NB.
This picture is taken outside which is unusual for the time.

This virtual picture was given to Gretchen Elsner-Sommer in May of 2005 by Barbara Sommer Shea.
Gretchen is the granddaughter of Charlotte Sommer and Barbara is the daughter of John Sommer.
 

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

The date on the picture reads "Bath Beach in 1895?"

Also pictured are members of the Flammer and Holzderber families.

Charlotte is the first girl in the second row on the left. Her Aunt Carrie Flammer Sommer stands behind her. Also included in the picture are Charlotte's older brothers Phil and Louie (third and fourth from left on top row). Standing next to these boys is their mother Theresa Leicht Sommer. Charlotte's younger brother Charlie is the fourth child from the left on the bottom row. Next to him is Charlotte's youngest brother John. Another brother Leo is the boy on the end of this row. Sitting in the first row amongst their cousins are Louie and Carrie's children, Arthur, Augusta, an unidentified boy behind, and George.  William Sommer, Charlotte's father is on the far right on the top row.   Next to him is a Holzderber man. Also, the first man on the top row is a Holzderber. Perhaps, these are the brothers of Charlotte Flammer, John, Jacob or William Holzderber.

This picture was taken after the death of Louis Sommer. Louie's widow Carrie Flammer Sommer and several of his children are in the picture. Members of Louie's wife's family, Flammer, are also in the picture. Carrie Flammer Sommer's brother  J. George Flammer was married to Charlotte Holzderber. Sitting next to Charlotte Sommer are unidentified persons named Mrs. Cook, and her sister. Next is Mrs. Holzderber (The mother of Charlotte Flammer) Grandma and Grandma Flammer (Carrie Flammer Sommer's mother). I am thankful to Carlotta Shaw whose husband Ransom Shaw is the grandson of Arthur Sommer. Carlotta pointed out for me the connection between the Holzderber family and the Flammer family.

The connection to The Fort Lowry Hotel was pointed out to me by Harry M. Anderson. Harry is married to Caddy Flammer, the granddaughter of Charlotte Holzderber Flammer.

The original identification at the bottom of the photo was done by John Sommer, the youngest brother of Charlotte. Later, his daughter Barbara Sommer Shea added more information.

Click on this image to see an enlargement.
 

Also, in the 1900 census, Charlotte is not given an occupation. Right, next door at 243 is another 19 year old girl Alice Brown. She also does not have an occupation. I wonder if she and Charlotte were friends.

William and Theresa lived at the above address with their children Louis, Charlotte, Charles, Leo and John. Also in the household was a 45 year old single white Male with the initials William Roberts. His occupation is a bookkeeper and he owns his own business. His is recorded as a lodger. What is strange is that his name appears right below Charlotte's and above the names of her younger brothers who are listed on the next page. Usually, the children are all listed together.
There are also two women servants from Germany. Louisa Belzner age 22 and Sophie Hirner age 29.

In the 1905 New York Census, Charlotte and L.R are no longer living at this address and two other women have replaced the maids.

Quite possibly, Charlotte went to the festivities with her younger brothers. Perhaps, she went with her fiancé, Fred Gretsch.
 

Wedding Document of Charlotte & Fred Gretsch.
Click on the image to see enlargement.

Charlotte's first cousin Clara Schmidt was one of the witnesses. Clara was the daughter of William Sommer's youngest sister Anna Sommer Schmidt. In 1872, Charlotte's mother Theresa also had her first cousin Carrie Meyer as a witness in her wedding. So both brides, mother in 1872 and daughter in 1904, having no sisters, choose their first cousins as witnesses and maids of honor at their wedding.

According to "The Music Trades" a trade magazine, Fred traveled extensively throughout the United States in the early part of the 20th century. So, Charlotte was presumably often home alone after her marriage.

This very small photo of a very young Charlotte Gretsch might have been the identification picture which she carried on her wedding trip. According to the National Archives passports were not necessary at this time for American citizens.

According to Fred's passport application in 1921, he was not in Europe in this time frame. His earliest trip to Europe was 1911. However, I still have a hunch that he took his young bride to Europe on their wedding/business trip.
 

78 Nostrand Ave is only one and a half blocks from 20 Hart Street where the Gretsch family lived from the early 1890's until 1903.
The location is also near the Gretsch factory on South 4th Street.

It is interesting that Fred and Charlotte lived so close to where the Gretsch family just recently lived.

The only copy available of young Fred's birth certificate was one that was made on September 22, 1922 and sworn to by his father, Fred Gretsch.

 "Dear Fred, This is an old picture of you taken many years ago. Hope you like it. Sidney Newcorn, March 1, 1962"

Thank you, Sidney Newcorn for saving this priceless photograph and for sending it to Fred Jr. in 1962. The family ties in the music business go very far back.

