The Fellrath Sisters and their families

Source: Louisiana Digital Gallery. Magnolia Vale with Young Women.

In yesterday's post, I wrote about the family of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath, and continued with Hubert's later years in St Tammany, Louisiana with second wife Anna Barbara Kern. This post continues with the stories of Sophia's daughters and their families in New Orleans. The Halter and Fellrath families were French immigrants in New Orleans, and they moved in a community of merchants, liquor distributors, bottlers and brewers along the waterfront.

Maria Louisa Fellrath
I thought the early death of Maria Louisa Fellrath Werner in 1878 at the age of 33 marked the end of her story, but a lucky search through Newspapers.com uncovered a lawsuit and dissolution successfully brought by Louisa (or Louise) against husband Anton Werner in 1871.

Source: New Orleans Republican, 23 Dec 1871.

This prompted me to look back at the birth dates for Louise's children. Anton Werner was nearly the same age as her father Hubert, and had previously married. Like her father, she must have reconciled with husband Anton Werner after 1871, as they had two children after the judgment was rendered. Louisa and Anton had the following children:
- Hubert Anton Bernardus Werner, born 20 December 1869
- Edward Joseph Werner, born 2 September 1871
- George Louis Florent Werner, born 15 January 1874
- Joseph Simon Werner, born 19 January 1876

Louisa's infant son Edward was only two months old when the judgment was entered against Anton in November 1871. Louisa passed away on 4 September 1878, leaving behind the four young boys. The boys appear in the 1880 US Census at the St. Joseph's German Orphan Asylum in New Orleans.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census.

Anton Werner died in March 1882. The children from his first marriage, Aloysius and Ludwig (Lewis in the newspaper) brought suit against his estate, and the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a judgment in 1884.

New Orleans Times-Democrat, 4 May 1884.

I wasn't able to find Hubert or Edward after 1880, but George and Joseph survived the orphanage into their later years. Joseph became a painter and it likely that descendants of his are still around.

Rosalia Fellrath
The second child of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath, Rosalia Fellrath, like older sister Louisa,  married a man the same age as her father. On 14 April 1870, Rosalia married Medard Kuntz. He was a Frenchman, from Alsace, and like Hubert was involved in the liquor distribution business. I haven't yet found Rosalia and Medard in the 1870 Census, but he regularly appears in the New Orleans City Directories. Kuntz later operated a saloon in Milneburg, New Orleans. In 1871, they had a son, Charles Joseph Kuntz. The family appears together in the 1880 US Census in Milneburg, New Orleans.

Source: Ancestry. 1880 US Census.

Kuntz' business suffered during the Civil War, his warehouse was damaged and he filed a claim against the US government along with other French citizens who had been living in New Orleans. The cases became part of the French and American Claims Commission, and there is a file on Medard Kuntz at the Library of Congress. His case was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction in July 1881. Kuntz died one year later, on 28 August 1882, leaving Rosalia and Charles.

Times-Picayune, 12 Jul 1881.

After the death of her husband, Rosalia worked as a servant in the home of Emanuel L. Deas in 1900. She eventually earned enough to support her own household. Charles became a tailor, and in 1910 Rosalia had her nieces Anna and Rose Despouey living with her and working as seamstresses with Charles. I believe Anna and Rose were daughters of Rosalia's sister Sophia, they are listed as nieces in the 1910 Census.

By 1920, Rosalia had a home on St. Ann street with her son Charles and several lodgers, who appear to be women who may have assisted Charles with his tailor shop. Rosalia was still living with Charles in 1930. She passed away on 9 September 1930 at the age of 83. Charles died on 8 September 1938 and is buried with his mother in New Orleans.

Maria Madelina Fellrath
The third daughter of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath was Maria Madelina (or Madeline) Fellrath. She married druggist Edward Ressel on 20 September 1871, and they had a son Edward Ressel on 17 November 1872. Madeline's husband died on 24 October 1873. She married an older man, like her sisters before her, named Joseph Nutter on 27 May 1883. From another tree on Ancestry I was able to find a copy of Madeline's marriage certificate to Joseph.

Source: Ancestry. Marriage certificate for Madeline and Joseph.

Madeline and Joseph had at least three children. She appears in the 1900 US Census living with Joseph and their children. Madeline died on 31 May 1916 in New Orleans.

Maria Sophia Fellrath
Last of the daughters of Sophia Halter and Hubert Fellrath was Maria Sophia Fellrath. She married Charles Despouey, son of Anna Barbara Kern (Hubert's second wife). Sophia and Charles had several children, many of the daughters became dressmakers in New Orleans. I have not yet researched them very far. Sophia passed away on 8 May 1919.