History of the Rosentreters in Carlinville, Illinois, USA

Origins

Carlinville St Josephs Catholic Church

The Carlinville Rosentreters mostly appear to be descendants of Martin [I0411]  and Marriana [I0412]. This is a large family (over 500 at last count), Catholic, and (at least) sixteen descendants emigrated to America between 1700 and 1900. At least four of those descendants (and their families) located directly to Carlinville.

• Early 1880’s – Andreas Joseph (Andrew) [I0390] (a younger brother of Bishop Augustinus Johann Rosentreter) & Rosalie (Rosa) Shultz [I0391] from Chojnice County, Poland.

Stories

Memories of Andrew and Rosa (Shultz) Rosentreter
(As told by their Grand Daughter, Margaret Rose (Rosentreter) Bloome [I0413], in her 80th year, 1992)

We were told they came to America in the early 1880s. Grandpa became a citizen of the U.S. on March 29, 1888, having lived here for the required five years before becoming a citizen.

Grandpa was a medium size man. I think of him as about the size of Victor (Edit: her brother) or Elmer. Grandma was a petite little German lady. Grandpa had a full, long white beard. He liked to tease us girls by kissing us and rubbing our faces in his beard. We really didn’t like it.

When they arrived in America, they came directly to Carlinville.

The Catholic priest helped them get settled. They lived in a log house south of Carlinville, near the entrance to Lake Carlinville. Later, they moved west of town where they lived for many years. The farm is north of Lake Renker.

When they left Germany they had three small children: Joseph, Mary and baby Andrew. Grandma and the baby became very seasick. We were told baby Andrew died and was buried at sea.

Grandma and Grandpa raised a large family: Joseph, Mary, John, Grandma named another son Andrew, Paul, Peter, Albert, Regina and Alexander.

Joseph left home and went to work in Wisconsin. He worked for an undertaker. Later he became an undertaker and had a funeral home of his own in Milwaukee. He married and had two children: George and Olive. Joseph never returned, even for the funerals of his parents.

Mary married Frank Schwab. They had one son: Edward. They farmed.

John married Anna Mack. They had two daughters: Adriene and Anna Catherine. John also farmed. He died of tuberculosis of the lungs (T.B.) when the girls were quite small.

Andrew was next. He never married. He was engaged to be married when he had a hunting accident. He lost a leg. His bride-to-be broke the engagement. Grandma sent him for more schooling since he wouldn’t be able to work like his brothers. He was fitted with an artificial leg. He went to Wisconsin and worked for his brother Joe. He became a drifter and the family lost track of him. On his death, a friend notified Joseph, who prepared his body for burial and sent it home. He is buried in Old Calvary Cemetery.

Paul married Rose Leritz. They had seven children: Marie, Lucille, Agnes, Clarence, Robert, Harold and Leonard. Paul was a dairy farmer.

Do you have a story too?

(Last Update – 4 January 2021) This is a work in progress and more information will be added as it is discovered. If you have additional information, or want to tell a story, please email us.

Maps

Descendants & Family of Martin Rosentreter

Descendants & Family of Martin Rosentreter – Carlinville (Extract)