In the early 1890's John Henry Buckbee made a banjo for Harry Newcorn, the father of Sydney. Harry was a musical distributor at that time. Harry probably new the young Frederick Gretsch well in the 1890's. In 1897, William P Rettberg, an employed of Gretsch since 1889 would purchase John Henry Buckee's factory and rename it Rettberg & Lange.

In 1966, Sam Ash and Newcorn created a corporation together. Gretsch, Newcorn, Ash....all  members of the Music Business in the 1960's with histories which stretched back into the  much earlier part of this century.

 

"Troop C" armory erected in 1904-5 on Bedford Street between President and Union. This new Amory was a model structure. Charles I De Bevoise, Captain. Former quarters were North Portland Ave. This Calvary troop, organized in 1895, served in Puerto Rico in the Spanish American War from May to November in 1898 and in 1900 at the Croton Dam Labor Strike." Kings View of Brooklyn. This Armory was just a few block from where the Gretsch boys grew up on President's Street. The young Gretsch children would have been well aware of its significance in their neighborhood. For more informaiton about the importance of Armories in American history and to see a detail from the original "Troop C. Armory" in Brooklyn go to: http://crm.cr.nps.gov/archive/19-1/19-1-1.pdf

The summer of 1907 is most likely the time when Charlotte’s infant son, Willy, came down with polio. The disease would cripple him for the rest of his life.

That summer, there was a large outbreak of polio in New York City. At the time, the medical profession was not fully aware of exactly what polio was. Nor did the medical profession know its causes or its proper treatment.

Since Willy was still so little (he was only 6 months old), he couldn't tell his mother about his symptoms. She did not know that he had been suffering a head ache or a slight sore throat for a few days. Suddenly, the symptoms became acute.

Charlotte first become aware of his illness quite emphatically. One summer afternoon, as she went to pick Willy up from his crib, he howled in pain at the slight touch of her hand.

Charlotte who was so used to the welcoming smiles of her little "Willy Walter" as he awoke from his nap was taken aback.  It was then, that she first noticed he had a small fever.

A short time after that Charlotte noticed that her baby's little legs did not playfully kick up to her when she tried to change his diaper. Rather, they laid unusually limp on the hard surface of the changing table. She would have sensed immediately that something was terribly wrong.

Charlotte's fear can only be imaged as there is no record of it.

She only knew the bare facts that were known at the time about polio. It was a killer, a mutilator of infants and children and it was spreading rapidly around the city.

Knowing how much a mother can love her six month old baby and knowing what Charlotte knew about polio at the time, paints a vivid and terrifying picture of this young mother's thoughts as she dealt with her discovery.

Imagine the confidence and the courage, her grandchildren would gain from listening to their grandmother’s heroic story---a confidence almost as good as gold.
 

Please note that Richard was born just one day before the fourth anniversary of the General Slocum Disaster. One thousand people mostly women and children were killed on that day in 1904. See above.

New Yorkers would have remembered this date well, as Americans today remember 9/11.

     

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

It is interesting to note that there are three generations of the family represented.
A special dog appears in several pictures and there is even a kitten for the little children.                                                                                            

Many of the pictures in the album have not yet been identified. However, the picture below are surely of Charlotte and her family. Note the tent in the background of the auto picture.
Perhaps, the family camped out when they visited their Sommer relatives.

Click on each image to see an enlargement.

Charlotte and Fred with
Willy Walter and Freddie.

The photos below are from the same album.
Pictured here are Philip Sommer, Charlotte's oldest brother with his wife Augusta (Gussie) and their children.
Charlotte is their oldest daughter, Emilie the second daughter and William Sommer.
These children were first cousins to the Gretsch boys pictured above.

     


Theresa, her son Charlie and granddaughter, perhaps Clara Sommer, daughter of Louie Sommer.

         At some point in the time frame of Willy Walter's toddler hood, he contracted polio.
His younger brother Richard told his own son Rick in 2005 that Bill had had polio since he was a toddler.
Looking at the pictures above of the Gretsch boys on the beach it is noticeable that Willy Walter's right foot may have been having some difficulty.
 

In 1980, Ted Clauss wrote to me that the American Academy of Dramatic Arts was a four year program held at Carnegie Hall.
Before entering that course, Helene studied at The Emerson School Of Elecution in Boston, Mass.
 

Click on the image for an enlargement.

Ted Clauss wrote further of Helen's work " Aunt Helen's first work in the theater was secured for her through the Academy, and she had small parts in plays with De Wolfehopper. Later, she toured in  straight with Sidney Drew, in light comedy, and also with John Drew, in the heavy stuff. She did no musicals. During the years she did several short plays with Wiliam Farnaum, one of which I saw at the Flatbush Theater in 1918, and can still remember it. She had a regular agent, who shipped her on tours all over the U.S. and Canada. She used the stage name Helene Hope . She also toured with Otis Skinner of theatre fame and knew Cornelia Otis Skinner the  monologuist (?)"
 

