Dawning Genealogy: 52 Ancestors Week # 2 - Meet Friedrich (Fredrick) Orth

Friedrich (Fredrick) Orth is my 3rd great grandfather. He was born about 1825 in the County of Bergzabern in the Kingdom of Germany.

He married his wife, Margaret Roller, on November 15th, 1854 in the County of Bergzabern in the Kingdom of Germany. He left from Le Harve, France with his wife Margaret and their two daughters, Catherine and Margaretha aboard the ship Bethiah Thayer. They arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 18th, 1858. Friedrich and his family made their way from New Orleans to Louisville, Kentucky but unfortunately I have been unable to locate Friedrich and his family on the 1860 US Census.

New Orleans, Passenger Lists 1813-1945 for Friedrich Orth and his family

Friedrich and Margaret daughter's, Catherine and Margaretha were born in 1855 and 1858, respectively. I have found no documentation for Margaretha other than the passenger list. Margaretha was just three or four months old when when the family arrived in New Orleans. I have long suspected that she may have died either shortly after the family's arrival in New Orleans or while they were traveling from Louisiana to Louisville, Kentucky.

Friedrich and Margaret would have two more children after settling in Louisville. The third child and only son, Conrad Orth was born December 25th, 1858. The fourth and last child was Charlotte who was born July 24th, 1861 in Louisville.

Not long after their arrival in the United States, the Civil War began. Friedrich enlisted on November 6th, 1861 at Camp Sigel, into the 6th Kentucky Infantry, Company I as a private. On November 28th, 1863 Friedrich was shot in both thighs at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. He died at General Hospital # 4 at Chattanooga, Tennessee.

U.S., Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865 for Fraderick Orth

Margaret began the proceedings to collect her Widow's pension (application number 46,238; Widow's Certificate Number 21856) for herself and her three small children on December 29th, 1863. She would have to provide witness affidavits to her marriage, birth and baptismal records for her children, all to collect $8.00 per month and $2.00 per month for each child. After closely inspecting Margaret's application I noticed some irregularities in the dates provided by both Margaret and the Army. For instance, that U.S. Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, lists Friedrich's date of death as November 28th, 1863 while the Widow's Application lists Friedrich's death date "as on or about November 29, 1863". Since these documents are written by hand and probably several times depending on how many copies were required I can see how a mistake could be made. Below is a copy of her application.

In the Civil War Widows Pension records for Friedrich I found this, "Parole Proof Of Marriage" it is page 7 of the images. In order to claim benefits for their three young children, Margaret had to prove her marriage to Friedrich. There are two witnesses on the affidavit. One is a Phillip Roller and the other is a Mr _____ Dahl. I suspect that Phillip Roller is a relation to Margaret but I am not sure what that relation is at this point. I am thinking possibly a brother or cousin. I have added this to my new Genealogy Do-Over list. Below is the Parole Proof of Marriage that Margaret provided.

Among the pages of Margaret's Widow's pension application I found a Transcript for Baptismal Register from the Rev. Theodore Dresel, pastor of St. John's German Evangelical Church. This record not only provides the dates of baptism's for both Conrad and Charlotte but there dates of birth as well. Another bonus is that Conrad's godfather is listed as Conrad Kistler while Charlotte's godparents are listed as Jacob and Charlotte Eiler.

Baptismal Register at St. John's German Evangelical Church as transcribed by Rev. Theodore Dresel for Conrad and Charlotte Orth.

Between 1854 and 1863, Margaret was married and immigrated with her husband and two small daughters, Catherine and Margaretha to the United States. Then she lost her daughter Margaretha between arriving in New Orleans and traveling to Louisville. Between 1858 and 1861 she would have two more children, Conrad and Charlotte. Then in 1863 she becomes the widow of Friedrich. I can only imagine what life was like for Margaret and her children at this time.

There is a handwritten document from a Jack Conn, Clerk of Court for Jefferson County, Kentucky which states that Margaret married on October 11th, 1864 to Jacob Schneitzler. In a document dated February 23rd, 1865 from the Department of the Interior it states that Jacob Schneitzler is the guardian of Friedrich Orth's minor children. Why would Jacob be given guardianship of Friedrich's three minor children? I can only conclude that it given the time frame of the middle 1860's that it was simply because he was their step-father.

Letter from Jack Conn, Clerk of Court for Jefferson County, Kentucky proof of marriage between Margaret Orth and Jacob Schneitzler.

In December of 1864, Margaret and Jacob apparently had to provide additional evidence that Catherine, Conrad and Charlotte were the minor children of Friedrich Orth. I would think that this would be considered an affidavit. There are two gentleman who give their oath that the said minor children are in fact the heirs of Friedrich Orth. One of the gentlemen is Conrad's godfather, Conrad Kistler. The document gives the following information: they are acquainted with Jacob Schneitzler, they are residents of Louisville, Jefferson, Kentucky and the date of Margaret's marriage to Jacob. It further states that Friedrich was commanded by Captain August Stein in the 6th Kentucky Infantry Volunteers commanded by General George T. Shackelford.

