Von Berg, Emma 1824-1908

VON BERG, TROUTFETTER, HIRSCHBUEHLER, WATSKE

Posted By: Ken Johnson (email)
Date: 4/30/2005 at 14:15:10

Friday, 12 June 1908, Guttenberg, Iowa, Clayton County Journal, p5, c5:

Mrs. Emma Von Berg died June 6th, at the home of her son Louis L. Vonberg [sic], at Charles city, aged 83 years. Deceased came to Guttenberg in 1850 with her husband, who, in 1855, while employed on the ferry Jefferson, owned by the town, lost his life by the explosion of the boiler at the Glen haven, Wis., landing. Some years after her husband’s death she made her home alternately with her children Louis L. at Luana, Mrs. Wm. Troutfetter at McGregor, and Mrs. John Hirschbuehler at Guttenberg, now residing at Beaverdam [sic], Wis. Her son having moved to Charles City several years ago, she since made her home there with him and her daughter Mrs. Watske. She was laid to rest at Charles City.

Friday, 12 June 1908, Guttenberg Press, p1, c6:

PIONEER RESIDENT OF GUTTENBERG IS DEAD
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Mrs. Emma Von Berg Passes Away Saturday at Home of Her Son in Charles City

After an illness of about a month Mrs. Emma Von Berg, a former resident of Guttenberg, died last Saturday at the home of her son, L. L. Von Berg, at Charles City. Deceased was a native of Saxony, Germany, and was born in the year 1824. She came to America in 1850, arriving in Guttenberg shortly after. She made her home here up until nearly four years ago when she went to live with her son and daughter, L. L. Von Berg and Mrs. Watske, at Charles City. Not long after they settled down in Guttenberg her husband lost his life in the year 1855 in a boiler explosion on the steamer Jefferson which was owned by the town of Guttenberg and brought here from Cincinnati in the early days to ply as a ferry between here and Glen Haven. At the time of the explosion there were a number of persons besides the crew on board. Mr. Von Berg was the only person killed in the accident, but a number of others were seriously injured. The explosion took place at the landing at Glen Haven.

Mrs. Von Berg is survived by three children, the two above mentioned residing at Charles City and Mrs. John Hirschbuehler of Beaver Dam, Wis. It was her oft expressed wish during life that after death her body be laid to rest beside that of her husband in the cemetery here, but for some reason the wish was not carried out and the body was interred at Charles City Monday.