William and Catherine

My wife's Rech-Freyling side of the tree has another connection between the two families. William Jacob Rech, brother of Karolina "Carrie" Rech Freyling, married Catherine Elizabeth Freyling, sister of Stephen Freyling. William Jacob was born on 24 April 1861 in Scott Township, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. He started out as a farmer, working on the land of his father Nikolaus Rech and later helping his mother Susanna Euler Rech. After she passed, William Jacob became a photographer, and owned his own photography studio in Evansville, Indiana.

1898 City Directory for Evansville, Indiana

William Jacob and Catherine appear in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 US Census in Evansville. They had at least the following children:
- Edward John Rech, 1894-1977
- Selma Rose Rech, 1896-1978
- Clarence Frederick Rech, 1901-1979

1900 US Census, Evansville, Indiana.

1910 US Census, Evansville, Indiana.

1920 US Census, Evansville, Indiana.

William Jacob's photography work must have been highly regarded. In 1913, William Jacob received an award for making the best flashlight negative.

Wilson's Photography Magazine, 1913.

Edward John Rech joined the family business, and I will have some additional information on him from area newspapers. He served as a photographer in World War I. Edward took over the business after William Jacob died on 16 March 1930.

Catherine Elizabeth Freyling Rech died on 7 January 1960 in Evansville, Indiana.