held. He admitted introducing Orsinger to his wife, but denied knowing of the alleged operation. Chicago Livestock World[13]

These articles raised more questions about the doctor.  Was his complaint against the Board of Health legitimate or did the Board of Health have a legitimate complaint against the doctor?  Was he a fraud?  Did he really go to medical school in Switzerland and the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now the University of Illinois College of Medicine)? Why could he not pass the State Board Exam with his education and experience practicing Medicine?  To be fair, when Dr. Orsinger started practicing medicine no license was required.  Over the years the states started requiring licenses and raised the standards to practice medicine.  This was probably a big change for some doctors and they might not have liked being regulated.  Change is always hard and some people take it harder than others.  This also was taking away his livelihood.   “Illinois started requiring doctors to be licensed in 1877, and Medical licensing boards’ enforcement powers forced fundamental changes in medical school curriculum’s, purged unlicensed ignorant practitioners and outright frauds, reduced the number of non-medical school graduates, marginalized midwives, revoked the licenses of abortionists, and unified the best of both regular and irregular medical practitioners.”[14]   One article said he fought the Board of Health for the past 32 years, which means he started fighting the board around 1877 at the time Illinois started requiring licenses.

Two women died after he performed an abortion which was not legal at that time.  The one article calls him an ex-convict. Does that mean that he was convicted of the first woman’s death in 1910?  I have been unable to find out if he was an ex-butcher.  The 1880 Census has his occupation as a saloon keeper.[15]  The 1894 city directory lists his occupation as real estate and saloon keeper.[16]  In the 1898 and 1904 city directory he is listed as a physician.[17]  According to the 1920 Census Emma and Fred are not living together, however Emma still uses the surname Orsinger.[18]  I assume they were still married, but separated.  He died in 1923.[19]

Copyright © 2016 Gail Grunst

_______________________________________________________

[1] Chicago:  Its history and Its Builders

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] “Injunction secured by Dr. Orsinger.” The Medical News: A Weekly Journal of Medical Science Vol 83, No 1, Saturday, July 4. 1903, (New York) Pg. 274.

[7] “Fined for Illegal practice.” Journal of the American Medical Association – Medical News Vol 44, April 1, 1905. Pg. 104

[8] Simmons, M.D., George H., editor, “Sues State Board.” Jama:  The Journal of the American Medical Association Vol 44, Jan – June 1905, (Chicago: American Medical Association Press, 1905) Pg. 1124.

[9] “Dr. F. L. Orsinger Makes New Move in Fight for License. Physician Refused Permit to Practice after Failing in Examinations.” Bulletin. Vol 6 Numbers 1-5 January-May 1910.

[10] Krieder, M.D., George N., editor.  “Dr. Fred L. Orsinger.” Illinois Medical Journal: the official organ of the Illinois State Medical Society Vol 18, July to Dec 1910. Pg. 262.

[11] Website: Cemeteryofchoice

[12] Chicago Police Department Homicide Records 1870 – 1930. Illinois Regional Archives Depository, Ronald Williams Library, Northwestern University, 5500 N. St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, Il 60625-4699

[13] Chicago Livestock World, 14 March 1917.

[14] Sandvick C. Enforcing Medical Licensing in Illinois: 1877-1890. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. 2009;82(2):67-74.

[15] 1880; Census Place: La Salle, La Salle, Illinois; Roll: 223; Family History Film: 1254223; Page: 294D; Enumeration District: 069; Image: 0110

[16] Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

[17] Ibid.

[18]1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 13, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_322; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 758; Image: 281

[19] Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

German Letter Transcribed Reveals Family Secret

/ Gail Grunst Genealogy / 4 Comments

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If you read my last post on Letters from Germany, you will know that I have some letters written in German addressed to my great-grandfather, Rudolph Kaiser.  From the little we could deduce from them, it appeared he had another family in Germany.

Since writing my last post on Rudolf Kaiser, I have done some searching on his Children in Germany.

I researched on Ancestry.com and came up with the following:

  • Rudolf Otto Pielenz (Rudolf Kaiser’s son) born 18 February 1890; Mother: Anna Auguste Emilie Pielenz*
  • Ida Bertha Pielenz (Rudolf Kaiser’s daughter) born 19 December 1891; Mother: Anna Auguste Emilie Pielenz*
  • Rudolf Otto Pielenz Married 7 April 1917 to Pauline Wilhelmine Helene Schauer; son of Anna Pielinz and Werner*
  • Anna Pielenz married Friedrich Carl Wagner 24 February 1894.* Anna Pielenz and Friedrich Carl Wagner’s children are as follows:
    • Anna Louise Auguste Wagner born 16 September 1894.*
    • Emma Bertha Wagner born 15 November 1895.*
    • Otto Robert Wagner born 27 July 1898.*

After finding this information, I went back to the letters written in German.  I was able to pick out the dates 18 February 1890 and 19 December 1891. I was also able to pick out the name Warner.   So I was sure that I had the right people.

