Genealogy Report - Frances Louise Hagen

Generation Two

HERMAN BERLIN AND ADELINE WEBBER

 Parents of Frances Louise Berlin

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2. HERMAN² BERLIN;

Birth to marriage

Herman Berlin was born 19 June 1852 -- or was he? His obituary says he was but there are other indications that show this may not be the correct year. His obituary also states that he came to this country when he was but 6 weeks old, which means that he arrived in America in 1852. However, the 1860 census for Stillwater, Washington County, MN gives his age as 10 years. The 1870 census for Ludington, Eau Claire County, WI lists his age as 19. The 1900 census for Ludington, Eau Claire County, WI claims that Herman was born in June of 1851 and 48 years old at the date of the census. I do not believe we can be sure of Herman's exact birth date. I shall use the date of 19 June 1852 as a non-confirmed date until further research can establish a better one. In conjunction with this nonconformance of dates are other facts that are in the section concerning his parents Frederick and Dora Erustier Berlin.

Portrait of Herman Berlin -- may have been taken same time as family picture. (See below.)

Herman grew up and moved with his parents to Ludington where he worked at various jobs. In 1870 his occupation was "working in a sawmill," in 1880 "as living at home" (perhaps in between employment or working on the farm for his father). Interviews with cousins who had heard stories about him seem to show that primarily he worked in the woods as a lumberjack during the early part of his life. It is probably during this time that he met Adeline Webber. Her father also worked in the woods and it appears that he and Herman may have worked together or that Herman may have been a part of his crew.

The marriage of Herman and Addie

A copy of the marriage certificate of Herman Berlin and Adeline Webber appears below. Marshal Webber, her father, is listed as one of the subscribing witnesses. The marriage was a Presbyterian service conducted by a W. H. Lockwood.. After their marriage they lived in the house that Herman and his father had built when they came to Ludington in the 1860"s. This house was a log cabin but I have not found anyone who has a picture or who could describe just how it looked. Kathy Berlin wrote that when she was a little girl they played as if they were archaeologists and dug in the soil where this house originally stood. She said they found some old ink bottles so they dug deeper and found some more bottles and a pair of very big shoes.

Marriage Certificate of Herman Berlin and Adeline Webber
Recorded in Chippewa County Courthouse, Chippewa Falls, WI No 12 - Page 63 -- #01977

1. Full name of husband -- Herman Berlin
2. Name of the father of husband -- Fred "
3. Name of the mother of husband before marriage -- Elizabeth "
4. Occupation of husband -- Farmer
5. Residence of husband -- Ludington, Wisc.
6. Birthplace of husband -- Berlin, Germany
7. Full name of wife previous to marriage -- Addie Webber
8. Name of the father of wife -- Marshall "
9. Nane of the mother of wife before marriage -- Frances "
10. Birthplace of wife -- Wisconsin
11. Time when the marriage was contracted -- October 12th
12. The place, town or township and county, where the marriage was contracted -- Seymore, Eau Claire Co.
13. The color of the parties -- White
14. By what ceremony contracted -- Presbyterian
15. Name of subscribing witnesses -- Marshall Webber, Nellie Mackay
16. Name of person pronouncing marriage -- W. H. Lockwood
17. Residence of person last named -- Eau Claire
18. Date of registration -- October 12, 1881
19. Any additional circumstances

Herman and Addie, date of picture unknown, but may have been wedding picture.

Sometime around 1890 Herman built a new home for his family, which then consisted of Addie, and four children. This house was about a quarter of a mile south of the original home. It was in this house that Herman and Addie produced 5 more children for a total of nine. Information about those children and their families follow.
Herman continued to work in the woods to supplement their farm income. Kathy Berlin wrote that they had a large apple orchard and sold apples. She has a picture of Herman in the apple orchard with his pet raccoon. She said, "I think my parents still have that raccoon; -- (he was stuffed.)"
On the 1900 Federal Census, Herman and Addie had been married for 19 years. It states that she had 8 children of which 7 are living, that her father was born in Ohio and her mother in Wisconsin. This information is inaccurate. Her marriage certificate plus other research documents and sources indicate that her mother and father were both born in New York and that Addie and Herman had 9 children of which 8 were living. I don"t think that Addie was home the day the census taker came with his census form. This happened quite often because census takers were known to take the family data from anyone who was available to give it. Herman gives the month he was born as June and the year of birth as 1851. He gave his age as 48. It indicated that he was born in Germany and that both of his parents were born in Germany. He stated his occupation as farmer, that he owned his farm and it was free of mortgage.

