Prof. Charles G. Kretschmer 1822-1897

KRETSCHMER, FENGLER, HOLLINGSWORTH, MATHIS

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 7/31/2019 at 20:39:14

Prof. Charles G. Kretschmer, was born in Gloschkau, near Breslau, January 19, 1822.He graduated from the Breslau Seminary as teacher, teaching at the village school of Petersitzand then accepting principalship at Sadewitz until coming to America in 1849. He first went to New Orleans, but after a few months he moved to St. Louis and there stablished a private school, after which he came to Dubuque, IA in 1853 where he opened a private school. In 1858 the board of education of Dubuque elected him principal of the Fifth ward school (now called Audubon school), a position he held for thirty-nine years and four months-until the end of his life. Kind, simple-hearted, enthusiastic, his interest in the welfare of the children who had been his pupils was as great in the last year of his life as in the prime of manhood. He kept in close touch with the educational progress. In the summer of 1897 he announced his intention to retire at the close of the following school year, the fifty-fifth as teacher and fortieth as principal of Audubon school. A proposed memorial picnic in his honor was received enthusiastically by the hundreds of former pupils, may of whom were prominent business men, and the picnic, held on the second day of September, was a pronounced success in every respect and showed the great love and esteem borne him. An active member of the German Benevolent Society and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1855 he held positions of grand master and grand representative of the state.

In 1854, Professor Kretschmer was married to Anna Fengler, daughter of Rev. E. Fengler, and eight children blessed their union. He was taken ill in the school-room December 1, 1897, and died December 9, at the age of seventy-five years, ten months and twenty days, survived by his widow and five children, all residents of Dubuque: Eugenia A. Hollingsworth, directress of Fulton public kindergartens; Frank G., who died December 23, 1893; Sylvia A., wife of C. K. Mathis, secretary of the Mathis-Mets Company; Herbert C. president of the Kretschmer Manufacturing Company; Fred N., vice president and treasurer of same, and William M., secretary of the Dubuque Industrial Incorporation and member of the firm Kretschmer & Lee engaged in the insurance, real estate and loan business.

SOURCE: excerpts from History of Dubuque County pg 627-628.

Note: Obituary in the Dubuque Herald, December 10, 1897