Ancestor Biography: Louise Fredrike Zastrow

Louise Fredrike Zastrow, my maternal great grandmother, was born in Prussia on 9 April 1856.  She is one of my brickwalls.  I haven't been able to determine her parents.  Researching Louise Zastrow is further complicated by the fact that there is another Louise Zastrow who immigrated to Wisconsin around the same time.

Nineteen-year old, Louise Zastrow, left Bremen, Germany aboard the ship, Donau.  Also on the ship's passenger list was Johann Zastrow, a brother, perhaps.  Louise Zastrow arrived in New York on the 24 April 1875.  The passenger list is indexed as Zastran.

Source:  Manistee, Michigan, marriage certificate no. 653 L.2 p44,

Johann August Fredrick and Louise Fredrike Zastrow;

Manistee County Clerk Office, Manistee, Michigan.

Two weeks after Louise's arrival she married Johann August Fredrick, on 8 May 1875, in Manistee, Michigan.  John Zastrow was a witness to their wedding.  An unsubstantiated family story tells of J. August Fredrick writing back home asking for a woman to come to the United States to marry him.  I don't know if they knew each other before their marriage or not.  J. August Fredrick was eleven years older than Louise.  Family members believe Louise left a twin sister in Prussia/Germany.

J. August and Louise (Zastrow) Fredrick started their married life in Manistee, Michigan.  They are living on Filer Street in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Manistee, Michigan.  Sometime between 1900 and 1910 they purchased farm land on Coates Highway, in Brethren Michigan.  They were living there in the 1910 and 1920 U.S. Federal Census.  This farm is still in the family today.

Louise Zastrow Fredrick on family farm, date unknown

J. August and Louise Fredrick had eight children:

1. Emma A:  Born 1876; Married James Burnett Chalmers
2. Otto August:  Born 1878; Married Daisy Ellen Graf
3. Augusta 'Gustie':  Born 1881; Married Herman Breen
4. Mary H.:  Born 1884; Married John Bruce
5. William L:  Born 1890; Married Grace L. Fillacy
6. Alma:  Born 1893; Married Joseph Prantle
7. Leonard 'Sonny': Born 1897; Married E. P. Smith
8. Leonia:  Born 1897; Died 1899

Source:  Year: 1930; Census Place: Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan; Roll: 1001; Page: 13A;

Enumeration District: 32; Image: 26.0.

Sometime after her husband's death in 1924, Louise moved to Grand Rapids to live with her daughter Mary Bruce and family.  Louise Fredrick can be found living with the Bruce (Indexed as Buice) family in the 1930 Census for Grand Rapids, Michigan.  She lived here until the time of her death.

 

Louise Zastrow Fredrick died 24 July 1940 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Manistee, Michigan. 

Source:   Manistee News Advocate-Manistee Daily Advocate, 24 July 1940, page 3; column 3,

microfilm owned by Manistee Public Library, Manistee, Michigan.

Gravestone photographed by Brenda Leyndyke July 2010

Oak Grove Cemetery, Section Q, Manistee, Michigan

My mother was ten years old when her grandmother died.  She remembers her as being a tiny woman.  My mom says she was petite like my daughter, Kirsten, is.  She remembers going to her funeral and grave side services.  She tells the story of one of her Bruce cousins, crying and begging for his grandmother to come back.  He says he will be a good boy if she does. This is the family Louise was living with when she died. My mom says she still remembers his voice to this day.

 

C.W. Post-Tombstone Tuesday

Once a month I select a part of Battle Creek to showcase in my blog.  Battle Creek, Michigan is known as the Cereal City.  This month's selection is the cereal pioneer, Charles William (C.W.) Post.  C. W. Post started the Postum Cereal Company in Battle Creek, later known as Post.  The first cereal manufactured for this company was Grape Nuts, in 1897.

Charles William (C.W.) Post

26 October 1854- 9 May 1914

Burial:  Oak Hill Cemetery, Battle Creek, Michigan

The C.W. Post Mausoleum was built in 1915 at the cost of $100,000.  It is made of 630 tons of white Victoria granite.  The two marble vaults are empty; the actual burial is nine feet below the floor of the mausoleum.

In Your Easter Bonnet, With All the Frills Upon It

 L-R Sisters:  Me, Linda

1961 or 1962

L-R Sisters:  Me, Nancy and Linda

Easter 1968

I use to love the preparation before Easter.  It meant a shopping trip to buy a pretty new dress, usually a 'Cinderella' brand dress.  When I was younger my sister and I would get matching dresses.  In addition, we use to get new patent leather shoes, lace trimmed anklet socks or tights, a coat, little white gloves and a glorious Easter hat, elastic band and all.  We would happily get ready for Sunday School on Easter morning dressed in our Easter best. 

Happy Easter!

Shep, Chummy and Bucky: 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History

Week 17:  Pets.  Did you have any pets as a child?  If so, what types and what were their names?  Do you have pets now?  Describe them as well.  If you did not have pets, you can discuss those of neighbors or other family members.