The death of Herman Berlin

Herman died May 8, 1911. His obituary reads as follows:

Everyone was sorry to hear of the death of Mr. Herman Berlin, which occurred at the Sacred Heart Hospital Monday, May 8, 1911. He was a man of sterling energy and his death came as a shock to his many friends and relatives. He had been in poor health for some time, but his family did not feel worried until he took to his bed three weeks previous to his death. Dr. Winter of Augusta was in attendance, doing all that could be done. Not feeling satisfied with his condition, Doctors Lyman and Drage of Eau Claire were called. They proved the case as Dr. Winter, a cancer of the bladder, also an attack of tuberculosis. May 4, he was taken to the hospital and two days later submitted to an operation, after which he rallied and felt fairly well, considering his condition. On May 8, God called him to a better land and he passed peacefully away without much suffering. He has gone to meet his beloved wife, who died eight years ago the 2nd day of September.
There are left to mourn his sad departure, six sons and two daughters. These children have the sympathy of the entire community.
Mr. Berlin was born in Germany, June 19, 1852, coming to this country with his parents when he was but six weeks old. He had lived in Ludington since his marriage, Oct. 14, 1881. He was a kind neighbor and true friend.

Herman is buried in Ludington Cemetery, Ludington, Eau Claire County, WI.

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3. ADELINE² WEBBER;

Birth to marriage

Adeline Webber, was born New Years Day in 1864. Her obituary states that she was born on the east fork of the Black River in Jackson County, WI. The 1865 Wisconsin State census indicates that her father, Marshall Webber and his family are living in Albion Township of that county. Throughout her life it appears that the name she used was "Addie." That was the name she used on her marriage certificate, the name she gave to the census taker in 1900 and the name used in her obituary. In 1867 the family moved to Black River Falls, Jackson County, WI. It was here that her mother died. After her mother's death, according to Adeline's obituary, the family lived in Mauston, WI, Chicago, IL, Eau Claire, WI and in the Irish Settlement area of Chippewa County, WI. She was found on the 1870 Federal Census for Lindinia township, Juneau County, WI. Both she and her sister Della are living with the William and Orella Peirce family. Adeline is 6 years old. I have no idea who the Peirce's are, how they fit into the family or why Adeline and her sister are living there, but this would be shortly after her mother died. Her brother, Charles, is living with her grandparents in Summit Township, Juneau County, WI. I have no knowledge as to where her father and youngest sister, Minnie, are at this time.

A young Miss Adeline Webber.

In 1880, according to the Federal Census, Addie is living in Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County, WI. This would be shortly after her father's second marriage in 1878. She was 16 years old and working as a "servant" for the A. J. Haywood family. This family consisted of a father and mother and three children. The name on the census is listed as "Ada" Webber. The name "Ada" was used later on a death certificate of her son, Archie, so it may have been a nickname. It was during this time or the next year that she met Herman Berlin. As stated above, they married in October of 1881. She was 17 years of age.

The marriage of Herman and Addie

A copy of the marriage certificate of Herman Berlin and Adeline Webber and some of the comments about their married life is listed in the Index under Herman Berlin.

The death of Addie Webber Berlin

Adeline Webber died September 2, 1903. It was a sudden, unexpected death and I am sure was a great trauma for the entire family. Virginia Snowberger Hagen said that my mother told her that Addie died of appendicitis. From stories and interviews she appeared to have been a person who loved and was loved by many. When my mother spoke about her she gave me the feeling that she loved her very much. The obituary of Adeline Webber Berlin appears below:

"Died at her home in Ludington on Sept. 2, Mrs. Herman Berlin aged 39 years eight months and 1 day. Addie Webber was born near the east fork of Black River in Jackson CO, Jan 1, 1864. Three years later the family moved to Black River Falls, where her mother died. The family later lived at Mauston, Chicago, Eau Claire and in Chippewa Co. She was married to Herman Berlin in 1881, and at once moved to the farm in Ludington, where they have since resided. Mrs. Berlin was sick but a short time, her death being caused by acute intestinal obstruction.

She leaves to mourn her sudden departure, a husband and eight children, a father, two sisters and a brother.

She was a woman of sterling worth and was much loved in the community. The funeral services were largely attended and were held at the schoolhouse Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. J. Johnson of Augusta. Interment was at the cemetery nearby."

Addie is buried next to her husband, Herman, in the old Ludington Cemetery, Ludington, Eau Claire, WI.

Children of Herman² Berlin and Adeline Webber were as follows:

Herman & Addie Berlin with their first 5 children. From L to R - Louis, Albert (Joe), Fred, Della, Frances. Picture taken Sept 25, 1891.

