The Leidig Sisters
Research and story by Joe Brotzler, an Old Salem Shrine Trustee
Leaving the village of Mittelfischach in the state of Württemberg, Germany in the spring of 1889, two sisters travelled to the Port of Bremen. There they took passage for America aboard the express steam-ship Fulda, operated by the Norddeutscher Lloyd Steamship Company. Rosina and Margarethe Leidig left behind their mother and father along with three brothers and two sisters.
They arrived in New York City on May 1st and shortly, thereafter, in Inver Grove Township where they became an integral part of the small congregation making up Salem Evangelical Church. Almost one year later on April 12, 1890, Barbara and Magdalene Leidig arrived in New York aboard the Aller, a sister ship to the Fulda. They soon joined their two sisters and the congregation of Salem Evangelical Kirche.
Rosina “Rosine/Rose” at age thirty-two was the oldest of the four sisters. She and her three brothers were from their father’s first marriage, while her three half-sisters were from their father’s second marriage. Rosine and Michael Haberoth, who had also come over on the Fulda, were married on May 1, 1889, the very day that they arrived in New York. Michael was twenty-nine years of age. The Salem EV meeting minutes show that Michael was the Church Server (custodian) for three different years in the 1890’s and then from 1900 through 1907, receiving an annual stipend of $14.00 most years; thereafter, due to financial limitations the work was parceled out to members on a monthly basis. Michael and Rosine had been married thirty-five years when Rosine died. Michael lived another fourteen years, passing away at the age of seventy-seven on September 30, 1938.
Margarethe “Margaret” Leidig was the second to the youngest of the four sisters. Margaret wed Jacob Brotzler on March 31, 1892 at Salem Evangelical Kirche. Jacob had arrived in New York on April 14, 1889, a mere two weeks before Margaret and Rosine landed. He came from Switzerland on the steam-ship Waesland, via the port city of Antwerp. When he landed at Ellis Island, Jacob’s last name was listed as “Rotzler”. However, “rotz” has a somewhat off-color slang connotation in the German language and family lore has it that Margaret would not marry Jacob until he changed his name. Hence, “Rotzler” became “Brotzler”. Margaret was twenty-four and Jacob was twenty-nine when they wed. After almost forty-seven years of marriage, Jacob died on March 1, 1939 at the age of seventy-six.
Barbara was the oldest of the three full-sisters. On November 17, 1892, two and a half years after arriving in America, Barbara married Matthais “Matthew” Engel at Salem Evangelical Kirche. Matthew, a widower, was a prominent member of Salem Kirche. His first wife, Bertha (Maier) Engel, had died three years earlier, at age forty-five, from injuries suffered in a horse and buggy accident. Matthew was fifty-seven and Barbara was twenty-six when they married. On May 2, 1901, eight and a half years later, Matthew passed away at the age of sixty-seven.
On May 25, 1905 Barbara married another widower and prominent member of Salem Evangelical Kirche, Christian Schmid. Christian had been a pallbearer for Matthew’s funeral. Christian’s first wife, Margarethe (Willmsen) had died a year earlier. Christian was sixty-three and Barbara was thirty-eight when they wed. After nineteen years of marriage, Christian died on March 31, 1924 at the age of eighty-two.
Magdalene “Lena” was the youngest of the Leidig sisters. She married Christof Ellinger on June 14, 1894 at Salem Evangelical Kirche. Lena was twenty-two and Christof was thirty. Christof served Salem Evangelical Kirche as a trustee from 1900 through 1907. The Ellingers had been married for almost thirty-three years when Magdalene passed away. Christof lived another twenty-eight years, passing away on March 11, 1955 at the age of ninety.
Why the Leidig sisters came to Salem Evangelical Kirche is not definitively known. A possible explanation could be the fact that Michael Haberoth was related to the Glassings, one of the founding families of Salem Evangelical Kirche. Regardless of why they came, the four sisters settled in the area of Salem Evangelical Kirche and raised their families.
Rosine and Michael Haberoth lived for a short while in a log cabin located at South Robert Trail and Mendota Road. They then purchased a farm further south on South Robert Trail. The home is still there today on the east side of South Robert Trail, about halfway between I-494 and Hwy 55. They raised a daughter and a son and lost three children at birth or in infancy.
