Frieda Emma Schubert

Frieda Emma Schubert [Tagatz]
aka Friederike
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The Tagatz Family (left to right):
Front - Adaline, Laura, Hugo, Evaline , Arnold
Back - Fred, Frieda

There may be transcription errors in this web site [especially when original documents are hard to read]. Check the originals to verify any information you need.

Detail Source of Information

Born:
May 3, 1874 in Richford, Waushara Co., WI Her husband, Fred Tagatz, had a Bible which says Frieda Emma Tagatz (nee Schubert) was born May 3, 1874 in town Richford, County of Waushara, State of Wisconsin. This Bible also names Frieda's and Fred's children. [I have a copy of this Bible page.]
The Social Security death index on ancestry.com confirms her date of birth, and the 1900 Federal Census shows her month/year of birth (see census entry below).
Her baptism record shows she was christened as Friederike Emma on May 17, 1874. This record confirms her date of birth and lists her parents as Ludwig Schubert and Julianna Wichner. Sponsors were Henriette Dreger and Christian Henne. [SOURCE: St. Paul Lutheran Church at Crystal Lake: A History of the Stone Church, by JoAnn Groskreutz, Westfield, WI]

Parents:
John Ludwig Schubert and Maria Julianna Wichner See birth/baptismal record information above, and the 1880 Federal Census entry below.

Marriage:
Nov. 18, 1895 at Richford, Waushara Co., WI Fred Tagatz married Frieda on Nov. 18, 1895 at Richford, Waushara Co., WI; married in Richford Lutheran Church by Rev. G. Melchert; F.W. Knappe, Pastor; Witnesses - Adolph Tagatz and August Beutler [SOURCE: I have a note that says this is from Vol. D, p. 112; I have not seen this record myself.]

Child 1:
Adelia Edith Tagatz
b. June 9, 1897;
d. Nov. 7, 1897 Family notes say she was born June 9, 1897 in the Village of Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday [Book 2, p. 73]; baptized by Rev. Martin Mueller; died Nov. 7, 1897; buried in Westfield East Cemetery. [I did not confirm this information with independent sources.]
Adaline Tagatz's estate documents (drawn up after Adaline's death) said that Adaline had a sister named Lila as well as a sister named Adelia; Lila and Adelia could well have been the same person. My Great-Aunt Adaline wrote a letter to my grandmother Evaline Tagatz which said: "...The name Lilah is not the name of a culprit, murderer or anything like that. I have been acquainted with several girls whose name was Lilah, which name mother wanted." Adaline claimed that her sister was baptized with the name of Adelia Edith Tagatz at the insistence of her father and Pastor Martin Mueller, despite the objections of her mother.
Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date and place of birth and her date of death. Her tombstone says "Adelia E. Tagatz 1897-1897."

Child 2:
Adaline Eleanora Tagatz
b. Oct. 11, 1898;
d. Jan. 24, 1992 Family notes say she was born Oct. 11, 1898 in the Village of Westfield at 7 p.m. Tuesday [Book 2, pg. 93]; baptized Nov. 6, 1898; confirmed June 30, 1912; died Jan. 24, 1992; buried at Eastside Cemetery in Westfield; never married and had no children; she was in the insurance business. She attended Teachers' Training Course, according to a 1917 Commencement Announcement in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI. She was very active in the Walther League.
Adaline sang in church. She also performed on WLBL radio and other venues as one of the students of Miss Anne Marie Russell (instructor of voice). [SOURCE: Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Pt., WI - Apr. 11, 1928; Apr. 18, 1928; June 21, 1928]
The 1920 Federal Census in Calumet, Fond du Lac, WI, says that Adaline was living with her Uncle Otto:

Otto Schubert (age 36, bank cashier, born in Wis., parents born in Germany)

wife Laura (age 33, born in Wis., parents born in Germany)

daughter Leona [? my best guess at spelling; hard to read] (age 3, born in Wis.)

son Harold (age six months, born in Wis.)

Adaline Tagatz (age 21, bank bookkeeper, born in Wis., parents born in Wis.).

A Stevens Point Daily Journal article on Feb. 24, 1922 describes an adventure that Adeline Tagatz [first name misspelled] had. It said she was a bookkeeper at the First National Bank. She and a friend, Miss Clark, took the Portage train from Stevens Point to her family's home in Westfield. The train stalled in Plainfield, WI, on its return trip in heavy snow. Several male passengers on the train made their way to Plainfield, hired a sleigh. Eleven people (including Adaline), took the sleigh back to Stevens Point. They stopped twice to warm up indoors. The trip took from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
"The sleigh had a canvas top covering, which protected its occupants from the cold wind but the men had to get out many times to assist the rig through frequent drifts which threatened to hold up the party. Probably the worst piece of highway encountered was that from the Moore barn, a well known landmark, to Plover, where the drifts were several feet high. The horses' feet were badly cut by breaking through the ice covered roads...The sleet has never before fallen in such quantities or for so long a time, according to many."
Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date and place of birth. Her tombstone reads: "Adaline E. Tagatz 1898-1992." She bequeathed property to Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Foundation and other charities. [SOURCE: letter from attorney handling her estate dated June 5, 1992.] A Social Security death entry in ancestry.com confirms Adaline E. Tagatz's date of death as Jan. 24, 1992 and her birth date as Oct. 11, 1898.
Adaline is on the 1900 and 1910 census records with his parents (see census details).
For photos of Adaline, go to: T2; T5; T10; T11; T12

