Dorchester, Mayville, Clark, WI

My great-grandfather, Carl Keller, was known by two other given names,  "Charles" & "Chas."  I've also found, my great-grandmother, was called by various names: "Bertha", "Berta" (1900 census), "Beate", and "Batti" (1870  census).

Bertha "Beate" Feige was born, September 8, 1833 in Schlabeschin, Kreis Muhlitsch, Schlesian, Prussia.  Carl was also born at this location and the both immigrated to the United States of America separately and unmarried.  Bertha left from Hamburg on April 30, 1862 on the ship  "Robert Peil" (Captain Jurgen) to New York, passenger number 185.  Bertha's future husband's sister was passenger number 184.  The two future sister-in-laws arrived in New York on June 24, 1862, but their final destination was "Wisconsin."

I've been unable to locate a marriage license and  haven't found any record of naturalization has been found for Carl or Bertha, but I do know they married sometime after June 24, 1862 and settled in  Waukesha, Wisconsin.  By the 1870 Federal Census, they were farming in Holland, Brown County, Wisconsin.  The 1880 census provides a record of six children, all boys: August  John (b. August 15, 1863); John (b. 1865); Carl  John (b. October 8, 1867; William (b. September 21, 1869); Henry (b. September 29, 1871); Fred  Herman (b, July 25, 1873); Albert (b. October 17, 1876).  They also had an Infant daughter, born after 1881, who lived only a short time.

Bertha died Oct. 13, 1900 in Clark County, Wisconsin at the age of 67  years, 1 month, 5 days after suffering from heart disease for seven months.  She was buried in the Baptist Cemetery, Dorchester, Clark County.

During the Peshtigo fire, Carl and and his son, August who was only about eight years old at the time, drove a team of horses and wagon to another town for supplies. While they were in town a terrible wind came up,  and five or six separate fires that had been burning for some time took off for the east and south. Finally the separate fires joined to  form a great fire that took everything until it reached the shores of  Green Bay. The two finally got the team and wagon home, but way after  dark. They had to cut their way through fallen trees.  Bertha, who was at home was terribly worried.  Carl also fretting that the fire may have burned through to their farm and home.  What joy they must have had when they discovered both had escaped injury.

Much of the above information comes from a genealogy report compiled  by Dorothy (Keller) Bosserman, great-grand daughter of Bertha and Carl Keller.  Not all the above information agrees with the obituary for Bertha which was printed in the Dorchester Reporter.  However, the similarity is more than enough to convince me that this Bertha Keller was indeed my  maternal great-grandmother.

Research Notes

Albert Keller helped build the house  at the farm of my paternal grandfather  Frank Bartholomew Sr. in  Waukesha county, Town of Vernon and the house is still being lived in by  Bertha's great-great grandson. Albert and Henry farmed together.

August Keller lost two boys during WW I, one to enemy action, the other to the flu.

Fred Herman Keller farmed in Waukesha county, town of  Vernon. My father, Frank Bartholomew Jr. combined Fred's grain.

Henry Keller farmed in Waukesha  county, town of Vernon.

William Keller, *my maternal grandfather, farmed near Withee but moved to Portage County, Ohio and farmed there.