Introducing My Great Great Grandmother on my mother's side of the family.

 

 

Bertha Emilie Wilhelmine Maas

Bertha Emilie Wilhelmine Maas was born December 15, 1846, at Basenthin, Pommerania, one of several siblings to Johan Maas and Earnestine Wilhelmine (Ziehse) Maas. On October 24, 1870 she married August Friedrich Robert Albrecht who was born August 23, 1848 at Basenthin, Pommerania.  Five children from this marriage lived to adulthood. Wilhelm Albert August,  (b Jan 21, 1871), Anna (b 1874) , Bertha (b 1880), Augusta (b 1882), and Franz (b 1875).  Some of Bertha’s siblings had already emigrated to America and settled in Wisconsin near Watertown. Many of their neighbors were also emigrating and soon the Albrecht family made plans to do the same. Since the family was large, and money was scarce, they were not able to travel at the same time.   While Wilhelm arrived in America April 13 1887, I have not been able to find the immigration data for his father Robert. They both settled in Milwaukee, WI,  Robert finding work as a carpenter and Wilhelm as a laborer.  In 1890, 


Ship Bertha and her daughters took into Philadelphia

Anna and Franz came into the port of Philadelphia and travelled to Milwaukee. In 1892, Bertha and her two remaining children. Augusta and Bertha also came through the port of Philadelphia.  A note on the passenger list recorded that she had 1 dollar and was to meet her husband Robert Albrecht in Milwaukee, WI.
 

Robert Albrecht

The 1890’s were a joyous time for the family as  Wilhelm married Dec 16, 1893, daughter Bertha married Sept 5, 1896, Anna married June 7, 1892, Augusta married October 15, 1898 and Franz married November 16, 1891.  Grandchildren soon followed. April 24, 1899 was a day of sadness when Robert Albrecht died of  pulmonary tuberculosis at age 50.  Robert is buried in Lincoln Memorial cemetery just off Burleigh Street in Milwaukee. Bertha lived with her daughter Anna and son in law Albert Von Hoffman after Robert’s death.  Job opportunities for an unskilled woman of her age were limited, even in Milwaukee.  She soon met a tailor, Carl Ewald and married him on March 1, 1903.  They lived in Milwaukee, not too far from her family.  Carl passed away on April 8, 1912 leaving Bertha a widow for the second time.  She married again to a Mr. Pagel but by 1920 she was widowed the third time and living with her daughter Augusta and her son in law Max Brueckner.  Bertha died  on December 21, 1928 and is buried next to her first husband Robert  in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery.