every leaf has a story

Olga Roehlke is my great grandmother. She was born November 15, 1868 in Bromberg, Posen, Prussia to Andrew Roehlke and Susanna Thrin. Olga is the 4th of 9 children: Emil 1863, Helena 1865, Adolph 1867, Olga 1868, Alvina 1870, Ida 1872, Herrman 1874, Emma 1876, and Martha 1881. The family emigrated in 1879 aboard the Herder that sailed out of Hamburg & Havre, Germany and arrived in New York on August 16th. She traveled with her mom, Susanna and her 7 siblings to meet up with her father Andrew who came to America 4 months earlier. The family settled in Corcoran, Minnesota. They can be found on the 1880 census living on a farm in Minnesota and in the 1885 Minnesota census this time with the addition of another child, Martha.

In 1887, Olga gave birth to a baby girl named Elsie but the infant died at birth. Olga was listed as a single mother but named the father, John Jagdfeld. Two years later, John and Olga married on December 3, 1889 at the German Evangelical Church in Minneapolis. Her younger sister Ida Rolkey was a witness. The couple lived in Minnesota for about 10 years. They had first John Jagdfeld in 1895 and then Hazel Jagdfeld (my grandmother) in 1897. The 1895 Minnesota census shows the family in Minneapolis and John is working as a barkeeper and Olga’s younger sister Emma is living with them.

The family can be found in Fond du Lac Wisconsin in the 1900 census, this time they are running a boarding house and saloon that are located across the street from the train depot. In addition to their two young children, they have two servants living with them and 4 boarders.  Olga was busy raising 2 children and helping run a boarding house overseeing 2 employees. Ten years later, the family is at the same address still running the boarding house and saloon according to the 1910 census.

Sadly, at the age of 48, Olga passed away on September 29, 1915. She is buried at Calvary cemetery in Fond du Lac, WI.