•           i. LOUIS BERLIN;
• Louis Berlin and Nina Matthes
• Louie Berlin was born 23 February 1883 in Ludington, Eau Claire County. In his younger years his main occupation was as a farm laborer. Apparently this was on his father's farm in Ludington township. Sometime between his mother's death in 1903 and 1910 he moved and rented a farm in Leon Township, Monroe County, WI. The 1910 Fed. Census for Leon, Monroe, WI indicates that he had a partner named Ferdinand (last name unreadable); both men were 27 years old. My mother, Frances L. Berlin, who was also Louie's sister, was his housekeeper. Archie, his 12 years old brother, was also living on the farm.
  In 1997 I had an interview with Helen Berlin, daughter of Louis and Nina Berlin. She related the following which I am paraphrasing:
• "On October 29, 1910, my father married Nina Matthes in her parents home in Viola, WI. She was born September 2, 1887, in Island Lake, WI.
• They lived in Leon until 1917, and then returned to Ludington. They brought with them four children, Vilas Mert (Tod) b. 9/1/1911 m. Sophia Yablonski 7/29/44 d. 5/17/1977 of cancer in Eau Claire, WI; Evelyn Tina b. 1912; d. sometime in her 20"s, Hazel Mae b. 11/23/1914 m. Raymond Orvold (schoolteacher) d. 2/17/1994 of liver disease in Eau Claire, WI and Virgil Edward (Stub) b, 4/12/1916 m. Julia Matthews Mar 1946 in Atlanta, GA d, 6/29/75 if leukemia in Atlanta, GA. After arriving in Ludington, three more children were born: Myron James b 4/9/20 m. Irene Hagedorn 12/5/1942 who live in Ludington, WI; Molita Sarah b. 6/16/1923 m. Henry Ruzza 3/17/1951 who live in Kansas City, MO, and Helen Louise b. 4/13/1925 m. Reuben Lee 10/19/1946 who live in Minnesota and winter in Arizona."
• Note from Dean Hagen, the author.
  I never met Uncle Louie until the late 1960"s. Research indicated that there was some problem between Uncle Joe and Uncle Louie over the inheritance of the home place and that they did not speak for years. I also knew that my mother and Louie did not speak. Arlo Berlin, son of Joe and Carrie Lowman Berlin, told me in an interview that it was over a bedroom set that had belonged to their parents, Herman and Addie Webber Berlin. According to the story, my mother was to receive this when her father died, but Louis took it. My father, Oscar M. Hagen, confronted Louie and I think she got the bedroom set, but it caused a great deal of hard feelings between brother and sister. About 1968 we were going to see Uncle Joe and we were eating lunch in a café in Augusta when Uncle Louie came in and came over to the table. That is the first time that I believe I ever saw him. I met him once later at Uncle Joe's.
• The following obituary was published at the death of Louie Berlin.
• Obituary of Louis Berlin
• Louis Berlin, 91, died Wednesday at the Fall Creek Nursing Home. He was born Feb. 23, 1883, in the town of Ludington and married Nina Matthes, Oct. 29, 1910. The couple farmed at Sparta for a number of years and then moved to Ludington where they farmed until retirement in 1959 when they moved to Fall Creek. In 1964 they moved to Augusta. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Vilas and Myron, both of Fall Creek, Virgil, College Park, GA; three daughters; Mrs. Raymond Orvold, Eau Claire, Mrs. Henry Buzza, Kansas City, Mo., Mrs. Rueben Lee, Osseo, MN.; two sisters, Mrs. Della Vance, Oregon, Mrs. Frances Hagen, Antioch, Ill; two brothers, Joe, Fall Creek, Fred, Conrath; 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ludington with Rev. Walter Steinbach officiating. Burial will be in West Lawn Cemetery in Augusta. Friends may call at the Anderson Funeral Home Friday afternoon and evening, until 11 a.m. Saturday and from noon until services at the church.
• 1 ii. FRANCES LOUISE BERLIN.(See Generation One.)
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• iii. FRED BERLIN;
•           Fred Berlin and Eva Greist.
• The following information on Fred and Eva Greist was given to me by Arlo Berlin, son of Albert (Joe) Berlin. After leaving home Fred built a house about 12 miles south of Ladysmith. Fred married Eva Greist and they had one daughter, Angela. For some reason this marriage did not last very long. Eva left with her daughter.
  Sometime later a man named Wilson purchased some of Fred's land and started a country store. Wilson had a daughter name Alta Newberry that was handicapped. She used crutches and a wheel chair. She came and worked as a housekeeper for Fred. She lived with him until she died. Alta and Fred are buried side by side in the Cornell Cemetery, Cornell, WI.
  Arlo did not know when or where Eva Greist died but Angela moved to the State of Washington at some point in her life. She married a Mr. Pattison and had three children When Fred died she returned and Arlo took her to a hearing on the inheritance. She was the only known living member of the family at the time. She died in 1991. This is the end of the interview that I had with Arlo on Fred Berlin.
