My great great grandmother what a wonderful influence you were on my grandmother Meta whom you raised along with her siblings after the death of their parents. Grandmother related many things about your relationship with her when she was young. How when she hung the clothes on the clothes line anything she picked up is what she hung. How you made her take them down in the rain and hang all the items of wash that were the same together and on certan lines of the clothes line. I also learned this lesson the hard way as I did the same thing and she had me take them down and hang them up right. That is how I learned about her lesson. She always remembered phrases from her childhood in German, which she repeated to me and I still remember them to this day. Because of all of these special memories that she had of you; was the reason for the research of my heritage that started over thirty years ago.

It was in this research that I found that you and your husband Frederick and your oldest two children left Prussia, Germany in 1855. You then went to Canada where your last two children, which included my great grandmother Jennie were born. From there you headed for Iowa and finally came to Phoenix, Arizona to become one of the first pioneer families in this Valley. We would often drive out on West Van Buren Street and grandmother Meta would point out where you and your husband had your ranch. But life here in this valley brought many tragedies for you and your family. The loss of your oldest son's wife, Anna, and his daughter, Dorthea named after you, your youngest son William and then your daughter, my great grandmother Jennie and her husband, my great grandfather, Charles Bolzau.

I have done so much research but still we have not located your actual birth place in Germany, who your parents or siblings were, or your maiden name. Hopefully one of these days I will discover more about your life prior to coming to America. But I did discover your final resting place at the Pioneer Cemetery here in Phoenix. There on a six foot red sandstone is your name along with your husband Frederick William, your son William E., your daughter-in-law Anna and your granddaughter Dorthea. Although your daughter Caroline's name is not on the headstone I have discovered that she is there in the family plot with you along with a Charley Gatke that I still have not discovered how he is related.

Dearest great great grandmother may you rest in peace and may someday I have the privilege of meeting you face to face.