In 1895, less than three years after they were married, Barbara and Michael Engel moved into the upstairs of a new duplex at 432 E. Page St. on the west side of St. Paul. Michael was a carpenter and he had built the house. Michael then built a side-by-side duplex next door at 436-438 E. Page St. The Engels moved into the left half (438) of this duplex in 1899. They had three daughters, two of whom passed away as young women; one at the age of fourteen and another at the age of twenty. They also lost a son in infancy, shortly after Michael passed away.
When Barbara married Christian Schmid, they continued to live in the left half of the large double house, at 436-438 E. Page St. The double house still stands at Page St. and Kansas Ave., a block off Concord St. and immediately east of the US 52 Freeway. They had three children together, two daughters and a son. One of the daughters died as a young child.
Margaret and Jacob Brotzler lived near Salem Evangelical Kirche until 1900, when they purchased a small farmstead on the north end of South St Paul. Their farmstead now lies under the US 52 Freeway immediately north of Butler Ave. They raised ten children, four sons and six daughters; who all, but one, lived into their eighties and nineties. They lost an infant son and daughter.
For the first fifteen years of their married life, Lena and Christof Ellinger made their home in Inver Grove Township. Then in 1909 they built a small, white framed-house on property adjacent to the southwest corner of the Brotzler farmstead. The house at 451 E. Butler Ave. in West St Paul is still occupied today and looks much the same as when it was built. They raised four daughters, two of whom lived in the family home until their deaths in the 1990’s. The Ellingers lost four children in infancy, three sons and a daughter.
The Ledig sisters’ families were extremely close growing up and much of their socializing was amongst the uncles, aunts and cousins. In 2000, Edna (Schmid) Sorensen (one of the last surviving cousins) wrote, “Didn’t your father join cavalry Mexican Border when only 16? Later when he came back he had his horse & tent set up for a while behind the big Brotzler house & he was with our gang of cousins on a lot of hay rides & snow rides out to Haberoth farm & picnics & pow wows & for years we were all together many times.” Two of the cousins even married sisters from Inver Grove Township. Edward Haberoth married Martha Schindeldecker and Charles Brotzler married Clara Schindeldecker. (Charles and Clara are buried at the Old Salem Church Cemetery.)
Even in death, the four Leidig sisters have remained close, just as they did throughout their lives. Three of the sisters are buried at Old Salem Kirchhof (Cemetery).
Rosine (Leidig) Haberoth was born on September 18, 1857 and died August 6, 1924 at the age of sixty-six. She and her husband Michael are buried in Lot 66 at Old Salem Cemetery along with the three infant children that they lost. A grandson and great grandson are also buried in the family lot.
Magdalene (Leidig) Ellinger was born on August 31, 1871 and died March 10, 1927 at the age of fifty-five. She and her husband Christof are buried in Lot 38 at Old Salem Cemetery along with their four daughters and the four children they lost in infancy.
Barbara (Leidig) Engel/Schmid was born on November 18, 1866 and died on June 8, 1938 at the age of seventy-one. She is buried in Riverview Cemetery in a shared Schmid/Engel lot along with both of her husbands, Mathew Engel and Christian Schmid. Mathew was originally buried at Old Salem Cemetery, but was moved to Riverview Cemetery along with their infant son, who died a month after Matthew passed away, and a daughter who died in 1912. Another Engel daughter, a Schmid daughter and Christian’s first wife (who was also moved from Old Salem Cemetery) are also buried on the Riverview lot.
Margaret (Leidig) Brotzler was born on December 27, 1867 and died March 9, 1971 at the age of one hundred three. She and her husband Jacob are buried in Lot 31 at Old Salem Cemetery along with one of their sons. Another son, two daughters, two infant children and two grandsons are also buried in the cemetery.
A note on cemetery lots at Old Salem Kirchhof: When Barbara and Christian Schmid moved their first spouses to Riverview Cemetery in 1916 two lots became available at Old Salem. Lot 66 where Christian’s first wife, Margarethe Willmsen, had been buried was taken over by Barbara’s sister Rosine and her husband Michael Haberoth. Lot 31 where Barbara’s first husband, Matthias Engel, had been buried was taken over by Barbara’s sister Margaret and her husband Jacob Brotzler. Matthias’ first wife, Bertha (Meyer) Engel, is still buried on Lot 31 and the monument for her still stands there. Two Engel children, George an infant who died a couple of months after Matthais passed away in 1901 and Frieda who died in 1912 at the age of fourteen, were also moved from Lot 31 to the Schmid/Engel lot at Riverview.
