
Emma age 19
My grandmother had three Aunt’s, Aunt Emma, Aunt Liz, and Aunt Agnes. Each one had an interesting life. I wrote about Aunt Liz in my blog dated 4/13/2013. Today I am writing about Aunt Emma.
Emma Reinhardt was born on June 6, 1885 in Illinois.,[1] [2] Emma was raised in Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois along with her two brothers and four sisters. Not much is known about Emma’s early life. In 1910 at age 25 she married Dr. Fredrick L. Orsinger[3] who was 33 years her senior.[4] He had been married before and had five children with his first wife who died in 1903.[5]
Fredrick L. Orsinger came to the United States from Germany in 1871. He arrived in Chicago on the same day as the Chicago Fire. He decided not to stay in Chicago at this time and went to LaSalle, Illinois to work in his Uncle’s bakery. He later opened a pharmacy in LaSalle and practiced medicine. He studied medicine and surgery in Zurich, Switzerland and Paris, France. He later spent five years studying medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago, and later had a years experience working at Cook County Hospital. [6] He had quite a colorful life too. I am not going to write about it at this time as I would like to concentrate on Emma’s life. I will write about his life in more detail at another time.
My grandmother had told me that the Reinhardt’s and Orsinger’s were friends. I know there was an Orsinger’s Bakery in Ottawa. I don’t know if they had another one in LaSalle or if the source is wrong about the location of the bakery. However, Emma would have not been born yet when he came to LaSalle County. By the time she was old enough to get married he was living in Chicago. So how they got together is unknown. I’m guessing that they knew each other because the families were friends. I still can’t help but wonder how her family felt about the age difference, and how his children felt as some were older than Emma. My grandmother would say with disgust in her voice, “Aunt Emma married old Doc Orsinger.” They lived in Chicago and he practice medicine in Chicago. Dr. Orsinger died in 1925.[7]
In 1933 Emma married Iber Mataway in Chicago.[8] He was from Iran and changed his name when he was naturalized from Isaac Abraham to Iabry Abraham Mataway.[9] They must have led a quiet life. I can’t find them in many records. He was 12 years her junior.[10] She went from some way older than her to someone quite a bit younger than her.
I’ve had a hard time finding them on any census records. I do know they lived on a farm in Wisconsin. I also know they lived in an apartment in Chicago, Illinois. My mother loved Aunt Emma and she would stay with her sometimes in Chicago and on the farm in Wisconsin when she was young. I believe they lived in Chicago, then moved to the farm in Wisconsin, and then moved back to Chicago.
I have a letter that Emma wrote to her sister Liz. I will try to transcribe it as written with mistakes and all.
Sat Mch. 1 – 1947
Dear Eliz,
Just a few lines, as we are trying to get ready to go to Saxon to shop. We got your package yesterday. Everything was swell. And thanks so much. So what do I owe you for groceries. The shirts will come in handy this summer at laying time. Even good enough to go to town in as you don’t have to dress up so much around here. Gosh, I’ve been rushing around, the oil man came first thing this morning, I was just about out of bed. Iber was milking, then I had to look after him. By the time he filled all the tanks and checked them, Iber came in for breakfast, and now I just got thru with the dishes, milk pails, and strainers. Iber has been hauling hay everyday. He got 4 or 5 tons of hay very cheap, but has to haul it himself. It keeps a person busy, but it isn’t bad. Well, I don’t know if you can say March came in like a loin or not. It was quite warm this morning, but now it has turned a little cooler and is snowing that fine snow. So I hope it doesn’t get too bad until we get back at least. Well, I was so surprised at that article of Fred Orsinger. It was funny, I opened the box and I thought it was just some paper you stuck in for a filler. Then a couple of hours later, I was straightening everything up, so I looked again and was looking at the man with the alligator. And, I said to myself that man reminds me of Doc. He combs his hair just like he did. So I threw it in with the rest of the papers. When Iber came in he happened to see it, and asked me what he was doing with an alligator. I said oh I don’t know let me see. Well, when I read it, I started to laugh. No wonder he minded me of Doc. That was so funny. He is quite a big shot. Gosh he is getting old. I figured he would be about 70.
I suppose you received my last letter. I too wish poor Tim could at least be able to go into the other room. I may be down sometime in the middle of April if nothing happens. Then he had better get up or I’ll pull him out of bed. I hope Mrs. Fox is home by morn, poor soul. I suppose she feels quite alone since he is gone. Is she going to stay there in the apartment. Have you heard yet from Mark. Iber says to tell Tim to keep his chin up.
I do wish Iber could make a trip to Chicago. Well, we’ll see how things turn up. He needs a change. I feel guilty when I go all the time. I guess Clara is going to stay in her apt. for a while. Well, if I have forgotten anything I’ll write it next time. I must get ready. Iber is almost thru shaving.
Love to you both and God Bless you as ever. Emma & Iber
The Fred Orsinger she mentions in the letter is the son of her late husband. I am posting the original letter here.




I remember visiting Aunt Emma a couple of times in her apartment in Chicago. She made a doll bed for me out of a wooden cigar box. I wish I had a picture of it. She painted it white and it had a headboard. The legs were cloths pins (the old fashioned wood ones) cut down so only the top curved part was used for the legs. She made a little mattress and pillows. She made a blanket and crocheted a bedspread for it. I loved it and had it for a long time. I found instructions for making one on the Internet, and also found pictures, but none that looked as good as mine. Mostly what I remember of Aunt Emma was a very nice old lady and the doll bed.
I think the first half of her life was probably more eventful than the last half. Being married to “Old Doc Orsinger” must have been very eventful from some of the things I have read about him. Like I said, that is for another time. The second half of her life being married to Iber, her life was quiet. Reading the letter, her life was just about the ordinary every day things like the weather, washing dishes, milk pails and strainers. The exciting time was going to town. I wish I knew more about her life. As far as I know, she never had any children to carry on her legacy. I hope I helped a little to carry on her legacy today.

Aunt Emma, my mom, Aunt Liz 1943
Emma died on August 18, 1956, and Iber died in 1974.
Copyright © 2013 Gail Grunst
[1] Emma Reinhart’s birth date June 6 came from Helen Kaiser’s (her niece) date book.
[2] 1900 United State Census entry for Emma Reinhardt. 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. Ancestry.com 1900 United States Federal Census. [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry Operations, Inc.,2004.
[3] Joseph Seymour Curry, Chicago: its history and its builders, a century of marvelous growth, volume 4 (Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912), Pgs. 624 – 628. Digitized by Google.
[8]Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1920 – 1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
[9] Naturalization Record for Iabry Abraham Mataway name chanced at naturalization from Isaac Abraham. Ancestry.com. US Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791 – 1992 (Indexed in World Archive Project) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Selected U.S. Naturalization Records. WashingtonD.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
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