Category Archives: Diaries, letters, and manuscripts

A Gem of Purest Ray $erene

19 Wednesday Jun 2019

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The following is from a page in the album assembled by Frederick William Kellermann (1900-1980):

A Gem of Purest Ray $erene

A special page ought to be allowed for this snapshot:

Seemingly insigificant by occasion, it yet represents a real treasure. Recognizable, of course are Aunt Ida (left, rear) and Granddad (seated, right). Little “Connie” (Ida’s only boy) sits in foreground (right).

The really precious quality of this treasure in not in the view but what lies behind it — literally speaking. On the reverse side is the only extant sample of Granddad’s handwriting — the handwriting so engrained in memory by the scores of letters that he sent Lute and myself while we were “studenten” at River Forest.

Herman-Kellerman-et-al-1918.pg

(Circa 1918–Please lift to read)

Lute will well recall the timeless phrase “Ich will ein check einlegen.” He will also recall with some relish how he used to open the letter with some alacrity and fish out the check before reading the letter — to see if it was for 100 or 150 dollars. Priceless memories!

The photo album is in the possession of Gayle Hirsh, nee Kellermann, who graciously provided the images.

The Eberleins

19 Wednesday Jun 2019

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The following is transcribed from two pages (titled “The Eberlein”) in the album created by Frederick William Kellerman (1900-1980):

Of the Eberlein wing of the relationship — Mother’s side — we know relatively little.The great distance which separated Missouri and Arkansas from Shawano, Wisconsin, kept us as youngsters from meeting most of the Eberleins. Grandpa died some years before Mother married, and Grandma died some 10 years later. This I well recall, since Mother took Ed, Billie (then a year old), and me to St. Louis by Mississipi steamboat (because of a landslide over the railway tracks), left Ed and me at 2106 Stansburg St, and visited her dying mother for six weeks. (I need not suggest why Dad had singled out Ed and myself for this extended sojourn!)

Grandpa and Grandma Eberlein were also of sturdy German stock and migrated by wagon train from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin when mother was a girl of 10. They apparently thrived, for they owned a hotel, which their large brood helped to run. Of the 14 children there were, I think , only 4 boys, of whom we came to know only Fred (my godfather) and Mike. Of our aunts, we came to know Aunt Ida, who married Dad’s brother “Kuns,” because this branch of the Kellermann tribe lived for over 10 years at Troy, Illinois, not far from St. Louis, and Aunt Kate, who spent some winters in our house in Vero Beach during the 1920s. Two of Mother’s sisters became school teachers and their photos appear elsewhere in this album: Aunt Emma, who married a missionary and removed to Australia, and Aunt Ida. I lived for a year with Aunt Ida’s family in St. Louis while I taught school (at Bethlehem Church), where (Dean) Fritz was then pastor. The snapshot of Aunt Ida and Grandpa Kellermann was taken around 1918, I think. (See page 11.)

Mike and Fred were both lawyers and partners in a number of enterprises, including an ice factory, a dairy, and a silver fox farm. How successful they were can only be conjectured from the fact that before the infamous jump in income tax rate they paid over $25,000 in taxes.

Fred visited Mother and Dad in 1900 at 2106 Stansbury St, St. Louis to act as my Godfather; in West Ely, Mis., in 1909 on his way to Arizona; and again during the thirties at Vero Beach. I recall Dad telling me that Uncle Fred has suggested starting a cannery in Vero Beach.

The photo album is in the possession of Gayle Hirsh, nee Kellermann, who graciously provided the images.

Katherine Gerner Eberlein and the St. James Ladies Aid

20 Saturday Jul 2013

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Katherine Gerner Eberlein was a founding member of the Ladies Aid society associated with St. James Lutheran Church in Shawano, Wisconsin. She served as the first secretary and hosted meetings at her house. A history of the society includes the following anecdote about her and her youngest son, Michael Gustave Eberlein.

“Rev. Nickol was our pastor, and he played the organ and read a text from the bible. At one meeting, which was held at the home of Mrs. Eberlein, Rev. Nikol had prepared a constitution, and presented it to the group. It proved to be quite detailed. Mrs. Eberlein spoke up and said, “My, that is too long! Just read a paragraph, and then continue at future meetings.” Rev. Nickol agreed. This proves that people were impatient in 1896, as well as in 1956.