  There is an interesting story about Fred that happened when he served on a posse in 1910. This newspaper article was written by Arnie Hoffman, Hi-Lites Editor in a column called, "From Here 'n There". (I do not know the name of the newspaper but it was written in 1971. The original article is in my home files.)
• CONRATH--"Fred Berlin was only 23 years old 61 years ago, when he joined a posse which was to bring the end to a lumbering saga of Northern Wisconsin that had the entire state talking about it.
• Putting down a paper plate with a piece of lemon-meringue pie on it, Berlin, now 83, grinned and started to retell the story for the umpteenth time of the day when John Dietz was taken into custody near Winter. Berlin, a long-time logger now retired and living in a little old house at Rt.1, Conrath, in Rusk County, recalled when a posse of some 70 men surrounded the Deitz cabin and shot it out with the logger who was being sought for the wounding of a man in an argument at Winter.
• The date of the shootout was Oct. 8, 1910, and the story captured the headlines in the Eau Claire Leader for days to come. Stories of the events which led to the shootout and actual tales of the affair itself are varied and points of view differ sharply. However, according to Berlin, Deitz, father of six children, had shot Bert Horel, formerly of Augusta, a logger, who intervened in an argument in Ladysmith. Deitz had been feuding with officials of a lumber company over a log dam built on the Thornapple River, claiming that part of the dam was built on his property. Dietz then wanted a rate to run the logs on his property. This fight, Berlin said, went on for years with Deitz driving everyone away with a Winchester rifle. Berlin said that authorities sent deputies to arrest Deitz for not allowing the logs to go through the dam, but he chased them away.
• Berlin, who was deputized in the final posse, said the last battle over Cameron Dam, which it became known in the newspaper headlines wasn't over logs, but over school matters. Deitz had gone to Winter to see about getting a school teacher to come to instruct his children. The board refused to approve the sending of a teacher to his cabin and instead proposed that the children board in Winter while attending school. After listening to the arguments, Horel told Deitz that he thought the school board's plan was the best. This led to the fight where Horel was shot, although not killed. Following the shooting, Berlin recalls, the governor ordered the sheriff at Hayward to take Deitz into custody because of the turmoil over the past years. The sheriff failed to apprehend Deitz and then sought help from the lumber camps.
• "Shucks, I was only 23 then," Berlin said, "so I volunteered to go,. They offered us $5 a day and all the whiskey we could drink." "That was lots of money then, when you are making only $18 a month. So fifty of us volunteered," Berlin added as he displayed the rifle he took with him at the time. Berlin said he was the youngest man in the posse and he is believed to be the only living member of the posse. With the 50 volunteers and the sheriff's men, 73 persons surrounded the clearing where Deitz and his family had their cabin.
• When the fog lifted that morning. Berlin recalled, the door opened and one of Deitz's sons, Leslie came out. The sheriff ordered him to throw up his hands, but the youth ran for the house and the sheriff ordered the posse to fire. Berlin said twenty-five guns opened up, but they missed. The sheriff then ordered the posse "to bang" it into the house. This lasted for two hours, Berlin said. Deitz apparently wasn't in the house but was to the barn. He spotted two men crawling toward the house and a man by the name of Oscar Harp was killed, the other man, Walter Bunk managed to get away," Berlin added. After Deitz was fired upon in the barn, he ran for the house and made it with only a wound in the hand. In the house, Deitz' wife urged him to surrender and the youngest daughter came out with a white table cloth and Deitz surrendered. Deitz was later tried, convicted and served 15 years of a 20 year sentence, dying shortly after he was paroled, Berlin said.
• The Conrath resident said Deitz probably could have gotten off easier but he wouldn't hire a lawyer, but pled his own case. (end of article.)
• Fred Berlin died November 29 1976. His obituary is reprinted below:
  Obituary of Fred Berlin
• Fred Berlin, 89, Rt. 1, Conrath, died Monday at Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau Claire. He was born in the town of Ludington, served in France and Germany during World War I, was a rural mail carrier in Ladysmith for several years and farmed at Conrath. Mr. Berlin was Conrath town clerk for 31 years. In 1924, he married Eva Greist. Survivors include a daughter, Angela Pattison, Richland, Wash.; a brother, Joe Berlin, Fall Creek; and a sister, Mrs. Frances Hagen, Antioch, Ill. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Anderson Funeral Home here, with burial in Cornell Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home Wednesday afternoon and evening and Thursday until services.
• iv. ALBERT JOSEPH BERLIN

