Revisiting New Orleans

NYPL Digital Collection, A street corner in New Orleans.

2018 marks the 300th anniversary of New Orleans. On both sides of our family, we have connections to the city. Given the special occasion of the year, I thought it would be good to look back at these links and see what new information might be available that can be shared on the blog. I am going to start by looking back at Allison's Halter line.

In 2015, I wrote about her 3rd-great-grandfather, Joseph Francois Halter, and his connections to the city. I also spent some time following the Tudury family and the Orleans Syrup Factory where Joseph Halter worked. Joseph had a previously unknown-to-me aunt Sophia. She would have been the sister of Francois Antoine Halter, Allison's 4th-great-grandfather. Sophia Halter was born in Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France. Several trees on Ancestry put her birth date at 2 March 1825. She likely arrived in New Orleans before 1840 with her brothers Francois and Joseph, although I am not sure.

Sophia married Hubert Fellrath, a bottler and brewer in New Orleans, sometime around 1844-1845 and they had at least the following children:
- Maria Louisa Fellrath, born 10 September 1845, died 4 September 1878
- Rosalia Fellrath, born 4 May 1847, died on 9 September 1930
- Maria Madelina Fellrath, born 4 December 1848, died on 31 May 1916
- Hubert Louis Fellrath, born 9 February 1852, died on 12 May 1855
- Maria Sophia Fellrath, born 13 December 1854, died on 8 May 1919

Hubert, Sophia and family appear in the 1850 Census in New Orleans.

Source: Ancestry. 1850 US Census, New Orleans.

Hubert's business must have been very successful. By the 1860 Census, he owned real estate worth over $20,000. I like that it shows he was a bottler of ales and ciders.

Source: Ancestry. 1860 US Census, New Orleans.

Sophia Halter Fellrath died on 20 April 1863 in New Orleans, at the age of 38.

Hubert Fellrath continued his brewing and bottling business, and appears in the New Orleans City Directories. The 1867 City Directory shows him with other bottlers of ales and ciders:

Source: Fold3. 1867 New Orleans City Directory.

The 1869 City Directory included an ad for his Philadelphia Bottled Porter, Ale and Cider.

Source: Ancestry. 1869 New Orleans City Directory.

Fellrath sold his bottling plant and brewery in April 1869, and married heiress Barbara Kern on 24 May 1869. Barbara had been previously married to someone named Kern, as well as to a Jean Despouey. The 1870 City Directory shows that Fellrath had acquired Despouey's business in dealing flour, potatoes, hay, onions, garlic, beans, corn, oats, bran and other products.

Source: Fold3. 1870 New Orleans City Directory.

The 1866 IRS Tax Assessment lists for New Orleans shows Fellrath as a wholesale liquor dealer, located at 78 Hospital Street. It is interesting to see another familiar last name, Barba, on this list. The Barba family connects with my great-grandfather's side of the tree through marriage. I will have more on that connection in an upcoming post.

Source: Ancestry. 1866 IRS Tax Assessment List.

Hubert's marriage to Barbara seemed to be short-lived, and she filed for divorce in 1871. The District Court for the Parish of Orleans granted the divorce and awarded her $11000 along with a separation of property.

New Orleans Republican, 30 Dec 1871.

After the divorce, in 1876 Hubert purchased 160 acres in nearby St. Tammany Parish, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. Hubert lived in St. Tammany until he died on 27 December 1906.

This isn't yet the end of the story for the descendants of Sophia Halter. I followed her other children. Maria Louisa Fellrath married tobacconist Antoine Werner. She also died young, at the age of 33, on 4 September 1878. She had several children with Werner, but I have not followed that line very far.

Following the path of daughter Maria Sophia Fellrath revealed another fascinating detail, one of reconciliation between Hubert Fellrath and Barbara Kern. They appear living together in the 1880 US Census in St Tammany, Louisiana, with Sophia Fellrath living in the household with Barbara's son, Charles Despouey.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census, St. Tammany, Louisiana.

Sophia Fellrath and Charles Despouey were married in St. Tammany on 12 October 1881.

The St. Tammany Farmer newspaper contained a clipping on the death of Anna Barbara Kern, "wife of Mr. Fellrath," on 8 June 1894. The newspaper article says she was a native of Spier Rheinsfaltz, Germany.

There's a bit more to follow on Sophia Fellrath and her sisters Rosalia and Madelina.