Child 3:
Laura Bertha Tagatz
b. Feb. 2, 1901;
d. Feb. 10, 1921 Family notes say she was b. Feb. 2, 1901 in Village of Westfield [Book 2, p. 370]; baptized Feb. 20, 1901; confirmed June 7, 1914; died Feb. 10, 1921; buried in Westfield East Cemetery; never married and had no children. She was listed on a commencement announcement as a member of the class of 1920 in Westfield High School. She taught for several months in Marquette Co., WI.
She got peritonitis and died at age 20 in Montello. A letter written two weeks before her death (Feb. 7, 1921) by her brother Hugo to their sister Adaline said: "Laura is sick abed. Didn't go out to her school today and had to close it. She has been getting shaky spells for the last four days. She can't hold her hands still and her whole body is sore. Doctor says it's a nervous breakdown and that she had an acute attack last night." One family note said she died of appendicitis. Apparently the doctor misdiagnosed appendicitis as a nervous breakdown.
Laura was on the 1910 and 1920 census records with her parents (see census details). Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date and place of birth and her date of death. Her tombstone reads: "Laura B. Tagatz 1901-1921."
For photos of Laura, go to: T10; T11; T12; T14; T27; T33.

Child 4:
Hugo Alvin Tagatz
[aka Hugo Alwin]
b. June 10, 1904;
d. May 13, 1985 Family notes say he was born June 10, 1904 [Book 2, p. 370] in the Village of Westfield, Marquette Co., WI; baptized June 26, 1904; confirmed Mar. 24, 1918 in Westfield; died in his home on May 13, 1985 in Chicago of cancer.
Hugo bought a farm in Dousmann, WI, and later turned most of it into a golf course called Kettle Moraine. He owned and operated H.A. Tagatz Plumbing & Heating in Elm Grove. He married Florence Barlass Williams in Dec. 27, 1935 in Chicago, IL [Florence was born May 17, 1897; d. Dec. 11, 1975 or 1976, buried in Janesville, Emerald Grove Cemetery]. They adopted a child in 1943 and had foster children for many years. [Not all of these family notes were independently confirmed]
A Wisconsin Birth entry in ancestry.com confirms family notes about Hugo's wife's birthdate. It said that Florence Barlass was born on May 17, 1897 in Rock County, WI (reel #258, record #509). Florence B. Barlass appears as a widow, one of many lodgers living in a household in Chicago District 1803, Cook County, IL (age 32, age at first marriage - 26, born in Wis., parents born in Wis., waitress in a restaurant). A Social Security Death index record on ancestry.com says that Florence Tagatz was born May 17, 1897 and died Dec. 1975 (last residence was Dousman, Waukesha, WI).
The 1930 Federal Census in Milwaukee District 290, WI, shows Hugo living with his brother Arnold:

Hugo A. Tagatz (age 25, single, born in Wis., parents born in Wis., retail plumbing salesman)

brother Arnold F. Tagatz (age 20, salesman in the radio industry)

An article in the Waukesha Daily Freeman newspaper (in Waukesha, WI), Mar. 10, 1955, said he had "just returned" from a European trip and was going to be the the guest speaker at a Father and Son banquet in the Ottawa church, showing photos of his trip. A commencement announcement named him as a member of the class of 1921 of Montello High School.
Fred Tagatz's Bible said the date of his marriage to Florence (Barlass) Williams was Dec. 28, 1935, which conflicts with other family notes by one day. His birth entry in his father's Bible spelled his middle name as Alwin. The Social Security death index on ancestry.com confirms his date of birth as June 10, 1904; it says his last residence was Dousman, Waukesha, WI.
Hugo is on census records with his parents in 1905, 1910 and 1920 (see census details).
For photos of Hugo, go to: T8; T12; T15; T38.

Child 5:
Evaline Dorothea Tagatz
b. Mar. 5, 1906;
d. Oct. 30, 1990 For information about her life, go to Evaline Tagatz's web page.

