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Assembled from Brooklyn and Manhattan Directories, birth, death and cemetery records.
Emilie Gretsch wrote in her essay "The Gretsch Family in America" that her father Jacob Gretsch who was born in Germany in the 1820's had been living in Belgium since 1848 before coming to the US in 1852.
However, wedding, birth and death documents place Jacob in Trier in this interim time period.
In Nov. 1849 Jacob signed a birth document in Trier for his daughter, Maria Rosina Dorothea.
In Feb.1850, Jacob and Rosina Maria Artz were married in Trier.
In Feb, 1851 his infant daughter Rosina died.
In December 1851, Jacob signed a death certificate for his stillborn daughter also in Trier.
So if Jacob had lived in Belgium, he didn't live there long before he left for America in 1852.
I found a Jacob B. Gretsch sailing from La Harve on the "Galia" on April 22, 1852. He is listed as a Wurtenburg farmer
On June 6, 1853, according to her daughter Emilie, Rosina Maria Artz arrived in NYC from La Harve. Having set sail on May 4th.
I found her leaving London on April 19th of that year on the ship "Wisconsin".
Emily born March 12, 1854. Rosina died in Brooklyn 1858. Her sister Anna came to US in 1854 and lived with her sister until Rosina’s death. Jacob married Anna in 1868.)
******
1859-1860
| Jacob Gretsch, engraver 58 Miserole Street |
| (not found in 1860 census index in New York State) |
1867
| Jacob Gretsch engraver 64 Nassau NY, 176 Montrose |
1869
| Wilhemina Theodora born May 10 |
1871
| June 1, Emilie Gretsch gets her first teaching appointment in the Brooklyn schools. |
| June 5, August Gretsch comes to America |
| October 25, Pauline Gretsch comes to America. She is the daughter of Carl Gretsch from Boppard. Carl is the brother of Jacob Gretsch. Pauline is first cousin to Emilie and Wilhelmina. |
1872
| October 14, Anna Gretsch died. Anna is the sister of Jacob's first wife. She is Jacob's second wife and the mother of Wilhelmina. The family lives at 329 South 2nd Ave. |
1873
| Jacob Gretsch h 329 South 2nd Street. |
| May 13, Fritz Gretsch, nephew of Jacob comes to America. Fritz is first cousin to Emilie and Wilhelmina. |
1874
|
Jacob marries Bertha Wintermantel from the Black Forest Donaueschingen. |
1875
| William Gretsch, step brother to Fritz Gretsch, is living at St. Mark's Place |
| Louie Gretsch comes to America |
1877
| Feb. 23, William Gretsch born, son of Jacob and Bertha |
| October 16, Pauline Gretsch, sister of Fritz Gretsch comes to America. |
1878
| John Gretsch Jeweler h. 102 Lewis Ave |
| Anna Maria Philippina, (Aunt Bena) Feb. 21, Bena comes to America. She is a sister of Fritz, Louis and Pauline Gretsch. |
| July 8, Dora born to Jacob and Bertha. |
1879
| Jacob Gretsch engraver h. 102 Lewis Ave |
| William Gretsch ( Jacob’s nephew) wines Fulton Street 37 4th St. E.D. |
| Lewis Gretch ( another nephew) bookkeeper 105 Wilson |
| Fritz marries Rosa, Fritz living at 46 E.39(?) New York |
1880
| Frederick W. Bookkeeper 200 S 5th Street |
| Louis Gretsch Bookkeeper 105 Wilson |
| William Gretsch, home 35 Fourth St.