  Albert Joseph Berlin and Carrie May Lowman.

  It was nearly 68 years before I found out that my Uncle Joe's first name was Albert. I had never heard anyone in the family ever call him anything but "Joe". He was born June 23, 1888 on the farm in Ludington, WI.
  Joe had a twisted foot and ankle, which I thought was the result of polio, however, Kathy Berlin, his grand-daughter informed me that "his twisted foot was a result of a break that happened when Joe was young. The break was set but Joe broke it again and, according to the information that Kathy had, they did not reset it because they didn't have the money. She says that when they were small, Grandmother Carrie taught them to sing, "Joe - Joe broke his toe riding on a buffalo."
  When his father died in May, 1911, Joe inherited 40 acres of the home place. This included the house that his father had built in 1894 and the other farm buildings. Arlo, his son, told me that the reason his dad inherited that part of the farm was because Herman, Joe's father, was always sorry about his twisted foot. He then bid on and bought the remaining 80 acres that were put up on an inheritance sale. This is the land that led to the problems between Joe and his brother, Louie. Louie wanted to buy it and they bid against each other until Louie could not bid any higher. They were never really brothers after that experience.
  Joe and Carrie married December 25, 1911 in Ludington, WI.
  During his life, Joe worked as a farmer and in his vegetable garden. He also worked as an auctioneer and for many years was a partner, with his son, Arlo, in the ownership of a tavern and dance hall in Ludington. I remember him as the owner and driver of trotting horses at race tracks. He would go to the many sulky races that were held at the county fairs. I remember how proud I would be when he came to the Monroe County Fair in Tomah, WI. I thought I was pretty important to have an Uncle who drove and owned a racehorse. Arlo informed me that he had four trotters that he raced. Even though he had difficulty in walking because of his twisted foot it never seemed to slow him down.
  Joe was a fiddle player. He would enter contests and the caption of a newspaper picture which I have reads:

  "On the afternoon program were various events, including an old-time fiddler's contest. Joe Berlin of Augusta, pictured above with a part of his audience in the background, won the contest with the rendition of "The Irish Washerwoman."

  When I showed the picture to Arlo he said, "Well, my dad won the contest but that isn't a picture of him." I decided not to use the picture.
  Kathy Berlin told me that "Grandmother Carrie liked gardening and flowers - especially gladiolas. She did a lot of crocheting and also wrote poetry. She had very bad arthritis but still managed to keep going."

  I think that Joe and Carrie were favorite people of my mother and father, and I believe Joe was one of my mother's favorite brothers. I can remember visiting them in Ludington with my parents, and they always seemed to have so much fun. Carrie was a very loving person.

  Albert Joseph Berlin and Carrie May Lowman had two children. Arlo Joseph b. Dec 27, 1912 and Milton (Choppy) b. Apr 17, 1920. Arlo lives in Eau Claire, WI and Choppy lives on the "homeplace" in Ludington, WI. Kathy Berlin, whom I speak of often in this history, is the daughter of Choppy. Kathy helped me immensely in obtaining family records on the Berlin family.

  Albert Joseph Berlin died February 14, 1979 in the Fall Creek Nursing Home. He was 90 years of age.

  Obituary of Albert Joseph Berlin

  Funeral services for Joseph Berlin, 90, formerly of Route 1, Augusta, who passed away at the Fall Creek Valley Nursing Home Wednesday morning, February 14, 1979, were held at 2 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Route 2, Fall Creek with the Rev. Ralph Morris officiating.
  Burial was in the church cemetery. Visitation was Friday afternoon and evening and Saturday morning until 11 a.m. at the Anderson Funeral Home, Augusta, and from 12:30 until time of services at the church. Joseph Berlin, son of Herman and Adeline Webber Berlin was born in the town of Ludington June 23, 1888. He attended the White School in the town of Ludington. On December 25, 1911 he was united in marriage to Carrie May Lowman in the town of Ludington. The couple lived in the town of Ludington and he farmed all of his life and served on the White School Board for several years. Mr. Berlin entered the Fall Creek Valley Nursing Home January 1, 1974.
  He is survived by two sons, Milton Berlin of Rt. 1, Augusta and Arlo Berlin of Eau Claire; one sister, Mrs. Frances Hagen of Chicago; eleven grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren.

• v. .

