BIOGRAPHY: After they were married, settled in Betzdorf, Germany. Robert worked hard at the railroad. He loved music, played the violin and organized the village band which performed for both social and religious functions. An annual highlight of his efforts was that of leading the Corpus Christi Procession through the streets of the village with his band rendering melodious, resounding music that could be heard for long distances. Most of the village people participated in this event.
In 1919 when Gertrude was only 4 years of age, Robert died after a short illness.
- from "Decendants of Wagner" by Diane Luck
possible obit from Peace River Record Gazette:
BECHER, Alwina (HERTER); 70; ; RG; 1943-10-1
Maria joined the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in Olpe, and as a novice was sent to Lafayette, Indiana.
Mathias Kramer was born December 25, 1887 in Wiesbach, Germany. He was the third child in a family of eleven children born to Johann and Maria (Ziegler) Krämer.
He was raised Roman Catholic and attended the Volkschule in Wiesbach. Diligent in his school work, his report card of 1902 indicated very good achievement in most subjects, satisfactory in singing and good in athletics.
Mat was trained as a blacksmith in Germany, a trade that would prove to be very helpful for him later on. He also attended compulsory military school and worked in Kaiser's Regiment #97 in Trier. Before leaving Germany, he spent a short time working in a coal mine in Güttelborn, 8 km. from Wiesbach. He would walk to and from this work.
Mathias Kramer's niece, Hermine (Mohr) Petzel, recalls that the immigration of her Canadian uncles (John, Jacob, and Mathias) was not for adventure or pleasure, but of necessity. Many people in similar difficult economic situations immigrated. Their father, Johann Krämer, could only pay for their voyage across the ocean, but did give them some money to use when necessary. Until his death, Johann kept an "acre" for each son in case any of them would return. When these sons acquired land of their own in Canada, the three acres in Germany were given to their sister, Johanna Mohr (Hermine's mother).
In mid-February of 1911, at the age of 24, Mathias Kramer left his parents, brothers, sisters and his homeland to immigrate to Canada. His brothers, John and Jakob had gone a few years earlier. They looked forward to his arrival, and the promise of acquiring farmland at a very low cost also awaited him.
Likely he traveled to Edmonton by slow railroad trains, then walked, sledded and horsebacked north hoping to meet up with his brothers. He looked for good land and loved what he found. Homestead records within the Edmonton Archives have the following information:April 15, 1911, at Division Lands Office, Grouard, Alberta, an application for Entry for a Homestead, a Pre-emption or a Purchased Homestead, was made by Mathias Kramer of Peace River Crossing, for the N.E. quarter section #22 in township 81, range 3 West of the 6th Meridian. He stated that he was a subject of Germany but declared his intention of becoming a British subject under the laws of Canada. At the age of 23 years, his last place of residence was in the Rhineland, Germany, where his occupation /training was as a Blacksmith. Jakob Kramer, his brother, assisted Mathias with the documents. They were living together in a house 16' x 20' valued at $150. They also had an unfinished granary ($150), a log house 14' x 16' ($150), 2 barns ($200) and a cabin ($100).
For several years Mathias walked to Grouard and sometimes to Edmonton (taking about two weeks), staying in rooming houses with other pioneers, and finding work as a blacksmith which gave him some very much needed money. One year all he bought for himself was a hat, a necessary belonging to men at the time.
In the springtime he walked back to the Peace River Crossing over bush trails or paths following Lesser Slave Lake. The Indians helped him cross the river by canoe. When he had to cross frozen rivers, he fastened a long pole to his shoulders which would hold him above the ice if he should break through.
During his many years as a bachelor, he cleared trees from the land as was required, ploughed the soil (with horse and plough), and planted grain. Some of the land was prairie, and Mat was able to break up a half-mile stretch without much difficulty. Grain had to be hauled long distances (to Spirit River and later to Berwyn) by horses, and this would take several days. Two horses pulled the load and two horses were tied to the back of the wagon to use when four horses were needed, or changed to relieve tired horses.
Jakob Kramer and his wife Rose were established on the section of land south of Mat's place. In his bachelor days, Rose baked for Mat in the stove she borrowed from him. However, when he was approaching marriage, Mat has to request the return of his stove.
On February 22, 1924, at the age of 36, Mathias Kramer married Franziska Zinselmeyer. Franziska (Frances) came to Canada from Germany with her brother Joseph, to be with her sister Maria Ruether. Mat and Frances were married at St. Boniface Church in Friedenstal, Father Ebert officiating. After the wedding, Mat took Frances to his home in a sled pulled by his very best horses.
Frances was the daughter of Franz Anton Zinselmeyer and Theresia Henneböhle of Westenholz. She was 22 when she married Mathias Kramer and John Kramer (Mat's brother) and Joseph Zinselmeyer (Frances' brother) were the two witnesses to the marriage.
The following December their first child (Mary) was born at home, with the assistance of a midwife. In all they were blessed with nice children: Mary (1924), Alphonse (1926), John (1929), Albert (1931), Matilda (1932), Bernard (1934), Hedwig (born in 1937 but died at six moths of age), Leo (1939), and Tony (1941).
-from "A Family Tree: History of the Kramers: 1859-1995" by Mary (Kramer) Wild
DEATH: Died at six months of age.