I wondered why Rudolph would leave a wife and children in Germany, start another life here with a different wife and children.  It appears they were never married as she did not give the children his last name.  Then I thought maybe his intentions were to save some money and send for them.  But before he could save enough money, she moved on and got married.  She married two years before Rudolph got married here in the United States.  Maybe he wasn’t the scoundrel after all.  Then my curiosity got the best of me, and I had the first of the four letters transcribed.  As you will see as you read the letter, she is very upset with Rudolf Kaiser.  Here is the letter from 30 October 1910 transcribed

Berlin, dated 30.10.10

Dear Mr Kaiser!!!-?

Finally, after many, many years I have succeeded in finding out your address. You, dear Sir, will know that the result in 1890 of our relationship was a boy, and then, as a good-bye ! – a step which was so difficult – also a little girl. – And Anna Pielenz is deserted by the most beloved I once possessed, with two children, fatherless, alone. I have carved out an existence with my children in need of a father, and now that they are both grown, it is always the same lament: Where is our father…

My boy, as you know, has his father’s name, i.e. Rudolf Pielenz, born on 18 February 1890. My character and Your face, which was my consolation. Now he is big and a soldier. He is serving in Allenstein and has grown into a handsome young man. But now he is interested and searching for his father, who has treated him so ignominiously, so completely without interest. And the little girl has grown into a young lady. Born on 19 December 1891, her name is Ida and she also had no idea of her fatherless birth. But now

that they are both grown they will probably be in touch very soon and will greet their father by way of a letter, (because), when the boy was 5 years old and the girl 4, I was forced to get married because I could no longer afford the maintenance for the 2 children. It was just too hard for me, so I married without love and had to be content with my lot, because my love belonged only to one person ? , to whom, after all, I gave everything, and to my children. I have been on my own again for years now, and, as I say, I am content, because resentment and hatred grew more

noticeable all the time; because, you’ll know what I mean ?, a marriage without love is like a soup without salt and thus I am on my own with my children, living with my youngest sister. I hope you have not completely forgotten me and that [your] 14 years were happier than mine were. I really only moped around continuously. Maybe you think back occasionally to times past when happiness was still sweet.

Respectfully,

Anna Vägner nee Pielenz

Berlin, S.O. 33

Skalitzerstr. 54a

Both children send their greetings

This opens up more questions than it answers.  How did she find him?  How does one find someone across an ocean in 1910?  I started to think how I would go about it.  Now we turn to the Internet or maybe private detectives.  I don’t think she had the means to hire a private detective.  But she probably knew what ship he traveled on, maybe he told her what city he planned to settle in.  She may have known his friends and family in Germany.  So maybe she found him through them.  It sounds like she never got over him.  I also notice that while she tells him of her unhappy marriage, she does not mention the children that were born of that marriage.  She says she hopes he has been happy the past 14 years.  It took me awhile to figure out where the 14 came from.  From 1890 or 1891 to 1910 is 19 or 20 years not 14.  In 1910 Rudolph was married 14 years.  She even knew how long he had been married.

I do not know who is right or wrong and there are always two sides to a story.  Her side is documented with letters, his side is silent.  There are no letters from him, no stories handed down, and so we do not have his side.  When I thought about her contacting his family in Germany, I wondered what happened to his mother and father.  I have their names and that is it.  When they were born or died remains a mystery.  I never heard my grandfather talk about his grandparents.  I don’t even think he knew their names.  When I started doing the family tree, he was still alive and never gave me that information.  I don’t know if he knew about his half-brother and half-sister.  If any of their descendants are around today, I would love to meet them.  I’m sorry that Anna Pielenz was so hurt.  I hope she forgave him and moved on for her sake.  As with all family secrets, they make for a good story, but I think about how sad it was for those children and their mother.  On the other hand if he stayed with them, I would not be here.  While I feel sad for them, I’m glad he had my grandfather.  Rudolph did something good; he raised a good and decent man in my grandfather.  My grandparents were married 58 years, my grandfather served in the United States Army during WWI, and worked at the same place for 45 years.  He owned a home and raised a son and daughter who were also good and decent people, and life goes on in me, my children, and grandchildren.  Maybe somewhere in the world there are sons, daughters, and  grandchildren of Anna Pielenz and Rudolf Kaiser’s relationship.

*Information from Berlin Germany Birth and Marriage Records at Ancestry.com.