  DELLA BERLIN;

  Della Berlin and Laurence Vance

  Della Berlin was born July 27, 1891. She was probably named after her mother's oldest sister, Delphinia (Della) Webber. She married Laurence Vance December 12, 1912 and they lived in Ladysmith, WI. Laurence Vance was a part-time farmer, carpenter, and handyman They had one son, Lyle Laurence Vance who was born June 12, 1917.
  I remember visiting them in Ladysmith when I was very young. I don't remember much about their family life other than Lyle was an only child, and Aunt Dell spent all of her time taking care of him and fussing over him. I can also remember that she used to get upset when Laurence imbibed a bit too much, which he did from time to time.
  Laurence Vance died in 1967 in Ladysmith, WI. Della Berlin Vance then went to live in Oregon with her son, Lyle and his family. Lyle was married Evelyn Lund of Ladysmith in 1940. He and his wife moved to Portland, Oregon in 1944 where he worked in the Swan Island and Portland Shipyards during WW II. Later he worked in construction and cement work. Lyle and Evelyn had no children.
  Della Berlin Vance died March 4, 1976 in Oregon.
  Lyle and Evelyn divorced sometime after his mother's death and Evelyn returned to Wisconsin. Lyle also returned and was living in the "Clairemont Nursing Facility" in Eau Claire, WI. He died there Nov. 14, 1995 at the age of 78.
  Arlo Berlin attended Lyle's funeral in Eau Claire and also spoke with Evelyn Lund Vance at that time.

• vi. .

  CECIL HERMAN BERLIN;

  Cecil Herman Berlin

  Cecil Herman Berlin was born April 6, 1893 in the home at Ludington, WI. He grew up on the farm in Ludington and at the age of 25 he enlisted to serve his country in WW I. According to Cecil's enlistment record and honorable discharge papers he enlisted July 6, 1918 at Eau Claire, WI. He served as a Private in Company B, 345 Machine Gun Battalion. His serial number was 3365430. He sailed from the U. S., July 24, 1918 and fought in the Musse Argonne Offensive from Oct. 22 to Nov 11, 1918. He returned to the U. S. June 6, 1919 and was discharged as a private on June 14, 1919. His honorable discharge papers further state that he had gray eyes, brown hair, a ruddy complexion and was 5" 8 ½ " in height. He had a character rating of very good with no A.W.O.L."s.
  After his service he decided to go West - whether to make his fortune or not is not known - but he ended up in Lewiston, Idaho. He died there in July, 1930 from acute appendicitis. His obituary appears below:

  Obituary of Cecil Herman Berlin

  Cecil Herman Berlin was born in Ludington, April 6, 1893, and died July 9, 1930, at Lewiston, Idaho, following an operation for acute appendicitis. He had reached the age of 37 years, 3 months and 3 days. He had always lived in Ludington until he answered his colors' call in the World war along with his brothers Fred and Archie. Cecil served his country for 18 months and served it well. He was on the front line when the Armistice was signed. After returning home from the war he went west, ten years ago, and had since resided there. He was of a most kind and loving disposition, ever thoughtful of others and always ready with a smile to greet and assist at all times. He will be sadly missed by his brothers, sisters and friends. He leaves to mour his loss, two sisters, Mrs. Frances Hagen, Tomah, Wis., and Mrs. Della Vance, Ladysmith, Wis., and four brothers, Fred of Ladysmith, Louis, Bertie and Joe of Ludington.
  His mother proceeded him in death in 1903 and his father in 1911, his brother Archie in 1927 and Charley in 1895. Military funeral services were held from the Joe Berlin home, Cecil's boyhood home, and from the White School house, Wednesday afternoon, July 16, with the Legion boys in charge, Rev. Blish of Stanley officiating. Burial was in the Ludington cemetery beside his father and mother. Those from away to attend the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Vance and son and Fred Berlin, Ladysmith; Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Hagen and family, Tomah; Mr. and Mrs. Levi Melville, Mrs. Della Melville and Willis Melville, all of Chippewa Falls.

  Another dear brother has left our home circle,
  another young soul has passed away,
  And in the kind, gentle spirit, Our Father is holding his sway.
  We mourn for you, dear brother, but not with outward show,
  For the heart that mourns sincerely, mourns silently and low.
  No one knows the silent heartache, how we morn now day by day,
  Mourn for our dear Cecil, in his grave now laid away.
  We have only your memory, dear brother, to remember our whole lives thru,
  But the sweetness will linger forever, as we treasure the image of you.
  As we saw you in your casket, you looked so young and fair,
  We will always keep that memory, how you slumbered sweetly there.
  You were only in the prime of manhood, just thirty-seven years of age,
  Always upright and manly and honest in life's snowy page.
  And now 'neath the pure light of heaven, he rests and his soul is at peace,
  A glorious life opened before him, when his loving heartbeats did cease.