Children haven’t changed in 60 years. Michael Eberlein was a lad of about 15, and came home from school. He peeked around and saw all the ladies. His mother said, “Michael, you come right in here and shake hands with everyone.” Of course, Michael complied.”

Source: Ida Brei, “History of St. James Ladies Aid, 1896-1956,” typed manuscript in the “St. James Lutheran Church” folder, Shawano (City) Pamphlet Files, Shawano Public Library, accessed 18 July 2013.

Emma Eberlein teaches school, 1889

26 Friday Oct 2012

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Town Herman, Shawano, WI. Nov 4th. 1889

… On Sunday, Pa and Ma brought me out here and I was surprised at the neat look everything were. The woman seems to be very pleasant and eating has been excellent so far. I taught my first day of school today here and did not find it very tiresome. It is hard to get acquainted with all the children’s names and characters and how far they are in their books. But I think before the week is out I shall have my school thoroughly established. I will keep it in order come what will. The walk to school is quite long and I take my dinner. I thought I never could put a morsel into my mouth with all the children looking on, but I did it.

Oh, I guess I shall get along all right. The getting acquainted is hardest of all. I will do some earnest teaching and be approved. Mr. Roberts will come quite early I think, for he visited all the other schools so quickly. Well he shall be pleased — I will do my very best to please him. I mean to get along as no one ever did before, only those books that they have are so horrid, all except the Arithmetic’s seem strange to me. Well if I stay well all right.
E.B.E.

Source: Emma Eberlein’s diaries

University of Buffalo president on the occasion of Patricia James Eberlein’s death

20 Saturday Oct 2012

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University at Buffalo
State University of New York
Office of the President

September 11, 1998

The Eberlein Family
c/o Dr. Patrick B. Eberlein
Department of Mathematics
CB #3250
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599

Dear Dr. Eberlein:

On behalf of the entire University at Buffalo community, please accept our heartfelt sympathies on the death of your mother. A world-renowned leader in mathematics and computer science, Pat meant a great deal to the university, as well as to me personally. Her years of dedication and work helped to build UB in many, many ways. She will be long remembered at UB as one of the pathbreaking mathematicians of her generation and—as one of the first women to take on a leadership role in computer science—a role model for many admiring students and colleagues.

Pat’s innovative research in mathematics led directly to the development of the computer—perhaps the most significant invention of the twentieth century. Her visionary leadership propelled her profession and the university into the future, creating at UB a computer science program of national standing. On a purely personal level, I have lost a good friend and colleague. One of the great pleasures of my years of service here was the opportunity to know Pat and work with her. I have missed seeing her during her retirement, and now that loss is, sadly, permanent. Know that you have my deepest personal condolences.

Pat’s contributions to our university are significant and lasting, and we are grateful to have had the privilege of her presence at UB for so many years. While we realize that words may offer little comfort at times like this, our thoughts and prayers are with you all. If there is anything that the university can do for you, please let us know.

Sincerely,

William R. Greiner

Biography of Rev. Emil Theodor Brenz Kriewaldt, 1903-1977

20 Saturday Oct 2012

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Compiled by J. Brenz Kriewaldt

My Father Emil Theodor Brenz Kriewaldt was born on the 9th March 1903 at Lobethal South Australia. He was the youngest son of Rev. Emil Paul Gerhard Kriewaldt and Emma Bertha Kriewaldt nee Eberlein.

After completing his primary education at the Lutheran schools at Lobethal and Tarrington he enrolled at Concordia College, Adelaide in 1916 for his secondary education. However this was only to be for a very short time as on the 25rd. of May his beloved Father died of tetanus at Tarrington, Vic. at the age of 46.

Later on this year Grandma and her four boys, Fred aged 20, William 17, Martin I5, Emil 13 and adopted son Eddie left for the United States.

The family settled in Grandma’s home town of Shawano, Wisconsin where they stayed for about 18 months. While at Shawano, Emil studied at Concordia College in Milwaukee.

