The Children of the Immigrants - First, Mary

The birth and baptismal record of Fred Elling's oldest sister is posted above. Roughly translated, it reads:

Title (top left) - Name and Place - Elling, Tietlingen

Title (center) - Born 1843 - #7 Marie Dorothee Engel Elling, born 23 February in the morning,

baptized 6 March. Father: the landlord, Johann Friedrich Elling Mother: Anne Marie Fuhrhop

Godparents: Anna Dorothee Fuhrhop, Catherine Marie --? , and Engel --?

Of course, we've already heard the story of the child of Johann Friedrich and Anne Marie Engel Elling who was my gg grandfather and our direct ancestor, Fritz (Fred) Elling. But what of his brothers and sisters? Fritz had the farm, but what happened to his sisters?

The immigration records stated that she was 14 years old when the family immigrated in 1859. That record did not match her birth record which would make her 16 at the time. In the 1860 census, she was listed as 18 years old, living at home and working as a domestic.

Mary met and married Henry Pringnitz, the son of Elizabeth Pringnitz, a widow with seven children who also came to America in 1859. Both families were members of the New Hanover Church in Henry County in the early years. In 1860, Henry went to Kelley's Island to ply his trade as a blacksmith with a fellow smith, Mr. Becker. Four years later, Henry purchased 13 acres of land adjacent to Mr. Becker for $3000.

I haven't yet found the marriage records, but a history stated the couple married in 1865 and in 1866 built their home. That home is currently on the Ohio Historic Inventory and is still occupied. Kelley's island lore says that the house is haunted and that good things will happen to those who see that ghost. Apparently, the ghost only appears in the front bedroom and is none other than a child of Henry and Mary..."Herbie" Pringnitz.

By the 1870 census for Kelley's Island, Erie County, Ohio, the Pringnitz family was listed with Henry, aged 32, engaged in farming with real estate valued at $5000 and personal property at $300. His wife M.E. was 27 and keeping house with children, Emma, aged 4, and Elizabeth, aged 1. Henry's mother, Elizabeth, lived with them, too, at age 70.

In the 1880 Kelley's Island census, Henry, aged 43, and D. Mary, aged 37, have five children: N. Emma, 13; Elizabeth, 10; Sarah, 6; Albert, 3; and Harry 5/12. Three children attended school and Henry was still farming.

Now we have to skip ahead 20 years to the 1900 census - a census with much more information. Still on Kelley's Island, Henry was  listed as 63, with a birthdate of Jan. 1837, and Mary D. as 57, with a birthdate of Feb. 1843. That matched her German birth record! They have been married for 34 years and strangely, it stated that she had five children with four living. I have a photo with her six children in it as adults (see above), so I'm not sure about that statistic. Living with the couple in 1900 were their three sons - Albert H., born July 1876, aged 23; Harry F., born Dec. 1879, aged 20; and Herbert H., born Sept. 1883, aged 16. Henry was still farming with the two older sons helping him, while the youngest was at school. The document stated that Marycould not read or write, but could speak English. They owned their farm, which was mortgaged.

By 1910, father Henry had died and Albert was listed as the Head of the Household at age 33. He and his youngest brother Herbert, at age 26, were single and living with their mother Mary who was now widowed at age 67. Albert was a locomotive engineer for the quarry on Kelley's Island and brother Herbie was farming. It stated that Mary was living on her own income. On this census, it noted that Mary COULD read and write. The farm was owned free and clear!

Mary Elling Pringnitz died on 15 Feb 1916. By the 1920 census, Albert at age 43 was married to wife Mary, 46 and living in Portland Twp, Erie County (near Sandusky). He was a machinist for a tractor works.

From the Sandusky Star Journal, February 16, 1916:

"MRS. PRINGNITZ DEAD AT KELLEY'S ISLAND

Special to the Star-Journal,

KELLEY'S ISLAND, O., Feb. 16 - 

Mrs. Mary Pringnitz, aged and well known island resident and widow of the late Henry Pringnitz, died at her home at 5:30 Tuesday evening.  She had been ill for more than a month.  Funeral arrangments have not yet been completed.

Mrs. Pringnitz was aged 73 years and is survived by three sons, Albert of Sandusky, Harry of Toledo, and Herbert who lives here; three daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Ohlemacher of Sandusky, Mrs Sarah Trieschmann and Mrs Emma Titus, living here; seven grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Miller of Napoleon and Mrs. Anna Hafette of Michigan, and one brother, Fred Allen* of Napoleon, O."

*(It should read Fred Elling, not Allen.  In one census, Elling was written as Alling, so it must be how it was pronounced by some.  Also, Anna's last name was Hastedt, not Hafette.)

 

As for the other children...Emma Naomi married William Titus, grandson of an early quarry owner, who worked as a lime kiln operator for the North Quarry and later as a teamster for the Dock company. They eventually lived in the Pringnitz homestead with the youngest brother, Herbie.

Elizabeth Dorothy died in 1964 in Mansfield, Richland County, OH.

A son, John, was born 21 Jan 1871 and died the same day.

Sarah Matilda was married to Henry Trieschman Jr. and lived her whole life on Kelley's Island. Her husband ran a meat market on the island.

Harry Fred lived in Toledo and worked for the Toledo Scale Company.

And the youngest, Herbert Huldrich, "Herbie", Pringnitz...well, he deserves his own page!

They were buried in the cemetery on Kelley's Island.