52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #21 Margaret Elizabeth Ditman

Margaret Elizabeth Ditman Wiedrich

My second great grandmother, Margaret Elizabeth Ditman is one of those ancestors that remains something of a mystery. She was born on 11 Dec 1827. One mystery is where. Whether it was France or Prussia or Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany is not clear. More than likely it was not France. Census records show her birthplace as Germany, Prussia and Hessen-Darmstadt. Her parents are unknown. Also unknown is whether she came to America alone or with her parents.

She married Henry Wiedrich, also an immigrant but from Alsace. The date was 21 Sept. 1852. They lived in Elba, Genesee Co., NY until sometime after 1870. The 1880 census has them living in Pembroke, NY as does the 1900 census. At the time of her death on 11 Jun 1907 she was living in Indian Falls, Genesee Co., NY which was probably the home of her daughter. She was buried in the Maple Lawn Cemetery, Elba, Genesee Co., NY.

The only other facts known are that she had a connection to the Methodist-Episcopal Church. Also according the census she was not able to read or write English but could speak it. Whether or not she could read or write her native language is not known. She may have been called Elizabets. Such a few small things are known about her to us today.

#Margaret Wiedrich, #Margaret Ditman, #Wiedrich, Margaret, #52 Ancestors, #Elba, NY

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #20 John Wiedrich

John Wiedrich

I have a picture of my great grandparents John H. and Sarah Wiedrich on the wall in my living room. I

John and Sarah Wiedrich

love that picture because they look like such a cute couple and full of mischievous fun. I was fortunate that I knew Sarah since she lived to be 100-yrs-old, but John died before I was born.

He was born 14 Sept 1857 in Stafford, Genesee Co., NY to Henry and Margaret Elizabeth (Ditman) Wiedrich. HIs parents were born in Alsace and Prussia making him a first generation American. By 1860 the family lived in Elba where he attended school. By 1875 he had moved to Pembroke and back to Elba by the 1880 census.

On 8 Mar 1896 he married Sarah Angeline (Corsett) Walworth, a widow who had a farm in Pembroke. In 1910 they left the farm and went to live in Batavia, NY. There he worked as a fireman and woodworker for the Wiand Plow farm implement factory. At times he served as a constable and inspector of elections.

During the difficult 1930s depression years he would often cut firewood with his son Edward, my grandfather. I often heard the story of how my grandfather would often tell him to stop wearing a baggy old sweater when they cut but he wouldn’t listen. Then one day when they were out in the woods his sweater caught in the chain saw and it cut his arm almost entirely off. My grandfather used a belt to make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and get him to the hospital. The arm couldn’t be saved. After that he was very resourceful strapping whatever tool he needed to use to his arm stump and completing the task.

He died on 2 Jun 1942 and was buried in Maple Lawn Cemetery in Elba, NY. He and Sarah had seven children, Edward, Lydia, Helen, Chester, Bertha, James and John.

#Wiedrich, John, #John Wiedrich, #Batavia, NY, #52 Ancestors, #Elba, NY, #Pembroke, NY