In June 1918 the family resettled in Requa, Northern California , which is about 330 miles North of San Francisco.  Grandma writing to the Shawano Journal on June 13, 1918 states that Fred and Willie are working at a cheese factory in Requa, Martin is working on a dairy farm, Emil is doing odd jobs around the town, and my adopted child Eddie is outdoors all day long having the time of his life. She also states that in the fall Martin goes to the University of Berkeley and Emil to Concordia College Oakland. Emil proved to be an exceptional student as his report card of the second semester 1918-1919 shows that his lowest marks were 95% for English and his highest being 100% for Latin. ln his last year at Oakland he competed in a poetry competition which involved 9 other colleges. Emil won 1st prize for “Good Friday”, 4th prize for “Sonnett” and 6th prize for “A dream of home”.

After graduating at Oakland he enrolled at his Father’s  alma mater in 1922:  Lutheran Seminary, St. Louis Missouri.  As a student he became involved in a historic event, namely the first broadcast of the Missouri radio station K.F.U.O. from the old Seminary building in South St. Louis.  After the first broadcast had been made, and the announcer and technicians had left around meal time, Student Kriewaidt was left to man the station and attend to any inquiries “on air”.

Emil attended the Seminary from September 1922 until his graduation on June 10th. 1925.

During his time at College and Seminary he had to live very frugally because his widowed Mother did not have the means to fully support him financially. Consequently he took many Jobs during vacations such as farm work in Nebraska, grape picking in California, school teaching in Wisconsin 1924, working on the railroad; in a fish cannery and a shoe store.

He returned to Australia after graduation and received a call to serve the Karoonda parish of the Lutheran church which is in the Mallee of South Australia. Life there must have been pretty rough, first of all being single, secondly not owning a motor vehicle and thirdly not having a church building to worship in. Services were held in Hoff’s homestead until members increased forcing the services to be held outside the home under a large tree. During his 5 years at Karoonda  a church was finally built even though times were very hard due to the depression, poor harvests and grain prices.

In 1930 Emil received and accepted a call to serve the Brinkworth, Blyth and Canowie Belt Parish.  He was to remain there for the next 36 years.

On May 24th, 1933 he married Rubina Wegener from Palmer, South Australia. From this union three sons were born: Brenz, Neville and Peter. Neville and Peter subsequently followed our Father and Grandfathers footsteps and also became pastors in the Lutheran Church,

At Brinkworth he played golf on Saturday afternoons for a short time until the elders suggested to him that it would be more profitable for him to be home in his study preparing his sermons for Sunday. This was rather ironical as within another generation members were absent from church due to bowling and other sporting commitments.

For many years he belonged to a rifle club using a regulation Lee Enfield .303 rifle. He was quite a good shot and won a number of trophies for his prowess.

During his years at Brinkworth he established another congregation at Clare and also at Yacka. He was very interested in the youth of the church and was for many years editor of the youth magazine,  The Luther League Monitor. He was also very much involved with the Churches work with Aboriginals being a board member and later chairman of Aboriginal Missions.

This involved a great deal of extra work such as travelling to meetings in Adelaide with Government officials a round trip of over 200 miles and many trips on unsealed roads to the mission stations of Koonibba and Yalata on the far west coast of South Australia which meant a round trip of 1000 miles, quite often in his 2 cylinder 2 stroke, D.K.W. car.

During the war he tried to enlist in the Air Force at the same time as his Brother Martin, out was turned down because of his eye sight. Also during the war he joined a home defence force called the Volunteer Defence Force and participated in marching with wooden guns and throwing stones as make believe hand grenades.

He was very proud of his country of birth and even wrote to the Army Invention Directorate during the war with suggestions for a “Sticky bomb” and a use for Nitrogenous rock as a substitute for super phosphate which was in short supply.

Emil was also very community minded. He served for many years on the school committee, a director of a local community store, purchased and operated a school bus and served on various other committees.

His pastoral duties were many and varied, usually preaching 3 times a Sunday (with congregations 80 miles apart) attending 3 or 4 Ladies Guilds and Youth meetings 3 month and weekly confirmation lessons at most congregations, religious instruction lessons at schools, hospital visiting in the parish as well as Adelaide and attending the many congregational and parish meetings etc.

In fact, my two Brothers and myself saw very little of our Father except on Sundays when of course we were expected to attend all 3 services.

In 1971 there were a number of so called “peace marches” protesting about Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. My Father deplored all wars but he considered that once our servicemen were committed we should support them particularly when the protest marchers carried “Viet Cong” flags and shouted obscenities to anyone who disagreed with their philosophies.