By the end of 1912/beginning of 1913 the days of Salem Evangelical Kirche as a viable church and congregation came to a close. The last known roster of members in 1908 showed only eight families still represented. Of the four Leidig sisters’ families, only the Haberoths were still listed. In the final years, most of the members Of Old Salem dispersed in one of two directions: the Zion (later Salem) German Methodist Episcopal Church just to the east at Salem Church Road and Babcock Trail or the Zion Evangelical Church (later the Winifred Street Evangelical Church) on the west side of St Paul. The Leidig sisters and their families went in the direction of the Winifred Street Church. Barbara and her family probably made the move in 1905 (after she married Christian Schmid), as their home on Page St. was in close proximity to the Winifred Street Church. The Brotzlers, whose home was also significantly closer to the Winifred Church, likely made the move at about the same time or shortly after the Schmids. Christof Ellinger was still listed as a trustee for Old Salem Kirche in 1907, but he and his family were not listed on the 1908 roster. The Haberoths, who lived closer to Old Salem, probably held on until the very end.
The four families became active and staunch members of the Winifred Street congregation, just as they had been of the Salem congregation. The obituaries for all four sisters and their husbands show the Winifred Street Evangelical Church (or its successors the Winifred Evangelical United Brethren Church or the Faith United Methodist Church) as the location of their funeral services. Anne (Brotzler) Sioris was the last surviving child of a Leidig sister. When she died on October 11, 2004 at the age of ninety-six, her obituary stated that Anne had been a (confirmed) member of the Faith United Methodist congregation for eighty-two years. She and her husband, Theodore, are buried in Old Salem Kirchhof.
RESEARCH NOTES
Upon a phone inquiry relative to the Haberoths, Brotzlers, Schmids and Ellingers joining the Winifred Evangelical Church, the following information was received from Susan R. Filter, the Administrative Assistant at Faith United Methodist Church:
“I found some records, but not from exactly 1913, as that book is very fragile and falling apart actually, and hard to understand because the headings are all in old script German and entries in fancy quill.”
CHANGES AS OF THE 1922 ROSTER:
HABAROTH
*This 1922 list did not include Eddie as previous list
BROTZLER
*Both the Margaretha names were changed to Margaret.
*Added the following names:
Lydia
Annie
Carolyn
George (who was line-item noted later as withdrawing in 1924)
SCHMID
*No change, but apparently line-item noted later that Christopher died in 1924
ELLINGER
*Added address of “Res. 400 E. Butler P.O. 228 E. Annapolis W.S.P.”
*Christian’s name was then duly noted as Christof Ellinger
*Added the following names:
Lillian
Marie
Martha
Alma
1917-1918:
HABAROTH – South St. Paul R.F.D.
Michael
Rosina
Lena
Eddie
BROTZLER – 323 South St. Paul MN (?)
Jacob
Margaretha “Sr.”
Fred
Margaretha “Jr.”
Elizabeth
Marie
SCHMID – 438 Page St.
Christopher
Barbara
Edna
Edwin
ELLINGER – no address listed 1918
Christian
Magdalena
*hyperlinks above are disabled. To access linked data, visit www.GermanImmigrants1880s.com.
Christof Ellinger:
Usually listed as Christoph or Christoph George, also known as Christ
Birth: 8 Apr 1864 Death: 11 Mar 1955 Born: Gaildorf, Württemberg, Germany
Came to USA: At age 21 (1885 or 1886)
Marriage: 14 June 1894 Spouse: Magdalene “Lena” Leidig
Occupation: Janitor Retired: 1941
Surviving Children: Lillian Catherine (1900-1993), Marie Magdalene (1902-1991),
Martha Luella Ellstrom (1906-1994), Alma Emma (1908-1956)
Died in Infancy: Christoph (1896), Baby Girl (1897), Baby Boy (1899), Christof (1905)
The 1900 Census showed that Christof”s 25 year-old sister, Christina, was living with them. Christof’s obituary listed a sister, Mrs. Christine Sievers, of Farmington, MN.
