Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Dorothea Sophia "Sophia" Retzlaff[1]

Female 1827 - 1917  (89 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Dorothea Sophia "Sophia" Retzlaff 
    Born 17 Sep 1827  Zühlsdorf, , Brandenburg, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Gender Female 
    Immigration 1857  , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Name Dorothea Sophia "Sophia" Tabbert 
    Name Sophia Retzlaff 
    Residence 1911  Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Lutheran 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-70716 
    Died 10 Apr 1917  Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Cause: Chronic Bronchitis 
    Buried Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I70716  Generations
    Last Modified 6 Apr 2024 

    Family Christian Tabbert,   b. 2 Dec 1824, , Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Jul 1912, Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 87 years) 
    Children 
     1. Anna Maria Tabbert,   b. 6 Jun 1858, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 13 Jan 1912  (Age 53 years)
     2. John Friedrich Tabbert,   b. 13 Mar 1860, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Louisa Tabbert,   b. 3 Feb 1862, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 May 1953  (Age 91 years)
     4. Christian Tabbert,   b. Sep 1865, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1946  (Age ~ 80 years)
     5. William Tabbert,   b. Sep 1867, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 25 Nov 1957, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 90 years)
     6. Catherine R. Tabbert,   b. 1 Nov 1870, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Jun 1939, Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years)
    Last Modified 7 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F20971  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Translated from German

      Zühlsdorf, October 14th, 1860

      Much beloved daughter and son-in-law.

      We received your letter of September 10th, 1860, which is very delightful to us, on October 2nd. 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 14th, 1858, answering your sorrowful letter of October 22nd, 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. 2nd, 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 21st, 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

  • Sources 
    1. [S6] Church Records - ON, Waterloo - Bindeman, F. W. - Card Index Kitchener Public Library.
      Anna Maria Tabbert d/o Christoph & Sophia Tretzlaw b. 6 Jun 1858, bapt. 8 Aug 1858, sponsors: Michael Mau, Corsin? Schulz, F. Katz

    2. [S160] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1901, Wellesley E-5 Page 2.

    3. [S434] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley, Linwood - St. Peter's Lutheran CC#4541 Internet Link.
      Tabbert/ Christian Tabbert/ geb. 2 Dez 1824/ gest. 23 Juli 1912/ Alter 87 Jhr. 7 M.t u. 21 T./ D. Sophia Tabbert/ geb. Retzlaf/ geb. 17 Sept. 1827/ gest. 10 Apr. 1917/ Ich lebe und ihr sollt auch/ leben. Johannes XIV.19.

    4. [S269] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1871, Div 1, Page 57.

    5. [S113] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1881, Div 5 Page 10 Family 46.

    6. [S504] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1911, Div. 12 Page 2.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 17 Sep 1827 - Zühlsdorf, , Brandenburg, Germany Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsImmigration - 1857 - , Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Lutheran - 1911 - Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - Cause: Chronic Bronchitis - 10 Apr 1917 - Linwood, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Saint Peter's Lutheran Cemetery, Linwood, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth