Carl Robert Kolb

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
Wednesday, August 30, 1995
Obituaries, page nine

Carl Kolb

Carl Robert Kolb, 70, of Cass City died Wednesday, Aug. 23, in his home.

He was born Sept. 28, 1924, in Royal Oak, son of Clarence Kolb and Lilah (McConnell-Kolb) Wilhelmi. He married Vonda Ruth Brown Oct. 18, 1947.

He worked most of his life as a farmer.

Surviving are his wife, Vonda; mother Lilah Wilhelmi; 2 sons, Larry (Pat) Kolb of Saginaw and Tom (Jamie) Kolb of Kimmell, Ind. ; 2 daughters, Lou Ann Kolb and Sally (Steve) Eyer, both of Cass City; 10 grandchildren; one great-grandson; 2 special aunts, Florence (Irene) Hall of Oxford, Wis., and Berniece Sweet of Wyoming; 2 brothers, Jon (Alberta) Wilhelmi of East Point and and Ernie (Jeri) Wilhelmi of Plymouth, one sister, Ilene (Ed) Hunt of Livonia, and several nieces and nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father and special aunt Alice Neitz.

A memorial service was held Saturday at the Novesta Church of Christ.

Memorials may be made to Allen Hospice of Bay City or Novesta Church of Christ.

Arrangements were made by Little and Kranz Funeral Home, Cass City.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

Carl married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Notes:

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, January 28, 1927

World War Veteran Answers Summons

Clarence R. Kolb Died in Detroit after Thre Months' Illness

The funeral of Clarence R. Kolb, a World War veteran, was held at the Evangelical church on Monday afternoon. The services were conducted by Rev. C.F. Smith, pastor of the church, and was largely attended. Members of the Adams-Seeger Post, American Legion, attended in a body and served as pall bearers. The Legion, in honoring the memory of their departed comrade, were donors to his family of the beautiful flag which covered the casket.

Clarence R. Kolb was born Nov. 1, 1892, in Olive township, Clinton co., Michigan. At the age of nine, he came to Cass City with his parents, where he made his home.

During the World War, he served for 18 months witht he 338th Infantry of the 85th Division, U.S. Army, eight months of which were spent overseas.

On Sept. 12, 1923, he was united in marriage with Miss Lilah McConnell. After their marriage they made their home in Royal Oak Twp. To them was born a son, Robert.

He became ill last October. Since that time he has been at the home of his sister, Mrs. W.A. Markin of Detroit, where he passed away Jan. 21, 1927.

He leaves to mourn their loss his wife, son, father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. H. Kolb, five sisters, Mrs. Leon Ormes of St. Johns, Mich., Miss Iva Kolb of Detroit, Mich., Mrs. Chas. Kleinschmidty of Omaha, Neb., Mrs. F.H. Brueggeman of Philadelphia, Penn., Mrs. W.A. Markin of Detroit, and one brother, Harold Kolb, at home. Two sisters preceded him in death.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

Clarence married Lilah C. McConnell on 12 Sep 1923 in Michigan. Lilah was born on 10 Oct 1905 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 17 Jul 2000 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Lilah can be found on the 1920 Tuscola County, Michigan census in Novesta Township, in the home of Charles and Louise McConnell. She was the middle of their seven children, listed as age 14 and born in Michigan. In 1930, Lilah was again living with her parents, this time as a widowed 24 year old, along with 5 year old son, Carl R. Kolb.

Cass City Chronicle
Wednesday, July 19, 2000, Page Ten
Lilah Wilhelmi

Lilah C. Wilhelmi, 94, died Monday, July 17, 2000, at Tendercare in Cass City.

She was born Oct. 10,1905, to Charles and Louise (Shagena) McConnell. She married Clarence Kolb in 1922. Following his death, she married Ernest A. Wilhelmi in Dearborn in 1932. He also preceded her in death.

She lived in Dearborn until 1968, when she returned to Cass City.

Surviving are a daughter, Betty Ilene (Edward) Hunt of Livonia; 2 sons, Jon
(Alberta) Wilhelmi of Cass City and Ernest ?b?A. ?/b?(Gerry) Wilhelmi of Plymouth; 12 grandchildren; one greatgrandchild; a daughter-in-law, Vonda Kolb of Cass City; a brother, Carl (Bernice) McConnell of Harrison, and a sister, Florence (Irene) Hall of Oxford, Wis.

