Katharina L Sohn and Charles F W Rau

"Immigrants: we get the job done" -- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton

Katharina L Sohn and Charles F W Rau married in or about 1898. Katharina or Kate was the daughter of Annie C and Adam Sohn born in Maryland October 1874. Charles was born in Maryland in November 1860. His parents were German immigrants but I don't know their names.

Katharina and Charles had six children, all born in Baltimore, but three died as children and one may have died as a young man:

As of 1900, the family was living at 1008 North Third Street. Charles was working as a letter carrier for the US postal service, a job he was to hold for at least the next twenty years.

By 1910, the family had lost their youngest child, Helen. They'd also moved, to 3510 Eastern Avenue.

The 1910 US Census is the last record I have for John C. I can't find a WWI draft registration or any further records for him.

Anna married in 1912. The Baltimore Sun published 27 Jun 1912 included a list of marriage licenses issued the previous day at Towson. The couples included Anna C Rau, 20, and Alfred J Brodka, 23, both of 3510 Eastern Avenue.

1920 found Katharina, Charles, Charles Jr, Anna, Alfred and Anna and Alfred's two oldest children all living together at 3926 Fait Avenue. Besides Charles the letter carrier, Charles Jr was working as a clerk for the railroad, while Alfred was working as a brakeman for the railroad.

Both Katharina and Charles Sr appear to have died in the 1920s. I couldn't find obituaries or burial records for either of them. There's a Baltimore City death record for a Charles F W Rau who died 07 Jan 1925. There are also two possible records from the same source for Katharina. Kate L Rau died 08 Jul 1922, while Katherine Rau died 15 Feb 1926.

As mentioned above, Anna and Alfred married in 1912. Alfred was the son of German immigrants Catherine and Frank Brodka born in Maryland 18 Apr 1889. As of 05 Jun 1917 he and Anna were living at 3918 Foster Avenue with their two oldest children, but by 1920 they had moved in with her parents at 3926 Fait Avenue.

After Anna's parents' deaths in the 1920s, she and Alfred continued to live at 3926 Fait Avenue with their children. According to the 1930 US census, Alfred was working as a filing clerk in a supply office. By the time of the 1940 US Census, however, Alfred had died. Anna and all of the children except Katherine and Brinley were still living in the same house. Alfred Jr was working as a meter man for an oil company.

I couldn't find Brinley at all in the 1940 census, but Katherine had married Andrew Jackson Badders Jr, the son of Marion L and Andrew Jackson Badders born in Maryland 05 Jul 1907. As of 1940, they were living at 1106 Kenwood Avenue. Katherine was working as a cashier at a life insurance company and Andrew, as a pattern maker for a plumbing supplies company.

More marriages followed. Alfred Jr married Doris Herl in or about 1940, although after the census was taken. Doris was the daughter of Rose and George Herl born in Maryland 05 Nov 1919.

The issue of the Baltimore Sun published 09 Feb 1947 included an announcement of the engagement of "Miss Elizabeth A Brodka, daughter of Mrs Anna C. Brodka of 3433 Parklawn avenue, and the late Mr. Alfred J. Brodka, Sr., to Mr. George T. Eikenberg, of 4215 Nicholas avenue, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Eikenberg." George's mother was Emma L Gebhardt. He was born in Maryland 26 May 1923.

The issue of the Baltimore Sun published 01 Feb 1953 reported that, "Mr. and Mrs. William A. Fogle, of Admiral boulevard, have announced the engagement of their daughter, Miss Lorraine Fogle, to Mr. Edwin C. Brodka, son of Mrs. Anna C. Brodka, of Parklawn avenue, and the late Alfred J. Brodka." Lorraine, also known as Helen Lorraine, was born in Maryland 08 May 1933. Her mother was Ida Fern Lohr.

Brinley died 09 May 1957. At the time he was living with his mother Anna at 3433 Parklawn Avenue.

Anna was still living at 3433 Parklawn ten years later when she died 04 Sep 1967. She was survived by all of her children except Brinley as well as by twelve grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Both Anna and Brinley were buried in the Parkwood Cemetery in Baltimore.

Katherine C Brodka and Andrew Jackson Badders Jr had two sons, Wayne A and Jay Bruce. Jay Bruce, born 22 Nov 1944, died 22 Jan 1972. Katherine died 20 Jul 1974 and Andrew, four months later on 20 Nov 1974. They were survived by two grandchildren, John W and Tina M Badders. Katherine, Andrew and Jay Bruce were also buried in the Parkwood Cemetery.

I don't know whether or not Carl W ever married. I know he was alive in 1974 and deceased by 2006. He may or may not be the Carl W Brodka born in Maryland 20 Dec 1922 according to the US Social Security Death Index. He died 14 Aug 2000 in Stuart or Sewalls Point, Martin County, Florida.

Alfred Jr's wife Doris Herl died 06 Aug 2003. Alfred died 03 Oct 2006. They were survived by two daughters and two sons. Alfred's obituary also mentions that he was survived by Elizabeth ("Libby") and Edwin. Both Doris and Alfred at buried at St Joseph's Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum in Toms River, Ocean County, New Jersey.

Elizabeth Anna Brodka's husband George Thomas Eikenberg died in Sebring, Florida, 01 Oct 2011. As far as I know, Elizabeth herself is still living in Florida, as are Helen Lorraine Fogle and Edwin Charles Brodka of New Mexico.

Margaret B Ward and Charles F W Rau Jr married in or about 1920, although after the census was taken. Margaret was the daughter of Susan P Cowan from Scotland and Frederick Ward from England. Margaret was born in 23 Sep 1895. According to the 1900 US Census, she was born in Maryland, the same place as her older and younger siblings. According to all subsequent censuses, however, she was born in Colorado, as if sometime between 1893 and 1895 Susan and Frederick had gone out to give Colorado a try and then sometime before 1899 they'd returned to Maryland.

Margaret and Charles had two children, both born in or near Baltimore: Margaret K born 25 Jun 1921 and Frederick C born 19 Jun 1925. By 1930, Margaret, Charles and their children were living at 3 Plainfield Street in Dundalk along with Margaret's younger brother Frederick John Ward and his recent bride Susan Albaugh Ward. Charles was working as a car inspector at a railroad steel mill, Susan as a registered nurse and Frederick John as a teacher at a public school.

In 1930, Margaret and Frederick John's father was still alive. By 1935, he'd passed away. Their mother Susan P Cowan Ward came to live in the house at 3 Plainfield Street. Frederick John and his wife Susan had moved out by 1940. At that point, Charles was still working as a car inspector for the railroad.

Sometime before 1943, Margaret married Otto Jensen Rytter. Otto had been born 19 Jun 1908 in North Dakota, the son of Danish immigrants Anna Maria and Laurits C Rytter. He seems to have worked his way eastwards. In 1930 he was working as a welder in a steel mill in Youngstown, Ohio, and in 1940, as a surveyor for a steel mill in Baltimore.

Frederick C Rau enlisted in the US Army 24 Aug 1943. On 11 Oct 1947 he married Frances Louise "Pat" Medford in Wilmington, Delaware. Frances was the daughter of Lovey Rebecca and Thomas Coursey Medford born in Hurlock, Maryland, 17 Mar 1921. At the time of the marriage, she was working as a secretary and Frederick, as a junior accountant. According to the wedding record, Frederick was born in Salisbury, Maryland - in fact not far from Hurlock. However, this seems unlikely, as Salisbury and Hurlock are on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Charles F W Rau Jr died 26 Sep 1962. At the time, he and his wife Margaret were living at 2907 Dunbrin Court in Dundalk. He was buried in the Baltimore National Cemetery in Baltimore due to his service in WWI. He was survived by nine grandchildren (Margaret K Rau Rytter's five children and Frederick C Rau's four). Margaret B Ward Rau died 23 May 1988 and is buried with Charles.

Frances "Pat" Medford Rau died 01 Feb 2008 and her husband Frederick, 08 Mar 2009. Both are buried in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear, New Castle County, Delaware. Frederick was survived by a daughter, three sons, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Margaret K Rau Rytter died 02 Sep 2010. Her husband Otto Jensen Rytter had predeceased her, dying in Dundalk 26 Aug 1998. Margaret was survived by two daughters, three sons, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

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In memory of Janet A Werner, 1931-2015