Jacob Brotzler:
birth record shows: Johann Jacob Rotzler, Male Born: 27 October 1862, Brombach, Germany, Baptized: 2 Nov. 1862 at Hasel, Baden, Germany.
Father: Johann Jakob Rotzler B: 25 Nov 1833, Married: 17 Jan 1862 at Hasel, Baden, Germany
Mother: Caroline Greiner B: 9 Feb 1837 (Neil D. has a note that says she was buried in Switzerland)
Grandfather: Johann Jakob Rotzler
Grandmother: Eva Grether
Came to USA: 14 Apr 1889 at age 26
Marriage: 31 Mar 1892 Spouse: Margarthe “Margaret” Leidig
Died: 1 Mar 1939
Occupation: Swift and Company as a butcher/custodian
Surviving Children: George (1893-1976), Charles (1894-1984), Frederick William (1895-1976), Margaret Church (1898-1979), Elizabeth (1902-1982), Marie Karolyn (1903-1980), Lydia Buchman (1905-2001), Karolyn Prosser (1907-2000), Anne Karolyn Sioris (1908-2004), Paul Lawrence (1911-1999)
Died in Infancy: Herman Paul (1899-1900), Christina (1901-1902)
Michael Haberoth:
Birth: 1860 Death: 30 Sept 1938 Born: Zollhof, Württemberg, Germany
Came to USA: At age 29 on 1 May 1889
Marriage: 1 May 1889 Spouse: Rosina “Rosine/Rose” Leidig
Occupation: Farmer
Surviving Children: Edward (1894-1953), Lena Keller (1891-?)
Died in Infancy: Michael (1890), Michael (1893), Baby Girl (1896)
Matthais “Matthew” Engel:
Birth: 1835 Death: 2 May 1901 Born: Switzerland
Came to USA: at age 18 on 23 Aug 1853
Marriage:
14 Aug 1887 Spouse: Bertha Maier (1844-1889)
17 Nov 1892 Spouse: Barbara Leidig
Occupation: Carpenter
Surviving Children: Barbara Rosina Bahner (1895-1978), Matilda Magdalene (1896-1917), Frieda Maria (1898-1912)
Died in Infancy: George Friedrich (1900-1901)
Christian Heinrich Schmid:
Birth: 1835 Death: 31 Mar 1924 Born: Bergfelden, Württemberg, Germany
Came to USA: at age 17 on 27 Oct 1854
Marriage:
17 Jun 1866 Spouse: Margarethe Willmsen (1846-1904)
25 May 1905 Spouse: Barbara Leidig/Engel
Occupation: farmer
Surviving Children: Edna Margaretha Sorensen (1907-2001), Edwin Christian (1908-1981)
Died as Young Child: Violet Lucille (1910-1916)
Email from Neil Danner Jan 3, 2016
Joe,
I did a search on ancestry.com for Jacob Rotzler b. 1862, and the following Mormon data (FHL File 1189759) came up:
Johann Jacob Rotzler, Male Born: 27 October 1862, Brombach, Germany, Baptized: 2 Nov. 1862 at Hasel, Baden, Germany.
Father: Johann Jacob Rotzler B: 25 Nov 1833, Married: 17 Jan 1862 at Hasel, Baden, Germany
Mother: Caroline Greiner B: 9 Feb 1837 (I have a note that says she was buried in Switzerland)
Grandfather: Johann Jacob Rotzler
Grandmother: Eva Grether
There are several Brombach cities in Germany, but the Brombach near Lörrach is close to the Switzerland border as well as the city of Hasel, Baden (north of Wehr).
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brombach_(Lörrach)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasel_(Baden)
It’s possible that the family subsequently may have moved to Switzerland or frequently did business in Switzerland or had relatives that lived in Switzerland.
I believe that the death certificate of Jacob Brotzler indicates a birth in Brumbau, Germany. This could be a misspelling of Brombach.
So, I think I now agree with your immigration record for Jacob Rotzler. Perhaps he used a Swiss passport with a reason to immigrate of “returning to home country” (Germany) and then used same to immigrate into the USA.
In my German dictionary the noun “Rotz” indeed means snot. That part is not slang. But adding “ler” produces Rotzler, which might be slang for snot nose or someone with a runny nose.