Brooklyn. William Gretsch Wines 98 Fulton, William and Meyer, wines 98
Fulton
June 17, 1880 According to US Census, living with his wife Mary age 37 born in Germany. wine merchant William Gretsch wine merchant 37 4th E.D. , September 30, 1880 William Gretsch, 194 Kocziusko Street, Brooklyn, became an American Citizen. He first applied June 15, 1876. |
| Jacob lives at 102 Lewis Ave, with Bertha and children and Bena. |
1883
| Jacob died April 23, 1883, 102 Lewis Ave |
1884
| William Gretsch, 247 Vernon
Street in Brooklyn, according to Louis Gretsch naturalization
application. Louie Gretsch, 58 E. 3rd Street, New York. |
1885
| Fred Gretsch drums 134 1st Street E.D. home 866 Willoughby Ave |
| William Gretsch, 212 Vernon Ave home, 98 Fulton Street (same place as Louie years later) |
| Sept 1, Pauline Gretsch Benzing dies at 102 Lewis Ave. |
| Wilhelmina Gretsch graduated from P.S. 25 on Lafayette Ave not far from Lewis Ave. |
1887
| Adolph Schnappauf died at 123 Vernon Ave. listed as banjo maker |
1889
At the time of their marriage,
Max and Philipina Gretsch Morgner living at 300 East 20th, NYC.
 This
building at 304 East 20th St is in 2003, the New York Health and Racket
Club. Perhaps, the same builidng was there when Philippine and her husband
lived nearby. In 2003, there is a children's playground at the 300 number. PS
40 is just a little east of Philippine's old building on the same block. This
cornice is near east 20th and Second Ave and is of the same vintage as
Philippine's absent building.It is interesting that Philippine and her husband lived in Manhattan. Most of the Gretsch family lived at the time in Brooklyn. Was she perhaps, attempting to show some independence after she returned from Germany? It didn't last long. she soon moved to Brooklyn. By 1895, Max and Philippine were back in the same neighborhood. What drew them here? Did Max have family here? |
1890
| Berta Gretsch Widow (Jacob) 340 Stockton "We had one flat in Stockton and just Grandmother and Herman had two rooms on same floor but in a different apartment" Dora letter 3/2/61 |
| Frederick Gretsch banjos 130 Middleton h. 20 Hart St. |
| William Gretsch & Meyer wines 98 Fulton h. 268 Hart St. |
| (William Gretsch becomes involved with the Meyer family. His young nephew Fred Gretsch lives down the block on Hart Street. The Meyers have a cousin Charlotte Sommer. Carrie Meyer was in Charlotte’s mother’s wedding. This is all imagination but maybe it is how Fred and Charlotte met.) |
| Louie Gretsch plushgds, 78 Murphy h. 434 E 87th |
| Louis Gretsch wines & Rehmke 98 Fulton h 434 E87th St. |
| Louis clearly took over the wine business in 1890-91 from his older half-brother William who then probably went back to Heidelberg. |
| March, Louie’s 1st child Clara born. |
1891
| 1891 Louis Gretsch is listed in the Manhattan directory |
| Frederick Gretsch banjos 130 Middleton h. 20 Hart St. |
| Karl Gretsch, 442 Eighth Ave, Brooklyn |
| William Gretsch & Meyer wines 98 Fulton h. 268 Hart St. |
| Max and Philippine Morgner, 319 Marcy Ave. |
| Nov. Louie's second child Olga born. |
1892
| Karl Gretsch, 1618 8th Ave, Brooklyn, bookeeper |
| Bertha & her children living at Stockton, she died there in March |
| Emily and Wilhelmina living on 33 Central |
| Louie Gretsch ( as per guardianship papers) 501 Willoughby |
| Philippine Morgner 319 Marcy (baby Hans born here) |
| Baby Hans died at 96 South 10th Street. |
| Jacob Gretsch living at 319 Hart Street |
| Ursula Wintermantal ( Grandmother to Dora William and Ralph Gretsch) living at 73 Montrose. |
1893
| August, Louie's third child Wilhelmina born. |
1894
| April 4, Wilhelmina and Emily bought property at 670 Decatur from A. Stuart and Harriet A. Walsh. They took a mortgage from A. Stuart and it was discharged Feb. 29, 1898. |
| Max Morgner, engraver, 96 South 10th Street, Brooklyn |
1895
| Louis Gretsch listed in Manhattan directory |
| Louis Gretsch Wines & Meyer & Rehmke 98 Fulton h. 20 Vernon Brooklyn |
| April, Fritz died in Germany. His step brother William is already living in Germany. |
| Max Morgner, engineer (?) h. 303 E. 19th St. NYC |
1896
| Philippine Morgner, 247 E. 21st ST. NYC |
1897
| Feb.2, Caroline Schnappauff died at 20 Hart Street |
| Lain's Brooklyn Directory (on the net): |
| Rosa Gretch (sic) w'Fred'k musicalinst.mfr 108 S.4th.h.20 Hart |
| Gretsch, Charles cigars 96 Fulton St.NYC, h. 1618 8th Ave |
| Gretsch, Emily dressmaker, h.670 Decatur |
| Gretsch, Fred'k, musicalinsts. 20 Hart |
| Gretsch, Louie, wines, NY h. 20 Vernon Ave. |
Jacob Gretsch dies at 247 E. 21st Street NYC. The home of
his sister Philipine Morgner Window
across the street from 247 E. 21st Street. Picture taken in 2002.