Child 6:
Arnold Friedrich Tagatz
[aka Arnold Frederick]
b. Sept. 4, 1909;
d. July 29, 1984 Family notes say he was born Sept. 4, 1909 [Book 1A, p. 533] in the Town of Westfield, Marquette Co., WI; died July 29, 1984 in Milwaukee, WI; married Alice A. Nagel on Aug. 17, 1935 in Frieden's Evangelische Church in Milwaukee [Alice was b. Apr. 25, 1909; her father was Jack Nagel; her obit says she died at age 58 years, buried at Graceland Cemetery; Harder Funeral Home, Fond du Lac handled the arrangements]. Arnold and Alice had a child in 1939.
Arnold lived with his brother in Milwaukee in 1930 (see census information under Hugo's entry above) and with his parents in 1910 and 1920 (see census entries below).
The Family of Jacob's Wife - Alice Nagel:
The 1920 Federal Census in Milwaukee (District 93), Milwaukee, WI, shows Arnold's future wife Alice (on Wright Street):

Jacob Nagel (age given but hard to read - immigrated in 1889, naturalized in 1900, born in Germany, occupation too faded to read)

wife Anna (age 39, immigrated in 1890, place of birth given but hard to read [could be Pomer. or possibly Posen?], German language)

daughter Alice (age 10, born in Wis.)

The 1920 Federal Census in Milwaukee (District 93), Milwaukee, WI, shows Arnold's future parents-in-law living two households away from Jacob Nagel:

August Mueller (age 69, immigrated in 1890, place of birth given but written over [starts with "Po" - might be Posen or Pomm.], German langauge)

wife Johanna Mueller (age 68, immigrated in 1890, place of birth given but written over - German language)

The 1930 Federal Census in Milwaukee (District 252), Milwaukee, WI, shows Arnold's future wife Alice (on 29th Street):

Jacob Nagel (home value $8,000, owns a radio, age 53, first married at age 25, born in Germany, immigrated in 1887, houseman)

wife Anna Nagel (age 49, married at age 21, born in Germany, immigrated in 1890)

son Walter (age 26, single, born in Wis., salesman in a department store)

daughter Alice (age 20, single, born in Wis., telephone operator)

mother-in-law Johanna Mueller (age 79, widow, born in Germany, immigrated in 1890)

Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date of his marriage to Alice Nagel as well as his place and date of birth. This Bible gives his middle name as Friedrich. His Social Security death index record in ancestry.com confirms his date of birth and says his last residence was Milwaukee, WI. It said he died July 1984.
For photos of Arnold, go to: T4; T12; T17; T18; T29; T31; T40.

Census Record:
1880 Federal Census
Richford, Waushara, WI The 1880 Federal Census in Richford, Waushara County, WI, shows Ludg. Schubert [first name appears to be abbreviated] (age 31, farmer, born in Germany, father and mother born in Hanover). He was living with:

wife Julia (age 29, born in Germany, both parents born in Dromburg [Could this be Bromberg?])

son Henry (age 7, born in Wis.)

daughter Emma (age 6, born in Wis.)

son Louis (age 3, born in Wis.)

son Herman (9 months old, born in Wis.).

Everyone in this household went by their middle names. My grandmother, Evaline Tagatz, told me that this was common.

Census Record:
1900 Federal Census
Westfield, Marquette Co., WI The 1900 Federal Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, shows Emma F. (age 26, born May 1874 in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany). She was living with:

husband Fred W. Tagatz (age 31, born Nov. 1868 in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany, occupation - carpenter, renting home, married four years)

daughter Adeline E. Tagatz [first name misspelled in this record] (age 1, born Oct. 1898 in Wisconsin).

Census Record:
1905 Wisconsin Census
Westfield, Marquette Co., WI The 1905 Wisconsin Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI shows:

Fred W. Tagatz (head of household, age 37, born in Wis., parents born in Germany and Wisconsin, farmer, owns his own farm with a mortgage)

Emma E. Tagatz (wife, age 30, born in Wis., parents born in Germany and Wisconsin)

Adeline E. Tagatz (daughter, age 6, born in Wis.)

Laura B. Tagatz (daughter, age 4, born in Wis.)

Hugo A. Tagatz (son, age 1, born in Wis.)

Census Record:
1910 Federal Census
Westfield, Marquette Co., WI The 1910 Federal Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, shows Fred W. Tagatz (age 41, married 14 years, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany, occupation - proprietor saloon & bar). He was living with:

wife Emma (age 36, had 6 children, 5 living, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany)

daughter Adeline (age 11, born in Wis.) [NOTE: Adeline spelled her name Adaline]

daughter Laura (age 9, born in Wis.)

son Hugo (age 5, born in Wis.)

daughter Evaline (age 4, born in Wis.)

son Arnold (age 9 months old, born in Wis.).

This 1910 census form said "Spring Street" on the side margin next to this household.

