BIRKHOLZ, Dorthea Sophie (Gehrke) 1849-1897

BIRKHOLZ, GEHRKE, GJERKE

Posted By: Betty Silvia (email)
Date: 6/9/2017 at 09:43:23

This is a translation of the German obituary. Her maiden name is also spelled “Gjerke” as well as using the name “Sophia Dorthea” in other public records.

Mrs. Birkholz died suddenly on Saturday morning from an internal bleeding. The exact cause could not be determined September 4, 1897. The burial took place on Sunday afternoon with great participation from family and friends.

Mrs. Dorthea Sophie Birkholz (nee Gehrke) was born January 12, 1949 in Tattun, Arnswalkd County, Prussia. Soon after her birth her father moved to RIB. There she attended school and church instructions in the village of Kurtow. After her confirmation she lived with her parent until 1871 when she immigrated to America.

At first, she lived in Ripon, Wisconsin. There in the fall of the same year she married William Birkholz, her surviving husband. They had three boys and three girls, all surviving. After the wedding, the young couple lived for one year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The deceased often had sickness which she overcame. In the past spring and summer she seemed to suffer melancholy. Therefore her husband took her to her relatives in Detroit, Michigan and went on other outings. The success was obviously a good one. Her depression seemed to cease. She participated in everything and was able to be cheerful again. The Lord took her on Saturday morning in a quick death.

She used to get up early, do her work and sit her family to breakfast table. She had hardly come to eat when she complained of nausea and withdrew to her bedroom. There she sat on the bed for awhile. But when she turned from the window, she staggered and was caught by her husband. After that she lived only a short time. Her ending was apparently an easy one. An internal bleeding must have occurred. She managed to become 48 years, 7 months and 22 days old.

The burial was on Sunday after the service at the Lutheran church.

SOURCE: A newspaper clipping in the Birkholz family papers. The article was written in German language and likely originally published in Charles City, Iowa. A copy of the clipping was included in a Birkholz family scrapbook compiled by Carol Spicer, of Thompson, North Dakota in 2008. Sophia Birkholz is my great-great grandmother.

Note: Mrs. Birkholz is buried in Riverside Cemetery and shares a tall headstone with her husband.

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Floyd Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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