Copyright ©2016 Gail Grunst

Letter’s from Germany to Rudolph Kaiser

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Wilhelmina and Rudolph Kaiser 1931

Rudolph Kaiser was born to Franz Keiser and Emily Klatt in Lobsen, Posen, Prussia on 5 April 1865.[1] Emily had twin sons Theodor Julius and Albert Gustav Keiser born 29 June 1862.[2] [3] They only lived two months and few days.  Theodor died 7 September 1862[4] and Albert followed two days later on 9 September 1862.[5]  A year later, Emilie gave birth to a baby girl, Emma Auguste Keyser, born 6 September 1863.[6]  Unfortunately, Emma only lived to be little over 3 years old.  Emma died 10 October 1866[7] when Rudolph was 18 months old.  If there were other children it is not known at this time.

Rudolph came to the United States when he was 26 years old.[8]  He boarded the Ship Lahn in Bremen and landed at Castle Garden, New York on 30 April 1891.[9]  On the same boat is an Anton Springer.[10]  Could this be a brother of Wilhelmina Springer (Rudolph’s future wife)?  So far I haven’t been able to find proof.  In March of 1896 Rudolph married Wilhelmina Springer in Aurora Illinois.[11]  At the time of their marriage both Rudolph and Wilhelmina resided in Chicago, Illinois.[12]  Rudolph’s occupation is listed as brush maker.[13]  John Einsiedel and Babette Steinhauser are witnesses.[14]  I remembered my mother referring to an Aunt Barbara who lived in Aurora and that she was her grandmother’s sister.  I thought that Babette was probably Barbara (Wilhelmina’s sister). I checked it out, and found a marriage record of a Babette Springer to Joseph Steinhauser.[15]  I think John Einsiedel is a cousin to Great-Grandpa Kaiser, but not sure.  I searched Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org and could not find a family connection.  Of course this does not mean that there isn’t one.

Wilhelmina Springer was born on 17 December 1869 to Carl Springer and Margarete Burkhardt in Dinkelsburh.[16]  She arrived in New York aboard the Ship Lahn from Bremen on 3 August 1888.[17]   In September of 1896 a son Fredrick was born to Rudolph and Wilhelmina.[18]  In 1899 another son, Hugo, is born.[19]  Rudolph and Wilhelmina resided in Chicago, Illinois at 180 Mohawk,[20] and 2333 Winnemac,[21] and 4154 Irving Ave.[22] Hugo died during the Influenza epidemic in 1919.[23] [24] In January 1901 Rudolph declared his intention to become a citizen.[25]  On the 17th of September 1906 Rudolph became a citizen of the United States of America.[26]  Wilhelmina automatically became a citizen at the same time as Rudolph because she was his wife.[27]

I have some letters that were written in German address to my great-grandfather, Rudolph.[28]  They were found in my grandparent’s house when my mother and I were cleaning it out, after both my grandparents went to a nursing home.  My mother had a neighbor who was from Germany read them.  Apparently, they were written by children of Rudolph’s that he had in Germany.  They were not transcribed word for word, but the theme of the letters is that the daughter and son want to come to America and are wondering if their father would sponsor them.  They know he has wife and children here and do not want co cause him trouble.  The boy wrote letters from the service and wondered why he never answered them.  The neighbor that read them for my mother said, “It could be a scam, that when people wanted to come to America they would do this.”  But I tend to believe these are Rudolf’s children.  For one thing the letters are dated 1910, 1914, 1918, and 1920.  That is a long time to try to scam someone.  The time line works out too. They were born 1890 or earlier.  There is a letter from the Consulate of Switzerland in Chicago, Illinois dated August 25, 1920.  The Letter states, “We have been requested to get in touch with one Mr. Rudolf Kaiser, born April 5, 1865 at Lobson, province Posen, Germany.  Kindly acknowledge receipt of this letter at your earliest convenience, and should you be identical with this gentleman, we would ask you to call at this consulate or let us know your present address.  (our office hours are from 10 – 3, Saturdays 10 to 1 o’clock).” [29] The names of the children are Gertude Pielenz and Rudolph Pielenz.  The letter from the Switzerland consulate has the name Mrs. Ida Wiesen nee Pielinz written at the bottom. So apparently the children never took their father’s last name.  It doesn’t sound like Rudolph married their mother if they did not take his last name.   I also don’t think they would contact the Switzerland consulate if this was a scam.  There were never any family stories or rumors about this.  So I do not know if my grandfather knew about it or not.  My grandmother said that Rudolph Kaiser was a kind man; however his wife was mean and treated Rudolph badly.    I thought my grandmother just didn’t like her Mother-in-law.  Now I wonder if Wilhelmina found out that he had another family in Germany, and if that is why she wasn’t very nice to Rudolph.   If this is true, why would he leave his family in Germany and never send for them or write to them?  This is what bothers me.  I would love to know the story behind this but will probably never know.