Census Record:
1920 Federal Census
Montello, Marquette Co., WI The 1920 Federal Census in Montello, Marquette Co., WI, shows Fred W. Tagatz (age 51, mother born in Wisconsin, father born in Germany, occupation - county sheriff). He was living with:

wife Emma [NOTE: This is her middle name] (age 45, mother born in Wisconsin, father born in Germany)

daughter Laura B. (age 18, single, born in Wis.)

son Hugo A. (age 15, born in Wis.)

Evaline D. (age 13, born in Wis.)

Arnold F. (age 10, born in Wis.).

This page of the census was taken at the "Institution: Marquette County Jail," and the Tagatz family is the only listing there. Since he was the county sheriff, it's possible that the whole family lived there. The census also said that he was renting versus owned place of lodging.

Census Record:
1930 Federal Census
Westfield, Marquette Co., WI The 1930 Federal Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, shows:

head of household: Fred W. Tagatz (age 61, age when married - 26, born in Wisconsin, father born in Germany, mother born in Wisconsin, occupation - carpenter)

wife Emma F. (age 55, age when married - 21, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany).

"Thomas Street" written on edge of census

Her Story:
As written by her daughter Evaline Tagatz Frieda bought a sewing machine and became a seamstress and milliner at Westfield and �did excellent work.� When she was young she was a maid for Dr. Early and his wife who was also a doctor at Hancock. [From notes written by Evaline Tagatz]
Part of Frieda�s story as written by her daughter, Evaline Tagatz PHILLIPS: �[160 acres] Herman Wagners and Gust Schuberts were between us and the Lake (Splittgerber) La Rues. The roads to Richford weren�t open in winter so they couldn�t get to church or school. They only had six months school year. Mother [Frieda] attended the school for 30 days. That�s because she had to help her mother and couldn�t go. At that time they thought women didn�t need an education. All they needed was work. Pauline Krause and mother went to school, but they had a man teacher, so Krauses wouldn�t let Pauline go, then her parents would[n�t] let her go either. Teacher�s name was McLaughlin. There was no compulsory school law, so she was required to help her so grandma could work in the fields. The girls were then in the teens (maybe 15), and they were afraid they might run away with the teacher.
"When mother was five years old, Herman [younger brother of Frieda] was the baby. Grandma [Maria Wichner SCHUBERT] tied the baby into the cradle and, if he cried, mother had to rock him. Grandma showed her on the clock that, when the hand was at a certain place, she would then come home and get dinner.
"Grandpa [John Ludwig Schubert] used to get up at 3 o�clock a.m. to cradle the grain before it was too hot to work that hard in the fields. Sometimes she and her older brother, Henry, wanted to go to Richford. The snow was deep but there were rail fences, and they would walk on the snow packed rail fences, but, if they missed and stepped into soft snow, they would fall down into the drifts & sometimes get wet.
"Milking cows and feeding the pigs was considered girls� work, so she and her sister had to milk the cows while the boys could play along the road with the dog. Her sister, who was much younger, would milk only what she pleased, which was usually one cow, and mother had to milk the other three.
"All the women had to work in the fields. A lady from near Neshkoro married Herman Wagner and moved on the LaRue farm. She was a big strong woman and could work hard in the fields. This set an example for the neighborhood, and the men expected the same of their wives. However, they weren�t strong enough to do all that hard work. She had a girl from Westfield who was to take care of her boy so she could work in the field. However, she made her do a lot of the other work and then had to take the boy out to the fields and lug him around there. She was to buy clothing for the girl, but all she bought was a piece of black material with small flowers - just enough for one dress.
"The boys had to help in the fields, but mother didn�t. It was her job to stay at the house and be baby-tender. All of the little ones were strong heavy babies, and it was difficult to lug them around.
"Grandma did a lot of sewing because all of the clothes had to be made. She had a sewing machine, which was in front of the window. Sometimes the babies were placed in a wagon box, and mother left there to watch the little ones.
"Herman was in the wagon box when mother thought it would be nice to gather a handful of berries, which grew across the road, one vine growing up a tree, for him, which she did. But he crawled to the edge of the box and fell out, and she was punished for leaving him alone. The wagon box was on the ground, set there because the hay rack was on the wagon then. He took ahold of the side of the box, raised himself, and toppled over on the ground. He could crawl but couldn�t walk yet.
"She didn�t know why she never rebelled, as she would get so very tired (that she couldn�t see how she could stand it).� [SOURCE: Handwritten story in my possession]

Died:
Apr. 28, 1971 in Stevens Point, Portage Co., WI Social Security death index entry on ancestry.com confirms her death in April 1971 in Stevens Point, Portage Co., WI; she is buried in Westfield East Cemetery. Her tombstone reads: "Frieda E. Tagatz 1874-1971."
Fred Tagatz's Bible said she died on Apr. 28, 1971 at 5:15 p.m. Since Fred died before his wife did, it is unknown who made this entry. However, his daughter Adaline had possession of his Bible in her later years.