• vii. .

  CHARLEY BERLIN;

  Charley Berlin
  Charley was born May 22, 1895 on the farm in Ludington, WI. He died that same year. Cause of death unknown at this time.

• viii. .

  ARCHIE BERLIN;

  Archie Berlin and Madelaine Sheraton; 2nd wife Doris

  Archie was born on the farm in Ludington on December 7, 1896. The 1910 census for Leon township, Monroe County, WI shows that he is 13 years old and living on his brother Louie's farm in that location. Supposedly he was brought there by his sister, Frances when she came to keep house for her brother, Louis.
  He joined the U. S. Army at the age of 20 years. His service record shows that he enlisted at Camp Douglas, WI on April 6, 1917. His service number was 2306871. He served as a Private in Company L., 128th Infantry, and went overseas to France with this unit. He was separated from the service on December 17, 1918 with an honorable discharge.
  The following was told to me by Adeline Hagen Gilner. She was about 7 years old at the time that these events took place:

  "Archie enlisted in the U. S. Army and fought in W. W. I. At the end of the conflict he was in the hospital as a shell shock case and when he was discharged he came and lived with mother and dad as part of his rehabilitation. At that time we lived on a farm in Random. (This is Random Township, Monroe County, WI.) Sometime during this period he married Madelaine Sheraton in Richland Center, WI. Her parents owned a large farm near Richland Center. Shortly after the marriage, Madelaine became sick with tuberculosis. Mother took care of her while Archie worked until she became too bad and she was taken to a sanitarium in Onalaska, WI. Not long afterwards she died and is buried in Richland Center with her parents. After Madelaine died, Archie went to the Chicago, IL area. I think he was a door to door salesman for a while and then he got a job on the police force in Oak Park, IL. He married a lady named Doris, maiden name unknown. They came to visit us once after they were married. She was a snazzy looker and Archie had a sporty Moon car. I can remember because Archie took Dad to Sparta and nearly scared him half to death. He said Archie was taking every corner on two wheels. Note by author: (Arlo Berlin also told me about Archie's Moon car.) (Author Note: The Moon car must of been a fancy car for that period. I do not remember it.) In 1927, we received word that Archie had shot himself while cleaning his police pistol. Aunt Dell came down to Sparta and she and Mother took the train to Oak Park and went to the funeral."

  Cecil Berlin (son of Arlo Berlin) and his wife, Shirley, visited their daughter in Chicago this year. (1997). While there they investigated the police department in Oak Park, IL, and Montrose Cemetery in Chicago where Archie is buried. They also saw and took pictures of the house where Archie lived with his wife, Doris at 323 South Lombard Ave., Oak Park, IL in 1927. They furnished me with a "Statement of Military Service" for Archie, and a "Certificate of Death" issued by the State of Illinois. They gave me several pictures showing the cemetery, the plot where Archie is buried (no headstone), a copy of the death certificate, pictures of the cemetery and the house where Archie and Doris lived. No obituary has been located.

  Research of the above material shows some interesting points:
  The Coroner's Certificate of Death furnished by the State of Illinois gives no indication of a gunshot wound. Section 16 states - Date of Death September 29, 1927. Section 17 states - I hereby certify, that I took charge of the remains of the deceased herein described, held an Inquest hereon and from the evidence obtained find that said deceased came to his death on the date stated above and that THE CAUSE OF DEATH * was as follows:

  Cerebral Abscess.

  Contributory (Secondary) Unknown

  (Note by Dean Hagen -- The document has the following instructions listed on it.)
  * State the Disease Causing Death, or in deaths from Violent Causes, state (1) Means of Injury; and (2) whether Accidental, Suicidal, or Homicidal.

  (Notes and assumptions by author: We are certain that there was a gunshot wound, however, it appears that it did not cause immediate death and that Archie must have died later from Cerebral Abscess. We do not know, obviously, whether the supposed gunshot was accidental or suicidal. The fact that it is not reported on the death certificate seems to indicate that it may have been something other that accidental. This may have been caused by a flashback to problems Archie had in combat.)
  Cecil and Shirley Berlin reported that there was a baby buried in the same plot as Archie is buried and the name on the headstone is Baby Walker. The date of death of the baby is a couple of years after Archie died. It is assumed by them and me that Doris, the wife of Archie, remarried a man name Walker and their baby died in infancy. I did research Social Security files and located a "Doris Walker" who died in Cook County. I was not interested in carrying the research farther at this time since I was mostly interested in only family members of my mother. It is quite apparent that Archie was a favorite of Frances Berlin. She took him with her when she went to work for her brother Louie on his farm in Pleasant Valley, Leon, WI. After the World War I, she nursed him back to health until he married his first wife, Madelaine. When his wife became ill he asked assistance of his sister, who gladly gave it and nursed her until she became so bad she had to be removed to a sanitarium. When he died in Chicago she traveled to where he was, to a strange place, farther away from home than she ever been in her life. I expect that no one will ever know all of the facts about the death of Archie. Especially since his two marriages produced no children.