Rudolph died on 6 January 1933 of Prostate Cancer.[30] Wilhelmina died on 6 July 1953 from Chronic Myocarditis and Arteriosclerosis.[31] Both are buried at Eden’s Cemetery in Schiller Park, Illinois.[32]

Note:  The name Rudolph is spelled Rudolf or Rudolph in places.  I tried to spell it like it was spelled in documents.  I have always spelled it Rudolph when referring to him.  Kaiser was spelled three ways Keiser, Keyser, and Kaiser.  Again I tried to spell it how it is spelled in documents.  Here in America he used Kaiser and his descendants used Kaiser

Copyright © 2016 Gail Grunst

________________________________________________________________

[1] Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898, database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDSP-9XP :, Rudolf Otto Keiser, 18 Apr 1865; citing ; FHL microfilm 245,514, 245,515, 245,517.

[2] Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898, database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDSL-18D : Emilie Ernstine Klatt in entry for Theodor Julius Keiser, 29 Jun 1862; citing ; FHL microfilm 245,514, 245,515, 245,517.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898, database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NDSL-18Z :, Theodor Julius Keiser, 29 Jun 1862; citing ; FHL microfilm 245,514, 245,515, 245,517.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898, database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NR18-8YY : Emma Auguste Keyser, 06 Sep 1863; citing ; FHL microfilm 245,514, 245,515, 245,517.

[7] Ibid.

[8] United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897, Database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDQD-PG6 : Rudolf Keiser, 30 Apr 1891; citing Germans to America Passenger Data file, 1850-1897, Ship Lahn, departed from Bremen & Southampton, arrived in New York, New York, New York, United States, NAID identifier 1746067, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

[9] United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897, database,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD7R-XWR : accessed 1 June 2016), Anton Springer, 30 Apr 1891; citing Germans to America Passenger Data file, 1850-1897, Ship Lahn, departed from Bremen & Southampton, arrived in New York, New York, New York, United States, NAID identifier 1746067, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

[10] Illinois, Kane County, Marriage License and Return no 10271, Kaiser-Springer 1896, County Clerk’s Office, Geneva.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Illinois State Archives, “Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1763 – 1900,” database, Illinois Statewide Marriage Index (http://www.ilsos.gov/isavital/marriagesrch.jsp): accessed 1 June 2016, entry for Babette Springer, 3 October 1895,  Kane County, License no. 00010043.

[15] Illinois, Kane County, Marriage License and Return no 10271, Kaiser-Springer 1896, County Clerk’s Office, Geneva.

[16] Ibid.

[17] “New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891,” database with images,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVSL-4BFV : accessed 1 June 2016), Minna Springer, 1888; citing NARA microfilm publication M237 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm .

[18] Illinois, Cook County, Return of a Birth No. 9055, Rudolph Frederick Kaiser, 12 September 1896, Vital Statistics Department, County Clerk’s Office, Chicago.

[19] United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917 – 1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records AdministrationM1509, 4,582 rolls, Image from Family History Library microfilm.

[20] United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

[21] Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C

[22] Illinois, Cook County, Standard Certificate of Death no. 605, Rudolph Kaiser, 6 January 1933, County Clerk’s Office, Chicago.

[23] Illinois, Cook County, Standard Certificate of Death no.11951, Hugo Kaiser, 11 April 1919., County Clerk’s Office, Chicago

[24] Influenza Encyclopedia (http://www.influenzaarchive.org/) Produced by the University of Michigan Center for the History of Medicine and Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library, “The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918 -1919.”

[25] Illinois, Cook County Circuit Court, Chicago, Naturalization Record 1906, LDS 1024-633 Vols. 100-102, Rudolph Kaiser, Roll 102, Page37.

[26] Ibid.

[27] National Archives Website (http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1998/summer/women-and-naturalization-1.html) Prologue Magazine, Summer 1998, Vol. 30, No. 2, Smith, Marion L., “Any woman who is now or may hereafter be married . . .” Women and Naturalization, ca. 1802-1940.

[28] Letters written in German to Rudolf Kaiser from Rudolf Pieling, Gertude Pieling, and Ida Wiesen  nee pieling, dated 1910, 1914, 1918, and 1920.  Letters are in the possession of Abigail Grunst, Rudolph Kaiser’s great-granddaughter.

[29] Illinois, Chicago; Consulate of Switzerland in charge of German Interests; dated 22 August 1920, Journal no. 5318/20.  Letter in possession of Abigail Grunst, Rudolph Kaiser’s great-granddaughter.

[30] Illinois, Cook County, Standard Certificate of Death no. 605, Rudolph Kaiser, 6 January 1933, County Clerk’s Office, Chicago.

[31] Illinois, Cook County, Medical Certificate of Death No. 49, Wilhelmina Kaiser, 6 July 1953, Forest Park, German Old Peoples Home.

[32] Eden’s Cemetery, 9851 Irving Park Road, Schiller Park, Illinois, Kaiser Lot 139, Section 7.  Personal knowledge by Author Abigail Grunst.  Visited the cemetery and graves many times.