Detail	Source of Information
Born: May 3, 1874 in Richford, Waushara Co., WI	Her husband, Fred Tagatz, had a Bible which says Frieda Emma Tagatz (nee Schubert) was born May 3, 1874 in town Richford, County of Waushara, State of Wisconsin. This Bible also names Frieda's and Fred's children. [I have a copy of this Bible page.] The Social Security death index on ancestry.com confirms her date of birth, and the 1900 Federal Census shows her month/year of birth (see census entry below). Her baptism record shows she was christened as Friederike Emma on May 17, 1874. This record confirms her date of birth and lists her parents as Ludwig Schubert and Julianna Wichner. Sponsors were Henriette Dreger and Christian Henne. [SOURCE: St. Paul Lutheran Church at Crystal Lake: A History of the Stone Church, by JoAnn Groskreutz, Westfield, WI]
Parents: John Ludwig Schubert and Maria Julianna Wichner	See birth/baptismal record information above, and the 1880 Federal Census entry below.
Marriage: Nov. 18, 1895 at Richford, Waushara Co., WI	Fred Tagatz married Frieda on Nov. 18, 1895 at Richford, Waushara Co., WI; married in Richford Lutheran Church by Rev. G. Melchert; F.W. Knappe, Pastor; Witnesses - Adolph Tagatz and August Beutler [SOURCE: I have a note that says this is from Vol. D, p. 112; I have not seen this record myself.]
Child 1: Adelia Edith Tagatz b. June 9, 1897; d. Nov. 7, 1897	Family notes say she was born June 9, 1897 in the Village of Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday [Book 2, p. 73]; baptized by Rev. Martin Mueller; died Nov. 7, 1897; buried in Westfield East Cemetery. [I did not confirm this information with independent sources.] Adaline Tagatz's estate documents (drawn up after Adaline's death) said that Adaline had a sister named Lila as well as a sister named Adelia; Lila and Adelia could well have been the same person. My Great-Aunt Adaline wrote a letter to my grandmother Evaline Tagatz which said: "...The name Lilah is not the name of a culprit, murderer or anything like that. I have been acquainted with several girls whose name was Lilah, which name mother wanted." Adaline claimed that her sister was baptized with the name of Adelia Edith Tagatz at the insistence of her father and Pastor Martin Mueller, despite the objections of her mother. Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date and place of birth and her date of death. Her tombstone says "Adelia E. Tagatz 1897-1897."
Child 2: Adaline Eleanora Tagatz b. Oct. 11, 1898; d. Jan. 24, 1992	Family notes say she was born Oct. 11, 1898 in the Village of Westfield at 7 p.m. Tuesday [Book 2, pg. 93]; baptized Nov. 6, 1898; confirmed June 30, 1912; died Jan. 24, 1992; buried at Eastside Cemetery in Westfield; never married and had no children; she was in the insurance business. She attended Teachers' Training Course, according to a 1917 Commencement Announcement in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI. She was very active in the Walther League. Adaline sang in church. She also performed on WLBL radio and other venues as one of the students of Miss Anne Marie Russell (instructor of voice). [SOURCE: Stevens Point Daily Journal, Stevens Pt., WI - Apr. 11, 1928; Apr. 18, 1928; June 21, 1928] The 1920 Federal Census in Calumet, Fond du Lac, WI, says that Adaline was living with her Uncle Otto: Otto Schubert (age 36, bank cashier, born in Wis., parents born in Germany) wife Laura (age 33, born in Wis., parents born in Germany) daughter Leona [? my best guess at spelling; hard to read] (age 3, born in Wis.) son Harold (age six months, born in Wis.) Adaline Tagatz (age 21, bank bookkeeper, born in Wis., parents born in Wis.). A Stevens Point Daily Journal article on Feb. 24, 1922 describes an adventure that Adeline Tagatz [first name misspelled] had. It said she was a bookkeeper at the First National Bank. She and a friend, Miss Clark, took the Portage train from Stevens Point to her family's home in Westfield. The train stalled in Plainfield, WI, on its return trip in heavy snow. Several male passengers on the train made their way to Plainfield, hired a sleigh. Eleven people (including Adaline), took the sleigh back to Stevens Point. They stopped twice to warm up indoors. The trip took from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. "The sleigh had a canvas top covering, which protected its occupants from the cold wind but the men had to get out many times to assist the rig through frequent drifts which threatened to hold up the party. Probably the worst piece of highway encountered was that from the Moore barn, a well known landmark, to Plover, where the drifts were several feet high. The horses' feet were badly cut by breaking through the ice covered roads...The sleet has never before fallen in such quantities or for so long a time, according to many." Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date and place of birth. Her tombstone reads: "Adaline E. Tagatz 1898-1992." She bequeathed property to Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Foundation and other charities. [SOURCE: letter from attorney handling her estate dated June 5, 1992.] A Social Security death entry in ancestry.com confirms Adaline E. Tagatz's date of death as Jan. 24, 1992 and her birth date as Oct. 11, 1898. Adaline is on the 1900 and 1910 census records with his parents (see census details). For photos of Adaline, go to: T2; T5; T10; T11; T12