Addition Evidence - Minor Children's Army Pension, Proof of Heirship--Time, Place and Cause of Soldier's Death

Margaret Roller Orth Schneitzler died on April 4th, 1909 at age 78 in Louisville, Kentucky. Friedrich and Margaret's daughter Catherine married Adolph Franz Ort in October 1875. They had two sons, Adolph Franz Ort, Jr. (1876-1960) and Friedrich Anselmus Ort (1878-1962). Catherine and Adolph divorced after twenty years of marriage. I have not been able to locate any further marriage records or a death record for Catherine.

Charlotte the youngest child of Friedrich and Margaret married John Arthur Rehm in 1881. Charlotte and John had three children, Lottie Caroline Rehm (1882-1946), Flora M. born in 1885 but I have been unable to locate any further records for her. Their youngest child, John Henry Rehm (1887-1964). John Henry Rehm served in World War I. I have not been able to locate any marriage record for John Henry.

The only son of Friedrich and Margaret is my 2nd great great grandfather, Conrad Orth. Conrad was born on Christmas Day in 1858, Louisville, Kentucky. Conrad married Katherine "Kate" Wilke on August 31st, 1882 at St. Paul's Evangelical Church in Louisville. Katherine was born November 1st, 1858 in Hannover, Germany. She immigrated to the United States about 1876-1877. Katherine died October 24th, 1929 in Louisville at the age of 70. Conrad died on September 12th, 1930, also in Louisville. Conrad and Katherine had three children.

The oldest child of Conrad and Katherine Orth is Henry Conrad Orth who was born January 3rd, 1886 in Louisville. Henry was from all accounts a sickly child which carried over into adulthood. He worked on and off for different railroad companies. He married Eleanor Mannix. I know nothing of Eleanor other than her name which I got from court documents (another story entirely). Henry spent the last years of his life living in a hotel in Louisville and contesting his father's will. Henry and Eleanor never had children.

Conrad and Katherine's youngest child is Anna May "Mory" Orth. She was born on July 2nd, 1890 in Louisville. This was the only great aunt that was still living as I was growing up. I was fortunate enough to know her and her husband. Aunt Mory married William Cromy Hoskins on December 29th, 1917 in Marion County, Indiana. Aunt Mory and Uncle Cromy had two children. Their daughter Marjorie was born February 28th 1919 in Louisville. Marjorie died at age 15 from and died from a brain tumor on September 19th, 1934. Their son William Cromy "Billy" Hoskins, Jr. was born on March 18th, 1921 in Louisville. Billy died from pneumococcal meningitis on January 25th, 1928 at age six. See my post (at http://dawninggenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/07/wednesdays-child.html) for more about my Aunt Mory and her family.

The oldest daughter of Conrad and Katherine is my great grandmother, Pauline M. "Lena" Orth. She was born February 1888 in Louisville. She married Dr. Raymond Alexander "Papa Ray" Behrle on October 26, 1910 at St. Francis of Rome Catholic Church, Louisville, Kentucky. See my previous post (at http://dawninggenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/10/happy-104th-anniversary-to-my-great.html), marking their 104th wedding anniversary.

Lena and Papa Ray had one child, my grandmother, Mary Myrtle Behrle. Myrtle was born on May 2nd, 1913 in Louisville. Myrtle married George Kenneth Rueff on September 26th, 1936 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville. You can see my previous post about Myrtle (at http://dawninggenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/06/matrilineal-monday-mary-myrtle-behrle_30.html). My grandparents had three children, my Mom, Nina Ann; George Kenneth, Jr and Bonnie Sue. All of whom were born in Louisville.

Sources:

Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Birth Index, 1911-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2006 for [Birth Record for Mary Myrtle Behrle]

Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1953 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. [Death Record for Margaret Schnitzler]
Ancestry.com. Indiana, Select Marriages, 1780-1992 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014 [Marriage record for Anna May Orth]

Ancestry.com. New Orleans, Passenger Lists, 1813-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006. accessed 21 July 2010

Ancestry.com. U.S., Registers of Deaths of Volunteers, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. accessed 1 January 2013
Find-A-Grave.com, FAG Memorial #71968784 [John Henry Rehm]

Fold3.com. Civil War Widows Records http://www.fold3.com/image/#1|236387537 accessed on 2 July 2012 Friederich/Frederick Orth image number 7

Fold3.com. Civil War Records http://www.fold3.com/image//#1|236387553 accessed on 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth image number 9

Fold3.com. Widow's Application for Army Pension, Civil War http://www.fold3.com/image/236387515/ accessed on 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth Image 4

Fold3.com. Civil War Records http://www.fold3.com/image/236387573/ accessed 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth image 12

Fold3.com Civil War Records http://www.fold3.com/image/236387601/ accessed 2 July 2012 Friedrich/Frederick Orth Image 16

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Pauline Behrle]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Raymond A Behrle]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Anna May Hoskins]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Marjorie Hoskins]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for William C. Hoskins]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Conrad Orth]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Henry Conrad Orth]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Katherine Orth]
Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Charlotte Rehm]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Death Certificate for Mary M. Rueff]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Marriage Record for Pauline Orth & Raymond Behrle]

Office of Vital Statistics, Department for Public Health Cabinet for Health and Family Services, 275 East Main Street 1E-A, Frankfort, Kentucky 40621 [Marriage for Mary M. Behrle and George K. Rueff]