  There are places still to research. The newspapers for Oak Park around September 29. 1927 certainly must have mentioned the fact that a police officer had been injured by a gunshot. There may have been an obituary that could produce additional information. Genealogy is never complete. It merely waits on the curious and interested.

  Additional research as of October 8, 1999.

  The two newspapers that were published in Oak Park, IL were acquired through interlibrary loan. They consisted of micro-film from the Illinois Historical Library and the information below was found. Individual opinion as to what really happened can still be used.

  Both of these items were published in the newspaper for Oak Park, IL. This paper was published weekly. Only these items were found on Archie Berlin. There were no obituaries published in this paper.

  There was another weekly published in Oak Park during this period called "THE OAK LEAVES". I perused the film of that newspaper and found no items published that pertained to Archie.

  Published in "THE OAK PARKER", Oak Park, IL

  Friday, August 26,1927

  ATTEMPTS SUICIDE

  "Archie Berlin, age 30, member of the Oak Park police force is in the West Suburban hospital with a bullet hole through his left side, after having tried to commit suicide Tuesday evening at his home, 323 South Lombard avenue.
  Following the shooting Berlin said that he was shot accidentally but according to the police Berlin fired the shot into his body following an argument with his wife. The shot passed through his body entering just above the heart.
  According to Berlin's associates on the police force he left the station Tuesday evening apparently in the best of spirits and they were at a loss to account for his act."

  Published in "THE OAK PARKER", Oak Park, IL

  Friday, September 30,1927

  DEATH OF PATROLMAN

  "The death of Archibald Berlin, 30 years old, Oak Park police officer, occurred Thursday at the West Suburban hospital where he has been since August.
  On the morning of August 23, the police were summoned to his residence at 323 South Lombard avenue and found Officer Berlin badly wounded after the explosion of his gun. For a while it was thought that the accident was an attempt at suicide, but Officer Berlin stoutly denied this. He claimed that the gun went off accidentally while he was cleaning it and to the last this was his statement. At times it looked as if his recovery, were possible, but so serious was the wound above his heart that he succumbed a little over a month after this tragic accident.
  Officer Berlin had been a patrolman of the department for several months. Over a year ago he also served in the Oak Park station for a period of a year and a half. He is survived by his wife."

   

• ix. .

  HERBERT BERLIN;

  Herbert Berlin and Iona Marie Lowman

  Herbert Berlin was known as Pete, but Mother always called him "Bertie". He was born March 3, 1899, the youngest of Herman and Adeline Berlin's nine children. He married Iona Marie Lowman. She was a sister to Carrie Mae Lowman who married Albert (Joe) Berlin. They built a house just south of the homeplace. Bertie and Iona had two children. Everett Wayne, whom they called Wayne, b Jan 1, 1919 and Wanda b. February 19, 1923. Bertie and his family moved to the state of Washington. I have very little information on what happened to the family except, from interviews conducted with Arlo Berlin and his daughter, Carol Thoma. It appears that the family did not have a happy time in Washington state.
  Wanda died Feb 23, 1968.
  Herbert Berlin died Jan 13, 1969
  Wayne died April 22, 1970.
  All died in the state of Washington.

Summary of the Herman Berlin and Adeline Webber Family

Herman and Addie had a family that went through some good times and some bad times. I am sure that the loss of Addie when all of the children were young had a great effect on the family. One child died in infancy, one child was crippled, three of the sons fought overseas in World War I and one daughter had to take over the role of homemaker at a very early age due to the loss of the mother. Archie and Cecil died at the ages of 30 and 37, respectfully, but the remainder of the children died at ages above the normal life expectancy; Louis age 91, Frances age 94, Fred age 89, Joe age 90, Della age 84, and Bertie age 69. There appears to be a healthy longevity for descendants of this family. They were farmers, woodsmen, served their country, communities and lived life to the fullest. In the living of their lives, there appears to have been some animosity and discordance between the siblings of the family. Whether there was a good reason or whether this is just the way they were will probably never be fully answered. There were no saints but it does not appear that their sinning ways were that bad either. I am happy to call them my family.

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