Child 3: Laura Bertha Tagatz b. Feb. 2, 1901; d. Feb. 10, 1921	Family notes say she was b. Feb. 2, 1901 in Village of Westfield [Book 2, p. 370]; baptized Feb. 20, 1901; confirmed June 7, 1914; died Feb. 10, 1921; buried in Westfield East Cemetery; never married and had no children. She was listed on a commencement announcement as a member of the class of 1920 in Westfield High School. She taught for several months in Marquette Co., WI. She got peritonitis and died at age 20 in Montello. A letter written two weeks before her death (Feb. 7, 1921) by her brother Hugo to their sister Adaline said: "Laura is sick abed. Didn't go out to her school today and had to close it. She has been getting shaky spells for the last four days. She can't hold her hands still and her whole body is sore. Doctor says it's a nervous breakdown and that she had an acute attack last night." One family note said she died of appendicitis. Apparently the doctor misdiagnosed appendicitis as a nervous breakdown. Laura was on the 1910 and 1920 census records with her parents (see census details). Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date and place of birth and her date of death. Her tombstone reads: "Laura B. Tagatz 1901-1921." For photos of Laura, go to: T10; T11; T12; T14; T27; T33.
Child 4: Hugo Alvin Tagatz [aka Hugo Alwin] b. June 10, 1904; d. May 13, 1985	Family notes say he was born June 10, 1904 [Book 2, p. 370] in the Village of Westfield, Marquette Co., WI; baptized June 26, 1904; confirmed Mar. 24, 1918 in Westfield; died in his home on May 13, 1985 in Chicago of cancer. Hugo bought a farm in Dousmann, WI, and later turned most of it into a golf course called Kettle Moraine. He owned and operated H.A. Tagatz Plumbing & Heating in Elm Grove. He married Florence Barlass Williams in Dec. 27, 1935 in Chicago, IL [Florence was born May 17, 1897; d. Dec. 11, 1975 or 1976, buried in Janesville, Emerald Grove Cemetery]. They adopted a child in 1943 and had foster children for many years. [Not all of these family notes were independently confirmed] A Wisconsin Birth entry in ancestry.com confirms family notes about Hugo's wife's birthdate. It said that Florence Barlass was born on May 17, 1897 in Rock County, WI (reel #258, record #509). Florence B. Barlass appears as a widow, one of many lodgers living in a household in Chicago District 1803, Cook County, IL (age 32, age at first marriage - 26, born in Wis., parents born in Wis., waitress in a restaurant). A Social Security Death index record on ancestry.com says that Florence Tagatz was born May 17, 1897 and died Dec. 1975 (last residence was Dousman, Waukesha, WI). The 1930 Federal Census in Milwaukee District 290, WI, shows Hugo living with his brother Arnold: Hugo A. Tagatz (age 25, single, born in Wis., parents born in Wis., retail plumbing salesman) brother Arnold F. Tagatz (age 20, salesman in the radio industry) An article in the Waukesha Daily Freeman newspaper (in Waukesha, WI), Mar. 10, 1955, said he had "just returned" from a European trip and was going to be the the guest speaker at a Father and Son banquet in the Ottawa church, showing photos of his trip. A commencement announcement named him as a member of the class of 1921 of Montello High School. Fred Tagatz's Bible said the date of his marriage to Florence (Barlass) Williams was Dec. 28, 1935, which conflicts with other family notes by one day. His birth entry in his father's Bible spelled his middle name as Alwin. The Social Security death index on ancestry.com confirms his date of birth as June 10, 1904; it says his last residence was Dousman, Waukesha, WI. Hugo is on census records with his parents in 1905, 1910 and 1920 (see census details). For photos of Hugo, go to: T8; T12; T15; T38.
Child 5: Evaline Dorothea Tagatz b. Mar. 5, 1906; d. Oct. 30, 1990	For information about her life, go to Evaline Tagatz's web page.