I never had a pet growing up and don't remember really asking for one, either.  I guess I knew that my sister, Linda, had allergies and an animal would never be allowed in the house.  I grew up not being a big pet lover and so my children were deprived of a family pet, too.  Unless you count the anole (a cub scout project) or the fish we had now and then or maybe a few dust bunnies lurking around.

My mother, Audrey, spent her first ten years living on the family farm.  Her family had pets.  They were Shep the dog; Chummy the calf; and Bucky the fawn. 

I remember visiting my Uncle Hank and Aunt Mabel when they lived in Ferndale, Michigan.  They had, what seemed to my six year old self, a huge collie named Sheppy.  Every time we would visit he would jump up on the fence and bark.  It took me some time to realize he wasn't going to hurt me.  Plus, I loved visiting my aunt and uncle.

Although I never had a dog of mine own, I did fall in love with my in-law's dog, Sam.  My daughter, Kirsten, called Sam her dog.  He was a great pet.  He died in December and I was surprised by my reaction to his being gone.  Even though I never 'owned' a pet of my own, I was happy with the ones that were in my life.

Selling Groceries and Feed in 1883: Those Places Thursday

143-149 Washington Street, Manistee, Michigan (April, 2011)

My great uncle, August Guhse, owned a grocery and feed store at 147-149 Washington Street in Manistee, Michigan. (the left end of the building seen above)  He started his business in 1883 at this location.  August Guhse started his career as a clerk for Henry Mau at a store on River Street, in Manistee.  Next, he worked for Joseph Baur on River Street.  In 1883, August Guhse and Joseph Baur became partners at the Washington Street building, under the firm name of Baur and Guhse.  When Joseph Baur died, August Guhse became sole proprietor.  The store carried a complete line of groceries and provisions, hay, flour and feed.  

 

The building can be found on the corner of Washington Street and Lincoln St. (it's currently for sale).  This was just a short walk for August as he and his family lived behind the store on Lincoln Street. 

August Guhse was born in Germany in 1850.  He married Ottilie Fredrich on 28 October 1873, in Manistee, Michigan.  August Guhse and Ottilie Fredrich had five children; Otto, Mary, Emma, Alma and Albert.  August Guhse died 4 November 1923 in Manistee, Michigan.

Source:  The Salt City of the Inland Seas. Manistee, Michigan: Manistee Daily News, 1899.  (Available online here.)

A Tribute to Mary Louise Fenn Blades: Hattie's Bible

I have been in contact with many generous people during my time of researching my family, but no one was more generous than Mary Louise Fenn Blades.  Mary Louise was the motivating force behind my receiving Hattie's Bible.  I have never felt that I would be able to repay her for her kindness.  I have written before about how much having Hattie's Bible has meant to me. 

It is with regret that I write about Mary Louise.  Mary Louise Fenn Blades passed away, 5 April 2011 at the age of 93.  She was the daughter of Warren Orlo Fenn and Elizabeth Taylor (Huggett) Fenn.  Having never met Mary Louise, I got to know her through her daughter, Carol. 

My thoughts and sympathies are with the Blades family on her passing.  I will always remember her for her generosity in enabling me to have a piece of my family history.  I have a lasting treasure that reminds me of my great grandmother, Hattie, and now, Mary Louise.  Mary Louise and I were trained as home economics teachers and I am always surprised by the coincidences in family history.  God Bless You, Mary Louise.  My thoughts and prayers are with your family.  They were truly blessed to have had you in their lives.

Engelhuber: Tombstone Tuesday

Engelhuber

Oak Grove Cemetery

Manistee, Michigan

Section I

 Engelhuber Family Stone

Clara, wife of Jos. Both

1874-1931

(Daughter of Leonard Engelhuber and Amelia Fredrich)



MOTHER

AMELIA

1843-1930 

FATHER

LEONARD

1836-1905

The Restaurant Without a Name: 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History

Week 16:  Restaurants. What was your favorite local restaurant as a child? Where was it located, and what was your favorite meal? Did you know the staff personally? What is your favorite restaurant now?


My family very rarely went out to eat when I was a child, but once a year we would go school shopping in Port Huron, Michigan.  Port Huron was about 50 miles from my hometown of Deckerville, Michigan and had all the big stores:  Sears, Sperry's, Penney's, etc.  There wasn't a mall to go to in the sixties.

We would make a day of it.  We would park and shop at the Sears store.  We would walk across the street to this little teal blue restaurant.  The waitresses wore white uniforms with the little frilly aprons.  I remember the restaurant as being narrow with booths and counter service.  Now, why can't I remember the name of it?  I asked my sister and my parents and none of them could come up with the name.  It will probably come to me in the middle of the night or some such time.

I would always order a toasted tuna sandwich.  I thought it was such a treat.  I don't remember anything else that I would order but that.  It was usually just my mom, sister, Linda and I.  Sometimes, my dad would go.  I felt like such a grown up ordering off a menu and having someone bring it to the booth.

I came from a small town, so a trip to the 'city' was always a special treat and the restaurant with no name was something to look forward to.