Preceding her in death were a son, Carl R. Kolb; 3 brothers, Ira, Vernon and Earl McConnell, and 2 sisters, Alice Neitz and Berniece Sweet.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete at press time but are being handled by Harris Funeral Home in Livonia [Southfield???]. Burial will be at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Livonia.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, March 2014)



(Research):

Census Listings:

1930 Census
Michigan, Tuscola County, Novesta Township
Enumerated April 11, 1930
ED 79-32 SD 11 Sheet 4A Stamped 96
78-79
McConnell, Charles M Head m W 62 M 24 Mich NY England Farmer
McConnell, Louise Wf F W 54 M 17 Mich Mich Mich
McConnell, Carl M Son M W 32 S Mich Mich Mich Farm Laborer
McConnell, Bernice M Dtr F W 17 S Mich Mich Mich
McConnell, F. Irene Dtr F W 14 S Mich Mich Mich
Kolb, Lila C Dtr F W 24 Wd Mich Mich Mich
Kolb, Carl R. GdSon m W 5 S Mich Mich Mich
McConnell, William W Brother M W 70 D Mich NY England

Notes:

George took up homesteading across the road from his folks, but when his mother died, he sold the homestead to pay for her funeral.

He worked in the area known as Harwick Pines.

He was over six-and-a-half feet tall. Wife Annie was not quite five feet. It was said that when George died, the undertaker had a problem finding a large enough casket. It was rumored George's legs had to broken for him to fit.

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, March 4, 1932
Vol. 26, Number 47

Pioneer Residents Called By Death Edw. Knoblet, Geo. Kolb and Geo. Parrott Have all Resided Here over 50 years

Geo. H. Kolb

Geo. H. Kolb passed away at Pleasant Home hospital at Cass City on Friday morning, Feb. 26, at the age of 74 years. Funeral services were conducted at the Evangelical church by Rev. C.E. Smith, on Sunday afternoon.

Born Nov. 5, 1857, at Milwaukee, Wis., Mr. Kolb came to Michigan with his parents when he was 7 years of age. Except for 10 years residence at St. Johns, he lived in the vicinity of Cass City. In September, 1883, he was married to Anne Holmes Cleaver. To them nine children were born, three of whom prededed the father in death.

Mr. Kolb is survived by his widow, five daughters, Mrs. Edith Ormes of St. Johns, Mrs. Iva Wisniewski and Mrs. Helen Markin, both of Detroit, Mrs. Elsie Brueggeman of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Bernice Kleinschmidt of Cass City; one son, Harold Kolb of Pontiac; two sisters, Mrs. A.J. Craw and Mrs. Rose Don, both of Caro; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren. All the children were present at the funeral service.

Kindness was a crowning virtue of the deceased and to the surviving family and his friends he will be remembered as a kind man.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

George married Caroline Annabel "Annie" Holmes in Sep 1883 in Tuscola County, Michigan. Caroline was born on 15 Apr 1867 in Ellington Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 21 Mar 1951 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Called "Annie." She was legally adopted by the Cleaver's when she was 12 years old, as her mother had died at the birth of her last child, who was stillborn. Annie remembered her brothers using a little ditty to remember their names. She said "they were Alf and Doug and Mac, Charlie, Keat and Jack, James and Henry." Her sister was named Catherine, after their mother. All contact was lost with her birth family. Apparently only the girls were adopted out, the boys all being big enough for their father, Caleb, to care for and to help him with the farm.

Annie went to with the Cleaver family to help cook for the men that worked in the forest. There she met George and they were married. Later they moved to St. John, Michigan, and then on to Cass City.

An item in the Cass City paper (circa 1947) reads:

""One Cow Heard" Brings Owner Nice Revenue

The "one cow heard" of Mrs. Geo Kolb, who lives in Elkland Township, on the Tuscola-Sanilac County Line, brought its owner a check for $20.30 for milk produced the first two weeks of July. Mrs. Kolb is in the eightieth year and cares for the cow herself and does the milking.

Her grandchildren, sent over to help with the chores, remember that she would not allow anyone to milk HER cow. She would, however, put them to work, telling them she'd have a surprise for them at supper. When they came in, their would be a big, deep dish apple pie, warm from the oven. She had apples years round, as she would thread the excess on a string to dry.

Annie was thrifty, drinking hot water reather than coffee. She would sometimes flavor it with hot milk and call it 'Cambridge tea.'

At Easter, the children could have all the eggs they wanted, but this was the only time. The rest of the year, eggs were sold for money that was needed to help raise such a large family.

(Excerpted from Art Peck's book)

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, March 23, 1951

BULLETIN

Mrs. George Kolb, for many years a resident of Elkland township, died Wednesday in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ted Bruggeman, in Philadelphia, Pa. and was brought to Cass City Saturday. Funeral services will be held in the Douglas Funeral Home Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.

Cass City Chronicle
Friday, March 30, 1951

Mrs. Kolb Funeral Rites Held Sunday

Funeral services for Mrs. George H. Kolb, former Elkland township resident, who died in Philadelphia last week, were held Sunday afternoon at the Douglas Funeral Home, Rev. S.R. Wurtz officiating. Interment was in Elkland cemetery.

The former Annie Holmes, she was born April 15, 1867 in Ellington Township. She married George H. Kolb in 1883 at Caro. In 1900, Mr. and Mrs. Kolb moved to their farm in Elkland Township on Greenland Road where Mr. Kolb died 18 years ago. Mrs. Kolb remained on the farm until a few years ago when she went to live with her daughters in Detroit, St. Johns and Philadelphia because of her failing health.