He wrote a number of letters to the Adelaide papers stating his views and soon other letters followed from other writers both for and against the marches. Even though he received many personal letters supporting his views and stand, never the less I think he was considered by many to be a rebel.  Our Father was also opposed to the timing of the amalgamation of the two Lutheran Synods. He believed that too many compromises were made in order to achieve a premature union.

In fact in those days a common phrase was “We agree to disagree”.

His stand on this issue made him somewhat of an outcast with some other pastors and church leaders, but I think he can be applauded for acting according to the dictates of his conscience.

He also took a keen interest in politics and received regular copies of proceedings of State and Federal parliaments over many years and wrote numerous letters to politicians either to praise or criticize them or their policies.

He attempted to retire in 1966 from Brinkworth but was persuaded to serve the Hillcrest congregation in Adelaide on a part time basis of 4 days per week at an annual stipend of $1680-. However he soon found out that he was working nearly 7 days a week, but of course only being paid for 4. During this time he was also appointed prison chaplain and regularly visited and conducted services at the Adelaide and Yatala men’s prisons and also the women’s rehabilitation centre.

ln 1972 he suffered a heart attack at the age of 69 which slowed him down somewhat.  On the 7th September, 1975 he was privileged to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination at the Dernancourt church (formerly Hillcrest.)

On the morning of Aug. 3rd. 1977 as he was about to leave home to give a talk on his prison chaplaincy at a Lutheran Women’s zone conference he suffered a massive heart attack and left this vale of tears to be with his Saviour whom he had faithfully served for 52 years and to rejoin his Father Mother and Brothers whom he dearly loved.

In summing up I would say we were indeed privileged to have such a loving, kind, tolerant, humble Father, Grandfather and Husband.

M. G. Eberlein to Emma (Eberlein) Kriewaldt, 26 September 1940

18 Thursday Oct 2012

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September 26, 1940

Mrs. Emma Kriewaldt
Yurgo, South Australia
Australia

Dear Sister:

Fred just came in the office bringing a letter which you wrote to Dolly and Gus, accompanied with the request that they send it on to the other brothers and sisters. Lora is here and the three of us have read the letter aloud. You now have the family setting in my office. We are all here now while I am dictating this letter to you.

We received your photograph and we all have reached the conclusion that you are still a pretty good looking old girl for 68 years of age. Even though the wrinkles do not show, Emma, everything else is there.

I am enclosing in this letter one of my pictures which I used in my campaign.

I was defeated for the nomination upon the Republican ticket. There were seven candidates and Mr. Fred Clausen of Horicon, a millionaire manufacturer of farm implement, received the nomination, He will now have to run against LaFollette in the November election. I have grave doubts whether he can be elected. However that may be, I am definitely out and probably will retire from politics.

I took the position that we have no stake in the European War, and that we should mind our own business, prepare for defense and accept Washington’s advice seriously. You remember he said in his farewell address:

“Do not enter into any foreign entanglements. Cultivate the peace and friendship of the entire world.”

My entire campaign was predicated upon this theme and the fact that I lost out indicates that even Wisconsin is again war-minded as it was in 1917.

Page #2.

I have not changed my ideas and will still do everything I can to fight our entry in this war. It may be that my teachers when I was a boy, told me too much history. Whether that is so or not, I have no reason to change my mind with reference to Great Britain end her Empire. If we need the protection of Great Britain’s fleet, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves.

In politics it looks to me as if Roosevelt will be re-elected. He is handing out billions of othor people’s money in the form of Relief and W.P.A. jobs. He is literally buying votes by employing millions in governmental service.  Just this morning e W.P.A. Worker came in, who said he was only getting $39.OO a month. He is down at the court house doing some sort of book work which I know he can’t do. He is about as illiterate as any man I ever met in my life. A new scheme has now been evolved whereby this same man will receive $19.00 extra per month in food stamps. That will give him $58.00 a month. I am sure he does not work over 40 hours in a month at a little clerical job as I have stated. Contrast that with men on our farms. Some of them receive only $35.00 a month and the best $50.00. Of course, this man will vote for Roosevelt as well as the other millions who are similarly situated.