Child 6: Arnold Friedrich Tagatz [aka Arnold Frederick] b. Sept. 4, 1909; d. July 29, 1984	Family notes say he was born Sept. 4, 1909 [Book 1A, p. 533] in the Town of Westfield, Marquette Co., WI; died July 29, 1984 in Milwaukee, WI; married Alice A. Nagel on Aug. 17, 1935 in Frieden's Evangelische Church in Milwaukee [Alice was b. Apr. 25, 1909; her father was Jack Nagel; her obit says she died at age 58 years, buried at Graceland Cemetery; Harder Funeral Home, Fond du Lac handled the arrangements]. Arnold and Alice had a child in 1939. Arnold lived with his brother in Milwaukee in 1930 (see census information under Hugo's entry above) and with his parents in 1910 and 1920 (see census entries below). The Family of Jacob's Wife - Alice Nagel: The 1920 Federal Census in Milwaukee (District 93), Milwaukee, WI, shows Arnold's future wife Alice (on Wright Street): Jacob Nagel (age given but hard to read - immigrated in 1889, naturalized in 1900, born in Germany, occupation too faded to read) wife Anna (age 39, immigrated in 1890, place of birth given but hard to read [could be Pomer. or possibly Posen?], German language) daughter Alice (age 10, born in Wis.) The 1920 Federal Census in Milwaukee (District 93), Milwaukee, WI, shows Arnold's future parents-in-law living two households away from Jacob Nagel: August Mueller (age 69, immigrated in 1890, place of birth given but written over [starts with "Po" - might be Posen or Pomm.], German langauge) wife Johanna Mueller (age 68, immigrated in 1890, place of birth given but written over - German language) The 1930 Federal Census in Milwaukee (District 252), Milwaukee, WI, shows Arnold's future wife Alice (on 29th Street): Jacob Nagel (home value $8,000, owns a radio, age 53, first married at age 25, born in Germany, immigrated in 1887, houseman) wife Anna Nagel (age 49, married at age 21, born in Germany, immigrated in 1890) son Walter (age 26, single, born in Wis., salesman in a department store) daughter Alice (age 20, single, born in Wis., telephone operator) mother-in-law Johanna Mueller (age 79, widow, born in Germany, immigrated in 1890) Fred Tagatz's Bible confirms the date of his marriage to Alice Nagel as well as his place and date of birth. This Bible gives his middle name as Friedrich. His Social Security death index record in ancestry.com confirms his date of birth and says his last residence was Milwaukee, WI. It said he died July 1984. For photos of Arnold, go to: T4; T12; T17; T18; T29; T31; T40.
Census Record: 1880 Federal Census Richford, Waushara, WI	The 1880 Federal Census in Richford, Waushara County, WI, shows Ludg. Schubert [first name appears to be abbreviated] (age 31, farmer, born in Germany, father and mother born in Hanover). He was living with: wife Julia (age 29, born in Germany, both parents born in Dromburg [Could this be Bromberg?]) son Henry (age 7, born in Wis.) daughter Emma (age 6, born in Wis.) son Louis (age 3, born in Wis.) son Herman (9 months old, born in Wis.). Everyone in this household went by their middle names. My grandmother, Evaline Tagatz, told me that this was common.
Census Record: 1900 Federal Census Westfield, Marquette Co., WI	The 1900 Federal Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, shows Emma F. (age 26, born May 1874 in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany). She was living with: husband Fred W. Tagatz (age 31, born Nov. 1868 in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany, occupation - carpenter, renting home, married four years) daughter Adeline E. Tagatz [first name misspelled in this record] (age 1, born Oct. 1898 in Wisconsin).
Census Record: 1905 Wisconsin Census Westfield, Marquette Co., WI	The 1905 Wisconsin Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI shows: Fred W. Tagatz (head of household, age 37, born in Wis., parents born in Germany and Wisconsin, farmer, owns his own farm with a mortgage) Emma E. Tagatz (wife, age 30, born in Wis., parents born in Germany and Wisconsin) Adeline E. Tagatz (daughter, age 6, born in Wis.) Laura B. Tagatz (daughter, age 4, born in Wis.) Hugo A. Tagatz (son, age 1, born in Wis.)
Census Record: 1910 Federal Census Westfield, Marquette Co., WI	The 1910 Federal Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, shows Fred W. Tagatz (age 41, married 14 years, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany, occupation - proprietor saloon & bar). He was living with: wife Emma (age 36, had 6 children, 5 living, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany) daughter Adeline (age 11, born in Wis.) [NOTE: Adeline spelled her name Adaline] daughter Laura (age 9, born in Wis.) son Hugo (age 5, born in Wis.) daughter Evaline (age 4, born in Wis.) son Arnold (age 9 months old, born in Wis.). This 1910 census form said "Spring Street" on the side margin next to this household.
Census Record: 1920 Federal Census Montello, Marquette Co., WI	The 1920 Federal Census in Montello, Marquette Co., WI, shows Fred W. Tagatz (age 51, mother born in Wisconsin, father born in Germany, occupation - county sheriff). He was living with: wife Emma [NOTE: This is her middle name] (age 45, mother born in Wisconsin, father born in Germany) daughter Laura B. (age 18, single, born in Wis.) son Hugo A. (age 15, born in Wis.) Evaline D. (age 13, born in Wis.) Arnold F. (age 10, born in Wis.). This page of the census was taken at the "Institution: Marquette County Jail," and the Tagatz family is the only listing there. Since he was the county sheriff, it's possible that the whole family lived there. The census also said that he was renting versus owned place of lodging.