The US Census in this year also notes that Charlotte's oldest brother Philip L Sommer is living in Passaic, New Jersey at 96 high Street with his wife Augusta, daughter Charlotte age 10 born in New York, daughter Emile born in New York, age 7, son William age 6 born in New York and son Philip, 3 months. Two servants Theresa Hukel age 18 and Ida Morakovitch age 16 both born in Germany are also listed. Theyowned this house and Philip worked as a manager of wholeesale houses(?). The family would live at this address for many years.

Note the family pictures above of Philip and his family.
 

This picture of Charlotte's older sons Fred and Willy Walter was probably taken at 285 Kingston Ave. in Brooklyn circa 1910 in the winter time.
Click on the image to see an enlargement.
Note again the lard shoe on Willy Walter's right foot.
 To read an essay about this photo, go to the home page and on the navigation bar select "Essays". Then select "Unrecorded Influence".
 

While Charlotte didn't know of her family's future connections to the Astor family, she most certainly was very much aware of the sinking of this "unsinkable" ship.

February 13

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

                         

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

Note: Pete Sweeney standing up in back; Bill (aka Willy) in front left corner; Fred in front right corner; Ray McGill between Fred and Bill; Dick in back of Ray; Milton Guick in back of Bill.
 

On the back of the photo, the photographer's stamp reads: Horses in Action, Home Portraits, 55 Cedar St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Phone 6768 Brunswick. H.G. Grimmell, Speed Photographer.

 

Click on the images to see enlargements. Note Charlotte's beautiful hand writing.

 " After we merged with the Manufacturer's National Bank in 1914, there was a row of unsightly building taking up the whole block below the office of the Manufacturer's National Bank. Acting upon my creative policy as bank president, I prevailed upon Fred and Walter Gretsch to plan a large manufacturing building on that site, helped them with their plans and with their financing, including assisting in securing a first mortgage on the building.
They were so grateful for all the time and assistance I had given them, which included nights and Sundays, that they insisted on giving Mrs. Jonas a certificate for $2000.00 of the preferred stock in the new building cooperation. While I felt that here was one case where perhaps the taking of this stock by Mrs. Jonas was justified, I would not accept it until I had presented the letter and the offer to the Board of Directors of my bank.
When they approved of its acceptance, a notation was made in the minutes of the meeting to that effect. It happened that this was the only case where I permitted stock to be presented to either Mrs. Jonas or myself. After I had left the bank this matter was scrutinized by my successors but my record was crystal-clear."

Charlotte, whose husband was away so often during the planning and construction process was also certainly  affected on a very personal level by the growth of her husband's business. She would have discussed this with her friend Jennie Jonas. The friendship of Jennie Jonas and Charlotte Gretsch was often described as "intimate" in Nathan's autobiography.
 

New York Times: Miss Rohe Weds Leopold Sommer
Miss Gertrude Rohe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rohe of 17 West Eighty-seventh Street, was married to Leopold Sommer at 8 o'clock last evening in the church of the Advent, Broadway and Ninety Third Street. The Reverend Walter M. Horn, Minster of the church officiated.
Miss Elsa Dohse was maid of honor. the brides-maids were the Misses Vivienne Kranich, Olga Moore and Frances Paine.
Mr. Sommer had as his best man his brother Charles W. Sommer. the ushers were John Dohse, John Sommer, William Flammer, and Charles Rohe Jr.
The ceremony was followed by a reception at the Hotel Savoy.

Please note that one of the ushers was William Flammer. This was a first cousin of Leo's first cousin Arthur Sommer. William Flammer lived at the time at 124 West 87th Street, not too far from where the bride lived. Perhaps, it was through William Flammer that Leo and Gertrude met.
 

"From the collection of Timothy J. Mallery, http://www.catskillarchive.com".
Click on this image to see an enlargement.         

This picture of the Gretsch boys was given to Gretchen Elsner-Sommer in the fall of 2002 by Barbara Sommer Shea.  It was found in a photograph album belonging to Charlie Sommer. Charlie was a younger brother of Charlotte. It's not surprising to find a picture of Charlie's young nephews in his photo album.

In these years, when the family traveled to Elka Park, they would have taken a boat from Manhattan up the Hudson and " almost certainly landed at Kingston Point, to meet the U&D train to Phoenicia, and then the train to Tannersville."
Thank you, Timothy J. Mallery for this archival information about travel in the Catskills.

These old postcard give a clear picture of just what travel looked like in that neck of the woods, when Charlotte's boys were small. You can almost see Charlotte and her boys in the crowds at the station.


The U&D RR Station, Catskill Mountains, Tannersville, New York.


Station at Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, New York

Catskill Mts. New York, The Incline Railway

Once the family arrived, they most likely stayed here in the Club House.