We still have much unemployment but the defense program and the war orders are beginning to make profits and more money is finding its way into pay envelopes. The laboring men seem to like the present feast and I really believe this nation is ready to go into war, regardless of the sacrifice in men and property.

We have a debt of Forty-Five billion dollars and this Congress has appropriated Twenty Billion Dollars more. The people are demoralized. Nobody wants to work. The farmers are leaving their farms and applying for old age pensions. I don’t know how much longer this can go on but no nation can live without working.

Page #3.

I notice that Eddie is in England. Our radio gives us probably more accurate reports than you get but I am not going into that because this letter may be censored and the whole letter may be confiscated. I hope that Eddie does not suffer any injury, and that he will come home to you.

Now, with reference to ourselves. Fred, Alvina and Frederick are upon the farm near the cemetery. They are operating the farm about the same as when you were here, except that we have gone in the fox business quite extensively and raise several hundred foxes each year. Just how this business will be affected it is hard to say. Without question there will be more free money, but our exportations may be cut off, so that we will have to use all of our silver foxes in America, and I am somewhat concerned about the price of foxes this fall. The farm is being operated about as it was before. We still have Guernsey cattle, but we have no milk route. We have quit the ginseng business. The price got altogether too low. The lumber for the sheds increased 400% and the price of ginseng decreased 75%.

Since you were here we have developed a large farm in Langlade. This farm has about 2000 acres but has 500 acres cleared. We specialize here in Hereford steers and potatoes. Just now we are digging and have a fairly good crop. The price is not good. That applies also to grain here. We had a fine summer so for as rains are concerned, but our farmers had much trouble in harvesting their grain because of wet weather. Add to that the fact that the price is very low and we have a very big surplus from other years, and that everything that we buy has gone up a good deal, and you can readily see there is nothing in farming.

Charley is working for the County and living in the same house he lived in when you were here. His youngest daughter, Edna, is married and has two children. She was here this summer. She married a Lutheran School Teacher and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. ,

Dolly and Gust were here this summer.  Gust has aged a good deal and has slowed up some more, if that were possible. Dolly is just as chic as ever , and you would hardly think

Page #4.

that she is 70 years old. She still would pass for a sixteen year old. Her hair is not gray and she still seems to have all the fire of youth.

Now for our own family. Michael, our oldest son, is 26 years old today, He got his B.A, at Lawrence University in 1936 and then attended the University of Wisconsin Law school where he finished in 1959. Since then he has practiced law with me in the office. Our firm, as you will notice, is Eberlein & Eberlein.

Margaret is working for the State of Wisconsin at Taycheedah in the capacity of a private secretary. She finished the University of Wisconsin in 1950, taught school at Sheboygan in the high school for 5 years and then went East and took a Secretarial course and has now worked for the State three years. She is unmarried and I had hoped that she might find some worthy young man and settle down. Her single blessedness seems to bother me more than it does her mother.

William is now attending Harvard and he hopes to get his PhD, majoring in Mathematics, next June. He got his B.A. at Harvard in 1938. He then came to Wisconsin and got his Master’s Degree in 1939. He then went back to Harvard last year and the present year will be his last. He is a very good student and has had a scholarship continuously at Harvard. He seems to be gifted in Mathematics and hopes to get a teaching job in some University,

Fritz is really our most gifted son of all. He is 21, He is indolent and a little foxy, a good deal like his father was when he was young. He has no vices and doesn’t drink. Unlike his father he is mentally lazy and tries to live by his wits. He finished St. Norbert’s College at DePere last June and is now at Wisconsin University Law School. He is exceptionally talented and I think he will find himself in law. Of all the boys, he alone could take my place here in every field of endeavor in which I am engaged, if he would just settle down and study. I feel confident now that he will find himself and get down to business. .

The youngest is Walter, who is 19. He is our pride and joy. Wally was the Valedictorian of his class, containing about 185 students. He went to Harvard as a Freshman last year.

Page #5 .

He got straight A’s and is one of 16 of the upper 16 in a class of 957 Freshman, He got a mid-semester scholarship at Harvnrd and another one this year, indicating that they appreciate him.

Wally has just about everything by way of character, intelligence, personality end industry. He will make a great man some day. We are trying to bend him into the physician’s path, hoping that we can make a doctor out of him. So far he has shown no inclination.

