Charlotte Sommer Gretsch

December 16

Perhaps, Charlotte was named after Charlotte Holzderber who had just recently married J. George Flammer. In 1880, the Sommer, Flammer and Holzderber families were all involved in the grocery and meat business. Louie Sommer, William's brother had married Carrie Flammer circa 1874. The connections between the three families, Sommer, Flammer and Holzderber remained close through the years. For example, in 1914, Willaim Flammer the son of Charlotte Holzderber and J.George Flammer would be a witness to the marriage of Theresa and William's son, Leo Sommer to Gertrude Rohe.

In the year that Charlotte Sommer was born, on June 4, Louis Sommer and his young family were living at the home of Louis' wife family, the Flammers.  Also living at that address, 901 Eight Avenue, was George Flammer age 23, a lawyer, the brother of Carrie Sommer. He was soon to marry Charlotte Holzderber. 

In that same summer, William and Theresa Sommer only lived about 13 block away. Theresa was pregnant with her sixth child when George Flammer married Charlotte Holzderber.  Perhaps, the young bride, Charlotte and Theresa became good friends. Or perhaps, Theresa just liked the name Charlotte. Theresa and William had already named their first daughter Susan Regina. Susan was the name of Theresa's mother and Regina was the name of William's mother. Another daughter Theresa was given her mother's name. Each of these little girls had died in infancy. Perhaps, Theresa and William decided to name their new daughter after Charlotte who had just married into the family.

For years Charlotte Holzderber's family, like the Flammer family and just recently Louis and William Sommer were all involved in the meat business in Manhattan.

At the time of her marriage in 1880, Charlotte Holzderber was living with her mother, Henrietta Holzderber a widow, her grandmother Barbara Becker and her three brothers John, Jacob and William Holzderber on West 28th Street in Manahattan. See photograph below in 1896 where several Holzerderbers are pictured. There is however, no picture of Charlotte Holzderber Flammer.

There was another little girl named Charlotte in the family circle. Charlotte Flammer born in 1877 was the daughter of Charles A. Flammer, the older brother of Carrie Flammer. Carrie was the sister in law of William and Theresa. William and Theresa would have know this little girl very well. The Sommer and Flammer families were often together.

At the time of Charlotte Sommer's birth, her family lived at
112 West 53rd Street NYC. For more information about the
neighborhood, to see a picture of what the house might have
looked like, and to lean more about the Rockefeller family
who also recently moved into the neighborhood, click on the
above address.

Click on birth certificate below to see enlargement.

For more information about the various places where the Sommer
family lived in the 1800's, go to the "Historical Addresses" site
on the home page.

The New York Times reported that the darkened streets
 "flooded with daylight" as the experiments
for this new type of lighting were being conducted.



This picture of Brush Arc Lights on Broadway, provides a
very clear glimpse into the world in which Charlotte was born.

The inventor of these lights, Charles Francis Brush had graduated
from the University of Michigan in 1869. Years later,
Charlotte's youngest son, Richard would graduate from the
same university and also have an illustrious career
in engineering and lighting.

To read more about Charlotte's son's career in lighting during
the second part of the 20th century go to:

 http://www.nu.com/aboutnu/clpco.asp

 and scroll down to " a period of complex growth" and look for
the name Gretsch.

 
For more information on Charles Francis Brush and
the lighting which illuminated Charlotte's babyhood
go to the website listed below:

http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/brush.html

This is the neighborhood Charlotte grew up in.
 

July 24

Regina was named after her grandmother, Regina Winklein Sommer ( see photo below). Regina was just days short of her second birthday when she died.

On little Regina's death certificate, 112 West 53rd Street is described as a multifamily dwelling, three families living there. Regina's family lived on the second floor. Baby Regina was buried with Philip and Regina Sommer at the Lutheran Cemetery in Brooklyn.

This is the same Cemetery where the victims General Slocum disaster  would be buried in 1904. See 1904 on this timeline for more details.

To learn more about Charlotte Sommer Gretsch and the General Slocum disaster read " Agility and Elegance" in the Essay section of this website.
 

Elliot Roosevelt, the brother of Theodore lived on West 55th Street, also in Charlotte's neighborhood. Elliot Roosevelt was the future father of Eleanor Roosevelt.

To see an enlargement of this picture and to learn more about Charlotte's grandmother, Regina Winklein Sommer, click on this picture.

At that time Madison Square Gardens was located at 5th Ave and 23rd Street. Charlotte was almost six years old. Surely, her older brothers were very interested in this Wild West Show and undoubtedly Charlotte was too. 

Did Charlotte go to the 17 mile opening day parade in June in New York City?

Annie Oakley was the most famous women in the whole country. Possibly, little Charlotte went to the show at Madison Square Garden. Surely, her older brothers, Philip and Louie were there. Anne Oakley and the Wild West Show was the talk of the town. Charlotte and her many cousins would have followed all the excitement.
 

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.
 

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.

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

Thank you, Sidney Newcomb for saving this priceless photograph and for sending it to Fred Jr. in 1962.

 

"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

In the summer of 1907,  there was a large outbreak of polio in New York City.. People, including the medical profession, didn't yet know exactly what polio was nor did they know its causes nor its treatment.

Since Willy was so little ( he was only 6 months old that summer) and couldn't tell his mother about his symptoms, Charlotte might have first become aware of his illness when she went to pick him up from his crib. He would have howled in pain at the slightest touch of her hand.

This must have scared Charlotte who was so used to her welcoming, smiley little "Willy Walter". She might have then for the first time noticed he had a small fever.

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

Something must be 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 the disease. 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 at the time of polio, gives a very terrifying picture of this young mother's thoughts as she dealt with her discovery.

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 o