Dorothea Sophia "Sophia" Retzlaff

Other Events:

• Name: Dorothea Sophia "Sophia" Tabbert
• Name: Sophia Retzlaff
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-70716
• Immigration: 1857, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1911, Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Lutheran

Notes:

Translated from German

Zühlsdorf, October 14^th, 1860

Much beloved daughter and son-in-law.

We received your letter of September 10^th, 1860, which is very delightful to us, on October 2^nd. How much we enjoyed this letter, we cannot write you with a pen. We already supposed you beloved ones dead, [because:] We wrote you a letter on September 14^th, 1858, answering your sorrowful letter of October 22^nd, 1858. We were very sorrow for the bad conditions you have been in. Our letter came back last year, so we almost certainly supposed you to have been died. Now that is not the case, but you are still alive and well and healthy, too, so let us both thank God very humbly for his merciful providence. From far we call to you, too: "Remain in the ways of the Lord; he will keep us."

My dear children, those who are in "Groß-Silber" [perhaps a name of a village], got your letter. They wrote a letter back, but they did not post the letter because they had not the money and unpaid they did not want to the post the letter. They are still in the same conditions as in the year your left, they in good health.

Theodor Künger (?) of Liebenow: his matter of the "Spierilus" (?) is still quiet; he is still there, is now married, they already have two children. Wilhelm is still in Stettin [Pommerania], he is still in good health. Friederike works in Warchin (?) as a cook, they both are unmarried.

On the Holy Pentecost - Feast of this year I visited Wilhelm in Stettin. There I also took a steamer [for a short trip], which I like very much.
Louise did not behave well, she got with a child. On Oct. 2^nd, 1860, when we got your letter, she got a little son. He lover was willing to marry her, but he had (publicly) announced his will to marry her there were objections by another woman who says she conceived a child from him too. So there will be no wedding, most likely. He is a "Klatt" from Reetz.

This year the grain-crop is very good, better than in many other years. All over the summer we had fresh and wet weather, the grain did not suffer from it only the potatoes are a bit ill.

To Kürtow (name of a village?) I came (?) on Sunday; Jochen Garr and all the other acquaintances and relatives are still good health. Schmidt's in Heinrichswalde are in good health, too. Jochen Fritz, Jochen Schimmel, Karl Schmidt, are with their wives and children in good health and asked me to greet you heartily. Liegtow with his wife is still in good health, Harder with his family too. Harders have already three children; they asked me to greet you too.

We are still living in the house we were in when you left: I only moved. from the room of Pachstein [propername] into the room of the brick-layer who bought Peterlückens [propername] lot and lives, now there. Pachstein has sold his apartment, which be formerly bought from Brüâe, to the tailor Friedrich Schmidt from Lötzin. Friedrich Schmidt is now my neighbour, he is married, too, and has two children with his wife, he asked me to greet you best. Mrs. Streitzen and Mrs. Schröder of the tavern asked me to greet you and your husband best, Marien greets very heartily. Friederike and August Schwandt greet you, Friederike has been my neighbour for two years, also, but moved around Michaelis of this year, when Schmidt came in, to Blackens [propername].

I myself am still in my old work in Lötzin , the Baron of the Marwitz of Lötzin is married a year now, they have already a little son.
Around this place we had the scarlet-fever among the children this summer, here Zühlsdorf many children died. More news I cannot write.
We recommend you to the mercy of almighty God. Keep closely to his word, so he certainly will not leave you.

Do not blame us for our not having paid the postage, we think it is a more secure this way. We ask your heartily to write at least one a year, do not the postage either, it is better because of the security.

Now we want to finish our letter, we greet you with all our heart and remain until the death your you loving old ones -

Retzlow.


P.S. When you write back, write how you like the country there and how you are, that you did not write at all, whereabout we feel very sorry.
You wanted to invite us to the baptism of your child, but I invite you, if you like to come, too. Sunday, October 21^st, I am willing to take Louise's child to baptism [as a god-parent probably].

Letter from the father of Dorothea Sophia Retzlaff to Dorothea, translated from German in the 1950's, original location of letter unknown

______________________________

Linwood - One of the oldest residents of Linwood, passed to her rest on Tuesday, April 10th, when Mrs. Christian Tabbert died at her home here after suffering from chronic bronchitis. Mrs. Tabbert whose maiden name was Dorothea Ratzlauf, was born at Zulsdorf, Germany, and came to Canada when a young woman. She married in 1853, and is survived by her husband and a family of three sons and two daughters, namely: Mrs. C. Koenig, Mrs. W. Burnett, Mr. c. Tabbert, Mr. J. Tabbert and Mr. W. Tabbert. The funeral took place from the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Koenig, on Friday, April 13, to the Linwood Cemetery.

Elmira Signet Apr 19 1917

Dorothea — Christian Tabbert. Christian (son of Christian Tabbert) was born 2 Dec 1824, , Germany; died 23 Jul 1912, Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Anna Maria Tabbert was born 6 Jun 1858, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was christened 8 Aug 1858, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 13 Jan 1912; was buried , Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
2. John Friedrich Tabbert was born 13 Mar 1860, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was christened 8 Apr 1860, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died Yes, date unknown; was buried , Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
3. Louisa Tabbert was born 3 Feb 1862, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was christened 4 Oct 1862, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 22 May 1953; was buried , Linwood Union Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
4. Christian Tabbert was born Sep 1865, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1946; was buried , Elmira Union Cemetery, Elmira, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
5. William Tabbert was born Sep 1867, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 25 Nov 1957, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , New Hope Cemetery, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.
6. Catherine R. Tabbert was born 1 Nov 1870, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 14 Jun 1939, Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States; was buried , Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.