We live at Shawano where we lived when Martin stayed with us. We just finished painting the house for the second time since we live there and things really look pretty fine around the place. With the boys all gone, except Michael, it is kind of quiet around the place. We have a maid and so Mother can take things somewhat easier.

We had our first killing frost last night and we are very busy getting in our corn for silage and getting out our crops.

Fred suggested that I tell you about Reka, to make this letter complete. She still lives upon the farm near Embarass. She occupies a part of the farm house and Eddie and his wife occupy the other. I think Reka is having quite a time because Eddie’s wife seems to be pretty hard-boiled. Reka is getting very old and apparently is still in good health. Things look pretty tough around there. The house hasn’t been painted since you last saw it and I doubt if any repairs have been made, so it is just a shack. Her daughter, Adelaide, teaches school and is still unmarried and lives with Reka. Apparently they get along very well. I don’t know what Reka would do without Adelaide. The rest of her family have flown to all corners of the United States. Dwight is in California. Katherine married a fine young farmer living in Langlade County. Arthur is in Milwaukee. You will remember him as her youngest son. I think he is some foreman on a W.P.A. job and is classified pretty near a “Red” from every report I get. I don’t know where the rest are, because they shift around. Not any of them have done very well so far as I can see. Fred is running a garage in Embarass and has just about

Page #6.

lost it, because of the inherited Breed indolence.

Uncle Fred is 65 years of age and still seems to trot along as fast as ever. He is apparently enjoying pretty good health, as is Alvina.

I have had more or less sick spells for the last three years but am also hanging on. When one gets to the age of 60 you must expect ailments.

I don’t know if you know that our office is in the old Odd Fellow’s Building. You will remember the building on the corner directly across the road and south from Yung’s Furniture Store. It is kitty corner from Upham’s store. I just completed some interior work, making the offices very fine. I have a tenant in the north end of my building operating a furnishing store. The Journal Printing Office is in the south end of our building. I occupy what used to be the hall of the old Odd Fellov’s Building on the second floor and Doctor Stubenvoll occupies the north part which used to be the kitchen and sitting room of the Qdd Fellows. I built a barber shop immediately east of the end of this building about 12 years ago. It is of brick and that is rented.

Now, this is a very long letter, Emma, but I must say that we now have over 5000 inhabitants and the town has changed a good deal since you left. Practically every store is a chain store. Even Uphams had to go out of business. Montgomery Wards are occupying the store building. We have miles of paved streets and, of course, side walks and sewers. The paper mill is still as it was when you were here. Of course the river and the pond are here as is the lake. The court house is exactly as it was. Fred says to tell you that there are now over 500 summer cottages around Shawano Lake. Fred is Chairman of the Town of Wescott, that being the town in which the lake is located.

We have about 26 lawyers here now, all trying to make a living. So far I have been very busy but can notice a falling off because of the time I took out campaigning.

Of course, this will come back when I get started again.

Under separate cover I am sending you several copies of the

Page #7.

Shawano County Journal and some campaign material. I am also enclosing a vote that I got in Shawano County, showing the regard in which I am held here. I will put that in the package containing the papers and campaign material and, therefore, will not enclose it in this letter.

When you write us, please write us a long letter telling us about your children and Martin and his family and his work

We all send our love.

[Signed MGE]

Mary is dead!

14 Sunday Oct 2012

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Lobethal, Jan 24.1909.

Dear Diary:- At last I have news from home – Mary is dead! She died Nov. 22 and I just found it out last night! Fred writes that Elmer was just as lazy and shiftless as ever and the children had no decent clothes to appear with at the funeral; that he had to pay all expenses for the funeral and every thing. It cost him $150 in all. That boy must be getting rich. He writes he has 4 large office rooms and more work than he can attend to. He is interested in 25 cases out of 54 on the calender. He must have an income of $7000 to $8000 per year, he and Mike. Isn’t it wonderful! To think those boys are getting rich! Now mother could have an easy life of it, now her boys could make her old age happy and she could have every thing her heart desired! But it was not to be. And she is happier by far in Heaven. We would not wish her back again. I wonder if Mary was a true believer? It seems so for Fred says she went to communion only three weeks before she died. She must still have kept to the church then. Rev. Selle buried her. Which of us will be the next to go?