Census Record: 1930 Federal Census Westfield, Marquette Co., WI	The 1930 Federal Census in Westfield, Marquette Co., WI, shows: head of household: Fred W. Tagatz (age 61, age when married - 26, born in Wisconsin, father born in Germany, mother born in Wisconsin, occupation - carpenter) wife Emma F. (age 55, age when married - 21, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Germany). "Thomas Street" written on edge of census
Her Story: As written by her daughter Evaline Tagatz	Frieda bought a sewing machine and became a seamstress and milliner at Westfield and �did excellent work.� When she was young she was a maid for Dr. Early and his wife who was also a doctor at Hancock. [From notes written by Evaline Tagatz] Part of Frieda�s story as written by her daughter, Evaline Tagatz PHILLIPS: �[160 acres] Herman Wagners and Gust Schuberts were between us and the Lake (Splittgerber) La Rues. The roads to Richford weren�t open in winter so they couldn�t get to church or school. They only had six months school year. Mother [Frieda] attended the school for 30 days. That�s because she had to help her mother and couldn�t go. At that time they thought women didn�t need an education. All they needed was work. Pauline Krause and mother went to school, but they had a man teacher, so Krauses wouldn�t let Pauline go, then her parents would[n�t] let her go either. Teacher�s name was McLaughlin. There was no compulsory school law, so she was required to help her so grandma could work in the fields. The girls were then in the teens (maybe 15), and they were afraid they might run away with the teacher. "When mother was five years old, Herman [younger brother of Frieda] was the baby. Grandma [Maria Wichner SCHUBERT] tied the baby into the cradle and, if he cried, mother had to rock him. Grandma showed her on the clock that, when the hand was at a certain place, she would then come home and get dinner. "Grandpa [John Ludwig Schubert] used to get up at 3 o�clock a.m. to cradle the grain before it was too hot to work that hard in the fields. Sometimes she and her older brother, Henry, wanted to go to Richford. The snow was deep but there were rail fences, and they would walk on the snow packed rail fences, but, if they missed and stepped into soft snow, they would fall down into the drifts & sometimes get wet. "Milking cows and feeding the pigs was considered girls� work, so she and her sister had to milk the cows while the boys could play along the road with the dog. Her sister, who was much younger, would milk only what she pleased, which was usually one cow, and mother had to milk the other three. "All the women had to work in the fields. A lady from near Neshkoro married Herman Wagner and moved on the LaRue farm. She was a big strong woman and could work hard in the fields. This set an example for the neighborhood, and the men expected the same of their wives. However, they weren�t strong enough to do all that hard work. She had a girl from Westfield who was to take care of her boy so she could work in the field. However, she made her do a lot of the other work and then had to take the boy out to the fields and lug him around there. She was to buy clothing for the girl, but all she bought was a piece of black material with small flowers - just enough for one dress. "The boys had to help in the fields, but mother didn�t. It was her job to stay at the house and be baby-tender. All of the little ones were strong heavy babies, and it was difficult to lug them around. "Grandma did a lot of sewing because all of the clothes had to be made. She had a sewing machine, which was in front of the window. Sometimes the babies were placed in a wagon box, and mother left there to watch the little ones. "Herman was in the wagon box when mother thought it would be nice to gather a handful of berries, which grew across the road, one vine growing up a tree, for him, which she did. But he crawled to the edge of the box and fell out, and she was punished for leaving him alone. The wagon box was on the ground, set there because the hay rack was on the wagon then. He took ahold of the side of the box, raised himself, and toppled over on the ground. He could crawl but couldn�t walk yet. "She didn�t know why she never rebelled, as she would get so very tired (that she couldn�t see how she could stand it).� [SOURCE: Handwritten story in my possession]
Died: Apr. 28, 1971 in Stevens Point, Portage Co., WI	Social Security death index entry on ancestry.com confirms her death in April 1971 in Stevens Point, Portage Co., WI; she is buried in Westfield East Cemetery. Her tombstone reads: "Frieda E. Tagatz 1874-1971." Fred Tagatz's Bible said she died on Apr. 28, 1971 at 5:15 p.m. Since Fred died before his wife did, it is unknown who made this entry. However, his daughter Adaline had possession of his Bible in her later years.