The building that Philippine lived in is no longer there but she
might have looked out her window and seen this building at 248 E.
21st Street. To see the same picture larger, click on the
image. |
1898
| Februray 29, Emilie and Wilhhelmine pay off their mortgage early. Emily made extra money making dresses. |
July, 25th, Max Morgner died at 247 E. 21st Street
(Manhattan) This
is a larger view of the building across from Philippine address. |
| Max Morgner bdgh. 247 E. 21st Street(Were Max and Philippine running a bdgh (Boardinghouse)when he died?) |
1900
| Rosa is living at 20 Hart Street |
| David Kling working as a butler at 157 Clinton Street, Husted |
| Charles and Sophie Gretsch, Robert age 7, 8th Ave, Brkly |
| Emilie and Wilhelmina living at 670 Decatur |
| Philippine Gretsch Morgner living at Bay 22nd St near Cropsey (running a boarding house) |
1902
| Fred Gretsch, Musical Instruments, 104 S. 4th St. h. 20 Hart |
| Louis, wine 42 Frankfort St. Mhtn., h 20 Vernon Ave |
| Rosa, widow Fred, 20 Hart Street. ( Their house is sold in October to Josephine Gatter, valued at $8,000) |
1903
| Rosa Gretsch and children living on Bay 25th Street & Benson Ave . Not far from Philippine Gretsch Morgner. |
1904
| Fred living in Bensonhurst at time of his marriage to Charlotte. |
1905
| Fred and Charlotte, 178 Nostrand Ave, birth of Fred, March 10th |
|
Philippine Gretsch Morgner living at Bay 20th near Benson Avenue. William Gretsch, son of Jacob and Bertha, and his wife and two children are living in Philippine Morgner's boarding house. Rosa Gretsch is living at Bay 25th St. & Benson Avenue in Bensonhurst. Walter Gretsch is living there too. April 24, 1905 The Fred Gretsch Realty Company is incorporated. Rosa, Fred and Walter sign the papers |
1906
| Dec 13, 285 Kingston Ave, William Gretsch, son of Fred and Charlotte Sommer Gretsch is born. |
1907
| April 13, Louie Gretsch dies, 20 Vernon Street |
| June 24, Rosa living on 71 Bay 25th Street at time of her marriage to David Kling |
1908
| June 2, Elsa living at 285 Kingston Ave at time of her marriage to Joseph Clausee. Louis and Helen are witnesses. |
1909
| June 15(?) Dick Gretsch, son of Fred and Charlotte Sommer Gretsch is born. |
1910
| March 31, Teddy Clauss born |
1913
| Emilie Gretsch teacher 670 Decatur |
| Fred 104 South 4th St. h. 385 Kington Ave. |
| Carl Gretsch cigars, 576 Central Street |
1914
| December, Philippine Gretsch Morgner committs suicide at Bay 23rd St. Street, Myra Cottage |
| Fred Gretsch and family living at 1460 President Street. |
1938
| January 15, Emily Gretsch died at 670 Decatur Ave. |
Checked Brooklyn death records Gretsch:
1936 Hertha Jan.18,
1934
1935
1908
1921
1923 Charles Gretsch 61 years old #13276
1924
1925
1926
1927
1922
Brooklyn Marriages
1884-1894 no Gretsch marriages except for Charles 6-2-91
No Benzing, no Morgner
1877 -1878- No Benzing- no Gretsch
79, 80, 81 -No Benzine
81-82- No Gretsch