Caroline Annabel "Annie" Holmes

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.

Caroline married George Henry Kolb in Sep 1883 in Tuscola County, Michigan. George (son of George Anthony Kolb and Maria Catharina Benkelman) was born on 5 Nov 1857 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; died on 26 Feb 1932 in Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Myrtle Mable Kolb was born on 19 Jun 1884 in Almer Township, Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 25 May 1914 in Tuscola County, Michigan.
2. Laurel Catherine Kolb was born on 21 Jan 1886 in Tuscola County, Michigan; died on 27 Jul 1917 in Tuscola County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
3. Edith Viola Kolb was born on 28 Mar 1888 in Michigan; died on 29 Apr 1982 in Saint Johns, Clinton County, Michigan.
4. Iva May Kolb was born on 9 Dec 1889 in Michigan; died on 15 Aug 1985 in Harper Woods, Wayne County, Michigan; was buried on 19 Aug 1985 in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.
5. Clarence Robert Kolb was born on 1 Nov 1891 in Olive Township, Clinton County, Michigan; died in Jan 1927 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
6. Bernice Elvira Kolb was born on 8 Apr 1893 in Saint Johns, Clinton County, Michigan; died on 13 Jun 1966 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan; was buried in Elkland Township Cemetery, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan.
7. Elsie L. Kolb was born on 20 Jun 1895 in DeWitt, Clinton County, Michigan; died on 18 Oct 1989 in Pennsylvania.
8. Helen Grace Kolb was born on 5 Mar 1898 in Saint Johns, Clinton County, Michigan; died on 25 Jan 1966 in Birmingham, Oakland County, Michigan.
9. Harold George Kolb was born on 27 Jul 1904 in Tuscola County, Michigan; died in Aug 1995 in Oakland County, Michigan; was buried in All Saints Catholic (Mount Elliott) Cemetery, Waterford, Oakland County, Michigan.