Elka Park Club, Tannersville, Catskill Mts. N.Y.

Or perhaps, they stayed in the Kliegl home. Charlotte's brother John, had many friends at Elka Park in this era of his bachelorhood. Below is a picture postcard from the Klieg's porch. Tim Mallery describes the scenery, "The view is directly north, the mountains in the distance are Thomas cole, Balck Dome, and Blackhead."

"From the collection of Timothy J. Mallery, http://www.catskillarchive.com".
    

  "From the collection of Timothy J. Mallery, http://www.catskillarchive.com".   

In 1925, John Sommer married the Kliegl's daughter, Frances. It is unclear if Charlotte and her boys traveled to Elka Park before John married Frances Kliegl. However, Dick Gretsch, Charlotte's youngest boy has a clear memory of breaking his nose climbing the tree in Frances Kliegl Sommer's yard in Elka Park.

To see enlargements of these postcards, click on the images.
 

 
Click on the image to see an enlargement.
The Times continued "Little Miss Emilie Sommer, a niece of the bridegroom  as the flower girl wore a frock of white lace and chiffon and carried an inverted leghorn hat filled with rose petals. John Sommer was his brother's best man. The ushers included George Kaiser Jr., Leopold and Louis Sommer, brothers of the bridegroom and Arthur Sommer his cousin." .

 

A digital copy of this picture of Frances May Duval on her wedding day June 1, 1915 was sent to me by my cousin Judy Gretsch Getchell. The real picture hangs in her father's apartment in Danbury, Connecticut. It was just two weeks before Dick's seventh birthday in 1915 when he posed for this picture.

It is interesting that the New York Times doesn't mention Dick Gretsch and the other little girl in this picture. Both Dick and his unnamed cohort are carrying Shepard's staffs. Perhaps, they served as ushers and were not considered by the New York Times as part of the wedding.

This precious picture saved by Dick for more than 90 years proves that there is much more to history than what is published in the New York Times.

Charlotte must have been very pleased with and proud of her adorable youngest son in his white satin pants and ruffled shirt.

These must be the "unsightly buildings" that Nathan Jonas referred to in his autobiography, Through the Years.

" After we merged with the Manufacturers National Bank in 1914, there was a row of unsightly building taking up the whole block below the office of the Manufacturers National Bank. Acting upon my creative policy as bank president, I prevailed upon Fred and Walter Gretsch to plan a large manufacturing building on that site. helped them with their plans and with their financing including assistance in securing a first mortgage in the building."

This building was 60 Broadway. 

For more information about the relationship between the Gretsch family and Nathan Jonas, see "The Library" section of this website. There you can read more about Jonas' autobiography, Through The Years, in which Charlotte Gretsch and her husband, Fred are frequently mentioned.
 

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An article in the NYT  July 15, 1915 discussed how  a traveler with children under 16 years of age had to present " a health certificate from the health authorities" at the point of departure stating that his premises were free from polio.  "The children accompanying traveler had been inspected and show no evidence of the disease." It was a U.S. Public Health Service Certificate. Did Rosa have to get such a certificate to take her grandson with her?

Copy of these certificates can be found, Record Group 90-1712, Box 157, National Archives, D.C. Do they have a record there of the certificates issued?

Years later, Teddy remembers that three operations were preformed on Bill. I remember Teddy telling me that the thought at the time was that if you cut the tendon it would grow back stronger.

The Treatment of Infantile Paralysis  by Robert W. Lovett M.D. was published in 1917. Chapter V entitled Treatments discusses " Operative -Operations to improve function-tendon transplantation- Nerve transplantation- Operations to improve stability-Athrodesis-Substitutues for Arthrodesis of the Ankle-Silk Ligaments-Tenodesis-Astragalectomy-Tendon Shortenng-Summary of Operative Measures."

I sure Charlotte and her husband heard all these terms as they consulted with the doctors and were advised of the best operations for their son.

In the section on Tendon Shortening, Lovett writes " A few words should be said about the stretched and elongated tendons in infantile paralysis because it would be such an obviously simple thing to do and if effective it would have a wide application. But in general it is unsatisfactory probably because in most instances the conditions which caused the stretching in the first place are still existent and will cause it again, because paralyzed tendons appear to stretch under continued tension."  Is this what happened to my Dad?

More than 80 years later, Teddy believes that the doctors didn't really know what they were doing at the time. The danger of infection was great . Bill was lucky he survived these operations.

I imagine that one of my father's operation was the Tendon Shortening operation mentioned above.

The operations did Bill no harm but they also did him no good. Maybe these operations were preformed to relieve (something like a swelling). Uncle Teddy was very angry about these operations. The doctors were so inadequate. Poor Teddy is still after so many years so sad about his cousin's illness.
Charlotte's worries and fears for her children must have been great.