Mrs. Kolb is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Leon Ormes of St. Johns, Mrs. Walter Wisniewski of Detroit, Mrs. Charles Kleinschmidt of Dearborn, Mrs. Ted Brueggeman of Philadelphia, Pa. and Mrs. Walter Markin of Birmingham, one son, Harold Kolb of Pontiac, 11 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Three children also preceded her in death.

Other out-of-town relatives who attended her funeral included Mrs. Ferris Jamison and daughters of Saginaw, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Abke of Caro, Mr. and Mrs. Robt Wagner and family of North Branch, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gordon of Pontiac, Mr. and Mrs. Morley Wright of Oxford, Mr.a nd Mrs. Lester Theill of Flint, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Helbeck and family of St. Johns and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Nix, Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Theill, Mr. and Mrs. Eldred Wright, and Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Theill, all of Detroit.

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, Summer 2007)

The classified section of the Cass City Chronicle, March 30, 1951, page 7, also contained the following note of thanks:

It is with deep appreciation and gratitude that we acknowledge the kindness and thoughtful consideration of our loving friends in sharing with us the loss of our dear mother, Mrs. Annie Kolb. We also express our thanks to Rev. Wurtz and those assisting him in the services. The family.

Notes:

Lived for 6 years in Anendorf, Guzzengen before he came to America on 19 March 1852. He had been studying to be a doctor but to avoid being drafted into the Army, he used his fathers passport and emigrated to America, settling in Greenfield, Wisconsin, where he met Catherina Benkelman. They moved to Cass City in 1864, and made their homestead on an 80 acre farm, 3 miles east and 1 1/2 miles north of Cass City. He was Elkland Township treasurer in 1867. They lived on their homestead until they lost everything they had in the "great fire" of 1881. They only saved their lives by staying in the sorghum fields and the Cass City river that ran behind the house. One son, George Henry, had taken up homesteading across the road from his parents, but sold his land to pay for his mothers funeral in 1883. (Courtesy of Janet Wright of DeFord, MI, September, 1996) BonnieMargaret Jacobs also wrote of George using his father's papers to emigrate, citing correspondence with Mrs. Thoams R. Harvey of Aldan, PA, a descendant of George and Catherine's.

Cass City Enterprise
January 8, 1903, Page 1

George Kolb, an old and respected resident of Caro and a pioneer of Tuscola County, died Monday afternoon at four o'clock, aged seventy-one years. Deceased was born at Wurteburger, Germany, October 7, 1831, and came to this country when twenty years of age, settling in New York state where he lived for two years. He then moved to Wisconsin, where he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Benkelman. In 1865 they moved to Tuscola county where he has since resided. His wife died in 1893, leaving nine children, one of whom, Henry, died in 1899. The surviving children are George and John of Cass City; Mrs. WAGNER of Fremont; Mrs. BURK, Mrs. HOYT, Mrs. DON, Miss Lydia KOLB and Mrs. A.J. CRAW, of Caro. Short services were held Wednesday afternoon at four o'clock at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. A.J. CRAW, after which the remains were taken to Cass City, where funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at four o'clock, the remains being laid to rest in the Cass City cemetery. - Caro Journal

(Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong)

BonnieMargaret Jacobs wrote, in her 1981 unpublished manuscript, that in addition to farming, George was in itinerant preacher, doctor and undertaker, it being often said of him that "he got people coming and going"...bringing people into the world, ministering to them while they were here, and finally laying them to rest." (p. 141).

(Research):

Census Information:

1880 Federal Census
Census Place: Elkland, Tuscola, Michigan Source:FHL Film 12
54607 National Archives Film T9-0607
Page 97A
RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
George A. KOLB Self M M W 49 WERTENBERG Occ: Farmer Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG
Catherine KOLB Wife F M W 49 WERTENBERG Occ: Keeping House Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG
Lydia KOLB Dau F S W 8 MI Occ: At Home Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG
Henry KOLB Son M S W 7 MI Occ: Farmer Fa: WERTENBERG Mo: WERTENBERG

George married Maria Catharina Benkelman on 6 Dec 1854 in Greenfield, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Maria (daughter of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann and Maria Dorothea St?hle) was born on 16 Aug 1831 in Schneiderhof, Waldhausen Parish, Welzheim, Jagstkreis, W?rttemberg, Germany; died on 9 Dec 1883 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

German Parish records show "ist 1853 ausgewandert" (left for America) in 1853.

On the Oberant Welzheim Emmigrants list, 1818-1891, She is listed as Maria Catharina, g. d. 16t. August 1831 ledig, and travelling in a party headed by her mother, Maria Dorothea, the widow of Johann Leonhard Benkelmann, a farmer of Schneiderhof. Three of her sisters were on this journey as well.

BonnieMargaret's full source citation was: Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, "Verzeichnis der Auswanderung aus dem Oberamt Welzheim 1818-1891" F 214 B?schel 91 Fortlaufende Number 42 [or possibly 47] ).