Source: Emma Eberlein Kriewaldt’s diary, transcribed by Ernie and Brenz Kriewaldt

Poor mother’s cancer is growing again …

12 Friday Oct 2012

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[Lobethal,] Mar. 12, 1906

… I have had such bad news from home. Poor mother’s cancer is growing again and it is only a matter of time until death relieves her of her sufferings. I do hope she will not have to suffer so awfully. I hope and pray God will give her a peaceful end. Fritz writes he is going to get her to write a few lines to me and I hope she will do it.

Lobethal, Apr. 5, 1906.

Dear Diary:- It is a long time since I wrote to you last. I can’t write Sunday evenings any more because I go to evening services now and at other times I forget it. I must make it a point to write after service. I hardly can tell you all that happened since last I wrote. I suppose you know that mother is rapidly getting worse and that I can expect the new of her death at any time. Fritz promised to have her write a few lines soon but she has not written yet. …

Lobethal, Nov. 25, 1906

“Dear Diary: — It is several weeks since I last wrote to you. A great many things have transpired since then. For one thing, mother has died. This was a sad piece of news for me and yet I felt so relieved to know that she was out of all pain and free from suffering. I also felt glad on account of my brothers who had the great task of nursing her. It was too much for poor Fred. He wrote his health had failed him and that the doctors had told him he had consumption. I felt very bad and at once sent a cablegram telling him to cover over and visit us. The cable cost me over a pound, yet I consider the money well spent. If only he gets well again, I shall be so thankful. Mother left each of us children $300 just about the sum I had expected. I am not to get it for a long time yet, I suppose.”

Source: Emma Eberlein Kriewaldt’s diary, transcribed by Brenz and Ernie Kriewaldt in 1995. Extracts from entries for March 12, April 5, and November 25, 1906

An attempt to get a widow’s pension for Katherine Gerner Eberlein, 1905

12 Friday Oct 2012

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“Frederick Eberlein was born in Wittenberg [sic] Germany and was twenty two years of age when he enlisted as a private of company C 2nd Regiment Cavalry of the Regular Army of the United States on the 26th day of July, 1855. He enlisted for five years and after serving for nearly two years while returning from an Indian expedition his horse was shot out from under him and he was violently thrown to the ground. The indian expedition was made in Texas near the Rio Grande River and it was here that Frederick Eberlein received his injuries. After his horse was killed and he received severe injuries he tried to ride his pack mule in an effort to reach Fort Clark to have his injuries attended to and his pack mule became vicious and also threw him violently to the ground breaking his shoulder and bruising his lungs. His comrad [sic] then took him on his horse and carried him to the camp where the soldiers where encamped. In doing so many creeks and rivers had to be forded and Frederick Eberlein became wet and cold and when camp was reached he was about dead. After weeks of illness he was removed to Fort Clark where Pneumonia developed and many more weeks were spent in the hospital. It was during this time that he became blind. When his eyesight was improved sufficiently and he became well enough he was honorably discharged upon the surgeon’s certificate and sent home. He received a small pension from the time of his discharge until his death on the 9th day of February, 1896. During his life time he was of very poor health and was never able to do a good hard day’s work. He was a shoemaker by trade but was forced to abandon the profession on account of his poor eye sight.

Katherine Eberlein, widow of Frederick Eberlein, has never received a pension although she has often tried. Her claim was rejected for the reason that she was unable to prove that her husband Frederick Eberlein did of the same disease for which he was pensioned. He was pensioned for a broken shoulder and his great trouble was his lungs and eye sight of which nothing was mentioned. The records of Fort Clark have been destroyed and there is not way to show how he suffered in the hospital there to show the injuries he received in the army outside of the stories often told his family. He died of the disease which mostly troubled him, lung trouble.

Catherine Eberlein has no means of support outside her own labor. She is old and feeble and sixty four years of age. The last year she suffered a great deal from a cancer in the cheekbone and for the last ten weeks has been confined to her bed on account of a compound facture and dislocation of the ankle. Catherine Eberlein was married to Frederick Eberlein nearly forty years when he died and has not since married and she holds his original discharge, a copy of which is hereto attached.”

Source: Photocopy of typescript, acquired from Frederic C. Eberlein, Shawano, Wisconsin. Probably written in 1905, based on the information that it contains, in an attempt to get a widow’s pension for Katherine Gerner Eberlein.